U.S. Senator Katie Britt Applauds $35 Million Announcement from USDA to Combat Feral Swine Secured Through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) celebrated the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) making $35 million available for partnerships to respond to the threat feral swine pose to American agriculture, landscapes, and human and livestock health. This investment was made possible by a broader $105 million investment in the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, which was included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and championed by Senator Britt. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will use this investment to work together with state partners to combat one of the most devastating pests in agriculture.

“Alabama farmers and cattlemen know firsthand the havoc these invasive species wreak on their farms, inflicting billions of dollars in damage nationally and directly endangering their livelihoods,” said Senator Britt. “I was proud to champion the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program in the Working Family Tax Cuts Act to respond to this threat, and I’m encouraged to see USDA put this investment to work. I’ll continue fighting to ensure Alabama has the tools and resources it needs to protect our agricultural economy, conserve our natural resources, and ensure the lands that sustain our families and communities remain strong for generations to come.”

Feral swine inhabit all 67 counties in Alabama, causing $50 million in agricultural and ecological damage in the state annually. They are an invasive, highly destructive species and are classified in the state as a nuisance animal. Feral swine can have significant negative impacts on plant and wildlife habitats, soils, water quality, as well as other natural resources. Livestock and humans are also susceptible to diseases carried by feral swine.

The USDA’s Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program will provide landowner assistance for restoration and on-farm trapping efforts and provide related services, like training. Funding for these services will be provided through grant agreements between partners and NRCS.

“We are collaborating with our partners at USDA and across the country to help combat feral swine and keep our farms, ranches and landscapes safe,” said NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley. “These invasive species cause more than $3.4 billion in damage each year, including damage to agricultural landscapes. Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, NRCS is able to expand this effort, giving producers and partners more resources to protect working lands and strengthen the long-term resilience of agricultural operations.”

Senator Britt was proud to fight for the inclusion of the largest long-term investment in NRCS conservation programs in decades, including support for this program, in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. It continued the program for another five years with the $105 million total investment split between NRCS and APHIS, including the $35 million made available through this announcement. She has previously introduced the Feral Swine Eradication Act, which would extend and make permanent a program to safeguard against the threat of feral swine.

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U.S. Senator Katie Britt Leads 12 Republican Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Close Legal Loophole Requiring Release of Aliens from Immigration Detention

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today led 12 of her Republican colleagues in introducing the Keep Our Communities Safe Act of 2026. The legislation would close a legal loophole created by the United States Supreme Court’s 2001 ruling in Zadvydas v. Davis, which generally requires the release of aliens from immigration detention into American communities after six months if no country has accepted them for deportation.

“America is a nation of laws, and if you violate our laws and are subject to removal from the United States, you should remain in detention until the point of deportation,”said Senator Britt. “Zadvydas v. Davis created a legal loophole that forces the release of aliens into our communities after six months simply because no country has agreed to take them back. This bill would help to close that loophole once and for all.”

The bill would amend Section 236 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which governs the apprehension and detention of aliens, to expand the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) authority to detain criminal aliens, deny bond to criminal aliens, and generally limit the availability of bond unless an alien can establish by clear and convincing evidence that they’re not a flight risk or a risk to another person or the community.

It would also amend Section 241 of the INA, which governs the removal of aliens, to allow for extensions of detention in a number of cases, including in cases where an alien is a threat to national security or has committed an aggravated felony or crime of violence.

You can view the full bill text here, more details on the bill here, and Fox News coverage can be found here. Senator Britt previously introduced the Keep Our Communities Safe Act in the 118th Congress, and versions of the bill have been introduced in the House or Senate repeatedly since 2011. The 2026 version includes several updates to the legislative text.

Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) are cosponsors of this legislation.

“Our Southern Border is more secure than it’s been in decades, but we have an egregious legal loophole allowing the release of detained illegal immigrants into our country if no other country agrees to take them. For four years, the Biden administration willingly released millions of illegal immigrants into the United States, and Zadvydas v. Davis enables that practice regardless of who the president is. We need to get this fixed,” said Senator Fischer.

“I am again supporting this commonsense legislation because closing this ‘catch and release’ loophole will ultimately keep dangerous illegals detained instead of being freed to put law-abiding Americans, law enforcement, and our communities at risk. It’s time to finally fix the current law that permits illegal aliens with criminal records to be released back into the United States after six months simply because no other country will accept them for deportation,” said Senator Hyde-Smith.

“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris allowed millions of illegals to INVADE our country—and now law-abiding Americans are paying the price,”said Senator Tuberville. “We need to do everything we can to deport every single one of these criminals. I’m proud to cosponsor the Keep Our Communities Safe Act to close a legal loophole and allow these illegals to be detained and sent home for good.”

“Violent illegal aliens are criminals who should be deported, not released from detention centers. Our bill will ensure illegal aliens stay in detention centers until their deportation date to keep Arkansans safe,” said Senator Cotton.

“People who are in the United States illegally and have removal orders shouldn’t be released simply because their home country refuses to take them back,” said Senator Cramer. “Unfortunately, that’s exactly what existing law allows. Our bill closes this loophole and lets immigration officials keep these individuals in custody until they can be deported.”

“Illegal aliens who commit serious crimes should never be released back onto American streets for any reason, let alone because their home countries refuse to allow them to return. This legislation would close loopholes in federal law that allow dangerous criminal illegal aliens to walk free in communities across Texas and the nation, and I am proud to join Senator Britt in introducing it,” said Senator Cruz.

“The federal government’s first responsibility is protecting the American people. Criminal illegal aliens who have been ordered removed should never be released into our communities because of a court-created loophole,” said Senator Marshall. “I’m proud to stand with Senator Britt to close this loophole once and for all, secure our communities, and put the interests of American citizens ahead of those who have broken our laws.”

“The Keep Our Communities Safe Act of 2026 will help ensure that dangerous illegal immigrants remain in custody while their immigration proceedings are pending, strengthening public safety, supporting law enforcement and helping keep North Dakota families and communities across the country safe,” said Senator Hoeven.

Senator Britt has been a longtime leader on immigration policy and has introduced several pieces of immigration-related legislation throughout her time in the Senate. Notably, she was the Senate lead of the Laken Riley Act, the first bill signed into law by President Trump during his second term. This was the first major immigration enforcement and border security-related legislation passed since 1996. She also recently introduced the Mandatory E-Verify Act of 2026, legislation that would permanently reauthorize the E-Verify program and require its use by all employers in the United States.

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U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Jerry Moran, and Tina Smith Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Rural Health Resources

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and several of their Senate colleagues introduced the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act (REH 2.0), bipartisan legislation to expand access to federal resources for rural hospitals through the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) Medicare designation. This legislation would allow more Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and rural hospitals at risk of closure to sustain health care services in rural communities, and it would make technical improvements to the designation.

“Hospitals in rural communities across Alabama and the nation are increasingly closing their doors, making it harder for Americans to access quality healthcare,” said Senator Britt. “This legislation will help preserve local hospitals and prevent them from closing altogether by providing greater flexibility under the Rural Emergency Hospital program. Strengthening this program will help ensure rural families can continue receiving essential, and potentially lifesaving, care close to home, which is why I’m proud to support it.”

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

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

The Senators’ legislation would also direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a waiver program for facilities operating similarly to an REH in order to convert to an REH, allow REH facilities to maintain or create a unit for inpatient psychiatric care, obstetric care and allow for limited inpatient rehabilitation services, and more.

“Rural hospitals are vital for families in small towns and rural communities. These hospitals not only provide care close to home, they’re also economic engines for their region,” said Senator Smith. “But many rural hospitals face increasingly dire financial strain and workforce shortages, forcing them to cut services or even close down altogether. This important legislation is just one tool in the toolbox to help rural hospitals on the verge of closure keep their doors open. Make no mistake, much more is needed to ensure the health and wellness of rural hospitals and families.”

Joining Senators Britt, Moran, and Smith in cosponsoring the legislation are Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Roger Marshall, M.D., (R-Kan.).

Senator Britt has worked to support rural Alabama communities and fight for access to critical medical services throughout her time in the Senate. In FY26 appropriations funding, she directly secured more than $28.6 million for medical and research equipment, workforce development training, nursing education, mobile health units, and more. Senator Britt also recently celebrated the committee passage of her Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, which offers support for urgent obstetric care at rural health facilities.

You can read the full text of the bill here.

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Cantwell & Colleagues Call on Administration to Delay Red Tape Requirements in Medicaid

Full Senate Democratic caucus calls for withdrawal of CMS rule imposing onerous and subjective work requirements on vulnerable Americans trying to get & keep Medicaid coverage; Senators: “Implementing this rule will worsen Americans’ overall quality of health, waste millions of dollars”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined all 47 members of the Senate Democratic caucus in calling on the Trump administration to withdraw a rule to implement work reporting requirements for Medicaid that will take effect at the beginning of 2027.

“We urge CMS to withdraw this rule to ensure that Medicaid can continue its mission of providing health coverage to low-income Americans. Implementing this rule will worsen Americans’ overall quality of health, waste millions of dollars on administrative red tape, and cause preventable health emergencies for all Americans,” the senators wrote. “States are not prepared to implement the agency's onerous, subjective requirements. It is families who will suffer, especially the sickest Americans, like those with mental health and substance use disorders, cancer, and diabetes, who most urgently need the health care Medicaid provides.”

In the letter sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, the senators make clear that attempts to implement these requirements will result in high costs and harm to eligible people. In Georgia’s first year using work reporting requirements, the state spent five times as much on administrative costs as on health care benefits for enrollees.

The letter also emphasized that the Trump administration’s definition of medical frailty far exceeds what is outlined in the law itself, and creates additional onerous barriers for both patients and states that will result in sick Americans falling through the cracks.

KFF also noted this week that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that “the 2025 reconciliation law will increase the number of people who are uninsured in 2034 by 10 million” people, with more than half the increase in the uninsured population – more than 5.3 million people – coming from the Medicaid work requirements.

Red tape requirements are an attempt to suffocate the Medicaid program and deny health care to the Americans who count on it. Senate Democrats continue to support the full repeal of Republicans’ disastrous Medicaid cuts, and stand united in calling on the Trump administration to withdraw this harmful rule.

The letter was led by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA). Full text of the letter is HERE and below.

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Dr. Mehmet Oz

Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Department of Health and Human Services

7500 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21244

RE: CMS-2454-IFC

Dear Administrator Oz,

We write to urge you to withdraw the Administration’s interim final rule (IFR) implementing the Medicaid work reporting requirements passed by Congressional Republicans and signed into law by President Trump last year in H.R. 1. These policies will not increase employment and will instead lead to millions of Americans needlessly losing their health coverage. We support full repeal of all of H.R. 1’s Medicaid cuts. In the absence of Congressional action, CMS must delay implementation. States are not prepared to implement the agency's onerous, subjective requirements. It is families who will suffer, especially the sickest Americans, like those with mental health and substance use disorders, cancer, and diabetes, who most urgently need the health care Medicaid provides.

This rule transforms Medicaid from a health care program into a bureaucratic maze that will fail eligible Americans. It will strip coverage not because people are not already working or refuse to work, but because they cannot navigate a complex web of forms, passwords, and deadlines. Implementing ineffective, exclusionary work reporting requirements will create costly administrative barriers and deny Americans access to health care, resulting in poorer health, higher mortality, and reduced financial security. This rule does little to mitigate anticipated harms and makes exceptionally cruel and arbitrary choices with regard to medical frailty, significantly subverting the Congressional intent of this particular exemption.

Nearly all adults with Medicaid (92%) are already working, going to school, caregiving, or have a disability. Moreover, an extensive body of evidence demonstrates that work reporting requirements do not promote employment but rather increase medical debt, delay care and contribute to poorer health outcomes. In its assessment of H.R. 1, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected an estimated 5.3 million enrollees will lose coverage by 2034, not accounting for the IFR’s even more stringent and burdensome requirements concerning the medical frailty exception. This evidence was not considered in the drafting of the IFR.

Similarly, the IFR fails to acknowledge or account for states’ ineffectual and costly experiences implementing work reporting requirements. When Arkansas implemented similar requirements, 18,000 people lost coverage in just five months. They didn't lose their Medicaid coverage because they suddenly found jobs with health benefits; they lost it because they didn't have internet access, never received the notices, or couldn't log into a glitchy state website. Michigan was poised to implement these work reporting requirements but paused the programs when they received astronomical coverage loss projections of 80,000 enrollees (33 percent of participants). In Georgia, the state spent $91,000,000 in taxpayer dollars to build a “work requirement” tracking system that often experienced technical failures. This translates to $13,000 per enrollee in administrative costs – almost five times higher than total spending on health care benefits for enrollees. Further, a recent study looking at these requirements in Georgia added to the body of evidence that they do not increase employment.

CMS’ Onerous Definition of Medical Frailty Subverts Congressional Intent

H.R. 1 includes explicit exemptions for individuals who are determined to be medically frail, including those with disabling mental disorders, substance use disorders, disabilities, or complex medical conditions. In including these exemptions, the statute provided protections for some of the most vulnerable Americans, while preserving states' flexibility to determine how medical frailty should be defined and operationalized. However, the IFR impermissibly adds extrastatutory restrictions and requirements to this statutory exemption, limiting it to individuals whose disability or condition significantly impairs their ability to comply with the work reporting requirement. By attempting to rewrite the standard from the existence of a condition to its demonstrated impact on an individual's ability to work, the IFR establishes a much narrower pathway to the exemption than H.R. 1 permits.

CMS asserts authority for this expansion through the statutory phrase “as defined by the Secretary,” but a limited delegation to define specific conditions is not authority to override the categorical structure Congress enacted. This is legal overreach, not a policy choice. And this legal overreach, if maintained, will have devastating consequences for millions of Americans, states, and health care providers.

States will face significant challenges operationalizing this narrower definition of medical frailty, and individuals will face challenges showing they meet the definition. The new standard will force the Medicaid program to take on completely novel responsibilities that are more akin to workers’ compensation than health insurance. States will not be able to rely on automation nor implement the law in a way that protects individuals with health needs, likely needing to revamp information technology (IT) systems; add new eligibility staff and call center support; modify applications, renewal forms, and educational materials; and train health care providers on how to assess and document whether someone’s condition “significantly impairs” their ability to work, a task that will be brand new to many providers.

The IFR forces vulnerable Americans to quite literally prove they are "sick enough" to deserve health care. In practice, a person in the middle of a mental health crisis or a course of cancer treatment, or someone managing severe substance use disorder, will be forced to secure explicit provider attestations linking their illness to their capacity to work. If they cannot jump through this hoop, the penalty is severe: they are cut off from the very medical care they need to survive.

Unfair Medical Frailty Verification Requirements Burden Sick Patients and Providers

In addition to the limitations imposed by the medical frailty definition put forth by this rule, the verification and self-attestation requirements impose infeasible expectations on individuals. Beginning in 2028, the rule directs states to implement a stricter documentation verification regime that will drive up administrative costs, overwhelm already-stretched eligibility staff, and push people off coverage. The verification requirements in 2027 compared with 2028 function as a bait-and-switch: to the extent that implementation looks potentially manageable in the first year, then procedural barriers and coverage losses spike when the documentation default kicks in. In particular, the rule holds people who should qualify for the medical frailty exemption to a higher standard of evidence than for all other eligibility requirements or exemptions/exclusions (e.g., caregiving, being a veteran, or being incarcerated), requiring significant documentation that goes well beyond self-attestation starting in 2028.

Year-Round Paperwork Requirements Will Exacerbate Coverage Loss

There is a long-standing requirement for states to process an application within 45-days as a patient protection, so people are not waiting for their coverage to kick in. The IFR creates a new exception to this timeliness standard, effectively permitting states to process applications on longer timeframes. In providing this exception to states, CMS is acknowledging that states are unlikely to meet the standard patient protection because of increased paperwork burdens, an implicit recognition of the harm to come. This exception is even more harmful to beneficiaries when combined with the H.R. 1 policy that requires states to reverify eligibility for individuals in the expansion group and comprehensive 1115 waivers every six months, in addition to the fact that the law provides States the option to conduct more frequent verifications of compliance with the work reporting requirement.

CMS acknowledges that the IFR creates a nearly impossible timing problem and offers no solution while barreling on with ill-advised and devastating policies. By combining the six month eligibility renewal requirement with ongoing work-reporting checks, this rule ensures that families are never not in the process of signing up for health care, effectively setting a structural trap. The red tape gauntlet Americans will have to contend with to maintain health insurance coverage will be constant. A family will barely finish submitting documents for one review cycle before the state triggers the next, creating hurdles that are particularly burdensome for hourly workers with volatile schedules, single parents, and individuals with fluctuating health conditions.

The Rule Requires State and Local Taxpayers to Foot the Bill for Costly System Upgrades

The IFR creates even more administrative barriers and paperwork hurdles for individuals attempting to enroll in or keep their Medicaid coverage than the statute permits. This manifests in both more costly and onerous technology requirements for states as well as unnecessary hoops for individuals to jump through.

In H.R. 1, Congressional Republicans provided a total of $200 million for all 50 states and the District of Columbia in FY 2026 to support the system upgrades they will need to comply with the law. However, in the IFR, CMS itself estimates that each state will spend approximately $15 million on systems changes, totaling nearly $700 million for the 44 states that are required to implement these changes, nearly four times the amount provided to states in the law. Recent reporting shows that state estimates of the costs to implement these requirements are significantly higher; North Carolina, for example, expects it will need to spend an estimated $31.2 million annually to enforce these requirements. While CMS announced in January 2026 that the agency secured deep discounts for states on implementation costs, no details have been released about these arrangements. As the price tag of Medicaid work reporting requirements continues to rise, every dollar spent by states to implement this new red tape is a dollar that could have instead been use to provide health care to vulnerable Americans.

We urge CMS to withdraw this rule to ensure that Medicaid can continue its mission of providing health coverage to low-income Americans. Implementing this rule will worsen Americans’ overall quality of health, waste millions of dollars on administrative red tape, and cause preventable health emergencies for all Americans. This rule does not strengthen Medicaid; it dismantles it, turning a program designed to protect vulnerable Americans into a system that systematically denies them care.

Sincerely,


Cantwell Bill to Restore Quinault Indian Nation Lands Advances to Full Senate

The Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act protects 72 acres Tribe’s benefit, preserves old growth forest

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs voted to advance U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell’s (D-WA) Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act. The bill introduced by Sen. Cantwell, who serves as a senior member of the committee, would restore Tribal stewardship over 72 acres, allowing the Quinault Nation to create a living museum and utilize the land for cultural purposes.

Sen. Cantwell introduced the Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act in April 2025, along with Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Emily Randall (D, WA-06). The bill would transfer 72 acres to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to be held in trust for the benefit of the Tribe.

“Returning 72 acres of the Quinault Indian Nation’s original reservation will restore the Tribe’s ancestral lands and help preserve one of the area’s last remnants of old growth forest as a living museum for future generations,” Sen. Cantwell said after introducing the bill.

The land was originally part of the Quinault Reservation. With the passage of the Dawes Act in 1867, the Quinault Reservation was broken up into 80-acre allotments, many given to individual tribal members. As private interests quickly moved in to buy up the allotments, including Allotment 1157, reservation land was lost to the Tribe.

Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act:

This bill would transfer 72 acres from the U.S. Forest Service to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Quinault Indian Nation.

The 72 acres, known as Allotment 1157, was originally part of the Quinault reservation that was established by the Treaty of Olympia of 1856.

After the passage of the Dawes Act of 1887, the Quinault Indian Reservation was separated into individual allotments and in 1928, Allotment 1157 was given away through a Trust Deed signed by President Calvin Coolidge.

The Allotment was eventually sold to a timber company and was purchased by the U.S. Forest Service in 1996 for conservation.

Allotment 1157 is one of the last remnants of old growth forest, particularly old growth cedar, that were a significant part of the Quinault’s reservation.

The Quinault Nation plans to utilize this land as a living museum for educational purposes, where students and college interns will learn how to preserve other historical places. Trees and downed wood on this land will be utilized for cultural purposes as has been done in the past.

The bill is supported by Jefferson and Grays Harbor counties, the Hoh Tribe, and the Quileute Tribe. Written letters of support are available HERE.

Quinault Indian National President Guy Capoeman released the following statement when the bill was first introduced: “The forced breakup of our reservation erased one of the foundations of our way of life, our view that the land and waters of our homeland were for communal use by all. The Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act will help right a historic wrong. This legislation helps fulfill the promise the United States government made to the Quinault Nation that the lands set aside for the Quinault Indian Reservation will always belong to the Quinault Nation. We thank Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Congresswoman Emily Randall for introducing this important legislation and for her leadership in Congress.”

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Cantwell, Colleagues Condemn Illegal IRS-ICE Data Sharing

Amicus brief urges Appeals Court to protect taxpayer privacy against ICE and IRS Overreach

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined nine Senators and 74 U.S. Representatives in submitting an amicus brief supporting the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts in its suit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Last year, the IRS entered into an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing ICE officers to ask the IRS for sensitive information about tax-paying undocumented immigrants. District Judge Indira Talwani blocked the agreement from continuing, citing violation of taxpayer privacy laws. The Trump Administration has appealed that decision, and Sen. Cantwell and colleagues are urging the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to uphold the district judge’s decision.

In the last year alone, ICE requested over 1.2 million records from the IRS, and the IRS provided addresses for more than 47,000 individuals to ICE., according to a report by the Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

“The data sharing at issue in this case by the [IRS] and [ICE] violates the express terms of the statute and ignores its history,” the lawmakers began. “Congress previously rejected legislative proposals to alter section 6103 and allow the use of return information for immigration enforcement purposes. Instead, Congress and the IRS for decades have done the opposite: promoting voluntary compliance by immigrant taxpayers by protecting their information to ensure tax revenues keep pace with economic activity.”

“The data sharing here was illegal and threatens federal revenue, adversely affecting all taxpayers,” the lawmakers continued. “It would also compromise taxpayer privacy and raise the possibility of grave consequences for individuals misidentified by ICE, chill participation in the tax system, impact our constituents, and destroy public trust.”

“The IRS’s address sharing policy therefore violates the statute, improperly displaces Congress’s legislative judgments, undermines the confidentiality of taxpayer information and taxpayer reliance, and threatens the national fisc,” the lawmakers concluded. “The district court’s preliminary injunction preserves Congress’s unambiguous command that taxpayer information remain confidential unless and until an agency lawfully satisfies the conditions set forth by Congress and longstanding IRS policy and we urge it be upheld.”

In addition to Sen. Cantwell, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and 74 U.S. Representatives joined in submitting the brief.


Cantwell Joins Senate Democrats in Demanding Trump Administration Stop Illegal Voter Roll Purges Before Election Day

Federal law Cantwell cosponsored protects voter rolls from mass purges close in time to an election

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With midterm elections now 89 days away, and early voting in some states beginning in just 44 days, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a member of Senate Democrats’ task force on election interference, today joined 27 of her Senate colleagues in demanding the Trump Administration adhere to the National Voter Registration Act’s (NVRA) “quiet period” that prohibits systematic voter purges within 90 days of an election, pushing back against the Administration’s ongoing voter suppression efforts.

In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, the senators reminded the Trump Administration to adhere to the law and refrain from supporting, assisting, or coercing states into conducting mass voter purges prior to the November midterm elections.

The Trump Administration has demanded voter information from all 50 states, losing 20 lawsuits and counting in the process, and a separate court has barred it from misusing federal databases in illegal attempts to remove voters from state voter rolls. In July, President Donald Trump and Secretary Mullin escalated these attacks as part of their ongoing efforts to force states to purge voters ahead of the November general election in a presidential speech and subsequent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference. The senators’ letter copies the chief election officers for all 50 states to send a strong signal that Congress is paying close attention to these existing protections in federal law.

“We are writing to remind you that any efforts directing states to conduct mass voter purges, including by using the deeply flawed Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to purge voter rolls, would violate the 90 day ‘quiet period’ mandated by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA),” wrote the senators. “Under the NVRA, election officials are supposed to complete any program for ‘systematically’ removing ineligible voters 90 days before Election Day. This statutory protection was included to protect eligible voters who may be (and in many cases have been) removed as part of state voter list maintenance activities.”

As a freshman Member of the House, then-Rep. Cantwell was an original cosponsor of the NVRA – which was written and led by Washington state’s late Rep. Al Swift (D-WA, 02) – and voting to pass it was among her very first votes in Congress. The senators warned that federal courts have ruled against attempted voter purges that fail to comply with the NVRA’s “quiet period” by attempting mass voter purges.

“In various lawsuits, federal courts have ruled against states that attempted systemwide voter list removals during the ‘quiet period,’ including those made under the pretext of removing noncitizen voters,” continued the senators. “Outside the 90-day quiet period, voter list maintenance is an important function, but noncitizen voting remains extremely rare. Federal law addresses these incidents through criminal penalties, including financial penalties and imprisonment.”

The senators reiterated that use of the DHS’ modified SAVE program, already blocked by federal courts for bulk voter list analysis purposes, would be considered illegal activity in the next 90 days, and condemned Mullin’s continued push to advance the program. They also urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) to abandon any efforts to obtain state voter rolls, highlighting the agency has lost every federal court case so far.

“We must re-emphasize that current use of the SAVE program for list maintenance is illegal, and efforts to coerce states to conduct mass voter purges during the ‘quiet period’ are also illegal under the NVRA, despite DOJ arguments to the contrary in recent court filings,” wrote the senators. “The DOJ should also drop its litigation to obtain state voter rolls and its continued threats to prosecute election officials. As you know, DOJ has lost every federal case seeking to obtain states’ unredacted voter lists so far. We remain deeply opposed to the waste of taxpayer funds and attacks on state election officials involved with DOJ’s continued attempts to compel states to hand over unredacted voter rolls.”

The senators requested the agencies provide confirmation that they will comply with the NVRA by August 7 to prevent any voter suppression prior to Election Day.

In addition to Sen. Cantwell, the letter was led by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), and U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Sen. Cantwell has been a stalwart defender against overreach of the Trump administration into our elections:

On July 29, she wrote to Blanche, Mullin, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding to know whether the Trump administration plans to illegally deploy armed federal law enforcement officers at polling sites during the November 2026 elections.

On July 28, Sen. Cantwell sharply criticized the Trump administration’s request that the Supreme Court allow him to seize control of state-run elections and implement an anti-vote-by-mail executive order. Lower courts have repeatedly rejected the president’s arguments and stated that his executive order is unconstitutional.

On July 2, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to the Postmaster General about the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) proposed illegal rule to implement President Trump’s March 31 executive order to interfere with vote-by-mail. Sen. Cantwell’s letter specifically noted the recent decisions of multiple federal courts that found Trump’s executive order unconstitutional and enjoined the USPS from implementing the proposed rule – including in separate cases brought by the State of Washington with other states and the NAACP – and demanded the USPS comply with those court orders.

On June 29, she celebrated the Supreme Court’s ruling in Watson v. Republican National Committee against an effort to stop states from counting mail-in ballots that are received after Election Day, even if they’ve been postmarked in time. The case, brought by the Republican National Committee, threatened the election administration practices of states like Washington.

On June 24, Sen. Cantwell co-sponsored the Right To Vote Act, legislation to create the first-ever affirmative federal voting rights guarantee for all eligible citizens.

On June 24, she also denounced President Trump’s announcement that he would not sign the 21st Century Road to Housing Act – an overwhelmingly popular, bipartisan bill that passed both the House and Senate earlier in the week and would have increased housing supply and brought down housing costs – until Congress passes the SAVE America Act. That legislation, which Trump has repeatedly demanded, would eliminate vote-by-mail and impose onerous new restrictions on voting and registering to vote. It would disenfranchise millions of Americans in the name of a voter fraud “crisis” that, even by the standards of the right-wing Heritage Foundation, straightforwardly does not exist. President Trump again demanded Congress pass the restrictive bill following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Watson v. Republican National Committee. Despite President Trump’s refusal to sign the bipartisan housing bill, it became law on July 11, since he failed to act on the bill within the time period prescribed by the Constitution after Congress sent him the legislation.

On June 23, she joined the entire Democratic Caucus in sending a letter to the USPS demanding the USPS abandon attempts to restrict voting by mail called for by President Trump in an illegal and unconstitutional March 31 executive order attacking mail and absentee ballots.

On June 23, she also delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling out the Trump Administration’s war on mail-in voting as the latest frontier in a long history of voter disenfranchisement in the United States.

On June 17, she joined several of her Senate Democratic colleagues for a spotlight forum highlighting President Trump’s illegal overreach into our free and fair elections.

On June 8, she joined 23 of her Senate colleagues in demanding answers over the Trump Administration’s decision to remove the most recent version of the Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses manual from DOJ’s website without explanation.

On April 29, she was tapped by Majority Leader Schumer to join a task force of senators defending our elections from interference.

On April 23, she joined colleagues in introducing the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act to protect the right to vote by mail and block President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional March 31 executive order attacking mail and absentee ballots.

On April 22, she sent a letter to the USPS warning the agency against complying with the executive order, which would undermine mail-in voting.

On April 1, after the executive order on mail-in voting was announced, she issued a statement in opposition.

On March 18, she convened a group of current and former elected officials and representatives of nonpartisan voter advocacy groups for a virtual press conference on defending voter access. Video of that entire virtual press conference is HERE; video of Sen. Cantwell’s statement is HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s statement is HERE.

On March 15, she issued a snapshot report showing that the SAVE America Act – the voter suppression bill President Trump has continued to demand Congress pass – would cost Washington state taxpayers more than $35 million this year alone.

On Feb. 24, Sen. Cantwell invited Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs as her guest to President Trump’s State of the Union address to draw attention to the issue.

On Feb. 20, she convened local leaders in Seattle for a press conference urging Washingtonians to fight back against these proposed new burdens to voting.

On Feb. 19, she gathered in Vancouver with the Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey and local chapter heads of the League of Women Voters and the NAACP for a press conference on how this bill would disenfranchise voters.

Also on Feb. 19, she released a snapshot report showing who in Washington would face undue hurdles to voting if the SAVE America Act were signed into law. The report shows that certain populations – including people who live in rural areas, women who changed their name after marriage, and people who recently moved – would face additional, cumbersome burdens to prove their citizenship.

On Feb. 5, she appeared on MSNOW’s Morning Joe to push back against the Trump administration’s heightened efforts to interfere in state-run elections and collect private data on American voters. Video of Sen. Cantwell’s appearance is HERE; a transcript is HERE.

On Jan. 29, Sen. Cantwell joined Senate colleagues in a letter to then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, pushing DOJ to stop its unlawful pressure campaign to coerce dozens of states into providing the Trump Administration their voter rolls, which include voters’ personally identifiable information. DOJ has sued 24 states – including Washington state – and the District of Columbia demanding the personal information of their voters.

On Jan. 15, she joined Senate colleagues in a letter to USPS Postmaster General David Steiner raising concerns with recent developments affecting postmark practices. Right before the holiday season, USPS changed its postmark practices, which could have significant impacts on voters nationwide and in Washington state – including rural voters, military and overseas voters, and many others who rely on rely on the mail to safely and securely cast their ballot.

On Jan. 9, she joined 13 Senate colleagues in filing an amicus brief before the Supreme Court in the case Watson v. Republican National Committee. The case, brought by the Republican National Committee, threatened the election administration practices of states like Washington that permit mail ballots that are postmarked by Election Day to be counted when they are received within a certain number of days after Election Day.

Today’s full letter is available here and below:

Dear Acting Attorney General Blanche and Secretary Mullin:

The 2026 general election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, less than 90 days away. We are writing to remind you that any efforts directing states to conduct mass voter purges, including by using the deeply flawed Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to purge voter rolls, would violate the 90-day “quiet period” mandated by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).

This long-standing prohibition includes providing states with any incomplete and unverifiable voter roll analysis conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) SAVE program, the use of which has also been enjoined by a D.C. federal district court. Relatedly, in light of this prohibition, the Department of Justice (DOJ) should drop its ongoing litigation to compel states to provide access to their voter registration lists and acquiesce to unlawful federal list maintenance. While we have previously expressed our concern about these tactics, we remind you of the settled law protecting voters in the lead up to an election and urge you to cease these efforts immediately.

Under the NVRA, election officials are required to complete any systematic removal of ineligible voters 90 days before Election Day. This statutory protection was included to protect eligible voters who may be — and in many cases have been —erroneously removed as part of state voter list maintenance activities. In various lawsuits, federal courts have ruled against states that attempted systemwide voter list removals during the “quiet period,” including those made under the pretext of removing noncitizen voters. Outside the 90-day quiet period, voter list maintenance is an important function, but noncitizen voting remains extremely rare. Federal law addresses these incidents through criminal penalties, including financial penalties and imprisonment.

Over the last year, the demonstrated inaccuracies of DHS’s modified SAVE program have been proven to result in the removal of eligible voters from the voter rolls prior to the “quiet period.” On June 22, 2026, following several months of litigation in League of Women Voters v. Department of Homeland Security, a D.C. federal district court set aside and vacated the 2025 modified SAVE program, finding it was “contrary to law, arbitrary and capricious, in excess of statutory authority, and without observance of procedure required by law.” The court ordered DHS to undo the newly established bulk upload feature and dismantle its connection to sensitive Social Security Administration data. Given this ruling, Secretary Mullin’s continued promotion of the SAVE program for voter list maintenance purposes during a July 17, 2026, press conference was inappropriate, as were his unsupported claims that multiple states have significant noncitizen voter registrations. Even more alarmingly, DHS is attempting to condition Homeland Security Grant Program funds that protect Americans from disasters and terrorist attacks on use of the SAVE program. Therefore, we must re-emphasize that current use of the SAVE program for list maintenance is illegal, and efforts to coerce states to conduct mass voter purges during the “quiet period” are also illegal under the NVRA, despite DOJ arguments to the contrary in recent court filings.

The DOJ should also drop its litigation to obtain state voter rolls and its continued threats to prosecute election officials. As you know, DOJ has lost every federal case seeking to obtain states’ unredacted voter lists so far. We remain deeply opposed to the waste of taxpayer funds and attacks on state election officials involved with DOJ’s continued attempts to compel states to hand over unredacted voter rolls. The Trump Administration has done nothing to address concerns that this is all in service of an effort to create a nationwide voter file to be shared across the Executive Branch — and possibly with other unauthorized, partisan actors. At an absolute minimum, DOJ must abstain from any unlawful attempts to pressure states into conducting large-scale voter purges during the 90-day “quiet period.”

Please confirm your agencies will comply with the NVRA, and any relevant court orders, no later than August 7, 2026. Any continued actions that may directly or indirectly coerce or assist states in conducting sweeping voter purges that violate federal law and infringe on Americans’ right to vote are unacceptable.

Sincerely,


ICYMI: Capito Highlights Trump Accounts Legislation on CNBC’s “Squawk Box”

To watch Senator Capito’s remarks, click here or the image above.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of Senate Republican leadership, joined CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to discuss legislation she recently introduced that would streamline enrollment in Trump Accounts.

Yesterday, Senator Capito introduced legislation to provide families with enrollment information to establish Trump Accounts for eligible newborns while still at the hospital. Specifically, the bill would amend the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program to provide for the creation of a Trump Account when a child's birth is registered, streamlining enrollment and increasing access the program.

HIGHLIGHTS:

ON TRUMP ACCOUNTS: “It's an exciting time to have a newborn, sometimes some of the details of what you could do for your child at those very first moments as you leave the hospital, get lost, and then you get lost in the care of a child. And I don't want to see any family lose an opportunity to have an investment account for their child that can grow over time that you can add to.

ON HER TRUMP ACCOUNTS LEGISLATION: “And so, the Social Security administration, because you have to have a Social Security card, has made it easier to enroll in Social Security. And I thought, why don't we hook on to that and say, ‘You don't have to have a Trump account, but do you realize this is available to your child? Sign them up now.’ And I think we see seven million children now who already have Trump accounts. I think it could be much larger, especially maybe parents don't even know about this. And so, I thought just the ease of enrollment and what this could do for financial literacy and for the future of that child being able to see savings, I don't want them to miss that opportunity.”

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Cassidy Calls Congress’s Bluff on Social Security

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), today sought unanimous consent on the U.S. Senate floor to establish a process for Congress to consider solutions to prevent a 22-28% cut to Social Security benefits for 75 million Americans in six short years. An objection prevented the U.S. Senate from even beginning consideration of the resolution. Cassidy then countered the objection.

“[The resolution] does not predetermine the outcome. It just says that Congress must consider a solution—anyone’s solution—Democrat or Republican, Left and Right. It just asks us to do our job to consider the solution to then go through regular order on the Senate Finance Committee to be considered by all,” said Dr. Cassidy.

Background

Cassidy has outlined his plan to rescue Social Security from insolvency by creating a sovereign wealth fund independent of the Social Security Trust Fund. He has written extensively on his proposal in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, State Affairs, and the Washington Examiner. On the U.S. Senate floor, Cassidy has repeatedly called on Congress to act to save the program. Most recently, he challenged the U.S. Senate to stop being good politicians and start being good senators.

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Senator Collins’ Bipartisan Bill to Expand Federal Worker Access to Health Care Advances Out of Committee by Voice Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the bipartisan Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act that she introduced with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) advanced out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs by voice vote. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body.

“In a large, rural state like Maine, finding access to health care close to home can be a challenge. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants help to fill in this gap by providing quality medical services to local communities,” said Senator Collins. “By allowing injured federal workers to be treated by these professionals, our bipartisan bill would help prevent the need for long and difficult travel, reduce wait times for care, and improve employees’ overall health and wellbeing. Today’s committee approval of this bill reflects broad bipartisan agreement that this unnecessary barrier to care should be removed.”

Currently, federal employees—including the more than 12,000 working in Maine—can select a Physician Assistant (PA) or a Nurse Practitioner (NP) as their primary health care provider within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. However, the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA) permits only a physician to make diagnoses, certify injuries and the extent of a disability, and oversee a federal employee’s treatment and care when they are injured on the job.

The Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act would amend FECA to allow PAs and NPs to certify injuries and oversee treatment for federal workers with injuries or illnesses that occurred on the job, when doing so is consistent with the scope of their practice under state law.

The bill has been endorsed by dozens of organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the American Academy of Physician Associates, the American Academy of Nursing, the PA Education Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Federation of Government Employees, and the National Federation of Federal Employees.

“The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, on behalf of the over 461,000 nurse practitioners nationwide, commends Senators Collins and Blumenthal, Chairman Paul and Ranking Member Peters for their leadership on passing S. 3296, the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act, out of Committee. As a dual board-certified nurse practitioner in Portland, Maine, I know the importance of this legislation to federal employees. Authorizing NPs to certify federal workplace injuries and oversee the patient's treatment and care will ensure injured federal employees receive the care they need from their chosen and trusted health care providers to get them back to work sooner,”said AANP President Valerie J. Fuller, PhD, DNP.

The complete text of the bill can be read here.

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Senator Collins Delivers Floor Remarks Ahead of Unanimous Senate Passage of Her Bill to Combat Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases

Click HERE for a full-resolution image.

Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of her remarks.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the bipartisan Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act she introduced with Senator Tina Smith (D-MN)—with Senator Angus King (I-ME) joining them as an original cosponsor—passed the Senate unanimously. Senator Collins spoke from the Senate floor prior to passage of the bill.

The bill reauthorizes initiatives and programs to combat tick-borne diseases first established through the original Kay Hagan Tick Act, which Senators Collins and Smith led to passage in 2019. The Senators named their bill in honor of former Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), who passed away in October of 2019 due to complications from the tick-borne disease known as the Powassan virus.

“Our bipartisan legislation strengthens federal efforts to confront the alarming public health threat posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses,” said Senator Collins during her remarks. “Each year, the state of Maine has hit a new record high in the number of cases for Lyme disease. Current projections show that 2026 will yet again be a record-setting year. This is a record that we do not want to set.”

“Nevertheless, I am encouraged that we are making progress. A clinical trial for a Lyme disease vaccine is underway right now at the MaineHealth Institute for Research,” she continued. “Every year my beloved labrador retriever can get a vaccine for tick diseases, and yet we humans cannot. I’m hoping this clinical trial will be successful, and it will make a real difference. Reauthorizing the Kay Hagan Tick Act would allow crucial projects such as that research and public education campaigns to continue.”

“The University of Maine has an excellent lab that specializes in testing ticks for pathogens, and it has worked very closely with our game wardens, with foresters, with others who are routinely in the woods of Maine and are exposed to tick bites. It actually has developed a little tick kit where you can send the tick into the lab, and it will be tested for pathogens. So, I would be remiss if I did not salute the University of Maine for its excellent work on tick-borne illnesses. This legislation is going to make a big difference in helping to advance their work as well as the research at the MaineHealth Institute for Research,” Senator Collins concluded.

Cases of Lyme disease reached a new record level in Maine last year, after doing the same the year before, with more than 4,200 cases being reported statewide. The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act aims to confront the growing public health threat posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases by reauthorizing federal efforts to improve research, prevention, diagnostics, and treatment for these diseases.

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

Reauthorize Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease for five years. 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. There are four centers located at universities in California, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin. Funding for these centers, which was allotted in 2017, expired last year.

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

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 efforts to expand research into tick-borne diseases, improve testing and diagnostics, and coordinate efforts across the federal government.

“Reauthorization of the Kay Hagan Tick Act represents a critical commitment to addressing the growing threat of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Maine and across the country. Sustained federal support will strengthen surveillance, research, prevention, and public health response while helping translate scientific advances into practical protections for individuals and communities. We appreciate Senator Collins’ continued support on an issue that affects so many Maine people,” said Griffin Dill, Director of the University of Maine Tick Lab.

“The passage of the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act is a landmark victory for millions of Americans impacted by tick-borne diseases and a major step forward for public health. As a North Carolinian, it is especially meaningful to see Senator Kay Hagan's legacy continue through legislation that will strengthen our nation's response to these increasingly common and complex illnesses. As someone whose own life has been profoundly shaped by tick-borne disease, I know firsthand the devastating consequences these infections can have on individuals and families. This law represents hope—hope for better prevention, stronger public health infrastructure, greater support for states and communities, and faster progress toward the diagnostics, treatments, and care that patients have waited far too long to receive. We are grateful to the bipartisan champions in Congress who made this achievement possible and look forward to working with federal agencies to ensure its successful implementation,” said Meghan Bradshaw, MPH, Executive Director of the Center for Lyme Action.

“Vector-borne diseases, particularly those transmitted by ticks, represent a rapidly expanding burden on the nation’s public health system. Incidence rates of diseases such as Lyme, alpha-gal syndrome, anaplasmosis, and others have increased significantly over the past two decades, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated, science-based national response. The Kay Hagan Tick Act is an important part of strengthening federal coordination, enhancing surveillance, and supporting research on vector-borne diseases. Reauthorization of this legislation will ensure continued progress in several critical areas, including improving diagnostic tools, expanding public health infrastructure, advancing integrated vector management strategies, and fostering collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies. The Entomological Society of America is very grateful to Senator Collins for her critical leadership on this issue, and thanks the many other offices that joined as co-sponsors,” said Erin Cadwalader, Ph.D., Director of Strategic Leadership and Policy for the Entomological Society of America.

The complete text of the bill can be read here.

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Senator Collins Presses Administration to Review Impact of Canada Tariffs, Meets with Canadian Ambassador

Click HERE and HERE for individual photos.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins wrote to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer requesting that they provide Maine businesses with greater clarity and notice regarding tariffs on Canadian goods scheduled to take effect on August 19 and consider the tariffs’ expected negative impact on Maine’s economy prior to any potential implementation.

The proposed 50 percent tariffs cover more than 500 categories of Canadian imports. Maine imports approximately $2 billion in non-petroleum products from Canada each year, and the new tariffs could apply to 5.5 percent of those goods. Maine businesses in industries including paper and concrete have raised concerns that insufficient domestic supply could leave them with no choice but to pay tariffs that could jeopardize their viability and the jobs they support. Maine manufacturers are also worried that potential retaliatory tariffs could disproportionately harm them because Canadians are among their most loyal customers.

This action comes the same day that Senator Collins met with the recently appointed Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Mark Wiseman. During their meeting, Senator Collins discussed her outreach to Secretary Lutnick and Trade Representative Greer as well as her other efforts to help mitigate the harm caused by tariffs on Canadian goods. They also discussed how the ongoing review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) presents an opportunity to address trade concerns while preserving the close economic relationship between Maine and Canada.

“With only a month of warning, businesses in Maine and across the United States are being asked to avoid Canadian imports or face tariffs of 50 percent on these specific products,” Senator Collins wrote in her letter. “Small businesses, which lack large legal departments, have shared with me how difficult it is to navigate this new list and determine the impact of these tariffs.”

“I recognize the need for strong domestic industries that bolster our supply chains. For Mainers, however, Canada is often the closest source of goods in those supply chains. Maine borders only one state, New Hampshire, but shares a 611-mile border with Canada,” she continued. “It has 24 land ports of entry. Since the tariffs were announced, I have heard from businesses in industries including paper and concrete that insufficient domestic supply will leave them no choice but to pay tariffs at a rate that could jeopardize the viability of their businesses and the good jobs they provide.”

“During the peak summer season, Maine’s forest products industry, agricultural sector, and construction companies need to focus on how they can best succeed, not on determining how new government tariffs will affect them. I hope you will consider the unique needs of Maine businesses and municipalities as you implement policies and negotiate agreements affecting American workers and companies,” Senator Collins concluded.

Click here to read her complete letter.

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Senator Collins has repeatedly opposed broad tariffs on Canadian goods and worked to protect Maine businesses and communities from their effects. In April 2025, she delivered remarks on the Senate floor in support of a resolution to end the emergency declaration being used to impose tariffs on Canadian goods; joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Trade Review Act of 2025, which would reassert Congress’ constitutional authority over tariffs; and urged the Administration to exempt previously contracted fire truck orders from tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum that were expected to increase the cost of each truck by $80,000 to $90,000. In July 2025, she joined a bipartisan group in introducing the Creating Access to Necessary American-Canadian Duty Adjustments (CANADA) Act, which would exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from tariffs on Canadian imports. In December 2025, she requested targeted tariff relief for Maine’s wild blueberry producers, including an exemption for specialized Canadian equipment used to harvest, process, and mow the crop.

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Senator Coons, colleagues celebrate unanimous passage to extend bankruptcy financial tools to small businesses and American families

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) celebrated the unanimous passage by the U.S. Senate of their Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026, which would restore Americans’ access to critical bankruptcy programs by reinstating modern debt limits for Subchapter V and Chapter 13. The legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

“Americans going through one of the most difficult seasons of their lives shouldn’t then be faced with bureaucratic hurdles and outdated rules as they try to restore their financial well-being,” said Senator Coons. “This bipartisan bill will make the path through bankruptcy a little easier for families and small businesses struggling to stay afloat.”

“Our nation’s bankruptcy code should work for Americans, not against them. By eliminating barriers to reorganization and restoring modern debt limits, the bipartisan Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act would provide American families and small businesses the tools they need to regain their financial footing in a quicker, more streamlined process,” said Senator Grassley. “I thank my colleagues in the Senate for their unanimous support of our legislation, and I urge the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this needed legislation.”

“Bankruptcy is often a painful last resort for small business owners. This bill makes permanent a quicker and cheaper pathway for entrepreneurs to settle debts, keep the lights on, and keep serving their neighbors. It also expands eligibility for Chapter 13 bankruptcy to help more families manage rising costs, stay in their homes, and get back on their feet. With unanimous passage in the Senate, I encourage the House of Representatives to quickly pass this bill—and for the President to sign it into law,” said Senator Durbin.

In 2025, Delaware had 568 cases filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act of 2026 offers more support to Delaware families and small businesses who are just trying to make ends meet and fighting rising costs. This legislation will permanently restore the Subchapter V debt limit to $7.5 million and the Chapter 13 debt limit to $2.75 million, so that more families have access to financial tools they need to regain financial security.

Senator Coons has worked hard to make bankruptcy law more fairer throughout his time in the Senate. In 2019, Senator Coons voted to enact the Small Business Reorganization Act into law, which streamlined the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process for small business owners by reducing procedural burdens and lowering filing costs. In 2022, Senator Coons supported the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Extension Act, extending the $7.5 million debt limit for small businesses filing under Subchapter V and establishing a new debt limit of $2.75 million for individuals and families filing under Chapter 13. When that bill expired in 2024, the debt thresholds for both programs reverted to lower levels.


Senators Coons, Murkowski celebrate Senate passage of ACT for ALS Reauthorization Act

Bipartisan legislation will preserve access to promising treatments and accelerate research into ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Co-Chairs of the Senate ALS Caucus, celebrated the Senate’s unanimous passage of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026. The bipartisan legislation now heads to conference with the House-passed bill to resolve minor differences before being sent to the president’s desk. Representatives Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) lead the companion legislation in the House.

The bill reauthorizes ACT for ALS programs through 2031, helping people living with ALS continue accessing promising investigational treatments while advancing research into ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases.

“This is a step in the right direction to help people living with ALS and their families,” said Senator Coons. “By passing this bipartisan reauthorization, we are ensuring this critical research can continue without interruption. I’m grateful to the incredible community of advocates, patients, and caregivers whose relentless courage and determination have made this possible. ACT for ALS will help countless Americans living with this disease and bring us closer to a cure, and I look forward to its swift enactment.”

“ALS is indiscriminate and devastating. It can strike any of us, and it will take all of us working together to support those affected and help end this terminal disease,” said Senator Murkowski. “This bill will break down barriers to treatment while accelerating the research and development of therapies for people living with ALS. I’m grateful to partner with Senator Coons and I appreciate that Congress has recognized the importance of this legislation by moving it forward quickly. I look forward to working through the remaining differences in conference so we can get it to the President’s desk before these critical programs expire on September 30.”

The original ACT for ALS was signed into law in 2021. The reauthorization is supported by I AM ALS, the ALS Network, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the ALS Association.


Senators Coons, Murkowski introduce bipartisan bill to use Temporary Protected Status to help vulnerable Afghans in the United States

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today introduced the Afghanistan TPS Act of 2026, legislation to protect eligible Afghan nationals already living in the United States from being forced to return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan by granting them Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a successful and bipartisan multi-decade program to help immigrants from nations impacted by armed conflict, natural disasters, or other severe humanitarian crises.

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) joined Senators Coons and Murkowski in introducing the legislation. A bipartisan companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), and María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.).

“We owe an enormous debt to the Afghans who supported U.S. forces during their 20-year mission in Afghanistan,” said Senator Coons. “In exchange for that huge risk to themselves and their families, we promised them protection, protection that is more important than ever in light of the crises that have been created across their home country by the Taliban’s authoritarian regime. I’m grateful to Senator Murkowski for helping lead this bipartisan bill to ensure properly vetted Afghans are welcomed in the United States and protected from the imminent danger the Taliban would pose to them if they were forced back across the world.”

“Ensuring the safety of Afghan nationals who bravely fought side by side with U.S. Armed Forces against the Taliban is not only a moral obligation, but also extends to our national security interests. Failing to do so would undermine the credibility of future U.S. commitments to those who stand alongside us in times of strife,” said Senator Murkowski. “That’s why I joined Senator Coons in developing this narrowly tailored legislation, which provides TPS protection only to those Afghans who have already been living in the United States, have cleared rigorous national security background checks, and would require additional security evaluations when necessary. Forcing these individuals to return to the Taliban before it is safe in Afghanistan would be an egregious breach of the trust and commitment to those who risked everything to fight for their freedom.”

“We must keep our covenant with the Afghans who served beside us, risking everything — often at great personal expense to themselves and their families — to further America’s mission,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan legislation will help ensure Afghan allies can safely remain in the country. It’s important to do what we can to help our Afghan friends find stability, opportunity, and community in their new home.”

The bill would designate Afghanistan under TPS through July 1, 2029, allowing eligible Afghan nationals already in the United States to continue living and working here temporarily. Applicants would be required to submit biometric and biographic information and complete applicable criminal and national-security background checks. The bill comes upon the fifth anniversary of the withdrawal from Afghanistan and as Afghanistan continues to face a severe humanitarian and human rights crisis under Taliban rule. Many Afghans who have come to America in recent years aided U.S. and NATO troops and would put themselves and their families at great risk if forced to return to the country. However, last year, the Department of Homeland Security terminated Afghanistan’s TPS designation, stripping eligible Afghans of their legal status and work authorization and potentially forcing them to return to a dangerous environment.

First created during the George H.W. Bush administration, TPS allows the federal government to grant short-term work permits and a shield from deportation to immigrants from specific, named countries where returning citizens would put them in serious danger. The Trump administration has sought to end most TPS programs, which could lead to the deportation of hundreds of thousands of migrants from four different continents.

The Afghanistan TPS Act would:

Designate Afghanistan for Temporary Protected Status through July 1, 2029;

Allow eligible Afghan nationals already in the United States to apply for temporary protection and employment authorization

Require applicants to undergo biometric, biographic, criminal and national-security background checks;

Require applications to be adjudicated within 90 days, with limited extensions when additional national-security review is necessary; and

Permit eligible applicants to request waivers of associated filing fees.

The legislation is endorsed by AfghanEvac, No One Left Behind, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Global Refuge, Refugees International, Afghan-American Foundation, Afghans for a Better Tomorrow, International Refugee Assistance Project, International Rescue Committee, Church World Service, Human Rights First, HIAS, Refugee Congress, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Team America Relief, The Lamia Afghan Foundation, World Relief; New Life Church, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Center for Refugee Services, International Institute of New England, Afghan Promise, Afghan Community Cultural Center – Texas, Afghan Labor Advocacy Network, World Hazara Council USA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, Austin Jews and Partners for Refugees, California Hazara Community, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, Red T, Refugee Advocacy Lab, REACT DC, New Neighbor Interfaith Alliance, Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Justice, Massachusetts Afghan Alliance, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Hearts & Homes for Refugees, New Milford Area Rotary, and more.

“America made a promise to the Afghans who stood with us, and Senators Coons and Murkowski are helping keep it, joined by Senators Cassidy and Klobuchar. This bill is simple and overdue. It shields vetted Afghan allies from deportation to a country run by the Taliban that wants them dead, and it lets them keep working and supporting their families while they’re here,” said Shawn VanDiver, President of AfghanEvac. “These are people who are already in our communities, already vetted, and already contributing. Temporary Protected Status is a bridge, not a path to citizenship, and it comes with full national-security vetting and a hard deadline for DHS to act. That two Democrats and two Republicans are leading this together shows keeping our word to our allies was never a partisan question. We’re grateful to all four senators, and we urge their colleagues to move quickly, because our allies cannot afford for the Senate to wait.”

“Afghan partners took extraordinary risks on our behalf for twenty years, and the ongoing threats to their lives in Afghanistan are well documented. How we treat them now determines whether America has the same support in the next national security conflict. Sending people who worked and sacrificed for the United States back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan hands our adversaries a propaganda win and unnecessarily puts our allies at risk,” said Andrew Sullivan, Executive Director of No One Left Behind. “This bipartisan bill, alongside the House companion, promotes national security by enforcing rigorous vetting and thorough security checks while protecting vetted Afghan nationals. No One Left Behind is proud to endorse this legislation, and we thank Senators Coons and Murkowski for their bipartisan work behind it.”

“Newly arrived Afghans are pillars in their communities across the United States. Many of them served alongside American service members during the mission while others fought for democracy and women’s rights. Now, they are under attack and at risk of detention and deportation for no other reason than their country of origin,” said Arash Azizzada, Executive Director for Afghans For A Better Tomorrow. “Afghans deserve much-needed protections and Congress must act to pass this bipartisan, critical and life-saving legislation. Afghans cannot wait a day longer without passage of the Afghanistan TPS Act.”

“IAVA will always stand by our Afghan Allies. We have always said that our national security and credibility as a moral nation depends on how we treat those who saved countless lives of men and women in uniform for over two decades in Afghanistan combat,” said Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). “We are encouraged by Senator Coons and Senator Murkowski joining the fight to uphold our promise to our Allies and for introducing a Senate companion to the Afghanistan TPS of 2026. We’re hopeful this is a meaningful stepping stone towards a lasting pathway to citizenship and thankful to Congress for acknowledging this need, which has remained unanswered for too long.”

“Afghans seeking safety in the United States have endured years of upheaval, displacement, and danger that no family should ever have to navigate. The situation inside Afghanistan has only grown more dire — widespread hunger, collapsing public services, and the near‑total erasure of women’s rights have created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge. “Offering Temporary Protected Status to Afghans who have built their lives here is not only lawful and necessary — it is a reaffirmation that America does not turn its back on people who sought refuge in moments of crisis. And it does not forget its commitments to its allies and partners. I commend the bipartisan and principled leadership behind this bill and urge Congress to move swiftly to provide the stability and safety these individuals deserve.”

“Making promises to vulnerable Afghans is the minimum that our country can do to stand alongside those who have supported our country in so many ways. The Afghanistan TPS Act gives vetted Afghans who are already here the stability to work, support their families, and live without the fear of deportation,” said Beth Oppenheim, CEO of HIAS. “HIAS is proud to stand behind this bipartisan bill, because welcoming the stranger and protecting the vulnerable are not partisan values, they are enduring American ones.”

“The Afghanistan of today is a stark departure from the country that so many Afghans and Americans sacrificed to build after 2001. Women and girls have been systematically erased from public life, nearly half the population depends on humanitarian assistance, and a collapsing healthcare system struggles to provide even the most basic care. These are not distortions, they are documented facts,” said Mohammed Naeem, Senior Director for Advocacy Strategy at Refugees International. “We are grateful to Senators Coons, Murkowski, Klobuchar, and Cassidy for answering the call and introducing this critical bill. Without its passage, we risk sending Afghan families back to conditions defined by dehumanization, deprivation, and despair. That is not the promise we made to our Afghan allies. Congress can instead reaffirm that America is a nation that honors its word—and that our word does not end when the headlines fade.”


Crapo Bill to Help Expedite Recovery of Missing Servicemembers Moves Forward

Washington, D.C.--The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously advanced bipartisan legislation U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) introduced to cut bureaucratic red tape to help locate missing American servicemembers and civilian personnel.

S. 3226, the Bring Our Heroes Home Act, would create a centralized records collection at the National Archives and establish a specialized review board to fast-track the declassification of relevant government files to provide long-overdue answers to the families and loved ones of American prisoners of war (POW) and personnel missing in action (MIA).

“We have a duty to our missing servicemembers and their families to make every effort to bring them home,” said Crapo. “Government bureaucracy cannot stand in the way of fulfilling this promise or providing closure to families who, in some cases, have waited decades for answers about their loved ones. The Committee’s action today is an important step forward, and I will continue working to get this bill signed into law.”

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, approximately 80,751 Americans--including 358 Idahoans--remain unaccounted for from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars and other conflicts.

Specifically, the Bring Our Heroes Home Act would:

Require consolidation of all records related to missing personnel in a newly established Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Collection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA);

Require all government agencies to transmit any records related to missing servicemembers and civilians to NARA; and

Establish an independent government office, the Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel Records Review Board, to identify missing personnel records, facilitate the transmission and disclosure of these records and review federal agency decisions to postpone declassification.

The bill now awaits consideration by the full U.S. Senate.

Crapo and Shaheen previously introduced the legislation in the 116th and 117th Congresses and have long supported various efforts to identify and recover all missing and unaccounted-for American military personnel.

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Support Continues to Grow for Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act

Washington, D.C.—Leading individuals and organizations committed to protecting taxpayer rights and modernizing tax administration are announcing their support for the bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act, which the U.S. Senate Finance Committee recently passed by a vote of 26-1.

The TAS Act, led by U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), would strengthen taxpayer rights, streamline IRS operations and improve the taxpayer experience.

Here is what supporters are saying:

American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights

“The members of the American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights… congratulate Chairman Crapo and Ranking Member Wyden and the Members of the Senate Finance Committee for successfully marking up the bipartisan TAS Act, and urge the full Senate to consider this critical tax administration bill as soon as possible.”

Bipartisan Policy Center Action

“This pragmatic, evidence-based bill would strengthen IRS customer service, modernize technology and improve the experience of taxpayers and tax preparers alike… Your hard work is proof positive that responsive, effective and efficient government is most achievable when Democrats and Republicans work together.”

Bryan Camp, George H. Mahon Professor of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law

“The TAS Act makes significant improvements in tax procedural rules that will help taxpayers file more accurate returns and also help taxpayers resolve disputes with the IRS more quickly and fairly.”

Erin Collins, National Taxpayer Advocate

“Tax administration may not always attract headlines, but it profoundly affects nearly every individual, family and business in the country. But important work lies ahead to get this legislation across the finish line. If the House and Senate can pass the TAS Act this year, it will be a tremendous gift from the 119th Congress to America’s taxpayers.”

Independent Sector

“The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act will upgrade IRS technology and customer service, support faster tax refunds and provide better protection for taxpayers. With the adoption of the Lankford/Warnock Amendment, it will also meaningfully bolster due process protections for nonprofit organizations. Independent Sector and its members appreciate your work on this legislation and we look forward to working toward its enactment.”

Jackson Hewitt

“We commend Chairman Crapo and Ranking Member Wyden for their leadership and for advancing a thoughtful bipartisan package that will better protect taxpayers while improving the administration of our nation’s tax laws. This legislation builds on years of bipartisan work to make the tax system more transparent and more responsive to the needs of taxpayers.”

Meg Killian, EA, Executive Vice President, National Association of Enrolled Agents

“The TAS Act reflects a strong commitment to improving tax administration and protecting taxpayers. From modernizing taxpayer services to strengthening professional standards for paid tax return preparers, this bipartisan legislation advances reforms that will improve confidence in our tax system. NAEA appreciates Chairman Crapo, Ranking Member Wyden and the members of the Senate Finance Committee for their leadership, and we look forward to working with Congress to advance this important legislation.”

Melanie Lauridsen, Vice President of Tax Policy and Advocacy, American Institute of CPAs

“The TAS Act represents an important step towards creating a more effective and taxpayer-focused tax administration system… We are grateful to members of Congress for their leadership and we support continued progress on the TAS Act and future tax legislation.”

National Taxpayers Union

“This legislation is easily the most consequential package of tax administration and taxpayer rights improvements to come before Congress since the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, and rivals in importance the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998… The legislation takes a thoughtful approach to addressing challenges faced by underserved taxpayers.”

Click HERE and HERE to view the Chairman’s Mark and modifications.

Click HERE and HERE for a summary.

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Sens. Cruz, Slotkin Introduce Bill to Protect Americans' Right to Worship

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) introduced the Right to Worship Act. This legislation protects Americans' First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion by establishing a 100-foot protection zone that prohibits conduct disrupting scheduled religious services or impeding attendance.

Sen. Cruz said, “The First Amendment guarantees every American the right to freely exercise their faith, and Congress has a duty to ensure that guarantee is met. 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.”

Sen. Slotkin said, “Attacks on synagogues, mosques, churches and other houses of worship are unfortunately on the rise in Michigan, and across the country. No one should ever fear going to their house of worship. Period. 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."

U.S. Reps. Brad Knott (R-N.C.-13) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.-3) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

This legislation is supported by the First Liberty Institute.

First Liberty Institute President & CEO Kelly Shackelford said, "First Liberty commends Senator Cruz for introducing the Right to Worship Act. This important legislation will help to ensure that no American will forfeit their religious freedom because of threats, intimidation, or attempts to disrupt their place of worship. This legislation shouldn't be necessary, yet sadly it is. We are grateful to Senator Cruz for his leadership and his steadfast defense of religious liberty."

Read the bill text here.

BACKGROUND

The Right to Worship Act:


Curtis Bill to Prevent Youth Suicide Passes Senate

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate passed the Youth Poisoning Prevention Act, bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to help prevent youth suicide by banning high-concentration sodium nitrite from being available to the public. Since 2017, the National Poison Data System has shown a sharp annual increase in young adults ingesting the substance with suicidal intent. There is no recognized household or consumer use for high-concentration sodium nitrite, yet the sale of this dangerous substance by retailers remains unregulated, resulting in tragic consequences.

“Too many young people are being put at risk by easy access to dangerous poisons,” said Senator Curtis. “I am proud to see our commonsense legislation to help protect vulnerable Americans, strengthen consumer safety, and prevent needless youth tragedies pass the Senate.”

“High-concentration sodium nitrite is a textbook example of a deadly product that should never be sold to consumers—let alone to our kids,” said Senator Duckworth. “Every child’s life is precious. We must ensure that our laws protecting our kids are up to date to protect against emerging deadly hazards. Our bipartisan legislation would immediately take this lethal substance off the shelves—it’s a no-brainer that must be sent to the President’s desk swiftly to help us protect our children.”

“I heard from a family who lost their daughter to this dangerous substance, and we have to do more to make sure no other American family suffers the same heartache,” said Senator Baldwin. “As new, deadly products like sodium nitrite become available to children, we must update our laws to keep these deadly chemicals out of the hands of our kids and prevent any further tragic deaths. I am proud to have worked with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to protect Wisconsin families, and I am glad that we are now one step closer to making our bill the law of the land.”

Background:

The Youth Poisoning Prevention Act would:

Ban the sale of high-concentration sodium nitrite to consumers by adding such products to the list of banned hazardous products under the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2057);

Define “high concentration of sodium nitrite” as a concentration of sodium nitrite greater than 10% (as there is no recognized household or consumer use of high-concentration sodium nitrite); and

Not interfere with the highly regulated use of high-concentration sodium nitrite for commercial and industrial purposes.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

The Youth Poisoning Prevention Act is endorsed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Public Citizen, Consumer Federation of America, National Consumers League and Crisis Text Line—as well as a number of families who tragically lost their children to self-poisoning via high-concentration sodium nitrite ingestion.

“This law was written in the names of children who should still be alive,” said Kristin Jónsson, mother of the late Kristine Jónsson. “For years, high-purity sodium nitrite was sold with no guardrails despite mounting evidence that it had become a preferred suicide method. Today, we chose public health over preventable tragedy.”

“Every parent who came forward with me did so with one hope: that no other family would have to live this nightmare,” said Ruth Scott, mother of the late Mikael Scott. “We fought in our children’s names, and today their lives have left a legacy that will protect others.”

“The best wrongful death case is the one that never has to be filed,” said an attorney for the grieving families. “This law recognizes that prevention is always more powerful than accountability after the fact. Today, this country chose to save lives instead of counting them.”