ICYMI: Budd Calls on Colleagues to Permanently Stop Dangerous Hemp Loophole Targeting American Children

“Our children should never be the testing ground for an industry willing to exploit a loophole in federal law for profit.”

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) today delivered remarks on the Senate floor calling for his Senate Colleagues to join his effort to permanently close the dangerous “hemp loophole” that has allowed the intoxicating hemp industry to sell unregulated hemp-derived products that have been marketed to American children.

Watch Senator Budd’s remarks below:

Read Senator Budd’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, below:

Mister President,

Every parent in America wants the same thing: to know their child is safe.

As United States Senators, each of us has a responsibility to the millions of parents we represent to put the safety and welfare of American children first.

That is exactly why, just nine months ago, 76 members of this body voted to close the hemp loophole that allowed these dangerous substances to be sold in unregulated retail stores.

But since last November, the intoxicating hemp industry has attempted to delay our effort to close this dangerous loophole.

These companies want to continue selling intoxicating THC substances, loosely labeled as “hemp” products, on the shelves of local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores nationwide.

And the problem does not stop there. The packaging is unmistakably designed to appeal to children, using bright colors and intentionally mimicking popular snack food and candy brands.

But what is most concerning is how easy it is for a child to walk into a convenience store and pick up what looks like their favorite snack or candy—without realizing they’re actually buying an intoxicating substance.

It is difficult enough for an adult to distinguish the minor difference between these name-brand products and intoxicating substances on the shelves. Just look at these examples.

Are you telling me this isn’t intentional? The four basic principles of marketing are: product, price, place, and promotion. And what we’re looking at right here is a crash course in all four—how to package a product, how to make it appealing, how to put it in front of consumers, and how to promote it while attempting to evade federal law.

This isn’t some innocent coincidence. You don’t accidentally create packaging for an intoxicating substance that bears an eerie resemblance to a recognizable brand. You don’t accidentally make an intoxicating product look like something a child would recognize from the grocery store shelf, without reasonable intent. This is marketing by design, and it is designed to evade the law.

The resemblance here is outrageous—and it is putting our kids at risk, every single day. And over the past few years, we have already seen the horrifying consequences play out in emergency rooms across the country.

From 2018 to 2023, emergency departments in the United States that responded to pediatric cannabis poisoning increased by 461 percent. 91 percent of those patients were 4 years of age or younger, and 45 percent of those children, ages 0-11, were hospitalized.

These numbers are not just statistics. They represent children ending up in emergency rooms. Why? All because the intoxicating hemp industry wants to make a cheap dollar.

In my home state of North Carolina, cannabis consumption-coded emergency department visits among minors increased by 969 percent between 2017 and 2025.

That is nothing short of alarming.

THC can have very serious consequences for adults. It can trigger psychosis, addiction, manic episodes, bipolar relapse, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Having assessed those risks, it makes it utterly irresponsible to then turn around and put those same THC substances within reach of our children.

It is impacting our workforce too. Able-bodied adults are unable to hold jobs that require them to take a drug test. Stores near military bases sell these products to men and women in our armed services—making them ineligible for service. That is also no accident.

Mister President, I cannot tell you how many times I have sat down with a family in my office that has tragically lost their son or daughter because they became addicted to these disguised substances. It is heartbreaking to witness.

There are young people who are no longer walking this earth—who will never graduate, never go to college, never start a career, never get married, never have children, and never get the chance to experience the life that was ahead of them because these dangerous substances robbed them of that future.

I am appalled by the well-oiled, slick lobbying machine—which is very well connected in this town—that has chosen to wage this surreptitious war against our efforts to protect American children.

So let me be clear to my colleagues: I will not back down. I will not waver. And I will not stop until this life-threatening loophole is closed permanently.

We are going to have this fight before the end of this Congress, and I can assure you that I am not going to stop fighting to protect America’s children.

I have already had numerous conversations with the White House about this issue, and I am willing to have a larger conversation about marijuana. But I want to make sure one thing is perfectly clear—making THC intoxicating substances readily accessible to our kids is an entirely different issue from the medical marijuana movement.

Today, we are talking about unregulated hemp-derived products being sold on the shelves of nearly every corner store in America. These intoxicating substances are hiding in plain sight—and they are putting our kids at risk.

Parents should never have to fear that sending their child into a convenience store for a snack or a treat could mean that child walks out with a product that can get them high.

That is not too much to ask. It is common sense.

And it is our responsibility to make sure the millions of parents we each represent can trust that the products sitting on store shelves are safe for their children.

I’m not here to obstruct the Senate for the sake of obstruction.

I’m here because I have a duty to the millions of parents in North Carolina who sent me to Washington to be their voice and, above all, to protect their children. To every parent in North Carolina: I hear you, I stand with you, and you have my word—I will not back down. And I’m not going to stop fighting until we get this right.

This is a public health crisis that deserves this Senate’s immediate attention. Our children should never be the testing ground for an industry willing to exploit a loophole in federal law for profit.

We must strip this amendment from the continuing resolution and regulate these harmful substances for what they are—not what the industry wants to call them. If a substance causes intoxication like marijuana, it should be regulated as such—not given a free pass as “hemp.” There is no loophole worth putting a child’s well-being at risk.

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Cantwell Thanks Firefighters, Calls for Continued Federal Support After PNW Wildfires Briefing from Cabinet Secretaries

Sen. Cantwell: “The Northwest will continue to benefit from air assets, and I hope that more of them can be deployed.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, received a briefing on Pacific Northwest wildfires from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, U.S. Wildland Fire Service Director Brian Fennessy, and U.S. Forest Service officials. After the briefing, Sen. Cantwell released the following statement.

“Today Interior Sec. Burgum, Agriculture Sec. Rollins, DOI Wildland Fire Service Director Brian Fennessy, and USFS officials briefed Senators on keeping assets in the Northwest as we are at a Preparedness Level 5, an extreme wildfire designation. We are still at the highest risk in the nation and appreciate being the highest resourced,” said Sen. Cantwell.

“The Northwest will continue to benefit from air assets, and I hope that more of them can be deployed throughout the region, as smoke allows, to help Spokane, Okanogan and all Northeast Washington counties, the Spokane and Colville Tribes, and especially Chelan area communities impacted by the Little Giant Fire,” Sen. Cantwell continued. “Thank you to all the firefighters and first responders who are helping us fight these historic Northwest fires.”

On Tuesday, Sen. Cantwell called for improved wildfire preparedness in a U.S. Senate roundtable with Chief Bob Roper of the Western Chiefs Fire Association and other experts. “We just have to move faster,” said Sen. Cantwell. “My heart goes out to the people of Washington who are dealing with this across our state, particularly in Spokane, and in the Lake Chelan area as well.”

On Sunday, Sen. Cantwell visited county and city command centers in Spokane and took part in a press briefing about the devastating fires there.

In September 2025, Sen. Cantwell’s Fire Ready Nation Act passed the U.S. Senate unanimously. The bipartisan Fire Ready Nation Act would formally establish a permanent Fire Weather Services program within NOAA and authorize funding for new technologies to forecast weather conditions that cause and impact wildfires.


Capito, Justice Introduce Bill to Streamline Enrollment in Trump Accounts

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) introduced legislation that would provide families with enrollment information to establish Trump Accounts for eligible newborns while still at the hospital. Specifically, the bill would amend the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program to provide for the creation of a Trump Account when a child's birth is registered, streamlining enrollment and increasing access the program.

“Trump accounts are an innovative way to provide financial backing for all American newborns, and this legislation makes it easier for West Virginia families to access that opportunity,” Senator Capito said. “By providing for the establishment of Trump Accounts through the Social Security Administration's existing birth registration process, we are cutting red tape and ensuring our children can benefit from this program from day one. I'm proud to work to streamline enrollment and help more families invest in their children's futures.”

“I've always believed that when we invest in our kids, we're investing in the future of this great country. The Trump Accounts do just that by giving eligible children a $1,000 head start. That's the kind of common-sense idea that helps hardworking families and gives the next generation a better chance to chase their dreams,” Senator Justice said.

BACKGROUND:

On July 3, 2026, the SSA announced that it would be launching a new program for parents to enroll newborns in Trump Accounts. This legislation works in tandem with this effort by amending the EAB program to include enrollment information for the creation of a Trump Account.

The EAB program currently allows parents to request a Social Security number for their newborn while still in the hospital. Participating hospitals electronically transmit birth registration information to the SSA, eliminating the need for separate paper applications or visits to a local Social Security office.

Nearly 99% of parents already use the EAB process, and the inclusion of Trump Account enrollment information makes it an efficient and convenient way to facilitate registration.

Senator Capito has long supported the creation of Trump Accounts, calling them a "once in a lifetime opportunity" for American families to build financial security. More information on Trump Accounts can be found here and full text of the legislation can be found here.

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VIDEO: Capito Votes to Advance the Kids Online Safety Act from Commerce Committee

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted to advance the Kids Online Safety Act, legislation that Senator Capito helped introduce to protect children from online dangers associated with social media and provide guardrails to better ensure their safety. Prior to Senator Capito’s remarks, this legislation passed the Commerce Committee unanimously and will now head to the Senate Floor.

HIGHLIGHTS:

IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY: “We've had a lot of hearings on the addictive nature and how things creep into your feed, and what the schools are doing. So, this is really, probably, I think the most important part is safety.”

NEED FOR GUARDRAILS: “We need to have these guardrails to protect them and shield them. You know, if the pushback is ‘we can't do it,’ or ‘it's too complicated’ from the online folks, quite honestly, we don't believe you. We don't believe that, and I think our overwhelming vote today shows that.”

ACTION BY CONGRESS NEEDED: “We can better safeguard our youth and filter out violent, sexual, and deceptive content that they may encounter. As technology and access to materials continues to evolve, this bill will help Congress stay up to date. That's another problem. Everything changes so rapidly and so quickly that the emerging risks are very difficult to see.”

BACKGROUND:

The Kids Online Safety Act provides children and their parents with the tool’s safeguards, and transparency they to protect against online harms. The bill requires social media platforms to put the well-being of children first, ensuring an environment that is safe by default. This legislation requires that platforms:

Cannot use kids’ data without consent

Must have addictive features disables by default for kids

Combats and prevents harmful advertising to minors

Must be transparent in the ways they are combatting harm

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CASSIDY, DURBIN DELIVER JOINT SPEECH URGING SENATE TO TAKE ACTION BEFORE SOCIAL SECURITY BECOMES INSOLVENT

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a joint speech on the U.S. Senate floor emphasizing the dire need for congressional action to address Social Security’s looming insolvency. The Social Security trust fund is expected to become insolvent in 2032, resulting in an automatic reduction in benefits for millions of Americans. The Senators have introduced the bipartisan Protecting Retirement Opportunities and Maintaining Income Security for Everyone (PROMISE) Act, legislation that would establish a bipartisan process to address Social Security’s looming insolvency. The legislation merely sets up a process for Congress to consider debating proposals.

“Mr. President, people won’t even set up a process! We’re not talking about a solution. We’re talking about a process that would come to a solution!…It is important for our country that Congress tackle this issue. And when I say our country, I mean the people who live here, whether they are older or whether they are younger; they’re relying upon Congress to step up to its responsibility,” said Dr. Cassidy.

“So, to my colleagues who oppose this approach, who say we need more time to do it, I want to back up Senator Cassidy. It costs money over time. It costs benefits over time. The solution becomes more expensive over time. The longer you wait, the more expensive it becomes to save Social Security. And we absolutely, positively have to save it,” said Senator Durbin.

Remarks as delivered below:

CASSIDY: Mr. President,

We have been trying to set up a process, a process whereby Congress would consider a solution.

Not prescribe a solution, consider a solution for Social Security. A process that would have members of the House and members of the Senate come together fully open for input from stakeholders, from citizens, to have something to present.

Among all the proposals that are out there, two proposals, three proposals, and whatever we put up would not be the final solution, necessarily.

It could be replaced by any other member of the Senate with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.

And, Mr. President, people won’t even set up a process! We’re not talking about a solution. We’re talking about a process that would come to a solution, maybe, that still has to get 60 votes in the United States Senate.

Folks say, “We need more time.”

Dick Durbin just chuckled. He goes, “They’ve had 44 years. They’ve had 44 years, how much more time do they need?”

I’ve got a couple cartoons just to make the case. I think that if we don’t set up this process, Congress will be kicking granny off the cliff.

That was made famous long ago. There it is.

She earned it.

She deserves it.

She counts on it.

And Congress will not set up a process by which to address the issue.

75 million retirees, widows, widowers, others rely on Social.

In 6 years, the program, the trust fund goes insolvent.

And when that happens, according to the actuaries, there will be either an almost 29% benefit reduction or a 40% increase in payroll taxes on working Americans.

If that trust fund goes insolvent, and that benefit is cut 28.5% as the actuaries say it will, the rate of poverty among Americans over age 65 will increase by 50%.

By 50%.

So here’s another cartoon.

Congress made a promise, and some people want to ignore it.

She paid in, she earned it, she relies on it. But…if you ask, “Should we do something about Social?” Apparently, for some people, the time to do something on Social is never.

Don’t disturb Congress.

They don’t want to take a tough vote, even if that vote only sets up a process.

Doesn’t even propose a solution. A process whereby Congress is required to fix the issue.

By the way, Social has always been important. It’s even more important now that Americans are living longer.

And every year we delay to fixing it, fixing Social, the amount of cuts required to balance it increase. The amount of taxes required to fix it increase. The amount of money we have to borrow to fix it increases.

There is no good thing about waiting, except that it allows Congress to dodge its responsibility.

I want to compliment my colleague from Illinois. He came up to me and goes, “Bill, I’m leaving the Senate. We need to make a run.”

But, by the way, we have a solution, but we’re not saying it has to be our solution.

All we’re trying to do is set up a process by which solutions can be considered.

And running out the clock, it may be politically convenient, but it is the wrong thing to do. Congress’s obligation to the American people, to the people that rely upon Social Security, is to act and is to act now.

I have another cartoon here just to make the point.

It’s not just older people affected; it is younger people.

Sorry, young folks, you’re getting left behind. Because some say it’s not our problem.

The Social Security system is going insolvent, and these folks can pay into it, they’ll never receive a benefit.

These young Pages here, they don’t recognize it yet, but they’re contributing every month on the wages they’re getting to a system that will not be there for them unless we do something now.

So, before I defer to my colleague, I’ll say once more: all we’re doing is setting up a process to propose solutions that may or may not pass, that any Senator can bring their own bill and have it as an amendment in the nature of a substitute.

And it’s up to Congress to find a solution.

Now, history will decide whether Congress took up the responsibility of addressing the issue or whether because it was politically advantageous, politically expedient, to kick the can down the road once more, even though the road’s about to end in a dead end.

Or, in the case of one of our cartoons, with the cliff here, they built a bridge and decided not to finish it.

Here, the folks who need to get across the bridge of Social Security will get to it someday.

We’ve got to get to it now.

That’s the point, Mr. President.

Let’s set up a process to be considered.

We’re talking about the PROMISE Act, which is a Dick Durbin, lead author, Bill Cassidy bill.

Now, there may be another way, but let’s set up the process.

With that, I defer to my colleague.

DURBIN: Mr. President,

What a treat it is to be on the floor of the Senate with a colleague on the Republican side of the aisle, working together, to try to solve a problem.

It doesn’t happen much around here. You see these empty desks?

They’re empty almost all the days, week in, week out, month in, month out.

We do important things like nominations. There’s nothing that’s trivial about that.

But we don’t tackle the issues that really affect the people at home with their families.

Here’s one: Social Security.

75 million Americans rely on it.

Half of them, it’s their only source of income. So, a Social Security check means a lot.

So, the experts on Social Security tell Dr. Cassidy and myself that just in a few years, six years, Social Security will be unable to make full promise payments. It’ll be cut by 22% in terms of benefits.

Let’s take one example.

The average Social Security check now is around $2,400 a month. If you reduce that by 22%, it means that people receiving Social Security will receive about $450 to $500 less a month. If that is your only source of income, imagine for a moment that $2,400 just lopped off from the monthly payment.

How does if affect you? Paying your rent, paying your mortgage, paying your utility bills, paying what it might take at a grocery store to get by.

It’s going to be a real hardship, as Senator Cassidy said.

For the citizens of America, it means that those under the poverty level will increase by 50%.

We can’t let that happen.

We have to do something about it.

And the bill that I’ve introduced with Senator Cassidy basically doesn’t pick a solution, although we can come up with a couple. It doesn’t pick a solution. It just says, don’t waste any time.

Start talking about it.

Start debating it.

Let the American people engage in this conversation with you and vote on some alternatives. Now, vote is a word that used to be part of being a senator.

Not so much anymore. Except when it comes to nominations, there aren’t a lot of votes on substantive issues around this chamber. I know a little bit about this.

I’ve given more than half of my life to Congress. 14 years in the House, 30 years in the Senate.

I know what you’re saying. Sounds like a career politician.

Well, maybe I am. And proud of it.

And particularly proud of serving in this chamber. I’ve seen some glorious things happen in this chamber on a bipartisan basis.

But it takes a couple senators, maybe more, to stand up and say, “We’ve got to do something that’s risky and controversial, but important.”

This is not the first time I faced Social Security. When I was a member of the House, elected in ’82, came to serve in ’83, I was told that in a matter of months, Social Security would run out of money.

Imagine that.

You’re a brand-new member of Congress, scared to death you won’t be reelected, and they tell you you’ve got to make a big change in the biggest social program in America.

Scares you to death.

But you know what? We did it. Our goal was simple.

50 years of solvency in Social Security.

Can we change Social Security and guarantee 50 years of solvency? We made a lot of changes.

And you know what we got for it? 2032.

1983 to 2032, we kept our word. 50 years. It’s not too much to ask this Congress to fix Social Security and keep it solvent for 50 years.

We can do it. The longer we wait to do it, the more difficult it becomes.

I look back on voting for that, and I thought it was the end of my political career, which was only a few months old.

But it turned out no member of Congress, Democrat or Republican, in 1983 and ’84 lost an election because they voted for Social Security changes.

The American people expect us to make the best choices we can. And they accepted what we did, and we bout 50 years of solvency.

That’s an amazing thing when you consider how important this program is.

And so, what Senator Cassidy and I have suggested is a process which basically says we won’t go by the Senate rules.

I might add, I was going to show it, but I think it violates the Senate rules.

The Senate is a chamber of tradition.

Down here, a few of you can see it, is a brass spittoon. A brass spittoon.

It’s been held onto as part of the tradition of the Senate.

Well, we have traditions in the rules that make things almost impossible to pass except after a long period of time. Weeks go by sometimes. Days certainly go by. Trying to get a measure on the floor to an actual vote.

The Senate rules are not kindly. They’re tough.

So, the bill that I introduced basically cuts through some of this red tape of delay and says we’ll move after several weeks to consider alternative Social Security.

The bottom line is it isn’t enough to get a majority in the Senate under the current rules, and it isn’t changed at all under our proposal.

You still need 60 votes to ultimately pass any change in Social Security.

Well, Democrats don’t have 60 votes.

Republicans don’t have 60 votes, but together we think we can reach that goal.

Now, I’ve been a little disappointed but not surprised that some of my colleagues that I’ve talked to about this said they thought it was a good idea, but on reflection they’ve decided it’s too risky, that we’re moving things too fast.

The Senate’s never been accused successfully of moving too fast on almost anything.

We take our time. That’s why we’re here.

The Senate is different than the House, and I served in both and respect both.

So, to my colleagues who oppose this approach, who say we need more time to do it, I want to back up Senator Cassidy.

It costs money over time.

It costs benefits over time.

The solution becomes more expensive over time. The longer you wait, the more expensive it becomes to save Social Security. And we absolutely, positively have to save it.

Too many people are counting on it.

I’ll bet you the folks who gather here today have many relatives of their own who count on Social Security, either because they’re disabled or elderly.

I understand that in my own family.

I think everybody does.

So, it is a great day in the Senate when a Democrat and a Republican stand on the floor and don’t criticize one another, but actually talk about working together.

It’s been a real pleasure for me, I’d say to Senator Cassidy, to be part of the Cassidy–Durbin Team.

We’re both ending our Senate careers on January 3rd of next year. We hoped that this would be one of the things we could achieve before we left.

I’m still not giving up completely.

Miracles do occur.

But I had to step up and make a proposal with Senator Cassidy to get my colleagues in conversation.

The conversation about Social Security has increased dramatically since we started this effort.

And I think it should.

The sooner, the better.

The more expensive it becomes the longer we wait.

And I yield back to Senator Cassidy.

CASSIDY: Thank you, Senator Durbin.

And Senator Durbin is referring to what is called the PROMISE Act.

Again, it is a bill which sets up a process to come to a solution. It doesn’t dictate what the solution is.

We have colleagues who are objecting to coming up with a process.

And so, it is important for our country that Congress tackle this issue. And when I say our country, I mean the people who live here, whether they are older or whether they are younger, they’re relying upon Congress to step up to its responsibility.

Thank you, Senator Durbin. We’ll continue to push on this.

It is important for our Congress, important for our country, important for our people.

With that, I yield.

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Senators Coons, Young introduce bipartisan legislation to invest in startups and entrepreneurs across the country

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) introduced the Build to Scale Reauthorization Act of 2026, which would reauthorize the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Build to Scale program through fiscal year 2030.

“Delaware is a state built on innovation. We know what it takes to turn a good idea into a thriving business: support, investment, and expertise,” said Senator Coons. “This bipartisan bill brings those needed pieces to startups and entrepreneurs across the country, so Americans can continue to reach for their dreams, create jobs, and grow our economy.”

“America’s long-term economic strength depends on our ability to turn innovation into opportunity,” said Senator Young. “The Build to Scale program helps entrepreneurs, universities, investors, and local organizations work together to develop new technologies, launch businesses, and create good-paying jobs. This legislation will ensure Hoosier innovators and communities across the country have the tools they need to compete in the industries of the future.”

Since 2014, the Build to Scale program has strengthened regional innovation ecosystems by supporting entrepreneurs, technology startups, and organizations that connect startups with the capital, infrastructure, and expertise needed to grow. The program has awarded more than $272 million to 426 projects across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, helping support more than 58,600 jobs and 6,200 startups.

Build to Scale funding is essential to Delaware’s innovation economy. The Delaware Innovation Space (DISI) has received $2.25 million in funds through this program to advance Delaware entrepreneurs’ access to state-of-the-art laboratory spaces. Reauthorizing funding for the Build to Scale programs would mean supporting Delawarean entrepreneurs and innovation.

The Build to Scale Reauthorization Act of 2026 would:

Reauthorize the Build to Scale program through FY2030 at $50 million annually

Expand access to capital for entrepreneurs and technology startups seeking to commercialize new ideas and products

Increase outreach to rural, trade-impacted, and economically distressed communities to reduce barriers to participation

Authorize cost-share waivers for certain economically distressed communities to reduce barriers to participation

Strengthen coordination among the Economic Development Administration, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and related federal innovation initiatives

Require the Department of Commerce to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity within 90 days of enactment to help accelerate grant availability

The Build to Scale Reauthorization Act of 2026 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in May by Representatives Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and Jim Baird (R-Ind.).

This bill is supported by the Delaware Innovation Space and the Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP).

“EDA’s Build to Scale program has played an instrumental role in strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem for scalable, science-based startups,” said William D. Provine, Ph.D., president & CEO of the Delaware Innovation Space. “Its support has helped us build more commercially viable companies that have crossed the ‘valley of death’ between scientific discovery and successful commercialization. In 2025, The Innovation Space and the companies we support generated an estimated $704 million in economic output and supported nearly 2,500 jobs across the United States. Reauthorizing Build to Scale will help more promising science-based companies reach the market, grow, and contribute to America’s economic competitiveness.”

“Delaware Prosperity Partnership strongly supports the reauthorization of the Build to Scale (B2S) Program. This legislation is an opportunity to strengthen Delaware’s innovation economy by accelerating the commercialization of emerging technologies, expanding access to entrepreneurial resources, and fostering strategic partnerships among industry, academia, local accelerators, and government. With past EDA Build to Scale funding, The Delaware Innovation Space in Wilmington has been able to expand its support of regional and national science and technology startups and early-stage companies. Future B2S investment could enhance the state’s capacity to grow and attract scalable startups, create quality jobs, increase access to capital, and reinforce Delaware’s position as a cradle of innovation,” says Becky Harrington, DPP’s interim president and CEO.

Further endorsements of the Build to Scale Reauthorization Act of 2026 include: SSTI, the Association of University Research Parks (AURP), Cornell University, Georgetown University’s Office of Technology Commercialization, the Center on Rural Innovation, US Ignite, Launch Tennessee, JumpStart Inc., Rev1 Ventures, Arch Grants, mHUB, BioSTL, the Maryland Clean Energy Center, the Washington Technology Industry Association, and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.


Cortez Masto, Schiff, Blumenthal Fight Presidential Abuse of Pardon Powers

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act to ensure transparency and accountability in the pardon process in cases involving investigations of the President, his relatives, and his political appointees. This legislation also makes clear that abuse of the pardon power can constitute a bribe, and that presidents cannot pardon themselves.

Throughout his second term, President Trump has consistently abused the pardon power to benefit his allies, including in cases where he himself is directly implicated. Upon assuming office in 2025, President Donald Trump issued a blanket pardon for all individuals charged or convicted in connection to the January 6th insurrection. In March of 2025, President Trump pardoned Trevor Milton, a tech executive convicted of defrauding investors, after Milton poured nearly $2 million into pro-Trump political committees during the 2024 presidential campaign.

“Time and time again, Donald Trump has proven he is only interested in using his power to benefit himself,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “His abuse of the presidential pardon power to inflame lies about the 2020 election, obstruct investigations into his own misconduct, and enrich himself is unacceptable. I will continue to fight to bring the pardon process out of the dark and ensure no President can hide these corrupt abuses of power.”

“President Trump’s misuse of the clemency power, including explicit threats to pardon himself of all accountability, is corrupt and dangerous. This legislation, which is included in my Protecting Our Democracy Act package, is designed to deter these type of abuses, and creates a powerful check that is much needed under this administration,” said Senator Schiff.

“President Trump’s pay-to-play pardon scheme rewards political allies and sells out justice to the highest bidder. When convicted criminals can escape punishment for the right price or by hiring the right people, it corrupts the justice system for everyone. And President Trump’s pardons have cost taxpayers and crime victims billions in forfeited restitution and put child predators back into our communities. Basic transparency and accountability are imperative,” said Senator Blumenthal.

In the event a President pardons someone in connection with an investigation in which the President, a family member, or one of his political appointees is a target or subject, the Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide all records of said investigation to Congress and the DOJ Inspector General. The bill would also require the recipient of a pardon to file a financial disclosure report if they give a gift or donation to the President before or after they are pardoned. These mandatory disclosure requirements would create a powerful disincentive for any president who wishes to use the pardon power to obstruct an ongoing investigation.

Read the full bill here. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) is a cosponsor of the Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has consistently pushed back against Trump’s abuses of power throughout his second term. Cortez Masto recently joined Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Congressman Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.-25) in introducing the No Payoffs for Pardons Act to strengthen transparency and accountability in the presidential clemency process. This legislation would require individuals who receive pardons to disclose any significant financial gifts made in connection with their clemency, both at the time it is granted and for four years afterward. It also confirms federal bribery laws apply to the President and Vice President.

Earlier this year, Cortez Masto demanded the United States Postal Service abandon its proposed rule to implement President Trump’s executive order restricting voting by mail. Senators Cortez Masto and Kaine (D-Va.) forced a vote on requiring the Trump Administration to detail Honduras’s human rights violations under former President Juan Orlando Hernández, who President Trump gave a “full and complete pardon” in December of 2025. The Senator has consistently fought for guardrails on ICE and Border Patrol’s abuses of power.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tatum Wallace or Hannah McCarthy

August 5, 2026

Cotton to Bessent: Protect Critical Infrastructure from Cyberattacks

WASHINGTON — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asking him to ensure federal tax guidance encourages investment in and modernization of American operational technology, which is the hardware and software that controls critical infrastructure. This technology is underfunded and outdated, leaving vital infrastructure like water systems, power facilities, and industrial plants, particularly in rural states like Arkansas, vulnerable to cyberattacks by our adversaries.

In part, Senator Cotton wrote:

“Attacks on civilian infrastructure have become a routine instrument of modern warfare, and American operational technology is a target. I write concerning federal tax guidance that discourages the investment needed to defend it.

Operational technology is the hardware and software that directly controls physical systems, including the sensors that regulate the chemical mix safeguarding our drinking water and the controllers running a turbine or a processing line. These controllers were invented in the 1960s and still rely on protocols designed for isolated plants, not for today’s interconnected environment.”

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

August 05, 2026

The Honorable Scott Bessent

Secretary

U.S. Department of the Treasury

1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20220

Dear Secretary Bessent:

Attacks on civilian infrastructure have become a routine instrument of modern warfare, and American operational technology is a target. I write concerning federal tax guidance that discourages the investment needed to defend it.

Operational technology is the hardware and software that directly controls physical systems, including the sensors that regulate the chemical mix safeguarding our drinking water and the controllers running a turbine or a processing line. These controllers were invented in the 1960s and still rely on protocols designed for isolated plants, not for today’s interconnected environment.

The United States is already under attack. Chinese state-sponsored hackers spent nearly a year inside a New England utility and obtained its operational technology procedures and grid layout data. In April 2026, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that Iranian actors exploited programmable logic controllers across American critical infrastructure. Most recently, a coordinated cyberattack disrupted operational technology at more than 30 community water systems in Minnesota. Preliminary assessments point to Iranian-linked hackers.

Those who carry the greatest risk are least able to manage it. Arkansas has roughly 670 community water systems primarily serving small rural populations. Most cannot employ even one security engineer. With your assistance, we can make better use of existing incentives in the tax code that will strengthen our critical infrastructure. I therefore request the Department:

Confirm that developing security software for industrial control systems qualifies as research under section 41. A company writing code to detect an intruder inside a water plant's controls is doing research in the ordinary sense of the word. The tax code rewards research, but it is unclear whether this research qualifies, which discourages the necessary investments in operational technology security.

Establish a safe harbor for cybersecurity service agreements with publicly owned utilities under section 7701(e). Small public systems cannot hire their own security staff and must contract with outside firms. Under current rules, these contracts can be treated as equipment leases, forcing the vendor's equipment onto a fifty-year write-off, which pushes vendors away from servicing rural areas. The Department can end this uncertainty by clarifying that cybersecurity monitoring contracts with public utilities are treated as services, not long-term equipment leases.

Extend the existing utility exception in Treasury Regulation §1.168(k)-2(b)(2)(ii)(F) to service providers as well as lessors. The current exception protects a company that leases security equipment to a utility, but a company that retains ownership and sells monitoring services receives no such protection, even though the work is essentially identical. The distinction steers small systems away from these arrangements.

I look forward to working with you on this matter and stand ready to discuss further.

Sincerely,

Tom Cotton

United States Senator

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Sen. Cramer: EPA Awards $1.4 Million to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an award of $1,407,000 for the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. The funds will support municipalities in North Dakota with the planning, design, and construction of water quality improvement and protection projects.


Sen. Cramer: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Awards $1 Million to UND

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $1,057,500 to the University of North Dakota (UND). The award, which will be distributed through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, supports biomedical research and training at the university.


Crapo Calls for Improvements to H-2A Guest Worker Program

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined a bicameral group of lawmakers in urging the federal agencies responsible for administering the H-2A agricultural guest worker program to make changes to improve its effectiveness.

In a letter to the secretaries of the U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL), State (DOS) and Homeland Security (DHS), Crapo joined five additional Senators and 12 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to outline specific administrative steps the agencies should take to address processing delays, regulatory gaps and structural barriers that place added strain on American agricultural, dairy and livestock producers already facing a difficult economic environment.

“The H-2A program is indispensable to agriculture across the United States, from specialty crop operations to livestock and dairy producers. However, H-2A regulations have failed to adapt to the continually growing demand for these visas. Processing delays, regulatory imbalances and broader immigration challenges threaten this program’s effectiveness throughout the country – all at a time when our nation’s agricultural producers are facing significant economic hardship,” the lawmakers wrote.

“We cannot stress enough how important it is for the relevant federal agencies to consider changes to the H-2A program to better support our nation’s agricultural industry – the men and women who feed and clothe us,” they added.

In addition to Crapo, the letter was led by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi) and also signed by Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-Louisiana), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina); House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pennsylvania); and U.S. Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-Washington), Austin Scott (R-Georgia), Jeff Van Drew (R-New Jersey), Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisconsin), Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas), María Elvira Salazar (R-Florida), Mike Ezell (R-Mississippi), David Valadao (R-California), Juan Ciscomani (R-Arizona), Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana) and Richard McCormick (R-Georgia).

The letter recommends several administrative actions to address key concerns, including:

Extending H-2A eligibility to year-round livestock, dairy, poultry and swine operations, which currently cannot access the program despite qualifying as agricultural labor under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Extending the H-2A filing window from 60-75 days to 120 days prior to a worker’s start date, contingent on the Department of State and DHS making corresponding adjustments to their own processing timelines.

Establishing an expedited processing track at the Department of State for employers and workers with a demonstrated record of reliability.

The effort is endorsed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Council of Agricultural Employers, National Milk Producers Federation, AmericanHort, American Soybean Association, American Sugar Cane League, National Cotton Council, USA Rice, Western Growers, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, International Fresh Produce Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, U.S. Rice Producers Association, National Pork Producers Council, Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, National Pecan Federation, National Peach Council, Southwest Council of Agribusiness, Vidalia Onion Business Council, MBG Marketing, National Watermelon Association, American Sheep Industry Association, South East Dairy Farmers Association, and Cotton Warehouse Association of America.


Crapo Statement at Hearing on Process Approaches for Addressing Social Security Solvency

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing on process approaches for addressing Social Security solvency.

As prepared for delivery:

“Social Security provides critical benefits to millions of seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families.

“For many Americans, it is the cornerstone of retirement security. It also provides vital support to workers who can no longer earn a living due to a severe injury or illness, and to families who have lost a loved one.

“For decades, the Social Security Board of Trustees has recommended that Congress act quickly to address the program’s long-term financial challenges. According to the Trustees’ latest projections, the Old-Age and Survivor’s Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in late 2032. If Congress fails to act before then, incoming program revenues will be sufficient to pay only 78 percent of promised benefits.

“Congress has a responsibility to protect and strengthen Social Security for current beneficiaries and future generations. The longer we wait, the more difficult this challenge will become.

“The last comprehensive effort to improve Social Security’s solvency took place over 40 years ago and culminated in the Social Security Amendments of 1983. Those reforms were preceded by high-level bipartisan negotiations, informed and facilitated by the work of the National Commission on Social Security Reform, or what was known as the ‘Greenspan Commission.’ That process demonstrated the value of creating a forum where policymakers could work through difficult issues and build consensus on a bipartisan basis.

“More than two decades later, I participated in another bipartisan effort to develop recommendations to address our nation’s long-term fiscal challenges, along with Senator Dick Durbin, the Democratic co-author of one of the process bills that will be discussed today. As part of its work, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, often referred to as the Bowles Simpson Commission, developed a bipartisan Social Security solvency plan. While the Commission’s recommendations ultimately did not receive the support necessary to move forward, its work has informed subsequent Social Security solvency discussions.

“As Social Security approaches a pivotal moment, Members of Congress have proposed a variety of process reforms designed to facilitate bipartisan discussions and help develop lasting solutions. Today's hearing will examine those approaches and consider what lessons can be drawn from past efforts.

“I want to thank our witnesses for being here today and I look forward to your testimony.”

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Crapo, Wyden Reaffirm Commitment to Extending Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) today reaffirmed their bipartisan commitment to extending the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (CHIPS ITC), citing the tax credit’s role in strengthening domestic semiconductor manufacturing, creating jobs and advancing U.S. national security.

“The Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit is a critical tool for strengthening domestic semiconductor supply chains, creating good-paying jobs and advancing our national security interests,” said Crapo and Wyden. “Since its enactment in 2022, the tax credit has spurred significant investments across the United States, including in Idaho and Oregon. As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, we are committed to working with our colleagues in the House and Senate to extend this vital incentive and ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing.”

Background

The Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit was created by the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and is based on Crapo and Wyden’s Facilitating American-Built Semiconductors Act, introduced in 2021. Absent congressional action, the CHIPS ITC will not apply to property the construction of which begins after December 31, 2026. This would increase the cost of manufacturing semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the United States, making it harder for America to compete for private investment, manufacturing jobs and critical chip production.

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Sen. Cruz Delivers Opening Remarks on Muslim Brotherhood Threat

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, chaired a hearing titled Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America. The hearing examined the Muslim Brotherhood’s efforts to seize influence inside American nonprofits, political organizations, universities, courts, taxpayer-funded programs, and other American institutions. Witnesses described the network as linking to additional organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Click here or on the image above to watch Sen. Cruz’s opening remarks.

Please see below for excerpts and highlights from Sen. Cruz’s opening remarks as delivered:

“This hearing is focused on Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America. The present members of this subcommittee will look at two questions: first, how the Muslim Brotherhood built its network in America, and second, what that network looks like today. History has taught Americans the danger of dismissing determined jihadist movements because their ambitions seem too extreme to be real.

“The Holy Land Foundation trial produced an extraordinary body of evidence: wiretaps, internal memos, organizational charts, meeting transcripts, laying bare the Brotherhood's sprawling American infrastructure. Most importantly, prosecutors identified what they alleged was a broader network of organizations operating within the United States. That list included the Islamic Society of North America, the North American Islamic Trust, and most notably, the Council on American Islamic Relations.

“The events we witnessed on college campuses after October 7 did not emerge from nowhere. They were not spontaneous. They were not organic. They were the product of an organized network that has spent decades building influence inside the United States. Just look at this dais. My Democrat colleagues have chosen not to participate. That's their right. But an oversight hearing that one of the two major parties refuses even to see is exactly the Outcome: These organizations that we're discussing have spent 40 years working to produce. My promise to the American people is to hold accountable those who finance and support terrorism on American soil, no matter how many tax exemptions, charitable registrations, or civil rights letterheads they hide behind.”


Committee Advances Curtis Priorities to Strengthen Online Safety for Children

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

As we all know, the digital world is changing faster than parents can keep up with it. And our kids are growing up in an online environment that barely existed a few years ago.

My wife and I raised six children, and we thought it was complicated when we raised them. And now I am expecting my 19th grandchild in a couple of weeks, and I can’t fathom what they have to navigate to get through this environment.

The bills we advanced today are an important step toward giving families the tools and transparency they need to keep their kids safe.

I want to thank the Chairman, Ranking Member Cantwell, and everyone who worked together in good faith to get us here.

I’m especially proud to be a lead cosponsor of the CHATBOT Act with Chairman Cruz and Senators Schatz and Schiff.

Chairman Cruz was collaborative throughout this process and incorporated several ideas Senator Schiff and I advanced in our SAFE KIDS Act.

I’m also proud to partner with Senator Lee on the SCREEN Act and commit to work with him and my other colleagues to advance that to the Senate floor.

We have to get this right.

That means protecting children without stifling innovation, empowering parents without leaving them on their own, and writing laws that will still make sense years from now.

But our work isn’t finished today.

I’m continuing to push to advance bipartisan bills from my colleagues and me to hold platforms accountable for the harm their products create, help users distinguish authentic content from AI slop, and close loopholes that allow youth to access content they shouldn’t see.

Parents shouldn’t have to carry this burden alone.

Platforms have a responsibility, Congress has a responsibility, and we should keep working together to build a safer digital world for our kids.

Today’s votes are meaningful progress, but they’re not the finish line.

Background:

The Committee passed the Kids Online Safety Act; Youth AI Privacy Act; CHATBOT Act; and Children’s Artificial Intelligence Toy Safety Act of 2026. Included in the CHATBOT Act were several key provisions from Curtis’ bipartisan SAFE KIDS Act, introduced with Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA).

The provisions adopted from the SAFE KIDS Act include:

Requiring AI chatbots to provide regular, clear disclosures reminding users that they are interacting with artificial intelligence—not a real person;

Prohibiting AI chatbot providers from materially assisting a minor in planning or attempting suicide;

Prohibiting AI chatbot providers from providing obscene material to minors; and

Requiring AI chatbot providers to notify a parent or guardian, as soon as feasibly possible, if a minor asks about committing suicide, while also directing the minor to external crisis resources.

In addition, several other priorities championed by Senator Curtis in the SAFE KIDS Act were advanced through Senator Ed Markey (D-MA)’s Youth AI Privacy Act, including:

A prohibition on advertising to children through AI chatbots;

Restrictions preventing companies from processing or transferring children’s data for targeted or behavioral algorithmic purposes; and

Whistleblower protections to encourage employees to report violations and protect those who expose harmful practices.

Together, these provisions represent significant bipartisan progress toward establishing stronger safeguards for children online, increasing transparency around AI systems, strengthening parental awareness, and protecting young users from harmful or exploitative practices.


Daines Applauds Court Ruling to Protect Second Amendment Rights, Eliminate Unconstitutional Firearm Registration Requirement

Daines Led Provision in Working Families Tax Cut to Eliminate NFA Excise Tax

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today applauded a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that struck down the National Firearm Act’s registration requirements for suppressors, short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), and short-barreled rifles (SBRs).

“Today’s decision is a victory for the Second Amendment. Eliminating the NFA excise tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns was one of my biggest priorities in the Working Families Tax Cuts that President Trump signed into law last year. I’m glad to see the courts strike down the remaining unconstitutional registration requirements and recognize Congress’ intent to fully eliminate these NFA provisions,” said Daines.

Background:

Daines has been leading efforts to eliminate the NFA’s $200 excise tax since 2024- read the release HERE. In December 2025 Daines led a letter with Representative Andrew Clyde (GA-09) to the U.S. Department of Justice urging them to end their defense of the NFA registration requirements in court- read it HERE.

Daines led the charge to include this provision in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which was signed into law by President Trump in July 2025. Following the bill’s passage, Second Amendment groups sued the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), arguing that federal government lost its constitutional justification for maintaining the NFA registration requirements for suppressors, SBRs, and SBSs after Congress passed Daines’ provision zeroing out the $200 NFA excise tax on those items.

Today’s court decision held that the NFA registration scheme for suppressors, SBSs, and SBRs is unconstitutional as applied to firearms Congress no longer taxes.

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Daines, Sheehy Bill to Support Crow Tribe and Montana Miners Passes Senate Indian Affairs Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy today announced their bill, the “Crow Revenue Act,” passed the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. The bill would provide new revenue to the Crow Tribe, ensure the longevity of the Bull Mountains Mine, help fix long-standing inholdings on the Crow Reservation, and increase access to public lands in the Bull Mountains.

“The Crow Revenue Act is a huge win for the Crow Tribe, Roundup and the surrounding communities. This bill helps the Tribe receive new revenue, supports our miners, and keeps the Roundup community’s economy thriving. I’m thrilled to see that it passed committee and is one step closer to becoming law,” said Daines.

“By resolving long-standing mineral ownership issues, the Crow Revenue Act creates a new stable source of revenue for the Crow Tribe, preserves Montana mining jobs, and expands public access to public lands. This legislation is the kind of practical, commonsense approach we need to support local communities, jobs, our economy, and our state’s energy future, and I’m glad to see it move through committee,” said Sheehy.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Background:

Daines first introduced the “Crow Revenue Act” in May 2024- read the release HERE and a one-pager on the bill HERE.

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Duckworth, Durbin Join Call to Stop Red Tape Requirements in Medicaid

The entire Senate Democratic Caucus called for withdrawal of CMS rule imposing strict requirements on Americans trying to get and keep Medicaid coverage

[WASHINGTON D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined all members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in calling on the Trump Administration to withdraw a rule to implement work reporting requirements for Medicaid that will take effect at the beginning of 2027.

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

In the letter, sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, the Senators make clear that attempts to implement these requirements will result in high costs and harm to eligible people. The lawmakers also emphasized that the Trump Administration’s definition of medical frailty far exceeds what is outlined in the law itself and creates additional onerous barriers for both patients and states that will result in sick Americans falling through the cracks.

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

The text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

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Duckworth-Led Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Youth Suicide Passes Senate

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Curtis (R-UT), Bernie Moreno (R-OH) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to help prevent youth suicide successfully passed through the Senate. The Senators’ bipartisan Youth Poisoning Prevention Act would ban high-concentration sodium nitrite from being available to the public. There is no recognized household or consumer use for high-concentration sodium nitrite, yet retailers are still allowed to sell this dangerous substance, resulting in tragic consequences. Since 2017, the National Poison Data System has shown a sharp increase in young adults ingesting this far-too-easily-available substance with suicidal intent, and deaths by suicide using this method continue to increase annually.

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

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

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

Specifically, the Senators’ bipartisan legislation would:

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

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

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

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

“This law was written in the names of children who should still be alive,” said Kristin Jónsson, mother of the late Kristine Jónsson, forever 16. “For years, high-purity sodium nitrite was sold with no guardrails despite mounting evidence that it had become a preferred suicide method. Today, we chose public health over preventable tragedy.

“Every parent who came forward with me did so with one hope: that no other family would have to live this nightmare,” said Ruth Scott, mother of the late Mikael Scott, forever 27. “We fought in our children’s names, and today their lives have left a legacy that will protect others.”

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

“The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention applauds Congress for passing the bipartisan Youth Poisoning Prevention Act, marking a significant milestone in a years-long bipartisan effort to prevent suicide by reducing access to a highly lethal means,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Since this legislation was first introduced in 2023, its bipartisan champions have remained steadfast in advancing an evidence-based approach to saving lives. Reducing access to highly lethal means is one of the most effective, evidence-based strategies for preventing suicide. By restricting consumer access to this dangerous product while preserving access for legitimate commercial, industrial, and food preservation uses, this legislation will help create time and distance between individuals in crisis and a highly lethal substance while maintaining access for legitimate purposes. We thank the bill’s bipartisan champions for their persistence and leadership and urge the President to sign the Youth Poisoning Prevention Act into law.”

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

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Duckworth-Murkowski Bipartisan Bill to Protect Children from Dangers of AI Toys Passes Committee

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to help protect children from the dangers posed by toys that use artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots successfully passed through the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) today. The Senators’ bipartisan Children’s Artificial Intelligence Toy Safety Act of 2026 would help equip families, pediatricians and policymakers with the independent evidence they need to better understand the emerging market of AI chatbot toys—which currently are not subject to any child-safety testing and are trained on content that is not appropriate for kids.

“These AI chatbots were never meant to be used by young children, yet they’re being embedded inside toys by the thousands,” said Duckworth. “We’ve already seen far too many instances where AI-enabled toys have imparted information to our children that could put them in immediate danger and have long-term impacts on their development. I’m glad our commonsense bill that mandates the federal government address this emerging issue has passed through committee—now the Senate must pass it with haste, for the sake of our kids’ safety.”

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving, and we must have a careful understanding of how our young people interact with this groundbreaking technology,” said Murkowski. “AI-enabled toys have the potential to significantly impact the physical, mental, and emotional development of our children. It is imperative we equip policymakers and America’s families with the knowledge they need to make informed choices about these devices, and I am grateful the Commerce Committee agrees.”

In December 2025, independent testing by U.S. PIRG Education Fund found AI toys discussing sexually explicit content and explaining where to find knives, pills and matches in the home—and instructing children how to light them. There is no current federal safety standard to address the AI inside a toy—only hazards such as choking, lead and flammability. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened an inquiry into the effects of AI companion chatbots on children, while the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) informed Congress earlier this year that it lacks explicit authority to evaluate non-physical hazards such as mental or emotional harm.

The Senators’ bipartisan Children’s Artificial Intelligence Toy Safety Act of 2026 would close this gap by:

Requiring the FTC and CPSC to provide Congress with a coordinated, actionable plan to address these emerging AI-enabled toy products; and

Requiring the congressionally chartered National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to conduct a comprehensive study into AI-enabled toys examining a wide range of issues, including potential risks to children’s physical, mental, emotional and social safety and well-being.

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

Duckworth is a leading voice in the push to protect our kids from the emerging dangers posed by AI toys. In March, Duckworth and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) demanded the Trump Administration to launch an investigation into whether toy companies are unfairly and deceptively marketing age-inappropriate toys to parents and putting our youngest children at risk. In their letter, the Senators highlighted how Open AI put out an explicit warning that ChatGPT is not meant for children under age 13 and to exercise caution regarding children’s exposure.

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Durbin Condemns Blatant Trump Administration Corruption In Senate Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing Opening Statement

WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement in which he slammed President Trump and the Trump Administration for the blatant corruption happening within the executive branch. President Trump has gone to unprecedented lengths to upend the rule of law and use the power of the federal government to shield himself and his allies and attack his perceived enemies. Most recently, Durbin noted that President Trump is selling a $100,000 monthly subscription service for people to get early access to his social media posts.

Today’s Committee hearing will consider the nominations of Anna St. John, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; Gregory Cook, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama; Adam Candeub, to be Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division; John Cronan, to be a Member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission; and Jason Manion, to be a Member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

Key Quotes:

“I have served on this Committee for nearly 30 years. In that time, I have attended countless nominations hearings, which provide an opportunity for members to determine if nominees are qualified for their positions.”

“Nominations hearings, like this one today, are an essential part of the Senate’s role in providing advice and consent on presidential nominees. This constitutional duty is a critical check on the Executive Branch. And it has never been more important that the Senate exercise this duty—because we now have a President and an Administration who are determined to use every opportunity to push the bounds of power.”

“I do want to say that there are elements underway in this Administration that need to be addressed by Congress, if not, by the courts. [There need to be] dramatic changes [about] corruption. Corruption used to happen behind closed doors—now the doors are wide open. First year in office, second term for Donald Trump was a good year for him—[he received] $1.4 billion at least, some say $2 billion. An amazing amount of money for anyone who would be president of the United States. Unfortunately, the fingerprints on those $2 billion involves the crypto industry… They have their fingerprints on every act of corruption in Washington.”

“In closing, I want to note that two of the witnesses before us have been nominated to fill vacancies on the U.S. Sentencing Commission… Members of the Commission are tasked with the delicate responsibility of establishing practices and policies that promote proportionality in sentencing and reduce sentencing disparities.”

“Federal judges rely on the Sentencing Guidelines, promulgated by the Sentencing Commission, for one of the most important aspects of their jobs—deciding on an appropriate penalty for a defendant. Thus, it is critical that members confirmed to the Commission have the technical expertise, experience, and understand the gravity their work has on the criminal justice system. I look forward to hearing from the nominees.”

Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

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Durbin, Duckworth Join Call To Stop Red Tape Requirements In Medicaid

The entire Senate Democratic Caucus called for withdrawal of CMS rule imposing strict requirements on Americans trying to get and keep Medicaid coverage

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined all members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in calling on the Trump Administration to withdraw a rule to implement work reporting requirements for Medicaid that will take effect at the beginning of 2027.

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

In the letter, sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, the Senators make clear that attempts to implement these requirements will result in high costs and harm to eligible people. The lawmakers also emphasized that the Trump Administration’s definition of medical frailty far exceeds what is outlined in the law itself, and creates additional onerous barriers for both patients and states that will result in sick Americans falling through the cracks.

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

The text of the letter is here.

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Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees During Judiciary Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned judicial nominees during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Durbin first questioned Anna St. John, nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, about her opposition to ending forced arbitration. In 2021, Judge St. John testified against the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act—which had strong bipartisan support and was signed into law in 2022. Judge St. John claimed that ending forced arbitration was “not in the best interests of those subjected to sexual harassment and assault” and argued that the legislation “turns these women into unwilling pawns, leveraging their private difficulties in pursuit of public policy objectives that don’t actually benefit them.”

“Do you have any second thoughts about the position you’ve taken on this issue [forced arbitration]?” Durbin asked.

Judge St. John responded that “some of her words were taken out of context.” She continued to say she does not oppose the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act.

She continued to state that “there can be benefits to arbitration in some instances [and] there can be benefits to litigation, and at no point do I think anyone should be forced to arbitrate their claims.”

Durbin replied, “But that’s exactly the issue—there’s no choice in forced arbitration. It was a ‘take it or leave it’ [approach] for the employees before this new law was enacted.”

Judge St. John then responded to Durbin that she “respects” that Congress carved out sexual misconduct claims from any pre-dispute arbitration agreement. She continued to say that she “agreed even before the law [Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act] if an employer did force somebody to sign an agreement, then under the law, that should not be valid, and people should have a choice as to whether to take their claims to court if they wish.”

“I think it’s a good response but it is inconsistent with… the testimony you gave before the House of Representatives. Do you think forced arbitration of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases is right or wrong?” Durbin pressed.

Following Durbin’s questions, Judge St. John shifted from her previous position and responded, “I don’t think anyone should be forced to arbitrate their claims.”

Video of Durbin’s questions to Judge St. John in Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s questions to Judge St. John in Committee is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s questions to Judge St. John in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

During the second panel, Durbin asked John Cronan, nominated to be a Member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, about Cronan’s previous racist commentary. Judge Cronan had previously written horrible comments about Black incarcerated people—suggesting they are “predominantly members of the lower economic classes,” and that “Black inmates are most likely to become the sexual aggressors.”

“I’m deeply troubled by these statements… Why should people of color believe that you’ve changed from the statements that you made in 2001?” Durbin asked.

Judge Cronan attempted to deflect and stated that he had quoted “another author’s study” until finally stating, “I certainly do not feel that Black inmates are more violent than White inmates.”

Durbin then asked Adam Candeub, nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division, about Candeub’s criticism of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and anti-feminist commentary in his law review comment.

“Do you still oppose the Violence Against Women Act?” Durbin asked.

Mr. Candeub responded that he “hasn’t really thought about the issue.” He went on to say VAWA has “served America well.”

Durbin pressed Mr. Candeub on a 2023 interview he conducted with a right-wing Hungarian news magazine—which he initially failed to disclose to the Committee—in which he said, “the ideological bias of universities, the extensive harassment laws that regulate the workplace, and the gradual spread of self-censorship are leading to a society in the United States that is intellectually more comfortable, duller, more deceitful, and more timid than in previous decades.”

“Do you oppose laws that protect against harassment in the workplace?” Durbin asked.

Mr. Candeub responded, “absolutely not.”

“Why did you say that anti-workplace harassment laws are leading to a society that is, ‘more comfortable, duller, more deceitful, and more timid’?” Durbin asked.

Mr. Candeub deflected.

“Do you stand by your words?” Durbin pressed.

Mr. Candeub responded, “I stand by my words because I believe in free speech.”

Video of Durbin’s questions to Judge Cronan and Mr. Candeub in Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s questions to Judge Cronan and Mr. Candeub in Committee is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s questions to Judge Cronan and Mr. Candeub in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

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Durbin Statement On Appellate 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 – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled 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:

“It’s no surprise that a President who peddled ‘Trump University’ as a prestigious institution would side with predatory for-profit colleges while defrauded students drowned in debt.

“Finally—after years of the Trump Administration making excuse after excuse in support of for-profit colleges—this court ruling is delivering justice to the hundreds of thousands of students who were left in the lurch.”

The class action lawsuit originated during the first Trump Administration, with 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 predatory for-profit colleges. However, the 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.

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Durbin To Republican Colleagues: Oppose Todd Blanche’s Nomination To Be Attorney General

Durbin: “If there is ever a moment in history when we need an Attorney General above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption… it’s right now.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led his colleagues in speeches on the Senate floor in opposition to the nomination of Todd Blanche to be U.S. Attorney General. Durbin was joined by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

During his remarks, Durbin argued that Mr. Blanche’s involvement with the nearly $2 billion January 6 slush fund and Trump tax immunity provision is disqualifying. Durbin began by recounting the tragic events of January 6, 2021, and Trump’s decision to give full and unconditional pardons to the more than 1,500 people charged and convicted of offenses related to January 6 on his first day back in the Oval Office.

“I’m nearing the end of my Senate term, and I’m reflecting on some historic events which I’ve witnessed at this table, at this desk. One of the most historic I remember and specifically the date, January 6th, 2021,” Durbin said. “What happened you can witness yourself on videotape—it’s all there. About 150 of our Capitol Police [officers] were assaulted by these demonstrators. Some were seriously injured, others pushed to the brink, psychologically, which led to their deaths a day or two later. It was a horrible scene.”

Durbin continued, “Fast forward four years and what happened next. President Trump was re-elected. And with the power under the Constitution to pardon those who committed a crime, on his first day in office in his second term, President Trump gave a full and unconditional pardon to every one of the convicted demonstrators who stormed this building… The reason I bring up this event years later is because there’s an important issue to be voted on this week by the United States Senate, and that is the choice of the next Attorney General of the United States.”

Durbin then outlined how Mr. Blanche was directly involved in establishing the January 6th slush fund and brokering the immunity deal that provided President Trump, his family, and his businesses with immunity for any federal tax law violations prior to May 19, 2026.

“One of the items of controversy is pretty easy to explain. President Trump believes, and Todd Blanche believed at one point, that the people who attacked the Capitol, the people who breached the Capitol, crashed through the doors, broke down the windows, threatened individuals inside, should receive financial compensation for doing it. And you say to yourself, they got a full and unconditional pardon by President Trump. Now they want money, too? And the answer is not only yes, but unfortunately, they’ve done it with some pride,” Durbin said. “The Trump Administration proposed an anti-weaponization fund… And who was the person who executed that plan? Todd Blanche, the person who is seeking to become the next full-time Attorney General of the United States.”

Durbin continued, “Secondly, there was a provision in a lawsuit. Now, here’s what the lawsuit is all about. The President sued the IRS and Treasury, arguing that they disclosed his income tax returns without his permission. They arrested the man who actually did it. They caught him, and he was prosecuted… the President sued the IRS and Treasury for billions of dollars, billions, because they disclosed his income tax return. I’m completing quite a few years of public service. I’ve disclosed my income tax return every year without fail, as a Member of Congress and the Senate. I’m not posing for holy pictures. I’m just trying to tell you it isn’t that big a deal if you follow the law. Do you know what the settlement of the Trump lawsuit was for disclosing his income tax returns? Part of the settlement said, get this now—and Todd Blanche is the draftsman of this as well—part of it said, neither the President, his family, or any of the companies in his Trump empire business can be held for violating any tax crimes in the United States. How would you like that get-out-of-jail-free card?”

Durbin continued by describing how Blanche has used his position to directly enrich the President. In April 2025, as then-Deputy Attorney General, Blanche disbanded the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and shut down ongoing crypto-crime investigations. Last year, the President earned $1.4 billion from crypto alone, even as Americans lost billions of dollars to crypto fraud.

“If we say no one in America is above the law, how in the world can you justify doing this [tax immunity deal] for the Trump family and their businesses? And we know this President deals in big numbers when it comes to income. His first year in office estimates between $1.4 and $2 billion in the President’s first year in office in his second term. $2 billion,” Durbin said. “Well, you won’t be surprised to know that there are cryptocurrency fingerprints all over this deal. The President made hundreds of millions of dollars off of a meme coin or some contraption that comes out of the cryptocurrency world. That’s the reality. And who was overseeing this operation? Todd Blanche, a man who wants to be the number one law enforcement officer in the United States of America.”

Durbin concluded, “This is a serious mistake for the Senate to approve Todd Blanche as the next Attorney General. If there is ever a moment in history when we need an Attorney General above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now… I beg my colleagues on the other side of the aisle… don’t be in the history books on the wrong side when it comes to this issue. Come out against corruption. Come out for the prosecution of corporate fraud. Come out for changing the current situation in the United States to one that is more respectful of the law and more respectful of the families and voters who create this democracy. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing the nomination of Todd Blanche as the next Attorney General of the United States.”

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.

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Ernst, Padilla Celebrate National Farmers Market Week

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating Aug. 2–8, 2026, as National Farmers Market Week to celebrate the hardworking farmers and ranchers who feed our families, fuel our communities, and strengthen rural America.

“Agriculture is the heart of Iowa, and farmers markets make it easier for Iowans to buy fresh, locally grown food in communities across our state,” said Senator Ernst. “I’m proud to lead a bipartisan resolution designating Aug. 2-8 as National Farmers Market Week to recognize the tireless work of our farmers, ranchers, and producers who put nutritious food on Americans’ tables every day.”

“California is home to more than 800 farmers markets that nourish our families, bolster the local economy, and cultivate thoughtful relationships between growers and consumers,” said Senator Padilla. “We cherish these shared spaces which are a vibrant, dependable source of nutrition for our state. I’m proud to lead this Senate resolution celebrating National Farmers Market Week to support our local farmers who feed our families and strengthen our communities.”

In 2023, Senators Ernst and Padilla announced the first-ever congressional resolution to celebrate National Farmers Market Week, which was adopted unanimously by the Senate and celebrated again in 2024 and 2025.

U.S. Representatives David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

“The Central Valley grows a quarter of our nation’s food on less than one percent of America’s farmland, yet too many people living in urban areas don’t realize what it takes to get food from field to table,” said Representative Valadao. “Farmers markets provide a valuable opportunity to connect people with the hardworking producers who feed our nation, and they highlight the important role agriculture plays in our communities. I’m proud to join my colleagues in recognizing National Farmers Market Week and honoring the contributions of our CA-22 producers working to support food access, bolster local economies, promote healthy living, and foster sustainable farming.”

“Farmers markets have been a cherished tradition in communities across America for generations. A quarter of Maine farms sell directly to consumers, with more than 100 farmers markets currently operating in our state,” said Representative Pingree. “By connecting local growers with their communities, farmers markets not only help put healthy food on the table, but also strengthen local economies and help preserve Maine’s agricultural traditions for future generations. This bipartisan, bicameral resolution reminds us that, in red states and blue states alike, farmers markets can be a force for good—and an important part of building a stronger, more resilient food system for all Americans.”

Read the resolution here.

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Ernst Joins Vice President Vance, White House Task Force to Wage War on Fraud

WASHINGTON – Today, Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined Vice President J.D. Vance and the White House Task Force to discuss how Republicans are putting fraudsters out of business.

Download more photos of Senator Ernst HERE

During the roundtable, Ernst applauded Vice President Vance’s leadership and how the Task Force has successfully clawed back billions of dollars:

$22 billion in suspected fraudulent pandemic-era loans

$6.3 billion in suspected fraudulent government contracts

$600 million in suspected fraud by 447 hospice providers and 23 home health agencies

$51.6 million in suspected avoided customs duties on gold alone

Ernst also highlighted her leadership of a comprehensive anti-fraud package, the Protecting American Taxpayers Act, which would return over $240 billion to taxpayers.

“Bad actors have been scamming American taxpayers for far too long,” said Ernst. “From fake child care centers in Minnesota to incarcerated convicts collecting unemployment checks, fraud has become so pervasive that, if it were a government agency, the ‘Department of Fraud’ would rank as the fifth-largest federal department by spending. I’m grateful for the leadership of Vice President Vance and the Trump administration for cracking down on fraud across the country and sending scammers to the slammer. Now, Congress must pass my anti-fraud package to protect taxpayers. Every single day we delay, fraudsters steal more than $1.4 billion.”

Background:

Ernst has long led efforts to eliminate government waste and ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. As chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, she has continued her decades-long mission to expose waste, fraud, and abuse and advance reforms that hold Washington accountable.

For over a decade, Ernst has exposed wasteful government spending through her monthly “squeal” awards, highlighting examples of taxpayer dollars being misused and pushing for accountability across the federal government.

Over the past year, Ernst has heard testimony from independent investigative journalist Nick Shirley about fraudulent child care services provided by Minnesota’s Quality Learing Center and from investigative reporter Luke Rosiak about Ohio personal care companies that received financial support from the Small Business Administration.

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Fischer Applauds Release of Treasury, IRS Guidance on Her Permanent Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit

Fischer’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit is first-ever nationwide leave policy enacted into law; Treasury Secretary recognizes Fischer for leadership

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) issued the following statement upon the release of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance for employers looking to claim the permanent Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit she secured in the 2025 Working Families Tax Cuts.

Fischer’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit is the first-ever nationwide paid family leave policy enacted into law.

“The Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit is a first of its kind policy that gives working families flexibility as they care for their loved ones,” Fischer said. “The guidance released today gives employers the tools they need to take advantage of this credit and provide paid leave for their employees. Secretary Bessent has been a great partner in getting this done for hardworking Americans, and I thank him for his leadership."

“Hardworking Americans should not have to choose between caring for a loved one and earning a paycheck,”Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “The Working Families Tax Cuts permanently expands the federal Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit, giving businesses, especially small businesses, greater incentives to provide paid leave so workers can care for a newborn or other family member or recover from a serious illness without sacrificing their financial security. I appreciate Senator Fischer’s leadership to establish the nation’s first federal Paid Family and Medical Leave policy and to secure its permanent expansion through the Working Families Tax Cuts. Today’s guidance provides employers with the clarity they need to claim the enhanced credit, supporting American workers, families, and businesses.”

“The permanent expansion of the credit encourages businesses to provide paid family and medical leave,” IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano said. “The changes enacted by the Working Families Tax Cuts will make more employers eligible for the credit and give them more ways to offer this benefit to their workers.”

Treasury/IRS Guidance:

Beginning in 2026, more employers providing paid family and medical leave that meets certain requirements can take advantage of a general business tax credit ranging from 12.5% to 25% of wages paid to qualifying employees for up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave per taxable year.

Employers can claim the credit for premiums paid for PFML insurance policies, in addition to wages paid during PFML leave. To help employers apply the new premium-based method, Notice 2026-28 addresses how the premium-based method compares to the wage-based method, how to allocate the qualifying premiums, and how to elect between the premium method and the wage method. Forthcoming proposed regulations will provide broader guidance to address the statute comprehensively and provide certainty to taxpayers.

Background:

In President Trump’s first term, Fischer secured the first and only nationwide Paid Family and Medical Leave policy by creating a temporary tax credit in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Last July, when Republicans were crafting the Working Families Tax Cuts, Fischer made the tax credit permanent.

The Working Families Tax Cuts also makes several key improvements to the credit, including:

Expanded Eligibility: Employers can claim the credit for employees with six months of service and for part-time employees customarily working 20 hours or more per week.

Expanded Coverage: Employers can claim the credit for insurance premiums paid to provide leave, or wages paid during leave.

State and Local Mandates: Employers can count leave provided under state or local mandates toward the eligibility for this federal tax credit, but not toward the credit calculation.

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