Ramirez, Frost Introduce No Homeless Detention Centers Act to Ban Forced Labor and Cruel Homeless Encampments

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) joined Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Congressman Troy Carter (LA-02), and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), to announce the introduction of No Homeless Detention Centers Act, legislation to stop federal housing dollars from being used to force people experiencing homelessness into detention-like facilities or subject them to forced labor.

The bill would prevent the federal government from funding programs that force people experiencing homelessness into shelters, camps, or other facilities against their will. It would also ban these facilities from making people work in exchange for a place to stay or punishing people for doing basic things they need to survive, like sleeping, resting, eating, drinking, or protecting themselves from the weather.

“Trump and all the authoritarians in the Administration want our lives, our labor, and our freedom to extract every bit of profit they can from us for themselves and their billionaire bosses. Just as they knew that mandatory detention paired with Trump’s mass deportation campaign would be good for business, they know that detention camps for unhoused neighbors will also be a lucrative venture," said Congresswoman Ramirez. "Detention has always been UNSAFE, INAPPROPRIATE, INADEQUATE. We must not continue to fund our death and destruction. That's why I introduced the Melt ICE Act, and why I am proud to join Congressman Frost in introducing the No Homeless Detention Centers Act to demand an end to the detention and punishment of our unhoused neighbors. Together, let’s fight for every single thing our people need to thrive, including HOUSING FOR ALL!"

"No one should look at a person who is homeless and think the answer is to lock them up or make them work for a place to sleep,” said Congressman Frost. “People need housing, not cages. They need support, not forced labor. At a time when homelessness is growing and housing is becoming more and more unaffordable, we should be investing in getting people into homes—not building cruel encampments and criminalizing people for trying to survive."

"Allowing Americans to live on streets is not a standard our nation should be willing to accept, but forcing unhoused people into detention-style facilities and forcing them to work while corporations rake in profits is a cruel punishment,” said Congresswoman Bonamici. “We must make clear that we won’t stand for federal dollars being used to detain people simply for being unhoused. Together, let’s advance policies that will actually help people experiencing homelessness instead of making their lives more difficult."

"Homelessness is not a crime – it is a failure of systems meant to serve the needs of our communities," said Congressman Carter. "The solution to this failure is not locking people up. It is not forcing them to work in exchange for a place to stay. It is not denying them access to care. The Trump Administration’s reckless policies are causing homelessness to rise by the day. If we truly want to address homelessness, we must invest in affordable housing, expand mental health services, and strengthen workforce pathways – not punish people for simply trying to survive."

“We should be operating from the fundamental truth that every person deserves a roof over their head and a safe place to sleep. When rent, grocery, and gas prices are skyrocketing, and Trump has cut healthcare for tens of millions of people, it is absolutely wrong to criminalize the inability to afford a home. That is why I am proud to co-lead the No Homeless Detention Centers Act to prevent a dime of federal funding from being used to put people experiencing homelessness into the for-profit prison industrial complex,” said Congresswoman Jayapal

The members were joined by Eric Tars of the National Homeless Law Center, Setareh Gandehari, Advocacy Director, Detention Watch Network, and Wesley Thomas, Guest Advisory Board Member, Miriam’s Kitchen.

“Trump is carrying out a cruel and multi-layered detention expansion plan as part of his mass deportation agenda, locking up tens of thousands of people in facilities rife with egregiously poor conditions, medical neglect, and a culture of violence that results in system-wide abuses, including death. That’s why we are alarmed by the Trump administration’s efforts to criminalize and detain people without homes. We see this is a clear attempt to vilify homeless people and enrich private prison companies and tech surveillance organizations, just as they have done with our immigrant communities - all while ignoring the real affordability crisis in this country,” said Setareh Ghandehari, Advocacy Director, Detention Watch Network

“We shouldn’t have to be here today, introducing the No Homeless Detention Centers Act, legislation restricting federal funds from going to detention camps for Americans who can’t afford the rent. But we are here today, because it is necessary to fight back against the Trump Administration that is aggressively erasing decades of data-based progress on solving homelessness and instead promoting jails, labor camps, warehouses, and asylums, not because there is any evidence to support them, but because the right-wing Cicero Institute is spoon-feeding Trump detention policies that will enrich its billionaire-backers financially – and benefit him politically. We know the solution to homelessness is housing, not handcuffs,” said Eric Tars, Senior Policy Director, National Homelessness Law Center

The bill comes as the far-right Cicero Institute, a conservative think tank backed by wealthy donors and corporate interests, pushes states and the federal government to criminalize homelessness, ban sleeping in public, and move people into temporary shelters or treatment facilities—sometimes against their will. Versions of these policies have already passed in states including Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, with some proposals also including work requirements or forced labor.

The No Homeless Detention Centers Act is endorsed by National Homelessness Law Center and Detention Watch Network, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Drug Policy Alliance; National Health Care for the Homeless Council; Funders Together for Housing Justice; National Coalition for the Homeless; National Housing Law Project; A Way Home America; Housing Justice Collective; Justice in Aging; National Low Income Housing Coalition; National Association of Social Workers; Poverty & Race Research Action Council; Kids In Crisis; National Organization for Women; The Southern Poverty Law Center; National Network to End Domestic Violence; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); National Partnership for New Americans; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team; The Workers Circle; Muslim Advocates; DemCast USA; Just Detention International; Coalition on Human Needs; Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR); Freedom Network USA; Latino Community Fund of Washington State; Praxis Health Empowerment; National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Street Democracy; Miami Valley Immigration Coalition; Lincoln County Indivisible; Western Center on Law & Poverty; Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center; Access Reproductive Justice and Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness.


Congressman Riley M. Moore Applauds House Passage of Protecting Domestic Mining Act to Strengthen American Mineral Independence

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Riley M. Moore voted for the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025, introduced by Congressman Jefferson Shreve (R-IN), legislation that would codify mining as a covered sector under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and ensure critical mining infrastructure projects can receive expedited federal environmental reviews.

Congressman Riley M. Moore released the following statement:

“America cannot be a strong and independent nation if we are dependent on hostile foreign powers for the minerals and resources, we need to power our economy and defend our country. We have an abundance of natural resources here in America, but Washington’s broken permitting process has made it far too difficult to extract and develop them. The Protecting Domestic Mining Act will help unleash mining, cut bureaucratic delays, and restore American industrial independence.”

This legislation would permanently establish statutory authority for certain mining infrastructure projects to receive expedited environmental review under the FAST Act. It would also prevent the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council from finalizing a Biden-era proposed rule that would narrow FAST-41 eligibility for mining projects by limiting expedited review primarily to critical minerals projects.

For decades, federal permitting delays and regulatory uncertainty have made it increasingly difficult to develop domestic mining projects. At the same time, the United States has become increasingly dependent on foreign sources for critical minerals and other resources essential to manufacturing, energy production, infrastructure, and national defense. The House passage of this important legislation will undo this trend.

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Rep. Sara Jacobs Brings Home $825,000 for East County STEM and Entrepreneurship Non-Profit

Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) announced that the National Institute of Standards and Technology will disperse $825,855 in federal funding to Greater Than Tech this week, as part of the FY26 Community Project Funding she secured. Located in East County, Greater Than Tech trains young people, especially girls and people of color, to pursue careers in STEM and entrepreneurship by offering hands-on training and workforce development.

“Our young people are facing a unique, constantly evolving job market,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs.

“Tech jobs are dominating the market and many students, especially those in low-income neighborhoods, aren’t offered the tools to succeed in these areas. I’m grateful for local leaders like Greater Than Tech who are encouraging young girls and people of color to pursue careers in STEM fields or start their own small business and giving them opportunities to do so. I’m proud to have brought home over $825,000 in federal funding to help prepare the next generation of diverse, innovative workers in San Diego.”

“For us, this investment is about building the bridge between exposure and opportunity,” said Jasmine LeFlore, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Greater Than Tech. “We’ve watched students encounter an emerging technology for the first time through Greater Than Tech and create things that genuinely surprise us. Now we have an opportunity to ask: what comes next? How do we help that student deepen her skills, earn a credential, develop her idea, gain paid experience, and ultimately see themselves as someone who belongs in and can shape the future of technology? This funding gives us the capacity to begin building that pathway.”


Congressman Brad Sherman Statement on Trump Administration Deal Opening the Door to a Nuclear-Armed Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after reviewing the proposed U.S.-Saudi Arabia Section 123 Agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation submitted to Congress by the Trump Administration:

“I have read the proposed 123 Agreement that the Trump Administration has sent to Congress, both the unclassified and classified portions. The classified portion of the Agreement includes a blank page labeled “to be filled in later.” Clearly the Trump Administration has not submitted the Agreement for review as required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which requires that Congress see the whole agreement.

I am profoundly disturbed by the path this agreement creates for a nuclear-armed Saudi Arabia.

This deal claims to facilitate peaceful nuclear technology for Saudi Arabia but intentionally excludes the very safeguards that determine whether or not a country with nuclear technology can use it to build nuclear weapons: the Gold Standard and Additional Protocol. Not only that, but this agreement explicitly allows uranium enrichment on Saudi soil under certain conditions. And only President Trump, not the Congress, will determine if those vague conditions have been met.

Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has been clear about his intentions to pursue a nuclear weapon, and Saudi Arabia has already shown a willingness to advance down that path covertly by standing up an undeclared, Chinese-backed yellowcake-extraction facility just a few years ago.

Saudi Arabia is in a volatile region that has seen the collapse of many dictatorships that were thought to be stable. It was the United States that provided preliminary nuclear technology to Iran through the Atoms for Peace program when it was ruled by a friendly, pro-Western monarch – and all of the technology in the hands of the Shah in 1978 fell into the hands of the Ayatollah in 1979.

Today, we are fighting a war designed to prevent Iran from having an uncontrolled nuclear program. Now, the Trump Administration is green-lighting an uncontrolled nuclear program for Saudi Arabia. While the current Saudi government is far less problematic than the one in Tehran, no one knows who will be in power in Riyadh ten years from now. This region has seen the collapse of many dictatorships that were thought to be stable, and this deal gambles the nuclear security of the United States and the world on the very weak assumption that pro-Western leaders will continue to head Saudi Arabia in the decades to come.

A Saudi nuclear bomb would shred the nonproliferation regime of the last half century. Once Saudi Arabia has an uncontrolled nuclear program with America’s blessing, Egypt, Turkey, and perhaps South Korea and Brazil will not be far behind.

This should not be a Democratic or Republican issue – this is about American national security, and the United States’ longstanding bipartisan commitments to non-proliferation. It was the policy of the first Trump Administration that a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia needed to include the Gold Standard and Additional Protocol provisions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recognized the need for these safeguards years ago when he joined me in introducing the Saudi Nuclear Nonproliferation Act in 2016, and I applaud Senator Kennedy (R-LA) for registering his opposition to this no-safeguards Saudi nuclear deal last month. Members of Congress – Republican and Democrat alike – must reject this deal with a Joint Resolution of Disapproval until the necessary safeguards are included.”

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ICYMI: Congresswoman Simon Calls Out Republicans’ Continued Attacks to 14th Amendment and Delivers Opening Statement at House Oversight Committee Task Force Hearing on “Protecting American Citizenship: Confronting Birth Tourism”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, the House Oversight Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses held a hearing on “Protecting American Citizenship: Confronting Birth Tourism.” As the top Democrat on the Task Force, Congresswoman Simon highlighted how birth tourism is already illegal and pointed out Republicans’ more sinister goal to conflate visa fraud and birthright citizenship to undermine the 14th Amendment and who is defined as “American” in the United States.

In case you missed it, Congresswoman Simon’s opening remarks can be found below.

“Today's hearing is being presented as a conversation about birth tourism, which is already illegal. It is illegal, and it is rare for someone to obtain a Visa to come to the United States for the primary purpose of giving birth so that their child receives citizenship. It is illegal and rare for businesses to market birth tourism services to expectant parents abroad. Accordingly, one of our witnesses here today is already under criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.

“The Republicans have a much bigger and more sinister goal for this hearing today. Our Chairman [Brandon Gill] is asserting and conflating Visa fraud and birthright citizenship so that our President and Stephen Miller can continue their campaign to rewrite the constitution and change the ethnic makeup of this country to one that they prefer. The Chairman has introduced H.R. 9854, ‘The Citizenship Act of 2026,' legislation that would gut the constitutional right to citizenship for children born here in the United States. Additionally, he has argued that the 14th amendment was written for formerly enslaved people and their children – and nothing more.

“Well, Mr. Chairman, as a direct descendant of enslaved Africans who is now serving in the United States Congress, I would like to correct your history. It was in the mid-1860s that Senator Lyman Trumbull of Illinois first drafted citizenship language that would later form the basis of the 14th amendment. His initial version applies specifically to people of African descent; then a day later he replaced that language with a guarantee for all persons born in the United States. That was not an accident.In July of this year, the Supreme Court of the United States reiterated that. And it is settled law. I have to wonder if your team [Republicans] studied that history, because the Members of the United States Congress who wrote the guarantee made a deliberate decision to not limit American citizenship by race, by ancestry, or the circumstance of a child's parents.

“160 years later, Chairman [Gill's] legislation would gut the intentional and inclusive guarantee [of the 14th Amendment], by labeling by people as ‘invaders.’ Mr. Chairman, your bill attempts to apply the concept [of invader] to a volunteer firefighter, a pastor who provided shelter and food and clothing for those in need, a beloved daycare teacher, a nurse who cares for dialysis patients, a five-year-old in a bunny hat [Liam Conejo Ramos]. These are our neighbors, not a foreign army.

“The real threat is our President's decision to pull more than 25,000 members of law enforcement away from their jobs across the country, fighting drugs and child exploitation and human trafficking and terrorism, so that they can instead go after peaceful mothers and fathers and children. Mr. Chairman's bill [H.R. 9854] and this hearing today are a clear attempt to formally create a caste system here in the United States of America. Their [Republican] vision would bar American-born children from the American dream and from fully participating in American life. It is decidedly un-American. These are babies, children born in the United States.

“This task force, which purports to be about defending constitutional rights, has no place in potently attempting to dictate American born children who deserve citizenship and who doesn't – especially when the same politicians calling these children ‘a burden’ have voted to cut food assistance for millions of Americans in Texas alone. More than 344,000 babies have lost their SNAP benefits in the last year. Now, if we care about children, let's care about children.

“The 14th amendment was written in the aftermath of slavery, because this country had learned at an extraordinary cost what happens when the government gets to decide which people born on American soil fully belong. We should not reopen that door. We must not reopen that door. And for anyone watching this hearing today who believes that citizenship should not depend on the politics of your parents, call your representative. Tell them to oppose H.R. 9854 and tell them that this bill should never get a markup.”

Oversight Democrats on the Task Force, led by Congresswoman Simon, will examine systemic barriers and unlawful discrimination in employment, education, housing, and healthcare; fight for the protection of essential services and programs; fight for guaranteed access to critical goods despite political pushbacks; and ensure the right of all Americans in having a fair shot to contribute to their nation.

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Thompson Introduces Legislation to Protect America's Farmland From Eminent Domain

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, United States Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) introduced the Not In My Barnyard Act to protect American producers’ property rights. This legislation would prohibit the federal government from initiating eminent domain proceedings on any agricultural land when a feasible alternative site exists, ensuring the United States has enough productive farmland to feed and fuel the country.

“The loss of productive agricultural land when other viable sites exist directly threatens our nation’s food security and rural communities,” Rep. Thompson said. “The Not In My Barnyard Act protects America’s producers and ensures our working land is dedicated to feeding the country."

“In the rush to increase energy supplies we cannot afford to ignore one of the very few things in life that are absolutely necessary to sustain life; our food,” said Pennsylvania State Senator Cris Dush. “When farms that were started before this nation became a nation, and have been handed down generation to generation, are seized by government we do not only lose the ground from production but too often the generations of knowledge of how to produce the food that was grown there because the family cannot find equally suitable land upon which to apply their wisdom to continue to get that food to our table. Anyone who takes time to reflect on that will see the common sense of this bill.”

“We look forward to the introduction of Congressman Thompson’s Not In My Barnyard Act, which would increase protections for American farmers against seizure of their productive farmland through eminent domain when a non-agricultural alternative is available,” said Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Tommy Nagle. “Keeping prime farmland in production agriculture is of the utmost importance to maintain our nation’s food security while keeping supply chains strong around the globe. We look forward to working with Congressman Thompson and the rest of our Congressional delegation to get this legislation signed into law.”


Dân Biểu Derek Trần lên tiếng sau khi Hạ Viện từ chối lên án chế độ Cộng Sản Việt Nam
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC
- Dân Biểu Liên Bang Derek Trần (CA-45) đưa ra tuyên bố sau khi Hạ Viện Hoa Kỳ bỏ phiếu về
Nghị Quyết House Resolution 1490
:
“Là con của gia đình tị nạn Việt Nam, những tội ác gây ra dưới chế độ Cộng Sản Việt Nam mang ý nghĩa vô cùng sâu sắc đối với cá nhân tôi cũng như cộng đồng người Việt hải ngoại mà tôi đại diện tại Orange County. Chính vì vậy, hôm nay tôi bỏ phiếu chống House Resolution 1490 - một nghị quyết một lần nữa tuyên bố lên án chủ nghĩa xã hội nhưng lại hoàn toàn không đề cập đến những đau khổ mà cộng đồng chúng ta đã phải trải qua dưới chế độ Cộng Sản Việt Nam.
Một lần nữa, các Dân Biểu Cộng Hòa tại Hạ Viện từ chối đưa ra xem xét đề nghị sửa đổi do tôi đệ trình để ghi nhận sự tàn phá về kinh tế, làn sóng hàng trăm ngàn người tị nạn phải vượt biển bỏ nước ra đi, cùng các trại cải tạo đã giam cầm hơn một triệu người sau khi Sài Gòn sụp đổ. Tôi vô cùng thất vọng khi đây là lần thứ hai trong chưa đầy một năm, các Dân Biểu Cộng Hòa tìm cách chia rẽ cộng đồng chúng ta bằng một nghị quyết không thực chất và không đối diện với sự thật tàn khốc mà gia đình chúng ta từng trải qua.
Với tư cách là một Dân Biểu Quốc Hội, tôi không ngần ngại đứng lên chống lại các chính quyền cộng sản và xã hội chủ nghĩa ngang nhiên vi phạm nhân quyền. Tôi đã gây áp lực lên chính quyền Tổng Thống Trump, yêu cầu trả tự do cho các tù nhân lương tâm, trong đó có ông Lê Hữu Minh Tuấn. Tôi cũng đấu tranh để những câu chuyện của cộng đồng người Việt hải ngoại được biết đến rộng rãi, để chế độ cộng sản không thể xóa bỏ dấu vết những tội ác mà họ đã gây ra.
Hơn thế nữa, các Dân Biểu Cộng Hòa còn sử dụng nghị quyết này để kêu gọi thông qua SAVE America Act, một dự luật làm xói mòn nền dân chủ của chúng ta thông qua những biện pháp hạn chế quyền bỏ phiếu đầy nguy hiểm. Dự luật đặt ra những yêu cầu nặng nề đối với các quân nhân đang phục vụ ở nước ngoài muốn thực hiện quyền bỏ phiếu, đồng thời có thể khiến hàng triệu công dân Hoa Kỳ không thể bỏ phiếu. Thay vì ưu tiên giải quyết những thách thức cấp bách mà đất nước đang đối mặt, các Dân Biểu Cộng Hòa lại tập trung thông qua một nghị quyết nhằm hạn chế các quyền hiến định của người dân Mỹ.
Tôi tập trung vào việc mang lại những kết quả thiết thực cho cộng đồng, chứ không phải những trò chơi chính trị nhằm chia rẽ chúng ta. Công việc của tôi trong việc chống lại tai họa của chủ nghĩa cộng sản và bảo vệ nền dân chủ của chúng ta quá quan trọng để bị biến thành một màn đấu đá chính trị mang tính đảng phái cực đoan.”
Dân Biểu Derek Trần đã đệ trình một
đề nghị sửa đổi
đối với House Resolution 1940 nhằm ghi nhận những tội ác của chế độ Cộng Sản Việt Nam. Sau phiên họp của Ủy Ban Quy Tắc Hạ Viện, đề nghị sửa đổi này bị ban lãnh đạo đảng Cộng Hòa tại Hạ Viện bác bỏ.
Là con của những người tị nạn Việt Nam và là người Mỹ gốc Việt đầu tiên được bầu vào Quốc Hội để đại diện cho nơi có cộng đồng người Việt hải ngoại lớn nhất thế giới, Dân Biểu Derek cam kết đưa tiếng nói và những vấn đề quan tâm của cộng đồng người Việt lên diễn đàn quốc gia.
Trong
thư gửi Tổng Bí Thư Tô Lâm
vào Tháng Tư, 2026, Dân Biểu Derek Trần yêu cầu được thăm các tù nhân lương tâm đang bị Cộng Hòa Xã Hội Chủ Nghĩa Việt Nam giam giữ để trực tiếp theo dõi tình trạng và sức khỏe của họ. Ông cũng đệ trình một
Nghị Quyết Quốc Hội
để chính thức tưởng niệm ngày 30 Tháng Tư, 2026, là 51 năm Ngày Tháng Tư Đen.
Vào
Tháng Tư, 2025
, Dân Biểu Derek tổ chức một cuộc thảo luận bàn tròn với các nhà hoạt động nhân quyền Việt Nam và những cựu tù nhân lương tâm để đưa những lời chứng trực tiếp của họ về sự đàn áp mà họ phải chịu dưới chính quyền Việt Nam đến với công chúng.
Là một tiếng nói mạnh mẽ trong việc thúc đẩy nhân quyền tại Việt Nam, Dân Biểu Derek đã đồng bảo trợ và dẫn đầu
H.R. 3122
,
Dự Luật Nhân Quyền Việt Nam
lưỡng đảng, buộc các quan chức cộng sản Việt Nam phải chịu trách nhiệm về những hành vi vi phạm nhân quyền, đồng thời xác lập nhân quyền và thương mại công bằng là những ưu tiên trong quan hệ Hoa Kỳ-Việt Nam.
Dân Biểu Derek là
người bảo trợ chính thức
cho nhà báo Việt Nam Lê Hữu Minh Tuấn, người bị chính quyền Cộng Sản Việt Nam giam giữ một cách bất công, thông qua Dự Án Bảo Vệ Tự Do
của Ủy Ban Nhân Quyền Tom Lantos. Ông cũng
tiếp tục đấu tranh
cho việc trả tự do cho các tù nhân lương tâm trên thế giới.
Với tư cách là người bảo trợ cho ông Lê Hữu Minh Tuấn, ông Derek
gửi thư cho Ngoại Trưởng Marco Rubio
, yêu cầu có hành động hỗ trợ ngay lập tức nhằm bảo đảm ông Lê Hữu Minh Tuấn được trả tự do.
###
Washington DC Office
1127 Longworth House Office Building
Washington,
DC
20515
Phone:
(202) 225-2415
Cypress District Office
6803 International Ave., Suite 100
Cypress,
CA
90630
Phone:
(714) 960-6483


Congressman Van Drew Demands Refunds After Federal Audit Finds Atlantic City Electric Overbilled Customers

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew responded to findings from a federal audit of Atlantic City Electric (ACE) that found the company overbilled customers and made errors related to federal tax law.

"For years, we have been saying something was wrong with what people in South Jersey were paying for electricity," said Congressman Van Drew. "We were told that we were crazy and that there was nothing to see here. We held public hearings on the issue, we pushed ACE for answers, we challenged the explanations we were being given, and when the numbers still did not add up, I asked FERC to step in and audit the company. Now the result of this audit shows exactly why we were right to demand answers. This has to be made right. The people who paid more than they should have deserve refunds now. And this audit must lead to real rate decreases, so families are not continuing to pay some of the highest electric costs in the country, especially after the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities spent years approving increase after increase instead of looking into this. Once again, I am calling for their resignation.


Rep. Gabe Vasquez Calls for Hearing to Protect Manufactured Housing Communities from Private Equity

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) called on the House Financial Services Committee to hold a hearing on institutional investors’ impact on Manufactured Housing Communities (MHCs) across the country. Congressman Vasquez led a letter to Chairman French Hill (R-AR) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) — along with five other Members — urging the Committee to hold a hearing to address reports from MHC residents across the country who have said they have experienced price jacking, utilities neglect, and abuse in these communities after private equity firms purchased their communities.

“Congress recently passed a landmark housing bill with overwhelmingly bipartisan support to help Americans purchase homes and specifically targeted institutional investors' role in purchasing single family homes. But the bill did not include equitable protections to address private equity’s role in purchasing hundreds of thousands of lots across several manufactured housing communities,” wrote Vasquez. “There is still more work to be done.”

“The Land of Enchantment Manufactured Home Owners Alliance strongly endorses Representative Vasquez’s call for a House Financial Services Committee hearing on institutional investment and protections for manufactured homeowners,” said Joanne DeMichele, President, Land of Enchantment Manufactured Home Owners Alliance (LEMHOA). “Congress has recognized the damage institutional investors can cause in the single-family housing market through the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Manufactured home communities deserve the same scrutiny. Homeowners in these communities own their homes but not the land beneath them, making them captive tenants when investors acquire that land and rapidly raise rents or neglect essential infrastructure. In Silver City, New Mexico, residents recently saw lot rents increase by 70% virtually overnight after investors purchased the land beneath their homes. This is exactly why Congress must examine private equity’s growing role in manufactured housing and ensure that affordable homeownership is protected, not exploited.”

Last year, local leaders and constituents in various communities across New Mexico raised alarm bells to Rep. Vasquez regarding an uptick in predatory pricing practices and property maintenance neglect in mobile and manufactured home communities owned by corporate landlords and private equity companies. They cited severe examples of landlord utility neglect for mobile home communities resulting in instances of elderly residents being forced to go without natural gas and hot water for months on end.

Unfortunately, these cases are not anomalies, and the scale of this problem nationwide is astounding. One in six homes in New Mexico are mobile homes. In 2020 and 2021, institutional investors accounted for 23 percent of all manufactured home purchases, up from 13 percent between 2017-2019.

“Manufactured housing is a critical pathway to stable, affordable housing for New Mexicans but private equity has continued to threaten this by failing to keep up their end of the deal in our communities,”said Vasquez. “Manufactured Housing Communities are often forgotten in the conversation to preserve affordable housing which is why Congress must look for every opportunity to fix this problem.”

Read the full letter HERE. This letter has been endorsed by the Land of Enchantment Manufactured Home Owner's Alliance and Private Equity Stakeholder Project.

“Congress must act with urgency to protect the dignity, safety, and security of the millions of Americans living in manufactured housing owned by private equity and other institutional investors,” said Chris Noble, Policy Director at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. “Across the country, manufactured housing residents living in investor-owned communities are contending with extreme rent hikes, aggressive evictions, and cascading junk fees. In some communities, residents can't even count on having access to clean water. That is unacceptable and exactly why the Private Equity Stakeholder Project applauds Representative Vasquez’s efforts to uplift and center this issue as part of Congress’ housing affordability agenda.”

Rep. Vasquez has repeatedly led efforts to stop greedy, corporate landlords from jacking up New Mexicans’ rents and continues his long track record of championing solutions to make housing more affordable for every hardworking New Mexican.

Some of his most recent actions on this front include:

Hosting a Town Hall in Carlsbad focused on enacting solutions to address the housing affordability crisis in New Mexico.

Introducing the Keep Mobile Homes Affordable Act, a bill to ensure investors who purchase over 2,500 mobile homes or pads are not engaging in price gouging or failing to provide basic utilities to residents. This legislation was inspired by the Congressman’s conversations with mobile home residents in places like Alamogordo and Albuquerque who raised serious concerns about mobile home affordability.

Voting in favor of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill that marked the most sweeping win for housing affordability in a generation and became law in July 2026.

Co-sponsoring the Bipartisan Families First Housing Act and the Stop Wall Street Landlords Act to crack down on greedy, corporate landlords and ensure hardworking New Mexicans have a fair shot at homeownership.

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Rep. Gabe Vasquez Demands Action to Expand Care and Benefits for Rural New Mexico Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On September 2, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) called for immediate action to ensure veterans living in rural and southern New Mexico can access the healthcare, benefits, and assistance they put their lives on the line to earn. After a recent meeting with veterans in Socorro, Vasquez sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins demanding that the VA expand in-person assistance and outreach in rural communities, including by placing a full-time VA liaison in Socorro.

“New Mexico veterans – especially those living in rural areas – should never feel left behind by their government. We should be making it easier for them to access the benefits they have earned by serving our country, and I urge the VA to take meaningful action to expand access to services, benefits, and assistance to all veterans, starting by placing a full time liaison in Socorro and allowing veterans in southeast New Mexico to access service in El Paso,” said Vasquez in the letter.

In the letter, Vasquez goes on to lay out a clear solutions to barriers that have continued to block New Mexican veterans accessing their benefits:

Fix outdated VA regional boundaries that force veterans in Otero and Eddy counties to travel hours toward Albuquerque instead of accessing VA care closer to home in El Paso, building on Vasquez’s New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Act

Increase VA staffing and in-person assistance across New Mexico, including placing a full-time VA liaison in Socorro, and reversing VA staffing cuts

Vasquez also noted how the Administration’s cuts to VA funding and staffing have shortchanged New Mexico veterans, noting, “The recent restructuring and massive staffing cuts has exacerbated these issues, especially for our rural veterans who cannot easily access in-person resources. Existing VA staffing shortages are already causing delays for surgeries, making it hard to access mental health care, and devastating morale for providers, employees, and veterans. This Administration cut nearly 28,000 jobs including 2,700 nurses, over 1,000 medical officers, and more than 1,000 psychologists and social workers. In New Mexico, 172 Veterans Affairs staff were cut which was 4.7% of the NM VA workforce.”

Vasquez’s longstanding record of supporting New Mexico’s veterans includes:

Leading the New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Act, a bill to add Otero and Eddy county to the Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN) 22, so that New Mexico veterans who live in these counties can be eligible to access care at the El Paso VA Medical Center which is far closer than many other VA healthcare facilities.

Introducing theVeteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act, bipartisan legislation to increase the yearly book and supply stipend for student veterans which hasn’t been updated since 2008. If passed, it would increase the stipend from $1,000 to $1,400 and adjust for inflation.

The Feed Our Veterans Act, legislation Vasquez introduced and fought for during the most recent Farm Bill markup, to combat food insecurity among veterans and protect them from new burdensome SNAP work requirements introduced under the Republican tax law last summer.

Signed a bipartisan discharge petition to require a House vote on the Major Richard Star Act, legislation that would allow combat-injured veterans to receive both their full military retirement pay and VA disability compensation.

Cosponsoredthe Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act to improve rural veterans’ ability to access healthcare by expanding eligibility for the VA’s Highly Rural Transportation Grant Program and access to cost-free rides.

Championed the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025 to expand telemedicine services for veterans by permanently authorizing VA healthcare professionals to use telemedicine for virtual appointments, including to prescribe drugs.

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Congressman Veasey Responds to ICE’s Lie of Prairieland Detention Facility Oversight Visit

Washington D.C — Today, the office of Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) conducted a congressional oversight visit to the Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas. Prior to the visit, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deceitfully misrepresented the purpose of the congressional visit around one particular individual in ICE custody through a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Congressman Veasey’s office had already submitted a request regarding Bernardo Maceo Sabon and his repatriation at the time of the visit. ICE was already aware of this request before publicly suggesting that the office’s visit was an effort to interfere with the agency’s enforcement actions.

The primary purpose of today’s visit was to follow up on the case of a Persian refugee and a Christian pastor who fled Iran and was subsequently granted asylum by the United States government. The pastor, who suffers from life-threatening health conditions, remains in ICE custody while her health deteriorates — despite having previously been granted protection by the United States.

Members of Congress and their staff have a responsibility to conduct oversight of federal agencies and facilities, including ensuring that individuals in federal custody have access to appropriate medical care and that federal agencies are carrying out their responsibilities consistent with the law. In return, federal agencies are responsible for facilitating these oversight visits rather than treating them as a public relations battle to be fought out on social media.

Congressman Veasey’s office will continue conducting oversight on behalf of the constituents of Texas’ 33rd Congressional District and seeking accountability and transparency from federal agencies.

The Congressman’s statement is linked here and copied below:

“Is there anyone in this administration who isn’t remotely incompetent? Your own agency has a request on file from our office to repatriate Sabon — you’d know that if anyone over there checked their inbox before hitting tweet.

“And since you brought up today’s visit: it wasn’t about him. Staff went to Prairieland to follow up on a Christian pastor who fled Iran, was granted asylum by your own government, has serious health conditions requiring immediate medical attention — and is still sitting in your custody. That’s the story you should be answering for.

“This is exactly the problem with border theater. ICE is trying to turn routine congressional oversight into a political spectacle.”


Congressman Al Green, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman Lead Effort Demanding HUD Protect Fair Housing Program

On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, Congressman Al Green, along with Congresswoman Lateefah Simon and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, raising serious concerns about recent actions that threaten the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) and the local fair housing organizations that serve communities across the nation. A copy of the letter can be accessed by clicking here.

The lawmakers expressed concern that HUD’s proposed funding changes threaten local fair housing organizations, which handle more than 74 percent of housing discrimination complaints nationwide. Following a federal district court order blocking the changes, the lawmakers are calling on Secretary Turner to comply with the court’s order, rescind HUD’s FY 2025 and FY 2026 FHIP funding notices, and ensure nonprofit fair housing organizations remain eligible for funding.

"The Fair Housing Initiatives Program was created by Congress to protect Americans from housing discrimination and ensure that vulnerable communities have access to safe, stable, and equitable housing. The Administration’s repeated attempts to circumvent Congress and dismantle basic civil rights protections are unacceptable," said Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. "I am proud to help lead this effort alongside Congressman Al Green and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman to hold this administration accountable for its unlawful implementation of this program and to stand firmly with the organizations and nonprofits doing the essential, on-the-ground work to combat housing discrimination in communities across the country."

“From day one, the Trump administration has tried to reshape HUD from an agency that makes housing fairer and more accessible into one that benefits wealthy developers and landlords,” said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. “Housing costs are skyrocketing, yet HUD is being weaponized to go after municipalities, siphon funding from non-profit organizations seeking to give people opportunities to put a roof over their heads, and gift Trump’s friends instead. Considering Trump's history of housing discrimination as a developer and his eventual refusal to sign the largest bipartisan housing bill in a generation into law, an overarching theme of disregarding the needs of the working-class comes into focus."


Congressman Williams Recognizes Those Affected by The Ross Fire

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) took to the House floor to recognize those affected by the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto and Jack Counties.

Williams’ remarks are below:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pray for those affected by the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto and Jack Counties.

More than 85,000 acres have burned across North Texas, impacting families, ranchers, and communities in my district.

For many of these families, this fire has meant losing their livelihoods, livestock, and land that their families have owned for generations. Please join me in praying for those affected. My heart goes out to every Texan who is hurting during this difficult time.

I want to thank the firefighters, first responders, the Forest Service, and everyone who has traveled from across Texas to help contain this wildfire. My office will continue to closely monitor the fires and stand ready to help.

In the face of this adversity, we have seen how great America and Texas are.

In God we trust, I yield back.”

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Congressman Wittman Receives District Excellence Award, Earns A+ Rating

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) today received the District Excellence Award from the Institute for Legislative Analysis (ILA), recognizing his A+ District-Based Grade for his voting record in Congress.

The award recognizes lawmakers whose voting records meet or exceed the limited-government benchmark ILA calculates for the congressional districts they represent.

“I’m humbled to receive the District Excellence Award and an A+ rating from ILA,” said Rep. Wittman. “Whether protecting the Chesapeake Bay, modernizing infrastructure, improving healthcare, strengthening our military, or growing our economy, my priority is always delivering results for the people I represent. I will continue working to protect taxpayers, strengthen our communities, and ensure government is accountable to the people it serves.”

“The Institute for Legislative Analysis is proud to present Congressman Rob Wittman with the District Excellence Award for earning an “A+” Grade under ILA’s District-Based Grading system. The Limited Government Index is the first-of-its-kind system that evaluates each Member of Congress based not only on their votes, but also on the unique makeup of their districts. Congressman Wittman’s record shows he has stayed committed to advancing the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution despite representing a competitive district where many lawmakers would cave to big government pressure. We especially appreciate his work to strengthen military readiness, protect taxpayers, and stand up for service members and families across Virginia’s First District. Congressman Wittman and his team deserve credit for showing that limited government principles are not abstract talking points, but practical solutions tied directly to accountability, affordability, and a government that works for the people it serves.”- Ryan McGowan, CEO, Institute for Legislative Analysis

Background:

The Institute for Legislative Analysis’ District-Based Grading system evaluates Members of Congress by comparing their voting records with an estimate of the political and ideological makeup of the districts they represent. Lawmakers receive grades ranging from A to F based on how their voting records compare with that district-specific benchmark.


“Cast, But Never Counted”: Cantwell & Secretary of State Hobbs Say Trump’s USPS Suppressing WA Mail-In Voting by Postmarking or Delivering Ballots After Election Day

New snapshot report shows rejected primary ballot rates more than doubled in 19 WA counties compared to 2024, and more than quadrupled in 2 counties; Cantwell: “Washingtonians need to know: The Post Office is taking your ballot as a piece of mail but not stamping it that day.”; Cantwell calls on Homeland Security Committee to bring in USPS leadership for questioning

SEATTLE, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs held a press conference in Seattle, together with Seattle King County NAACP President Hayward Evans and League of Women Voters Snohomish County President Brenda Mann Harrison, to warn Washington voters about Administration efforts to undermine their right to vote.

Sen. Cantwell and Secretary Hobbs released a new snapshot report showing that late-postmark rejection rates have more than doubled in 19 counties compared to the 2024 primaries – with rural counties worst affected -- following a new Trump Administration policy that can delay postmarking of mail-in ballots by several days.

According to the University of Washington’s April 2026 Vote-By-Mail Research Report Series, more than one-third of voters in the State of Washington returned their ballots through the mail and 95% of general election ballots arrived by Election Day between 2020 and 2024. Nationwide nearly 47 mail ballots were safely and securely cast and counted in the 2024 general election, rather than voting in person at a polling place. That included nearly 4 million Washingtonians.

“I’m calling on my colleagues in the United States Senate to do their oversight job and hold hearings as to why the President of the United States and the Postal Service is disenfranchising voters across the United States with policies that are leaving them with a ballot that was cast, but never counted,” Sen. Cantwell said. “That’s what Washingtonians need to know: The Post Office is taking your ballot as a piece of mail but not stamping it that day.”

“Please drop your ballot in a ballot box provided by the local county, if possible,” she continued. “If you can’t do that, and you’re in a rural community, mail your ballot as soon as you get it. Now, I find a little bit of irony here that the president may be disenfranchising his most stable voters in rural communities by taking the vote away. That is why my colleagues in the United States Senate, if they were going to do their constitutional oversight role instead of trying to promote the SAVE [America] Act, would be holding a hearing of the Homeland Security [and Governmental Affairs] Committee and bringing the U.S. Postal Service in.”

“The U.S. Postal Service is trying to do everything they can to ruin vote by mail in the State of Washington,” Secretary Hobbs said. “We are all used to putting our ballot in the mailbox, knowing that if you put it in there before 8 p.m. on election day, it would be counted. But instead, this postmaster general -- in coordination with the administration -- changes the rule on postmarks so that it’s done at the central processing facility. So what does that mean? That could mean days that your ballot is delayed.”

Video of the press conference is HERE; photos are HERE; and a transcript is HERE. Images of charts displayed at the press conference are available HERE.

In December, the United States Postal Service finalized a rule that requires ballots to be postmarked at new regional processing and distribution centers, rather than at a community’s local post office. To compound the delay, under new policy, if your post office is over 50 miles from a distribution center, your mail will be transported to the distribution center only once a day, instead of twice. Depending on where the ballot is mailed from, that transfer can take days or even more than a week – meaning that voters who mail in their ballots on Election Day, or even several days earlier, run the risk of having their votes rejected for being “late.”

The result is significant voter disenfranchisement, especially in rural areas. The top five worst increases in ballot rejection rates between the 2024 and 2026 elections took place in:

Impacts have also been felt by Washington voters earlier this year. During the February 2026 special election, Snohomish County conducted a test of their mail service to assess the delivery times in their area. As part of the test, election staff deposited generic return ballot envelopes in USPS blue collection boxes at various points leading up to the election. They found that of the ballots mailed the morning of Election Day, less than half were postmarked in time to be counted.

Sen. Cantwell and Secretary Hobbs have together been ringing the alarm on the Trump Administration’s dangerous new policies – in February, Sen. Cantwell invited Secretary Hobbs to Washington, D.C., as her guest to President Trump’s State of the Union address to draw attention to the administration’s election interference.

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

On August 5, she sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin demanding the Trump Administration adhere to the National Voter Registration Act’s (NVRA) “quiet period” that prohibits systematic voter purges within 90 days of an election, pushing back against the Administration’s ongoing voter suppression efforts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Jan. 15, she joined Senate colleagues in a letter to USPS Postmaster General David Steiner raising concerns with recent developments affecting postmark practices. Right before the holiday season, USPS changed its postmark practices, which the Senators warned could have significant impacts on voters nationwide and in Washington state – including rural voters, military and overseas voters, and many others who rely on rely on the mail to safely and securely cast their ballot. The new snapshot report Sen. Cantwell and Sec. Hobbs released today shows the actual impact on voters in Washington state so far.

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

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Cortez Masto, Union Members, Local Advocates Highlight the Importance of TPS as Expiration Date Looms

***VIDEO AVAILABLE***

FTPs for TV stations is available here.

Las Vegas, Nev. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) highlighted the need to extend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador. Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 13 Business Agent Robert Fuentes, and National TPS Alliance Nevada Chapter Co-Coordinator Francis Garcia joined her.

Nevada is home to close to 6,000 TPS recipients, immigrants from countries to which they cannot safely return. Since 2001, TPS has been a lifeline for over 170,000 Salvadorans living in the U.S., but the TPS designation for El Salvador will expire on September 9 if the Trump Administration doesn’t immediately act to extend it. The end of TPS for Salvadorans would tear apart families and significantly disrupt the hospitality and construction industries in Southern Nevada.

“Salvadoran TPS holders helped build Las Vegas as we know it, and they work in nearly every hotel on the Strip,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “But now, their protections are at risk because the Trump Administration has not extended the TPS designation for El Salvador, which is set to expire a week from today. President Trump should do the right thing and extend TPS for Salvadorans.”

The first and only Latina Senator, Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada. She has called on both the Biden and Trump Administrations to protect Dreamers, TPS holders, and other immigrants. Cortez Masto has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Earlier this year, the Senator attended and spoke at a naturalization ceremony for new American citizens at the Sand Harbor Amphitheater at Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

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Army Under Secretary Obadal Previews Grand Forks’ Innovative Defense Ecosystem

***Click herefor media resources.***

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota’s groundbreaking leadership in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology attracted another Pentagon official to the region today, where Under Secretary of the Army Mike Obadal joined U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) to learn about the latest developments in counter-UAS warfare.

Cramer led Obadal on a tour of two of the state’s most important defense innovation hubs, the new Point Defense Battle Lab at Grand Forks Air Force Base and the GrandSKY UAS tech park. The facilities are turning concepts and ideas into battlefield hardware in a highly controlled, flexible testbed where rapid development and deployment lead to a safer battlefield environment for our troops and allies. The growing ecosystem creates an interface for technology developers, Pentagon officials, and North Dakota’s university resources to join forces to accelerate real-world solutions.

“If commanders have enough flexibility to do their jobs and find creative solutions, they can provide incredible value,” said Cramer. “We have worked with our base leaders, university presidents, and local government officials to create an indispensable ecosystem. There is something to be said for our remoteness and isolation breeding innovation. It’s part of North Dakota’s DNA and always has been. The leadership at the Pentagon is discovering that they can trust our personnel to understand the mission, evaluate the risks, and then take a chance and lead the way.”

Obadal is a former soldier and industry leader with 30 years of experience spanning the military, interagency, and defense technology communities. He was sworn in as the 36th Under Secretary of the Army last September, following his nomination by President Donald J. Trump and confirmation by the United States Senate.

As Under Secretary of the Army, Obadal serves as the Army’s chief management officer, overseeing business operations, manpower and personnel systems, acquisition strategy, and enterprise reform initiatives. He works closely with broader Army leadership to strengthen warfighter readiness, advance modernization efforts, and transform how the Army develops and manages its talent.

Obadal’s visit comes at a pivotal moment amid North Dakota’s growing role in the nation’s counter-UAS mission. Last week, the U.S. Department of War (DOW) brought government and industry leaders to the state for a Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) event, giving policymakers a look at emerging technologies and the capabilities needed to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving drone fight.

The visit also builds on recent efforts by Cramer to elevate North Dakota’s defense innovation ecosystem. At his recent “Carry a Big Stick” Defense Forum, Cramer joined Golden Dome Director General Michael Guetlein to highlight the state’s investments in GrandSKY and unmanned systems, and why North Dakota continues to punch above its weight in national defense. As Cramer put it, “we sense the obligation we have to the security of this nation.”


President Trump Approves North Dakota Major Disaster Declaration Following June Severe Storms

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and John Hoeven (R-ND) and U.S. Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump approved North Dakota’s request for a presidential major disaster declaration following the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornados which impacted western and central North Dakota from June 7 to 9, 2026. The declaration approves $3.4 million in disaster costs and makes federal assistance available for recovery efforts in Bottineau, Burke, Divide, McLean, Mercer, Oliver, and Williams counties.

The delegation previously sent a letter to President Trump in support of Governor Kelly Armstrong’s request, calling for swift approval of the declaration and access to federal resources for impacted North Dakotans.

“President Trump’s approval of this disaster declaration will provide much needed support as North Dakota communities continue recovering from these severe storms, and we appreciate the president’s action to make these federal resources available,” said the delegation. “This assistance will help repair damaged infrastructure and support recovery efforts across the impacted counties.”


Sen. Cruz Joins Michael Dell, Brad Gerstner, and Frank Bisignano in Austin to Highlight Texas Leadership on Trump Accounts

AUSTIN, Texas – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) participated in a press conference and executive roundtable with Michael Dell, founder, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies, Brad Gerstner, founder, chairman and CEO of Altimeter Capital, Frank Bisignano, CEO of the IRS, and dozens of Texas business leaders. The discussion focused on how employers can make a generational impact on American families’ financial futures by contributing to Trump Accounts for their employees’ children.

As part of that effort, American Airlines announced it will match the $1,000 federal contribution to Trump Accounts for eligible employees’ children. The company will also allow eligible employees to put as much as $2,500 of pretax earnings each year into a Trump Account.

Click here or the image above to watch the full press conference.

Sen. Cruz said, “Trump Accounts are one of the most transformational policies ever enacted into law. Every child in America will have a personal investment account that he or she owns, and every child will experience the miracle of compound growth. That changes their entire future, and we are creating a whole new generation of capitalists as our kids become owners of the biggest employers in America. I believe within a few years we will see Trump Accounts as a standard employee benefit across the country. Thank you to Brad for bringing me the idea, President Trump for signing my legislation into law, and Michael and Susan Dell for leading the way with their historic $6.25 billion commitment. Texas leads the way.”

BACKGROUND

Trump Accounts, legislation authored by Sen. Cruz and established by law as part of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, are private, tax-advantaged accounts for every American child, seeded with a $1,000 investment from the federal government for children born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Trump Accounts, available now for all children 18 and under, allow for contributions from individuals, family members, and friends up to $5,000 annually. Employers may contribute $2,500 per year.


Ernst Applauds $5 Million in Disaster Relief for Iowa Communities

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) applauded President Trump for delivering $5 million in federal disaster relief funding following severe weather and heavy rainfall that impacted Iowa between July 1 and July 4.

Ernst joined U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and the entire Iowa delegation in urging the administration to expedite disaster assistance for Iowa communities affected by the storms, which caused significant damage to public infrastructure and private property.

“I am grateful for President Trump’s steadfast support and leadership in quickly answering our call for expedited disaster relief following the devastating storms that struck communities across Iowa,” said Ernst. “This critical funding will be a lifeline for Iowans working to rebuild their homes and vital infrastructure. I will continue fighting to ensure our communities have the resources they need to recover and come back stronger.”

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

The FEMA Public Assistance request includes the following counties:

Jasper County

Polk County

Story County

Warren County

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

Background:

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

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

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

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Gillibrand Announces Bill To Make Large-Scale Wage Theft A Felony Nationwide

Ahead of Labor Day, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced the Don’t Stand for Taking Employed Americans’ Livings (Don’t STEAL) Act, which would make large-scale wage theft a felony nationwide. Representative Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02) and 28 cosponsors have introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Working Americans deserve to take home every penny that they have earned, and employers who cheat their employees out of hard-earned wages must be held accountable,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Ahead of Labor Day, I am proud to announce this bill to bring the punishment for wage theft in line with other forms of criminal theft. This is commonsense legislation to help protect workers, and I am determined to get it passed.”

“It is outrageous that in the United States of America, someone can face jail time for stealing a television but get only a slap on the wrist for stealing wages from a worker’s paycheck,” said Representative Magaziner. “I am grateful to Senator Gillibrand for leading the fight in the Senate to make wage theft a federal crime and hold accountable bad actors who cheat working people out of their hard-earned pay. I look forward to working with her to pass the Don’t STEAL Act in both chambers and get it signed into law.”

Wage theft takes many forms, including employers refusing to pay promised wages, paying subminimum wages, failing to pay for all hours worked, or not paying overtime premiums. Every year, over $15 billion is stolen from workers by their employers. In 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor recovered more than $259 million in back wages and damages owed to 176,957 workers, representing just a fraction of wage theft that occurred that year. This kind of wage theft impacts workers across industries and of all income levels, but it has a more profound impact on low-wage workers, who can least afford to bear the cost of lost earnings.

The Don’t STEAL Act would help protect workers by strengthening penalties for wage theft, bringing them in line with other forms of criminal theft under federal law. Under this legislation, employers who willfully fail to pay wages, deny overtime, or steal tips will face misdemeanor or felony charges depending on the severity of the violation. Currently, wage theft is treated at most as a misdemeanor.

The Don’t STEAL Act also brings penalties for wage theft in line with other common forms of theft under federal law. Today, employers who commit willful wage theft can be fined no more than $10,000. This bill eliminates that cap and requires fines to be proportional to the amount of wages stolen.

This legislation is endorsed by 15 organizations, including AFL-CIO and several other labor unions. Senator Gillibrand plans to formally introduce the Don’t STEAL Act when the Senate returns to session later this month.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

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Grassley, Marshall, Barrasso Call for Expanded Grazing Access for American Cattle Producers

BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, joined U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in a letter calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of the Interior to keep working to expand grazing access for livestock producers and strengthen risk management tools that protect cattle producers from market volatility. America’s cattle herd is currently at its lowest level in roughly 75 years.

“The United States’ beef industry is the greatest in the world and one of the brightest spots of American agriculture, making up nearly a quarter of U.S. agriculture receipts. The federal government must remain laser-focused on partnering with the industry and state efforts for ranchers, expand grazing on public and private lands, and improve protein processing capacity,” the senators wrote.

The senators are urging USDA and the Interior Department to prioritize the production of American beef through several mechanisms, including finalizing the Bureau of Land Management’s grazing rule and reevaluating federal programs that limit grazing capacity. They are also pressing the agencies to strengthen livestock risk management tools and improve meat processing capacity.

“Recent legislation such as the Working Families Tax Cuts Act has strengthened American agriculture and the producers who sustain it. We stand ready to build on that record through the 2026 Farm Bill and other upcoming legislation to support our ranchers and keep beef an affordable, nutritious choice for American families. Through regulatory and statutory reforms, together we can help to rebuild the herd,” the senators continued.

Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

Background:

Grassley has worked to support American cattle producers through efforts to bolster market transparency and take on market consolidation in the meatpacking industry.

In March, Grassley and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the bipartisan Livestock Consolidation Research Act to support research into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on farmers, ranchers and consumers. A similar provision was included in the U.S. Senate version of the Farm Bill.

Last year, he sponsored the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act to support cattle producers by beefing up enforcement of anticompetitive practices in the consolidated meatpacking industry.


Heinrich Speaks at National Conference of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, Visits Spiritus Pilot Facility on Nambé Pueblo, Meets with Community Leaders in Canjilon to Protect Northern New Mexico from Uranium Mining

ALBUQUERQUE & ABIQUIÚ, N.M. — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) attended the 26th Annual Conference of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO), where he advocated for increased funding for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and meaningful consultation; toured Spiritus Direct Air Capture pilot facility at Nambé Pueblo; and visited Canjilon in northern New Mexico to meet with community members opposed to a potential uranium mine.

On Tuesday, August 25, Heinrich joined U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) at the NATHPO Conference for a discussion moderated by Santo Domingo Pueblo Governor Raymond Aguilar, Jr., and Acoma Governor Charles Riley. The discussion focused on the need for greater federal investment in Tribal historic preservation, and the importance of meaningful Tribal consultation in federal decision-making. Heinrich highlighted Tribal Historic Preservation Officers’ role in protecting and preserving cultural, historical, archaeological, and traditional Tribal resources, and called for the Historic Preservation Fund to be made permanent, adequately funded, and expanded. He has previously introduced legislation establishing a goal of $300 million annually for the Fund and requiring at least 20 percent of funding for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers — providing at least $60 million annually for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices.

“We need to make the Historic Preservation Fund permanent. We need to adequately resource the fund as a whole. And we especially need to make sure that we're dedicating more of those funds to Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, so that you can expand your efforts and do the work that we all know has to get done,” said Heinrich.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) speaking with Acoma Governor Charles Riley, Santo Domingo Pueblo Governor Raymond Aguilar, Jr., and U.S. Representative Teresa Ledger Fernández (D-N.M.) at the Annual NATHPO Conference, August 25, 2026.

During the conversation, Heinrich also emphasized the need for bipartisan collaboration to make stronger federal protections for Tribal historic preservation durable over the long term.

“One of the things we really need is to build more Republican support. So having Tribes that are represented, in particular, by Republican senators, reach out. We need some champions on the other side of the aisle to be successful with this — we don't want to just be in a position where we're able to get this done when we're in complete control of the White House, the Senate, the House. We want this to be durable for the long term, and we need some good Republican partners,” said Heinrich.

Heinrich criticized the Advisory Council of History Preservation’s proposed revisions for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), warning that the changes could undermine Tribal sovereignty and meaningful consultation.

“I don't know how to characterize the draft that we've seen as anything other than complete hostility to the government-to-government relationship and to meaningful consultation,” said Heinrich, stressing the importance of meaningful and effective Tribal consultation. “A comment period is not consultation. Full stop. These proposals are a way of cutting Tribes out of the conversation. And the irony is, that's not going to get projects built.”

On Thursday, August 27, Heinrich toured Spiritus, a Direct Air Capture pilot facility at Nambé Pueblo.

The facility builds on a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) technology transfer and uses a new approach to capture carbon dioxide with less energy than previous methods. Spiritus’ partnership with the NPDC will bring sustainable, high-skill jobs to New Mexico and cement the state as a key player in the future of large-scale carbon sequestration.

Heinrich submitted a $1 million Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Congressionally Directed Spending request to improve Tova Muusa Poe, the road serving the Nambé Pueblo Development Corporation facility where Spiritus is a tenant.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) touring Spiritus Pilot Facility at Nambé Pueblo, August 27, 2026.

On Friday, August 28, Heinrich met with Rio Arriba County ranchers, acequia parciantes, and Land Grant heirs at the U.S. Forest Service’s Canjilon Ranger Station to speak out against uranium mining in Northern New Mexico and discuss the Mesa Arc Project, a uranium exploration project in the Upper Chama watershed.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) speaking with Rio Arriba County community members about protecting the Upper Chama watershed from proposed uranium mining, August 28, 2026.

Heinrich is fighting to protect communities in Northern New Mexico and the Chama Watershed from uranium mining and mineral development.

Earlier this month, Heinrich co-sponsored U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján’s (D-N.M.) Chama Basin Watershed Protection Act, legislation to permanently ban uranium mining on federal lands in Northern New Mexico’s Rio Chama Watershed.

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

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Hoeven Showcases North Dakota UAS Ecosystem for Army Undersecretary

EMERADO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today showcased North Dakota’s unmanned aerial systems (UAS) ecosystem for Undersecretary of the Army Michael Obadal in a bid to demonstrate how Army counter-drone research and development can benefit from the work that is ongoing in the state. During tours of the Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) and GrandSKY, as well as in a meeting with UAS and counter-UAS researchers from the University of North Dakota (UND), Hoeven highlighted:

Project ULTRA, stressing how the initiative takes an innovative approach to defense contracting, helping the military to develop and deploy the capabilities it needs more quickly and at a lower cost to taxpayers.

Project ULTRA is currently working to develop cost-effective measures to detect and neutralize threats from unmanned aircraft, while also expanding the practical applications of UAS through unmanned cargo flights between GFAFB and Cavalier Space Force Station.

Hoeven established and funded Project ULTRA and subsequently secured an increased contract ceiling of $100 million to support future expansions of the initiative’s drone and counter-drone operations.

Point Defense Battle Lab, which tests and validates advanced technologies, tactics, techniques and procedures to defend military installations from small, unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) threats.

Hoeven worked with Air Force leadership to advance Grand Forks’ selection for the battle lab.

UND research into drone and counter-drone technologies.

Hoeven is working to advance a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UND and the Joint Inter Agency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401), which is tasked with coordinating U.S. counter-drone defenses.

The MOU will be the first of its kind, giving UND a critical role in identifying promising counter-UAS technologies that warrant further evaluation and development by JIATF 401.

The Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) event, a two-week event held last month at GFAFB, GrandSKY and Camp Grafton where companies with promising drone and counter-drone technology were able to demonstrate their capabilities to the Department of War.

“For those that want to develop drone and counter-drone technologies, North Dakota is the place to be. We made that point clearly to Undersecretary Obadal during his visit today,” said Hoeven. “Today’s event was an opportunity to showcase the exciting and innovative work being done by the Grand Forks Air Force Base, GrandSKY, UND and their partners. We already have counter-UAS work underway with the Point Defense Battle Lab and Project ULTRA, and we have even more developments in the works with UND, JIATF 401 and others, so we’re well-equipped to meet this critical defense need for the Army.”

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Warner, Kaine Move to End Trump’s Trade War and Free Virginians from Trump’s Tariff Tax

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following President Trump’s latest tariffs, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and 12 of their Senate colleagues introduced the End Trump’s Tariff Tax Act, legislation that would revoke and refund Trump’s newest barrage of tariffs, and rein in the president’s tariff authority by repealing the archaic authorities he has used to continue his trade war. This legislation would apply to Trump’s newest global tariffs of 10–12.5 percent and 50 percent tariff on $20 billion worth of imports from Canada.

Since Trump has started his latest trade war, American families have paid the price. In just one year, Trump’s tariff tax cost the average family nearly $2,000, with hardworking Americans bearing 96 percent of the cost of the hundreds of billions of dollars in new tariffs. Still, Trump has been undeterred by the chaos and pain his trade war has wrought and continues to double down on the global stage.

“From escalating trade wars to costly conflicts abroad, the president’s reckless policies are driving up costs and making it harder for Virginians to make ends meet,” said the senators. “The data is clear: American families, small businesses, and farmers are footing the bill for Trump’s chaotic tariffs. We’re proud to support this legislation to rein in these disastrous taxes, lower costs, and put working families ahead of the president’s failed agenda.”

The legislation is also sponsored by Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

In Congress, Warner and Kaine have been outspoken critics of President Trump’s tariff policies, which are a tax on American families and small businesses. The senators introduced the Tariff Refund Act of 2026 to require full refunds – with interest – of Trump’s illegal tariffs, after they were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. As the Supreme Court considered the case, the senators both joined an amicus brief urging that these tariffs be struck down. Warner and Kaine also led bipartisan legislation to repeal the administration’s tariffs on Canada imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The measure passed the Senate with bipartisan support, and a version of the bill was subsequently approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, reflecting growing congressional opposition even among some Republicans to tariff policies that have raised costs for consumers, strained relationships with key allies, and disrupted cross-border trade.

Read the full bill here.

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“Hollow Promise” – King Responds to News that ICE Has Acquired Sufficient Body-Worn Cameras

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today shared the following statement responding to news that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement now says it has acquired enough body-worn cameras to have all officers equipped with:

“This update from ICE is a hollow promise since ICE announced weeks ago that they have no intention of making body-worn camera footage public if it does not show them in a favorable light. So unless and until there is a change of policy and leadership, today’s news simply means that there is more expensively equipped lawlessness on our streets rather than responsible, legitimate law enforcement.”

Senator King has been outspoken and proactive in his efforts to negotiate necessary guardrails for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in the wake of unprofessional and unconstitutional behavior among those agencies. In January, King appeared on Face the Nation where he explained his Constitutional concerns over how ICE was operating in Maine, as well as possible paths forward for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding package. In February, he released a statement on congressional efforts to curtail ICE’s activities in Maine and across the country—again calling for the implementation of guardrails. Weeks ago, he condemned the news that ICE was buying painful “shock gloves” for officers to stun and paralyze suspects they were seeking to detain.

Most recently, King called for a comprehensive, transparent, and expedited investigation into the fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in Biddeford. Additionally, when given the chance to vote for a DHS budget that funded TSA, FEMA, CISA and the Coast Guard – holding ICE and CBP funding for bipartisan negotiations to include additional civilian protections – Senator King voted in favor of this approach all eleven times it was considered on the Senate floor.

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In Las Vegas, Luján Meets with Hospital Leaders, Highlights Fight to Protect Rural Health Care for New Mexicans

Las Vegas, N.M. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined hospital leaders from Northern New Mexico at Alta Vista Regional Hospital to hear directly about the challenges facing rural health care. During the visit, Senator Luján met with leaders from Alta Vista Regional Hospital, Union County General Hospital, New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute, and Miners Colfax Medical Center. Senator Luján and the hospital leaders discussed the state of rural health care in Northern New Mexico and examined how cuts to Medicaid and other critical health programs impact their ability to provide care to rural communities.

“New Mexicans in rural communities deserve ready access to quality, affordable health care, but Republican cuts to Medicaid and other critical health programs threaten the hospitals and services that families depend on,” said Senator Luján. “This week in Las Vegas, I heard directly from hospital leaders about the challenges they are facing and their concerns about what these cuts will mean for the patients and communities they serve. Rural hospitals are lifelines for communities across New Mexico, and I will continue fighting back against these devastating cuts and working to protect access to care across our state.”

During the conversation, Senator Luján also provided an update on his work in the Senate to protect access to health care and highlighted his continued efforts to fight back against cuts that threaten rural hospitals and the New Mexicans they serve. Following Republican cuts to critical health care programs, Senator Luján introduced legislation to reverse all of the Republican health care cuts.

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VIDEO: Senator Moody Receives Prestigious Award for Unwavering Support for Florida Law Enforcement

CLEARWATER, Fla.—Senator Ashley Moody is a fierce fighter for Florida law enforcement, having passed measures to help officers get fentanyl traffickers off the streets and working to provide the resources officers need to keep Floridians safe. Over the weekend, Senator Moody rallied with hundreds of officers at the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association Gala where Moody received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“From serving as a prosecutor, judge, Attorney General and now as U.S. Senator, I’ve made it a priority to stand with the brave men and women of law enforcement who pursue dangerous criminals and keep Florida families safe. Their commitment to upholding the rule of law has helped our communities and our state thrive, and as the wife of a law enforcement officer, supporting those who put their lives on the line for us is deeply personal to me. That’s why I’m incredibly humbled and honored to receive the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Lifetime Achievement Award, and I will never stop backing the men and women who selflessly serve and protect us,” said Senator Ashley Moody.

BACKGROUND:


Sen. Moran, Rep. Smith Lead Over 50 Colleagues in Urging Expanded Markets for U.S. Cattle Producers

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture – and U.S. Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE-03) – Chair of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade – today led over 50 of their colleagues in urging President Trump to prioritize policies that expand trade market access and provide certainty for American cattle producers. This comes after the President’s recent proclamation to increase the “other countries” quota for lean beef trimmings by 300,000 metric tons for 90 days beginning on September 1, 2026, and indicating that such imports will be sold at 25 percent below market price. U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann (R-KS-01), Derek Schmidt (R-KS-02) and Ron Estes (R-KS-04) also joined the letter.

“American ranchers work diligently to do more with less, weather volatile markets, and provide a safe food supply,” wrote the lawmakers. “Cattle markets are cyclical, and ranchers use the upswings to prepare for the inevitable downturn. Any intervention in the natural system, especially at a time when producers are making marketing decisions, threatens to pick winners and losers and undermine the long-term viability of family-owned cattle operations throughout the supply chain.” “As you consider policy changes which could impact American livestock producers, we urge you to prioritize proposals which deliver long-term market stability and confidence while consulting closely with impacted stakeholders,” concluded the lawmakers. “We are eager to work together to deliver certainty for American cattle producers while continuing to deliver safe, affordable, and high-quality American beef.”

In addition, the letter was signed by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Randy Feenstra (R-IA-04), Ann Wagner (R-MO-02), Max Miller (R-OH-07), Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02), Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04), Greg Steube (R-FL-17), Mike Carey (R-OH-15), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-07), Blake Moore (R-UT-01), Mike Flood (R-NE-01), Mike Bost (R-IL-12), Jeff Hurd (R-CO-03), Zach Nunn (R-IA-03), Warren Davidson (R-OH-08), Gabe Evans (R-CO-08), Mark Alford (R-MO-04), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01), French Hill (R-AR-02), Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09), Brad Finstad (R-MN-01), Greg Murphy (R-NC-03), Frank Lucas (R-OK-03), Andy Barr (R-KY-06), John Rose (R-TN-06), Troy Downing (R-MT-02), Cliff Bentz (R-OR-02), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Tim Moore (R-NC-14), Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04), Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), Scott Franklin (R-FL-18), Austin Scott (R-GA-08), Mary Miller (R-IL-15), Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02), August Pfluger (R-TX-11), John McGuire III (R-VA-05), Darin LaHood (R-IL-16), Tom Cole (R-OK-04) and Mark Harris (R-NC-08).

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

President Trump,

We appreciate your attention to the issues impacting American consumers, farmers, and ranchers. A strong American agriculture industry leads to greater efficiency, availability, affordability, and security in our food supply chain. American farmers and ranchers face significant headwinds, including years of prolonged drought, devastating natural disasters, animal disease and pest threats, market swings, and burdensome regulations.

As you know, the cattle industry is facing 75-year low inventory yet continues to efficiently raise cattle and produce beef that is unmatched in quality anywhere in the world. This does not happen by accident. American ranchers work diligently to do more with less, weather volatile markets, and provide a safe food supply. Cattle markets are cyclical, and ranchers use the upswings to prepare for the inevitable downturn. Any intervention in the natural system, especially at a time when producers are making marketing decisions, threatens to pick winners and losers and undermine the long-term viability of family-owned cattle operations throughout the supply chain.

Long term certainty can be delivered by fostering existing domestic demand and continuing efforts to expand overseas markets for American beef products, building on the successful trade deals you have already secured. As proven through the deals you struck with the United Kingdom and Australia, there is significant opportunity for advancing market access for American beef around the world. These trade deals, coupled with the significant benefits of the Working Families Tax Cuts, will drive long-term confidence in the market and create a natural incentive for ranchers to rebuild and expand their herds. Additionally, your support for a modernized Farm Bill would strengthen access to capital and expand flexibility within grazing and conservation programs, providing producers with the tools they need to strengthen and expand the cattle herd.

As you consider policy changes which could impact American livestock producers, we urge you to prioritize proposals which deliver long-term market stability and confidence while consulting closely with impacted stakeholders. We are eager to work together to deliver certainty for American cattle producers while continuing to deliver safe, affordable, and high-quality American beef.

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