New Studies Show Trump’s Chaotic Policies Have Driven Up Back-to-School Costs by 11%

WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump’s tariffs and economic policies are raising prices, dragging down economic growth, eliminating thousands of good-paying jobs, and driving up inflation.

Under the Trump Administration, more American families are struggling to afford basic necessities.

With a new school year around the corner, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says Trump deserves an ‘F’ when it comes to economic stewardship.

Reed points to a multitude of new studies showing that Trump’s chaotic policies are forcing families to pay more for back-to-school shopping this year, with the cost of school supplies, clothes, and food all increasing significantly over last year.

“From paper and pencils, to lunch boxes and clothes, the Trump Economy is making back-to-school shopping more expensive for Americans. Due to Trump’s unilateral decision to launch tariffs and an unauthorized Iran war, just about every back-to-school item parents put in their shopping carts this summer has gone up in price. I’ve voted time and time again to halt the Trump price hikes, but Republican leaders need to stop shielding President Trump from accountability and start passing legislation to help bring down costs. As hardworking parents scrimp and save to manage household finances and tight budgets, Trump-Republicans have gifted the wealthiest one percent huge tax windfalls while shifting heavier financial burdens onto families and communities. That compounds cost-of-living pressures. Democrats want to fix it and help lower prices, but Republican leaders don’t seem interested,” said Reed.

Key drivers of recent price increases include Trump’s higher tariffs on imported goods, his war in Iran, which has led to rising shipping expenses from elevated gas prices, as well as agricultural labor shortages and general inflation.

In a joint report, the Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation (TCF) crunched the numbers and found the price families will pay this year to send students back to classrooms has surged 11 percent overall. The think tanks, using data from NielsenIQ, a global consumer intelligence company that provides retail and consumer data, found that families will pay about $175 more on school items in 2026,

Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation estimates that households with children in kindergarten through 12th grade will spend an average of $863.86 on back-to-school purchases this year.

Basic classroom staples hit by Trump price spikes include lunch boxes (26.8 percent increase), one-subject notebooks (23 percent increase), index cards (22.2 percent increase), scissors (14 percent increase), and number 2 pencils (6.1 percent increase) which all cost more this school year than in 2025, according to Groundwork/TCF.

Additionally, the cost of packing a school lunch is significantly more over last year. The Groundwork/TCF report shows Trump price spikes for lunchtime favorites like blueberries (47.7 percent increase), sandwich bread (21.8 percent increase), apple juice (20 percent), animal crackers (15.7 percent), and deli meat (12.2 percent).

And for parents of kids who play sports, federal BLS data shows the price of sports equipment -- a common fall purchase for parents of kids getting back to school sports -- spiked over 4 percent between December 2025 and June 2026.

Approximately 45 percent of parents plan to take on debt in order to pay for back-to-school shopping items this year, up from 34 percent in 2024, according to credit score tracking site CreditKarma.

Meanwhile, approximately half of surveyed U.S. parents reported cutting back on discretionary categories—such as dining out and entertainment in order to offset the costs of back-to-school shopping, according to the 2026 Deloitte Back-to-School Survey.


Reed Helps Pass Tick Research Bill to Combat Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Illnesses

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate passed the Kay Hagan Tick Act (S.2398), reauthorizing through 2030 the nation’s existing framework for tick-borne disease to ensure the program to improve research, prevention, diagnostics, and treatment for tick-borne diseases continues. Federal funding for that program lapsed last September and may now be renewed.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who cosponsored the legislation, which is championed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tina Smith (D-MN), has been fighting for people impacted by tick-borne illnesses for years and has spearheaded efforts to increase federal funding to combat the spread of ticks and find a cure and effective treatments.

The Kay Hagan Tick Act unites the effort to confront the alarming public health threat posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

The bill is named in honor of former U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), who passed away in the fall of 2019, at age 66, due to complications from the tick-borne disease known as the Powassan virus, which she contracted just three years earlier.

“This bill is a tribute to our former colleague, Kay Hagan, and to families everywhere impacted by tick bites. The federal government must invest in research to combat Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses and help researchers diagnose people quickly and accurately and connect them to effective treatments that can save lives and lead to better health outcomes for people who are suffering,” said Senator Reed, who also noted he wants to see federal support for important tick research in Rhode Island. “America’s tick problem is growing and the size of the federal investment we make in combatting ticks needs to keep pace. The Kay Hagan Tick Act has already improved public health knowledge and prevention strategies, but we've got to do more."

Reed noted the University of Rhode Island is doing impressive work tracking the spread of ticks and educating people about ticks, tick-borne illnesses, and tick surveillance.

Congress first passed the Kay Hagan Tick Act in 2019 and authorized $150 million to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve research, testing, and treatment of tickborne illnesses and to coordinate tick research efforts across multiple departments. The law also authorized the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide $20 million in annual federal grants to state and local health departments and for public outreach and tick safety awareness and education campaigns.

Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is fighting to provide a total of $275 million in federal funding for research of ticks and tickborne diseases in the 2027 federal budget, a significant $90 million boost over what Congress allocated in fiscal year 2026 toward these efforts.

Reed says it is a needed investment given that Lyme disease alone is estimated to cost the U.S. health system over $1 billion each year, and that figure does not fully account for other tick-borne infections, veterinary care, or livestock industry losses. In fact, a 2025 report found that: “Each year diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens result in an estimated 13-19 billion USD in losses to livestock producers in the United States alone.”

There are about 15 disease microbes transmitted by a variety of ticks in different regions of the United States. The deer tick, found widely in the Northeast, transmits seven diseases, including the “big three” most common illnesses: Lyme disease,; which is the most prevalent; Anaplasmosis, which infects white cells and causes systemic illness; and Babesiosis, a blood infection that can cause severe illness caused by the parasite babesia microti that is spread to humans by ticks who get it from white-footed mice.

Also increasingly prevalent in New England is the Lone Star tick (named for the distinctive white patch on the back of females) which can induce an allergic reaction through their bite that can cause Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS), which sometimes causes a red meat allergy, flu-like symptoms, and other side effects. Other serious ailments spread by certain types of ticks include Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the Powassan virus.

Data collected through URI’s TickEncounter program, led by Dr. Thomas Mather (also known as “The TickGuy”), shows a 1,300 percent increase in Lone Star tick encounters recorded by residents in the Ocean State over the last decade. Another tick, the invasive longhorned tick has also moved into parts of Rhode Island, especially on Block Island and southern Rhode Island coastal communities.

“Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses continue to pose serious, growing public health challenges. We’ve made a lot of progress but more must be done. Federal research and intervention investments are critical to staying ahead of these often-mysterious diseases and keeping people safe, particularly here in Rhode Island and throughout the Northeast,” said Reed, who was instrumental in establishing a national strategy to combat Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases in 2016.

Using a three-pronged approach, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act would:

Require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue implementing and updating, as appropriate, its National Public Health Strategy to Prevent and Control Vector-Borne Diseases in People. This strategy has been integral in expanding research into tick-borne diseases, improving testing and diagnostics, and coordinating efforts across the federal government.

Reauthorize Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease for five years. Funding for these centers, which was allotted in 2017, expires this year. These Centers have led the scientific response against tick-borne diseases, which now make up 75 percent of vector-borne diseases in the U.S.

Reauthorize CDC Grants to State Health Departments to improve data collection and analysis, support early detection and diagnosis, improve treatment, and raise awareness. These awards would help states continue to build a public health infrastructure for Lyme and other vector-borne diseases and amplify their initiatives through public-private partnerships.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar measure. The two chambers must pass the same language before the bill can be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law.


Reed Pushes to Prohibit Insider Trading & Crack Down on Securities Fraud

WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to effectively counter insider trading, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Insider Trading Prohibition Act (S.5320) to establish a clear statutory prohibition against insider trading. This legislation seeks to clearly define the offense of insider trading under federal law and remove some of the uncertainty that has curtailed securities regulators’ and law enforcement’s ability to effectively pursue and prosecute insider trading cases.

If passed, Reed’s legislation would make it even more obvious that President Trump’s scheme to sell a $100,000 monthly subscription service to provide earlier access to the President’s Truth Social posts is, by definition, ‘Insider Trading.’ And not only is it unethical for President Trump to try to further monetize the presidency to enrich his family, but this scheme is unlawful.

“Insider trading puts the average investor at a disadvantage and reduces both public trust and confidence in our markets. Cracking down on unlawful insider trading should be a bipartisan priority,” said Senator Reed. “This legislation provides a clear definition of insider trading, with appropriate safety valves, that will help protect the investing public. Sharpening the definition of insider trading will clear up ambiguity in the law and help repair a broken system.”

When corporate insiders and others who wrongfully obtain inside information trade on it, they essentially engage in theft. But currently – and to the shock of many Americans -- there is no federal statute on the books specifically banning insider trading. Rather, the unlawfulness of insider trading is predicated on the notion that insider trading is a type of securities fraud under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and subject to broad judicial interpretation. With courts left to define much of the law on a case-by-case basis, the result has been an unnecessarily complex, inconsistent, and uncertain legal standard.

According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), illegal insider trading, as currently defined by the courts, refers generally to buying or selling a security, in breach of a fiduciary duty or other relationship of trust and confidence, while in possession of material, nonpublic information about the security. Insider trading violations may also include “tipping” such information, securities trading by the person “tipped,” and securities trading by those who misappropriate such information.

The Insider Trading Prohibition Act aims to distill the offense of insider trading to clear, bright line rules: if a person trades a security on the basis of information that the person is aware is material and nonpublic and is aware was wrongfully obtained, then that person has engaged in unlawful insider trading.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).

To illustrate the problem of trying insider trading cases, Reed pointed to the words of U.S. District Court Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who has presided over many insider trading cases before the Southern District of New York. Judge Rakoff wrote in a recent opinion that “the crime of insider trading is a straightforward concept that some courts have somehow managed to complicate.”

In the absence of a statutory definition, an inconsistent and complicated body of common law – an accumulation of cases and judicial precedents – has developed as the courts have used varying interpretations of anti-fraud statutes in order to decide insider trading cases.

The Insider Trading Prohibition Act:

• Makes it unlawful for a person to trade while aware of material, non-public information if that person knows, or has reason to know that the information was obtained wrongfully, for example, through theft, bribery, hacking, misappropriation, or a breach of a fiduciary duty for a personal benefit.

• Prohibits those with material, nonpublic information from wrongfully passing along that information to others, or tipping them, if the person is aware that the communication would result in trading and the recipient does in fact trade based on that communication.


Reed Stumps for Bill to Better Protect Kids Online

WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to protect kids from the risks posed by the internet and social media and to hold Big Tech accountable for harming a generation of young Americans, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The bill mandates social media companies limit addictive design features and set protective default settings for minor users.

This week, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation’s unanimously approved KOSA by voice vote, teeing it up for consideration by the full U.S. Senate.

This legislation (S.1748), which is championed by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), would provide kids and parents with better tools to protect children online, hold tech and social media accountable for harms to children, and provide transparency into black box algorithms.

Essentially, the bill would require companies to default to stringent privacy and safety settings, rather than putting the onus on youth and parents to navigate through complicated platforms. Tech companies would be required to “exercise reasonable care” to prevent their products from endangering child users, including through design features that could exacerbate depression, sexual exploitation, bullying, harassment and other harms.

“Americans are over Big Tech companies knowingly putting their profits ahead of children’s safety. I support this comprehensive, bipartisan proposal to increase transparency, strengthen online safeguards, and ensure that tech companies and social media companies are more accountable,” said Senator Reed. “This will provide new tools for parents to protect their kids, including options to disable addictive product features. I urge Senate Republican leaders to put the bipartisan bill on the floor and pass a clean bill so we can ensure a safer environment online for all.”

This week, a judge in New Mexico ordered that Meta, the parent company of brands such as Facebook and Instagram, pay a total of $942 million to address harms to kids from social media.

The Kids Online Safety Act is strongly supported by a broad coalition of parents, including those who have tragically lost their children or whose kids have been severely harmed by Big Tech; young people who want to regain control over their online lives; and hundreds of advocacy groups and experts who study and see the negative effects of social media firsthand in their communities.

Specifically, the Kids Online Safety Act:

Requires social media platforms to provide minors with options to protect their information, disable addictive product features, and opt out of personalized algorithmic recommendations.

Platforms are required to enable the strongest privacy settings for kids by default.

Gives parents new controls to help protect their children and spot harmful behaviors, and provides parents and educators with a dedicated channel to report harmful behavior.

Creates a duty for online platforms to prevent and mitigate specific dangers to minors, including promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and advertisements for certain illegal products (e.g. tobacco and alcohol).


Rosen Helps Introduce Bill to End Tariffs on Back-to-School Supplies

WASHINGTON, DC – Ahead of the start of a new school year, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce a bill to end tariffs on back-to-school supplies. The Back-To-School Supplies Affordability Act would exempt school supplies and educational materials from Donald Trump’s tariffs, helping reduce costs for families, teachers, schools, and local governments.

“As school districts across Nevada begin the new school year, parents are being squeezed by the high cost of school supplies thanks to Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs,” said Senator Rosen. “I am proud to help introduce this bill to repeal tariffs on school supplies and provide some financial relief for hardworking families as they prepare our children for another school year. I promise that I will continue fighting in the Senate to lower the cost of living for families all across Nevada.”

Senator Rosen has fought to lower costs and protect critical industries from Trump’s tariffs. Earlier this year, she introduced legislation to exclude homebuilding materials from tariffs, helping to lower housing costs. Senator Rosen also introduced the No Tariffs on Groceries Act, which would block tariffs on food and agricultural products. In February, she helped introduce a bill requiring Trump to issue full refunds for importers that paid fees because of his illegal tariffs.

###


NEWS: Cassidy, Sanders Request Update from Justice Department on Contempt Charges for Former Hospital CEO

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 – Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member, sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting information on the status of the contempt referral for Dr. Ralph de la Torre, former Chairman and CEO of Steward Health Care, which was unanimously adopted by the Senate on September 25, 2024.

Steward previously operated 31 hospitals in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. On May 6, 2024, Steward Health Care declared bankruptcy, representing the largest for-profit hospital bankruptcy in United States history.

“The bankruptcy represented a culmination of financial mismanagement and self-interested incentives by Dr. de la Torre and corporate executives in health care, private equity, and real estate. The resulting harm included termination of health care workers, patient deaths, and multiple hospital closures resulting in lack of access to care,” Cassidy and Sanders wrote.

In response to the bankruptcy, the HELP Committee initiated an investigation into Steward’s financial mismanagement and invited Dr. de la Torre to appear at a hearing on September 12, 2024. Dr. de la Torre declined the invitation. The Committee then voted to authorize a subpoena requiring de la Torre to appear on September 12, 2025. Dr. de la Torre failed to appear. In response, the Committee voted 20-0 on a criminal contempt resolution. This was the first time in modern American history that the HELP Committee issued a criminal contempt resolution.

“We needed answers from Dr. de la Torre, as did the health care workers forced to treat patients in dangerous conditions, loved ones of patients who died, and communities who saw their local hospitals close or face severe financial distress. Dr. de la Torre’s wealth should not make him immune to requests from Congress, especially as communities continue to grapple with the consequences of Dr. de la Torre’s greed,” the HELP Committee leaders continued.

Following the Committee action, the Senate then unanimously adopted the Committee’s criminal contempt resolution, which certified the HELP Committee Report regarding Dr. de la Torre’s failure to appear to the US Attorney for the District of Columbia to present to a grand jury.

“Unfortunately, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has not yet acted on this important effort to hold Dr. De la Torre criminally accountable for his actions. We request an update on the status of this case and the actions taken by the U.S. Attorney by August 20, 2026,” Cassidy and Sanders concluded.


NEWS: Sens. Schiff & Young Introduce Legislation to Help Small Businesses Combat Increasing Cybersecurity Threats

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), members of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, are introducing bipartisan legislation to improve the federal cybersecurity tools that protect small businesses against cyber threats – helping integrate the technology, resources, and programs they need to stay protected in a changing digital landscape.

“As small businesses face a growing threat of cyberattacks and phishing schemes, we must give them the tools they need to stop hacks and lower their risk. Our bipartisan legislation will improve federal cybersecurity resources to help small businesses mitigate their cybersecurity vulnerabilities,” said Senator Schiff.

“Small businesses are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals, but too many owners don’t know where to turn for help,” said Senator Young. “This commonsense legislation will identify gaps, improve coordination, and ensure small businesses have access to the tools they need to defend themselves from evolving cyber threats. When small businesses are better protected, they can spend less time responding to cyberattacks and more time creating jobs and growing our economy.”

The Small Business Cybersecurity Assistance Evaluation Act will require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to develop a report on all federal cybersecurity resources, initiatives, programs, tools, and services available to small business owners. This report must include:

Information on the most common cybersecurity threats faced by small businesses;

A description and assessment of the different levels of awareness, use, coordination, and integration of the federal resources;

A list of foundational cybersecurity concepts absent from federal resources; and

Recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of these tools.

U.S. Representative Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, which unanimously passed the House.

The full text of the legislation is available here.

###


NEWS: U.S. Senate Sends Senator Schiff-Scott’s Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act to President’s Desk

Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously to send bipartisan, bicameral legislation by U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act, to the President’s desk.

The bill provides meaningful and long-overdue tax relief for victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters and ensures victims of natural disasters have immediate access to tax relief for years to come. The bill would allow for tax relief for victims of federally declared disasters, including hurricanes and wildfires. The bill also extends victims’ ability to make tax deductible payments from wildfire settlements, which often happen many years after a disaster, through January 1, 2027.

It was renamed last year to the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act to honor Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who passed away in January of 2026.

“Surviving a natural disaster can place an enormous financial burden on families. That’s why it’s critical we support victims of devastating disasters like the wildfires in California and across the country. I’m proud that this bipartisan effort with my colleagues Senator Rick Scott and Representatives Greg Steube, Mike Thompson, and Jimmy Panetta has advanced through Congress. We need to ensure that those hit the hardest when disaster strikes receive the support and the tax relief they need to recover. And in getting this bill to the President’s desk, we affirm a vital part of the late Doug LaMalfa’s legacy,” said Senator Adam Schiff.

“Floridians are resilient in the face of natural disasters, and we always overcome them. While neighbors help neighbors and communities rebuild, we should be doing everything we can to make it easier on disaster victims in Florida and around the country to put their lives back together. We certainly should not saddle them with more uncertainty about their taxes. I am proud to support this bill to provide Americans critical clarity in the disaster relief process and honor the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s extensive work on this issue,” said Senator Rick Scott.

U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) led the legislation in the House alongside Representatives Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).

The full text of the bill is available here.

###


Schmitt Urges Department of Labor to Close Loophole Allowing Employers to Prioritize Foreign Workers Over Americans

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Labor (DOL) Keith Sonderling urging the DOL to modernize the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) labor certification process to ensure companies are not abusing the system to hire cheap foreign labor over American workers who are qualified and available for work. Senator Schmitt also requested data on fraud, audits, and the use of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and H-1B visas within the PERM program.

Senator Schmitt wrote, “Abuse of the PERM and H-1B programs allow corporations to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. The Department should end that abuse and restore the regulations’ supposed purpose: Protecting American workers and putting their interests first.”

In the letter, Senator Schmitt urges the DOL to:

Require employers to post all PERM job opportunities on their regular careers page and at least one widely used online job platform.

Require employers to use the same application process for PERM positions as they use for comparable non-PERM positions.

Require employers to document every American applicant to PERM positions, explain why any applicant was rejected, and certify that positions were not reserved for foreign workers.

Require employers to notify recently laid-off American workers who may be qualified for PERM positions and provide interviews and written explanations for any rejection.

Provide data regarding PERM audits, fraud, and applicants’ prior use of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program and H-1B visas.

Current DOL regulations governing the PERM process have not been substantially updated in more than twenty years and continue to rely on print newspaper advertisements for many positions despite the widespread shift to online recruiting. Senator Schmitt argues these outdated requirements make it easier for employers to bypass qualified American workers while claiming they attempted domestic recruitment.

The letter also highlights recent findings by the DOL’s Inspector General and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud regarding fraud schemes involving the PERM and H-1B programs, arguing those findings further demonstrate the need for reform.

Read the full letter HERE.

###


Schmitt Urges HHS, CDC to Close Birth Certificate Loophole Enabling Birthright Citizenship Fraud

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Erica Schwartz urging the agencies to issue regulations to close a loophole that allows the children of foreign diplomats born in the United States to improperly obtain documentation used to illegally claim American citizenship. Senator Schmitt called on HHS and the CDC to implement anti-fraud birth certificate standards, as directed by Congress in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, to help prevent citizenship fraud and protect the integrity of American citizenship.

“Foreign diplomats’ children who illegally claim citizenship by using standard state-issued birth certificates perpetrate a fraud against the American people that degrades the meaning of American citizenship, undermines our sovereignty, and threatens our national security. I therefore urge the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement birth-certificate regulations that ensure federal government agencies do not allow foreign diplomats’ children to illegally claim citizenship. We cannot allow our medical records system to become a vector for national security threats,” wroteSenator Schmitt.

In the letter, Senator Schmitt requests that HHS and the CDC:

Promulgate the birth certificate regulations required under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.

Establish minimum standards that help prevent fraud in the issuance and acceptance of birth certificates.

Ensure federal agencies only accept birth certificates that distinguish between individuals recognized as U.S. citizens at birth under current law and the children of foreign diplomats, who are not granted birthright citizenship.

Close documentation loopholes that allow foreign diplomats’ children to improperly obtain Social Security numbers, passports, and other federal documents reserved for U.S. citizens.

For more than a century, federal law, judicial precedent, and executive branch policy have recognized that children born in the United States to accredited foreign diplomats are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States for purposes of the Fourteenth Amendment and therefore do not acquire citizenship at birth. Despite this longstanding legal principle, Senator Schmitt notes that gaps in the nation’s birth registration system allow these individuals to receive standard birth certificates and later obtain documentation commonly used as proof of U.S. citizenship.

This effort builds upon Senator Schmitt’s previous oversight efforts to strengthen enforcement of U.S. citizenship laws, including his recent letter to the Departments of Homeland Security and State requesting additional safeguards to prevent the improper issuance of citizenship documentation to the children of foreign diplomats.

Schmitt also introduced a bill to protect the integrity of American citizenship and restore birthright citizenship to only the children of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents.

Read the full letter HERE.

###


Senator Schmitt Blocks Democrats’ Attempt to Undermine ICE Enforcement, Shutdown Detention Facility

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) took to the Senate Floor to block Democrats’ attempt to undermine Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by permanently closing a detention facility. Senator Schmitt argued the legislation would eliminate detention capacity without improving medical care, increasing staffing, or strengthening oversight, while undermining public safety and immigration enforcement operations.

Watch the Senator’s full speech HERE.

Excerpts of remarks as prepared for delivery:

“Mr. President, I rise to object to the so-called Delaney Hall Closure Act. But my colleague’s bill does nothing to address the issues he’s raised. It does not hire a single doctor. It does not add a single nurse. It does not require a single inspection. It simply orders the Department of Homeland Security to close Delaney Hall, cancel its contract, and permanently forbid ICE from using the facility again. Two pages. Three commands: Close it. Cancel it. Never reopen it. That is abolition with a short title.

“If something goes wrong at a hospital, you investigate what happened. You identify the failure. You discipline the people responsible. You repair the facility, improve the procedures, and make the hospital better. You do not unlock every door, abandon the building, and announce that healthcare itself was the crime. If a bridge needs repair, you fix the bridge. You do not blow it up and congratulate yourself for preventing traffic accidents.

“Now, I am willing to take my colleague’s concerns seriously. If Delaney Hall needs more doctors, let us fund more doctors. If it needs more nurses, better medication tracking, stronger inspections, faster emergency response, or better communication with families, let us write those requirements into law and pay for them. I would gladly work with the Senator from New Jersey on additional resources for safe and secure ICE detention facilities.

“You cannot pull the batteries from the smoke alarm and then pose beside the ashes demanding to know who failed. You cannot starve a system, condemn the strain, and call abolition the only humane solution. That is not good-faith oversight. That is not serious governance. That is not a viable solution.

“Mr. President, a serious Senate would let the current investigation run its course, correct any failures, and strengthen the system. An unserious Senate shuts down the building and pretends the law no longer needs enforcement. I object to using a pending investigation as a ploy to dismantle law enforcement. I object to defunding ICE and then blaming ICE for lacking resources. Fix what is broken. Hold wrongdoers accountable. Protect every person in federal custody, of course, but we must enforce the law.”

###


SCHUMER CALLS ON NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO RELEASE OPERATING FUNDS TO BUFFALO’S THEODORE ROOSEVELT INAUGURAL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE – THE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SITE THAT HAS NOT YET RECEIVED ANNUAL...

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site – Where Then-Vice President Theodore Roosevelt Took The Oath Of Office To Become America’s 26th President – Needs Annual Congressionally-Approved Funds to Pay Bills And Staff

Schumer Says: As We Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday, We Must Ensure This Treasured Buffalo Historical Site Remains Accessible To The Public

Schumer To NPS: Release Annual Funds For Vital Site For This Jewel Of American History Here In Western NY

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the National Park Service (NPS) to release this year's funds for Buffalo’s Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site. The site, which is a National Historic Site, says it is the only unit in the entire National Park System that has not received its congressionally appropriated FY26 operating funds.

With the end of the fiscal year quickly approaching at the end of September, the site’s leadership says it needs these funds to cover its bills, pay staff, and ensure the public can continue to access one of Western New York’s treasured historical sites. Schumer called on the NPS to immediately release the site’s funds and explain why this site has been the last left without funding this far into the fiscal year.

“As a place of tragedy and the transition of presidential power, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site holds a special place in the hearts of Buffalonians and the nation. As the place where the assassinated President McKinley tragically passed away, and President Roosevelt took the oath of office to become our 26th president, this home tells the story of the origins of a presidency that reshaped the country,” said Senator Schumer. “The site relies on federal funding to cover its bills and pay staff, but its leadership says it is the only unit in the entire National Park System that has not received its allocated federal funding. That makes no sense and is unacceptable. As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, it’s more important than ever to preserve our country’s rich history. That’s why I’m calling on the NPS to immediately release the congressionally appropriated support needed to keep this historic house’s doors open so Americans can continue to access one of New York’s, and the nation’s, treasured historical sites.”

The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is the house where, on September 14, 1901, Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office following the assassination of President William McKinley, becoming the 26th President of the United States. Thanks to decades of local activism and preservation work, the house has been preserved for generations and now operates as a unit of the National Park System.

The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site relies on Congressionally appropriated funds for approximately one-third of its operating budget. The delay of its allocated funds has postponed the completion of essential work, including replacement of a 16-year-old HVAC system and repairs to the building's historic Victorian roof. These upgrades are desperately needed to ensure the aging building’s integrity and to continue providing the optimal visitor and staff experience at the site.

Schumer said the NPS must release the site’s funds without further delay and asked why this site is the only NPS site without its annual federal funding and what the NPS will do to ensure a delay like this never happens again.

Schumer’s letter to Acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron can be found HERE or below:

Dear Acting Director Bowron,

I write to urge the immediate release of Fiscal Year 2026 operating funds to the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo, New York. According to Site Superintendent Spencer Morgan, this site is now the only unit in the entire National Park System that has not received its congressionally appropriated FY26 operating funds with the end of the fiscal year fast approaching. If the site does not receive these funds by the end of September, it risks being unable to cover its bills and meet payroll, threatening not only the continued operation of the site and employment of the staff, but also public access to one of New York’s, and the nation’s, treasured historical sites.

As a place of tragedy and the transition of presidential power, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site holds a special place in the hearts of Buffalonians, the nation, and Roosevelt history buffs alike. It is the house where, on September 14, 1901, Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office following the tragic assassination of President William McKinley, becoming the 26th President of the United States. It stands today, preserved for generations since Roosevelt’s tenure, thanks to decades of local activism and preservation work. It now operates as a unit of the National Park System as a testament to a pivotal moment and person in our nation's history.

This site is not only one of great historic significance, but it also provides meaningful, ongoing value to the Buffalo community. It attracts visitors from far and wide – boosting the local economy, offering free field trips for local students, and educating the public on the origins of a presidency that reshaped the country. The site relies on the National Park Service for roughly a third of its operating budget, and the prolonged delay in receiving its promised FY26 funds has delayed the completion of essential work, including replacement of a 16-year-old HVAC system and repairs to the building's historic Victorian roof. These upgrades are desperately needed to ensure the aging building’s integrity and to continue providing the optimal visitor and staff experience at the site.

Reports suggest that National Park Service maintenance funds have been redirected to support America250 celebrations in Washington, D.C. While our nation’s semi-quincentennial is an important milestone to honor, it must not come at the expense of the continued maintenance, preservation, and operation of our many other historic sites and protected places across the country. In Buffalo, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site cannot meet payroll or complete vital maintenance and preservation projects without its congressionally appropriated FY26 funds.

I therefore urge the National Park Service to release the site's FY26 operating funds without further delay, and request that you provide my office with a clear timeline for disbursement. I would also appreciate an explanation of why this site, alone among all National Park Service units nationwide, has been left without its funding this far into the fiscal year, and what steps the agency is taking to ensure this does not happen again.

The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site belongs to every American as a piece of our shared history. It deserves the timely support Congress has provided for it, especially as America celebrates our 250th anniversary.

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

###


Shaheen Helps Introduce Legislation to Stop the Trump Administration from Hiding the Human Cost of the Iran War

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, joined 17 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would ban the U.S. Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of our service members and public servants. The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act comes after the Pentagon unprecedentedly recategorized recent casualties suffered in President Trump’s Iran war—including four killed and over 200 wounded service members—under a separate category outside Operation Epic Fury in a shameless attempt to downplay the true cost of his disastrous conflict and evade accountability to the American people.

“It’s outrageous the Administration would try to shortchange our troops and their families from receiving the full benefits that they have earned through service and sacrifice,” said Senator Shaheen. “Because President Trump and Secretary Hegseth started a war they don’t know how to end, they’re trying to obscure the real costs of it—all while service members’ benefits hang in the balance. Our bill would ensure these brave patriots and their families receive the full support that they are due.”

Specifically, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act would:

Ban arbitrary, unjustified recategorizing of designated contingency operations by prohibiting redesignating an ongoing conflict if the Administration continues to mobilize forces against the same enemy;

Prevent manipulation of casualty records by prohibiting manipulation of casualty records by falsely redesignating a contingency operation;

Restore casualty records of our fallen and wounded heroes in the Iran war by requiring restoration of casualty records for Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026, and notify next-of-kin about the correction;

Ban cutting hard-earned benefits for troops and civilian personnel by prohibiting the modification of eligibility for deployment-related personnel benefits on the basis of falsely redesignating a contingency operation; and

restore benefits to personnel supporting Iran war by retroactively restoring all covered benefits entitled to members of the Armed Services and civilian employees who have supported Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026.

A copy of the legislation can be read HERE.

The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act is endorsed by VoteVets and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

Since President Trump began the war in Iran, Senator Shaheen has continued to grill Secretary Hegseth and top Administration officials about their lack of strategy and transparency surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. Last month, Shaheen joined her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Defense demanding a full and accurate accounting of all service member casualties in support of or in connection with Operation Epic Fury. Shaheen also recently pressed Secretary Hegseth on the cost of the war and questioned why the American people were being asked to further absorb the cost of the war when the Department still has unspent funding.

###


After Bipartisan Effort Led by Slotkin, Army Selects Grayling as Part of Initiative to Push Drone Testing and Research

Michigan Selected for New Army Industry Testing Initiative – One of Only Four Sites Nationwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) joined the U.S. Army in announcing that the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC), in partnership with the Michigan National Guard and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), has selected Camp Grayling and the National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC) as one of five premiere military test ranges in the world, and one of four in the United States being opened to private industry to accelerate research, development, and rapid experimentation for emerging defense technologies like drones.

“This is an important win for Michigan, selected as one of only four sites nationwide, that helps our role in developing, testing and building new tech for the U.S. Army,” said Slotkin. “Opening Camp Grayling to collaborate with private industry means manufacturers, startups, and engineers – of all sizes — will get a direct line to the Army. This will bring companies from across the nation to Michigan to test their systems against the same conditions we are seeing on the battlefield in Ukraine right now. And they’ll be doing it with American supply chains and American workers.”

Slotkin, Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI-01), plus other members across the Michigan Congressional Delegation have supported efforts to establish Camp Grayling and NADWC as a national hub for drone testing and defense innovation, including in a joint letter to the Secretary of Defense in July of 2025. Read that letter here.

The initiative gives companies access to specialized environments for testing drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires, and low-cost interceptors, and is designed to eliminate the red tape between the Army and commercial innovators, so that new technologies can be developed and fielded faster.

“A company with a good idea shouldn’t need a team of lawyers and a program of record just to prove their equipment works,” said Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. “So we fixed that. One front door — testrange.army.mil — a real person to walk you in, and on the other side, everything the modern battlefield demands: contested airspace, degraded signals and the space to test at real scale.”

Slotkin continues to champion Michigan as a center of defense manufacturing and innovation, as laid out by her Future of Defense Manufacturing Act. Camp Grayling’s proximity to large-scale manufacturing centers, private sector drone innovators, and national transportation hubs make it a centrally located, all-in-one destination for the Army’s growing partnership with industry.

More about the announcement:

The U.S. Army is opening five premier military test ranges to private industry to accelerate research, development, and rapid experimentation on emerging defense technologies. Led by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) in partnership with the Michigan National Guard and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), the initiative provides companies with access to specialized environments for testing drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires, and low-cost interceptors at Dugway Proving Ground (Utah), West Cibola Range at Yuma Proving Ground (Arizona), Camp Grayling (Michigan), Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center (Mississippi,) and the African Multidomain Training and Experimentation Center (AMTEC) in Morocco.

The initiative is designed to reduce barriers between the Army and commercial innovators, enabling faster development and fielding of technologies such as drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires, and low-cost interceptors.

The Army will also host a special electromagnetic unreliability test event for private industry at Camp Grayling during the week of Sept. 13, 2026. This environment will mimic the contested electronic warfare conditions currently seen on the battlefield in Ukraine, offering industry a rare opportunity to harden their drone and counter-drone systems. The Army anticipates this opportunity will be repeated on a quarterly basis.

Today, the Army has launched a portal, testrange.army.mil, which serves as a digital front door for industry. Companies can easily request range time and will be paired with a dedicated concierge who will assist them through the scheduling processes. Private industry does not need to have a prior government contract or existing federal relationship to submit a request.

###


Slotkin, Cruz Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Protect Houses of Worship

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and U.S. Representatives Brad Knott (R-NC) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY) introduced the Right to Worship Act.The bill restricts activity that knowingly disrupts or impedes access to scheduled religious services within 100 feet of the entrance to a house of worship during that time.

The legislation comes as attacks on places of worships are on the rise across the country. The bill would ban activity that “meaningfully interferes with the ability of people to participate in the scheduled religious service, to the extent that the conduct causes a substantial interruption to the service’s normal operation” or “unreasonably hinders or deters a person from entering a house of worship, or threatens or intimidates a person, in a manner that prevents participation at a scheduled religious service.”

“No one should ever fear going to their house of worship. Period,” said Senator Slotkin. “The Right to Worship Act prohibits disruptive conduct, within 100 feet of a religious institution, that’s used to threaten or impede access. I look forward to working with my colleagues on getting this important piece of bipartisan legislation passed.”

“The First Amendment guarantees every American the right to freely exercise their faith, and Congress has a duty to ensure that guarantee is met,” said Senator Cruz. “In recent years, we have seen organized acts of hate meant to disrupt and deny that right, which have been untenably defended as speech. That is why I am introducing the Right to Worship Act, and I urge my colleagues to support it.”

The Right to Worship Act is also endorsed by 12 groups including:

ADL (Anti-Defamation League)

Agudath Israel of America

American Jewish Committee (AJC)

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha

Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA)

Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America

Hindu American Foundation

Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

Jewish Federations of North America

UJA-Federation of New York

Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (“Orthodox Union”)

UNITED SIKHS

Read the full bill text here.

###


Slotkin Statement on Voting No in Committee on Draft Partisan Farm Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after voting no in committee, against the Senate Republican drafted Farm Bill this week.

“No one knows better than me how much our farmers and producers in Michigan need a new farm bill, which is out of date with the current hurdles our farmers are facing.

“But I could not support the draft as is because the bill would cost the state of Michigan as much as $300 million. That could result in a big cut to the state of Michigan’s budget and result in further cuts to SNAP. We have asked Republicans for a two- year delay to manage those costs.

“This bill pits farmers against citizens in Michigan, and it doesn’t have to be that way.

“I believe Democrats and Republicans can work together here, and there are many positive things for farmers in this draft, including year-round E15 to help our corn growers and over 25 provisions that I helped champion for Michigan — from helping specialty crop growers like cherries and asparagus, to water conservation and protecting food and farm supply chains from the Chinese Communist Party’s influence.

“I urge Chairman Boozman and Republicans to work with Democrats to reach a compromise that delivers for our farmers this year. We just need to be fair to our states in the process.”

###


Sullivan Secures Additional $10 Million in Energy Cost Relief for Alaskans

Funding nearly doubles state’s existing LIHEAP allocation

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today announced $10 million in federal funding to address high energy costs for Alaskans—in addition to the state’s existing Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) allocation of $12,158,876. Sen. Sullivan worked closely with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to identify and secure the funding. It is the second initiative of the National Energy Dominance Council’s (NEDC) Alaska Energy Task Force, whichSen. Sullivan and NEDC Chair and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced in May.

“Alaskans deal with the highest cost of living in the nation, and the recent disruptions to energy supplies have only made this challenge more urgent,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Today, I’m glad to announce we’ve secured $10 million in additional federal funding to offset home energy costs for low-income Alaskans. Coupled with the EPA emergency fuel waiver we announced several weeks ago, this targeted funding is focused on giving Alaska’s hard-working families immediate relief. But we’re also continuing to make major progress on more sustainable ways to lower energy costs for Alaskans: My team and I have worked relentlessly to achieve a renaissance of production on the North Slope, increase TAPS throughput, and maintain strong momentum behind the Alaska LNG project, which offers Alaskans a nearly inexhaustible supply of our own affordable energy. We’ve also made great strides in investing in our infrastructure, such as securing more than $100 million for the Denali Commission to upgrade bulk fuel tanks in our many rural communities. Together, these efforts are part of a larger strategy to lower energy costs and make life more affordable for Alaskans. I want to thank Secretary Kennedy, Secretary Burgum, and the National Energy Dominance Council team for recognizing the unique affordability challenges we have in Alaska and for working collaboratively with me and my team to provide real energy cost relief for households across our great state.”

“Senator Sullivan’s leadership helped secure $10 million in funding so vulnerable Alaskans can be safe in their homes,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “At HHS, we will continue working with our partners to lower energy costs, protect health, and ensure American families have the support they need.”

LIHEAP funding is used for home heating assistance, weatherization and building upgrades, and crisis assistance. Payments from the new funding pool will be distributed in September and automatically administered based on existing LIHEAP applications. In FY 2025, LIHEAP provided home heating assistance to more than 4,300 Alaska households, with an average award of $1,554.

NEDC Alaska Energy Task Force Background

In May 2026, NEDC Chairman and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum joined Sen. Sullivan in Alaska, including visits to Fairbanks and the new North Slope developments of Pikka and Willow. During his visit, Sec. Burgum and Sen. Sullivan announced a new NEDC Alaska Energy Task Force focused on the immediate challenge of high energy costs in Alaska.

On July 17, Sen. Sullivan announced the first initiative of the task force: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin issued an emergency fuel waiver under Section 211 of the Clean Air Act, an action the Senator had been advocating for as a way to relieve pressure on fuel prices in the state.

In July 2025, the EPA transferred $100 million to the Denali Commission to support major upgrades to bulk fuel tank farms in Alaska following months of advocacy by Sen. Sullivan and his team with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

# # #


Thune: Senate Republicans Deliver for the American People

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, when this Congress began last year, we had a long to-do list.

“The American people had made their priorities clear.

“As I said from the start, this Republican majority was ready to deliver.

“Republicans were committed to strengthening our economic future.

“Ending the … Biden border crisis.

“And making America safer and stronger in the years ahead.

“Mr. President, that’s exactly what we’ve been working on these last 19 months.

“And the American people are seeing the results of our efforts.

“The clearest example came this April when [97] percent of Americans saw a tax cut, which meant more of their hard-earned money stayed in their pockets instead of going to the IRS.

“And that was thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts.

“Mr. President, that was Republicans’ top priority last year.

“The American people had suffered for years through an inflation crisis caused by Democrats’ reckless spending.

“And they were facing a massive tax hike – $2,500 for a typical family in my state – if Congress had failed to act.

“But the Working Families Tax Cuts made sure that tax hike never came.

“Republicans delivered permanent, permanent, tax relief that benefited 97 percent of taxpayers this past year.

“We implemented new tax cuts like no tax on tips or overtime.

“Raised the child tax credit.

“Gave seniors an additional $6,000 deduction.

“And provided America’s small businesses and family farms and ranches with significant and permanent tax relief too.

“And, Mr. President, Republicans haven’t just put more money in hardworking Americans’ pockets.

“We’ve been working to bring down costs.

“One of the ways we’re doing that is by lifting unnecessary and burdensome regulations that drive up the cost of things that Americans need.

“We passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which cuts red tape that has contributed to homeownership becoming [unaffordable] for too many Americans.

“We did away with Biden-era regulations that would have driven up the cost of household appliances and energy.

“We got rid of electrical vehicle mandates that were going to force Americans into pricey electric cars that they didn’t want.

“And we’ve taken concrete action to drive down costs at the pharmacy counter, as well.

“We passed a law to ensure that patients get the savings from any discounts or rebates from their purchases at the pharmacy counter in their health care plans.

“We removed incentives for pharmacy benefit managers to promote higher-priced medications at the expense of seniors.

“And we improved access to more affordable generic drugs.

“Mr. President, these are policies that change the math of families’ budgets.

“More money in their pockets.

“Lower costs for the things that they need.

“And beyond that, we’ve also taken actions to strengthen our economy for the long term.

“We’ve seen positive news about a boost in manufacturing in our country thanks in part to the Working Families Tax Cuts.

“Other provisions in that law make education pathways more affordable, strengthen our skilled workforce, and create opportunity for the future.

“The law also bolstered programs that America’s farmers and ranchers depend on.

“And the Working Families Tax Cuts made a generational investment in rural health care providers in all 50 states, putting those providers on a more secure path forward so that Americans in rural areas continue to have access to quality, affordable health care close to home.

“Mr. President, I mentioned that ending the border crisis was another priority for this Senate majority.

“And we didn’t waste any time getting to work on that either.

“The first bill we passed was the Laken Riley Act, requiring that illegal immigrants who are arrested for certain crimes aren’t put back on the streets.

“We also passed the HALT Fentanyl Act to ensure that law enforcement has the tools it needs to go after fentanyl and fentanyl analogues that have taken too many, too many Americans’ lives.

“And then there’s the border itself.

“President Trump took swift action to secure the border early last year.

“And in the Working Families Tax Cuts, we provided the resources necessary to hire more agents, finish the border wall, and keep the border secure permanently.

“Mr. President, today illegal border crossings have slowed to a trickle.

“It’s been like that for just about the entire Trump administration – an incredible feat considering how bad things were under President Biden.

“And thanks to our efforts, the resources are in place to ensure the border stays secure for the long term.

“Mr. President, beyond the border, we’ve also been focused on strengthening our military.

“The Working Families Tax Cuts made a generational investment in our military readiness.

“We complemented those efforts in last year’s annual defense bill, which, among other things, made significant reforms to the way the Pentagon does business, to ensure that … tax dollars are being spent to maximum efficiency and effectiveness for our men and women in uniform.

“And this year’s National Defense Authorization Act builds on those efforts as well.

“Mr. President, we’ve been busy.

“The Senate has taken close to 900 votes since last January.

“We’ve been in Washington a lot more than in previous years.

“We’ve also done a lot of things that haven’t been done in a number of years.

“As I said, we made generational investments in border security, military readiness, and in rural health care.

“We approved the most significant tax relief bill in decades.

“We confirmed 21 Cabinet nominees faster than the last three incoming administrations.

“And we passed the first crypto bill ever.

“We approved a rescissions package that cut billions in federal spending for the first time in literally three decades.

“Mr. President, our work continues.

“Earlier this afternoon, we passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, giving the president critical tools to bring peace to Ukraine.

“We also approved another slate of 74 Trump administration nominees, bringing our total to 590.

“And I expect to move forward on additional items very soon.

“Mr. President, we’ve been working our way through our to-do list and delivering real wins for the American people.

“And the work goes on.”


Warner, Cortez Masto, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Support Construction Worker Mental Health

Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) joined Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in introducing legislation to prevent suicide among construction workers. The Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act would authorize a national study through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect data on the unique suicide risk factors facing construction workers that can be used to inform future suicide prevention programming. This legislation is also cosponsored by Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and John Hickenlooper (D-CO).

The construction industry has the second-highest risk of suicide across all industries. In 2023, almost a fifth of deaths by suicide with a reported industry code were tied to construction, despite construction workers making up only seven percent of the American workforce.

“There is an unacceptably high rate of suicide among construction workers,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation will give us the resources to understand how we can combat it and better inform suicide prevention programs.”

“From our homes to our offices, our roads to our favorite coffee shops, construction workers are responsible for building America,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “But work in this industry presents distinct mental health risks, and we owe it to construction workers to find solutions. This legislation will give us the tools we need to combat the tragically high rate of suicide among construction workers and work to end the stigma around mental health on the jobsite.”

“The high rate of suicide among construction workers should be alarming to us all,” said Sen. Shaheen. “I’m proud to help introduce legislation alongside a group of my colleagues who understand the importance of figuring out what’s fueling this crisis and the urgent need to make sure we’re getting mental health resources where they’re needed.”

“In New Mexico and across the country, our construction workers are the backbone of our country,” said Sen. Luján. “The high rate of suicide in the construction industry is deeply concerning, and we must do more to address this crisis. This legislation will do just that and help us better strengthen suicide prevention programs.”

“Construction workers build America—our homes, our roads, and our communities. With an alarming suicide rate in this industry, they should have the resources to take care of their mental health,” said Sen. Kelly. “This bill will help us understand what’s driving those numbers to prevent more deaths.”

“The people who build Colorado from the ground up are also among those most at risk of suicide,” said Sen. Hickenlooper. “We need to understand why and make sure construction workers have access to the support they need.”

The CDC study authorized by the Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act would investigate risk factors for deaths by suicide among construction workers, including employment and financial stability, history of substance and alcohol use, and access to essential resources like health care coverage, employment benefits, and employee assistance programs. The bill would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to submit a report to Congress on policy recommendations for future suicide prevention programming targeted to construction workers.

The Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act is endorsed by the Southern Nevada Building Trades Unions (SNBTU), the Building and Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada (BCTNN), the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), and the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT).

The full text of this legislation can be found here.

###


WATCH: Warnock Delivers Senate Floor Speech After Successfully Negotiating Restraints on Trump’s Tariff Authority

Today, Senator Reverend Warnock delivered a Senate floor speech reaffirming his commitment to reining in the Trump administration’s costly tariff regime

Earlier this week, Senator Warnock secured a key concession from the U.S. Trade Representative limiting the President’s tariff authority

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, reaffirmed his commitment to reining in President Donald Trump’s reckless and costly tariff agenda in a speech on the Senate floor.

Earlier this week, Senator Warnock successfully negotiated an agreement with the Trump administration to limit the President’s tariff authorities in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.

“These are not normal times. This is not a normal president,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “If you give him an inch, he will take a mile. We don’t have to imagine. We are seeing it in real time, and everyday people, as a result of that, are struggling—struggling to buy groceries, struggling to buy gas, struggling to buy their kids back-to-school supplies. They are the ones who are suffering the consequences of his reckless tariff regime. But this commitment that we were able to get from Ambassador Greer is meaningful, because if the President ignores the law, if he oversteps his power, we will see him in court.”

The non-partisan Tax Foundation found President Trump’s tariffs cost the average American household $1,000 last year. Most American families are on track to lose $1,300 from President Trump’s tariffs in 2026. Last week, Senator Warnock unveiled a new report that found the cost of required school supplies for a 4th grader can cost Georgia families more than $130 per child. Senator Warnock continues to push back against the Trump administration’s reckless tariff policy and the uncertain market conditions it creates for Georgia small businesses and the higher prices it imposes on Georgia families.

Read the full transcript of Senator Reverend Warnock’s remarks below and watch HERE.

“Mr. President, this letter restricts the President’s tariff authority under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. This is a small but meaningful victory for all Americans who continue to suffer under this President’s reckless tariffs.

“Let’s be clear: Putin is a war criminal, and his war machine must be stopped. But we should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin’s aggression and putting a check on this president’s tariff regime. That is a false choice, and it is one that I am not willing to accept, and so I hope in the coming hours that we go further during the amendment process. I hope my colleagues will join me in stripping out any new presidential tariff authorities.

“These are not normal times. This is not a normal president. If you give him an inch, he will take a mile. We don’t have to imagine. We are seeing it in real time, and everyday people, as a result of that, are struggling—struggling to buy groceries, struggling to buy gas, struggling to buy their kids back-to-school supplies. They are the ones who are suffering the consequences of his reckless tariff regime. But this commitment that we were able to get from Ambassador Greer is meaningful, because if the President ignores the law, if he oversteps his power, we will see him in court.

“I hope this week-long process was the first step in Congress reasserting its role and placing guardrails on this president’s tariff regime. I urge my colleagues to go back home and talk to ordinary folks outside of the Beltway, they will tell you that while they support any efforts to protect our national security—and that’s what this is about, this isn’t just about Ukraine; it is about our own national security. But we must do everything to protect our national security while, at the same time, bolstering the economic security of everyday Americans.

“So, as we go back home, ask any parent you meet how much back-to-school shopping cost them this year. I can tell you, as the father of two small children, that it is much more than they wanted to spend. When we come back to Washington, we can fight for those parents and build on this work to check the power of this reckless president. But I’m glad that we’ve gotten as far as we have on this issue.

“I’d like to thank my friend and brother, Senator Cassidy, for your partnership in this amendment process, and I’d like to thank Senator Shaheen and Blumenthal for their efforts to find a solution and a way forward to support Ukraine, to protect our national security and our economic security at the same time. And with that, I yield back.”

###


Welch Votes Against Sanctions Bill that Allows Trump to Impose Tariffs Unchecked

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today voted in opposition to Republicans’ Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which grants President Trump new authorities to impose massive tariffs on countries that ‘facilitate’ Russia oil sanctions evasion. The president could impose tariffs of up to 100% on nearly any country, taking this Constitutional authority out of the hands of Congress.

Senator Welch released the following statement after the vote:

“Senator Graham’s dedication to ensuring the United States uses every tool possible to stop Putin’s unjust war on Ukraine was unmatched. Over the past four and a half years, Senator Graham sought every avenue to curb Russia’s aggression, including going after companies and countries buying Russian oil. But this bill misses the mark in achieving the goals Senator Graham worked so tirelessly to achieve by giving President Trump a loophole to impose more destructive tariffs, which will ultimately hurt Americans and our economy. After more than 18 months of economic chaos brought about by President Trump’s reckless trade policy, the Senate should not give President Trump even broader, unfettered tariff powers. I voted no.”

Senator Welch filed an amendment to the bill last week to remove language in Section 113 of the Act that could enable President Trump to impose tariffs on any country, for any reason. The amendment was rejected by Senate Republicans.

###


Wyden, Murkowski Lead Colleagues Calling on Trump Administration to Approve Fisheries Disaster Relief

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, were joined today by Senators Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska in calling on the Trump administration to release long-delayed disaster relief funds for Oregon and Alaska fisheries.

“Commercial fisheries are imperative to Oregon and Alaska’s coastal economy, a critical ecological resource, and especially important to indigenous tribes,” the Senators wrote in their letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and Deputy NOAA Administrator Timothy Petty. “Delays in fund disbursal do not only impact the viability of fisheries as an economic resource but also the communities and individual constituents we serve. Federal approval would not only support fishery recovery but also improve their resilience to future disasters.”

In their letter, the Senators requested the administration release a total of $20,462,158 in funding for four fishery disasters spanning between 2018 and 2022. Federal disaster relief requests were submitted for these instances in 2024 but have not yet been approved. Delayed recovery from these disasters continues to have significant economic consequences for coastal communities and jobs in Oregon and Alaska.

The full letter is here.

Related Files


Wyden Passes Bill to Deliver Financial Relief to Wildfire Victims

As over 2 million acres burn across Oregon, Wyden passes legislation to deliver immediate tax relief to Oregonians who lose their homes in wildfires

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today passed legislation that would deliver immediate tax relief to Americans who lose their home from a federally declared natural disaster, including Oregonians who lose their homes in wildfires.

The bill’s passage in the Senate comes after Wyden convinced opponents to drop an earlier procedural roadblock.

“Common sense prevailed today and that’s great news for Oregonians who shouldn’t have to worry about getting slammed with a huge tax hit on top of losing their home to wildfire,” Wyden said. “I’m heading home this weekend to meet with Oregonians facing these wildfire threats, and I can’t wait to deliver this good news in person to them and the firefighters working around the clock to protect communities throughout our state.”

The legislation would end unfair taxes on natural disaster settlement payments after Americans lose their homes through unpredictable natural disasters. These burdensome taxes were passed into law under the Trump-Republican tax bill in 2017. Subsequently, the Senate successfully suspended the tax in 2024, but it is up for renewal this year.

The bill has already passed the House on a bipartisan basis and now heads to the White House.


Young Statement on Senate Passage of Russia Sanctions Legislation

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) issued the following statement after voting for the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026:

“Russia’s aggression cannot continue without consequences, and those helping sustain Putin’s war machine should face meaningful costs. This legislation gives the United States stronger leverage against Russia and those enabling its war. At the same time, tariffs of this magnitude can have consequences beyond our adversaries, reaching American manufacturers, farmers, small businesses, and families.

“That reality should not prevent us from acting. Failing to confront Russia’s aggression carries costs of its own—for our national security, global stability, and our economy—and those costs will only grow if we allow that aggression to continue unchecked. But it does require transparency, discipline, and a clear strategy to ensure any costs borne by Americans are tied to well-defined national security objectives. I supported this legislation because the stakes are too high to stand still, and I will continue advocating for a transparent, disciplined approach to implementing these authorities.”

###


Hoyer Statement on Senate Committee Vote to Hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in Contempt of Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement after the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress:

“I have known Dr. Anthony Fauci for forty years, and there are fewer individuals who have had such an enormous positive impact on our public health and our understanding of infectious diseases as he has. He is an individual of tremendous character, thoughtfulness, and wisdom. He has spent his life in service to Americans, and he helped lead our nation through the darkest days of a deadly global pandemic. Senate Republicans’ vote in the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee to hold him in contempt of Congress is nothing short of a witch-hunt instigated by President Trump and whose purpose is to achieve Republicans’ goal of focusing attention backwards. That’s because they lack any serious plans to deal with the challenges of the present or to offer a vision for the future. Americans deserve to have Congress focus on the issues that matter, not litigating conspiracy theories from the pandemic. Dr. Fauci deserves better too - and he ought to know that he has the respect and admiration of most Americans.”


Smith Holds Farmers Town Hall with Missouri Cotton Producers

HAYTI, Mo. – Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08) held a Farmers Town Hall with cotton producers in Hayti, where he discussed the impact of the Working Families Tax Cuts on Missouri’s cotton industry and heard directly from growers about the challenges facing the Bootheel’s cotton economy.

Congressman Smith said, “Cotton has been part of the fabric of the Bootheel for generations, and the growers I sat down with this week are up against a lot — foreign competition that’s been hollowing out our textile industry for decades, crop insurance fraud that punishes the farmers playing by the rules, and a shrinking number of gins that makes it harder just to get cotton to market.

“When I wrote the Working Families Tax Cuts, I fought to make sure cotton growers struggling in the current agriculture economy weren’t an afterthought. We raised the reference price for cotton by 14 percent and made permanent the small business deduction and 100 percent immediate expensing that let these family operations reinvest in their equipment and land. There’s more work to be done to support our cotton farmers, and I’ll keep fighting for solutions on infrastructure, insurance integrity, and fair trade, because Missouri cotton deserves a level playing field.”

During the discussion, growers raised concerns about competition from Brazil, which has overtaken the United States as the world’s largest cotton exporter, as well as the decades-long decline of the domestic textile industry as manufacturing has shifted to China. Producers also flagged the toll of crop insurance fraud on honest farmers and the shrinking number of cotton gins in the Bootheel, which has fallen from 32 to 16 in recent years, driving up the cost and making it more difficult to get cotton processed and to market.

Missouri consistently ranks among the top 10 cotton-producing states, with production concentrated almost entirely in the Bootheel, where the crop remains a major economic driver for Pemiscot, Dunklin, New Madrid, Stoddard, Scott, and Mississippi Counties. The Working Families Tax Cuts, which Congressman Smith authored, increased the reference price for cotton by 14 percent beginning with crop year 2025 as part of a $56 billion investment in farm safety net programs — the first meaningful update to Title I commodity support in more than two decades. With cotton farms overwhelmingly organized as pass-through businesses, the law’s permanent 199A small business deduction and 100 percent immediate expensing give growers the ability to reinvest in equipment and land without losing a share of that investment to Washington. Congressman Smith also secured $6 billion in new crop insurance funding, including increased resources for oversight and compliance, to help crack down on the fraud that honest producers are calling out.

On trade, Congressman Smith pointed to recent Agreements on Reciprocal Trade (ARTs) with Guatemala, El Salvador, and Bangladesh, which reward the use of American cotton in textile and apparel manufacturing, as a step toward rebuilding demand for U.S.-grown cotton lost to foreign competition.


Smith Visits Bahr Farms in St. James

ST. JAMES, Mo. – Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08) visited Bahr Farms in St. James, touring the operation and meeting with Ben Bahr to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Missouri’s cattle producers.

Congressman Smith said, “Ben and his brother, Travis, are carrying on something their family started generations ago, and being there in person, you can feel just how much work went into building it. What they’ve built today is proof of what’s possible in this country when you’re willing to work for it and pass that work down to the next generation. That’s the story of so many farm families across Southeast Missouri and beyond, and it’s exactly why I fought to make the death tax exemption and small business deduction permanent in the Working Families Tax Cuts — so families like the Bahrs can pass their land down to the next generation instead of it being taxed out of existence. I’ll keep pushing for solutions on fuel, feed, and fertilizer costs, and for stronger USDA support so farmers aren’t stuck driving an hour just to reach an FSA office.”

Ben and Travis Bahr are fourth-generation farmers whose family has owned their land near St. James since 1974, running roughly 1,000 combined acres and about 300 primarily grass-fed Black Angus cattle. On the same property, Travis and his wife, Mandy, also operate Prairie Base, consisting of four buildings that have been converted to Airbnbs — including the family’s original farmhouse.

During the visit, the Bahrs raised concerns about the rising cost of fuel, feed, and fertilizer, as well as staffing shortages at USDA’s Farm Service Agency offices that have left farmers in the region having to travel further for basic assistance. They also discussed the challenge of passing their farm on to the next generation, along with their support for Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling and for the tariffs imposed under President Trump’s America First trade policy that has delivered significant wins and new market access for Missouri farmers.

The Working Families Tax Cuts, which Congressman Smith authored, made permanent death tax relief that protects more than 15,000 family-owned farms in Missouri’s 8th District, along with a permanent small business deduction and 100 percent immediate expensing that allow producers like the Bahrs to reinvest in their operations without losing a share of that investment to federal taxes.


For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland

August 8, 2026 202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT MOURNS PASSING OF VIRGIN ISLANDS' CULTURAL ICON BRADLEY CHRISTIAN

U.S. Virgin Islands – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released the following statement on the passing of Bradley Christian, a Virgin Islands cultural icon celebrated for his mastery of the traditional head wrap and his role in shaping the territory's official madras:

"Today, the Virgin Islands lost a true keeper of our culture. Bradley Christian spent his life carrying forward traditions passed down through generations. He was known far beyond our shores for his beautifully crafted head wraps, but Bradley's gift was never just in the craft itself. It was in his deep understanding of the history, heritage, and meaning behind every head wrap, our food, storytelling, quelbe, quadrille - the many elements of our islands. Bradley Christian reminded us to love ourselves and our history - that we are a tapestry of beautiful people. His hand also helped shape the official madras of the Virgin Islands, a symbol our people wear with pride,” said Congresswoman Plaskett.

"Bradley was one of our territory's cultural icons, and we are forever grateful for his contributions. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, his children, his grandchildren, and all his loved ones and friends during this difficult time. May they find comfort in knowing how deeply his legacy is felt across the Virgin Islands," Congresswoman Plaskett concluded.

###


Strickland Statement on the Passing of Nisqually Chairman Choke

Lacey, WA – Today, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) released a statement on Nisqually Indian Tribe Chairman Ellery “Ken” Choke:

“Chairman Choke was a respected and beloved leader. He will be remembered for his tireless service and commitment to his tribal nation, and to the South Sound community at large. To honor his legacy and work, I remain committed to restoring Nisqually Tribe ownership of the Clear Creek Hatchery. He will be deeply missed.”

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.

###


Bennet, Hickenlooper, Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen Demand Answers From DHS on Aurora Detention Facility Shooting

Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined Senator John Hickenlooper and Colorado U.S. Representatives Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, and Brittany Pettersen in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding answers following last month’s shooting by a GEO Group employee near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora that left one person injured. The lawmakers also called for a thorough review of the Department’s policies to help prevent similar incidents.

The letter seeks answers about DHS and ICE’s coordination with local law enforcement, employee training, contractor vetting, security protocols, and the steps the agencies are taking to strengthen oversight and prevent harmful incidents.

“We write to express our concern over the July 16, 2026 shooting of a 21-year-old woman near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora, Colorado. While we are relieved that her injuries were not life-threatening, we must ensure that personnel operating at federal immigration detention facilities are adequately screened and trained to prevent incidents like this one,” wrote the lawmakers.

“The incident in Aurora, and the broader pattern of shootings involving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel across the country, undermine public trust and threaten community safety. As members of the Colorado Congressional delegation, we are responsible for defending the constitutional rights of our constituents and protecting our communities and our law enforcement. The events in Aurora raise questions about whether current DHS policies and practices keep communities, protesters, and law enforcement safe. We believe a thorough review of the Department’s policies is necessary to ensure that similar incidents do not recur,” continued the lawmakers.

Bennet has consistently fought against the Trump administration’s inhumane immigration policies. In July, Bennet joined U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and 37 of their Senate colleagues in calling for stronger accountability measures for ICE officers. In May 2026, Bennet introduced three bills aimed at reforming the DHS, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP): the Keeping Immigrants and Destinations Safe (KIDS) Act; the Training, Responsibility, Uniforms, and Standards for Transparency (TRUST) Act; and the Oversight, Protection, and Enforcement Notification (OPEN) Act.

In March 2026, Bennet issued a statement when Trump fired former Secretary Noem, and emphasized that DHS must undergo a complete overhaul, which is only the first step toward DHS reforms. In January 2026, Bennet joined his colleagues in introducing the Providing Useful Budgets for Localities to Invest in Cops by Substituting Appropriations from Federal Enforcement To Yield Results (PUBLIC SAFETY) Act, legislation to redirect nearly $75 billion in funding passed in the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act from ICE and send it instead to local law enforcement programs to help hire and train 200,000 local police officers in communities across the country.

In November 2025, Bennet joined his colleagues in introducing the bicameral Restoring Access to Detainees Act, legislation to ensure DHS allows noncitizens who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families. In August 2025, he joined the Immigration Enforcement Identification Safety Act to prohibit immigration enforcement officials from wearing masks and to require them to wear visible identification. In February 2025, Bennet joined his Senate colleagues to introduce the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which would reinstate DHS’ long-standing policies to prevent ICE from making arrests at sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Mullin:

We write to express our concern over the July 16, 2026 shooting of a 21-year-old woman near the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Aurora, Colorado. While we are relieved that her injuries were not life-threatening, we must ensure that personnel operating at federal immigration detention facilities are adequately screened and trained to prevent incidents like this one. According to the Aurora Police Department, GEO Group employees reporting for their shifts that day were unable to enter the facility because of protest activity. Police allege that two protesters verbally confronted GEO employees and photographed their vehicles before walking away. One employee then retrieved a personally owned firearm and fired in their direction, striking one woman in the foot. He has been charged with seven offenses, including attempted second-degree murder.

Immigration enforcement officers and the contractors supporting them have an obligation to protect public safety while exercising restraint and professionalism. Protests outside immigration detention centers are routine occurrences. An agency responsible for operating secure facilities should be equipped to maintain safe access, communicate with employees, coordinate with local law enforcement, and prevent confrontations between the community and facility personnel from escalating. Just as we believe law enforcement should never be targeted with violence, we believe lawful protesters should be protected – not attacked – by federal officials or those contracted by the government.

The incident in Aurora, and the broader pattern of shootings involving Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel across the country, undermine public trust and threaten community safety. As members of the Colorado Congressional delegation, we are responsible for defending the constitutional rights of our constituents and protecting our communities and our law enforcement. The events in Aurora raise questions about whether current DHS policies and practices keep communities, protesters, and law enforcement safe. We believe a thorough review of the Department’s policies is necessary to ensure that similar incidents do not recur.

Given this urgent need, we request written responses to the following questions by August 14, 2026:

What coordination has DHS and ICE undertaken with state and local law enforcement to manage public demonstrations while ensuring employees can safely access their places of work? What will that coordination look like moving forward?

What de-escalation, use-of-force, crisis intervention, threats against employees, and crowd-management training is required for DHS personnel and contractor employees assigned to ICE facilities? What training has been provided to the employees at the Aurora facility concerning de-escalation, use-of-force, crisis intervention, threats against employees, and crowd-management training? Which of these trainings did the employee charged in the July 16 shooting complete and on which dates did he complete them?

What screening and vetting procedures does DHS require for contractor personnel before they are assigned to ICE facilities? What screening was conducted for the individual charged in the July 16 shooting?

What policies and operational plans do DHS and ICE have in place to protect both protesters and employees outside DHS and ICE facilities, including contracted facilities? Does ICE require its detention contractors to designate alternative entrances, transportation arrangements, or other measures for employees during demonstrations or other disruptions to access?

GEO Group has placed the employee on unpaid leave and stated that it is cooperating with law enforcement. Beyond the ongoing investigation, what additional steps will DHS and ICE take to determine whether similar vulnerabilities exist at other contracted detention facilities? How will DHS and ICE strengthen oversight of its personnel and contractors and prevent similar incidents from occurring?

In addition to providing the information above, we urge the Department to conduct an independent review of its security procedures, contractor oversight, employee training, and firearms policies, especially as they relate to anticipated confrontations, and to make its findings and recommendations publicly available.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this urgent matter and look forward to your response.

###


Colorado and Utah Senators Honor Casualties from Wildfires

Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet led Colorado U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and Utah U.S. Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis to introduce a bipartisan resolution honoring Emily Barker, Nicholas Hutcherson, Sydney Watson, Nathan Matthews, Nicholas Dale, and all those who serve on the front lines of wildland firefighting efforts in the United States.

“Our hearts are with the families, loved ones, and fellow firefighters grieving the loss of the five wildland firefighters who gave their lives protecting others,” said Bennet. “Today’s resolution honors the courage, sacrifice, and service of those who risk their lives to keep their fellow Americans safe during wildfires.”

“The bravery and heroism of these firefighters deserves our deepest gratitude,” said Hickenlooper. “Our hearts are with the families and friends of these heroic men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting lives, homes, and the landscapes we all cherish.”

“Last month, five courageous firefighters gave their lives to protect the people we love and the frontier we call home,” said Lee. “These brave Americans from across the country dropped into the eye of the storm via helicopter to fight the wildfires ripping through Utah’s eastern border. Their sacrifice will always be remembered in the lands they protected. Utah’s prayers are with the families grieving these heroes.”

“Behind every wildfire are brave men and women who embody the very best of public service: courage, selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to protecting our communities, often at great personal risk,” said Curtis. “My heart is with the families, friends, and fellow firefighters mourning the devastating loss of these heroes.”

Bennet has consistently fought to secure protections and support for firefighters. In April 2025, Bennet and Colorado U.S. Representative Joe Neguse reintroduced the Tim’s Act to overhaul federal wildland firefighter compensation and benefits. In July 2026, Bennet joined U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to introduce The Wildfire Air Quality Sensor Expansion Act to help state, local, and Tribal government agencies monitor worsening air pollution caused by wildfires and make more informed public health decisions. In January 2026, Bennet secured a waiver to the annual pay cap for wildland firefighters based on an amendment he introduced with Senator Sheehy. In June 2026, Bennet joined U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) in introducing the PFAS Alternatives Act, which would support the development of next-generation protective gear to better protect firefighters. In October 2020, Bennet called for reforms to wildland firefighter pay and benefits. In September 2021, after securing many of these reforms in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Bennet joined a group of senators in a letter urging the Biden Administration to implement them swiftly.

The text of the resolution is available HERE.

###