Curtis Highlights Need to Reduce Regulatory Burdens, Preserve Family Farms

During opening remarks, Senator Curtis introduced Mr. Rigby as a hearing witness. During questioning, Curtis focused on the growing regulatory burden facing farmers and ranchers, asking how federal regulations contribute to consolidation in agriculture and what Congress can do to help family operations remain competitive. Mr. Rigby explained that simplifying regulations, expanding access to capital, and supporting value-added agriculture are critical to helping producers manage rising costs and continue operating.

Video of the Senator’s introduction and questioning can be found here, and a transcript is below.

Introduction:

Senator Curtis: Thank you, Chair Young. It’s my privilege to introduce today’s witness from the great state of Utah. Mr. ValJay Rigby, thank you for being here today.

Mr. Rigby serves as president of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, our state’s largest general agriculture organization, representing more than 3,700 members and their families. ValJay is a fifth-generation farmer from Newton, Utah, where his family continues to farm land that was part of its original 1869 homestead.

Today, he farms alongside his brothers and his children, raising beef cattle and growing approximately 1,500 acres of alfalfa and small grains. Mr. Rigby holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in information systems from Utah State University. He has also served as president of the Cache County Farm Bureau, on local planning and zoning and water boards, and as a volunteer firefighter.

Thank you, Mr. Rigby, for making the trip from Utah to join us today. I’m sure they’re missing you back on the farm, but thank you for being here, and I look forward to hearing your testimony.

Questioning:

Curtis: Mr. Rigby, two things you said in your testimony: one I have a comment on; the other, I have a question. You talked about how you were developing character in youth, and I will just tell you, as a previous small business owner myself, if anybody ever walked in my door and said they grew up on a farm in Utah or Idaho, we hired them, no questions asked. They’re hard workers, they’re disciplined, and they’re problem-solvers. I would totally agree with you.

You also alluded to the fact that you don’t have a room full of lawyers and attorneys to help navigate these regulations, and I want to focus on that for just a minute, particularly as it relates to the move toward consolidation in farms and ranches. If you think about the high costs that my colleague from Colorado alluded to, and the regulatory burden, what role is that playing in this consolidation? And how do we here in Washington help you push back on that?

ValJay Rigby: I appreciate the question. Any time that we can reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and producers and simplify those programs, it is a tremendous help because, as a farmer, I wear lots of hats every day. I’m a business owner. I manage my finances. I’m constantly thinking about my cash flow. I may have lots of assets, but I have no cash in the bank. Just ask my banker.

Any time we can provide opportunities to incentivize adding value to the crops that I grow on my farm, that increases the revenue that comes into my farm. Any of those programs are a benefit. When we can incentivize lower interest rates, that’s one of the challenges in agriculture: access to capital and credit. A beginning farmer who’s just starting out faces the challenge that we’ve talked about. They don’t have decades of experience or a balance sheet to show the bank that they’re a good risk. Any of those programs are a tremendous help to our producers.

Curtis: Thank you.

You mentioned the diesel fuel, and I suspect that’s an investment you’ve made that doesn’t pay off the next week, or the next month. You’re making investments that literally don’t pay off for years. I’m curious, as we reflect on tax policy here and the way it impacts small businesses, given your limited cash flow and margins, talk to us about tax policy—what we do here—and how it influences you, both good and bad.

Rigby: We appreciate last summer’s Working Families Tax Cut Act. It’s helpful for production agriculture. Having that certainty to know, as a producer, that I have that permanent $15 million per individual exemption from the estate tax is really important, so I can plan and have some certainty. The biggest asset that I have as a producer is the land, and I need that certainty as I plan.

Some of the other provisions are also a help to us. Any little bit that helps reduce some of that tax burden and incentivizes reinvestment in my farm is a great help.

Curtis: Just to state the obvious: if, upon your death, your heirs had to pay taxes before they could continue operating that farm, it would not make it to a sixth generation. Is that a fair statement?

Rigby: That is a fair statement. There’s no way they could do that. I was lucky enough to farm with my grandfather and my father. My father passed away a few years ago, and if he had died a few years earlier, we would have had a difficult time maintaining our farm if we had been caught in that window.

Curtis: Thank you. I’ve got just a moment left. I’d like to ask all of you to give me a quick answer and give me a sense of how our tax policy and our regulatory policies impact your hiring and financing decisions. Ms. High, we’ll start with you.

Nikki High: Thank you for that question. So much is dependent on our ability to have cash flow, similar to Mr. Rigby. Any break that we get from a tax perspective helps offset our built-in costs, including credit card servicing fees and other fees. Having a tax policy that benefits us allows us to continue hiring in the community and to do more outreach and advocacy programs.

Curtis: Thank you. Mr. Malshe.

Dr. Ajay Malshe: Thank you, Mr. Curtis, for asking that question. I think the two areas where it would help immensely: any dollars that go toward deep-tech product development or deep-tech research. If there can be a policy where those are not taxed, or taxed at a low rate, that would help because research converts money into knowledge, and if you tax the knowledge, you tax how you make the product. So I think research credits for small deep-tech businesses would be very helpful. Second, investment tax credits. If investments made in small businesses receive tax credits, that will increase investment in deep-tech businesses.

Lorena Cantarovici: I think we need to see everything globally, right? I’m not an expert in taxes—thank God. I take care of my [profit and loss statements] and pay attention to all the numbers. But I think as everything evolves, taxes should evolve too, and that we make sure the proportions are equal to what we’re paying. As a small business owner, I want to pay taxes. That means I’m alive. I want to create jobs, and I want to pay employment taxes as well—that’s part of doing business. I think it’s very important that we make sure everything grows in the same way. If I’m able to sell and the economy is good, we all want to pay the right taxes. If the economy isn’t good, we need help—but we need to survive. I don’t want to be in survival mode. I want to be in growth mode.


Duckworth, Durbin, Budzinski Discuss with General Boyd the National Guard’s Plan to Deactivate the Springfield 183rd Wing’s Centralized Repair Facility

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) along with U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today spoke with Illinois Adjutant General Major General Rodney Boyd about the National Guard’s plan to deactivate the Springfield 183rd Wing’s Centralized Repair Facility (CRF) by March 31, 2027.

“For over 16 years, the highly skilled airmen and women at the 183rd Wing have provided skilled jet engine maintenance for F-16s and other military aircraft,” the lawmakers said. “While we are concerned over the National Guard Bureau’s plan to deactivate this mission, we discussed with General Boyd suitable replacement missions being considered by the National Guard that will continue the 183rd’s legacy of high-quality and dedicated service to our nation. We look forward to ongoing conversations to ensure that happens.”

-30-


Duckworth Helps Introduce Sweeping Legislation to Counter Trump’s Authoritarian Takeover, Restore IG Independence and Defend Our Democracy

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in unveiling the For Our Republic Act, a comprehensive legislative package to fight back against President Trump’s aggressive authoritarian takeover of American democracy. Among many priorities, the new legislation includes Senator Duckworth’s Inspectors General Independence Act, which would prevent Donald Trump and future Presidents from appointing their own political allies to serve in the Administration’s “independent” watchdog roles. In addition to Duckworth’s legislation, the For Our Republic Act also includes provisions to protect nonpartisan civil servants, reassert Congress’ power of the purse, fight government corruption, strengthen free speech and civil liberties and safeguard free and fair elections.

“In a clear conflict of interest and gross abuse of power, Trump fired 17 Inspectors General within his first days in office so he could tap political allies to conduct oversight of his own Administration—leaving these watchdogs to answer to the President before the American people,” said Duckworth. “First and foremost, Senate Democrats’ For Our Republic Act includes my legislation that would prevent stone-cold corruption like this, which have too often become the norm in the Trump Administration. It’s clear that the current checks on the President are not enough, and our legislation would not only help us restore good government—it will also empower Congress to prevent any more wanna-be kings from bending our Republic to its breaking point.”

“Authoritarianism isn’t down the street or around the corner—it is here right now,” said Merkley. “We have all three ingredients of a strongman state in the United States: a rubber-stamp Congress doing the President’s bidding; a deferential Supreme Court finding ‘invisible ink’ in the Constitution to enhance the President’s powers; and a power-hungry President behaving like a king, breaking the law and violating the checks and balances of our Constitution. “The For Our Republic Act lays out a clear roadmap of the actions Congress can take to fight back against Trump’s authoritarian takeover and reassert our authority. Together, let’s fight back and save our republic!”

“Donald Trump has led a brazen, unprecedented campaign of corruption—growing his power while ignoring the needs of the American people,” said Blumenthal. “The For Our Republic Act installs critical guardrails against Trump’s relentless attacks on our democracy, promoting government transparency and accountability while preserving Americans’ rights and liberties. This legislation fights against Trump’s slide towards tyranny and protects our country’s democratic values.”

In addition to Duckworth’s Inspectors General Independence Act, the For Our Republic Act includes new provisions to counter the rise of authoritarianism and erosion of our democratic government under the second Trump Administration, as well as other existing legislation from Merkley and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA).

The For Our Republic Act outlines ten principles to protect our democracy:

Defend the Referees

Protect the Independent, Non-Partisan Civil Service

Celebrate One Nation, Indivisible

Reaffirm Equal Justice Under Law

Strengthen Free Speech

Reassert Congress’ Power of the Purse

Fight Government Corruption

Ensure Liberty and Justice for All

Prevent Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets

Safeguard Free and Fair Elections

A detailed outline of the For Our Republic Act can be found by on Senator Merkley’s website.

The For Our Republic Act is supported by Public Citizen, Project on Government Oversight (POGO), Refugees International and Common Cause.

Full text of the legislation is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

Duckworth has been a leading voice pushing back against the Trump Administration’s erosion of government watchdog independence. In May, she called on Chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) Cheryl Mason to follow the law and designate a lead Inspector General (IG) to conduct comprehensive oversight over all aspects of Operation Epic Fury and the Trump Administration’s ongoing military operations against Iran.

In February, the Senator called out then-Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem for making thinly veiled threats to invoke a never-used authority that could prevent or stop any DHS Office of Inspector General investigation. In January, Duckworth introduced her Inspectors General Independence Act to root out conflicts of interest within our IGs that could undermine their responsibility to root out government waste, fraud and abuse within the Executive Branch.

-30-


Duckworth Leads Colleagues in Push to Stop Trump from Hiding the True Cost of the Iran War and Dishonoring the Sacrifices of Our Heroes

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today led 17 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would stop Donald Trump’s desperate attempt to obscure how long his illegal war against Iran has lasted, dishonor the sacrifice of our troops injured and killed in combat and hide the true cost of his disastrous war from the American people. The Senators’ Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act would ban the Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of our servicemembers and public servants. The bill introduction comes after the Pentagon unprecedentedly recategorized recent casualties suffered in Trump’s Iran war—including four killed and over 200 wounded servicemembers—under a separate category outside Operation Epic Fury in a shameless attempt to downplay the damage done and evade accountability to the American people.

“I refuse to let Donald Trump dishonor the service of our heroes just because it benefits him politically to lie about the length of this illegal campaign and hide the true cost of his war from the American people,” said Duckworth. “Trump knows his war of choice is unpopular, which is why he’s manipulating casualty records to try and fool the public into believing it’s been less of a disaster. It’s an insult to our fallen heroes, and it could jeopardize the benefits of troops and civilians he continues to put in harm’s way. Our brave men and women in uniform deserve accountability, not a Commander in Chief who plays games with their sacrifices.”

To ban the Secretary of Defense from hiding the true cost of war, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act specifically:

Bans Arbitrary, Unjustified Recategorizing of Designated Contingency Operations by prohibiting redesignating an ongoing conflict if the Administration continues to mobilize forces against the same enemy;

Prevents Manipulation of Casualty Records by prohibiting manipulation of casualty records by falsely redesignating a contingency operation;

Restores Casualty Records of Our Fallen and Wounded Heroes in the Iran War by requiring restoration of casualty records for Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026, and notify next-of-kin about the correction;

Bans Cutting Hard-Earned Benefits for Troops and Civilian Personnel by prohibiting the modification of eligibility for deployment-related personnel benefits on the basis of falsely redesignating a contingency operation; and

Restores Benefits to Personnel Supporting Iran War by retroactively restoring all covered benefits entitled to members of the Armed Services and civilian employees who have supported Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026.

In addition to Duckworth, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Gary Peters (D-MI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), John Fetterman (D-PA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

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

“Time and time again the Trump Administration has contradicted themselves, withheld information, and misled Congress and the American people about the reality of this war,” said Peters. “They are failing the brave men and women who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe. I’m proud to support this bill because the?American people deserve answers and the?roughly 40,000?U.S. servicemembers serving in the region deserve leadership.”

“While the Trump regime claims to support our servicemembers, their actions tell a far more sinister story,” said Hirono. “Instead of honoring the brave servicemembers who are being killed and injured, this regime is obscuring the truth and hiding the real cost of this illegal war—all to evade accountability from the American people. This regime claims to value transparency, and this legislation demands they actually deliver it.”

“We owe our servicemembers a debt that we can never truly repay,” said Van Hollen. “Instead of honoring them, Trump and Secretary Hegseth are manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits servicemembers and their families are owed for their sacrifices. Trump’s illegal Iran war has been a complete blunder – and we cannot let this Administration harm military families in an attempt to hide from their mistakes. With this legislation, we ensure our men and women in uniform are shown the respect they deserve and that they receive the full honors and benefits that they and their families are owed.”

“Trump’s illegal war with Iran has cost us dearly, and now he’s trying to rewrite history to better serve his agenda,” said Merkley. “I’m holding in my heart the families and loved ones of the American servicemembers killed in Iran and will keep pushing to end Trump’s war of choice.”

“The Trump Administration’s decision to reclassify the deaths of four service members and the injuries of more than 200 is not only dishonest; it is an affront to the service and sacrifice these men and women, and their families, have made,” said Bennet. “Our legislation will stop this administration from obscuring the continuing cost of President Trump’s ongoing war with Iran and, more importantly, will provide confirmation that those who have answered the call to duty and their families will receive the rightful benefits and recognition they are owed.”

“It is a disgrace that this administration is trying to hide deaths of the men and women who gave their lives serving this country,” said Gallego. “Trump has got us into another forever war that has jacked up gas prices, and instead of being focused on ending it, he is fudging the numbers for good PR. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so that our servicemembers and their families are never disrespected like this again.”

“Manipulating casualty records for political purposes is a despicable disservice to brave heroes,” said Blumenthal. “President Trump’s denial of rightful status to four American servicemembers killed during the war in Iran is not only disrespectful – it could also deprive them and their families of benefits and recognition. There is no reason for this abhorrent action other than obfuscating and concealing the true costs of war – and it must be stopped.”

“I join Senator Duckworth’s effort to honor the solemn promise we make to our fallen heroes and servicemembers and make sure they aren’t caught up in the Trump administration’s lies around the Iran War,” said Kim. “We must take steps to ensure political charades never get in the way of the benefits our military and their families deserve and ensure no administration going forward can manipulate service records.”

“Time and again, this Administration has tried to conceal its failures in Iran behind the courage of the brave Americans it placed in harm’s way,” said Alsobrooks. “Now it is attempting to obscure the deaths and injuries of our service members—and that is not only hypocritical, but unconscionable. Our legislation demands accountability. It will restore casualty records, ensure the American people are told the truth about this war, and secure the benefits and honors our military and civilian personnel have earned. We will not allow any Administration to diminish the service, sacrifice, or memory of those who answered our nation’s call.”

“Anyone who steps up to serve our nation and put themselves in harm’s way deserves our utmost respect and gratitude,” said Schatz. “The Trump administration’s attempts to hide the true death toll in the war on Iran and jeopardize hard-earned benefits for troops and civilians is shameful. Our bill will help ensure the integrity of casualty records and protect benefits for those who serve.”

The Senators’ legislation is endorsed by VoteVets and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

“You can’t erase a war by renaming it and you can’t erase a fallen servicemember by rewriting their record,” said VoteVets Senior Advisor Max Rose. “Pete Hegseth is hiding the cost of Trump's war from the families who paid it. Senator Duckworth is a true leader who understands what this country owes its wounded and its dead, and VoteVets is proud to support her bill.”

“Senator Duckworth’s legislation to prevent unwarranted changes or reclassifications of servicemembers killed or wounded in action comes at a critical moment,” said Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). “We must ensure that the true cost of war, and the sacrifices of those who serve, is never obscured. The Department of Defense has recently made changes without sufficient transparency or clear justification, creating the potential for significant downstream consequences. These changes could impact benefits, research, and future VA funding. We strongly support this bill and the Senator’s relentless support for our military and veterans.”

Full text of the legislation is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

Duckworth has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s illegal, needless war in Iran since it began. She is one of the Senate Six—the original group of Senators who have been forcing votes on War Powers Resolutions that would cease hostilities in Iran, which Republicans have shamefully blocked nine times. Last month, the Senator announced she would oppose the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) if it failed to include her amendment that would stop funding for offensive operations against Iran—while still allowing for defensive operations—until the American people consent to this war.

Ahead of the Senate’s vote on her own War Powers resolution in April, Duckworth gave impassioned remarks drawing on her personal experience serving in our nation’s last war of choice in the Middle East, imploring Republicans to remember their oaths and vote to help rein in this unhinged President—which they did not.

-30-


Durbin Amendment To Help Rural Hospitals At Greatest Risk Of Closure Defeated By Republicans In Ag Committee

WASHINGTON – During today’s consideration of the Farm Bill in the Senate Agriculture Committee, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) offered an amendment that would provide federal grants to rural hospitals at risk of closure. Rural hospitals are facing severe financial strain due to major federal funding cuts by congressional Republicans. Durbin’s amendment would have provided $200 million a year for grants to rural hospitals at greatest risk of closure. Every Republican voted against Durbin’s amendment.

Rural hospitals are the backbone of their communities, and often the largest employers, contributing nearly $5 billion in direct spending on payroll, goods, and services in Illinois. Yet due to funding cuts passed by Congressional Republicans, more than 300 hospitals are facing immediate closure risk, including 24 in Illinois.

“Let’s put farm families back in the Farm Bill. And what I’m talking about specifically are not only the profits and losses in farm operations, but the burdens that farm families are carrying. Twenty-seven percent of farm families have Obamacare, Affordable Care Act insurance policies. What has happened to those in the last year? Dramatic increases in cost,” Durbin said. “A farmer in Nebraska expects to pay for his wife and himself $32,000 this year for health insurance premiums. Last year, $13,000. You say to yourself, what impact does that have? The impact it has is not just on that family and their fear of how they are going to pay the premiums, but a question about health care providers in his farm state, in his rural state.”

Durbin continued, “What do the hospitals tell you when you go home? … Senator Duckworth and I sent letters to 129 rural hospitals in Illinois and said, how are you doing? More than half of them said, we are in trouble—serious trouble. And if you look at the numbers across the board, in Illinois, 24 rural hospitals—30 percent of the total—are at risk of closure. In Arkansas, 50 percent are at risk of closure. Mississippi, six hospitals [are] facing closure. Senator Thune, [in] South Dakota, 40 percent of hospitals are on the brink of closure. What happens when the hospital closes? I can tell you right off the bat it means that the farmer that was injured in a serious, maybe life-threatening accident takes longer and longer to get to an emergency room.”

Durbin concluded, “Here’s what I’m proposing—it is modest, by federal standards, but it is important. I think we ought to make a commitment in this Farm Bill to rural hospitals. And what I am proposing is that we create an opportunity for rural hospitals to get up to $8 million in grants to survive. These are hospitals that are serving clearly rural areas and not wealthy people. They are struggling farm families and struggling rural families. What does it amount to? Five years at $200 million amounts to $1 billion… it represents 48 hours in the war in Iran.”

Congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which passed last year, cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and $300 billion from Affordable Care Act coverage over the next decade in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Following passage of OBBBA, Durbin sent a letter to every hospital in Illinois to survey the projected impact on hospitals. Across the 129 responses Durbin received, hospitals across Illinois, especially those in rural areas, detailed fears about pending cuts to services and staff while emergency room wait times increase.

In response to rural hospitals’ concerns about potential cuts or forced closures, Durbin has advanced his bipartisan Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act. The legislation would update Medicare’s “Critical Access Hospital” (CAH) designation so more rural hospitals can qualify for this financial lifeline and continue to serve their communities with quality, affordable health care services.

Video of Durbin’s comments in Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s comments in Committee is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s comments in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

-30-


Durbin Applauds Court Ruling Approving $11 Billion In Borrower Defense Claims For Students Defrauded By For-Profit Colleges

The class action lawsuit was originally filed during the first Trump Administration

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today applauded the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit’s ruling that the U.S. Department of Education must approve $11 billion in borrower defense claims for more than 170,000 students who were defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges. Durbin has worked for years to hold these predatory schools and their executives accountable for exploiting students and fleecing taxpayers while fighting for debt relief for the students they’ve harmed.

“What you don’t know is that although only eight percent of [American college students] go to for-profit colleges and universities, 30 percent of all student loan defaults are the students from these same schools. What’s going on here? Such a low number, eight percent, going on to these schools, and such a high number of loan defaults. That’s because they issue worthless degrees and entice these students into deep debt,” Durbin said. “Many times, a parent, or even a grandparent, will cosign on the loans for these for-profit schools. And when everything falls apart, as it’s likely to, everybody is held liable and responsible. That’s why we’ve had an ongoing battle here in Washington for years against the for-profit college and university industry.”

A class action lawsuit, Sweet v. McMahon, originated during the first Trump Administration, with hundreds of thousands of students asserting that the Trump Administration had intentionally and illegally stopped reviewing their borrower defense claims—which allow students who were defrauded by their institution to receive federal student loan discharges. In 2022, the Biden Administration settled the suit by promising to provide automatic relief for students who attended one of more than 150 schools, the vast majority of which were predatory for-profit colleges. However, the second Trump Administration has stalled in reviewing fraud claims for borrowers who applied after the 2022 settlement was reached.

Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit did not approve the Trump Administration’s request for an extension to review the borrower defense claims. The Trump Administration must now provide relief for the borrower defense claims approved after the Biden Administration settled the suit in 2022. In total, this is the largest class action settlement in history, with nearly 500,000 borrowers seeing $23 billion in total federal student debt forgiven.

“There was a legal battle in a case called Sweet vs McMahon, which has gone on for years. It finally, last week, came to an end. And it’s an important case on this subject of for-profit colleges and universities. It was the largest class action settlement against the federal government in the history of our nation,” Durbin said. “That’s life changing news for nearly half a million federal student loan borrowers, who will receive $23 billion in relief after being misled and defrauded by for-profit colleges.”

Durbin continued, “While the Trump Administration can quickly greenlight permanent tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, as in their so-called ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’, they hesitated when it came to giving relief to these students who just wanted a fair shot… Like their tactics with DACA recipients and the slow walking of renewal applications with the USCIS, the Administration was asking for more time so that they could bleed out these borrowers and deny relief to hundreds of thousands of students deep in debt, living in their parents’ basement, trying to figure out if they had a future. This is where their [Trump Administration] priorities lie. I’m glad these borrowers, after years and years of waiting, will finally get the relief they’re entitled to.”

Durbin then recounted the letter he sends every year to Illinois high school principals, counselors, and teachers asking them to warn college-bound students and their families about the risks associated with attending for-profit colleges.

“For the last 15 years or more, I’ve sent a letter to every high school counselor in the state of Illinois. I… warned them, be careful not to let your students be lured into these for-profit colleges and universities,” Durbin said. “They may be a total waste or worse. It could be a debt that trails you for years and years, if not decades, in your life. Thank goodness for these students, these thousands of students who were benefited by President Biden’s decision. The Courts finally stood by them and gave these students a second chance.”

Durbin concluded, “It’s been a situation I’ve run into time and again. I have threatened some of these for-profit schools as a way of getting them to drop the loans that they were enforcing on these students, because I know what happens in the end. Students need to be careful. You can’t go wrong starting with City Colleges and community colleges in your community… I beg my young students in Illinois to start there, and counselors to do their job and discourage kids from getting involved with these for-profit schools.”

Video of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s floor speech is available here for TV Stations.

-30-


Durbin, Duckworth, Budzinski Discuss With General Boyd The National Guard’s Plan To Deactivate The Springfield 183rd Wing’s Centralized Repair Facility

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today spoke with Illinois Adjutant General Major General Rodney Boyd about the National Guard’s plan to deactivate the Springfield 183rd Wing’s Centralized Repair Facility (CRF) by March 31, 2027.

“For over 16 years, the highly skilled airmen and women at the 183rd Wing have provided skilled jet engine maintenance for F-16s and other military aircraft. While we are concerned over the National Guard Bureau’s plan to deactivate this mission, we discussed with General Boyd suitable replacement missions being considered by the National Guard that will continue the 183rd’s legacy of high-quality and dedicated service to our nation. We look forward to ongoing conversations to ensure that happens,” the lawmakers said.

-30-


Durbin, Duckworth Lead Members Of The Illinois Delegation To Demand Trump Administration Restore Funding For Illinois Energy Projects That Were Politically Targeted And Illegally Canceled

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

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led members of the Illinois Congressional delegation in a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding that the Trump Administration restore funding for the 33 energy grants totaling more than $580 million to the State of Illinois that were unlawfully terminated in October 2025. The Trump Administration has since admitted to illegally canceling energy grants because those projects were in states, including Illinois, that did not vote for President Trump in the 2024 Presidential election. The canceled federal grant funds designated for Illinois included projects on domestic energy production, lowering energy costs, and improving grid reliability.

In addition to Durbin and Duckworth, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Jonathan Jackson (D-01-IL), Robin Kelly (D-02-IL), Jesús "Chuy" García (D-04-IL), Mike Quigley (D-05-IL), Sean Casten (D-06-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-08-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-09-IL), Brad Schneider (D-10-IL), Bill Foster (D-11-IL), Nikki Budzinski (D-13-IL), Lauren Underwood (D-14-IL), and Eric Sorensen (D-17-IL).

The lawmakers wrote, “As if this brazen politicization of DOE’s grant-making process were not bad enough, these cancellations also took aim at our constituents’ wallets. Average household energy bills in Illinois rose by $210 in 2025, and that number is expected to increase further by the end of 2026. As Artificial Intelligence data centers—welcomed and unchecked by your Administration—demand a growing quantity of electricity, bills are projected to rise even higher. In fact, Illinois officials warn that without action, the state may experience power shortfalls as soon as 2029. To combat the deluge of new demand, Illinois needs additional power generation, expanded energy storage, and upgrades to its electrical grid.”

The lawmakers continued, “The grants you terminated would have assisted in the deployment of these technologies and created hundreds of jobs. One such grant would have provided $50 million to Rockford, Illinois, to modernize its grid infrastructure and train new technicians to service those upgrades. Instead of enabling this progress in Rockford and across Illinois, your shortsighted, vindictive policy inflicted higher prices on our constituents. The terminations make clear that OMB and DOE are willing to sacrifice the well-being of Americans to punish the President’s perceived political enemies.”

In the letter, the lawmakers highlighted how the grants would have benefited communities in Illinois that were hit by extreme weather, including tornadoes. So far this year, a record-breaking 220 tornadoes have touched down in Illinois—more than the next two highest states combined. These weather events deal incredible damage to Illinois’s electric grid, knocking out power for hundreds of thousands of residents. In one instance, the Trump Administration terminated a grant to the City of Naperville intended to improve the management of its small-scale, distributed generation. The callous terminations weakened Naperville’s ability to respond to the frequent storms of recent months.

The lawmakers wrote, “Repeated damage to Illinois’ grid infrastructure also increases demand for critical electrical components like distribution transformers, exacerbating already severe supply chain shortages that affect every state. The U.S. electric grid is complex and interregional, and it does not distinguish between political parties. Your partisan attacks on Illinois are just as likely to raise prices or extend repair timelines in Wisconsin, Indiana, or Iowa the next time they face a tornado or flood.”

The lawmakers concluded, “It is incumbent upon DOE to take a wide view of and responsibility for the health of our nation’s energy systems. Through these grant terminations, you have demonstrated a complete failure to understand this basic principle of DOE’s mission. To begin rectifying this unprecedented political attack, we demand that you restore all 33 of the DOE grants cancelled in Illinois as a part of these mass terminations.”

Read the full text of the letter here.

Today’s letter follows a letter Durbin and Duckworth sent last week with U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Patty Murray (D-WA) to DOE and OMB demanding they restore funding for canceled energy projects across the country.

-30-


Durbin Fights For SNAP Benefits In Farm Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, made a closing statement during today’s Committee consideration of the Farm Bill where he argued in support of Democrats’ request for a two-year delay to Republicans’ requirement that forces states to provide a share of the cost of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The two-year delay is supported by a bipartisan coalition including the National Governors Association, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National Conference of State Legislators. Without this fix, all state budgets could soon face major new costs of more than $9 billion, with the State of Illinois facing new costs of at least $600 million per year and causing financial impacts on county and town budgets as well.

In January 2025, forty-two million Americans, including almost two million Illinoisans, received SNAP benefits, until Congress enacted the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which cut SNAP by nearly $200 billion, the biggest cut in history. Today, it is now estimated that 4.5 million vulnerable American families have lost benefits for food, including 1.5 million children nationwide, and up to 300,000 people in Illinois.

Additionally, 23,000 Illinoisans who are unhoused, veterans, or youth aging out of foster care will lose assistance, and roughly 16,000 lawfully present asylees, refugees, and visa-holding victims of torture, trafficking, and domestic violence lost benefits as of April 1 because of OBBBA. The average SNAP benefit is about $6 per person per day.

“I have seen a few farm bills… The decision was made in the 1960s to blend together food and nutrition programs [to the Farm Bill]… That winning coalition has paid off ever since. We need it again and it has to be part of this SNAP conversation. We [Democrats] want to support the Farm Bill—I certainly do. But I want to make sure that I’m fair to my State and fair to the people who are receiving SNAP benefits who are being disadvantaged,” Durbin said. “This paperwork requirement of people in low-income categories is an onerous responsibility… as long as they are trying in good faith to comply with the law, I don’t think we should deny them the $6 a day.”

Video of Durbin’s comments in Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s comments in Committee is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s comments in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

-30-


Senate Democrats Sound Alarm On Proposed ATF Rule Loosening Firearm Prohibitions For High-Risk Individuals

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) led a group of Senate Democrats in sounding the alarm on a proposed federal gun regulation that would revise the definitions of “adjudicated as a mental defective” and “committed to a mental institution,” effectively raising the legal threshold to prohibit high-risk individuals’ access to firearms.

In a letter to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Robert Cekada, the Senators wrote: “With these proposed revisions, ATF is rewriting the regulations that have been used and relied on for decades to help keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who are not allowed to have them for mental health reasons under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4). ATF’s stated justification for this change is narrow, citing mainly the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) past practice of reporting certain veterans to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), but ATF’s proposed rule is much broader. It is also based on an insufficient process — failing to account for the significant costs implementation of this proposed rule will incur. In addition, ATF admits the potential risks that will come with these revisions include ‘potential mass casualty events.’ For all of these reasons, ATF should withdraw this rule.”

Specifically, the Senators cited the following reasons for ATF to withdraw the proposed rule in its entirety:

ATF’s claims misrepresent the situation, and these purported issues have already been resolved by Congress;

One particular revision is inconsistent with the intent and purpose of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) and the Brady Act;

ATF fails to consider or contemplate the resource costs that will fall to the states to address ATF’s proposed revisions; and

ATF did not sufficiently consider tailored alternatives for the issues it is purportedly seeking to address.

“To upend longstanding federal gun violence prevention regulations in a manner that contravenes commonsense federal firearms laws like the GCA and the Brady Act based on an inadequate justification and incomplete cost-benefit analysis warrants withdrawal on its own. That, in ATF’s own words, the proposed rule could lead to “mass casualty events” is only further evidence that ATF should not engage in this rulemaking. It is unconscionable that ATF, whose mission is to protect the public from violent gun crime, would even begin to consider regulatory changes that could result in such deadly outcomes. For the reasons detailed in this comment, ATF should withdraw this proposed rule,” the Senators concluded.

In addition to Durbin and Murphy, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

For a PDF of the letter to Director Cekada, click here.

-30-


Ernst Joins Iowa Delegation in Requesting Expedited Disaster Aid for Iowa Counties Following Severe Flooding

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), along with U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), this week urged President Donald Trump to approve Governor Kim Reynolds' request for a major disaster declaration following severe weather and heavy rainfall that struck Iowa between July 1 and 4, 2026.

The severe weather brought high winds, flash flooding, and widespread river flooding across Iowa's river basins, causing extensive damage to critical infrastructure and private property.

In addition to requesting statewide hazard mitigation assistance, Governor Reynolds requested funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance Program to help repair damaged public infrastructure and facilities and reimburse eligible emergency response and debris removal costs.

The FEMA Public Assistance Program request includes the following counties:

Jasper County

Polk County

Story County

Warren County

Read the Iowa delegation's full letter to the president HERE.

Background:

On July 24, 2026, Governor Reynolds announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration approved her request to provide disaster assistance to eight counties impacted by the severe storms: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Polk, Story, and Warren counties. Read more HERE.

Disaster loan applications can be submitted online at lending.sba.gov or in person at designated disaster assistance centers.

Iowans impacted by the severe storms who need assistance navigating available federal resources are encouraged to contact Senator Ernst's office or visit ernst.senate.gov.

###


Ernst Statement on Advancing a Bipartisan Farm Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released the following statement after Senate Agriculture Committee Democrats voted against advancing the Farm Bill, delaying critical support for America’s farmers:

“I’m disappointed the Democrats voted against advancing the Farm Bill today, leaving America’s farmers and rural communities waiting even longer for the certainty of a five-year Farm Bill. The Farm Bill released by Chairman Boozman includes priorities I’ve been fighting to deliver for Iowans for over a decade, from expanding access to year-round E15 and keeping our farmland out of the hands of China to supporting farmer mental health. While today’s vote is a setback, I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure states are treated fairly as we strengthen accountability in SNAP, find a long-term fix to the harmful effects of Proposition 12, and build the bipartisan support needed to get a Farm Bill across the finish line and signed into law.”

Watch Ernst’s remarks here.

“Our states have to get to a point where they don't have this huge discrepancy with the error rates. I've worked really hard with our friends across the aisle to try and find a solution to this, because I do think that what was done in the One Big, Beautiful Bill, it did favor certain states, and it doesn't allow for some of those states to really make the corrections as necessary,” said Ernst.

Download audio of Ernst here.

###


Gallego Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Veterans’ Disability Pay

WASHINGTON — Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced the Restore Veterans’ Compensation Act, legislation that protects veterans who receive disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from having their separation pay unfairly recouped.

“It is ridiculous to claw back money from a veteran who has put life and limb on the line, just because later in life they qualify for disability benefits,” said Senator Gallego. “Separation pay and disability compensation serve two entirely different purposes—one honors time served, while the other addresses workplace injuries sustained. My bill ensures we stop unfairly penalizing our heroes and guarantees that Arizona veterans keep every dollar of the benefits they have rightfully earned.”

Separation pay can be given to service members when they depart the military for several reasons. For example, when members of the Armed Forces with more than six years of service meet reenlistment requirements but are not allowed to reenlist, they are eligible for separation pay. Separation pay is also used to incentivize service members to depart the military when the Pentagon is working to downsize the force.

Currently, outdated policies prohibit veterans from receiving concurrent receipt of unrelated benefit payments. Therefore, veterans who receive separation pay who later qualify for VA disability benefits have their separation pay recouped.

Read more on the issue from Military.com: Senator introduces bill to stop VA from recouping military separation pay from disabled vets. The Restore Veterans’ Compensation Act would fix this unwarranted policy through several key provisions.

Specifically, the bill would:

No longer allow for the recoupment of separation pay from veterans who later become eligible for VA disability benefits because the two compensate for different things—workplace injuries (disability benefits) versus time served (separation pay);

Ensure veterans who later qualify for military retirement pay only have to repay the net amount of separation pay instead of the gross amount to prevent the federal government from recouping more than the veteran received; and,

Change the recoupment rate for retired military veterans to 25 percent of those same veterans’ paycheck instead of the current 40 percent.


Gallego, Kelly Press FAA on Flawed Phoenix Flight Path Plan

Senators warn proposed changes would expose tens of thousands of additional Phoenix-area residents to additional noise pollution, break past commitments to communities, and repeat mistakes of a decade-long legal battle with the City of Phoenix

WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) raised serious concerns with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s proposed Phoenix Area Modernization Project and Draft Environmental Assessment. In a letter to Administrator Bryan Bedford, the senators urged the FAA to publish a revised assessment that addresses issues identified by impacted communities.

The proposed project would update flight procedures for ten Valley airports, including Phoenix Sky Harbor and Mesa Gateway. If implemented, the proposed flight-path changes would expose more than 86,000 additional people in the Phoenix area to reportable noise increases, with over 65,000 residents facing increases of 5 decibels or more, despite less disruptive alternatives being available. The City of Phoenix, the City of Mesa, the Mesa Gateway Airport Authority, and countless community stakeholders have reached out directly to share concerns directly with the FAA.

“While we share the goals of ensuring a safe and efficient airspace in the Phoenix area, we are concerned that the FAA’s proposed flight procedure changes will have significant adverse effects for neighborhoods, communities, and airports across the Phoenix area,” the senators wrote.


Gallego, Rounds Introduce Bill to Spur Affordable Housing Investments

The Bipartisan, Bicameral Affordable Housing Credit Carryback Act increases the Low Income Housing Tax Credit carryback period from one year to five years

WASHINGTON — Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Mike Rounds (R-SD)today introduced the bipartisan Affordable Housing Credit Carryback Act. The bill changes the carryback period from one-year to five-years for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), which would provide greater flexibility for investors, strengthen the housing credit market, and encourage continued investment in affordable housing projects.

“By providing more tax flexibility to builders and investors, our bipartisan bill will allow more housing to come online faster,” Senator Gallego said. “Arizona needs more housing, and it needs it now. That’s why I’m fighting to help increase supply and lower the cost of housing for Arizona families.”

“Addressing housing supply challenges has been a central pillar of this Congress’s agenda. Making additional improvements to the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) would support that effort and fortify the credit as a strong tool for affordable housing development and rehabilitation,” said Senator Rounds. “I hear from constituents every day about limited access to affordable housing. Expanding the LIHTC carryback period from one to five years will provide investors necessary flexibility to improve our nation’s affordable housing supply.”

Under current law, a LIHTC must be applied against an investor’s tax liability in the year it is received. Certain credits, however, are more flexible – allowing investors to apply them not only to their current year’s tax liability, but also to offset prior years’ tax liability.

The Affordable Housing Credit Carryback Act would let LIHTC investors apply the credit to the past five years of taxes instead of just one. That makes LIHTC more competitive with other credits, gives investors more flexibility, and makes it easier for investors to keep funding affordable housing even during a recession, which is exactly when demand for cheap rental housing goes up but investors have less current tax liability to offset.

“The Affordable Housing Credit Carryback Act will increase investment in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, our nation’s primary tool to finance affordable housing, at a time when it is sorely needed to address our nation’s affordability crisis,” said Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition CEO Emily Cadik. “We applaud Senators Gallego and Rounds for their leadership on strengthening this proven program to help meet a vast and growing need for affordable housing.”

This legislation is an important step toward addressing the nation’s housing shortage and builds on Senator Gallego’s efforts to lower housing costs. He was a champion of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which included legislation introduced by the senator.

Earlier this year, Senator Gallego also released a comprehensive housing plan, “The Path Home: Rebuilding the American Dream and Restoring Housing Affordability,” outlining additional solutions to build more homes, cut red tape, and bring housing costs down for working families.

Click here to view the bill text.


Gillibrand Introduces Two Bills To Support Accessible Housing For Seniors And People With Disabilities

This week, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced two bills to support accessible housing for seniors and people with disabilities. The Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act would create a new tax credit for seniors to install essential modifications to their homes to help them age in place. The Visitable Inclusive Tax Credits for Accessible Living (VITAL) Act would expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program to support the construction of more affordable housing units with accessible features.

“A safe, accessible place to live should be a right, not a privilege, for our seniors,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The VITAL Act would help ensure that affordable housing meets the mobility and accessibility needs of New York seniors and people with disabilities, allowing them to age comfortably in the communities of their choice. Additionally, the Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act would help seniors age with dignity by assisting with the cost of home modifications related to mobility needs. As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I am committed to doing everything I can to remove barriers to accessible housing, and I’m fighting hard for these bills to pass.”

By 2060, an estimated one in every four Americans will be age 65 or older. Currently, about 44% of adults 65 and over have a disability. As people age, they need structurally and mechanically safe housing to accommodate their disabilities. However, as of 2011, less than 4% of our national housing supply was accessibly designed. The Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act and the VITAL Act would help increase the amount of accessible housing available to American seniors and people with disabilities.

The Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit would create a nonrefundable tax credit for taxpayers aged 60 or older for expenses related to certain home modifications on their principal residence or a qualifying second home. The credit would be equal to the cost of eligible expenditures, such as wheelchair ramps, handrails, chair lifts, shower seats, and more, with an annual credit limitation of $10,000. Qualifying expenditures would also include certain labor costs related to the preparation, assembly, or installation of an eligible modification. U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) co-leads this legislation.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is a federal program providing tax credits to developers who build new housing for lower-income renters. The VITAL Act would add incentives for the LIHTC program to increase the number of accessible homes so that more people with disabilities and older adults can live in the communities they choose. It would also require that the states administering LIHTC ensure that at least 20% of their LIHTC units are accessible and/or walkable and rollable. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) co-leads this legislation.

###


Gillibrand Reintroduces Bill To Make Politicians Answer To Voters, Not Billionaire Megadonors

Gillibrand’s Bill Would Create First-Of-Its-Kind “Democracy Dollars” Voucher Program To Empower Voters To Donate To Candidates Of Their Choice, Ensuring That Campaigns Are Funded By Everyday Voters, Not Billionaires

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced landmark legislation to empower everyday American voters to participate in the campaign finance system and to reduce the influence of big money in politics. Gillibrand’s Clean Elections Act would give every American citizen “Democracy Dollars” to donate to the federal candidates of their choice, so campaigns are funded by everyday voters rather than a handful of megadonors.

“When billionaires and special interests buy our elections, it’s working families who pay the price — in higher costs at the grocery store, higher drug prices, and tax breaks that flow to the wealthy,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Political candidates should be answering to their constituents, not special interest groups and wealthy donors. My Clean Elections Act gives every American ‘Democracy Dollars’ to support the candidates of their choice, so winning elections means delivering lower costs and better lives for working families, not doing favors for wealthy megadonors.”

Today, a tiny group of ultra-wealthy donors dominates how campaigns are funded. As of April 2024, over 65% of the roughly $8.6 billion raised for federal campaigns had come from PACs, with $2.6 billion coming from just 100 billionaire families throughout the 2024 election cycle. . Meanwhile, only about 1% of Americans contributed more than $200 to any federal campaign. The result is a system where candidates court a small circle of wealthy donors behind closed doors, while the voters they’re supposed to represent are drowned out.

Gillibrand’s Clean Elections Act would help shift the balance of power back to everyday Americans by creating a “Democracy Dollars” voucher system. This system would provide every eligible U.S. citizen with $100 in “Democracy Dollars” for each federal election (House, Senate, and presidential, both primary and general, for a total of up to $600). Citizens could then donate these funds in $10 increments to candidates of their choice, making every voter a donor whose support candidates have to earn.

The Clean Elections Act is endorsed by End Citizens United, Stand Up America, and Demos.

“When Big Money floods our elections, politicians become more responsive and beholden to deep-pocketed donors instead of their constituents,” said End Citizens United Action Fund President Tiffany Muller. “Elections should be decided by the strength of candidates’ ideas and the trust they earn from voters, not by their ability to attract wealthy donors. Senator Gillibrand’s Clean Elections Act is a practical solution that would level the playing field by giving everyday Americans a greater voice in our elections. We’re grateful to Senator Gillibrand for leading this pragmatic and vital reform.”

“For decades, big money in politics has drowned out the voices of everyday people in our democracy. Americans are fed up with the outsized influence of wealthy donors and want Congress to act,” said Brett Edkins, Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs at Stand Up America. “The Clean Elections Act helps level the playing field by giving every registered voter democracy dollars to support the candidates of their choice, making every voter a more powerful participant in our elections. We applaud Senator Gillibrand for championing this bold reform and urge Congress to advance the Clean Elections Act.”

The full text of the bill can be found here.

###


Grassley Issues Statement After Democrat Opposition Stalls Farm Bill

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer, issued a statement after the Senate Agriculture Committee failed to advance the 2026 Farm Bill due to Democrats’ refusal to provide bipartisan support for the legislation.

“I’m very disappointed Democrats blocked the Farm Bill today in protest over commonsense reforms that root out waste in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and protect the integrity of the SNAP program. Democrats’ obstruction leaves the fate of the Farm Bill in serious jeopardy at a time when farmers need our help.

“I’ve fought tooth and nail for years to deliver a new, five-year Farm Bill and nationwide, year-round E15 for Iowa’s family farmers, and I’m not done working toward that goal. Rural America is counting on us.

“Farmers don’t throw in the towel when the going gets tough, and Democrats shouldn’t either. It’s up to Democrats to put politics aside, engage in good faith negotiations and accept bipartisan compromise in order to get the Farm Bill passed in the Senate this year. I’m hopeful the committee can improve the bill and vote again when the Senate returns in September to achieve a more positive outcome.”

A broadcast quality video statement from Grassley on the Farm Bill is available HERE.


Grassley Joins Lankford to Introduce Bill Strengthening and Protecting Military Chaplains’ Ministry

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), to introduce the Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 (MCMA), which would codify the purpose, role, duties and professional qualifications of military chaplains and protect chaplains from being forced to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.

The legislation is additionally cosponsored by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.). Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives, and the bill was included in the House-passed Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“Military chaplains provide a vital service to the patriots who sacrifice for our country every day. By standardizing a chaplain’s role, this commonsense legislation clarifies their duties and protects chaplains from unfair censorship. Like all Americans, our men and women in uniform have the God-given right to observe their religious beliefs, especially as they put their own lives on the line to defend our nation. Our legislation reinforces those rights,” Grassley said.

"For our country’s 250-year history, military chaplains have walked alongside our service members through the hardest moments of their lives, offering prayer, counsel, and hope in isolated posts and combat zones alike," Lankford said. "Chaplains serve because they are called to it. Congress has a responsibility to make sure they can carry out that calling faithfully, without being forced to violate the tenets of their faith and without fear of retaliation for holding to what they believe. This bill honors the men and women who minister to our heroes who defend our nation."

“Military chaplains shouldn’t have to check their faith at the door when they put on the uniform,” Cramer said. “They play a vital role in supporting the moral and spiritual well-being of our servicemembers, and their ministry and the men and women they serve are strengthened because of their faith. This legislation protects their ability to minister according to their beliefs and ensures those freedoms are always preserved.”

"Military chaplains serve a unique and important role in our armed forces, providing spiritual guidance to our men and women in uniform. That is why it is imperative that their deeply held religious beliefs must be protected throughout their time in the military. I'm proud to support this legislation and the faith leaders who serve in our Armed Forces," Britt said.

Background:

The bill is supported by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, which provides advice and recommendations to Department of Defense officials on issues regarding the free exercise of religion

The Military Chaplains Modernization Act:

Codifies the purpose, role, duties and professional qualifications of chaplains across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force.

Guarantees that chaplains may conduct worship, provide counseling, teach, deliver sermons, minister and offer prayer in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs and the tenets of their religious-endorsing organization, free from censorship, undue restriction or fear of retribution.

Prohibits any member of the armed forces from requiring or assigning a chaplain to perform any rite, ritual, ceremony, sermon, speech, task or action contrary to the chaplain's sincerely held religious beliefs.

Protects chaplains from retaliation or adverse personnel actions, including denial of promotion, letters of reprimand and negative entries in the chaplain's record, for refusing to violate their beliefs.

Establishes that violations are subject to prosecution under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Codifies the ranks and roles of the Chief of Chaplains and Deputy Chief of Chaplains as principal advisors to their respective service secretaries and chiefs of staff.


Grassley, Shaheen, Colleagues Issue Statement Regarding Escalating Pressure on the Srebrenica Memorial Center and Human Rights Defenders

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), along with Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), as well as Reps. Bill Keating (D-Mass.) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio), to issue a joint statement after 26 current and former staff members and associates of the Srebrenica Memorial Center were summoned for police questioning by the Zvornik Police Department.

“We are deeply concerned by reports that current and former employees and associates of the Srebrenica Memorial Center have been summoned for questioning by Republika Srpska authorities. The scale and timing of these actions are troubling, particularly because the work of the Memorial Center is central to preserving the truth, honoring the victims and defending human rights. We call on the relevant authorities to uphold the rule of law, respect the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions and ensure the Memorial Center can carry out its essential mission free from intimidation.

“The House and Senate have been unequivocal: the Srebrenica massacre was genocide. More than 30 years later, we have a solemn responsibility to remember the victims, stand with their families and ensure this tragic history is neither denied nor erased. Rewriting history for political gain deepens divisions, inflames ethnic tensions and threatens peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We call on the administration to implement the mandatory sanctions passed in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act to hold individuals to account for destabilizing behavior and undermining democratic institutions.”


Hagerty Introduces Bill to End Housing Welfare for Illegal Aliens

Democrats have aided and abetted illegal aliens’ exploitation of federal housing benefits

WASHINGTON—On Wednesday, Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the End Housing Welfare for Illegal Aliens Act, a bill aimed at barring ineligible non-citizens from abusing federal housing programs at the expense of American taxpayers.

Illegal aliens have long exploited federal housing programs by taking advantage of gaps in existing law, such as the “mixed-status” loophole that allows for non-citizens to improperly receive benefits if they are roommates in the same household as citizens.

Democrats have facilitated such abuse for political gain, because overrunning sanctuary cities with illegal aliens artificially boosts their party’s power and representation when congressional districts are reapportioned.

These abuses crowd out vulnerable Americans—including the elderly and the disabled—waste taxpayer dollars, and endanger the integrity of the electoral process.

The End Housing Welfare for Illegal Aliens Act would:

Deny Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) grants to sanctuary cities

End illegal alien eligibility for Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs designated for American seniors and persons with disabilities

Require public housing authorities to affirmatively verify citizenship before providing services

Codify HUD rulemaking to permanently close the “mixed-status” loophole, which allows illegals who are roommates with eligible individuals to reap the benefits of taxpayer-funded housing. Under the Trump Administration, HUD has estimated that approximately 24,000 illegal aliens, ineligibles, and fraudsters in 20,000 of these “mixed-status households” benefit from HUD assistance

“For too long, Democrats have encouraged illegal aliens to raid taxpayer-funded housing programs while American families, seniors, and people with disabilities are left waiting in line,” said Hagerty. “My legislation, the End Housing Welfare for Illegal Aliens Act, advances the Trump Administration’s reform agenda by ending this disgraceful abuse, shutting down sanctuary city handouts, closing the outrageous ‘mixed-status’ loophole, and putting American citizens first.”

Find the full text of the bill here.

###


Hawley, Banks, Tuberville File Amendment to Protect State Laws Banning Men in Women’s Sports

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Jim Banks (R-In.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) filed an amendment to the Protect College Sports Act to ensure the bill does not overturn any state laws banning men from women’s sports. The amendment will provide a guarantee that state laws on the books that ban biological men in women’s sports are fully protected. Senators Jim Banks and Tommy Tuberville joined Hawley in filing the amendment.

“Biological men should never be allowed in women’s sports or women’s locker rooms,” said Senator Hawley. “We’ve got to make sure state laws protecting women stand.”

“Indiana has one of the strongest laws in the country that keeps biological men from competing in women’s sports. As the father of three daughters, I can’t support any legislation that would preempt Indiana’s law. This amendment would make sure the Protect College Sports Act protects female athletes,” said Senator Banks.

“Protecting girls and women’s sports is the civil rights issue of our time,” said Senator Tuberville. “Democrats have proven again and again they don’t give a rip about protecting women from mentally ill men who wake up one day and decide to dress up like a girl. I’m proud to stand with Senators Hawley and Banks in introducing this commonsense amendment to protect millions of female student athletes.”


Hawley Bill Banning Bonuses for Postmaster General Passes Committee

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)’s No Bonuses for Bad Service Act passed out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in an overwhelming bipartisan vote. This legislation would prohibit United States Postal Service (USPS) leadership from receiving bonuses or additional compensation until mail service and delivery meet the standards that the American people deserve. Today’s committee vote marks new momentum for accountability after Senator Hawley launched an investigation into USPS’s delivery record in Missouri. The vote also comes after intense lobbying by the Postmaster General to kill the effort to restrict his own bonus.

The No Bonuses for Bad Service Act would:

Prohibit the USPS Board of Governors from approving any additional compensation for the Postmaster General and Deputy Postmaster General for a fiscal year in which the Postal Service does not meet or exceed an on-time delivery rate of 95% for all market dominant mail products.

Require the Postal Service to submit its annual delivery rate report to the Postal Regulatory Commission.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has posted staggering financial losses in recent years, including $25 billion over the last three fiscal years, more than $6 billion beyond USPS’s own internal projections. At the same time, USPS has repeatedly raised postage rates on American households and businesses while consistently missing its own service standards. On-time delivery has continued to slip. Residents in rural areas wait weeks to receive mail. Recently in Missouri, a massive pile of undelivered mail was discovered in a vacant lot without explanation from the Postal Service. These delays and missing mail are becoming a real financial burden for those Americans who don’t receive their bills or paychecks.

Despite these failures, Postal Service executives have been rewarded with lavish bonuses. Over the past ten years, Postmasters General have received more than $2 million in additional compensation, even as delivery performance declined and the budget numbers got worse. During the last three years of Louis DeJoy’s tenure alone, the Board of Governors approved more than $567,000 in additional bonus compensation. Postmaster General David Steiner, who assumed office just a year ago, has already pocketed a $170,000 bonus. Senator Hawley directly confronted Steiner about these bonuses in a recent committee hearing, and the Postmaster refused to forgo bonuses until the mail is delivered on time.


Heinrich Leads Letter Urging DOE to Withdraw Proposed Rule for the Efficiency Standards Program that would Raise Energy Prices for American Families

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright urging DOE to abandon a proposal that would hamstring its long-standing efficiency standards program—a move that could raise utility bills for American families by an estimated $150 a year.

DOE claims that the proposed revision to the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program process rule, issued in July 2026, would effectively end the federal program that has helped lower energy bills and improve the efficiency of home appliances for nearly 40 years.

Heinrich was joined by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), Angus King (I-Maine), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

“At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, this administration should be focused on making energy affordable and increasing grid capacity — not hamstringing a program that has consistently reduced bills for American families,” the Senators began.

“Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates that existing standards have reduced total U.S. energy consumption by 6.5 percent and saved the average households $576 per year. By eliminating this program going forward, the Trump administration would increase utility bills for households by $150 each year, increase peak electricity demand by 32 gigawatts (GW) in 2040, and increase cumulative CO2 emissions by nearly 1 billion metric tons through 2050,” the Senators continued.

“The law requires DOE to adopt standards ‘designed to achieve the maximum improvement in energy efficiency..., which the Secretary determines is technologically feasible and economically justified,’ and that results in ‘significant’ energy savings,” the Senators concluded. “The proposed rule undermines the letter and purpose of the appliance standards statute by the administration’s own admission: the rule is designed to “permanently end” appliance and equipment standards.”

The Senators concluded the letter urging Wright to withdraw the provision and implement the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program as Congress mandated.

Read the full text of the letter here and below:

Secretary Wright:

We write to express strong opposition to the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) proposed revision to the process rule for the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program. At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, this Administration should be focused on making energy affordable and increasing grid capacity — not hamstringing a program that has consistently reduced bills for American families.

In July, DOE issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to “permanently end home appliance and equipment mandates.” This is concerning as energy efficiency standards save American families and businesses billions of dollars a year, and Congress explicitly directed DOE to carry out the program faithfully.

The efficiency standards program has been lowering utility bills and cutting emissions since the late 1980s — under Democratic and Republican Administrations alike. Since 1987, Congress has directed DOE to set efficiency standards for upwards of 60 products. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates that existing standards have reduced total U.S. energy consumption by 6.5 percent and saved the average households $576 per year. By eliminating this program going forward, the Trump Administration would increase utility bills for households by $150 each year, increase peak electricity demand by 32 gigawatts (GW) in 2040, and increase cumulative CO2 emissions by nearly 1 billion metric tons through 2050.

Under current statute, DOE is required to consider consumer impacts, manufacturer impacts, technological feasibility, and economic justification before finalizing a standard. The proposed rule would layer on needless additional requirements, including undue deference to industry-developed test procedures and an unlawful minimum savings threshold set at 2 quadrillion btus of source energy or 10% of a product’s total consumption. The law requires DOE to adopt standards "designed to achieve the maximum improvement in energy efficiency..., which the Secretary determines is technologically feasible and economically justified," and that results in "significant" energy savings. The proposed rule undermines the letter and purpose of the appliance standards statute by the administration’s own admission: the rule is designed to “permanently end” appliance and equipment standards.

We therefore urge you to withdraw the proposed rule and implement the program as Congress originally mandated.


Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández Introduce Legislation to Protect Chama Watershed from Uranium Mining

WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Senator U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources, introduced the Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act, legislation to permanently withdraw the federal lands of the Rio Chama Watershed in Northern New Mexico from all forms of location, entry, and patent under the mining laws.

The Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act responds directly to a proposal by the Canadian-based uranium company, Gamma Resources Ltd. to conduct exploratory uranium drilling in the Carson National Forest near Canjilon — the first step in the company’s publicly stated plan to extract uranium from a four-mile stretch of the Chama Basin. The bill will prevent new mining claims across the watershed, protecting the headwaters that sustain acequia communities, Tribal Nations, land grant communities, ranchers, and downstream water users throughout the Rio Grande system and ensuring these waters are never put at risk for the benefit of a speculative foreign mining venture.

“We will not allow a foreign mining company to threaten the Chama Watershed with radioactive uranium waste. That is unacceptable,” said Heinrich. “Our Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act sends a clear message: Back off. The Chama Watershed belongs to the acequia parciantes, Tribal communities, ranchers, and rural families who care for and depend on this landscape and its water — not a foreign mining company looking to exploit it for profit.”

“The communities of the Chama Valley – acequia farmers, Land Grant communities, Tribal members, ranchers, and rural families – have cared for their land and water for generations,” said Luján. “These cherished lands and waters must be protected for future generations. That is why I’m leading this legislation to permanently withdraw the Chama Watershed from mineral development. I remain committed to protecting the communities and waters of Northern New Mexico, and this legislation will do just that for generations to come.”

"New Mexicans know the true cost of uranium mining,” said Leger Fernández. “Across our state, abandoned uranium mines have poisoned our land, threatened our water, and harmed generations of families. Before anyone talks about opening another uranium mine, we should finish cleaning up the mess that was left behind. The Chama watershed is too precious to sell off to a foreign corporation. At a time when every drop of clean water matters, we should protect the rivers that sustain our communities—not open the door for a foreign mining corporation to profit from our public lands. The Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act protects our water, our people, and our future."

Heinrich, Luján, and Leger Fernández have been fighting to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed from uranium mining and mineral development.

In April, Heinrich, Luján, and Leger Fernández wrote to Carson National Forest Supervisor James Duran expressing strong opposition to a proposal to conduct uranium drilling within the Carson National Forest.

Supporting quotes for the Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act can be found here.

The full text of the bill is here.

The boundary map of the withdrawal area is here.

###


Heinrich, N.M. Congressional Delegation Demand Answers from Secretary Hegseth on the DoD’s Involvement in New Mexico Medical Plane Crash

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and members of the N.M. Congressional Delegation, including U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) sent a letter demanding answers from U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth on the Department’s involvement in and response to the tragic May 13, 2026, medical plane crash in Lincoln County, New Mexico.

Just before midnight on May 13, a Beechcraft King Air medical plane with a crew of four — two pilots and two flight nurses — took off from Roswell heading to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport in Ruidoso for patient pickup and transport to Albuquerque. According to reports, because the aircraft’s GPS was jammed by U.S. military activities in the region, the flight overshot their landing pattern by 10 miles, leading the plane to crash into the side of the Capitan Mountains. As a result, all four crew members died, and the crash sparked a wildfire that took three weeks to contain.

By the time that wildfire was contained, it had burned 31,860 acres and at its peak had over 1,000 personnel assigned utilizing 7 helicopters, numerous bulldozers, water tenders and fixed-wing air tankers. This fire was New Mexico’s first incident of the fire season that required a Complex Incident Management Team, and one of only two such complex fires this year. There were no structures lost but the fire forced evacuation orders that remained in place for several weeks, which cost taxpayers an estimated $37.7 million in fire suppression activities.

“By any account, this crash was tragic. While this is reportedly the first time GPS jamming activities by the U.S. military have caused or contributed to the crash of a civilian plane, that does little to comfort the families of those lost in that crash or impacted by the wildfire it triggered,” the lawmakers wrote to DoD Secretary Hegseth.

The lawmakers continued, “As the prevalence of drone warfare and electronic warfare grows globally and becomes central to our national defense, the risk of military and contractor activities disrupting civilian flights is likely to grow. In order to prevent future incidents and accidents, it is critical that we fully understand what happened on May 13 and 14, 2026, and what could have been done to prevent the accident.”

“If the DoD had not been jamming GPS in the region at the time of this crash it is very likely that the crash would have never occurred, four people would still be alive, and this wildfire would not have started. We owe those impacted by DoD’s actions transparency and action,” the lawmakers underscored.

In their letter, the N.M. Congressional Delegation urged Secretary Hegseth and the DoD to:

Fully cooperate with the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) ongoing investigation into the crash;

Expeditiously develop systems and protocols, in concert with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to prevent future, similar accidents; and

Work with the FAA and any other relevant agencies to fully implement recommendations from the NTSB.

The lawmakers concluded their letter by demanding answers on whether or not the DoD will compensate the victims' families, and compensate federal, state, county, and local agencies for the resources expended in the response to the crash and subsequent wildfire. Additionally, the N.M. Congressional Delegation inquired if the DoD is aware of any other incidents involving civilian aircraft that were impacted by GPS jamming activities surrounding NAVFEST or other DoD technologies.

The full text of the letter is here and below:

Dear Secretary Hegseth,

We write to you requesting answers on the Department of Defense’s (DoD) involvement in and response to the tragic May 13th medical plane crash in Lincoln County, New Mexico. This crash claimed the lives of all four on board the aircraft and sparked a wildfire that raged for three weeks and burned over 30,000 acres in the Capitan Mountain Wilderness area of the Lincoln National Forest.

On May 13, 2026, just before midnight a Beechcraft King Air medical plane with a crew of four, two pilots and two flight nurses, took off from Roswell, New Mexico heading to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport in Ruidoso, New Mexico, for patient pickup and transport to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Due to GPS jamming as part of the scheduled test event in the area, this routine medical ambulance flight overshot their landing pattern by 10 miles and crashed into the side of the Capitan Mountains at 12:15 AM on May 14th, destroying the plane, killing the four-member crew, and sparking a wildfire that took three weeks to contain.

By the time that wildfire was contained, it had burned 31,860 acres and at its peak had over 1000 personnel assigned utilizing 7 helicopters, numerous bulldozers, water tenders and fixed-wing air tankers. This fire was New Mexico’s first incident of the fire season that required a Complex Incident Management Team, and one of only two such complex fires this year. There were no structures lost but the fire forced evacuation orders that remained in place for several weeks, all of which had a huge cost to taxpayers with all fire suppression activities totaling an estimated $37.7 million.

By any account, this crash was tragic. While this is reportedly the first time GPS jamming activities by the U.S. military have caused or contributed to the crash of a civilian plane, that does little to comfort the families of those lost in that crash or impacted by the wildfire it triggered.

As the prevalence of drone warfare and electronic warfare grows globally and becomes central to our national defense, the risk of military and contractor activities disrupting civilian flights is likely to grow. In order to prevent future incidents and accidents, it is critical that we fully understand what happened on May 13 and 14, 2026, and what could have been done to prevent the accident. To that end, we urge DoD to fully cooperate with the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) ongoing investigation into the crash. We also urge DoD to expeditiously develop systems and protocols, in concert with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to prevent future, similar accidents. Upon completion of NTSB’s investigation, it is imperative that DoD also work with the FAA and any other relevant agencies to fully implement recommendations from NTSB.

We further request DoD’s responses to the following questions:

Will the DoD compensate the victims' families of this terrible accident?

Will the DoD compensate the federal, state, county, and local agencies for the resources expended in the response to the crash and subsequent wildfire?

Is the DoD aware of any other incidents involving civilian aircraft that were impacted by GPS jamming activities surrounding NAVFEST in May 2026?

Is the DoD aware of any other incidents involving civilian aircraft that were impacted by GPS jamming activities across the country prior to or after this incident that were unrelated to NAVFEST?

If the DoD had not been jamming GPS in the region at the time of this crash it is very likely that the crash would have never occurred, four people would still be alive, and this wildfire would not have started. We owe those impacted by DoD’s actions transparency and action.

Sincerely,

###


Hickenlooper Introduces War Powers Resolution to End Iran War

Hickenlooper has voted 13 times to end the Iran war

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper introduced a War Powers Resolution directing President Trump to terminate U.S. military hostilities against Iran. The introduction comes as Trump continues to escalate tensions, warning Iran that ongoing talks are its “last chance” to reach a deal “before decapitation.”

“President Trump’s illegal war in Iran has been a complete and total disaster that has cost American lives, sent prices skyrocketing, and drained our military stockpiles,” said Hickenlooper. “We are now meaningfully worse off than we were before the war began, and it’s essential Congress to step in to end it if Trump won’t. We need to get out of Iran and get back to lowering costs for working families.”

To date, Hickenlooper has voted 13 times to end the Iran War. He has consistently condemned the administration for sidestepping Congress and dragging America into a war with no clear objective – one that risks American lives, raises costs here at home, and that Americans overwhelmingly oppose.

He has released video statements in response to Trump’s unhinged press conference and violent Truth Social posts where he threatened to “destroy a whole civilization.” He has taken to the Senate floor to denounce Trump’s illegal war in Iran and blast the preliminary and now defunct deal that the Trump administration touted in June. In July, Hickenlooper spoke out about President Trump’s efforts to further escalate the war.

A concurrent resolution on Iran war powers has already passed both chambers. The Senate could consider Hickenlooper’s legislation next month.

###


Jamie Foxx Celebrates Passage of Hickenlooper, Moran, Booker Bill to Boost Down Syndrome Research

Bill heads to the President desk for signature

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to permanently authorize and expand federal funding for Down syndrome research. The bill now heads to the President’s desk for his signature.

The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act is named after DeOndra Dixon, the late younger sister of Academy Award-winning actor and Grammy Award-winning musician Jamie Foxx. A Global Down Syndrome Foundation ambassador and Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Awardee, Dixon died in 2020 at age 36.

“DeOndra brought so much joy, love and light into our lives, and she was incredibly proud to be a GLOBAL Ambassador and advocate,” said Jamie Foxx. “My family and I are deeply grateful to Michelle and the GLOBAL team, and to Senators John Hickenlooper and Jerry Moran for their leadership and commitment to passing the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act. Knowing that DeOndra’s name and advocacy will help people with Down syndrome live longer, healthier lives means more to us than words can express.”

“Today is a historic day for the hundreds of thousands of Americans with Down syndrome and their families,” said Hickenlooper. “DeOndra Dixon was an extraordinary person and advocate whose legacy will help improve lives for generations. We’re proud the bill that bears her name will finally give Down syndrome research the investment it deserves, and we look forward to the breakthroughs it will deliver. We’re especially grateful to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the Crnic Institute, and all of the tireless advocates who helped get this important bill across the finish line.”

“This legislation will strengthen the critical research that helps improve the lives of individuals with Down syndrome and supports their families,” said Sen. Moran. “Research funded by the NIH has already led to meaningful advancements, but more work remains. By authorizing continued federal investments in scientific research focused on Down syndrome, this legislation will help scientists better understand the health challenges these individuals face and advance new solutions to improve care and outcomes. I’m pleased that both chambers passed this legislation unanimously and look forward to it being signed into law.”

“Every year, roughly 6,000 babies are born in the United States with Down syndrome. And while life expectancy has improved significantly, too many individuals still face heightened risks for serious medical conditions,” said Senator Booker. “I’m grateful that this bipartisan legislation has finally passed — it will reauthorize essential research funding, expand clinical trials, and strengthen our commitment to improving the quality of life for people with Down syndrome and their families.”

“Senator Hickenlooper has been a dear friend and unwavering champion of GLOBAL and the Down syndrome community since his service as Mayor of Denver and Governor of Colorado. Today, he has helped deliver a truly historic victory,” said Michelle Sie Whitten, President and CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. “The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act will honor the memory and extraordinary advocacy of our beloved GLOBAL Ambassador DeOndra Dixon by permanently authorizing the INCLUDE Project, the first NIH-wide Down syndrome research program. GLOBAL helped catalyze the creation of the INCLUDE Project, which is already advancing transformative research into Alzheimer’s disease, immune dysregulation, cancer, sleep apnea, and other serious conditions affecting people with Down syndrome and millions of other Americans. We are profoundly grateful to Senator Hickenlooper for his leadership and tenacity in helping ensure this life-saving research continues and grows for generations.”

The INCLUDE Project was launched in June 2018 to further research on health and quality-of-life needs for individuals with Down syndrome. The project investigates conditions that affect individuals with Down syndrome and the general population, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, autism, cataracts, celiac disease, congenital heart disease, and diabetes.

Full text of the legislation available HERE. The legislation is led by Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and is also cosponsored by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

###