NEWS: Sanders Warns Democrats: Don’t Open Back Door for Republicans to Cut Social Security

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 — After the Social Security Administration warned that 70 million Americans will have their benefits cut by 2032 unless Congress takes action, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today called on Senate Democrats to strongly oppose the PROMISE Act — legislation allowing congressional Republicans to slash or privatize Social Security through an unelected commission. Sanders instead urged his Democratic colleagues to support his legislation, backed by 78% of the American people, to apply the Social Security payroll tax on all income above $250,000 a year, increase benefits by $2,400 a year and expand Cost-of-Living Adjustments. In 2023, the Social Security Administration estimated that this legislation would make Social Security solvent for 75 years without raising taxes on 91 percent of Americans who make less than $250,000 a year.

“The Democratic Caucus must make it abundantly clear that under no circumstances will we support legislation that cuts Social Security benefits, raises the retirement age, reduces Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs), or privatizes this essential program,” Sanders wrote. “At a time when the wealthiest people in America are becoming much wealthier, asking them to pay the same percentage of their income into Social Security as teachers, nurses, firefighters, and construction workers is not a radical idea. It is common sense. It is what the American people want… Unfortunately, instead of clearly telling the American people how we intend to strengthen Social Security, there are now Members of Congress who are considering legislation that moves us in exactly the wrong direction.”

Seniors in America today face the highest rate of poverty of almost any major country. Over 20% of seniors are trying to survive on an income of less than $15,000 a year and nearly half of older workers have no savings or plan for retirement. Yet despite this retirement crisis, billionaires continue to pay much less proportionally into Social Security than do working-class Americans, and Republicans in Congress are making their intention to undermine the program clear. Last week, Senate Republicans called Social Security a “scam” on the Senate floor.

In his letter, Sanders warns that the PROMISE Act would enable departing members of Congress who have lost the confidence of the American people — especially those from a party that might have lost control of one or both chambers following November’s elections — to determine the future of Social Security for the next 50 years.

“At a time when the very rich are getting richer while working families struggle, it is no great secret that millions of Americans no longer have faith in the political process or either major party. They see the current political system as rigged and corrupt, benefiting the powerful and wealthy campaign contributors. If the Democratic Party is ever to regain the faith of ordinary Americans it must stand firm on the issue of Social Security,” Sanders concluded. “Instead, we will strengthen and expand Social Security by requiring the wealthiest Americans to finally pay the same percentage of their income into Social Security as tens of millions of working people do today. That is how we prevent benefit cuts. That is how we expand Social Security. That is how we extend Social Security’s solvency for generations to come. That is how the Democratic Party begins to regain the trust of the American people.”


NEWS: Sen. Schiff Urges President Trump to Reverse Destructive Cuts to Science and Research Funding

Schiff highlights the role federal funding played in our nation’s greatest scientific discoveries, emphasizes how cuts will trigger billions in lost economic activity

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) called on President Trump and his administration to end their repeated attacks on science and research funding – underscoring that cuts to critical federal investments have been detrimental to U.S. innovation and have impacted research on new discoveries, including life-saving drug research and space exploration.

“Without robust federal funding and prioritization of our scientific workforce, we are at grave risk of ceding influence and power to our competitors abroad,” Senator Schiff wrote in a new letter to President Trump.

Schiff points out that cuts to federal science funding will ultimately lead to higher prices for millions of Americans, greater job insecurity across industries, loss in scientific talent to our competitors abroad, and a decline in the United States’ status as a world leader in science and innovation.

“The economic impact of these cuts for all Americans will be sweeping, leading to higher prices and greater job insecurity across industries. Researchers across U.S. research universities estimate $2.8 billion in overall economic losses from disrupted NIH and NSF grants…Current projections suggest that a 25 percent cut to federal R&D spending would lower GDP by a rate comparable to that witnessed during the Great Recession,” Senator Schiff wrote.

The administration’s 22% cut to science funding in its FY2026 Budget request would amount to half a trillion dollars in lost economic activity.

“With this growing uncertainty, our country’s STEM programs and scientific workforce are shrinking rapidly, impacting not only our economy but also the U.S.’s ability to lead in scientific innovation at a global scale. At the beginning of 2026, over 10,000 people with STEM PhDs had lost or left their jobs due to federal workforce cuts,” the Senator continued.

“As President of the United States, it is your responsibility to ensure that our economy and our workforce continue to flourish, and that our nation retains its competitive edge. Without significant investments in higher education institutions and in the students and faculty members who make these institutions great, the United States will backslide behind our competitors – a risk we cannot afford to take,” the Senator concluded.

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

Dear President Trump,

We write to express our deep concern regarding your administration’s continued attacks on science and research funding. Federal investments in science are critical to new discoveries across sectors, from life-saving drug research and development to space exploration. This innovation brings a tremendous return on taxpayer investment, bolstering the American economy and solidifying our nation’s long-held position as a leader in STEM. Without robust federal funding and prioritization of our scientific workforce, we are at grave risk of ceding influence and power to our competitors abroad.

The U.S. is a global scientific leader, driving innovations that fuel economic growth and directly improve the lives of all Americans. In 2023, three U.S.-based scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their discovery of quantum dots, research used to identify cancer cells, detect radiation during military operations, and improve energy efficiency. U.S.-led discoveries like this are only made possible through federal support for research activities in medicine, national security, and technology. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently concluded that every dollar of federal non-defense research and development investment creates as much as $12.50 in economic growth over the following 30 years by encouraging capital expenditures and job creation. These investments have been estimated to account for at least one-fifth of the growth in U.S. total factor productivity, a measure of technological innovation and scientific discoveries, since World War II.

Unfortunately, your administration has sought deep cuts to scientific funding and laid off thousands of federally employed scientists, despite public outcry and strong urging from the public, universities, and industries to preserve support for science across the American scientific community. Notably, the National Science Foundation (NSF) terminated about $1 billion in grants and fired 10 percent of its workforce. Further, the total number of new NSF grants in 2025 fell by 25 percent relative to the average of the previous 10 years. At the National Institutes of Health (NIH), your administration canceled grants amounting to more than $1.8 billion. In your proposed FY2026 budget, you recommended a 35 percent cut for non-defense research and development. Recent projections estimate that your administration’s FY2027 budget proposal will translate to 150,000 NIH and NSF jobs lost. These decisions run counter to Congress’s historical support for public funding of scientific research, and Congress has been persistent in demanding your administration halt preemptive cuts to federal programs and abide by Congress’ set funding levels for the current and future fiscal years to prevent irrevocable harm to America’s economy and workforce.

The economic impact of these cuts for all Americans will be sweeping, leading to higher prices and greater job insecurity across industries. Researchers across U.S. research universities estimate $2.8 billion in overall economic losses from disrupted NIH and NSF grants. After you released your FY2026 Budget Request, the CBO similarly suggested that your administration’s requested 22 percent cut to science funding would amount to half a trillion dollars in lost economic activity. This defunding would have catastrophic effects. Current projections suggest that a 25 percent cut to federal R&D spending would lower GDP by a rate comparable to that witnessed during the Great Recession. American families simply cannot afford to take such a devastating step backwards.

With this growing uncertainty, our country’s STEM programs and scientific workforce are shrinking rapidly, impacting not only our economy but also the U.S.’s ability to lead in scientific innovation at a global scale. At the beginning of 2026, over 10,000 people with STEM PhDs had lost or left their jobs due to federal workforce cuts. Students across the nation report the loss of federal grants, such as the NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, as the primary reason why they and many of their colleagues have been forced to leave research and academia, constituting a significant loss for the country in institutional knowledge and expertise. On top of this, roughly 60 percent of colleges and universities reported decreases in international student enrollment. This decrease is in line with recent reports that doctoral and postdoctoral students are losing hope in pursuing their careers in the U.S. One survey indicates that there has been a 21 percent decline in the number of doctoral and postdoctoral students likely to continue their careers in the U.S. These early-career scientists, referred to by some as “the canary in the coal mine,” are just the first signal of a long-term threat to America’s scientific leadership, which could take a generation to rebuild.

As research funding runs out in the U.S., other nations are capitalizing on this tenuous moment in our history by actively recruiting our country’s best and brightest. China and countries in Europe, for example, are offering hundreds of millions of dollars in research funding to leading American academics and scientists, promising them stable and consistent funding streams. These offers provide a lifeline to those who have been hit with sudden grant freezes and award denials. Researchers who the United States has invested in for years are now taking their expertise abroad. Funding interruptions will continue to seriously impair our ability to compete on an international stage, especially as China surpassed the U.S. in R&D expenditures and in scientific publications in 2024. Without a robust pipeline of researchers and scientists, our economic stability as well as our status as a world leader in scientific discovery will undoubtedly decline.

As President of the United States, it is your responsibility to ensure that our economy and our workforce continue to flourish, and that our nation retains its competitive edge. Without significant investments in higher education institutions and in the students and faculty members who make these institutions great, the United States will backslide behind our competitors – a risk we cannot afford to take.

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NEWS: Sens. Schiff & Daines Introduce Legislation to Reduce Conflicts Between Humans and Wildlife in American Outdoors

New bipartisan legislation codifies a 2020 pilot program at USDA aimed at developing effective nonlethal strategies for reducing impacts of wildlife on rural communities, livestock and agriculture

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) are introducing bipartisan legislation to reduce conflicts between humans and wildlife, including attacking livestock, damaging human infrastructure, and harming agriculture.

The Human-Wildlife Conflict Reduction Act of 2026 would codify a pilot program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and expand the department’s development of nonlethal methods, such as range riding, guard dogs, and electric fencing, in order to reduce human-wildlife conflicts across the American outdoors.

“Ranchers and farmers across California face escalating conflicts with large predators targeting livestock, and our bipartisan legislation to expand nonlethal deterrence methods will protect wildlife, including endangered species. These tools are crucial to ensuring wildlife can safely coexist with humans – reducing wildlife deaths and proactively protecting livestock. This is a win-win for both the environment and California’s ranchers,” said Senator Schiff.

“Montanans know all too well what it’s like to live in a region with large predators, like bears and wolves. This bill will expand funding to implement more nonlethal ways to keep our communities safe from predatory wildlife. This bill is especially important for Montana’s farmers and ranchers, who depend on both lethal and nonlethal management for the well-being of their livestock to make a living. I’ll work with Senator Schiff to get it across the finish line,” said Senator Daines.

The Senators’ legislation builds upon the successful work of the Nonlethal Initiative, which USDA piloted through Congressional funding in December 2019. The bill would expand this pilot and authorize it, making the program permanent at USDA.

Across rural counties in northeast California, ranchers and agricultural producers have faced several conflicts, most recently with wolves. The Nonlethal Initiative Program currently operates in 13 states including both California and Montana to deal with livestock depredation – such as from wolves and bears – and wildlife damage to infrastructure – such as beavers.

The Human-Wildlife Conflict Reduction Act of 2026 will:

Deploy resources to help reduce livestock depredation and conflict with predator species;

Codify the work of the Nonlethal Initiative into a new Human-Wildlife Conflict Reduction Program and develop new and effective nonlethal strategies;

Implement projects to provide direct assistance and share best practices to landowners, agricultural producers, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit organizations;

Establish monitoring and adaptive management services to improve outcomes of nonlethal strategies over time; and

Submit an annual report to Congress describing the use of Congressional funds.

The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

“As native wild animals respond to growing environmental pressures and dangerous cuts to protections by the Trump Administration, conflicts between humans and wildlife are bound to increase,” said Senator Padilla. “This legislation will help bolster humane strategies and programs to reduce conflicts while still protecting Americans, their livestock, and California’s wildlife.”

“As ranchers struggle with livestock depredation, we must support our rural communities by giving them the tools and economic support they need to tackle this threat to their livelihoods,” said Senator Merkley. “Our bipartisan bill is a common-sense approach to reduce conflicts between livestock and wildlife by supporting non-lethal management strategies, which are a proven tool and essential to collaborative wildlife management.”

The full text of the legislation is available here.

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WATCH: Before Committee Vote, Sen. Schiff Lays Out Reasons Todd Blanche is Unfit to Serve as Attorney General

Schiff: “He will never do what’s best for the American people. He will only do what’s best for Donald Trump, and you cannot leave someone like that as the nation’s number one law enforcement official.”

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) condemned the record of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche before voting against his nomination at a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee today, emphasizing his weaponization of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for the benefit of President Donald Trump.

Ahead of the Committee vote, Schiff outlined the five reasons why the Acting Attorney General should not be confirmed. He explained Blanche supported the president’s tax settlement that enriched Trump and his family, used his position in the DOJ to go after the president’s political enemies, protected the president in the Epstein files investigation while jeopardizing the safety of victims, sought the establishment of the weaponization fund to pay out the president’s cronies, and violated his code of ethics.

Schiff highlighted that Blanche is unable to rid himself of his role as the president’s criminal defense lawyer; therefore, he will never represent the American people and urged his fellow members on the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote no on his confirmation.

Watch the full clip HERE. Download the clip HERE.

Key Excerpts:

On Blanche’s written order to terminate Trump’s slush fund:

[…] Nothing in this supposed clarification changes that. So, if tomorrow the president wants to insist – let’s say that tomorrow the IRS were to audit the returns of a subsidiary of one of the companies, not a party to the actual litigation – do you think for a moment the president wouldn’t assert that settlement agreement as a defense? Do you think for a moment that a court would find that an unsigned statement purporting to restate some testimony in committee would bar the president from using that as a defense? And so, we have this litigation. President sues president. President settles with president. President never asserts the statute of limitations, which would bar the claim.

But no, this is used to enrich the president and his family. That is number one. We should not confirm an attorney general who views his job as enriching the President of the United States.

On the use of the Justice Department to go after Trump’s enemies:

[…] Do any of you think that’s equivalent to the Justice Department under Todd Blanche seeking to indict two of our colleagues for a video they made that stated the plain truth that you can ignore an illegal order that you indeed have a duty to? I mean, how can any of us countenance an attorney general who would do such a thing?

Or, as my colleague from North Carolina says, brings a seashells case. How absurd is that? Can there be any doubt that that was brought simply because he’s on the president’s enemies list? I know I’m on that list.

[…] He is not entitled, however, to use the Department of Justice to go after his political opponents. And the day we say that’s okay, and the day we confirm an Attorney General who says that’s okay, is the day that the rule of law becomes merely an unenforceable idea – a quaint acknowledgment of a past Justice Department in which the rule of law once mattered.

On the DOJ’s mishandling of the Epstein investigation:

Number three of the reasons why we should not confirm Todd Blanche is that his efforts to protect the president and others in the Epstein Files investigation is a scandalous abuse of power. He withheld documents implicating the president to protect the president. He has never been able to shed his role as criminal defense lawyer for Donald Trump. He withheld records, only complied even partially with the requirement of the law that he disclose them when he was found out in that effort of cover-up and concealment.

And what’s more, his mismanagement of the release of the files has victimized the victims again by publishing their names, their likenesses, their photos, their addresses. We should not confirm anyone so incompetent, someone so indifferent to the suffering of these victims, someone who only met with them because he was going to be refused confirmation for his refusal to do so.

On the president’s anti-weaponization fund:

[…] Indeed, they’re already paying off the president’s cronies. Do you remember Michael Flynn, the erstwhile national security adviser of the president? He’s already been paid $1.25 million of your taxpayer money. This is a guy who pled guilty twice. Pled guilty twice to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russians. And he’s already made $1.25 million off your money – not using this weaponization slush fund but using the DOJ’s victim fund, the judgment fund, as a slush fund. And these cop beaters are already signaling their attention to file claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

So even if the weaponization fund doesn’t move forward, they are using the same mechanism to pay off these cop beaters and cronies of the president. And nothing in what Todd Blanche signed is going to stop that. What will stop that is a statute passed by this committee in the Congress that prevents this. That prevents taxpayer funding from going to these cop beaters. That is the only thing that will prevent it, and we haven’t done it.

On Blanche’s violation of his code of ethics:

[…] Here’s the thing: he did fire people involved in the cases against Donald Trump. In fact, we heard testimony last week of one of the people he fired. And here is his termination notice.

This is Todd Blanche’s signature on a notice of removal from federal service for Peter Carr. Peter Carr was one of the primary spokespeople for Jack Smith’s investigation. He was the spokesperson against the president in the president’s prosecution for inciting a violent attack on the Capitol.

Todd Blanche writes: “This memorandum serves as official notice that you are removed from your position of public affairs specialist with the Department of Justice.” Signed by Todd Blanche. Recused from any involvement in firing anyone in the cases in which he defended the president firing someone involved in the cases in which he defended the president.

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Shaheen Leads New Hampshire and Maine Colleagues in Opposing New OPM Rule Weakening Civilian Labor Protections at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Angus King (I-ME) and U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) and Chellie Pingree (ME-01) in raising concerns around a new rule proposed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Merit Systems Protection Board that would weaken civil service protections and undermine workers’ rights at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). In their letter, the lawmakers note that the rule would threaten workforce recruitment and retention at the Shipyard—which already needs 700 workers annually to keep pace—and potentially harm U.S. naval readiness.

The lawmakers wrote, in part: “We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)’s proposed rule ‘Promoting Employee Accountability,’ Docket OPM-2025-0012 (RIN 3206-AO91). This proposed rule would weaken longstanding civil service protections that promote merit-based employment, due process and the recruitment and retention of skilled workers. Moreover, as Members of Congress who represent nearly eight thousand civilian workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, we are concerned about the proposed rule’s impact on workers essential to our national security.”

They continued: “As you are no doubt aware, the men and women who work at our public shipyards are critical members of our defense industrial base, without whom the ability to repair, retrofit and refuel our country’s submarines would be in jeopardy. In our states, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) has nearly eight thousand civilian employees, creating more than $1.5 billion in annual economic impact in surrounding communities. [...] PNSY currently needs to hire over 700 workers annually to meet the Navy’s demand – which is an increase from 550 over the past two years. Further, policies that reduce workplace protections risk making federal service less attractive to qualified candidates. Due to civilian hiring quotas imposed by the Office of Personnel Management, PNSY has struggled to onboard workers and cannot risk additional delays or departures. If the Administration intends to retain this political litmus test at our public shipyards, the costs of unnecessarily losing more skilled workers through this proposed rule far outweigh any potential benefit.”

They concluded: “By stripping away the procedures that keep discipline fair for civilian employees doing the work of naval readiness and refusing to consider important factors, the proposed rule introduces costly unpredictability in the workforce and needlessly undermines readiness. We are concerned this will increase attrition in the critical and experienced workforce that keeps our submarine fleet ready, ultimately harming the shipyard’s ability to meet the Navy’s needs and threatening our national security. We, therefore, ask you to withdraw OPM and MSPB’s proposed rule, ‘Promoting Employee Accountability,’ and consider alternatives that preserve federal workers’ longstanding civil service protections.”

A full copy of the letter can be read HERE.

As a co-chair of the U.S. Senate Navy Caucus and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and Armed Services Committee, Senator Shaheen has long advocated for New England’s shipbuilding industry and workforce, including through authorizing funding and workforce development for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Recently, Shaheen led the Maine and New Hampshire Congressional delegations in calling for the Trump Administration to explain its refusal to process an Unfair Labor Practice charge (ULP) filed by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Metal Trades Council on behalf of its members. In the Committee-approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the enacted FY 26 NDAA, Shaheen secured full authorization for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program investments at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Shaheen’s provision to exempt employees from all four public shipyards from OPM’s civilian hiring freeze and any future hiring freezes or reductions in force was included in the FY 2026 NDAA and extended in the Committee-passed FY 27 NDAA. She also secured a number of other provisions to increase capacity at the Shipyard and improve quality of life.

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U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Leaked Audio Confirming Attorney General Nominee Todd Blanche Plans to Restrict Medication Abortion Access Nationwide, Including in States with Abortion Protections

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after breaking news from POLITICO that Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche is working with federal agencies “so that the Dobbs decision becomes permanent in every single state” by banning the mailing of medication abortion, such as mifepristone:

“Dismantling Roe v. Wade was never Republicans’ endgame, and we’ve always known they’ve wanted to go further. They grew quieter about their next moves after the fierce public backlash in the wake of the Dobbs decision, but we knew the Trump Administration wouldn’t rest until every woman in America was subject to an abortion ban, including in states where abortion rights are protected by state law,” says Smith.

“Todd Blanche made clear in these secret calls with anti-choice activists that he wants to resurrect the Comstock Act – an antiquated anti-vice law from before women had the right to vote – to ban sending medication abortion in the mail. Republicans will likely do what they always do and confirm Blanche as Attorney General despite all of this, and once again, women across America will pay the price,” she continued.

“We’re going to fight back in the courts, and when we take back power, we need to be ready to pass my Stop Comstock Act to make sure no administration can abuse this zombie law ever again,” Smith concluded.

Smith’s Stop Comstock Act would repeal language in the Comstock Laws that could be used by an anti-abortion administration to ban the mailing of mifepristone and other drugs used in medication abortions, instruments and equipment used in abortions, and educational material related to sexual health. Medication abortion is how nearly 60% of abortions take place in this country today. It is the most common form of abortion in the United States. Smith is the only sitting U.S. Senator to have worked for Planned Parenthood, where she served as an executive for Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

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Thune: Congress Has Important Work Ahead, Starting With Government Funding

Click here to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership:

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Busy week in the Senate, a lot going on, … we’re juggling a lot of balls right now.

“But there are some things that we intend to get done this week, and the first is to ensure that we get about 75 of the president’s nominations through en bloc.

“And so there are a number of very qualified nominees that the president has put forward, and if we can get those across the finish line this week – and we intend to – that would put us on pace to have 95 percent of the president’s nominees done.

“And that is a rate that puts us ahead of every [incoming administration] going back for the last 25 years …

“And I think there were somewhere on the order, in the last Trump administration at this point, of about 155 nominees that hadn’t been acted on or confirmed, and this would have … that number at about six.

“So we’re going to be way ahead of pace of the historical average, and I think that’s really important to ensure the president has his people in place so that he can do the job the American people elected him to do.

“The other thing, of course, that we need to do is to fund the government.

“And credit to Chair Collins and her team, working with Democrats and Republicans to come up with a plan that will fund the government beyond the election into December.

“We were able to get on that bill last night with a very big bipartisan vote, and I hope we can continue down that path and ensure that we have funded the government, taken a government shutdown off the table.

“We’ve had two of those, as you know, in the last year.

“They are incredibly painful for the American people, and it’s important, in my view, that we demonstrate to the American people that we can do job one – and job one is ensuring that their federal government is working and funded.

“So that will also be something that between now and the end of this week, or however long we’re here, we intend to accomplish.

“And so we will keep you posted on other things. There are other issues out there.

“We had a discussion about some of them at lunch, and we’ll continue to have those conversations and figure out, as we attempt, at least, to get these things stacked up and get as many things done as possible that we stay on pace to do that.”


Thune: Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts Law Is Delivering for Hardworking Americans

Click here to watch the video.

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

Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):

“Mr. President, a week or two ago I came down to the floor and talked about growing up in a small town in South Dakota.

“And as I said in those remarks, I carry those South Dakotans with me in a special way in my work here in Washington.

“When I consider bills or look at regulations, I think about what kind of impact they will have on those Americans – on hardworking people without a lot of extra money in the budget.

“On people living paycheck-to-paycheck – or, as was the case with some of the farmers I grew up with, harvest-to-harvest.

“I think about how to ensure that government isn’t standing in their way – or taking up all the extra money in their budget.

“And it was hardworking Americans like the South Dakotans I grew up with who were at the top of my mind when Republicans drafted our landmark tax relief legislation back in 2017.

“The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act cut tax rates across the board, doubled the child tax credit, and nearly doubled the standard deduction.

“It put more money in hardworking Americans’ pockets: money that they were able to use for their particular needs – from child care to home repairs to medical bills to a family vacation.

“And those same hardworking Americans were our focus last year when we passed the Working Families Tax Cuts.

“Our first aim with the Working Families Tax Cut was making the 2017 tax relief permanent.

“And that’s exactly what we did.

“We made the lower tax rates permanent.

“We made the increased child tax credit permanent.

“And we made the increased standard deduction permanent.

“But that was just the beginning.

“We weren’t content with a permanent extension of the 2017 tax relief.

“We wanted to do more for working families.

“And so that’s what we did.

“As I said, our 2017 tax relief bill doubled the child tax credit.

“Well, the Working Families Tax Cuts not only made that permanent, it increased the child tax credit even further – and then indexed it to inflation, so its value will never go down.

“I said the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act nearly doubled the standard deduction.

“Well, the Working Families Tax Cuts boosted the standard deduction even further.

“And we didn’t stop there.

“We instituted two big new tax relief measures – no tax on tips and no tax on overtime.

“That meant major new tax relief for a whole host of working Americans.

“Waiters.

“Delivery people.

“Bartenders.

“Uber and Lyft drivers.

“Nurses.

“Factory workers.

“Paramedics.

“Police officers.

“And many others.

“And that still isn’t all.

“We instituted a new, $6,000 bonus deduction for seniors.

“And we created new, tax-advantaged investment accounts to help parents save for their children’s futures – starting with an initial $1,000 investment from the federal government for babies born between 2025 and 2028.

“And that’s far from the only thing we did to help the next generation get a head start on their American Dream.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts also made some significant improvements to the traditional 529 education savings plan, allowing those savings to be used for a greater variety of education-related expenses – like tutoring or homeschool materials, and vocational and continuing education.

“On the higher education side, we implemented accountability and reforms that put downward pressure on the cost of college degrees.

“We also made permanent a policy I authored that allows … employers to pay off a portion of their employees’ student loans without the employee having to pay taxes on the repayment amount.

“And on top of all that, we created the Workforce Pell program, which will provide financial assistance to Americans in shorter-term skills and career-training programs – whether they’re just starting out, or looking to switch careers or develop new skills in their current field.

“Mr. President, this tax season, more than 35 million seniors claimed the new bonus deduction for older Americans.

“More than 29 million American workers were able to deduct overtime pay from their taxes, resulting in substantial tax savings.

“And more than 7.5 million workers deducted their tips on their taxes, ensuring that they were able to keep more of their hard-earned money.

“And that’s not to even mention the countless hardworking Americans who were able to take advantage of the increased standard deduction and the enhanced child tax credit.

“Tax refunds were up this tax season, Mr. President.

“And it’s no surprise.

“It’s the Working Families Tax Cuts at work.

“Mr. President, I may live in Sioux Falls now, which is one of South Dakota’s bigger cities, but I still spend a lot of time in small-town South Dakota.

“And whenever I’m there, I’m proud to be able to share the details of the Working Families Tax Cuts and report that Republicans are delivering for working families.

“And we are going to continue to build on the Working Families Tax Cuts to expand opportunity and make life more affordable for hardworking Americans.”


Tillis Applauds Commission of Peter-Anthony Pappas to USITC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) issued the following statement after Peter-Anthony Pappas was sworn in as a Commissioner of the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC):

“Since 2022, Peter-Anthony Pappas has been one of my most trusted advisors, leading my Judiciary team’s intellectual property efforts and helping advance bipartisan solutions on technology, antitrust, and cybersecurity. Those who have worked alongside Peter-Anthony know why he earned the nickname ‘Juice.’ His energy, sound judgment, and tireless work ethic have made him an indispensable member of my team. Given the trade and intellectual property matters before the USITC, I can think of no one better qualified to serve as a commissioner.

“Peter-Anthony has earned the respect of colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I am grateful to President Trump for recognizing his talents and nominating him to this important role. I also thank my Senate colleagues for confirming his nomination. While my office will certainly miss ‘Juice,’ I am confident he will faithfully uphold the USITC’s mission and continue serving the American people with integrity and distinction.”

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PHOTO RELEASE: ICYMI—Tuberville Attends Groundbreaking Ceremony, Speaks to Montgomery Chamber, and Visits with Alabama’s Police and Fire Chiefs

MONTGOMERY – Over the weekend, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Tuscaloosa for the expansion of Epsilon Industries’ facilities. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, resulting in the creation of dozens of jobs.

On Monday, Sen. Tuberville spoke to the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce where he discussed the importance of stopping unchecked crime and violence from taking over the city.

Additionally, Sen. Tuberville spoke to the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police and the Alabama Association of Fire Chiefs about the resources they need that will allow them to successfully do their jobs and to keep Alabama’s communities safe.

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

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Tuberville, Britt Introduce Bill to Hold U.S. Postal Service Accountable

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) today in introducing the Postal Executive Responsibility, Fiscal Oversight, and Results-based Management (PERFORM) Act. The legislation would ensure the Postmaster General’s performance pay reflects actual performance by prohibiting bonuses when the United States Postal Service (USPS) fails to meet basic financial, operational, or reporting standards.

“Millions of Americans rely on the U.S. Postal Service to receive bills, send invoices, and hear from their friends and family,” said Sen. Tuberville. “In the private sector, if an organization is losing money every year, it would go under. The last thing we need to be doing is handing out bonuses to reward poor management. I’m glad to join Senator Britt to introduce this bill to provide accountability and incentivize better results out of the USPS.”

“In just about any profession, you don’t get rewarded for failing—except at the United States Postal Service. It’s time that changed,” said Sen. Britt. “This is not complicated: if the Postal Service does not meet basic performance metrics, the Postmaster General’s compensation should reflect that. No reasonable company in the world gives its CEO a bonus after failing to meet multiple performance metrics, and the Postmaster General—who serves the American people—should be no different.”

The PERFORM Act would prohibit the Postmaster General from receiving a performance-based bonus if, during the previous fiscal year, the USPS reports a net loss, fails to meet nationwide service performance targets, receives an adverse audit finding, or fails to submit a required report to Congress.

The legislation requires this annual report to Congress detailing executive bonuses, performance metrics, USPS financial performance, and national- and district-level service performance. The report must be submitted within 30 days after the end of each fiscal year. To ensure compliance, the bill directs the USPS Office of Inspector General to conduct an annual review of the agency.

The PERFORM Act has also been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Dale Strong (R-AL-05) and is cosponsored by the entire Alabama congressional delegation.

Read full text of the bill here.

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

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Tuberville Honors David Bedford of Wilmer as August “Veteran of the Month”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released a video honoring U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer David Bedford as the August “Veteran of the Month.”

Excerpts of Sen. Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, and complete remarks can be found here.

“When it comes to the military, there is no such thing as working 9 to 5. You are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer David Bedford of Wilmer, he still has this mentality about serving others.

A Mobile County native, David learned about military service from his father, who was a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient. In 1969, David followed his father’s lead and enlisted to train as an Army pilot. After completing his training at Fort Rucker, David deployed to Vietnam in 1971, where he flew Huey helicopters more than 1500 hours for resupply and transportation missions. He describes his most satisfying missions as those where he brought mail to troops on the frontlines — a small way to help put a smile on their faces during a very dark time.

[…]

David and Theresa are also members of the Christian Motorcycles Association, where they use their love of motorcycles to share their faith with other veterans. He also is a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, supporting Gold Star families and reminding them that they’re not alone.

David’s generosity of his time has truly made a difference that spans far beyond our state. It is my honor to recognize David Bedford as the August ‘Veteran of the Month.’”

Constituents can nominate an Alabama veteran and submit their information to Sen. Tuberville’s office for consideration in the 2026 “Veteran of the Month” series by emailing press_office@tuberville.senate.gov.

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

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Tuberville, Moran Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Rural Hospitals

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) in introducing the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act (REH 2.0), legislation to expand access to federal resources for rural hospitals through the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Medicare designation. This legislation would allow more Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and rural hospitals at risk of closure to sustain health care services in rural communities, and it would make technical improvements to the designation.

“Fifty-five of Alabama’s 67 counties are rural, and our rural hospitals provide a lifeline to Alabamians who live further away from larger medical facilities,” said Sen. Tuberville.“I’m proud to join the REH Designation Improvement Act to ensure location doesn’t prevent Alabamians from being able to access quality care in times of emergency.”

“I have visited every hospital in Kansas numerous times, and these conversations help guide my efforts to make certain health care providers across our state have the support they need to provide critical services to patients in their communities,” said Sen. Moran. “During these visits, providers shared with me their recommendations for strengthening the Rural Emergency Hospital designation so it can better support the struggling facilities it was originally intended to serve. The legislation I am introducing with Senator Tina Smith is the direct result of what we have heard from rural hospitals and health care providers in our states, and it makes needed improvements to the program to help make certain patients can continue to access critical health care services in their communities for years to come.”

The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

National Rural Health Association endorsed this bill.

Read full text of the bill here.

BACKGROUND:

Specifically, the REH 2.0 Act would:

Allow previously closed rural hospitals to re-open and apply for the Rural Emergency Hospital designation if they can demonstrate they met all eligibility requirements between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 27, 2020.

Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a waiver program for facilities operating similarly to an REH in order to convert to an REH.

Allow REH facilities to maintain or create a unit for inpatient psychiatric care, obstetric care and allow for limited inpatient rehabilitation services.

Require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide additional funding for laboratory services.

Clarify that REH facilities are eligible for Small Rural Hospital Improvement grants.

Direct the Secretary of HHS to allow an REH to be eligible as a National Health Service Corp site.

Authorize REH facilities to transfer patients from acute care to a Skilled Nursing Facility without leaving the hospital, in accordance with the Social Security Act.

Allow an REH facility to revert back to a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) to regain necessary provider status, only if the facility was designated a necessary provider prior to converting to REH.

Clarify state Medicaid agencies can pay REH facilities as hospitals.

MORE:

Tuberville Promotes 340B Program to Help Alabama Hospitals

PHOTO RELEASE: Tuberville Visits Elmore Community Hospital

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

Tuberville Introduces Dr. Brian Christine of Mountain Brook in Senate HELP Hearing

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

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Van Hollen Joins Warren, Pressley, Colleagues in Probing Insurance Companies on Usage of Credit-Based Insurance Scores As Costs Rise

Today, U.S. Senator Chirs Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and 17 other members of Congress in a set of letters to USAA, State Farm, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, Farmers, and Allstate requesting information on the usage of credit-based insurance scores in homeowners insurance underwriting and pricing.

In the letters, the lawmakers underscored concerns that insurance companies are unfairly jacking up rates based on customer credit history, “Property and casualty insurance products price the risk of loss due to damage to a property and its contents; and unlike debt, these products do not hinge on a customer’s ability to repay or carry the risk of defaulting on a loan. Despite this, recent reporting indicates that Americans with weaker credit history pay significantly more for homeowners insurance, all other characteristics of the policyholder and property held equal.”

“Insurers have cited increasing climate-related disasters – along with rising building and reinsurance costs – as the key sources behind rising homeowners insurance premiums. Yet recent research shows that credit scores impact homeowners insurance premiums as much, if not more than, disaster risk in many parts of the country,” continued the lawmakers.

“Insurers should not charge consumers higher premiums simply because of their personal credit history, which could have been impacted by job loss, a surprise medical bill, predatory lending, or simply inaccurate information, rather than an actual risk associated with a home,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers called on the insurance companies to provide information on how they use credit-based scoring when offering or pricing homeowners insurance policies, requesting responses from the companies by August 17.

The letters are cosigned by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Representatives André Carson (D-Ind.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Tex.), Al Green (D-Tex.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Nikema Williams (D-Geo.).


Warner, Colleagues Press Trump Administration On Chaotic, Opaque Oversight Of New Artificial Intelligence Models

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined four Senate Democratic colleagues in pressing the Trump administration for answers about its unpredictable oversight of frontier artificial intelligence (AI) models and its opaque standards for evaluating a model’s national security risk. The letter follows the Trump administration’s recent haphazard responses to frontier models from Anthropic and OpenAI, and comes as basic questions surround the implementation of Executive Order 14409, the White House’s voluntary pre-release review framework for frontier models.

In addition to Sen. Warner, the letter was signed by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).

In the letter, the senators expressed their support for maintaining the United States’ competitive lead in AI development while protecting the country from serious national security risks. However, they stressed that continued reliance on ad hoc, case-by-case regulation will not sufficiently address the cybersecurity and other risks frontier AI models pose. The senators also warned that without consistent policy governing American models, consumers and businesses would be incentivized to migrate to models from foreign vendors, including those based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

“Last month provided a dramatic example of these potential risks. During an internal evaluation, OpenAI models escaped their testing environment and used high-level technical capabilities to compromise a third party’s network without any instructions to take those actions. The Federal Government cannot be passive as these capabilities emerge. At the same time, the administration’s recent actions surrounding access to advanced U.S. AI models have raised serious concerns about process, transparency, and strategic effect. On June 12, 2026, the Department of Commerce (“the Department”) utilized an infrequently used authority to direct Anthropic to suspend all access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for foreign nationals (including foreign national employees inside the United States) citing an undisclosed national security concern later described as a narrow jailbreak finding. Because the directive took effect immediately and Anthropic had no reliable way to verify users’ nationality in real time, the company was forced to disable both models for all users worldwide within hours. Over the following eighteen days, the Department and Anthropic negotiated a resolution outside of public view: a partial restoration of Mythos 5 to a defined set of trusted partners on June 26, followed by a full lifting of the export controls on June 30,” the senators wrote.

The senators continued, “While the Administration may have been responding to real security concerns to protect the United States, even justifiable interventions can create broader harm if the standards and decision-making processes are opaque, ad hoc, or unpredictable. Moreover, when the Executive Branch exercises authority delegated from Congress, such as in the conduct of export control administration, it is essential that it keep Congress fully apprised of its actions and procedures.”

The senators concluded the letter with a list of areas of clarification that will bring transparency to the public processes and standards the administration uses to deem frontier AI models a national security risk, the legal authorities the administration relies on to restrict access to AI models, and the administration’s assessment of whether its oversight strategy could incentive adoption of Chinese or other non-U.S. AI models.

“We support serious, technically informed action to prevent frontier AI from being misused by adversaries or criminals and to mitigate risks posed by misalignment in the models themselves. The United States cannot afford to create a policy environment in which the most advanced American AI systems are subject to opaque, case-by-case restrictions while Chinese alternatives appear cheaper, easier to access, and more predictable to deploy. A clear public framework is necessary to protect national security, preserve U.S. AI leadership, and give industry and allies confidence that the United States remains the safest and most reliable source of advanced AI technology. We hope you will work with Congress to pursue such a framework,” the senators wrote.

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

Dear Secretaries Rubio, Bessent and Lutnick, Ms. Wiles, and Directors Kratsios and Cairncross:

We believe strongly in the importance of maintaining the United States’ competitive lead in artificial intelligence (AI) development while protecting the country from serious national security risks. Frontier AI models can strengthen U.S. cyber defenses, scientific discovery, and military readiness – when used responsibly and with proper human oversight – but they may also lower barriers for malicious cyber activity, foreign intelligence operations, and other dangerous uses. Moreover, the Administration’s ad hoc and unpredictable approach undermines U.S. competitiveness, heightening market incentives to adopt open weight models from vendors based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Last month provided a dramatic example of these potential risks. During an internal evaluation, OpenAI models escaped their testing environment and used high-level technical capabilities to compromise a third party’s network without any instructions to take those actions. The Federal Government cannot be passive as these capabilities emerge.

At the same time, the administration’s recent actions surrounding access to advanced U.S. AI models have raised serious concerns about process, transparency, and strategic effect. On June 12, 2026, the Department of Commerce (“the Department”) utilized an infrequently used authority to direct Anthropic to suspend all access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for foreign nationals (including foreign national employees inside the United States) citing an undisclosed national security concern later described as a narrow jailbreak finding. Because the directive took effect immediately and Anthropic had no reliable way to verify users’ nationality in real time, the

company was forced to disable both models for all users worldwide within hours. Over the following eighteen days, the Department and Anthropic negotiated a resolution outside of public view: a partial restoration of Mythos 5 to a defined set of trusted partners on June 26, followed by a full lifting of the export controls on June 30. On June 26, OpenAI also limited public access to its newest model, GPT-5.6, following discussions with the Administration.

While the Administration may have been responding to real security concerns to protect the United States, even justifiable interventions can create broader harm if the standards and decision-making processes are opaque, ad hoc, or unpredictable. Moreover, when the Executive Branch exercises authority delegated from Congress, such as in the conduct of export control administration, it is essential that it keep Congress fully apprised of its actions and procedures.

The United States wins the global AI competition by building, deploying, and scaling the world’s most capable and trusted systems. If U.S. model developers, cloud providers, enterprise customers, critical infrastructure operators, and allied partners cannot predict whether access to U.S. models, let alone a leading American model, may be restricted, suspended, or limited to government-approved users based on non-public requirements at any time and with no notice, they will plan around that uncertainty. Developers may delay deployment or divert resources away from frontier work. Customers may avoid integrating U.S. models into critical workflows. Allies and partners may question whether U.S. systems will be reliably available when needed.

That uncertainty creates an opening for the PRC. Chinese AI models are rapidly narrowing the performance gap with leading U.S. models, and many Chinese systems are inexpensive, widely available, and easy to deploy. Following the Administration’s June 12 suspension of Anthropic’s Fable 5 and Mythos 5, an entity-listed Chinese lab saw its stock price roughly double. During the OpenAI model’s breach of a third-party company, that company had to rely on a Chinese model because U.S. frontier model’s refusal behavior inhibited meaningful use for digital forensics and incident response.

If American models are perceived as subject to sudden access disruptions based on a black-box U.S. Government process, or as unreliable because U.S. AI labs are overcorrecting in the face of this black-box process, companies and governments in the United States and abroad may hedge by adopting Chinese or other foreign models instead. That outcome would undermine U.S. technological leadership while increasing exposure to systems that may carry risks of PRC or otherwise directed censorship, espionage, IP theft, and other supply chain security risks.

While Executive Order 14409, Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security, provides for a voluntary pre-release review framework for frontier models, many questions of implementation remain. Ultimately, a rigorous, predictable, and competitiveness enhancing process for evaluating frontier models requires a statutory framework. We encourage the Administration to work with Congress to develop a public, durable, and technically grounded framework that allows U.S. companies and their customers to understand the rules of the road. Clear standards will strengthen, not weaken, national security by preserving incentives to build and use trusted American models while allowing the Government to act quickly when genuine risks arise.

In the interim, we request that, no later than 30 days after receipt of this letter, you provide an unclassified response, with a classified annex if necessary, clarifying the Administration’s current policy and approach to limiting access to advanced AI models, including by addressing the following:

The public process and standards the Administration uses, or intends to use, to determine

whether a frontier AI model presents a national security risk sufficient to warrant restrictions

on development, release, export, foreign-national access, customer access, or continued

deployment under the framework laid out under Executive Order 14409 or any successor

Order or presidential directive.

The legal authorities the Administration intends to invoke for such restrictions, including

whether export control authorities will be used to restrict access by foreign nationals inside

the United States, and how any such action is consistent with existing law and jurisprudence

as well as Executive Order 14409.

The agencies and officials responsible for evaluating model risk and making decisions on AI

model development, release, export, foreign-national access, customer access, or continued

deployment, including the roles of the Department of Commerce, the Center for AI Standards

and Innovation, National Security Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security

Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Office of Science and

Technology Policy, the National Security Council, and other relevant agencies.

Whether opportunities exist for independent, third-party experts to participate in the

benchmarking process and in what capacity and under what legal authority they may do so.

The remedy and rebuttal process available to affected companies, including notice, the

opportunity to provide technical evidence, protection of confidential business information,

timelines for decision, standards for emergency action, remediation pathways, and

reconsideration or appeal.

The criteria for imposing, narrowing, or lifting restrictions on AI models, including how the

Administration will distinguish between isolated jailbreaks, remediable vulnerabilities, and

capabilities that create unacceptable risk in a way that establishes consistent, risk-based

treatment across developers with comparable capabilities.

The legal authorities the Administration is relying upon for any stipulated modifications to a

frontier AI model communicated—formally or informally—to a vendor, including where the

prospect of an export control or other regulatory penalty is presented absent such a

modification, and the process by which the Administration memorializes these stipulated

modifications consistent with the Freedom of Information Act, Administrative Procedures

Act, the Federal Records Act, and other relevant federal law.

The steps the Administration will take to avoid disrupting access to frontier AI models by

U.S. customers, allied and partner-nation users, critical infrastructure operators, and foreign national employees who are determined not to present a national security risk.

The Administration’s assessment of whether the actions taken thus far in the Anthropic and

OpenAI examples cited earlier in this letter are an approach to implementing restrictions on

U.S. models that could incentivize adoption of Chinese or other non-U.S. models, and what

steps it will take to prevent U.S. policy from inadvertently strengthening PRC or other

foreign AI ecosystems.

We support serious, technically informed action to prevent frontier AI from being misused by adversaries or criminals and to mitigate risks posed by misalignment in the models themselves. The United States cannot afford to create a policy environment in which the most advanced American AI systems are subject to opaque, case-by-case restrictions while Chinese alternatives appear cheaper, easier to access, and more predictable to deploy. A clear public framework is necessary to protect national security, preserve U.S. AI leadership, and give industry and allies confidence that the United States remains the safest and most reliable source of advanced AI technology. We hope you will work with Congress to pursue such a framework.

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

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Warner, Kaine Applaud Over $1.7 Million in Federal Funding for Local Law Enforcement Agencies Across Virginia

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,716,459 in federal funding to help local law enforcement agencies across Virginia strengthen public safety through upgraded equipment, specialized training, and enhanced emergency response capabilities. Awarded through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, the funding will support personnel, equipment, training, forensic tools, information systems, and other critical public safety needs.

“Keeping Virginians safe means ensuring the officers, investigators, first responders, and court personnel who serve our communities day in and day out have the training, technology, and equipment they need to do their jobs safely and effectively,” said the senators. “We’re proud to announce this funding that will help law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth strengthen emergency response capabilities, modernize critical equipment, and better protect Virginians.”

In Central Virginia, the grant awards include:

$101,765 for the Richmond Police Department to replace critical equipment and support the Richmond Adult Drug Treatment Court’s operations and participant compliance.

$83,788 for the County of Chesterfield to purchase equipment to improve its Tactical Response Unit as well as software to assist in officer wellness.

$81,531 for the Henrico County Police Division to upgrade technology and equipment used by its Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Crisis Negotiations Team, and Technical Support Team.

$35,202 for the City of Lynchburg to update outdated technology and assist with implementation of a Real Time Crime Center at the Lynchburg Police Department.

$29,500 for Spotsylvania County’s Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office to purchase up to nine portable, high-performance forensic laptops that will improve efficiency.

$29,935 for the City of Petersburg to continue a phased officer-safety and duty-weapon modernization project.

$15,087 for the Albemarle County Police Department to procure forensic DNA analysis and evidence processing services that will strengthen investigative capacity, reduce evidence backlogs, and improve public safety outcomes.

$12,236 for Dinwiddie County to upgrade communications equipment and vehicle immobilization technology to strengthen law enforcement capabilities and deputy safety.

$11,285 for the Hopewell Police Department to facilitate regular, on-site professional development training for law enforcement.

In Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore, the grant awards include:

$188,997 for the Norfolk Police Department to investigate recovered firearms used in crimes and strengthen efforts to identify how firearms are obtained by individuals engaged in criminal activity.

$156,527 for the Newport News Police Department to enhance officer leadership training and purchase equipment to improve officer and community safety.

$131,700 for the Chesapeake Police Department to support a Community Prosecution Analyst within the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, strengthening collaboration among prosecutors, law enforcement, and community stakeholders. The funding will also support subscriptions to digital forensic tools that expand investigators’ capacity to lawfully extract, analyze, and manage digital evidence.

$59,792 for the City of Suffolk to train command-level staff and purchase a new FARO Laser Scanner that will improve efficiency and provide more accurate data collection at crime scenes.

$55,515 for the City of Virginia Beach to purchase narcotic testing equipment, helping keep officers and residents safe from exposure to potentially hazardous substances. The funding will also be used to purchase a police horse for community-oriented policing.

$46,962 for the Hampton Police Division to replace outdated equipment.

In Northern Virginia, the grant awards include:

$146,826 for the Prince William County Police Department to replace dated portable radio communications equipment with a more secure, reliable system to support emergency response.

$142,035 for the Fairfax County Police Department to establish a regional training initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting child exploitation, abuse, and trafficking in an increasingly complex digital environment. The initiative will convene practitioners across jurisdictions to standardize investigative practices and strengthen regional coordination.

$69,097 for Arlington County to procure critical equipment and supplies.

$38,964 for the Alexandria Police Department to support overtime for task forces, special details, and hiring officers for patrol.

$37,657 for the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office to purchase an all-terrain vehicle for patrols, search-and-rescue operations, public events, and response in hard-to-access areas. The funding will also support equipment to assist disabled motorists and technology to enhance the SWAT Team’s nighttime operational capabilities.

$34,964 for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office to purchase five custom ballistic shields that will address current shortages and strengthen countywide response capabilities.

$16,552 for the City of Fredericksburg to acquire a replacement all-terrain vehicle to be deployed in the city’s watershed area.

$15,482 for the Leesburg Police Department to purchase motorcycle communication and safety equipment, mobile citation printing equipment, power accessories, and mobile scanning equipment that will improve officer safety, mobile enforcement capabilities, and field efficiency.

$13,899 for the City of Manassas to support law enforcement operations, field incident management, and digital evidence preservation for the Manassas City Police Department.

In the Shenandoah Valley, the grant awards include:

$14,730 for the Harrisonburg Police Department to purchase three advanced whiteboards that can be used to share information and coordinate communications more efficiently during emergencies and investigations.

In Southwest Virginia and Southside, the grant awards include:

$65,414 for the Roanoke Police Department to purchase equipment that will improve real-time intelligence sharing between the Roanoke Operations and Crime Control Center (ROC3) and personnel in the field.

$25,699 for the Roanoke County Police Department to modernize its patrol rifles with advanced optical and lighting systems.

$18,175 for the Danville Police Department to purchase two drone systems equipped with thermal imaging capabilities that will improve both investigative and patrol response.

$15,958 for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office to support a High Impact Directed Enforcement Project focused on reducing violent crime, gang activity, and narcotics trafficking through targeted overtime enforcement in identified high-crime areas.

$10,652 for Campbell County to replace aging firearms with updated models that can improve officer accuracy and readiness during emergency situations.

$10,533 for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to purchase two ballistic shields to enhance officer safety and operational effectiveness during active threats, high-risk warrants, and emergency situations.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long supported efforts to protect law enforcement, strengthen public safety, and improve the criminal justice system. Last month, the senators announced over $6 million in federal funding to support state and local law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth. That funding was made possible in part by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, landmark legislation championed by Warner and Kaine that includes commonsense provisions similar to those outlined in the senators’ Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence. The senators also supported the bipartisan First Step Act, a historic criminal justice law that reduced sentences for nonviolent offenders and lowered recidivism rates. In 2020, they joined 31 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Justice in Policing Act to improve police accountability for misconduct, increase transparency through better data collection, and improve police practices and training.

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *

Photos may be used online and in print, and can be attributed to ‘The Office of Sen. Mark R. Warner


Warnock, Ossoff Secure $3.3 Million for Clean Water Emergency Response in Rural Georgia

The funding will help protect public health and community water supplies during and after a natural disaster

Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff secured this funding through the American Relief Act of 2025

Senator Reverend Warnock: “After a natural disaster, the last thing Georgians should have to worry about is if their water is safe to drink.”

Senator Ossoff: “We’re delivering these resources to help improve Georgia’s water infrastructure after storms like Hurricane Helene.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) secured $3.3 million for the Georgia Rural Water Association to respond quickly and effectively to any clean water-related emergencies that may arise after natural disasters.

Clean water-related emergencies can arise after natural disasters or other incidents that disrupt water and sewer systems, posing an immediate threat to public health. Funding secured by Senators Warnock and Ossoff will help communities respond quickly to these emergencies and prevent catastrophic infrastructure issues, such as sewer overflows and backups.

“After a natural disaster, the last thing Georgians should have to worry about is if their water is safe to drink,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I’m proud that federal funding is on its way to Georgians on the ground toprovide the resources they need to deal with any emergencies that could impact access to clean, safe water.”

“Clean, safe, healthy drinking water is not a luxury – it’s a necessity,” said Senator Ossoff. “Bringing Republicans and Democrats together, we’re delivering these resources to help improve Georgia’s water infrastructure after storms like Hurricane Helene.”

The funding is part of the bipartisan American Relief Act of 2025, which passed Congress in December 2024. It provided federal disaster and economic recovery funding for communities across the country, including Georgia.

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority is expected to use the funding to conduct activities that respond to and alleviate clean water emergencies for systems that ensure clean water. It includes a subaward to the Georgia Rural Water Association to enhance its water and sewer emergency mutual aid equipment program, a critical element in Georgia’s overall emergency response.

The funding is also expected to support emergency response and preparedness, water infrastructure repairs, operations and maintenance of facilities, and the establishment of emergency monitoring capabilities. It will primarily assist communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Senator Warnock has consistently worked to provide and strengthen federal support for communities affected by natural disasters and has championed legislation to help Georgians defend against the impacts of severe weather. In March 2026, Senator Warnock secured over $531 million in federal disaster aid for Georgia farmers who were affected by Hurricane Helene. In March 2025, Senator Warnock led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging it to expedite disaster assistance for Georgia farmers affected by Hurricane Helene. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and members of the Georgia Congressional Delegation also supported the effort.

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Welch and Capito Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Improve Access to Opioid Treatment and Recovery in Rural Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) Authorization Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to maintain the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program, which was established to expand prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural areas for substance use disorders, related behavioral health conditions, and other related public health issues.

“While Vermont has seen a decrease in overdose deaths in recent years, our work to help those struggling with addiction isn’t over—far from it. We need to do everything in our power to support folks on the road to recovery, especially in rural communities, where treatment and resources are harder to come by,” said Senator Welch. “We’re working across the aisle to ensure that rural communities in Vermont, West Virginia, and across the country can access vital prevention and recovery services necessary to combat the opioid crisis.”

“West Virginians know firsthand the devastating toll the opioid epidemic has had on our state’s families and communities. We also know that recovery is possible when those struggling have access to the right resources,” said Senator Capito. “The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program has helped strengthen prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts in communities that often face unique challenges accessing care. By preserving this successful program, we can provide greater certainty for rural providers and ensure communities in West Virginia and across the country continue to receive the support they need to recover.”

U.S. Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV-01), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), and Buddy Carter (R-GA-01) introduced companion legislation in the House.

“Supporting communities battling addiction remains one of my highest priorities. Representing a rural district, I know how critical it is for families to have reliable access to quality health care and recovery services. RCORP delivers essential funding to rural areas that lack the resources needed to address substance use disorders, and formally authorizing this program provides stability for the providers doing this lifesaving work. I’m grateful to my colleagues for joining me in this bipartisan effort to strengthen prevention and recovery services in some of the most underserved parts of our nation,” said Rep. Miller.

“For the millions of Americans battling substance use disorder, having access to proven, affordable treatment can mean the difference between life and death. The RCORP program is critical in bringing those lifesaving services to our rural communities, including those in our own Capital Region. I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce this legislation that ensures those living with the disease of addiction have access to the health care treatment and resources they need to find and follow the path to recovery,” said Rep. Tonko.

“Opioid addiction doesn’t discriminate by age, income, or political party, and it’s going to take all of us working together to end to this national crisis. I’m proud to work with my colleagues authorize the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. While there is no silver bullet, bipartisan solutions like this will help us save lives and support those struggling with substance use,” said Rep.Sewell.

“Rural districts like mine face significant barriers to opioid treatment and recovery. Formally authorizing the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program ensures those battling substance abuse maintain access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services. As a pharmacist, this issue is deeply personal to me. I will continue working so every American has the tools and support necessary to overcome addiction, and I thank my colleagues for working together to save lives,” said Rep. Carter.

The RCORP Authorization Act would:

Formally authorize the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) to ensure its predictability and long-term stability.

Provide access to prevention, treatment, and recovery services for substance use disorders in rural communities.

Support local partnerships to strengthen coordinated, community-based care.

Provide grants to rural organizations to address opioid use disorder and other behavioral health challenges.

Authorize funds annually from Fiscal Year 2027 through 2031 to sustain and expand the program.

Read and download the full text of the legislation.

Senator Welch has led his colleagues in a series of substance use disorder research, treatment, and prevention efforts. This Congress, Senator Welch cosponsored the Maximizing Opioid Recovery Emergency (MORE) Savings Act, legislation to make it easier for individuals struggling with an opioid-use disorder (OUD) to access evidence-based treatment. The Senator also reintroduced his bipartisan, bicameral Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data Sets (OPIOIDS ACT) to confront the devastating opioid crisis and give state and local governments additional tools to address the opioid epidemic in their communities.

In 2023, Senator Welch’s bipartisan Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act was signed into law by President Biden.

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Welch, Merkley, Wyden Champion FORK Act, Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Keep Rural Kids Fed

Nearly 1 in 6 children in Vermont face hunger

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in reintroducing the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation which would help summer meal program sponsors purchase, retrofit, or repair vehicles that expand access to summer meals for children in rural communities. U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), and Val Hoyle (D-OR-04) introduced companion legislation in the House.

In Vermont, more than 83,000 people—including more than 19,400 children—face hunger.

“Vermont has the highest percentage of rural students in the nation—that means food-insecure students in our state have a harder time participating in summer meal programs. Investing in food delivery programs that transport students to and from summer meal sites has to be part of the solution,” said Senator Welch. “Our bill works to close the summer meal gap and ensure rural students in Vermont, Oregon, and across the country can access nutritious meals all year long.”

“Every child—everywhere—deserves delicious and nutritious meals all year long,” said Senator Merkley. “Communities in Oregon and across the United States are finding innovative ways to make sure students do not go hungry during the summer months. The bipartisan FORK Act builds on those efforts by helping rural communities expand meal delivery and meal pick-up at sites closer to where families live, so geography is never a barrier to feeding kids nationwide.”

“Thousands of Oregonians are being denied food assistance under Trump’s draconian cuts to SNAP and other federal programs,” said Senator Wyden. “This bill would help restore critical food assistance to kids, helping meet them exactly where they are to end the ongoing hunger crisis in Oregon’s schools.”

The Feeding Our Rural Kids Act would create a grant program to allow schools and Summer Food Service Program providers in rural districts to receive funding to purchase mobile food delivery vehicles for home delivery of meals. Especially because vehicle purchases are not otherwise allowed under the Summer Food Service Program, the bipartisan, bicameral legislation would establish a three-year pilot grant program to help summer meal program sponsors reduce transportation barriers and bring nutritious meals closer to children and families during the summer. The bill would also build on existing rural non-congregate summer meal flexibilities by helping sponsors acquire transportation infrastructure to fully utilize those options.

The FORK Act is endorsed by Hunger Free Vermont, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Alliance to End Hunger, FoodCorps, Marion Polk Food Share, Oregon Food Bank, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Save the Children, School Nutrition Association, Share Our Strength, Umatilla School District, Woodburn School District, and AASA, the School Superintendents Association.

“We know that hunger doesn’t take a vacation. The summer months can be some of the hungriest for children, which is why the nourishing, balanced meals offered by the USDA summer meals program are so important. We commend Senator Welch and his colleagues for leading on this common-sense legislation, which is the key to unlocking much needed, innovative improvements to this program. A few Vermont schools have already proven the success of hitting the road and delivering summer meals to our most rural communities, and this legislation would allow our more remote communities in Vermont and across the country to be better served by this program—meaning more children would have full bellies throughout the summer to play, learn, and grow,” said Ivy Enoch, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Hunger Free Vermont.

“For too many children, summer break means losing access to the healthy school meals they count on all year. The Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act would provide critical funding to deliver nutritious summer meals to children in need, removing transportation barriers for families across rural America and ensuring students return to school nourished and ready to learn,” said Ashley Powell, PhD, RD, FAND, SNS, School Nutrition Association President.

“The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics strongly supports the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act. This legislation will help ensure that children in rural and underserved communities have greater access to nutritious meals during the summer months by providing meal sponsors with the tools needed to reach families facing travel and access barriers. We applaud the bill’s sponsors for advancing solutions that help children thrive by keeping them connected to nutritious food when school is out,” said Tamara Randall, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES, FAND, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics President.

“We need to help the children in our care, no matter where they live, in cities or rural areas, be able to access enough food every day, in every season, for a healthy life so they can learn to their fullest potential. Let’s invest in making sure that children in rural areas have opportunities for meals to get to them,” said Eric Mitchell, Alliance to End Hunger President.

“Rural non-congregate meals have been a lifeline for families during the summer. Before this expansion, far too many kids missed out on nutritious meals because of barriers that made it difficult to access summer meals programs. Now this bill will unlock new opportunities so resources reach farther, rural communities are more connected, and more kids can be fed,” said Claire Borzner, Director of Federal Government Relations of the No Kid Hungry Campaign at Share Our Strength.

Read and download the full text of the bill.

Senator Welch has been a leading advocate for protecting and expanding access to nutrition programs in the Senate. Earlier this year, Senator Welch’s bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would allow schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer students whole milk, was signed into law. The Senator has led bipartisan and bicameral legislation to help more Americans access SNAP and improve nutrition, including the COLAs Don’t Count Act, Farm to School Act, Keep SNAP Funded Act, Local School Foods Expansion Act, Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025, and the School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act.

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Welch Opposes Todd Blanche’s Nomination for Attorney General

“We can stop capitulating today by doing our job and rejecting a completely unqualified man to be the top law enforcement official in this country.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today voted against advancing Todd Blanche’s nomination for Attorney General (AG) of the United States. At a Judiciary Committee meeting ahead of the vote Senator Welch called out Acting AG Blanche—and the entire U.S. Senate—for capitulating to President Trump, who has consistently and corruptly abused his authority and the power of the Executive.

“This is a story about how a young and talented and idealistic man—committed to public service, a prosecutor’s prosecutor—became a new person in service of a corrupt president. It’s a story of ambition, and loyalty, and political calculation eroding resistance and idealism. Mr. Blanche has used his considerable talents to accommodate the corrupt goals of a corrupt president…But Blanche is also a story about how a once great institution is relinquishing its own power and capitulating to a corrupt president. Is there no line that the U.S. Senate will not allow this president to cross?” said Senator Welch.

Welch concluded: “The president is abusing his authority. But we are failing, as the U.S. Senate, to use our authority. When we fail to use our authority, we fail to meet our responsibility to the people of this country. We can stop capitulating today by doing our job and rejecting a completely unqualified man to be the top law enforcement official in this country. I will vote no.”

Read the Senator’s full remarks as delivered here and watch more below:

In Acting AG Todd Blanche’s nomination hearing, Senator Welch grilled Mr. Blanche on his relationship with President Trump and his willingness to put his personal loyalty to the president ahead of the American people. Senator Welch questioned Mr. Blanche on his previous professional relationship with President Trump and clear conflicts of interest, the creation of Trump and Blanche’s so-called anti-weaponization fund, Trump’s reckless presidential pardons, and Blanche’s firing of career pardon attorneys, and the Trump Administration’s attempts to subpoena members of the press.

In May, Senator Welch called on Acting AG Blanche to resign. He also led all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in demanding that the DOJ Inspector General (IG) launch an immediate, thorough, and quick investigation into President Trump’s creation of the nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” emphasizing how President Trump’s slush fund, created from a settlement agreement in Trump v. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), represents waste, fraud, and abuse of an unprecedented magnitude and must be subjected to independent scrutiny.

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U.S. Senators Call for Cancelled Energy Funds to be Restored

The letter follows an admission from the Trump Admin that the decision to cancel energy project grants in states that did not vote for Trump was “based solely” on politics

Washington, D.C. – Instead of effectively governing and making energy more affordable for hardworking Americans, President Trump has used federal grants to play partisan games and deny federal resources to so-called ‘Blue States.’

In response, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Jack Reed (D-RI), along with 37 fellow Democratic lawmakers, are demanding the Trump Administration restore federal funding for energy projects that were unfairly canceled last year.

Whitehouse and Reed recently joined U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and 35 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding that the Trump Administration restore funding for the 223 energy projects canceled in October 2025.

The letter was sent after Trump Administration officials cancelled federal energy grants based solely on whether recipients were in states that voted against Donald Trump in the last presidential election and were represented by two Democratic senators. All Senators who cosigned this letter are from states with canceled grants and funding signed the letter.

The Trump Administration admitted to unlawfully canceling over $7.5 billion in energy grants because those projects were in states that cast a majority of their votes for Trump’s opponent in the 2024 presidential election. This included $14 million in grants for Rhode Island.

“Now that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies,” the 39 U.S. Senators wrote.

“Once an administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly,” the Senators continued. “This is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America’s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country—not merely those who support the President.”

“At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them—not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country’s energy security at grave risk,” the Senators concluded. “For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.”

Alongside Senators Whitehouse, Reed, Heinrich, Murray, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D- HI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Angus King (I-ME).

Full text of the letter to DOE Secretary Wright and OMB Director Vought follows:

Secretary Wright and Director Vought:

Now that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump Administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies.

In October 2025, we wrote to you to express strong opposition to the Administration’s callous decision to unlawfully terminate $8 billion in federal investments for 223 energy projects. You not only acted outside the bounds of the law, but cancelled projects that would have provided jobs, onshored manufacturing, and lowered skyrocketing energy prices. Congress authorized those projects and appropriated funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and annual appropriation bills. At the time of the termination of those projects, we expressed outrage that the terminations appeared politically motivated and confined to states that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election. The Administration has now admitted in federal court what it denied to Congress and the American people.

On July 24, 2026, citing court filings, The New York Times reported that the Trump Administration acknowledged that it terminated more than $7.5 billion of grants due to political motivations. In a two-step process, the Department of Energy (DOE) first recommended more than 600 grants for potential termination, including grants in states represented by both Republicans and Democrats. It appears the Office of Management and Budget then selected all the grants in “Blue States” for cancellation, which DOE executed. In court filings, DOE’s lawyers conceded that the cancellations occurred “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state.”4 Specifically, as the court filings stated, “[w]ith one exception, the 284 terminated grants had a recipient location and/or at least one place of performance in a state that awarded its electoral votes to Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and has two Democratic caucusing Senators (“Blue State” grants).”5 Similar grants in Red States, however, remained intact and were not the subject of termination. What’s more, DOE lawyers conceded that the decision to terminate these blue state grants was not “based on any programmatic, statutory, cost reduction, or performance-based factor.”

Once an Administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly. This is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America’s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country—not merely those who support the President.

At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the Administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them—not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country’s energy security at grave risk.

For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.

Sincerely,