Gallego Bill Would Put More Overtime Money into Workers’ Pockets

The Double the Wage for Overtime Act would increase the overtime rate from time-and-a-half to double

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) today introduced the Double the Wage for Overtime Act, legislation that would increase the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 hours from 1.5 times a worker’s regular hourly rate, to double their hourly rate.

“Workers have not seen their overtime rate double in nearly 90 years. And at a time when families are stretching every dollar to afford their needs, increasing the overtime rate will put more money in their pockets,” Senator Gallego said.

The Double the Wage for Overtime Act would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to increase overtime pay from 1.5 times to 2 times a worker’s regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. A worker making $25 an hour and working 10 hours overtime a week would make $6,500 more a year as a result of the bill. Analysis from the Economic Policy Institute shows the bill would help roughly 13.4 million workers, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

“CWA members across a number of industries and sectors have seen for years that employers would like nothing more than to work us to the bone. We have fought hard at the bargaining table to make sure that our members are compensated fairly for their hard work, but every worker in this country deserves to be guaranteed better compensation when they’re being routinely forced to give up time with their families, their kids, to miss important moments, or even simply to get a moment to relax. The Double the Wage for Overtime Act compensates working families for the sacrifices we make. I thank Senator Gallego for his leadership on this important issue and encourage the Senate to consider it quickly,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.

“Each and every day, AFSCME members go above and beyond to keep our streets clean and our communities safe, sacrificing time with family to get the job done,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “They, and all working people who put in overtime, should be compensated accordingly. The Double the Wage for Overtime Act is long overdue and necessary to keep up with the cost-of-living crisis. We thank Sen. Gallego and Reps. Casar, Jayapal and Horsford for their leadership. Now it’s time for the rest of Congress to follow their lead and pass this bill.”

“Working families are getting crushed by President Trump’s high prices and paychecks that aren’t keeping up. Doubling overtime wages would boost the economy and put more money into workers’ pockets, accurately reflecting the contribution overtime workers make to keep our economy moving and easing strain on household budgets,” Alex Jacquez, Chief of Policy and Advocacy at Groundwork Action said.

“EPI has long pointed out that worker pay is also a policy choice. Raising the overtime rate of pay would boost workers’ income, provide a stronger deterrent against overworking employees, and help to reverse the decades-long erosion of overtime protections. A double overtime rate would be a simple, fair way to put more money in workers’ pockets. This bill would address a key concern with affordability – making sure that workers actually earn enough in wages to cover the costs of living with dignity and security,” Samantha Sanders, Director of Government Affairs & Advocacy at the Economic Policy Institute said.

“It has been 88 years since the 40-hour work week was established, ensuring that workers receive time and a half pay when they work overtime. Today, Americans are forced to work grueling hours just to provide the basics for their families — with no hope that higher productivity will translate into a decent raise, let alone more time to spend with loved ones. The Double the Wage for Overtime Act would finally update our overtime laws, recognizing that workers deserve their fair share and adequate time off the job,” Rajiv Sicora, UAW Legislative Director said.

“Voices for Progress applauds Senator Gallego’s effort to increase overtime pay, putting money in the pockets of everyday Americans who are facing stagnating wages while the cost of necessities like utilities, health care, child care, and housing skyrockets. As business leaders, entrepreneurs, employers, and investors, Voices for Progress members know firsthand that empowering workers, ensuring fair pay and adequate time off, is a key part of building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top,” said Sandra Fluke, President of Voices for Progress.

“As a former CEO I know that employees who are well rested and paid fair wages do their best work. That’s why I am thrilled to see Senator Gallego introduce the “Double the Wage for Overtime Act”, said John Driscoll, Chair of UCONN Health and Patriotic Millionaires Board Member. “By doubling overtime pay for roughly 13.4 million workers, this bill deters employers from overworking their employees and not paying them enough. It helps provide more reliable schedules, and will make workplaces safer. When people do work overtime, they’ll spend those extra dollars in their local economies. This legislation is a win for workers, business owners and the whole economy.”

“Founded in 1991 by Rev. Al Sharpton, the National Action Network and our chapters nationwide welcome the introduction of the Double the Wage for Overtime Act of 2026. This legislation is a vital necessity for our communities, where everyday families are working incredibly hard but finding that the traditional time-and-a-half standard no longer covers the soaring costs of rent, groceries, and basic living. We urge Congress to pass this bill without delay to deliver immediate, meaningful economic justice and restore real financial stability to working households,” Ebonie Riley, Senior Vice President, National Action Network (NAN) said.


Sen. Gallego to Sec. Scott Bessent: ‘Meet with the workers that your Administration’s policies have put out of work’

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to tour manufacturing facility in Casa Grande, Arizona

WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ahead of his visit to Casa Grande with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Congressman Juan Ciscomani, urging him to meet with workers who lost their jobs as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill that features aggressive cuts to clean energy tax credits for electric vehicles.

“According to a recent report, 223 manufacturing, clean energy, and industrial projects are already facing cancellations and delays largely because of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, representing at least $82.8 billion in capital investment which could cost 111,765 jobs,” wrote Senator Gallego.

“Casa Grande has not been immune to the impacts of this Administration’s reckless economic policies. Since June, multiple companies in clean energy manufacturing and generation have announced major project cancelations and workforce reductions in Pinal County,” continued Senator Gallego. “Over 700 workers have been laid off in just the last two months. These job losses will negatively impact the entire local economy.

Senator Gallego ended the letter by challenging Bessent to hear directly from the workers affected by the Administration’s policies.

Click here to read the letter.


Gillibrand, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Stop Spread Of Spotted Lanternflies

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined a bipartisan group of her Senate colleagues to introduce the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act to designate the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species that poses a significant threat to our nation’s agricultural economy, as a high-priority research initiative for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

“The spotted lanternfly has proven to be a destructive pest that threatens New York State’s specialty crops, especially vineyards throughout Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Long Island and the Hudson Valley,” said Senator Gillibrand. “If not contained, this pest will have devastating economic consequences at a time when New York farmers are already having their profits destroyed by rising diesel and fertilizer costs. Congress must immediately prioritize spotted lanternfly research to prevent further spread.”

Spotted lanternflies are harmful to specialty crops like grapes across New York State, especially in Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley. As the species continues to spread, designating spotted lanternfly controls as a high-priority research initiative will help focus USDA scientific resources to combat the spread of this invasive pest. In 2025, researchers at Cornell University estimated that if left unchecked, the spotted lanternfly could cost New York’s grape industry over $14 million over the first three years of invasion.

Joining Senator Gillibrand in introducing the bill were Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Dave McCormick (R-PA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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Gillibrand Holds Virtual Press Conference Slamming Trump Administration For Medicare Cuts, Raising Drug Prices For Seniors

Trump Administration Decision Will Raise Premiums For As Many As 1.3 Million New Yorkers

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to slam the Trump administration for its decision to end subsidies that lower prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients.

“The Trump administration’s decision to end critical Medicare subsidies that help seniors afford life-saving medication is a betrayal of our values,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This administration has money for bombs abroad, but not for our seniors here at home. I’m urging President Trump to reverse these Medicare cuts now and instead take action to lower costs for American seniors.”

In 2025, these subsidies lowered average premiums for seniors with Medicare Part D standalone prescription drug plans by 40% per month. By ending these subsidies, the Trump administration is raising costs for as many as 25 million Americans on Medicare, including up to 1.3 million New Yorkers.

At a time when seniors are already struggling with rising prices for groceries, gas, and utilities, Senator Gillibrand urged the Trump administration to reverse its decision to end the subsidies and work with insurance plans to insulate seniors from dramatic premium increases in 2027.

Senator Gillibrand continues to lead the fight to lower healthcare costs for seniors on Medicare. Earlier this year, she introduced the Medicare Cost Cap Act, which would cap out-of-pocket costs for Traditional Medicare (parts A and B) beneficiaries at $5,000 per year. She has also introduced legislation to strengthen Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drug prices and reduce out-of-pocket costs for seniors. Additionally, she champions the Capping Prescription Costs Act, which would extend the cap on annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries to people with private health insurance.

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Gillibrand, Scott Press FDA On Shortage Of Cancer Drugs

Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rick Scott (R-FL), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, pressed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on what actions it is taking to alleviate the shortage of critical cancer medications.

“We must do everything we can to make sure no cancer patient goes without life-saving chemotherapy drugs,” said Senator Gillibrand. “However, addressing this crisis cannot come at the expense of patient safety or a secure supply chain. Senator Scott and I are pressing the FDA to develop a plan to fix the drug shortage while also ensuring that imported drugs are up to American regulatory standards.”

“When older Americans are battling cancer, a delay or shortage in treatment availability is a matter of life and death,” said Senator Scott. “I’m grateful for President Trump and his administration’s work to alleviate the supply strain on critical cancer-fighting medications, and I am committed to partnering with them to put safety and availability first. I am proud to join Ranking Member Gillibrand to ensure our seniors receive the best, on-time, treatment in their fight against this awful disease.”

Currently, the United States is experiencing a national shortage of essential generic chemotherapy drugs, including ifosfamide, carboplatin, cisplatin, and oxaliplatin. According to the FDA, the shortages are the result of manufacturing problems, shipping delays, and decisions by some companies to stop producing the medications. If the drug shortage persists, doctors may be forced to ration their patients’ medications or even prioritize certain patients over others.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reported that FDA is considering temporarily allowing the importation of medications from overseas manufacturers that do not typically supply American markets to help remedy the shortage. To ensure patient safety, Gillibrand and Scott requested a briefing from FDA to answer questions about how these imported drugs will be evaluated for quality, what foreign manufacturers are being considered, and what steps FDA is taking to prepare for future drug shortages.

The full text of the senators’ letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas can be found here or below:

Dear Acting Commissioner Diamantas,

We write to express concern regarding the escalating national shortage of the critical oncology medications ifosfamide, carboplatin, cisplatin, and oxaliplatin highlighted in recent reporting. The prospect of widespread clinical rationing of frontline chemotherapy presents a crisis for patients, particularly older Americans who disproportionately rely on these medications. Some health systems are already reportedly receiving only a fraction of their standard supply, forcing clinicians to space out doses, prioritize certain patients over others, or ration medications to manage shrinking supplies.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reported that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is actively working to alleviate these shortages and is considering temporarily allowing the importation of medications from overseas manufacturers that do not typically supply the United States market. Remedial action of this kind is not novel, as the FDA employed similar strategies in navigating the carboplatin and cisplatin shortage crisis in 2023, but it is essential to ensure the safety and efficacy of any medicine administered to an American patient.

We appreciate the FDA utilizing its regulatory flexibility to inject supply into a strained system, but the temporary introduction of foreign pharmaceuticals raises potential safety concerns that demand transparency. To provide clarity to Congress and ensure patient safety, we respectfully request a briefing from the FDA by September 4, 2026, to answer the following questions:

Which specific foreign manufacturers and facilities is the FDA currently evaluating, or has it authorized, for temporary importation of drugs in shortage?

In which country are these manufacturers and facilities located?

Have any of these manufacturers received a Form 483 or been classified as Official Action Indicated (OAI) or Voluntary Action Indicated (VAI), specifically with respect to the drugs in shortage?

2. What protocols, quality checks, and regulatory standards is the FDA applying to guarantee supplemental imports meet safety standards?

3. How will the FDA monitor imported chemotherapy drugs for contamination or subpotency once they are in the U.S. market?

4. How will shortage staff work with the Office of Inspections and Investigations (OII) and relevant quality staff within the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) to ensure that facility inspection history and drug quality are considered in shortage mitigation efforts?

5. Does the FDA anticipate that efforts to temporarily rectify the shortage will result in increased costs for hospital purchasers or individual patients?

6. The 2023 carboplatin and cisplatin shortage prompted conversations about a durable solution for the chemotherapy supply chain. What steps has the FDA taken to prepare for future shortages given the continued fragility of that supply chain?

7. What is the market share for the oncology drugs in shortage? How many FDA-approved alternatives exist for these drugs and what are their respective market shares?

Thank you for your attention to this request and ongoing work to protect patients. We look forward to your prompt response and working together to ensure older Americans maintain access to critical medications.

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Capitol Hill Report, 08-05-26

Audio from this morning’s call is available HERE.

Topics include: the Farm Bill, the Sanders-Grassley Audit the Pentagon Act, Todd Blanche’s nomination to be U.S. Attorney General, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Iran and mail-in voting.


Grassley Questions Witnesses at Senate Finance Committee Hearing on Addressing Social Security Solvency, Urges Bipartisan Cooperation

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, questioned witnesses about the need for bipartisan cooperation to address Social Security’s long-term solvency.

During a floor speech last week, Grassley noted retirees will see a 22% cut in benefits around late 2032 unless Congress takes action.

VIDEO

On bipartisan cooperation and commissions:

For any Social Security reform proposal to succeed, it will require the support of at least 60 senators. So, that means both parties working together to find a solution.

Outside of the 1983 commission, are there examples of a commission or other special process that successfully sparked bipartisan cooperation and action?

On ways to promote bipartisanship and identify solutions:

I understand you both oppose any sort of commission-based process. Instead, you contend Congress should address Social Security through regular committee and floor processes. I respect that view. I'm open to any process that will facilitate the bipartisan cooperation that's necessary, with emphasis upon the word bipartisan.

What are some actions your groups are taking or plan to take to help foster bipartisan cooperation and discussion of Social Security?

On the importance of taking immediate action to protect Social Security’s future:

I see a lot of AARP ads on television. I’ve got a little bit of advice for you. But, you're no different than a candidate Trump and a President Biden. They all ran on a platform of “We're not going to do anything about Social Security.” And your TV advertisements are saying, “We aren't going to cut Social Security.”

I don't blame you for defending the program that way, but we’ve got to wake this entire nation up to the fact that there's going to be 22% cuts if we don't do something right now.

And you ought to spend some of your money waking up people to the fact that there's a crisis down the line. And you say don't cut Social Security, but it's going to be cut automatically if you don’t wake the people of this country up. And, that's what I advise you to do because you’ve got a big voice.


Hagerty, Colleagues Introduce the Blocking Large-Scale Adversarial Distillation Efforts (BLADE) Act

The unauthorized use of American AI models by foreign adversaries is a threat to both economic and national security

WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), along with Senate Banking Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC), Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), introduced the Blocking Large-Scale Adversarial Distillation Efforts (BLADE) Act of 2026, a bipartisan bill to deter malign foreign actors from stealing the proprietary capabilities of America’s frontier AI companies.

Recent news reports have detailed the large-scale use of “model extraction attacks” by Chinese entities to distill the unique competitive advantages of America’s top AI models. Such foreign model extraction attacks—which typically circumvent technical controls, use fraudulent or unauthorized credentials, and violate terms of use in order to harvest proprietary capabilities from U.S. models without the owner’s permission—evade U.S. export controls and threaten U.S. economic security and national security.

To deter unauthorized and illicit foreign model extraction attacks, the BLADE Act would direct the Executive Branch to identify and publicly expose foreign entities behind these malign activities, coordinate with industry to improve detection, and authorize the imposition of Commerce Department export controls and Treasury Department financial sanctions against these foreign entities.

“As the United States must remain at the forefront of competitiveness in artificial intelligence, we cannot allow our adversaries to steal the intellectual property of America’s top AI companies and thereby threaten U.S. national security and economic security,” said Hagerty. “The BLADE Act will expose and punish foreign entities that conduct hostile distillation campaigns against our frontier AI companies. Our nation must counter malign actors who seek to subvert our nation’s leadership and innovation in artificial intelligence.”

“The BLADE Act safeguards both our competitive edge against China and our national security at the same time. As we continue to set the global standard for innovation and unlock new opportunity through AI, it’s critical we have these tools to deter direct attacks on U.S. AI models and maintain as large a lead as possible over our competitors and adversaries,” said Kim.

“From startups in South Carolina to companies across the country, American innovators are building the technologies that will shape the future, and the Chinese Communist Party and other foreign adversaries should not be allowed to steal that work. Industrial-scale distillation attacks are unacceptable, and the BLADE Act gives the Commerce Department the tools to expose and punish bad actors targeting American AI models, protect our national security, and keep America ahead in the global AI race. I’m proud to join Senators Hagerty and Kim in defending American ingenuity and holding our adversaries accountable,” said Scott.

“As America’s AI technologies become more advanced, we face new threats from China and other foreign adversaries trying to reproduce them,” said Cortez Masto. “We cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to steal our companies’ hard work and innovation. America can and will remain dominant in the race to develop cutting-edge AI technologies.”

Find the full text of the bill here.

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ICYMI: Hawley Exposes Predatory AI Surveillance Pricing, Consumer Data Harvesting in Subcommittee Hearing

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, held a hearing exposing the exploitative practices of AI surveillance pricing and consumer data harvesting used by large corporations to scam working Americans out of their hard-earned money.

Senator Hawley opened, “Hardly a day goes by in this town, without some booster of AI talking about how it’s going to transform the American economy for the better, the question is whose betterment will this transformation lead to? … We’re here today to talk about one of the effects of this AI boom: the partnership between the AI industry and some of the biggest corporations in America to effectively scam consumers out of every last dollar they have in order to buy products that they need and rely on … This is one of the biggest scams in American history. This marriage between the AI industry and these mega corporations, and they’re trying to pull it off against every American consumer. AI surveillance pricing is the unholy trinity of everything Americans hate: spying on people, ripping them off, and taking away jobs.“

“Earlier this year, there was a disturbing incident that played out on Twitter on X that shed some light, I think, on how airlines are using surveillance pricing in real time, right in front of us. I think I’ve got the relevant exchange over my shoulder here. You have an ex-user who, in April, this is April of this year, posted that he had seen a $230 price increase in one day when he was booking travel for a funeral on JetBlue. $230 price increase. Now, here’s the interesting thing: JetBlue’s own corporate account helpfully responded to him and instructed him to clear the cache and the cookies, or use an incognito window,” Senator Hawley began.

“Now, Ms. Owens, you’re familiar with this incident, I assume. Can you explain to us broadly what is what’s going on here?” he asked Dr. Lindsay Owens, the President and CEO of Groundwork Collaborative, about airline surveillance pricing.

Dr. Owens responded, “This really simple tweet basically is a confession of two things. The first thing in asking the customer to clear their browser before purchasing flights, you know that the company is tracking your browser history. The second thing we know is that they are using the data that they collect in their pricing decisions, and in this case, adversely, the price is going to be higher for this individual based on their browsing history. But I also think this is such an important example because it shows that surveillance pricing isn’t just about things like income. This is about desperation. This individual is trying to get to the funeral. He needs this ticket urgently. He wants to attend, and that can be weaponized against consumers. This isn’t about the rising jet fuel prices. That’s not what’s going into an end to their pricing decision. Desperation is driving this decision.”

Senator Hawley continued, “Let me just ask you, Dr. Owens. I think it’s pretty clear. But what’s the motive here? I mean, what is JetBlue’s motive?”

Laying down the hammer, she answered, “This is about profit. The data that powers the surveillance pricing engine is estimated to be a $700 billion industry by 2030.”

“What other kinds of information do these companies have that they can use to set these personalized, scam, I would say, prices?” Hawley questioned.

“Unfortunately for consumers, the answer is, increasingly, nearly everything. It’s your location data, it’s behavioral data, what you buy, what you don’t buy, what you keep in your cart, it’s demographic data. If you login with a loyalty program to fly, they know how many people are in your family, whether you have kids, where you go frequently. And as we know, with AI, as companies build enterprise agents, people often start conversing with these companies, and they have the information that you tell them,” Dr. Owens testified.

Senator Hawley exposed that AI surveillance pricing costs the average American family an additional $1,200 per year, stating, “Your initiative, your organization, the Groundwork Collaborative, issued an expose on Instacart earlier this year. What your findings betray and put onto the record is just incredible. Your report exposes on Instacart’s charging different shoppers different prices for the same groceries at the same time, and the amount of money that we’re talking about here is really extraordinary. Your report found that the price swings for an average family could end up being in the neighborhood of $1,200 per year.$1,200 per year-that is a lot of money. Tell us about what you found in your report and why it’s so significant.”

“We uncovered a vast experiment that Instacart was running on millions of Americans while they shop for groceries. What we found is that different shoppers were being offered different prices for the exact same set of items at the exact same time at the exact same pickup location. This wasn’t an occasionally finding. More than three-quarters of the items in our test grocery basket were found to be offered at different prices, sometimes as many as five prices per item. Sometimes the price difference was as much as 23% for a simple carton of eggs,” Dr. Owens said.

Senator Hawley turned to Robert Hedges, Former Chief Data Officer at Visa and Digital Fellow at MIT, “Let’s talk a little bit about the role that the credit cards play in this … You are Visa’s Former Chief Data officer. Talk to us a little bit about what you know about what the industry, what kind of information the industry gathers, and I want to zero you in on one thing in particular. JetBlue works reportedly with one of your former competitors, Mastercard, to make assumptions and draw profiles about its customers, about JetBlue’s customers, and they use categories like confident, or satisfied, or focused, or in love with JetBlue. This Mastercard subsidiary then flags if a JetBlue customer is likely to pay an above-average fare. This seems extraordinary.Tell us about what you have learned about what this subset of at least some of the credit card industry is doing to participate in surveillance pricing.”

Mr. Hedges responded, “The subsidiary that Mastercard is using is a company called Dynamic Yield. One of the specialties of what Dynamic Yield does is calculate willingness to pay, and so there’s a whole set of data that’s collected to inform willingness to pay … In the airline case, where you really travel? When did you book the ticket? Have you already booked the hotel? Do you have friends or neighbors or relatives in the area? How long ago was the trip organized? All those using the airline example, all those things will influence the score and willingness to pay.”

Hawley asked Z. John Zhang, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania, “The problem with this surveillance pricing is that it seems to say there’s going to be a different rule for every single person, and the corporations have all the information. We have none of it. The asymmetry is astounding. They know everything there is to know. I have basically no ability to set the price. They’ve got all of the information. Doesn’t that doesn’t there seem to be something that is fundamentally wrong with that?”

Dr. Zhang defended surveillance pricing, stating, “I would totally agree with you that there has to be a boundary. The boundary probably most likely is in the way you collect information, process information, and use the information, but not in a way that you would actually have a multiple price points for the product … I think at this point, somehow that our understanding is that anytime you use personalized pricing, not only you’re going to make the price variable across the customers, also that indeed the prices always go high. I don’t believe that’s the case. The fact that the prices are variable, they are already there already, and so you don’t need the AI to do all that. And the firms do actually change pricing in so many different ways, but in terms of whether prices always go up, I think that probably is not the case.”

Senator Hawley pressed, “But isn’t the goal of surveillance pricing always to maximize profit? … In this case, the consumers have no protections. They’ve got no protections. The firm has all of the information. The corporation’s got all of the power. I have no power to set the price. The only thing I can do is hope and beg that maybe at 2 A.M. in the morning, when my child is running 102 degree fever and I desperately need Tylenol, that maybe if Walmart Plus is charging me 30 bucks for it, gee, if I can drive to an open CVS, maybe I’ll get lucky. I mean, I’m just at their mercy, right? That just seems fundamentally wrong to me, and I think it seems fundamentally wrong to most Americans, which is why we’re here today.”

Senator Hawley concluded, “What I’m really concerned about is time after time after time, it’s working people who are going to be paying more, who are going to be forced to pay more, and frankly, the needy, because the whole point here is to maximize the profit of these already wildly profitable corporations … And we need to give consumers and working people and families in this country rights against this kind of surveillance and exploitation. If we don’t do that, the basic foundations, the moral foundations of our economy and of our country will be devastatingly eroded. And you see it already. This is why people don’t trust anything. They don’t trust any institution. They certainly don’t trust any of these companies we’ve talked about today. Nor should they, because they’re being exploited constantly, and it is this body’s job to do something about that. So we need to stand up and say we’re going to protect the American people. We’re going to give them rights. We’re going to preserve that basic moral foundation that makes our economy and our country more broadly work, and that we agree on together. So it makes us Americans. It’s done us pretty good for the last 250 years. I think maybe we ought to preserve it.”


Heinrich, Merkley, Padilla, Shaheen, Schiff, Rosen, Cortez Masto, Wyden, Klobuchar: CFTC Must Rein in Wildfire Bets on Prediction Markets

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate and Natural Resources Committee, joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to press the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on its plans to crack down on prediction markets now offering event contracts for individuals to bet on wildfires.

As wildfires burn across the nation, the Senators are demanding action from the CFTC following the public safety and insider trading concerns of allowing prediction market platforms to offer bets on natural disasters such as wildfires.

“Offering bets on destructive wildfires threatens to minimize communities’ suffering all so the rich and powerful can profit,” the Senators wrote in a letter to CFTC Chair Michael Selig. “There’s also the heightened risk – according to state and local fire officials – that individuals could be tempted to commit arson in order to make sure their bets are successful. By offering contracts on fires, prediction market sites run the risk of encouraging people to influence fires that have already started, creating additional concerns around public safety and insider trading.”

The Senators pressed the CFTC to swiftly tackle unrestricted betting on wildfires and put in place common-sense guardrails to prevent gamblers from making a profit as wildfires threaten communities nationwide.

Heinrich has previously sounded the alarm on the dangers of prediction markets and the threat the industry poses to New Mexicans. Previously, he urged the leadership of the U.S. Senate Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to rein in prediction markets offering nationwide sports and event wagering, which abuse federal commodity and derivatives rules, infringe on state regulatory powers, and violate Tribal gaming rights and sovereignty.

Read the full text of the letter here and below:

Dear Chair Selig,

We write to express concern regarding the disturbing news that prediction markets are now offering event contracts for individuals to bet on wildfires. Prediction markets have been enabled to expand rapidly, increasingly inviting speculation on war, political violence, disasters, and public emergencies that raise ethical and public policy concerns. These markets risk creating perverse incentives, undermining public trust and commodifying human suffering in ways that warrant careful scrutiny.

Recent public reports have highlighted how Polymarket—the largest prediction market platform in the world—accepted more than $1.2 million in bets surrounding the Palisades and Eaton fires in January 2025. These fires devastated the Los Angeles area, claiming the lives of 31 people and destroying more than 16,000 structures. Another report even spotlighted the launch of a new prediction market platform that accepts only simulated bets on wildfires in California and whose slogan boasts, “You can’t predict fire, but you can trade on it.”

Offering bets on destructive wildfires threatens to minimize communities’ suffering all so the rich and powerful can profit. There’s also the heightened risk—according to state and local fire officials—that individuals could be tempted to commit arson in order to make sure their bets are successful. By offering contracts on fires, prediction market sites run the risk of encouraging people to influence fires that have already started, creating additional concerns around public safety and insider trading.

As the United States faces yet another record-breaking fire season this year, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) cannot allow these prediction markets to offer unrestricted betting on wildfires. While these bets appear to be offered only on the offshore Polymarket site, it is only a matter of time before other U.S. based Designated Contract Markets (DCMs) try to offer these. The CFTC must lead the charge to rein in these contracts in the U.S. and offshore and put in place common-sense guardrails to prevent people from profiting as wildfires threaten communities.

As such, we request you provide answers to the following questions by August 14, 2026:


Heinrich, Whitehouse Call For Interior Inspector General Investigation into Trump Administration's Handling of Failed Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Project

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, sent a letter requesting that the Department of the Interior (DOI) Deputy Inspector General Caryl Brzymialkiewicz investigate what Department officials knew – and when they knew it – about engineering failures at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and whether DOI employees withheld evidence from federal prosecutors.

The request follows explosive new court filings from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, which moved to dismiss felony vandalism charges against the three-time Olympian David Hearn after acknowledging that DOI had failed to provide prosecutors with information showing the Reflecting Pool’s lining was already peeling because of a rushed and flawed installation process before Hearn was arrested.

“We write to request that the Office of Inspector General investigate what employees of the Department of the Interior (DOI) knew—and when they knew it—regarding the peeling of the coating and other engineering issues at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. On July 31, 2026, the U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) filed a voluntary motion to dismiss felony vandalism charges against David Hearn, noting in its pleading that documents it received from DOI after the indictment ‘indicated a rushed and flawed installation process, with repeated failures of the lining during the installation process, and extensive peeling of the lining throughout the Reflecting Pool.’ Additional details provided in the motion—and prior (and continuing) contradictory statements by DOI leadership — deserve immediate scrutiny,’” the Senators began.

The Senators note that the DOJ’s filing states prosecutors relied on incomplete and faulty information from DOI and only obtained critical evidence after repeatedly requesting documents from the Department. According to the filing, had DOI disclosed information already in its possession, prosecutors never would have sought a grand jury indictment against Hearn. The filing further reveals that a National Park Service engineer alerted DOI officials on June 11 – eight days before Hearn’s arrest – that the Reflecting Pool’s new lining was already peeling.

“These events, and the information and documents that DOI apparently possesses that remain non-public, provide ample predicate for an investigation by your office. Numerous questions remain: How was the vandalism lie cooked up? How did it get to President Trump’s desk? Or did it originate from the White House? What knowledge of the peeling did DOI employees (including DOI leadership) possess, when did they possess it, and what were their respective roles? Who received and was copied on the June 11 email thread? Why did DOI hold relevant documents from USAO-DC?” the Senators pressed, raising questions about what DOI officials knew, who was aware of the engineering failures, why key information was withheld from prosecutors, and whether senior Department officials continued to promote false claims even after evidence contradicted them.

The Senators concluded their letter urging the Interior Inspector General to investigate DOI’s knowledge of the coating failures and whether DOI employees intentionally withheld evidence from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, “Accordingly, we urge your office to open an immediate investigation into DOI’s knowledge of coating and peeling issues with the Reflecting Pool—including what was known, who knew it, and when they knew it—and whether DOI employees intentionally withheld evidence from USAO-DC.”

The request builds on Heinrich's June oversight letter demanding answers from Secretary Burgum after the Reflecting Pool rehabilitation project spiraled from an estimated $1.5-2 million to more than $16 million, noting that the issues facing the reflecting pool were not simply maintenance concerns, but failures in project execution and government oversight.

The full letter is available here and below.

Dear Deputy Inspector General Brzymialkiewicz:

We write to request that the Office of Inspector General investigate what employees of the Department of the Interior (DOI) knew—and when they knew it—regarding the peeling of the coating and other engineering issues at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. On July 31, 2026, the U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) filed a voluntary motion to dismiss felony vandalism charges against David Hearn, noting in its pleading that documents it received from DOI after the indictment “indicated a rushed and flawed installation process, with repeated failures of the lining during the installation process, and extensive peeling of the lining throughout the Reflecting Pool.” Additional details provided in the motion—and prior (and continuing) contradictory statements by DOI leadership—deserve immediate scrutiny.

Here are the relevant facts surrounding the Reflecting Pool renovations and subsequent arrests:

In April 2026, the Trump administration launched a project to seal seams and re-coat the basin bottom of the Reflecting Pool, estimating costs at $1.5 to $2 million. To complete the work, the administration entered into two no-bid contracts on April 3 and 13, respectively, with Atlantic Industrial Coatings (AIC) and Greenwater Services.

During April and May 2026, the project ran into various delays and the scope of work expanded as contractors discovered complications. Costs also began to balloon, eventually reaching more than $16 million.

On May 7, 2026, President Trump visited the Reflecting Pool, and his motorcade drove directly over the drained, coated basin. DOI Secretary Doug Burgum joined President Trump.

On June 4, 2026, the administration announced that the re-coating was complete and crews would begin refilling the pool.

On June 10, 2026, observers and news media began noting algal blooms in the pool water, and maintenance crews used hydrogen peroxide to clear the algae.

On June 18, 2026, news outlets first reported that the Reflecting Pool’s new coating had begun to peel.

On June 19, 2026, three-time Olympian David Hearn was arrested and charged with felony vandalism after he reached into the pool and touched a piece of peeling paint.

Also on June 19, 2026, President Trump first posed on Truth Social that there were “some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool.” He repeated the claims on June 20, 2026, adding that vandals had made a 250-foot long gash. And on June 23, 2026, he increased his claims to a “350 foot gash, made by a very sharp knife or razors,” but indicated that the length was the combined total of multiple smaller gashes. He provided no evidence.

New information in the court documents filed on July 31, 2026, provides the basis for this request. USAO-DC attorneys, including U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro, filed a voluntary motion to dismiss the felony charges against Mr. Hearn. In their motion, the attorneys explicitly stated they had relied on incomplete and faulty information provided by DOI in bringing the charges:

DOI provided less than fulsome information at the outset of this case. However, the information subsequently demanded by USAO disclosed by DOI—which was not known to the prosecutors or the grand jury before the return of the indictment—strongly suggest that a rushed and botched installation by AIC, the primary contractor, led to the damage to the lining of the Reflecting Pool. It was not until USAO-DC repeatedly reached out to DOI dozens and dozens of times that DOI slowly started trickling information to USAO-DC. Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment.

Among other things, the motion to dismiss included the revelation that, on June 11, 2026, “a[] [National Park Service] engineer was alerted to peeling of the Reflecting Pool lining. He sent an email at 12:00 p.m. that day to other NPS and DOI personnel detailing the [peeling].” This June 11, 2026, email was sent 8 days before the arrest of Mr. Hearn.

Furthermore, the withholding of this exculpatory information walked DOJ lawyers into a violation of their Brady and Giglio obligations. Brady v. Maryland held that due process requires prosecutors to disclose to the accused all “favorable” and exculpatory evidence that is “material” to their case. Giglio v. United States requires that prosecutors disclose information about a government witness that could undermine that witness’s credibility, a requirement echoed in D.C. law, court rules, and the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct. These disclosures protect “the defendant’s right to a fair trial” and “ensure that a miscarriage of justice does not occur.”

These events, and the information and documents that DOI apparently possesses that remain non-public, provide ample predicate for an investigation by your office. Numerous questions remain: How was the vandalism lie cooked up? How did it get to President Trump’s desk? Or did it originate from the White House? What knowledge of the peeling did DOI employees (including DOI leadership) possess, when did they possess it, and what were their respective roles? Who received and was copied on the June 11 email thread? Why did DOI hold relevant documents from USAO-DC?

These questions, and any attendant questions, are all squarely within the purview of the DOI IG. Investigation by your office is especially warranted given that DOI’s leadership continues to advance President Trump’s false claims notwithstanding the admissions in USAO-DC’s motion to dismiss; indeed, a day after USAO-DC filed that motion, Secretary Burgum tweeted: “The evidence is clear, vandals have repeatedly caused damage to the Reflecting Pool.”

Accordingly, we urge your office to open an immediate investigation into DOI’s knowledge of coating and peeling issues with the Reflecting Pool—including what was known, who knew it, and when they knew it—and whether DOI employees intentionally withheld evidence from USAO-DC.

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


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

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

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

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

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

Read the full text of the letter HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Mullin,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Hickenlooper Requests Swift DOI Investigation Into Knowles Fire Tragedy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper sent a letter to the Department of the Interior requesting a swift and thorough investigation into the Knowles Fire that tragically resulted in the deaths of four firefighters and injured one other.

“A comprehensive and timely investigation into the moments and decisions that led to these heartbreaking losses will not only help families find solace, it will provide us with information we need to save future lives,” Hickenlooper wrote. “This investigation will provide a critical window into the final moments of the four members of the Rifle Interagency Helitack Crew who lost their lives—Nick Hutcherson, Emily Barker, Sydney Watson, and Nathan Matthews—in responding to the Knowles fire that day, along with a fifth wildland firefighter who is still recovering from severe burns.”

He continued: “We have confidence that your investigation will include a full analysis of decisions made on the day of the event, as well as higher-level direction that led to the Rifle Helitack Crew’s response that day. This should incorporate an analysis of management decisions and structures that informed on-the-ground operations that day—including the structure of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) itself, which has not been authorized by Congress… Additionally, the review should analyze the directive to presume a “full suppression strategy applied to every wildfire under DOI management,” despite scientific evidence that a maximum suppression approach makes wildfires more severe over time.”

Last week, Hickenlooper took to the Senate floor to pay tribute to the fallen fighters and demand action to prevent more destructive wildfires, which have already burned more than 240,000 acres across Colorado this year.

Read the full text of the letter HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Burgum and Secretary Rollins:

We write to urge you to work swiftly and thoroughly on your investigation into the incident on the Gore and Knowles Fires on June 27, 2026, that led to the tragic deaths of four firefighters. A comprehensive and timely investigation into the moments and decisions that led to these heartbreaking losses will not only help families find solace, it will provide us with information we need to save future lives.

This investigation will provide a critical window into the final moments of the four members of the Rifle Interagency Helitack Crew who lost their lives—Nick Hutcherson, Emily Barker, Sydney Watson, and Nathan Matthews—in responding to the Knowles fire that day, along with a fifth wildland firefighter who is still recovering from severe burns. As we mourn the lives of those lost and maintain hopes for the fifth crew member’s full recovery, more information about the entirety of the incident can support the healing of loved ones and the questions of the community.

We have confidence that your investigation will include a full analysis of decisions made on the day of the event, as well as higher-level direction that led to the Rifle Helitack Crew’s response that day. This should incorporate an analysis of management decisions and structures that informed on-the-ground operations that day—including the structure of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) itself, which has not been authorized by Congress. This review should examine whether the formation or management of the USWFS played any role in decisions regarding response to the Knowles fire. Additionally, the review should analyze the directive to presume a “full suppression strategy applied to every wildfire under DOI management,” despite scientific evidence that a maximum suppression approach makes wildfires more severe over time.

Both the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior have seen major staffing losses over the past two years. Morale has been concerningly low for the wildland firefighters remaining in their positions. We recognize that like us, you prioritize and deeply value the safety of our wildland firefighters. We believe that your investigation, and full analysis of what happened leading up to and on the day of June 27, will support that shared safety ethic and reinforce the morale of our public servants.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this pressing matter. We request an interim briefing for our offices and regular updates on the progress of your investigation.

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WATCH: Hickenlooper Slams Trump’s Attorney General Nominee on Senate Floor

Todd Blanche has flip-flopped on giving taxpayer funds to election criminals like Tina Peters and J6 rioters

Blanche also wants abortion restrictions “permanent in every state” and was involved in Trump admin’s Epstein Files coverup

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper took to the Senate floor to oppose President Trump’s nominee to serve as Attorney General of the United States, Todd Blanche.

“For months, Mr. Blanche has insisted the Department of Justice slush fund is dead. Yet as recently as this weekend, President Trump was saying the exact opposite,” said Hickenlooper on the Senate floor. “So when Mr. Blanche says the slush fund isn’t moving forward, don’t believe him. Not for one second. His word is worth about as much as the Trump Meme Coin.”

Watch and download Hickenlooper’s speech on the Senate floor HERE

In May, the Trump administration announced an unprecedented $1.8 billion fund to compensate election criminals like Tina Peters. The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is part of a settlement that resolves President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns, and would be paid for by taxpayer money. January 6th insurrectionists who beat and killed police officers during the attack on the Capitol expect compensation from the fund, as well as election criminals like Tina Peters.

In his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Blanche has declared the fund is “dead” and rescinded the order setting up the anti-weaponization fund this week through a letter. However, the settlement’s terms can be changed only via a written agreement from the Trump family and the government. On Saturday, Trump still supports the fund, saying: “It will immediately be back on the table, and I will get it done.”

Hickenlooper introduced an amendment to the last Republican reconciliation bill that would permanently stop Trump from giving a taxpayer-funded payout to Tina Peters, which Republicans blocked.

“At a time when working families are struggling with rising costs, the last people the federal government should subsidize are those who attack our elections,” continued Hickenlooper. “The DOJ slush fund isn’t dead. It’s dormant. Until Congress permanently closes this avenue through legislation, we shouldn’t rely on assurances alone. If there’s even a chance this fund could be revived, this confirmation—this moment—is when this chamber and its members have the greatest leverage to act.”

Last week on a private call hosted by the White House Faith Office, Blanche showed support for restricting medication abortion and said that he wants “to get permanent solutions so the Dobbs decision becomes permanent in every single state.”

“When he says behind closed doors that he wants the Dobbs v. Jackson decision to become, in his words, “permanent in every state,” we should believe him. Whether it’s abortion access or access to the ballot box, we should have little confidence that he will not target Colorado—or other blue states—because that’s exactly what his employer wants,” said Hickenlooper on the Senate floor.

After the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Blanche as Deputy Attorney General led the disclosure of documents of survivors’ names, photos and identifying information, but omitted the names of accused abusers and enablers. Blanche also enabled Trump’s refusal to release the Epstein files until Congress forced the disclosure.

For a full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks as prepared for delivery is available below:

“Mr. President,

The Senate is currently considering the nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as Attorney General of the United States.

The Attorney General is one of the most important positions in our government. Not only does the Attorney General serve as a trusted member of the President’s Cabinet, but he or she also leads the Department of Justice—the agency responsible for enforcing our laws impartially.

That’s a difficult job in any administration. Under this President—who values personal loyalty above all else—it may very well be impossible.

During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Blanche was asked about his relationship with President Trump. He responded, “I’m his lawyer,” before quickly correcting himself to say he previously was his lawyer.

That wasn’t a slip. It was a tell.

Mr. Blanche will not be an impartial check on the President.

And here’s another tell.

For months, Mr. Blanche has insisted the Department of Justice slush fund is dead. Yet as recently as this weekend, President Trump was saying the exact opposite.

He defended the fund.

So when Mr. Blanche says the slush fund isn’t moving forward, don’t believe him. Not for one second. His word is worth about as much as the Trump Meme Coin.

During reconciliation, we introduced an amendment to permanently end the DOJ slush fund. Despite bipartisan support, it ultimately failed.

That means taxpayers could still be on the hook for people who attacked our democracy.

At a time when working families are struggling with rising costs, the last people the federal government should subsidize are those who assault our elections. People like election criminal Tina Peters, who tried to undermine Colorado’s free and fair elections. People like the January 6 rioters who stormed this very chamber in an attempt to tear apart our democracy.

The DOJ slush fund isn’t dead. It’s dormant.

Until Congress permanently closes this avenue through legislation, we shouldn’t rely on assurances alone. If there’s even a chance this fund could be revived, this confirmation—this moment—is when this chamber and its members have the greatest leverage to act. We should not surrender that leverage for promises that can be undone at the President’s whim.

A DOJ letter promising to end the slush fund isn’t law. It isn’t binding. And it isn’t enough!

To be clear, we don’t believe Mr. Blanche will break all of his promises.

When he says behind closed doors that he wants the Dobbs v. Jackson decision to become, in his words, “permanent in every state,” we should believe him. Whether it’s abortion access or access to the ballot box, we should have little confidence that he will not target Colorado—or other blue states—because that’s exactly what his employer wants.

We cannot allow a fox to guard the henhouse. We need an Attorney General who is loyal to the Constitution—not to President Trump. Mr. Blanche is not that person.

I strongly oppose his confirmation and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.”

###


PHOTOS & VIDEO: Hirono Holds Spotlight Forum on Interagency Agreements that will Harm Students with Disabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) held a spotlight forum titled: Breaking the Promise: How Relocating the IDEA will be Detrimental to Students and Families,” highlighting the dangerous consequences of the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for our nation’s students with disabilities and their families. During the forum, a panel of witnesses comprised of former ED leaders, civil rights advocates, and parent advocates spoke about how outsourcing ED’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which oversee critical federal programs for students with disabilities, to other agencies will harm millions of students with disabilities nationwide.

“These agreements are not just harmless administrative shifts,” said Senator Hirono. “What we are witnessing is nothing short of a deliberate effort to dismantle the programs that support students with disabilities and their families, particularly for those with nowhere else to turn.”

In June, the Trump Administration announced that OSERS would be moving away from ED to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and OCR would be moving to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). OSERS has been responsible for enforcing compliance of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)— which helps guarantee that every child with a disability can receive a free and appropriate public education that responds to their needs— since the law was passed five decades ago.

Senator Hirono raised alarms about how moving OSERS to HHS, an agency that lacks the personnel and infrastructure to enforce the IDEA could threaten the over 8 million students who rely this civil rights law to provide them with adequate services. Senator Hirono also highlighted how shifting OCR—the agency responsible for investigating potential violations of students’ rights— to DOJ would exacerbate an already severe backlog of over 23,000 cases.

At the forum, Senator Hirono was also joined by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

“I have heard from hundreds of my constituents in New Hampshire about this Administration’s moves to dismantle the Department of Education, and they’re concerned about what would happen—particularly for our young children with disabilities,” said Senator Shaheen. “Thank you to the witnesses for sharing your knowledge and experience with us today and helping to sound the alarm around the harms that would come to instruction and services for children with disabilities if special education were removed from the Department of Education.”

"Students come to the classroom with varying backgrounds and abilities, but they each deserve to pursue an education with peace of mind. OCR has supported this goal since the late 1960s, but the Trump administration's decision to move this office to the Department of Justice will hinder these efforts," said Senator Blunt Rochester. "I'm proud to stand with Senator Hirono and my colleagues to push back against President Trump's attempts to dismantle the Department of Education, and I'll continue fighting to put our students' well-being and success first."

“A quality education is the cornerstone of our children’s success, and the Department of Education has been responsible for ensuring students with disabilities have equal access to a public education since the passage of the IDEA’s predecessor half a century ago. The Trump Administration’s illegal decision to move that responsibility to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice – agencies with none of the expertise or experience necessary to best serve our students – will worsen educational outcomes and delay civil rights protections. We will fight to keep IDEA and the Department of Education alive to provide every student in America equal access to a high-quality education,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“All children deserve a strong education that meets their emotional and academic needs. The Trump Administration’s removal of crucial programs from the Department of Education will harm students with disabilities. Shuttling the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and Office for Civil Rights to agencies that lack experience serving students with disabilities hinders students’ access to a safe and high-quality learning environment and the recourses they are entitled to if they face discrimination,” Senator Durbin said.

The forum featured testimony from:

Laurie VanderPloeg, Associate Executive Director for Professional Affairs, Council for Exceptional Children

Katy Neas, Chief Executive Officer, The Arc of the United States

Valerie C. Williams, Former Director, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education

Seth Galanter, Senior Fellow, Edley Center on Law & Democracy

Elizabeth Tang, Senior Counsel for Education and Workplace Justice, National Women’s Law Center

"I ran the office that administers IDEA, and I am the mother of a son who happens to have Down syndrome," said Valerie C. Williams, CEO of Apokrisis Consultants and former Director of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). "From both chairs the answer is the same: children with disabilities are students first, not patients, and the work that protects their right to learn belongs in the Department of Education, not scattered across agencies that have never done it."

"OCR's tradition valuing every complaint by students and families is nothing like DOJ's impact-litigation culture -- you can't swap one for the other," said Seth Galanter, Senior Fellow at the Edley Center on Law and Democracy and former OCR official in the Biden and Obama Administrations. "The Department shouldn't be paying DOJ to be a poor substitute for the office it's dismantling."

"These changes will leave a lasting gap in the leadership and support that helps states improve special education. The result will be pockets of excellence, while vast parts of the country struggle to meet their responsibilities to children with disabilities," said Laurie VanverPloeg, Associate Executive Director for Professional Affairs, Council for Exceptional Children.

“Behind every complaint of discrimination that OCR receives is a student who has experienced real harm,” said Elizabeth Tang, senior counsel for education and workplace justice at National Women’s Law Center. “Those tens of thousands of students are in danger of being ignored if the Department of Education and its civil rights office continue to be systematically neutered and dismantled. Every child deserves to feel safe and included at school—we owe it to them to fight for a world where they will be.”

Videos from the forum can be found hereand photos can be found here.

A full transcript of Senator Hirono’s opening remarks is available below.

Aloha, thank you all for being here today as we discuss the threats the Trump Administration’s Interagency Agreements pose to students with disabilities.

As you may know, President Trump has been working to undermine the U.S. Department of Education (ED) at every turn, with the stated goal of dismantling the entire Department.

Following Donald Trump’s illegal Executive Order to dismantle ED, the Trump Regime has issued a total of 14 “Interagency Agreements,” or IAAs, to move programs from ED to other agencies.

These agreements are not just harmless administrative shifts. The result will be weakening and removing federal government support for these programs.

Today we are here to discuss two of these agreements and their impacts on students with disabilities. First, transferring the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, or OSERS, to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and second, moving the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Fifty years ago, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to help guarantee that every child—regardless of disability, zip code, or family income—has access to a free and appropriate public education that responds to their needs.

Currently, there are more than 8 million students with disabilities who receive services under the IDEA.

Since the IDEA was created, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has been responsible for ensuring that schools comply with the IDEA so students get the services they need.

Handing that responsibility to The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proves this regime doesn't give a rip about students with disabilities. HHS has zero experience dealing with the IDEA.

And with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly calling autism an “individual tragedy that destroys families,” I have serious concerns about his department’s ability to adequately serve students with special needs.

To make matters worse, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)—the agency responsible for investigating violations of student rights, including special education access—is being moved to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division.

That division has already significant staffing cuts and was never designed to advocate for individual students.

Consider the difference: while the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is required to review every complaint it receives—amounting to thousands of cases each year—the DOJ Civil Rights Division, by contrast, selectively picks a few dozen high-impact cases annually.

We are already experiencing a severe backlog of OCR cases: over 23,000 cases—about half of which concern students with disabilities. In moving this mountain of cases to the DOJ Civil Rights Division, we can expect this backlog to get even worse. Thousands of legitimate complaints could end up buried, ignored, or summarily dismissed.

What we are witnessing is nothing short of a deliberate effort to dismantle the programs that support students with disabilities and their families, particularly for those with nowhere else to turn.

Families deserve a government that will defend students’ rights, support disability programs, and strengthen public education for all. Instead, this regime continues to attack our nation’s public education system and the tens of millions of families across our country that rely on it.

Today, we are going to hear directly from education leaders, civil rights advocates, and parent advocates, about the implications related to these moves. I look forward to hearing more from my colleagues and today’s panelists as we work to defend special education across our public schools.

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Husted joins Vice President JD Vance at White House to discuss combating fraud and protecting taxpayers

“Every dollar that is misused because of waste, fraud and abuse is a dollar we cannot invest in our local communities and strengthening our economy.”

WASHINGTON – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today joined Vice President JD Vance, the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and other lawmakers at the White House for a roundtable discussion on efforts to eliminate fraud and abuse in the federal government and protect American taxpayers.

“Every dollar that is misused because of waste, fraud and abuse is a dollar we cannot invest in our local communities and strengthening our economy. And with a national debt at nearly $40 trillion, there is no money to waste. Our government has turned a blind eye to fraudsters for too long, but we have strengthened protections in the recent budget bill and under Vice President Vance’s leadership, the Trump administration is attacking this problem more aggressively than any other,” said Husted.

The conversation focused on how to improve data sharing, mandate stricter penalties for egregious fraud and increase funding for anti-fraud efforts.

Husted is leading several bills in the U.S. Senate to safeguard American taxpayer dollars and eliminate waste and fraud:

The Preventing Deepfake Scams Act. This bipartisan, bicameral bill would address data and identity theft or fraud fueled by artificial intelligence (AI)—commonly known as “deep fake” scams—by establishing a task force on AI in the financial services sector.

The Student Aid Fraud Oversight and Accountability Act. This bill would require strong safeguards to prevent student aid fraud. Specifically, it would target “ghost students,” a stolen or fabricated identity that impersonates a student to enroll in classes to fraudulently obtain federal and state financial aid.

The Clawing back Lapsed Obligations from State Emergency programs (CLOSE) Act. This bill would cancel the unspent tax dollars assigned during the COVID-19 pandemic for emergency unemployment payments and terminate the program.

Husted is also a co-chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)subcommittee on Education fraud. This task force aims to tackle fraud in federal funding in education systems.

Additionally, Husted is a cosponsor of the Protecting American Taxpayers Act, a bipartisan legislative package containing 17 initiatives to recover stolen funds, strengthen anti-fraud safeguards and better protect taxpayer dollars. The package includes Husted’s Preventing Deepfake Scams Act.


Senators Justice, Capito Introduce Bill to Streamline Enrollment in Trump Account

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senators Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) 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.

“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,” said Senator Jim Justice.

“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. 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,” said Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

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.

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Kaine & Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Strengthen and Reform 340B Drug Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and John Boozman (R-AR), members of the Senate 340B Bipartisan Working Group, introduced the SUSTAIN 340B Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen and reform the 340B program. The 340B program requires that drug manufacturers that participate in Medicaid provide certain covered entities, including non-profit health care providers, such as hospitals and community health centers, a discount on outpatient drugs. The 340B program enables covered entities to use these savings to provide more comprehensive services to patients and their communities.

“The 340B program has been an important program that has helped health care providers better care for communities across Virginia, especially those in rural and underserved areas. At a time when clinics and hospitals have been forced to close due to massive cuts to Medicaid and other federal health programs, it’s critical that Congress acts to help providers and ensure Americans continue to have access to the care they need,” said Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. “I’m grateful to the many health care providers and stakeholders around Virginia who have provided feedback about ways to improve the stability and integrity of the 340B program. This bipartisan legislation makes needed reforms to strengthen the 340B program and help ensure patients are benefiting. I’m committed to working with my colleagues to pass these reforms.”

Specifically, the SUSTAIN 340B Act would:

Sense of Congress – Reiterate the original intent of the 340B program and clarify the program provides point-of-purchase discounts, as opposed to rebates.

Contract Pharmacy – Codify covered entities’ use of contract pharmacies while placing reasonable limitations including registration, audits of covered entities with a large number of contract pharmacies, and standardization of contractual requirements between covered entities and contract pharmacies. The bill does not place numeric or geographic limitations on the use of contract pharmacies.

Patient Definition – Establish the definition of an eligible patient under the 340B program and covered services for these patients. It also adds requirements and oversight for 340B patients being dispensed 340B drugs through referrals to non-covered entities.

340B Rebate Model Pilot Program – End any 340B Rebate Model program within one year and require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) transition to the clearinghouse established in the legislation.

Child Sites – Establish that child sites must be wholly owned and integrated with the parent covered entity, disincentivizes child site acquisitions with the sole purpose of expanding 340B footprints, and directs HHS to establish registration and oversight procedures.

Transparency – Place new annual reporting requirements on covered entities relating to their utilization of the 340B program.

Program Integrity – Give HHS authority to establish auditing and reporting procedures for compliance under the 340B program and authorize removal of covered entities who are found in noncompliance and do not implement corrective action plans.

Safeguards to Prevent Duplicate Discounts – Establish a 340B data clearinghouse operated by an independent, third-party entity to prevent diversion and duplicate discounts in the 340B program.

Patient Financial Assistance – Require covered entities to establish a standard, transparent patient financial assistance policy for patients at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Equitable Treatment of Covered Participants – Prevent insurers from discriminating against 340B covered entities and their contract pharmacies.

User Fee Program – Establish a user fee program for participation in the 340B program to pay for program administration, including the clearinghouse.

Studies and Reports – Require reports to Congress on hospital debt collection practices, dispensing fees, and data collection system integration.

Additional Resources – Authorize three million dollars annually for five years for conducting oversight and enforcement and nine million dollars annually for four years for bill implementation.

Definitions – Establish definitions for “child site” and “contract pharmacy.”

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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Kaine, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Supporting Free and Fair Elections in Venezuela

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations (SFRC) Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues, joined a group of his colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution reaffirming America’s support for free and fair elections in Venezuela. In addition to Kaine, the resolution is co-sponsored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rick Scott (R-FL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

“Venezuelans have the right to decide the future of their own country, and the United States must support a timely democratic transition,” said Kaine. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in calling for free and fair elections in Venezuela as soon as possible and the release of political prisoners. I will also continue to do all that I can to urge the Trump-Vance Administration to support the safe return of María Corina Machado to Venezuela.”

Kaine has been a steadfast advocate for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela. That work has included introducing the bipartisan Venezuela Democratic Transition Act, legislation that would push for free and fair elections in Venezuela this year.

Full text of the resolution is available here.

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Warner, Kaine Announce Over $5 Million In Federal Funding to Support Victims of Sexual Assault, Combat Violence Against Women

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $5,285,635 in federal grant funding for the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to help law enforcement, court personnel, and victim services organizations support victims of sexual assault and their families, enhance victim protection and safety, and curb violent crimes against women. This funding comes from the Office on Violence Against Women’s (OVW) STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program and the Sexual Assault Services (SAS) Formula Program. The STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program is made possible by the Violence Against Women Act, which Sens. Warner and Kaine successfully fought to reauthorize in 2022.

“Unfortunately, there’s still far too much work to be done to combat sexual assault and domestic violence against women. As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to stand with survivors, ensure they have access to the support and resources they need, and hold perpetrators accountable,” said the senators. “We’re pleased to announce this federal funding, which will help communities across Virginia strengthen services for survivors, prevent violence from occurring, and support efforts to keep women and families safe.”

The grant awards include:

$4,269,937 through the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to reduce violent crimes against women, apprehend and prosecute perpetrators effectively, and strengthen victim services in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

$1,015,698 through the SAS Formula Program to support rape crisis centers and nonprofit organizations that provide core services, intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. This funding will provide intervention, advocacy, accompaniment, support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, family and household members of victims, and others affected by sexual violence.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought for efforts that support survivors of sexual assault and combat violence against women. Both senators strongly supported reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which successfully passed Congress and was reauthorized in 2022. In 2020, the senators announced more than $5 million in federal funding to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault across Virginia. Sens. Warner and Kaine also sponsored the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, a law to aid domestic violence survivors and their pets included in the 2018 Farm Bill.

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

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

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

In Central Virginia, the grant awards include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Northern Virginia, the grant awards include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the Shenandoah Valley, the grant awards include:

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

In Southwest Virginia and Southside, the grant awards include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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