As California Leads Nation in Scientific Advancements, Torres Joins Schiff, Lofgren, and 41 Colleagues Urging OMB to Rescind Politicized Rule on Federal Grants

California lawmakers press the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to fulfill its role of overseeing nonpartisan federal grant process

Washington, D.C. — Representative Norma Torres joined U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), and 41 members of the California congressional delegation are demanding the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rescind their proposed regulation for federal financial assistance, emphasizing the crucial need for federal funding for scientific research to remain independent given California’s leadership as the innovation capital of the world and a top recipient of federal research funding.

“The rule is unprecedented, expansive, and applies across the federal government to every agency that reviews grants and other financial assistance proposals. It would allow political appointees to control all aspects of the grant review process, setting the stage for politically motivated decision-making that places the whims of the President over the well-being of the American people,” the lawmakers wrote.

The California lawmakers highlight how the administration’s proposed regulation will weaken U.S. scientific research across all fields and impact California stakeholders, undermining OMB’s essential role in coordinating the advancement of federal grants in a nonpartisan manner. California leads the nation in scientific advancements across sectors – including biomedical engineering and quantum computing – and is deeply committed to investing in cutting-edge research in engineering, science, and medical research.

“The proposed rule would weaken the scientific foundations of experimental research, slowing the development of new treatments, strategies for environmental protection, technologies to expand our knowledge of space, and solutions to some of our most pressing questions,” the lawmakers continued.

Specifically, the lawmakers point to several areas of research that will be significantly impacted by OMB’s proposed rule:

National Competitiveness and the STEM Talent Pipeline: In light of the administration unlawful suspending of millions in funds for U.S.-based scientific research, the proposed rule will threaten our status as a world leader in science by harming the STEP talent pipeline, create additional barriers for international students and domestic businesses that contribute to our economic viability, and weaken the nation’s ability to compete with China and other countries.

Biomedical and Scientific Research and Development: The proposed rule will politicize agencies’ longstanding science-based review process and prevent major research development of life-saving therapies, medicine, and preventive interventions for millions of Americans – as well as threaten clinical research efforts for future medical breakthroughs.

Higher Education: California’s universities rely on grants to fund schools and resources – which will all be on the line under the politically motivated restrictions in the proposed rule, jeopardizing the long-term future of our academic research institutions.

State and Local Governments: From disrupting public services to putting vital community projects on hold, the proposed rule abandons vulnerable populations.

“The effects of this rulemaking could reverberate for generations. With such funding uncertainty and unpredictability, California and the rest of the country will backslide behind other nations in the areas of health, innovation, research, and scientific development. As such, we strongly urge you to rescind your proposed rule,” the lawmakers concluded.

In addition to Torres, Schiff and Lofgren, the letter was signed by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and U.S. House Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.-33), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44), Ami Bera (D-Calif.-06), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.-26), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.-24), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.-31), Lou Correa (D-Calif.-46), Jim Costa (D-Calif.-21), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.-10), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.-30), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.-42), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Adam Gray (D-Calif.-13), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34), Josh Harder (D-Calif.-09), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02) Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.-37), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.-16), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.-36), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), Dave Min (D-Calif.-47), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.-11), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.-38), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.-32), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Mark Takano (D-Calif.-39), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.-04), Derek Tran (D-Calif.-45), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.-43), and George Whitesides (D-Calif.-27).

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

Dear Director Vought:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) serves the critical role of ensuring that federal agencies administer funding to advance federal policy goals in an objective and fair manner. We write as members of Congress with the distinct honor of representing California – the innovation capital of the world and a top recipient of federal research funding. Our state leads the country in scientific advancements across sectors – from biomedical engineering and quantum computing, to fusion energy and more – because of robust federal funding. This investment is critical to early-stage scientific discovery across fields that the commercial marketplace cannot yet support due to the long timelines and inherent uncertainties of basic research. Nevertheless, these foundational research activities ultimately serve as the essential pipeline for future commercial innovation, spinning off into market-ready technologies and new domestic industries that drive economic growth and directly improve the lives of all Californians, and by proxy all Americans.

OMB’s federal grantmaking procedures were established to provide agencies with guidance on grant management and as such, this guidance has historically emphasized the importance of performance metrics, transparency, and unbiased review. We are gravely concerned by the extent to which OMB’s proposed “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” would drastically alter federal grantmaking procedures and undermine the transparency and unbiased review which is central to the success of the federal grant process. The rule is unprecedented, expansive, and applies across the federal government to every agency that reviews grants and other financial assistance proposals. It would allow political appointees to control all aspects of the grant review process, setting the stage for politically motivated decision-making that places the whims of the President over the well-being of the American people.

Merit-based, independent scientific review is the foundation of the United States’ and California’s leadership in science. For over 75 years, federal agencies including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Department of Energy have used merit-based review as a competitive process to award grants to California’s leading institutions in scientific, engineering, and medical research based on quality and impact. This review process has driven discoveries and critical progress in medicine, national security, technology, and economic competitiveness. At a time when U.S. companies are already publicly expressing uncertainty about accepting federal funding from this administration, citing fears of “conditions” the administration may place on their research, it is critical that federal funding of scientific research remain independent.

Therefore, we strongly urge OMB to rescind its proposed regulation and preserve the rigor and objectivity of its grantmaking processes so that federal grantmaking can remain free of partisanship and political agendas. This should include an emphasis on peer review of grants over the political and partisan bias of any administration, the establishment of transparent evaluation criteria, and other robust safeguards to protect the independent judgment of career civil servants. OMB’s proposed revisions to the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance undercut each of these critical guardrails necessary to protect the advancement of U.S. scientific research across all fields.

The proposed rule would weaken the scientific foundations of experimental research, slowing the development of new treatments, strategies for environmental protection, technologies to expand our knowledge of space, and solutions to some of our most pressing questions. The following implications for several areas of scientific research are particularly significant:

National Competitiveness and the STEM Talent Pipeline

Viability of Research

This proposed rule adds to the ever-growing uncertainty that scientists and researchers in California broadly face over federal funding. This administration has already unlawfully frozen millions of dollars in NSF funding, impounded NASA resources, and slashed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clean energy grants. These investments are critical to finding the next cures, protecting our access to clean air, and furthering our understanding of the universe. And yet, the administration’s actions will hinder our state’s best and brightest minds while denying funding to entire scientific fields the administration does not believe to be in service of their ideological and political priorities.

Harms to the STEM Talent Pipeline

These barriers, coupled with growing financial uncertainty, have forced American researchers, including those in California, to reevaluate the viability of continuing their studies in the United States. Countries like China are offering millions of dollars in research funding to our nation’s leading planetary scientists, engineers, and PhD candidates, hoping to capitalize on our nation’s unparalleled STEM talent pool. The continued slashing of NSF, NASA, and EPA funding will further damage our pipeline of future researchers and scientists, threatening our status as a world leader in STEM, and ultimately the nation’s ability to develop and innovate in the United States.

Additional Barriers on International Students and Domestic Businesses

The proposed regulation outlines new requirements for award eligibility, including mandatory participation in the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program, which would create significant administrative barriers, not just for higher education institutions, but for farmers, small businesses, and construction industries. For higher education institutions, this would hinder progress for international students and researchers providing critical contributions to American and California-led scientific progress. For farmers and small businesses, mandating E-Verify would significantly harm their ability to fill roles and conduct their day-to-day work. Furthermore, E-Verify comes with extensive administrative burdens and inaccurate information about employees. Punishing farmers, small businesses, and construction companies for a system known to be flawed in its accuracy will negatively impact these institutions’ and companies’ economic viability and their contributions to the American economy.

Competition from China

The proposed rule is a form of national self-destruction. Funding reductions will seriously weaken the United States’ ability to compete with other countries, especially as China is already laying out ambitious plans to become a leader in science – particularly in space science - by 2050. China has already invested in missions to explore Neptune and return samples from Mars, and yet OMB’s proposed rule gives non-experts the power to direct NASA’s future. We cannot compete with China on the world stage if we do not channel our resources into credible and technically sound scientific endeavors. Further, we cannot grant such a significant responsibility as grantmaking authority to political appointees with no technical expertise. Doing so would erode the efficacy, integrity, and respect of these programs and cede power and influence to our competitors abroad.

Biomedical and Scientific Research and Development

Politicization of Scientific Peer Review

OMB’s proposed rule would upend U.S. biomedical and scientific research agencies’ long-standing, apolitical, and science-based review process. Peer-review systems employed by NIH, NSF, and other research agencies have long been the top benchmark for identifying the most promising scientific opportunities. Replacing scientific judgment with political review risks directing resources away from the most meritorious research. California’s universities and medical centers conduct research that benefits patients nationwide, and any reduction in merit-based funding decisions could delay the development of life-saving therapies, diagnostics, and preventive interventions for millions of Americans.

OMB should carefully consider whether codifying these restrictions serves the long-term public interest. The result would not simply be administrative inefficiency; it would mean slower progress against cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, infectious diseases, and other conditions affecting millions of Americans. Federal research policy should be guided by scientific evidence, scientific experts, and public health needs, not structured in a manner that unnecessarily limits future administrations' ability to support scientific innovation and respond to emerging health, public safety, and other challenges.

Erosion of Research Infrastructure and Scientific Collaboration

Provisions favoring institutions with lower indirect cost rates, combined with restrictions on publication and conference costs under the proposed rule, threaten the infrastructure that makes scientific research possible and arbitrarily penalizes research that requires higher overhead costs. For example, research universities and academic medical centers maintain laboratories, clinical trial networks, biosafety systems, data security protections, and patient oversight programs that are essential to safe and effective research.

This research ecosystem serves as a national resource, attracting talent and fostering collaboration across states. Limiting the ability of researchers to share findings and collaborate would slow the translation of discoveries into treatments that improve public health nationwide. NIH-supported research has made America the global leader in biomedical innovation. Weakening the stability, predictability, and scientific integrity of federal research funding across U.S. research agencies threatens that leadership and risks slowing the pace of discoveries that improve and save lives.

Threats to Future Medical Breakthroughs

The proposed rule would permit scientific agencies to terminate research grants based on expansive ‘national interest’ determinations. Biomedical research often requires years of continuous support to recruit patients, conduct clinical trials, collect data, and validate results. California’s institutions lead large clinical research efforts, including studies involving cancer immunotherapies, neurodegenerative diseases, rare diseases, and emerging infectious threats. If compliant grants can be terminated unexpectedly, patients may lose access to promising therapies, research findings may be delayed, and taxpayers may lose the value of prior federal investments.

Ultimately, the greatest impact of this rule would be borne by patients. Every delay in biomedical research means longer waits for earlier diagnoses, more effective therapies, preventive interventions, potential cures, and avoidable deaths. Americans confronting cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, mental illness, rare disorders, and other serious conditions depend on continued scientific progress.

Higher Education

Limitations on Resources

Universities and institutions across California rely on grant-funded indirect cost recoveries to share their discoveries and advance the leading edge of science. OMB’s proposal would render publication costs, including open access fees for journal and periodical access, unallowable “unless such costs are expressly required by statute or approved in advance by the Federal agency on a case-by-case basis.” This change would be uniquely harmful to California-led innovation, as University of California (UC) researchers conduct 8.3 percent of all U.S. academic research. The dissemination of knowledge and academic collaboration is the foundation of these breakthroughs across critical sectors, including biotechnology, computing, semiconductors, telecommunications, and agriculture.

Politically Motivated Restrictions on Research Topics

OMB’s proposed regulations would prohibit the use of federal awards to support or promote theories of disparate-impact liability based on protected characteristics like race, sex, or age. These rules unnecessarily weaponize reasonable diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and undermine the free speech rights of federal grantees. They allow political appointees to dictate the topics researchers are permitted to investigate, hampering intellectual freedom and vastly narrowing the scope of higher education research. Instead of supporting research that amplifies underrepresented voices, the administration is empowering political appointees to cancel grants with any mention of race or gender. Outside of the higher education system, these dangerous provisions would also restrict federal funding to crucial environmental justice work to address pollution and toxic chemical impacts on disadvantaged communities, fenceline communities adjacent to industrial facilities, and communities of color.

The destructive and chaotic consequences of this approach have already been made clear under this administration, as seen by actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to abruptly terminate hundreds of millions of dollars in active research funding using overbroad, automated keyword searches for subjective terms. A federal judge recently ruled that cuts carried out by DOGE violated the Constitution and created a broad “chilling effect” on research. Codifying these harmful practices into government-wide OMB regulations would do a disservice to diverse communities as well as to our institutions of higher learning.

Long-Term Uncertainty

Federal funding is the largest and most important source of support for UC research, and the UC system is awarded more NIH and NSF funding than any other institution in the country. In FY 2024, UCs received $7.719 billion in total research awards, $5 billion of which were federal awards. The proposed restructuring of federal grant administration will undoubtedly threaten ongoing, cutting-edge research and successful grant programs across the state and the country. OMB’s proposed rule widens the administration’s ability to terminate grants that have already been obligated and are in progress. If enacted, these proposed changes would allow political appointees to interrupt, suspend, or permanently terminate active research projects on the cusp of major discoveries if they determine the award is “no longer in the Federal interest.” Under these proposed changes, an already-approved grantee could see an agency terminate the grant months later, leaving multi-stage projects unfinished with little or no explanation and jeopardizing their scientific research. Already this is impacting the future of American science.

State and Local Governments

Disruption of Public Services

OMB’s proposed rule poses a severe threat to the fiscal stability of counties and local governments across California and the country, which budget carefully and deliberately for year-long programs that rely on federal awards to deliver critical social services. Expanding the discretionary authority of political appointees to suspend or terminate active grants mid-cycle based on shifting administrative priorities introduces unprecedented unpredictability into local governance who have varied and limited capacity to shoulder new costs. Under this proposal, local communities may experience abruptly halted federal funding, leaving vital local infrastructure projects unfinished and abandoning vulnerable populations who rely on these services.

New Compliance Burdens

Local governments frequently operate as pass-through entities responsible for administering and distributing federal funds to community subrecipients. This vital role would become significantly more punitive under this regulation, as OMB’s proposal introduces sweeping oversight, monitoring, and documentation requirements that would severely strain thin local administrative resources. Most troubling, the proposed rule stretches compliance risks to unprecedented levels by tying overall grant eligibility to local enforcement of federal executive orders, potentially endangering funding over events held on county property. Forcing resource-constrained local authorities to act as federal compliance monitors for the administration or face catastrophic funding terminations creates an unworkable landscape that will ultimately reduce the reach of federal assistance.

The effects of this rulemaking could reverberate for generations. With such funding uncertainty and unpredictability, California and the rest of the country will backslide behind other nations in the areas of health, innovation, research, and scientific development. As such, we strongly urge you to rescind your proposed rule.

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At Gila National Forest, Rep. Vasquez Highlights How Forest Service Cuts Put New Mexico's Public Lands and People at Risk

SILVER CITY, N.M. – On July 10, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) led local conservationists, veterans, wildlife experts, and community members on a hike in the Gila National Forest to hear firsthand how recent U.S. Forest Service staffing cuts are impacting wildfire prevention, trail maintenance, outdoor recreation, and public lands management in southern New Mexico.

The hike took place near the Trout Fire burn area, where participants discussed the growing challenges facing one of New Mexico's most treasured landscapes due to the Administration’s recent decision to gut the Forest Service workforce, cut research stations, and reorganize the agency — a move which Rep. Vasquez has condemned due to concerns about wildfire risks and threats to public lands.

“The Administration is causing chaos, disruption, and thousands of consequential layoffs at the U.S. Forest Service, impacting rural forest communities like Silver City. We’re at peak fire season, and folks on the ground shared great concerns about the next big fire to hit Grant and Catron counties, as the trail-clearing crews that help clear the way for fire lines in wilderness areas were fired or RIF’d over a year ago,” said Vasquez. “Today I listened to a multitude of stakeholders, volunteers, business owners, and biologists about the future of the Gila as we took a hike through the Trout Fire burn scar. It’s clear to me that we need MORE resources, not less, during this crucial time, while USDA instead is focusing on a massive relocation effort and staff reassignments that hinder the department’s ability to respond quickly and decisively in rural communities. Fully staffing our Forest Service is one of my top priorities — for all public land users and for the safety and security of forest communities across my district.”

To push back against the Forest Service cuts, Vasquez is championing the Public Lands Workforce Stability Act, legislation that would prevent reductions in force at the U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior through 2030. The bill underscores that safeguarding the Forest Service workforce is a wise investment of taxpayer funds to protect our public lands, public safety, tourism economies, and the local businesses that depend on outdoor recreation.

Vasquez has also repeatedly pressed the Administration to address declining trail conditions and spoke out against the Administration’s decision to redirect approximately $90 million in National Park Service entrance fee revenue from essentials like trail maintenance to cosmetic pet projects in Washington, D.C., like painting statues gold.

Protecting the Gila has long remained a cornerstone of Vasquez's work in Congress. He introduced the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, legislation that would permanently protect approximately 446 miles of the Gila River, San Francisco River, and their tributaries as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System — marking the most significant conservation effort for the region in more than a century.

Vasquez is a national leader in protecting public lands, founding the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, which successfully prevented millions of acres of public land from being sold through last year's budget reconciliation process. He has also introduced bipartisan legislation to prohibit future attempts to sell or transfer federal public lands without congressional approval, the Public Lands Integrity Act.

Joining Rep. Vasquez on today’s hike were representatives from New Mexico Wild, the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, veterans, local conservation leaders, and residents of the Gila region, all of whom shared their experiences living, working, and recreating on New Mexico's public lands.

“The proper staffing and management of such an important national resource needs to be given serious attention by the current Administration, and they must quit treating our national forests as an irrelevant waste of money,” said Al Gamboa, a Silver City resident and Marine Corps veteran who is passionate about protecting the Gila River. “DOGE slashed funding and staff without ever taking into consideration what an important resource and economic-driver these lands are to the country and especially our region.”

“The Administration recognizes the enormous public support that public lands and conservation have, so instead of privatizing them — which they would love to do — they are destroying [our lands] and the agencies responsible for managing them by a thousand cuts,” said Carlos Martinez del Rio, a Silver City resident, wildlife biologist, and board member of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “The restructuring of the Forest Service, the obliteration of the Forest Service’s research branch, and the regulatory rollbacks that will threaten previous rules that balanced extractive uses with the need for sustainability and biodiversity conservation are all examples of this approach.”

“Since 1905, there has been a Forest Service presence in Silver City, managing the Gila’s 3.3 million acres, and woven into the lives and livelihoods of the people in Grant County, NM. Young people from the area could train as fish biologists, botanists, geologists or other resource careers and then secure meaningful work with the Gila National Forest serving their community, the National Forest system, and the country. That reality is no more,” said Patrice Mutchnick, Director of Heart of the Gila. “The science and resource management class of the agency has been decimated and staffing locally is at bare bones minimum. With the continued cuts and confusing changes at the USDA and the U.S. Forest Service, the economic symbiosis between the community and the Forest, forged over a century, is unraveling at record speed.”

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Walberg and USDA Deputy Secretary Vaden Visit Weir and Leitz Farms

Today, Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05) welcomed Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden to Michigan's 5th Congressional District. They began the day at Weir Farms in Horton meeting with local farmers from five different counties in Michigan to discuss the Administration's priorities and explore ways to continue to support hardworking farmers. They specifically focused on the benefits of the Working Families Tax Cuts and this year's Farm Bill, which have strengthened risk management tools, protected family farms from the increased death tax, expanded access to markets, and cut taxes for farmers. Congressman Walberg and Deputy Secretary Vaden then travelled to Leitz Farms in Sodus to tour the farm and learn more about their operations.

"I was honored to join Deputy Secretary Vaden today in meeting with farmers across Michigan's 5th District to discuss how we can provide them with the necessary tools to maintain the world’s safest and most abundant food supply," said Rep. Walberg. "Farmers work tirelessly every day, and policies like those included in the Working Families Tax Cuts and this year's Farm Bill will support their efforts to put affordable food on the tables of hardworking Michigan families."


From the Front: July 10, 2026

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From the Front: July 10, 2026
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NEWS: Baldwin-Backed Housing Bill Becomes Law at Midnight, Despite President Trump Refusing to Sign Bipartisan Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At midnight tonight, the U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)-backed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will become law, despite the over two-week delay from President Donald Trump and his refusal to sign the bill. The legislation, which is set to become law at midnight unless the President vetoes it, is the most significant legislation in 30 years to lower housing costs for families, invest in supply, and crack down on out-of-state investors gobbling up housing stock in our communities. For years, Senator Baldwin has fought to ban large private equity and large institutional investors from buying single-family homes in Wisconsin, often raising rent and putting home ownership further out of reach.

“I’ve travelled across Wisconsin talking to families who are begging for relief from high housing costs – renters’ budgets are stretched thin and homeownership is simply out of reach for so many. Republicans and Democrats came together to craft legislation that will build more housing in our state, lower costs, and take on Wall Street investors that are buying up homes in our neighborhoods,” said Senator Baldwin. “This bill should have been law weeks ago, but President Trump chose to play politics instead of listening to families struggling with the high cost of just about everything. I’m proud to have helped craft this bill and voted for it, and I will continue working with anyone to ensure Wisconsinites can make ends meet, achieve homeownership, and invest and live in the communities they love.”

Senator Baldwin traveled across the state, meeting with local families and housing stakeholders to advocate for the passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Senator Baldwin held events in Sun Prairie, Wausau, Hayward, Watertown, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Racine, and Eau Claire. In Wisconsin, the median home price climbed from $155,000 in 2015 to $325,000 in 2025, more than doubling over the decade. Wisconsin homebuyers are now spending four times more than their household income, according to an analysis of Census Bureau and Zillow data.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes key bipartisan priorities, including a provision banning large institutional investors from buying single-family homes. Senator Baldwin has long championed legislation to crack down on corporate investors who buy up homes and lock Wisconsinites out of homeownership. Senator Baldwin co-leads the Affordable Housing and Homeownership Protection Act, legislation to help build and preserve approximately three million affordable housing units nationwide, fully paid for by taxing investors who purchase and hold more than 15 single-family homes. Baldwin also joined her colleagues in introducing the Stop Predatory Investing Act, to prohibit investors who acquire 50 or more single-family rental homes from deducting interest or depreciation on those properties. Baldwin and her colleagues called on President Trump to support their bill and to take on large institutional investors who are gobbling up homes. At the local level, Senator Baldwin called on the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Chicago to work with her office and Milwaukee affordable housing nonprofits to expand opportunities for Milwaukee residents to compete with out-of-state investors.

Key provisions of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act include:

Bans corporate landlords from buying up single-family homes: This housing package includes legislation that would rein in large institutional investor purchases of single-family homes. The legislation will halt large institutional investor purchases of single-family homes, making it easier for families to buy homes and harder for powerful corporate landlords to drive up the cost of rent. Penalties imposed for violations will be used to support housing construction and assistance for first-time homebuyers.

Boosts housing supply to bring down costs: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will boost housing supply to bring down costs, including through the first-ever federal incentives for municipalities that successfully build more housing. The package will make it easier and cheaper to build new housing by removing the chassis requirement for manufactured housing; easing financing for modular housing, manufactured housing, and affordable dwelling units; and streamlining construction approval processes and environmental reviews for affordable housing development. It will also help preserve existing supply and convert blighted and underutilized buildings into new housing.

Makes key reforms to increase housing fairness, access, and affordability: The legislation addresses appraisal bias, preserves manufactured housing communities, improves Section 8 inspection policies to get families housed faster, supports homeownership, addresses housing needs of veterans, and improves federal programs to help reduce homelessness.

Includes significant, longstanding policy priorities to build more housing and make it more affordable: These provisions include reforming and reauthorizing the HOME Investment Partnerships program, authorizing the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, making long-overdue reforms to the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service to prevent the loss of up to 400,000 affordable homes in rural communities, and creating new funding streams for HUD-certified housing counseling.

To read the bill text, click here.

To read the section-by-section, click here.

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ICYMI: Sen. Banks Joins Rob Schmitt Tonight on Newsmax

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) joined Rob Schmitt Tonight on Newsmax to discuss Graham Platner, the state of Democratic Party leadership, and the Democrats’ leftward shift.

Click the image above for full discussion.

Key Excerpts:

Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “Platner, what a dirt bag that guy is, and everybody knew it, the Democrats knew it, Republicans knew it, the voters in Maine knew it. It’s unbelievable that the Democrats would nominate him to be their candidate, but then again, you see the Democrats nominating flawed, left-wing, radical, communist candidates all over the country, but Platner would have been easy to beat… That’s becoming the mantra of the Democrat Party all over the country. This is not my grandpa’s Democratic Party.”

“It just goes to show that Chuck Schumer doesn’t run the Democratic Party, certainly not the Democrat conference in the United States Senate; Bernie Sanders does. And Bernie Sanders vetted Graham Platner, and Graham Platner passed the Bernie Sanders test, so that just goes to show that the communist, socialist wing led by Bernie Sanders and these radical Democrats own the Democrat party. They anointed Platner; that’s who they wanted. He was their movement, a socialist, communist candidate. And the Democrats nominated him. That’s just the fact of the matter.”

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ICYMI: Sen. Banks Joins The Hugh Hewitt Show on Salem News Channel

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) joined The Hugh Hewitt Show on Salem News Channel to discuss the importance of fighting for President Trump’s agenda and the SAVE America Act.

Click the image above for full discussion.

Key Excerpts:

Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “It shows the contrast between us and them. And the biggest contrast, by the way, in polling just over the past couple of weeks: nationally only 29% of democrats say they are proud to be American on America 250. This is the greatest country in the history of the world and that’s fundamentally the difference between us and them.”

“We have to do our part too. I’m well aware Republicans have to fight harder for the SAVE America Act. We have to fight harder for President Trump’s agenda. Gas prices are down; we have to keep them going down and costs of living going down. But we are working on that and focused on that with President Trump… ”

“Again, we have a lot to do in six months, and our voters sent us to Washington to fight for them. And frankly, I’m glad some of these Republicans are retiring. They have been in Washington for way too long. In my year and a half in the Senate, we have some Republican Senators who don’t want to fight. They don’t want to fight for this agenda. We have a fresh crop of Republicans who have been fighting the good fight in the House who are now going to help us shake it up in the Senate, and that’s what we desperately need.”

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Blumenthal, Graham, Shaheen, & Wicker Announce Agreement on Legislation to Hold Purchasers of Russian Oil Accountable

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) released the following statement today:

“We are proud to announce that we have reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to move our updated Russia sanctions legislation forward. We are very pleased with this significant progress and expect to roll out the legislation very soon. As Russia intensifies its slaughter of civilians, it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools to exact a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas, fueling the Putin war machine.”

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Blumenthal, Luján, & Wyden Demand FTC action on Hidden Delivery Fees that Drive Up Prices for Consumers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) this week 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, Blumenthal, Luján, 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 Blumenthal: Week in Review 7/3/2026-7/10/2026

Touring Storm Damage

[Hartford, CT] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) met with local officials and residents in Torrington, Bristol, Salisbury, Harwinton, Plainville, and Southington to tour damage from this week’s storms.

“Storm damage devastated areas of Torrington. I visited some of the worst with Gov Lamont. We’ll be fighting for federal aid,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“Bristol’s team has worked well to restore power but widespread residential damage still needs to be repaired. I’m urging homeowners to document it, so we can press for insurance coverage they deserve,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“Destruction pervasive in Salisbury—including the renowned White Hart Inn—with 95% power out town wide. A lot of rebuilding ahead. We’re mobilizing possible federal support,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“Harwinton hard hit—widespread power outages, lines down, homes damaged, roads blocked. Community coming together,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“Winds, hail, rain, & more pummeled Plainville & Southington. Trees fell on houses & roads as well as power lines. Mini-tornadoes or microbursts left a path of destruction,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal recommended homeowners and businesses impacted by the storms document any damage they are experiencing to support future insurance claims, and he also acknowledged the tireless work of first responders in their emergency response to the storm.

“These microbursts are absolutely destructive in places where there are homes hit by falling trees. What I’ve asked residents to do is document the harm to their property so that insurance will cover it. And the towns are making sure that they have photographic evidence because we can declare an emergency and get federal aid. FEMA, the Small Business Administration, and other agencies ought to come to the assistance of Connecticut,” said Blumenthal. “The destruction is massive in the places where this storm targeted, specific areas with wind and rain and hail. So, were here to help—and I’ve just been very impressed by communities coming together, helping each other, and the police fire, first responders, all responding magnificently.”

Urging Water Safety to Avoid Preventable Injury & Death this Summer

Blumenthal joined Stew Leonard Jr. in West Hartford to urge water and pool safety amidst a surge in drowning deaths as the summer swimming season begins.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 in the U.S. For children aged 5 to 14, drowning is the second leading cause death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Last year, the Trump Administration dismantled the CDC Drowning Prevention Unit at the CDC and recently proposed cutting federal funding for the program entirely. Blumenthal requested $5 million in funding for the program in Fiscal Year 2027 and is calling for a reversal of these dangerous and reckless cuts that threaten children and families.

“Every year, about 900 children 1 to 4 years old die as a result of drowning. It is inexcusable, needless, tragic—and there are some easy preventions. Number one: supervision. Watch your child literally every second, because it only takes seconds for drowning to occur. Number two: life vests. These life vest are life savers. And third: learn to swim. There is no excuse for a child to be deprived of swimming lessons. Stew Leonard is offering them for free. Stew Leonard took tragedy and turned it into something immensely positive,” said Blumenthal at the press conference.

Blumenthal further urged water safety on Twitter/X.

“Stew Leonard took the tragic drowning of his son & turned it into positive change for the community. Swim lessons, water safety, watchful caregivers will help save children’s lives this summer,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

Demanding Repeal of Trump Administration Harmful Student Loan Policy

Blumenthal joined students, faculty, and leadership at Southern Connecticut State University to demand passage of legislation to repeal the Trump Administration’s changes to federal student loan eligibility for part-time college students that are in effect as of July 1. Part-time students have historically qualified for the same federal loans as full-time students. Under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, students enrolled part-time are only eligible for loans proportional to the number of credits they take, meaning a student taking 50% of a full course load can receive only 50% of the federal loan they previously qualified for. The cost of tuition does not account for the full cost of attendance, even for part time students. This reduction could prevent students from affording books, transportation, childcare, and other necessities in order to successfully complete their degree requirements.

Blumenthal is pushing for Senate passage of his Restoring College Access and Affordability Act, introduced earlier this year, which would repeal these changes and restore equal access to federal student loans.

“Donald Trump is screwing higher education. Students lose, billionaires win, which is unfair to students but also unfair to the country—because we need those students to be gaining the skills that are needed in all kinds of areas of business,” said Blumenthal at the press conference. “I’ve introduced a measure called the Restoring College Access and Affordability Act. It safeguards loans and other sources of financing that are essential.”

Celebrating the Fourth of July Across Connecticut

On the Fourth of July, Blumenthal celebrated our country and the values upon which our nation was founded.

“Happy Fourth of July! On America’s 250th Birthday we reflect on the promise of our great nation, our hard-won independence & our common commitment to upholding democratic values,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“On America’s 250th, I remember Justice Thurgood Marshall’s Bicentennial reminder that the Constitution is not “fixed in meaning” but rather “a living document.” Honoring our Founders, we should honor also all who have expanded liberty, justice & equality. Our work continues,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal also recognized our country’s 250th birthday with a post on his Substack page.

Blumenthal marked the Fourth of July with parades and celebrations across Connecticut over the holiday weekend.

“Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday with IRIS, thanking this magnificent organization for its profoundly important work welcoming & resettling immigrants & refugees,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“Columbia's July 4th parade—a great community celebrates a great country on its 250th. A deeply patriotic tribute,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“The Boom Box July 4th Parade in Willimantic was one of the best ever—rousing, rocking spirit & energy. Despite the heat, crowds were amazing—in numbers & enthusiasm. Thank you Wayne Norman of WILI!” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“Bell ringing 250th celebration in Norwich with Mayor Singh & wonderful community. Recitations, music, remarks & bells—all made it special,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“Wethersfield celebrated 250 years of independence & this historic town’s enduring contribution with a community party—music, games, food, bubbles, tattoos (removable) & lots of exuberant spirit (sustained),” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

“In Guilford, reading the Declaration of Independence marked a 250th celebration, followed by music & food. A great time, before a classic New England summer rainstorm,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal Bulletin

Blumenthal celebrated Seyo Cecunjanin’s release from ICE detainment.

Blumenthal announced an agreement on legislation to hold purchasers of Russian oil accountable.

Blumenthal demanded FTC action on hidden delivery fees that drive up prices for consumers.

Blumenthal supported the decision to grant Ukraine a license to construct more Patriot missiles.

Blumenthal slammed Trump for profiting from the Presidency while investors in his bitcoin experienced a humongous loss.

Blumenthal joined CNN’s Anderson Cooper to discuss Trump leveraging the presidency to profit off his crypto schemes.

Blumenthal demanded the FTC stop deceptive fees on food delivery apps.

Blumenthal attended a Venezuela flag raising ceremony in Bridgeport.

Blumenthal called out Trump for rolling back gun violence protections.

Blumenthal celebrated the UConn Health Neuromodulation Center of Excellence offering critical care to veterans.

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U.S. Senator Katie Britt Delivers Remarks at Fort Rucker Barracks Ribbon Cutting Completed with $41.2 Million She Secured

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) delivered remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Fort Rucker’s new PFC Garfield M. Langhorn Training Complex. Fort Rucker is the U.S. Army’s Aviation Center of Excellence, and this new facility will serve as housing and support facilities for over 300 Army Aviation Soldiers going through training on the base. In the FY24 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, Senator Britt, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured a critical $41.2 million to finish the construction of these barracks.

Senator Britt participates in the AIT barracks ribbon cutting on Fort Rucker

In her remarks, Senator Britt stated in part, “The men and women … that serve here are heroes. They deserve the quality of life and experience that their sacrifice put forth … I know that this is going to modernize the living conditions for aviation soldiers in training, and it’s going to provide them with the facilities they have long awaited. Look, this has been a long time coming. I’m grateful to our military leaders and grateful to our communities, and grateful to those who continue to bring attention to this.”

…

“This year, America celebrates 250 years of freedom as a land of enduring opportunity. We also recently celebrated 251 years of the United States Army … For longer than our nation has existed, American soldiers have answered the call to defend our freedoms, to preserve peace through strength, and to protect our nation.”

…

“I am grateful for the leadership of President Trump and for our Secretary of War and the men and women sitting in front of us. There has never been a more important time to invest in America’s military and national defense … I remain committed to ensuring that our warfighter is the best trained, equipped, and ready across the planet, and I could not be more grateful to this administration and President Trump and his efforts to rebuild America’s military and strengthen our national defense.

“It is an honor to celebrate this ribbon cutting with all of you today … I look forward to seeing our soldiers move into these new barracks and in the next chapter of Army Aviation, maintaining and staying here in the Wiregrass. Thank you for what you do. It is an honor to represent you and work shoulder to shoulder with so many of you here. God Bless our troops. God Bless our Army. God Bless our Army Aviators. And God Bless the United States of America.”

Senator Britt grew up just outside of the gates of historic Fort Rucker in Enterprise and has proudly supported construction, training, and operations on the base throughout her time in the Senate. In the FY26 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Senator Britt secured an additional $28.4 million in funding for Fort Rucker including construction of flight control towers, a medical evacuation support facility, an aircraft maintenance hangar, and more. In total, Senator Britt has directly secured $86.55 million for Fort Rucker.

Background:

PFC Garfield M. Langhorn Training Complex is Fort Rucker’s first new barracks since 1998 and will modernize living conditions for Army Aviation Soldiers in training. Previously, Soldiers experienced failed sanitary sewer infrastructure, electrical hazards, gas leaks, HVAC failures, mold mitigation, fire protection systems, and more. In FY19, this project because the base’s top Military Construction, Army (MCA) priority. Soldiers will be expected to move in later this fall.

With the oversight of the Mobile District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, around 760 contract personnel were employed in the creation of this state-of-the-art facility. The complex will house around 320 Soldiers and hold integrated command centers.

Army PFC Garfield M. Langhorn, whom the Barracks is named after, was a Vietnam War hero and Medal of Honor recipient inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame. He was killed when he threw himself on a grenade, protecting the lives of his fellow soldiers. Born in New York, he was just 20 years old when he died. President Nixon posthumously awarded his family the Medal of Honor in 1970.

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Cantwell Statement on Court Requiring Northwest ICE Processing Center To Admit Health Inspectors

EDMONDS, WA – Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that the operators of the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma must admit inspectors from the Washington State Department of Health, after years of refusing them entry.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement:


Cantwell Statement on Trump Removing All Members of Vital Bipartisan Election Agency

EDMONDS, WA – Yesterday, President Donald Trump ousted all of the remaining commissioners serving on the independent, bipartisan Election Assistance Commission, gutting the only federal entity dedicated to assisting states’ administration of elections. A White House official claimed that President Trump “reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections.”

President Trump fired the two remaining Democrats, while allowing the remaining Republican member of the commission to resign yesterday. A fourth commissioner, another Republican, left his post voluntarily earlier this year. President Trump’s actions leave the four-seat commission with zero members, with fewer than four months until the midterm elections and just 70 days until early voting begins in some states.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement:

“By removing all members of the independent and bipartisan federal Election Assistance Commission, President Trump is making our elections less secure. Only Congress can eliminate the EAC -- but that hasn’t stopped the President from trying to fully disable it. I call on my colleagues to stand up against the administration’s attempts to undermine free and fair elections.”

Established by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), the EAC is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring accessible, secure, and accurate elections. Since its creation, the EAC has provided essential assistance to state and local election officials, set voting standards, certified voting equipment, and administered the country's most comprehensive election survey, the Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS).


Cortez Masto, Cramer Honor Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day

Senators Pass Bipartisan Resolution Designating July 10, 2026, as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) led the passage of a bipartisan resolution to designate July 10, 2026, as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. This resolution honors the men and women who dedicate their lives to ensure communities have access to safe, affordable, and reliable electricity.

“Every year on July 10, we recognize the tireless dedication of journeyman lineworkers,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These men and women not only perform routine maintenance to our power grids, but they also restore electricity when our communities are struck by disasters, from wildfires to hurricanes. I am proud to stand behind our lineworkers and to introduce this bipartisan resolution honoring their steadfast commitment to our communities.”

“Despite the freezing winter cold and sweltering summer heat, lineworkers across North Dakota ensure the power stays on when we need it the most. Growing up, my dad was a rural electric lineman, and I saw firsthand his hard work and commitment to keeping electrons flowing for our neighbors. Our resolution honors the thousands of journeymen lineworkers in America for their selfless dedication,” said Senator Cramer.

This Resolution is endorsed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI). Also cosponsoring the Resolution are U.S. Senators Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

“Lineworkers perform one of the most demanding and essential jobs in our society, often working in dangerous conditions to restore power when communities need it most. On National Lineworker Appreciation Day, we recognize their dedication, expertise, and commitment to public safety. Whether responding to severe storms, maintaining our electric grid, or building energy systems to improve the quality of life for millions of Americans, lineworkers represent some of the electrical industry’s very best. On behalf of our contractors and their employees across our nation, I want to extend our sincere thanks to Senator Cortez Masto for introducing this year’s bipartisan resolution, ensuring our nation never forgets the vital role lineworkers play in everyday lives,” said David Long, NECA CEO.

“Lineworkers are the face of our industry in communities across the country, especially during outages and emergencies,” said Drew Maloney, EEI President and CEO. “Day and night, they work to keep the lights on and ensure customers have the power they depend on to live and work. EEI and our member companies, alongside our partners in organized labor, strongly support Sen. Cortez Masto and Sen. Cramer’s efforts to pass S. Res. 794, which supports designating July 10, 2026, as Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. This resolution, and the efforts of our Senate champions, recognize America’s lineworkers, who power the energy of every day.”

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

Senator Cortez Masto is a champion of Nevada’s skilled trades workers and has consistently fought to create good-paying, union jobs. She has introduced legislation to protect roadside workers, strengthen workers’ right to unionize, and implement federal workforce heat stress protections. Cortez Masto has secured hundreds of thousands in funding to increase women’s access to skills training. She is a consistent supporter of Nevada’s emerging lithium production and recycling industry, which is expected to create thousands of union jobs.

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Sen. Cruz Applauds Appointment of Aaron Reitz as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, released the following statement after Aaron Reitz was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.

Sen. Cruz said, “I applaud Aaron Reitz’s appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. Aaron served as my Chief of Staff for nearly two years, and I can attest that throughout his career, whether in law, government, or on the battlefield, he has earned the respect of those who have had the privilege of working with him. I am confident he will uphold the rule of law and keep Texans safe in this new position. I congratulate Aaron on this well-deserved appointment.”


Curtis Visits Wildfire Site, Urges Passage of Fix Our Forests Act

The full transcript is below, and video can be found here.

I’m in Juab County today very near the city of Eureka, where we’ve just had two of our very big fires, and these are under control and doing well.

I had a chance to be briefed by BLM, by wildland firefighters, by the Forest Service, and by the city itself. I’m telling you, one of the things that was just touching was to hear the mayor talk about how he thought his entire city was going to burn, and how they were able to bring resources in—a lot of federal resources—to protect the city and a lot of the resources in the county.

It’s been very interesting. As you all know, we’ve got these severe fires across the entire state.

I’m working really hard on a bill. It’s called Fix Our Forests. It dramatically changes the way we manage our federal lands and our forests—not just federal, but all of our forests—before the fires. It changes the way we fight the fires and then the way we deal with the aftermath. And I’m hoping we can get that bill across the finish line. It’s called Fix Our Forests. Follow it and follow us.

Background:

Utah is experiencing one of its most challenging wildfire seasons, underscoring the need for policies that reduce hazardous fuels, improve coordination across jurisdictions, and accelerate recovery efforts after fires are contained. The bipartisan Fix Our ForestsAct would reform how forests are managed before wildfires occur, improve the nation’s wildfire response, and strengthen post-fire restoration efforts. The legislation streamlines hazardous fuels reduction projects, expands cross-boundary collaboration, and helps federal land managers respond more quickly to growing wildfire threats.


Duckworth, Durbin Announce $52 Million in Public Health Grants for Illinois

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $52,175,652 in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) public health grants for the Illinois Department of Public Health and the City of Chicago. Primarily sourced from the federal Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program, this funding will assist state and local governments in effectively preparing for or responding to public health threats including infectious diseases and natural disasters. Other awards are for cancer and heart disease prevention, tuberculosis monitoring and for immunization-related activities.

“Investing in our public health departments is essential to keeping Illinois communities healthy, prepared and resilient,” Duckworth said. “This federal funding will help our public health organizations protect families, respond to emergencies and prepare for future outbreaks and natural disasters while ensuring local leaders have the resources they need to help keep Illinoisans safe.”

“Whether responding to emerging viral threats like Ebola or RSV, preventing violence and opioid overdoses, or ensuring effective emergency response to natural disasters, public health departments in Illinois play a vital role in protecting communities across the state,” Durbin said. “The funding announced today will give our public health departments the resources they need to navigate future public health challenges and continue to preserve the well-being of our community.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health will receive $36,453,082 in grant funding while the City of Chicago will receive $15,722,570.

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Gillibrand Calls On Department Of Homeland Security To Reinstate Temporary Protected Designation For Haiti

Following the Recent Supreme Court Decision, Haitian Nationals on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Will Lose Work Authorization on Saturday

The Senator Recently Joined Colleagues to Introduce S. 4814 to Require the Secretary of Homeland Security to Designate Haiti for TPS

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) today called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow to reinstate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.

The push follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting the Trump administration to terminate Haiti’s TPS designation. Affected Haitian nationals will lose their work authorization after today, July 10. New York is home to a large Haitian community, with vibrant populations in New York City, Spring Valley, and across Long Island.

In her letter, Gillibrand noted that given the ongoing social unrest and humanitarian crisis in Haiti, TPS should remain in place, especially since USCIS has not “credibly shown that these conditions have abated […] Beyond humanitarian interests, allowing Haitian nationals’ work authorization to suddenly expire will deal yet another blow to American employers who rely on these individuals to fill essential roles supporting New Yorkers,” Gillibrand wrote.

The expiration of TPS will have severe consequences across the state and nation, particularly for the U.S. health care workforce. Gillibrand pointed out that hospitals, emergency rooms, senior care facilities, and home care services continue to face severe staffing shortages. The Senator noted that, “Across New York State, Haitians are deeply integrated into our local economies as small business owners, teachers, and civic leaders. In Spring Valley and throughout Rockland County, they form a core part of our local care infrastructure.”

Senator Gillibrand’s office has received extensive outreach from communities across New York concerned that the lapse in Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) will disrupt vital services. She wrote that the EAD lapse “would result in a sudden loss of trusted caregivers for some of New York’s most vulnerable citizens. These are community members who depend on stable relationships to live safely, with dignity, and as independently as possible.”

Gillibrand concluded by urging Mullin and Edlow to reverse the decision while Congress pursues legislative solutions, including S. 4814, a bill she recently co-sponsored to mandate Haiti’s TPS designation.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

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Gillibrand Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging Reappointment Of Dr. John Howard To Lead World Trade Center Health Program

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reappoint Dr. John Howard to another six-year term as Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).

The letter, which Gillibrand led alongside Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02), was signed by 26 bipartisan members of Congress ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In the letter, the lawmakers highlight Dr. Howard’s leadership of the World Trade Center Health Program and note that Congress recently secured lifetime funding for the program, ensuring responders and survivors continue receiving the care they have earned.

“Honoring our promise to ‘never forget’ means protecting healthcare for 9/11 first responders and survivors,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Dr. Howard has dedicated his career to ensuring that 9/11 heroes get the specialized care they need to cope with the long-term health effects of toxic exposure. Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks, the Trump administration must reappoint Dr. Howard to guarantee that survivors keep the care and stability that they deserve.”

“Twenty-five years after September 11th, New Yorkers know our responsibility to the responders and survivors who answered the call has never ended,” said Congressman Garbarino. “Congress recently secured funding for the World Trade Center Health Program for the lifetime of the program, ensuring those who continue to suffer from the health effects of 9/11 will receive the care they have earned for years to come. Dr. Howard has dedicated more than two decades to serving the 9/11 community, and we owe him our sincere thanks for that commitment. As we approach the 25th anniversary of the attacks, reappointing Dr. Howard will provide the continuity and stability the Program deserves.”

“Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act want to thank Congressman Garbarino and Senator Gillibrand for leading this strong bipartisan effort and all of the members of Congress who joined with them in urging Secretary Kennedy to show he fully supports the WTC Health Program and its work in providing health care to over 140,000 9/11 responders and survivors by reappointing Dr. Howard as the program Administrator before the upcoming 25th Anniversary of 9/11 this September,” said Ben Chavet, executive director of the Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act.

The World Trade Center Health Program provides critical medical services to more than 140,000 9/11 responders and survivors across all 50 states. Earlier this year, Congress secured funding for the lifetime of the Program, permanently addressing its projected funding shortfall and providing long-term certainty for responders, survivors, healthcare providers, and researchers.

In their letter, the Members recognized recent steps taken by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address staffing shortages, delayed research grants, and pending petitions for additional covered conditions. They also emphasized that maintaining experienced leadership will help ensure the Program continues operating effectively as it enters its next chapter. The Members urged Secretary Kennedy to reappoint Dr. Howard before the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Senator Gillibrand has been leading the push for 9/11 first responders and survivors still battling illnesses from their toxic exposure at Ground Zero. She recently pushed HHS to expand coverage of cancer screenings for 9/11 responders and survivors under the WTCHP. She also led the bipartisan, bicameral fight to fix the World Trade Center Health Program’s funding shortfall, and she delivered full, permanent funding for the program, signed into law in February 2026.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

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Grassley Welcomes Over $746,000 in Federal Funding to Support Iowa Communities

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed news from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that Iowa will receive over $746,000 in federal funding to benefit communities across western and northwestern Iowa. This funding is authorized under the Robert T. Stafford Act.

“In the wake of devastating storms, Iowans have demonstrated the strength and resilience that make us the Hawkeye State. I’m glad to see Secretary Mullin push this vital funding through so Iowans can continue to repair and rebuild,” Grassley said. “In the Senate, I’ll keep working to ensure the people of Iowa get the support they need.”

Details on the FEMA awards follow:

Little Sioux Inter-County Drainage District: $208,302.16 to fund the management of Public Assistance (PA) grants due to severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes in 2024.

Woodbury County Rural Electric Cooperative Association: $156,735.76 to fund the repair or replacement of electrical conductors, utility poles and other items due to severe winter storms in 2025.

Rock Rapids Municipal Utility: $138,604.75 to fund the repair or replacement of meters and regulators due to severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes in June 2024.

City of Onawa: $123,432.42 to fund the repair or replacement of transmission line poles due to severe winter storms in 2025.

City of Spencer: $118,980 to fund citywide sewer system repairs or replacements due to severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes in 2024.


Q&A: Secure America Act

Q: Why did you push for passage of the Secure America Act?

A: The disastrous open border policies of the Biden administration weakened our national security and created a humanitarian crisis by empowering criminal networks to exploit tens of thousands of vulnerable migrant children and emboldening drug cartels to push their poison into the country, including along Iowa’s major highways. Lax enforcement of our immigration laws under the previous administration paved unprecedented illegal migration into the country, further exacerbated by the Biden administration’s abuse of the federal immigration parole system. During the Biden presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) calculated a net entry of more than seven million people illegally entered the United States, nearly doubling legal immigration from fiscal years 2021 to 2024.

The Republican-led Congress and the Trump administration are fixing the mess created by the Biden administration’s open border policies. The CBO examined how the illegal immigration surge strained social services and local budgets, calculating it resulted in a direct net cost of more than $9 billion in 2023.

As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over matters related to immigration and law enforcement, I led passage of the Secure America Act signed into law in June. The nearly $70 billion package boosts border security and immigration enforcement funding, strengthening the ability of the executive branch to faithfully execute the laws of the land. As America celebrates 250 years since our nation’s founding, we’re called to recognize how we got here and where we’re headed. That includes upholding the founding principles to defend our sovereignty and adhere to the rule of rule, such as protecting our borders, enforcing immigration and trade laws and respecting immigrants who obey our laws to come to America.

Q: How will the Secure America Act improve public safety?

A: This law fully funds federal law enforcement officers and U.S. border security personnel, the men and women who risk their lives to keep our streets safe, keep dangerous drugs out of our communities and keep counterfeit products off our shelves. It’s downright reckless that my Senate Democrat colleagues blocked funding for federal law enforcement officers and intentionally undermined the appropriations process that led to government shutdowns of federal agencies that serve and protect the American public, from border security to security screening at airports. The Secure America Act ensures federal law enforcement officers will be paid for their work. As always, I’m proud to shape public policy that backs the blue and supports measures to protect public safety, including keeping violent criminals, illicit drugs and contraband off our streets.


Senator Hassan Highlights Bipartisan ROAD to Housing Bill & Need to Lower Housing Costs at Events Across New Hampshire

NEW HAMPSHIRE – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan highlighted the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act at events in Londonderry and Keene this week, underscoring how the bill will help reduce hosting costs for New Hampshire families.

“To lower housing costs for families, we need to build more housing. Developments like the Village at Technology Hill and the Roosevelt East Apartments will help more Granite Staters find an affordable place to live and stay in New Hampshire,” said Senator Hassan. “The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that I fought for will help more communities build homes like these, and I look forward to it becoming law at midnight— despite President Trump’s tantrum about it.”

In Londonderry, the Senator spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Village at Technology Hill, a new middle-class family housing development that will add 400 new units when completed.

In Keene, Senator Hassan toured the Roosevelt East Apartments, a newly opened apartment complex built on the site of a former school. The project was funded using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit that Senator Hassan worked to expand.


Heinrich, Cassidy, King Press DOJ on Status of Bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act After Agency Misses Key Implementation Deadline

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Angus King (I-Maine) sent a letter pressing Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to meet a deadline to implement key research provisions of the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act. The legislation led by Heinrich and Cassidy and cosponsored by King, permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs and streamlines the registration process for scientists conducting controlled substance research. The HALT Fentanyl Act became law on July 16, 2025.

Scientists studying Schedule I substances often face lengthy bureaucratic hurdles that slow scientific breakthroughs and delay the development of new treatments — including promising therapies to support mental health and physical well-being. The HALT Fentanyl Act is designed to reduce those delays by allowing eligible researchers to notify the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) when they begin research, rather than waiting for the agency to individually review and approve each project before research can start. The law required the Attorney General to establish that new notification process within six months, but that deadline passed on January 16, 2026.

“We recognize the importance of maintaining appropriate controls over Schedule I substances while supporting and accelerating research that may lead to new scientific discoveries and the development of new therapeutics,” the senators wrote to Acting Attorney General Blanche. “As psychedelics are currently classified under Schedule I, timely implementation of the HALT Fentanyl Act is essential to accomplishing these objectives.”

The senators concluded their letter by asking Acting Attorney General Blanche when DOJ will comply with the law and establish the new research process Congress required, including by answering the following questions:

By what date will the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the DEA establish and publish an updated process for Schedule I research registrations?

Has DEA established an electronic portal for submitting research activity notifications? If so, when was it implemented?

What steps is DEA taking to eliminate duplicative requirements, including repeated site inspections and multiple registrations within the same institution or locality?

If these steps have not been implemented, what is DEA’s timeline for meeting the requirements of P.L. 119-26?

What actions is DOJ taking to ensure consistent implementation of the Act across all DEA field offices?

Has DEA issued guidance or conducted training on the Act’s requirements? If so, please describe.

For more information on the HALT Fentanyl Act, click here.

The full text of the letter is here and below:

Dear Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche,

We write to inquire about the status of the Department of Justice’s implementation of the “HALT Fentanyl Act.” President Trump signed this law on July 16, 2025, and it includes significant changes to federal requirements for controlled-substance research. The law sets a six-month deadline for rulemaking by the Attorney General, and this deadline passed on January 16, 2026. The expiration of this deadline and the continued absence of rulemaking or guidance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) threaten to hinder research for breakthrough psychiatric treatments.

As cosponsors of S. 331, the “HALT Fentanyl Act,” we recognize the importance of maintaining appropriate controls over Schedule I substances while supporting and accelerating research that may lead to new scientific discoveries and the development of new therapeutics. Multiple Schedule I drugs have shown significant promise in clinical trials, and several have been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

President Trump’s recent Executive Order, entitled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness,” articulates the imperative to hasten research efforts, stating, “It is the policy of my Administration to accelerate innovative research models and appropriate drug approvals to increase access to psychedelic drugs that could save lives and reverse the crisis of serious mental illness in America.” As psychedelics are currently classified under Schedule I, timely implementation of the HALT Fentanyl Act is essential to accomplishing these objectives.

Following the President’s Executive Order and in response to the urgent, widespread need for new and effective psychiatric treatments, we respectfully request responses to the following questions:

By what date will the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the DEA establish and publish an updated process for Schedule I research registrations?

Has DEA established an electronic portal for submitting research activity notifications? If so, when was it implemented?

What steps is DEA taking to eliminate duplicative requirements, including repeated site inspections and multiple registrations within the same institution or locality?

If these steps have not been implemented, what is DEA’s timeline for meeting the requirements of P.L. 119-26?

What actions is DOJ taking to ensure consistent implementation of the Act across all DEA field offices?

Has DEA issued guidance or conducted training on the Act’s requirements? If so, please describe.

We request that you provide responses to these questions no later than July 31, 2026. We look forward to your reply and to the implementation of the HALT Fentanyl Act in accordance with the law.

Sincerely,

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N.M. Delegation Demands Answers After Reports of DEA Declining to Seize Massive Fentanyl Shipments, Calls for Immediate Reforms to Stop Deadly Fentanyl from Reaching New Mexico Communities

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) sent a letter demanding answers from U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Terrance Cole on why the DEA allowed large quantities of fentanyl to circulate unseized in New Mexico communities.

Trafficking of fentanyl and other opioids poses one of the most severe — and often deadly — public health threats facing New Mexico and the nation. Illicit fentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance, is an exceptionally potent synthetic opioid that can be fatal even in extremely small quantities. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl has been the primary driver of the overdose epidemic in the U.S.

Whistleblower complaints allege that Albuquerque-based DEA agents declined to interdict at least 1.8 million fentanyl pills between 2023 and 2025 in hopes of taking down a larger supply chain.

“We unequivocally assert that allowing fentanyl to go unseized creates an unconscionable risk to New Mexicans,” the lawmakers wrote to DEA Administrator Cole.

In 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and DEA established "Fentanyl Protocols" directing agents to "seize or otherwise prevent the distribution" of fentanyl "as soon as practicable" to protect public safety. In 2024, the DOJ revised those protocols to provide law enforcement with greater discretion, allowing agents to weigh public safety risks against "the benefits to be achieved through preserving the investigation." A 2024 DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigative summary further states that the U.S. Attorney's Office acted reasonably in allowing certain drugs to remain unseized and concluded that doing so posed no "specific danger to public health and safety."

“We adamantly disagree with this internal assessment, and we urge your agency to immediately revert fentanyl protocols to the 2017 standard of seize or otherwise prevent the distribution of fentanyl as soon as practicable,” the lawmakers underscored. “We will be taking all necessary actions in Congress to better ensure the safety of New Mexicans and expect that you will stand with us in those efforts.”

The lawmakers concluded their letter by demanding responses to a request for written documentation on all instances where the DEA declined to interdict fentanyl, and the following questions on the DEA's fentanyl interdiction policies, investigative protocols, and enforcement practices:

Provide comprehensive written documentation of all individual instances, occurring in New Mexico since January 2017, including dates, locations and amount of suspected contraband, during which DEA has declined to interdict fentanyl in the course of a Title III or electronic surveillance investigation. Please also indicate the extent to which fentanyl involved in these investigations was ultimately recovered.

What are DEA’s current internal directives and guidelines dictating how federal agents manage active drug-trafficking investigations involving fentanyl? Specifically, what protocols instruct agents on whether to seize a shipment of fentanyl immediately or allow it to pass temporarily under surveillance?

What internal DOJ or DEA documentation determines, or may supersede, official fentanyl interdiction and operational protocols both as a matter of agency-wide policy and also with regards to individual drug-trafficking investigations? How are these changes to operational protocols communicated to agents in the field? Please provide all such documentation since January 2017.

Under what circumstances are DEA agents permitted to exercise discretion, abandoning any presumption of interdiction, allowing a fentanyl transaction to proceed without immediate seizure? What safeguards are in place to protect communities when fentanyl shipments are allowed to continue as part of an ongoing investigation?

Must agents possess a guaranteed, continuous ability to seize the substance immediately if the operational environment changes? How is the likelihood of losing operational surveillance, and the potential number of lives impacted if the substance enters the illicit supply chain, measured against the benefits of a successful investigation?

What circumstances mandate when fentanyl must be safely interdicted, or swapped for a controlled delivery with a substituted substance, before it is allowed to advance within the supply chain? What levels of approval within your command structure are required to bypass immediate interdiction?

What other tactics such as controlled deliveries, enhanced surveillance, contraband substitution are available to your agency to facilitate long-term, high-level investigations without an unacceptable risk to public safety? What resources can we provide to make these tactics of more common use to your agency?

What is the reassignment status of DEA personnel based in New Mexico to out-of-state enforcement efforts since January 2025? During the same period, have DEA agents in New Mexico maintained their primary focus on drug-trafficking investigations or have any participated in joint immigration enforcement operations not limited to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations?

For more information on the N.M. Delegation’s work to tackle the opioid crisis, click here.

The full text of the letter is here and below:

Dear Administrator Cole:

We write with urgent concern following investigative reporting revealing that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents may have allowed large quantities of fentanyl to circulate unseized in New Mexico communities. These reports include whistleblower complaints alleging that Albuquerque-based agents declined to interdict at least 1.8 million fentanyl pills between 2023 and 2025 in hopes of taking down a larger supply chain. We unequivocally assert that allowing fentanyl to go unseized creates an unconscionable risk to New Mexicans. Furthermore, given the seriousness of these allegations and potential ongoing threats to public safety, we require immediate responses regarding your agency’s fentanyl interdiction and operational protocols.

Illicit fentanyl poses a uniquely severe, and often deadly, public health crisis in New Mexico and across the country. Pharmaceutical fentanyl, a schedule II substance, is an exceptionally potent synthetic opioid, posing a severe risk of fatality even in extremely small quantities. Its potency is estimated to be significantly higher than other opioids, approximately 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Because fentanyl is so powerful, even an extremely small amount — roughly equivalent to a few grains of salt — can be a lethal dose. The illegal diversion of pharmaceutical fentanyl most often occurs through supply chain theft, prescription fraud, and rogue actors within the medical system. Unlike pharmaceutical fentanyl, illicitly manufactured fentanyl is mainly produced in clandestine laboratories without approved precursor chemicals and is largely responsible for the overdose crisis in the U.S. Illicit fentanyl and its analogs, schedule I substances, are unregulated lab-made variations of pharmaceutical fentanyl often supplied by drug cartels. Illicit manufacturers frequently mix it into other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, and counterfeit pills. This means individuals are often unaware they are ingesting it, which significantly increases the risk of accidental overdose. Because of the variability in illegal drug manufacturing, the amount of synthetic opioid varies widely from pill to pill and, as acknowledged by your agency, a single pill can easily result in a fatal overdose.

Internal DEA documentation indicating shifting agency fentanyl interdiction and operational protocols, without necessary consultation with various Congressional oversight authorities, is of paramount importance to our inquiry. Public reporting has focused on U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and DEA “Fentanyl Protocols,” established in 2017, mandating that agents “seize or otherwise prevent the distribution” of fentanyl “as soon as practicable” to protect public safety. Subsequently, in 2024, reporting states that DOJ updated these protocols to give law enforcement more discretion, allowing agents to balance public safety risks against “the benefits to be achieved through preserving the investigation.” Confirmation of this posture is recorded in a DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) 2024 investigative summary, concluding that the U.S. Attorney's Office had made reasonable decisions by allowing drugs to go unseized and that their inaction posed no “specific danger to public health and safety.” We adamantly disagree with this internal assessment, and we urge your agency to immediately revert fentanyl protocols to the 2017 standard of seize or otherwise prevent the distribution of fentanyl as soon as practicable.

We appreciate that you recently asked DOJ’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) to begin an internal, independent investigation of the reported allegations. While we have no interest in interfering with the OIG’s progress, we require immediate responses to the following, no later than 10 days from your receipt of this letter, so that we may take appropriate legislative action to reign in any discretionary authority erroneously presumed.

Provide comprehensive written documentation of all individual instances, occurring in New Mexico since January 2017, including dates, locations and amount of suspected contraband, during which DEA has declined to interdict fentanyl in the course of a Title III or electronic surveillance investigation. Please also indicate the extent to which fentanyl involved in these investigations was ultimately recovered.

What are DEA’s current internal directives and guidelines dictating how federal agents manage active drug-trafficking investigations involving fentanyl? Specifically, what protocols instruct agents on whether to seize a shipment of fentanyl immediately or allow it to pass temporarily under surveillance?

What internal DOJ or DEA documentation determines, or may supersede, official fentanyl interdiction and operational protocols both as a matter of agency-wide policy and also with regards to individual drug-trafficking investigations? How are these changes to operational protocols communicated to agents in the field? Please provide all such documentation since January 2017.

Under what circumstances are DEA agents permitted to exercise discretion, abandoning any presumption of interdiction, allowing a fentanyl transaction to proceed without immediate seizure? What safeguards are in place to protect communities when fentanyl shipments are allowed to continue as part of an ongoing investigation?

Must agents possess a guaranteed, continuous ability to seize the substance immediately if the operational environment changes? How is the likelihood of losing operational surveillance, and the potential number of lives impacted if the substance enters the illicit supply chain, measured against the benefits of a successful investigation?

What circumstances mandate when fentanyl must be safely interdicted, or swapped for a controlled delivery with a substituted substance, before it is allowed to advance within the supply chain? What levels of approval within your command structure are required to bypass immediate interdiction?

What other tactics such as controlled deliveries, enhanced surveillance, contraband substitution are available to your agency to facilitate long-term, high-level investigations without an unacceptable risk to public safety? What resources can we provide to make these tactics of more common use to your agency?

What is the reassignment status of DEA personnel based in New Mexico to out-of-state enforcement efforts since January 2025? During the same period, have DEA agents in New Mexico maintained their primary focus on drug-trafficking investigations or have any participated in joint immigration enforcement operations not limited to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations?

Please provide a detailed timeline regarding actions taken by the DEA since these whistleblower allegations came to your attention. Will DEA now direct all federal agents involved in drug-trafficking investigations to seize or otherwise prevent the distribution of fentanyl as soon as practicable?

This situation requires that your responses be compiled and returned with the same urgency with which we’ve submitted our inquiries. We will be taking all necessary actions in Congress to better ensure the safety of New Mexicans and expect that you will stand with us in those efforts.

Sincerely,

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