Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, joined U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) in introducing the bipartisan Combating PRC Overseas and Unlawful Networked Threats through Enhanced Resilience (COUNTER) Act to combat the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) attempts to strengthen its global reach by expanding its overseas basing efforts.
“China is rapidly expanding its global footprint, and we need to do more to address the threat this poses to our national security and the security of our allies,” said Senator Kaine. “This bipartisan legislation would help ensure that the U.S. government has a comprehensive strategy to counter China’s establishment of new military bases around the world.”
In recent years, the PRC has significantly increased its efforts to establish an overseas network of military and transportation bases, which would allow the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to project and expand its military power. The COUNTER Act would help to mitigate the threat this poses to the United States and our allies by requiring a comprehensive intelligence assessment of the PRC’s global basing activities, as well as a strategy from the State Department and the Department of Defense to address them. The legislation would also create an interagency task force to implement the strategy and identify proactive measures to counteract both current and future Chinese attempts to add military bases in strategic countries.
Specifically, the COUNTER Act would:
Require an assessment from the Director of National Intelligence analyzing the risk of PRC global basing to U.S and allied power projection and freedom of movement.
Require a strategy from the State Department and the Department of Defense identifying current or future PRC basing locations, including:
a comprehensive list of U.S. government activity aimed at addressing PRC global basing in each location;
an identification of resource or personnel constraints limiting the U.S. response; and
an identification of the most effective practices to persuade foreign governments to terminate plans for hosting a PRC base in their territory.
Establish an interagency task force to counter the PRC’s global basing expansion and prevent new locations.
Require a report every four years on updates to PRC basing intentions and subsequent updates to U.S. strategy.
Kaine has long supported efforts to counter aggression by the People’s Republic of China, including through the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership, in which the U.S. will sell Australia Virginia-class submarines, a significant portion of which are built in Hampton Roads. Kaine has previously introduced legislation that aims to expand the U.S.’ toolkit to respond to China’s use of its maritime militia to exert excessive territorial claims, harass U.S. ships and those of our partners in the South China Sea. In April of last year, Kaine helped pass the national security supplemental funding package, which included military assistance funding and resources to replenish stocks given to Taiwan. He has also led the introduction of bipartisan legislation to safeguard internet freedom in Hong Kong from the PRC and to strengthen and modernize the U.S.-Philippines security partnership to counter Chinese military pressure in the South China Sea.
The COUNTER Act is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
A one-pager on the bill is available here.
The bill text is available here.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Colleagues Urge Social Security Administration to Reverse Decision to Maliciously & Illegally List Immigrants as “Dead”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined 15 of his Democratic Senate colleagues in condemning and demanding the reversal of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) recent decision to list certain immigrants as “dead” in the master files.
The Senators highlighted the departure from previous uses of SSA master files, noting that they normally share the files with federal agencies, banks, credit bureaus, or other financial institutions to prevent them from mistakenly paying deceased individuals or fraudsters trying to impersonate them. These files prevent over $50 million in improper payments per month. The death master files are now being weaponized against noncitizens, however, in a malicious attempt to keep them from participating in the U.S. economy.
“These arbitrary actions—intended to weaponize Social Security in the Administration’s attack on immigrants—are disgraceful and will erode the integrity of and trust in Social Security,” wrote the Senators.
“These noncitizens were lawfully present and granted work authorization by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), making them eligible for Social Security numbers (SSNs) to work and contribute to our nation. SSNs allow noncitizens to participate in the economy by obtaining housing, bank accounts, and insurance. Their work helps to boost the United States’ Gross Domestic Product by trillions of dollars,” continued the Senators. “But now, these noncitizens will no longer have access to their own financial resources because SSA has taken the unprecedented action of declaring them ‘dead’ in a cruel and Orwellian attempt to force them to leave the United States.”
The Senators continued by highlighting incorrect designations of living, legal immigrants as “dead” without a chance to appeal, calling out the Department of Homeland Security for labeling these noncitizens as “criminals” or “suspected criminals” without sufficient investigations, as demonstrated by the erroneous deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Most of the more than 6,000 noncitizens who were declared “dead” had lawfully received their SSNs and had lawful authorization to be in the country. The Senators further emphasized that SSA lacks the authority to make these false categorizations for living noncitizens.
“Such use of the death master files raises the question of whether SSA may list other living legal immigrants—or even American citizens—as ‘dead’ in the death master files without justification,” added the Senators. “It should frighten every American that SSA could make the unilateral decision to ruin their financial lives without even a chance to appeal.”
The Senators concluded by denouncing misinformation spread by President Trump regarding Social Security, criticizing his baseless claim that people over 300 years old were receiving Social Security benefits. They urged SSA to immediately reverse their cruel, fraudulent mislabeling scheme.
The letter was led by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). In addition to Senator Padilla, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
Senator Padilla has fought against the Trump Administration’s weaponization of migrants’ personal information and files. Senator Padilla, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Wyden, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Senator Warren recently urged the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate several reports that the Trump Administration is potentially violating strict taxpayer privacy laws by providing highly sensitive and legally protected taxpayer data to DHS and personnel affiliated with Elon Musk across various federal agencies. Padilla, Cortez Masto, and Wyden previously condemned the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) plan to provide sensitive taxpayer information to DHS to locate suspected undocumented immigrants and led a letter to IRS and DHS leadership raising the alarm on reports that DHS and the Department of Government Efficiency had illegally requested this information.
Full text of the letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano is available here and below:
Dear Commissioner Bisignano: We write to strongly object to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) apparent decision to list living noncitizens as “dead” in the agency’s master files. These arbitrary actions—intended to weaponize Social Security in the Administration’s attack on immigrants—are disgraceful and will erode the integrity of and trust in Social Security.
SSA collects death records from families, financial institutions, and government agencies and compiles them into death master files, which the agency then shares with certain federal agencies, banks, credit bureaus, and other financial institutions to prevent improper payments to people who have died or those fraudulently seeking to impersonate someone who is deceased. In fact, the death master files help to prevent more than $50 million in improper payments each month. However, it appears that SSA is now using the death master files for another purpose: a weapon against living noncitizens.
In April, the New York Times reported SSA maliciously has listed living noncitizens as “dead” in its death master files. These noncitizens were lawfully present and granted work authorization by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), making them eligible for Social Security numbers (SSNs) to work and contribute to our nation. SSNs allow noncitizens to participate in the economy by obtaining housing, bank accounts, and insurance. Their work helps to boost the United States’ Gross Domestic Product by trillions of dollars. But now, these noncitizens will no longer have access to their own financial resources because SSA has taken the unprecedented action of declaring them “dead” in a cruel and Orwellian attempt to force them to leave the United States.
According to an internal memo, DHS claims that these noncitizens are “criminals” and “suspected terrorists.” But the proper procedure if a noncitizen is a criminal or a suspected terrorist is to initiate proceedings against them in immigration court, not for the SSA to arbitrarily declare them “dead” without any proof. In addition, DHS, not the SSA, makes determinations as to whether or not a noncitizen is eligible to work and whether to terminate or revoke work authorization. Finally, SSA has procedures the agency follows when it is determined that an individual no longer has work authorization or has lost status, and they do not involve declaring an individual dead. For example, a noncitizen’s Social Security card may state “Valid for work only with DHS authorization” or “Not valid for employment.”
Yet, according to press reports, most of the more than 6,000 noncitizens declared “dead” were lawfully authorized by DHS to be in the United States and lawfully obtained SSNs. They were thoroughly vetted and underwent mandatory security checks before receiving authorization to travel to United States airports, where they then were individually screened by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers before being cleared to enter. The New York Times report indicated SSA has listed several minors, including a 13-year-old, as “dead” in the death master files, while the Washington Post reported that SSA workers “found no evidence of crimes or law enforcement interactions” for others. Further, SSA has no authority to erroneously categorize living noncitizens as “dead” in its death master files. Such use of the death master files raises the question of whether SSA may list other living legal immigrants—or even American citizens—as “dead” in the death master files without justification. It should frighten every American that SSA could make the unilateral decision to ruin their financial lives without even a chance to appeal.
In his Joint Address to Congress in March, President Trump claimed there were people over the age of 300 receiving Social Security benefits, simply because some of the death master files lacked a recorded death date. His assertion was not true, and SSA’s actions now are turning this tool to prevent fraud into one that instead facilitates it. We urge SSA not to use the death master files in this manner and to remove noncitizens falsely listed as “dead” from the files.
Sincerely,
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
Newark, N.J. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the following statement:
“The labor of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen moves our entire region. Throughout negotiations with NJ TRANSIT, their members have been clear about their concerns. It’s incumbent upon both parties to continue negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement as soon as possible that honors the work of BLET members, restarts and maintains NJ TRANSIT’s operational capacity, and effectively serves the hundreds of thousands of New Jersey families that rely on NJ TRANSIT and lift up our economy every day.”
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) wrote a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., inquiring about reports indicating that nearly all of the Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics staff were put on administrative leave. The letter is cosigned by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
“This division oversees essential programs relied on by individuals living with blood disorders, like sickle cell disease, and could have severe consequences if eliminated. The Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics oversees the Sickle Cell Data Collection Program (SCDC), the only national public health surveillance initiative solely focused on individuals living with SCD,” the Senators wrote.
In light of these significant changes, the Senators requested answers to the following questions:
On Tuesday, April 1, as part of the HHS-wide staffing reductions all but two members of the CDC’s Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics were put on administrative leave. Will HHS maintain the grants for the SCD Data Collection program?
What was the rationale behind the decision to terminate CDC personnel working at the Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics?
Is there a staffing or funding plan in development to ensure that the work of the Sickle Cell Data Collection Program (SCDC) continues?
How will the consolidation of several agencies into the new Administration for a Healthy America impact the Health Resources and Services Administration and programs like the Sickle Cell Disease Treatment and Demonstration Program and the Sickle Cell Disease Newborn Screening Follow-up Program? Can you confirm that these two programs will be maintained?
“The loss of these programs would undermine more than a decade of progress in building a national infrastructure for SCD surveillance, best practices and trained personnel. We ask that the administration take a careful and considerate approach to sickle cell disease programs at HHS and ensure the continuity of the government’s investment in SCD. Thank you again for your attention to this critical issue,” the Senators concluded.
To read the full text of the letter, click here.
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) visited Walker Tool & Die in Grand Rapids to discuss the impact of President Trump’s tariffs on West Michigan manufacturers. During a listening session, Peters heard directly from manufacturers and workers in the region about how Michigan companies are navigating the current tariff policies and what policies would better foster economic success.
“President Trump’s tariffs have caused chaos and instability in our economy, and it’s critical to my job to hear directly from folks on the ground about how it is impacting their business,” said Senator Peters. “It was great to meet with local manufacturers and workers to hear their feedback and discuss how our trade policy can better support Michigan companies while creating good-paying jobs.”
Following the listening session, Peters toured the plant with Walker Tool & Die President Jeff Umlor. Walker Tool & Die produces high-precision metal stamping dies and tooling systems used to produce components of automobiles, appliances, office furniture, aerospace assets, and more.
“I appreciate Senator Peters taking time to visit Walker Tool and Die today to discuss how the changing tariff policy, low-cost country tooling, and labor shortages, among other topics, are impacting our industries,” said Jeff Umlor, President of Walker Tool and Die. “Today’s event brought together a diverse group of manufacturers from across the region to share meaningful insight on the current challenges we face, so Senator Peters can continue to effectively advocate on behalf of the business community here in our state.”
To download photos from Peters’ event at Walker Tool & Die, click here.
In April, Peters took to the Senate floor to speak out against the latest tariffs, calling them a “national sales tax” and highlighting how they fall short of a needed strategy to boost American manufacturing.
Peters, a lifelong advocate for Michigan workers and manufacturing, has also worked to support American innovation and help Michigan businesses compete in a global market. In an effort to outcompete our adversaries like China, Peters recently helped introduce the American Innovation and Jobs Act, bipartisan legislation that would expand and strengthen research and development incentives for American small businesses and startups. Peters also recently introduced the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Reauthorization Act of 2025 to support workers in Michigan and across the country who have lost their jobs due to harmful trade policies.
Peters also helped craft and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act, which invested $170 billion in research and development for cutting-edge scientific advancements. This law also invested heavily in strengthening our domestic supply chains for critical semiconductor technologies to create good-paying American jobs and keep the U.S. competitive on the world stage. Peters additionally helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which will strengthen domestic manufacturing, onshore our supply chains, and create millions of American jobs.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
May 16, 2025
Lawmakers sound alarm on plans to recategorize thousands of SSA workers as Schedule F “policy-making” employees — making it easier to replace them with DOGE lackeys
“Converting these SSA employees’ status is a deliberate maneuver to make it easier to get rid of critical SSA staff, endangering the program and the benefits earned by millions of Americans.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member on the Senate Aging Committee, pressed new Commissioner of the Social Security Administration Frank Bisignano on reported plans to recategorize thousands of workers as Schedule F “policy-making” employees.
The move, which is set to impact frontline employees who work directly with Americans to provide services, will endanger the agency by stripping employees of their civil service protections, making it easier for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to replace nonpolitical federal workers with political lackeys and to accelerate its mass layoff across the administration.
“Converting these SSA employees’ status is a deliberate maneuver to make it easier to get rid of critical SSA staff, endangering the program and the benefits earned by millions of Americans,” wrote the lawmakers.
Last month, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed “Schedule F” as a new category of government employee that have “important policy-determining, policy-making, policy-advocating, or confidential duties.” Schedule F workers are employed at-will, meaning they can be fired at any point, and do not have the same rights that protect federal government employees from termination absent “misconduct, neglect of duty, (and) malfeasance.” Additionally, it is not clear that Schedule F employees are included in collective bargaining units or eligible for union representation.
SSA leadership has interpreted the “important policy-determining” language in President Trump’s executive order to apply to a large swath of SSA employees. SSA has reclassified tens of thousands of employees — including those who ensure recipients get their monthly benefits — as high-level decision-making “Schedule F” employees. In practice, this reclassification enables the Trump administration to replace anyone who refuses DOGE’s potentially illegal orders — making senior Social Security staffers rank-and-file employees at will and ultimately politicizing Social Security.
“SSA’s broad reclassification of employees under seemingly false pretenses appears to be a deliberate effort to allow DOGE to purge SSA of the employees who work dutifully to make sure Americans receive their earned benefits. Since President Trump’s inauguration, the administration, led by Elon Musk, has been hellbent on dismantling SSA — which he has called a ‘Ponzi scheme,’” wrote the lawmakers.
The reclassification does not just apply to senior leadership and policy-makers. The former Acting Commissioner for the SSA, Leland Dudek — who has remained at the agency as a senior advisor — announced that SSA would reclassify broad swaths of the workforce as Schedule F, including frontline workers making as little as $40,000 and handling the day-to-day responsibilities of servicing Americans directly.
“This means that — in addition to replacing long-serving employees with your DOGE acolytes — you can cut large swaths of the SSA workforce to effectuate DOGE’s goal of slashing the agency,” wrote the lawmakers. “This broad reclassification will enable you — at DOGE’s behest — to slash the SSA workforce while stripping protections that typically apply to federal workers.”
This is the latest in DOGE’s efforts to cut Social Security and SSI benefits or prevent seniors and people with disabilities from obtaining their earned benefits. Under the Trump administration, Americans have struggled to access their Social Security benefits, faced hours-long lines at SSA offices, endured extended wait times on phone lines, and dealt with repeated SSA.gov website crashes. Some Americans have even been wrongly cut off from benefits, threatening their ability to pay their bills.
“Converting SSA employees to Schedule F will enable President Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE to stack the SSA with lackeys willing to implement policies aimed at restricting Americans’ access to their benefits, while firing the hardworking frontline workers who make sure recipients get their monthly check. In other words, this will enable DOGE and the Trump administration to continue its crusade to cut Social Security benefits,” concluded the lawmakers.
Senators Warren and Wyden recently led the launch of Senate Dems’ Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) released the following statements after the Senate passed their American Music Tourism Act to support and increase music tourism for both domestic and international visitors:
“The Volunteer State is home to so many iconic musical landmarks for tourists to experience – from Graceland in Memphis to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge,” said Senator Blackburn. “Music tourism has such a positive impact on Tennessee’s economy, and we need to ensure that fans from all over the world can continue to celebrate our state’s rich history of music for generations to come. The Senate’s passage of the American Music Tourism Act gets us closer to that by promoting and supporting the fast-growing music tourism industry.”
“Colorado’s vibrant music scene attracts artists and fans from around the world,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “Our bipartisan bill will help our local music venues thrive and expand.”
BACKGROUND
Music tourism – both the act of visiting sites important to the history of American music culture and the act of traveling for current concerts and music festivals – is a vital industry for American culture and an economic driver for our communities.
Music tourism has emerged as a top travel trend, with the market forecasted to reach $11.3 billion in revenue by 2032.
The United States, which boasts one of world’s largest music industries that generates over $43 billion in revenue each year, is one of the main beneficiaries of this international interest in music tourism.
The Commerce Department’s Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism is uniquely positioned to identify and promote sites of musical significance.
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TOURISM ACT
The American Music Tourism Act would leverage the existing framework within the Department of Commerce to highlight and promote music tourism in the United States.
Specifically, this bill would require:
The Assistant Secretary to implement a plan to support and increase music tourism for both domestic and international visitors; and
A report to Congress on the successes and vulnerabilities of the Assistant Secretary’s goals to increase travel and tourism.
ENDORSEMENTS
The American Music Tourism Act is endorsed by the Recording Academy, Recording Industry Association of America, Nashville Songwriters Association International, American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, National Music Publishers Association, Society of Composers and Lyricists, Live Nation Entertainment, National Independent Venue Association, Broadcast Music Inc., American Alliance of Museums, Airbnb, Overton Park Shell, Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, Tennessee Entertainment Commission, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Memphis Tourism, Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, and Memphis Music Hall of Fame.
CO-SPONORS
The American Music Tourism Act is co-sponsored by Senators Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn,), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Ted Budd (R-N.C.).
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) introduced a bill to protect a centralized, online hub for small businesses. Their bipartisan One Stop Shop for Small Business Licensing Act would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to maintain its website that contains centralized information for licensing and business permit information and materials for small businesses.
“West Virginia’s small businesses are the backbone of our communities and local economies, making up more than 98% of businesses in our state, but too often, entrepreneurs face unnecessary red tape when trying to get off the ground,” Senator Capito said. “The One Stop Shop for Small Business Licensing Act cuts through that bureaucracy by streamlining the federal licensing process, making it easier for small businesses to thrive from day one.”
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353May 15, 2025
Cotton to Rubio and Bessent: Investigate Harvard’s Ties to the Chinese Communist Party
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to encourage an investigation of potential sanctions violations at Harvard University. Recent reports suggest Harvard has engaged in prohibited behavior with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), which explicitly violates the Trump Administration’s human rights sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
“I write urging the Departments of State and Treasury to investigate reports of potential sanctions violations at Harvard University. A recent report suggests that Harvard is engaging in prohibited behavior with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a Chinese state-owned organization that implements China’s genocidal and forced labor polices in the Uyghur region.”
Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
The Honorable Marco RubioSecretaryU.S. Department of State2201 C St. NWWashington, D.C. 20451
The Honorable Scott BessentSecretaryDepartment of the Treasury1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, D.C. 20220
Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Bessent:
I write urging the Departments of State and Treasury to investigate reports of potential sanctions violations at Harvard University. A recent report suggests that Harvard is engaging in prohibited behavior with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a Chinese state-owned organization that implements China’s genocidal and forced labor polices in the Uyghur region.
According to a recent business intelligence firm report, Harvard renamed its Public Health School the “Harvard T. Chan School for Public Health” after receiving a $350 million donation from the Chan family and its Morningside Foundation in 2014, which has significant ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Harvard engages in activities that glorify China’s Cultural Revolution and is linked to the China’s Thousand Talents Program. Most troublingly is the report that Harvard trained XPCC personnel and other senior Chinese officials on healthcare financing.
In 2020, the Trump Administration imposed human rights sanctions on XPCC under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for XPCC’s involvement in severe human rights abuses. The Act prohibits any contribution of funds, goods, and services, to XPCC. Harvard University’s actions appear to violate these sanctions.
As the Trump Administration rightfully acknowledges, American universities’ unique ability to foster intellectual creativity and scholarly rigor are driving factors in our nation’s success. However, these values are contrary to the ideological capture sought by the CCP. I respectfully ask that your departments investigate these reports of potential sanctions violations by the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health in order to thwart the CCP’s on Harvard’s campus.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and the Trump Administration’s commitment to combat CCP influence at our institutions of higher education.
Sincerely,
Tom CottonUnited States Senator
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in sending a letter to President Donald Trump regarding the Administration’s ongoing negotiations with Iran. The letter calls on the Trump Administration to secure a deal that results in the full dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear program, including permanently ending the regime’s capacity to enrich uranium.
“We write to express our strong support for your efforts to secure a deal with Iran that dismantles its nuclear program, and to reinforce the explicit warnings that you and officials in your Administration have issued that the regime must permanently give up any capacity for enrichment,” the senators wrote.
“We cannot afford another agreement that enables Iran to play for time, as the JCPOA did. The Iranian regime should know that the Administration has Congressional backing to ensure their ability to enrich uranium is permanently eliminated. As always, we stand ready to provide you and your Administration whatever resources you need to advance American national security interests,” they continued.
Sens. Johnson and Ricketts were joined by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Jim Justice (R-W. Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Curtis (R-Utah), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Full text of the letter can be found here.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is joining his colleagues today in demanding the Department of Defense be transparent with them about the substantial national security risks of the $400 million Air Force One bribe from the Qatari royal family. Just days after Senator King told Scripps News that the jet transfer “poses a serious national security risk,” he signed a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, seeking answers about the unnecessary danger that an unsecure and unprotected Air Force One would present to the President.
The Air Force has been working with Boeing to deliver two brand new 747 jets to be used as Air Force One. However, with the delivery date of the new aircraft not expected until 2027, the White House has proposed accepting the Qatari plane as a short-term alternative. Nevertheless, Article I of the Constitution, specifically the emoluments clause, bars anyone holding government office from accepting any gift or bribe from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent.
“[We] write today with alarm over the dangers to operational and national security presented by President Trump’s desire to execute an unconstitutional and unseemly acceptance of a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family in the form of a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft. To serve as Air Force One during his administration, the U.S. Department of Defense would be required to accelerate a comprehensive upgrade to the aircraft, with the direct cost to the American taxpayer likely exceeding $1 billion. We are especially concerned about the operational security and counterintelligence risks of potentially using this aircraft for sensitive Presidential travel— and the massive cost to American taxpayers to identify and close critical vulnerabilities,” the lawmakers said.
The Senators continued, “Having the President travel without the necessary security precautions or secure communications renders the aircraft an easy target for adversaries to gain access to sensitive Presidential-level discussions or classified information, impeding the success of ongoing military operations and endangering our servicemembers… President Trump is claiming that this ‘gift’ of an aircraft worth $400 million is saving taxpayers money, but in reality, his decision will force taxpayers to foot an unnecessary bill – potentially more than $1 billion—to convert a foreign-provided aircraft into the fortress necessary to protect him and his communications—all while taxpayers are already paying at least $3.9 billion for the contract for two aircraft currently being built by Boeing to add to the Air Force One fleet.”
In addition to King, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Assistant Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
The full text of the letter can be found here and below.
+++
Dear Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Meink:
We write today with alarm over the dangers to operational and national security presented by President Trump’s desire to execute an unconstitutional and unseemly acceptance of a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family in the form of a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft. To serve as Air Force One during his administration, the U.S. Department of Defense would be required to accelerate a comprehensive upgrade to the aircraft, with the direct cost to the American taxpayer likely exceeding $1 billion. We are especially concerned about the operational security and counterintelligence risks of potentially using this aircraft for sensitive Presidential travel— and the massive cost to American taxpayers to identify and close critical vulnerabilities.
This announcement alone could pose a threat to Presidential protection now and in the future. President Trump’s public statement on May 12 that the U.S. would accept the Qatari aircraft— before the aircraft was in our Nation’s custody—provides a dangerous opportunity to exploit for foreign intelligence agencies and adversaries seeking to do harm to the United States, who have a great incentive to gain access to the aircraft and individuals with sensitive knowledge and understanding of the Qatar royal family’s “Palace in the Sky.”
Importantly, protecting Air Force One from compromise, attack or disruption is a critical mission of the Air Force and the entire U.S. Department of Defense. A threat to an Air Force One aircraft would not only endanger the President, but also the Air Force pilots and servicemembers in the 89th Airlift Wing who serve on or maintain the aircraft.
We know that the Air Force One fleet has extensive technical requirements each aircraft must meet in order to protect the President from any threats during travel, ensure the aircraft can continue to operate at the ranges necessary (such as through refueling capabilities) and guarantee that the President can communicate continuously and securely, a capability that would prove essential in an unforeseen foreign or domestic crisis. One of the most consequential aspects of this mission is to ensure nuclear command and control remains intact even while the President travels—a cornerstone of our deterrent.
It is unclear whether and how, if President Trump proceeds with this plan to accept this aircraft, the Department plans to ensure the aircraft can meet the necessary high standards for operational security, counterintelligence and Presidential protection under the hastened timeframe arbitrarily set by President Trump to use it for travel before the end of his term in 2029.
An unsecure and unprotected Air Force One presents clear dangers to our national security. Having the President travel without the necessary security precautions or secure communications renders the aircraft an easy target for adversaries to gain access to sensitive Presidential-level discussions or classified information, impeding the success of ongoing military operations and endangering our servicemembers.
This potential move also presents concerning indications of waste, fraud and abuse. Experts estimate that upgrading this unvetted aircraft to meet essential security specifications could cost upwards of $1 billion. President Trump is claiming that this “gift” of an aircraft worth $400 million is saving taxpayers money, but in reality, his decision will force taxpayers to foot an unnecessary bill – potentially more than $1 billion—to convert a foreign-provided aircraft into the fortress necessary to protect him and his communications—all while taxpayers are already paying at least $3.9 billion for the contract for two aircraft currently being built by Boeing to add to the Air Force One fleet.
One expert speaking to Defense News said that, to achieve all the features of Air Force One with this unvetted plane, this option would “be a step backward.” Instead of accelerating delivery of a secure plane for Presidential travel, as the administration contends, “they’d have to start over again with what they’ve been working on with the other 747-8” under the existing Boeing program. “Starting over again with the same plane would take a lot longer.”
This administration has been vocal about its commitment to efficiency and cost-savings in the federal government. But spending taxpayer money on efforts to upgrade this Qatari jet – when the President currently travels securely – is unnecessary and wasteful. We require answers to the following questions regarding the operational risks surrounding the President’s possible acceptance of this aircraft, either in writing or in a briefing to us no later than June 1, 2025. Please provide answers at whatever classification level necessary.
Please detail the mitigation steps and counterintelligence countermeasures that the U.S. Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community would take to prevent foreign intelligence services from exploiting the aircraft before it is safely in U.S. custody.
Which agencies will perform counterintelligence and technical surveillance countermeasures?
What resources will be required for these agencies to perform these countermeasures?
Please detail the certification procedures and standard technical requirements for Presidential protection, operational security, counterintelligence and secure communications required of Air Force One.
Please provide a detailed plan for how the Air Force will retrofit this aircraft to certify that it meets these standard requirements.
Which agencies will be responsible for certifying that there are no physical or cyber vulnerabilities?
What resources will be required for these agencies to perform these certifications?
Please provide a cost estimate and required timeline for retrofitting this aircraft, including certifying against vulnerabilities, installing secure communications and installing other protective or other equipment necessary to meet the security and counterintelligence requirements for the Air Force One fleet.
What timeline has been directed for clearing the aircraft for Presidential use, and can the required certifications and preparations be conducted in such timeline?
What risks have you been directed to accept?
What vulnerabilities will remain as a result?
What mitigation steps will you take to address these remaining vulnerabilities?
How will these vulnerabilities impact the operations of the 89th Airlift Wing?
How will these vulnerabilities impact other core missions of the Department of Defense, such Presidential command and control during crises and contingencies?
Please provide a risk assessment, in coordination with the Intelligence Community, regarding if and how increased public scrutiny of Air Force One capabilities has affected threats to our Presidential protection procedures and capabilities.
Please provide details and documentation of what analysis of alternative aircraft or options the U.S. Department of Defense undertook before settling on the proposal for the Qatari aircraft.
Please provide copies of any communications between the Department of Defense and the Qatari government or its representatives regarding this proposal.
Reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Defense may be considering “loosening” requirements of the contract with Boeing to deliver 747-8 aircraft to serve in the Air Force One fleet in order to accelerate delivery from 2029 to 2027. Please provide details 3 of any proposed or decided changes to these requirements and documentation of the Department of Defense’s analysis of tradeoffs of this desired acceleration.
Please provide the assessed impacts of the Department’s plans vis a vis this aircraft on the planned delivery timelines for the existing contract for the other Boeing 747-8 aircraft currently in development, including the potential diversion of specialized DoD personnel to conduct or oversee these upgrades as opposed to work on the existing contract.
The American people deserve to understand this administration’s plans for securing this aircraft, the vulnerabilities its use will present to our national security and the price tag they will be asked to pay for President Trump’s decision to integrate this aircraft into our most sensitive fleet.
Sincerely,
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – As Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continues its purge of federal programs, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, is cautioning the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) against prematurely eliminating government contracts that protect millions of federal employees whose personal information was compromised in massive data breaches nearly 10 years ago.
In 2015, OPM announced two separate cybersecurity incidents attributed to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that compromised the Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses of approximately 21.5 million individuals.
“The federal workforce was dangerously exposed by the 2015 OPM breach, and millions of impacted individuals will continue to be at risk because of the breach, likely for the remainder of their lives. In addition to Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses, there were also 1.1 million sets of fingerprints and detailed financial and health records exposed—some of the most valuable information today on the dark web,” wrote Sen. Warner.
In the immediate aftermath of the breach, Sen. Warner introduced legislation to protect federal workers affected by the attacks and eventually secured OPM-contracted identity protection services for those impacted by the breach. However, despite previous efforts by the Trump administration to protect federal workers whose data was compromised, DOGE has signaled that these protections may be in jeopardy.
Sen. Warner continued, “Given the recent personnel cuts to OPM and Elon Musk’s imminent departure from the Trump administration, I am deeply concerned that OPM is planning to curtail identity theft monitoring for millions of public servants and their families whose information was compromised in 2015. I urge you to ensure that identity theft protection services for the impacted individuals from the 2015 OPM breach continue, as required by law.”
A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
Dear Mr. Ezell:
I write to bring your attention to a vital issue affecting the federal workforce, past and current, and their families. In 2015, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced two separate cybersecurity incidents. The Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses of approximately 21.5 million individuals were compromised in the breaches, including 19.7 million individuals who applied for background investigations and 1.8 million non-applicants (predominantly spouses or cohabitants of applicants). In response to this massive security compromise, I co-sponsored the RECOVER Act, the original bill for OPM-contracted identity protection services for the impacted individuals. Congress appropriated funds in section 633(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017. The Act and appropriation protected the 21.5 million impacted individuals with identity protection coverage and identity theft insurance. This appropriation was “effective for a period of not less than 10 years,” and expires at the end of fiscal year 2026, on September 30, 2026.
The 2015 OPM cybersecurity breach was attributed to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In the decade since the breach, the PRC has mounted additional attacks to steal information about America’s leaders and public servants to disrupt and endanger the lives of everyday Americans, including recent cyber, critical infrastructure, and telecom security breaches. The federal workforce was dangerously exposed by the 2015 OPM breach, and millions of impacted individuals will continue to be at risk because of the breach, likely for the remainder of their lives. In addition to Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses, there were also 1.1 million sets of fingerprints and detailed financial and health records exposed—some of the most valuable information today on the dark web.
The risks and appropriate remedies for the compromise of sensitive information about public servants are well known to this administration. In March 2025, the Trump administration acknowledged the improper disclosure of sensitive information to former public servants when it disclosed the Social Security numbers, birthdates, and other sensitive information of hundreds of individuals in the release of the files pertaining the death of President John F. Kennedy. To protect those compromised individuals, the Trump administration is reportedly providing credit monitoring and, in some cases, has issued new Social Security numbers to the impacted individuals. While the March 2025 disclosure was a staggering unforced error, I applaud the administration’s swift response to protect the victims. Current and former public servants should not be abandoned to bear the risks of the federal government’s failure to protect their sensitive information.
It was not practicable to issue millions of new Social Security numbers to the Americans impacted by the 2015 OPM data breach, which is why the federal government responded at the time, followed by Congress appropriating funds to OPM to contract for identity theft protection services. Given the recent personnel cuts to OPM and Elon Musk’s imminent departure from the Trump administration, I am deeply concerned that OPM is planning to curtail identity theft monitoring for millions of public servants and their families whose information was compromised in 2015. I urge you to ensure that identity theft protection services for the impacted individuals from the 2015 OPM breach continue, as required by law. Any attempt to prematurely phase out services to the victims of the 2015 OPM breach will introduce tremendous risk to former and current federal employees and create an opportunity for America’s adversaries and criminals to target and potentially further compromise millions of Americans.
If you do decide to alter or terminate the current contract(s) protecting over 21 million Americans from identity theft as a result of the 2015 OPM breach, please inform my office and the relevant committees of Congress as soon as you make any such determination.
Sincerely,
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), as well as Congressmen Jim Himes (D-CT) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s artificial intelligence deals that were announced with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia this week:
“Democrats and Republicans have long agreed that American companies must remain the undisputed leader in AI, a rapidly developing technology critical to the future of everything from our national security to manufacturing, finance to health care. We have worked hard to ensure the most powerful AI systems are built here, and we have fought to restrict the most sophisticated chips from reaching China – or those who would grant remote access to China – given Beijing’s use of AI to strengthen its military, crack down on domestic dissent, and compete with the U.S.
“President Trump announced deals to export very large volumes of advanced AI chips to the UAE and Saudi Arabia without credible security assurances to prevent U.S. adversaries from accessing those chips. These deals pose a significant threat to U.S. national security and fundamentally undermine bipartisan efforts to ensure the United States remains the global leader in AI. Rather than putting America first, this deal puts the Gulf first.
“The volume of AI chips Trump is offering for export would deprive American AI developers of highly sought-after chips needed here and slow the U.S. AI buildout. Under this deal, data centers and AI systems that would otherwise be built in America will be built in the Middle East – at the exact time that President Trump says he wants to bring jobs and key industries back home. This deal would incentivize U.S. firms to build the factories of the future overseas, creating significant vulnerabilities in our AI supply chain. If our leading AI firms offshore their frontier computing infrastructure to the Middle East, we could become as reliant on the Middle East for AI as we are on Taiwan for advanced semiconductors – and as we used to be on the Middle East for oil. We should not foster new dependencies on foreign countries for this premier technology.
“Additionally, these deals will provide our highest end chips to G42, a company with a well-documented history of cooperation with the People’s Republic of China. We applaud the administration’s efforts to limit exports of advanced AI chips to China, including recent actions to further restrict exports of Nvidia chips. However, these efforts will be for nothing if G42 or other companies with ties to China are given large quantities of our most advanced chips.
“Proponents of the deal argue that China will fill the gap if we do not sell substantial quantities of advanced chips to these countries. This is false. China cannot and will not because China makes fewer chips as a nation than these deals offer, and each is inferior to their U.S.-designed equivalent. This is thanks to the bipartisan efforts under both the Trump and Biden administrations to cut off China’s access to advanced chip manufacturing equipment. These efforts have worked, and we should double down on this success rather than squander the leverage we have won.
“If this deal succeeds, the offshoring of frontier American AI will be recorded as an historic American blunder. People around the world deserve to enjoy the benefits we will reap from AI. However, AI chips must only be exported to trusted companies, in reasonable numbers, and in concert with credible security standards and assurances. We welcome the opportunity to work with the administration to meet these objectives and urge our colleagues in Congress to do the same.”
Senator Warner is Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Senator Coons is Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Senator Shaheen is Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Reed is Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator Kelly is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Congressman Himes is Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee. Congressman Krishnamoorthi is Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) released the following statement on the Russia-Ukraine negotiations:
“Just like President Trump, I want an end to this war that never should have started. The president has been working to bring both sides together, but Putin has shown his true colors and again refused to come to the table. I support President Trump’s efforts to get a peace deal done now and will keep working with my colleagues to equip the president to enforce crippling sanctions on Russia if they continue to drag out peace talks and the needless bloodshed.”
Senator Ernst is a cosponsor of Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) bipartisan legislation to introduce primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. She is also leading the bipartisan Global Hunt for Offshore Smuggling and Trafficking (GHOST) Act to strengthen enforcement of U.S. sanctions against Russia.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Washington (May 15, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and 28 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to bring an end to the blockade of food and lifesaving humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza. In their resolution, the Senators express grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the imminent starvation of tens of thousands of children.
On March 2, 2025, the Israeli Government began blocking all food and emergency aid—including food, medicine, infant formula, fuel, and other lifesaving humanitarian supplies—from reaching Palestinian civilians in Gaza. In the same month, all 25 World Food Program (WFP)-supported bakeries in Gaza closed, wheat flour and cooking fuel ran out, and food parcels distributed to families—with two weeks of food rations—were depleted. According to the United Nations, about 10,000 children have been identified as suffering from acute malnutrition since January 2025.
Joining the resolution are Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The Senators’ resolution is supported by Anera, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, J Street, and Oxfam America.
“In Gaza today, children are starving, hospitals are collapsing, and families are in a state of desperation. This resolution is a call to conscience, a moment of moral reckoning. Will the world be complicit in Gaza’s collapse, or part of its recovery? We call on the U.S. government in the strongest terms to act swiftly, using all the leverage at its disposal, to urgently permit humanitarian organizations to deliver aid into Gaza. This resolution is a critical step in the right direction,” said Sean Carroll, President and CEO, Anera.
“The crisis in Gaza has reached a breaking point, with over two months of a total blockade cutting off food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. More than two million Palestinians are trapped, starving, and facing a potential famine that could claim thousands of lives. It’s encouraging to see Senator Welch and his colleagues introduce a resolution highlighting this urgent humanitarian suffering. Congress and the Trump Administration must use every diplomatic tool available to demand the immediate, full reopening of Gaza’s borders to deliver life-saving aid,” said Hassan El-Tayyab, Legislative Director for Middle East Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation.
“This resolution comes at a moment of moral reckoning, as conditions in Gaza have become even more unbearable,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, President, J Street. “Children are surviving on one meal every few days. To deliberately starve civilians is immoral. To use water, fuel, food as tools of war is unconscionable. Humanitarian aid must immediately be allowed to enter Gaza unconditionally.”
“The more than two-month-long siege, with no aid being allowed to enter, has now pushed nearly the entire population in Gaza to the brink of starvation. Every day, parents wake up and spend their days searching for something to feed their children – often coming back with nothing. Humanitarian organizations know how to reach the people who most urgently need food, water, medical care, and other lifesaving essentials when we have supplies and can do our work safely, but right now we can’t. We are in a race against time, and we need action from U.S. leaders to allow us to do our jobs, keep pushing for a permanent, immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access and an end to the siege, and a return of all hostages and unlawfully detained prisoners,” said Abby Maxman, President and CEO, Oxfam America.
Read and download the full text of the resolution.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Washington (May 15, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and 12 of their colleagues in pressing Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Administration’s retreat from longstanding efforts to promote human rights and democracy worldwide. In their letter, the Senators stress that dismantling offices and scaling back reports focused on human rights conditions, among other actions, threaten the United States’ credibility and moral authority — strategic assets that help us advance peace, prosperity, and security at home and around the world. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) cosigned the letter.
“We write with grave concerns regarding ongoing moves at the State Department to abandon U.S. leadership on human rights. Demoting the department’s standalone human rights and democracy bureau, shutting down many of its offices, and severely scaling back the annual human rights reports would undermine America’s standing as a champion for human rights globally. A foreign policy rooted in American values, including support for human rights, is about more than just moral leadership – it is about using our influence to create a more peaceful and prosperous world where U.S. national security interests can flourish,” the Senators began.
The Senators quote Secretary Rubio’s previous statements on this issue, writing, “Mr. Secretary, you yourself have said: ‘For over two centuries, the world has been a better place because America has strived to defend these fundamental human rights both at home and abroad. The State Department’s annual human rights report sheds light on foreign governments’ failure to respect their citizens’ fundamental rights.’”
The Senators go on to note several of the harmful proposed changes put forward by the State Department, including relegating the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, sunsetting of the Office of Global Criminal Justice, and politicizing the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
“The proposed changes to gut the State Department’s standalone human rights bureau and to emaciate and politicize the United States’ signature human rights reports – alongside dramatic cuts to U.S. funding to advance freedom and democracy – are a retreat from America’s global leadership to advance freedom in the world. America’s standing as a champion for human rights globally relies on a commitment to holding friends and foes alike accountable to the same standards. When the United States conveniently wields human rights principles as a political cudgel against our adversaries, but does not apply those same standards to our allies, countries like China and Russia are quick to point out such hypocrisy, and American influence on the world stage drops precipitously. Making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous requires embracing human rights as a pillar of U.S. foreign policy and dedicating resources to support that cause,” the Senators concluded.
The full text of the letter is available HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
05.16.25
WASHINGTON—This week, U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), incoming chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), co-chair of the CECC, and John Curtis (R-Utah) introduced the Hong Kong Judicial Sanctions Act, which would hold officials of Hong Kong’s judiciary accountable for human rights violations and support Hong Kongers facing persecution from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its accomplices in Hong Kong.
Additionally, the senators this week introduced a resolution condemning the Chinese government for engaging in repression, coercion and intimidation beyond its own borders, targeting citizens of other nations, including in the United States.
The Hong Kong Judicial Sanctions Act requires the President to determine whether certain Hong Kong officials violated human rights and whether sanctions should be imposed in accordance with the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, or the Hong Kong Autonomy Act.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive repression of dissent and appalling human rights record extend far beyond China’s borders,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Even American citizens and others lawfully living in our country have found themselves victims of the CCP regime’s intimidation and coercion tactics. In Hong Kong, the CCP has completely corrupted the local judiciary and is turning it into a tool of intimidation and injustice, contrary to the promises made to the world, including in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. America must stand firmly against the CCP’s flagrant violation of the civil rights of the Chinese people and citizens of nations across the globe. Senator Merkley, Senator Curtis and I are introducing legislation to hold Hong Kong judiciary officials accountable for their actions, and a resolution condemning the Xi dictatorship’s outrageous attempts to threaten and intimidate citizens and others within our own country.”
“As Chinese officials continue to undermine the autonomy and freedoms of its peoples, the United States must continue to hold these officials accountable,” said Senator Merkley. “Republicans and Democrats are united in sending a clear message that we will not tolerate this brutal oppression, both within China and outside its borders. Our bipartisan resolution denounces these intimidation tactics, and our bill also imposes sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials for disregarding their treaty obligations and commitments to the people of Hong Kong.”
“The United States must hold accountable those responsible for the erosion of freedoms and the persecution of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong,” said Senator Curtis. “By directing the Administration to review sanctions, our bipartisan legislation reaffirms America’s commitment to ensuring consequences for those who seek to undermine human rights and freedom.”
The full text of the bill is available here. The full text of the resolution is available here.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
May 16, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), the Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday released the following statement on President Trump’s trip to the Middle East:
“The President’s first extended foreign trip abroad should have been about advancing U.S. interests in the Middle East. Instead, it has been an instructive lesson in how foreign governments can use their influence to benefit the president personally and those around him—all while creating substantial risks to our national security.
“The President has failed to engage in substantial dialogue on the most urgent strategic challenges facing the region. His Administration has failed to sustain the ceasefire he inherited in Gaza and has systemically undercut America’s diplomatic infrastructure in a way that has created an unprecedented opening for the People’s Republic of China.
“Promoting investment by our Gulf partners in the United States must not come at the expense of protecting our most valuable A.I. and advanced chip technology and it should never line the pockets of the President and his family or inner circle. President Trump must reject all ‘gifts’ and refocus the remainder of his trip on steps to make all Americans safer, secure and more prosperous—not just those with Trump in their name.”
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04) sent a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll expressing opposition to plans to potentially downsize the Pine Bluff Arsenal that run contrary to the goal of accelerating munitions manufacturing in America. Closing the Pine Bluff Arsenal would not only circumvent current law, the lawmakers explained, but would ultimately result in a waste of taxpayer dollars and deepen America’s dependence on foreign countries to meet our military’s needs.
“We appreciate your efforts through the Army Transformation Initiative to make the Army more lethal and more efficient, but the directive to potentially downsize Pine Bluff Arsenal—which is based on old, hidebound, bureaucratic recommendations—misses the mark and sets those goals back,” the Arkansas legislators wrote in part.
Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
The Honorable Dan P. Driscoll
Secretary of the Army
101 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-0101
Secretary Driscoll,
We write to express our opposition to and disappointment with your directive to potentially downsize Pine Bluff Arsenal. As you may know, current law prohibits the Army from closing the arsenal, but your directive in effect evades this prohibition. Perhaps worse, the directive would undercut President Trump’s goal of accelerating munitions manufacturing in America, which we strongly support and foresee in Pine Bluff Arsenal’s future. As longtime supporters of the Army who would prefer to continue to work cooperatively with the Army on its priorities, we urge you to reverse immediately this ill-advised decision based on stale, years-old, bureaucratic plans—the exact kind of thinking President Trump was elected to upend.
Though we agree with the Army Transformation Initiative’s broad goals to make the Army more efficient and more lethal, a downsizing at Pine Bluff Arsenal wouldn’t advance these goals. Secretary Hegseth directed the Army “to generate the ammunition stockpiles necessary to sustain national defense.” Unfortunately, the defense industrial base—including the Army’s arsenals—is too small, riddled with supply-chain issues, and often dependent on foreign sources for key materials. Neither the Army’s arsenals nor the larger defense industrial base can meet the munitions needs of our forces and allies. As we’ve explained for years—well before your appointment as secretary—the Army needs to use fully the resources it already owns, like Pine Bluff Arsenal, to meet these needs.
Pine Bluff Arsenal is a solution for these challenges, not some redundant or outdated relic. While it’s true that the arsenal is under-used, that’s because the Army bureaucracy has repeatedly resisted our proposals to expand its operations. Pine Bluff Arsenal is the only site in America that produces vital white-phosphorous ammunition. Further, we have long advocated that the Army use Pine Bluff Arsenal to produce materials like, for instance, nitrocellulose and RDX—both key components of our munitions, but also chokepoints in the supply chain. The arsenal already has access to critical utilities, a significant transportation network, and proximity to raw materials and loading facilities to supply the Army’s needs.
The Army has never offered persuasive explanations for its bureaucratic hostility to expanding operations at Pine Bluff Arsenal. We’ve heard from the Army that commercial facilities or building new facilities are a less expensive, more efficient alternative to using the current arsenals for its munition needs. But this argument is far-fetched. Though commercial industry plays a role, recent experience has proven the extreme difficulty of acquiring sufficient quantities of 155mm rounds because commercial production lines have little to no room for expansion. Likewise, building a new ammunition plant from scratch is an expensive, time-consuming endeavor—at least four years and around a half a billion dollars. For instance, the necessary and overly complicated environmental permits alone can take years.
By contrast, Pine Bluff Arsenal offers inherent advantages over any commercial site—advantages that likely cut in half the timeline for munitions production. The arsenal not only has the type and amount of land necessary to handle dangerous explosives, but also has the existing workforce with deep and irreplaceable expertise. Further, Pine Bluff Arsenal has operated in this space for decades and successfully navigated the burdensome environmental requirements. As we have before, we continue to insist that abandoning these advantages in favor of a speculative new commercial production line or, even worse, to buy ammunition from foreign sources is reckless and a waste of taxpayer money.
We’ve also heard from the Army that its plan results in cost savings, but this argument doesn’t hold water either. Army Materiel Command may appear to save a little money up front by downsizing Pine Bluff from its current capacity or even closing it, but those costs will have to shift to another site to produce white phosphorus. The Army answers that those costs might decrease because of unspecified, magical “efficiencies”—a strange claim since no other site in America produces white-phosphorus ammunition. But any supposed savings from “efficiencies” would likely be dwarfed by the long-term costs of shutting down arsenal operations, safely disposing of explosive materials, conducting environmental remediation, and maintaining perpetual site security. While not gaining much on the munitions front, the Army would add needless costs to operate a virtual ghost town. To be frank, it appears that Army Materiel Command bureaucrats want to shift the costs off their books and onto other Army commands. But that doesn’t result in savings for the Army or the taxpayer, nor does it improve the Army’s munitions crisis.
We appreciate your efforts through the Army Transformation Initiative to make the Army more lethal and more efficient, but the directive to potentially downsize Pine Bluff Arsenal—which is based on old, hidebound, bureaucratic recommendations—misses the mark and sets those goals back. We request an in-person briefing no later than May 22 from you and General George about this matter and how we can collaboratively ensure that Pine Bluff Arsenal will advance President Trump’s munitions goals and continue to contribute to our national security for years to come.
As we noted, we’ve long worked with the Army to support its priorities in the NDAA and the appropriations process, and lately to advance promptly its civilian nominees toward confirmation. We hope this cooperation can continue and grow, rather than be impaired by an unwise decision about the future of Pine Bluff Arsenal.
Sincerely,
Cc: Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
05.15.25
Senator Stresses Importance of Improving Grid Reliability & Affordability, Rescinding Overreach by Biden Administration
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week urged Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to provide regulatory certainty to the nation’s energy producers and ensure the federal government respects private property rights. In particular, Hoeven highlighted the importance of:
Improving the reliability and affordability of the electrical grid.
Hoeven pointed to reports from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) showing that the loss of baseload power, including from the premature retirement of coal-fired electric plants, has undermined grid reliability.
The senator urged Zeldin to follow through on rolling back regulatory overreach from the Biden administration, including reining in Biden-era rules like the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and Clean Power Plan 2.0 rules.
Restoring the traditional definition of “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) to protect both private property rights and the role of states in managing the water within their borders.
The expanded WOTUS definition, advanced by both the Obama and Biden administrations, sought to reach beyond the federal regulatory authority established under the Clean Water Act.
These rules would have imposed unworkable mandates, burdensome new permitting requirements and compliance costs on landowners, energy and agriculture producers and other industries.
Accordingly, Hoeven worked to protect against the implementation of the expansive WOTUS rules advanced by both the Obama and Biden administrations.
The senator is supporting the Trump administration in providing regulatory certainty and bringing the WOTUS rule into compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA.
“The Biden administration imposed a regulatory blizzard on this nation, overreaching its legal authority to advance rules that punished our coal, oil and gas producers and created new burdens impacting a wide range of industries,” said Hoeven. “As a result, we saw the premature retirement of baseload, coal-fired power plants, which are critical to the reliable operation of the electrical grid. This undermined our energy security and is absolutely the wrong approach for our nation. Instead, we need to empower technological innovation, like we’re doing with CCUS in North Dakota. At the same time, we will continue working with Administrator Zeldin and the Trump administration to roll back President Biden’s harmful policies, provide regulatory certainty and ensure the federal government respects private property rights. That’s how we can make the U.S. energy dominant while improving environmental stewardship.”
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
05.16.25
Senator Invites Secretary Duffy to North Dakota to See Grand Sky, Learn about Counter-Drone Efforts Firsthand
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week discussed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, North Dakota’s role in meeting key priorities to ensure safe and efficient air travel in the U.S. airspace. Hoeven outlined the work of the University of North Dakota (UND) and his efforts to leverage the school’s expertise in order to:
Help meet the nation’s need for air traffic controllers (ATC).
Hoeven worked with UND and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to secure the school’s role in the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program.
Under this initiative, UND graduates are immediately eligible for hire and to begin localized training at an air traffic facility, bypassing the FAA Academy in Oklahoma.
Now, Hoeven is sponsoring the ATC Workforce Development Act to strengthen the Enhanced AT-CTI program and further improve controller recruitment and retention.
Secretary Duffy agreed to work with Hoeven on expanding capacity for ATC training and expressed support for the bill.
Ensure the U.S. has enough qualified pilots to meet future demand.
Hoeven highlighted UND’s Vets2Wings program, which expands flight training for veterans and helps cover costs not included under the GI Bill or the Department of Defense’s Federal Tuition Assistance Program.
Hoeven initially secured $2.5 million to establish the program and then passed his American Aviator Act to authorize the program at the FAA through Fiscal Year (FY) 2028.
The senator stated that initiatives like this help address the need for commercial airline pilots and requested that the secretary work with him on making the program permanent.
In addition, Hoeven invited Secretary Duffy to visit North Dakota and learn firsthand about the state’s counter-drone efforts at Grand Sky and the Northern Plains Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Test Site. Hoeven stressed the need to finish linking the FAA’s unfiltered radar data feed with the test site to empower this work, which is needed to protect against the malicious use of UAS.
“North Dakota is home to the largest flight school in the country and plays a growing role in ATC training with the Enhanced AT-CTI Program at UND. Considering the challenges faced by our aviation industry, it is critical that we work to remove bottlenecks in training for air traffic controllers. That’s exactly what we’ve worked to do at UND, and our ATC Workforce Development Act will take these efforts even further,” said Hoeven. “Our state is also leading the way in developing counter-drone technologies, an increasingly important national security priority. The FAA’s radar data feed will enhance our test site’s ability to identify potentially threatening systems, a critical part of keeping the national airspace secure from dangerous UAS. I appreciate Secretary Duffy’s willingness to help complete the process of sharing the unfiltered radar data, as well as his agreement to visit North Dakota and learn more about the important work we’re doing at UND, Grand Sky and the test site.”
Advancing Counter-Drone Technologies
Hoeven is working to realize new opportunities in the Grand Forks region for developing counter-drone technologies to protect against emerging threats resulting from the misuse of UAS. To this end, Hoeven continues his efforts to:
Increase the size and scope of Project ULTRA to support counter-UAS technology development.
By increasing the project’s contract ceiling, it can serve as a bridge between an existing DoD contracting vehicle and new counter-UAS capabilities being developed in the private sector.
Secure access for the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to the FAA unfiltered radar data feed, which is currently in process.
Once completed, it will use the feed to enhance efforts to detect, identify and track malicious UAS.
Between Project ULTRA and the FAA radar data, Grand Forks will be uniquely positioned to develop methods for protecting domestic U.S. military bases against potential UAS threats.
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), as well as Congressmen Jim Himes (D-Conn.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s artificial intelligence deals that were announced with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia this week:
“Democrats and Republicans have long agreed that American companies must remain the undisputed leader in AI, a rapidly developing technology critical to the future of everything from our national security to manufacturing, finance to health care. We have worked hard to ensure the most powerful AI systems are built here, and we have fought to restrict the most sophisticated chips from reaching China – or those who would grant remote access to China – given Beijing’s use of AI to strengthen its military, crack down on domestic dissent, and compete with the U.S.
“President Trump announced deals to export very large volumes of advanced AI chips to the UAE and Saudi Arabia without credible security assurances to prevent U.S. adversaries from accessing those chips. These deals pose a significant threat to U.S. national security and fundamentally undermine bipartisan efforts to ensure the United States remains the global leader in AI. Rather than putting America first, this deal puts the Gulf first.
“The volume of AI chips Trump is offering for export would deprive American AI developers of highly sought-after chips needed here and slow the U.S. AI buildout. Under this deal, data centers and AI systems that would otherwise be built in America will be built in the Middle East – at the exact time that President Trump says he wants to bring jobs and key industries back home. This deal would incentivize U.S. firms to build the factories of the future overseas, creating significant vulnerabilities in our AI supply chain. If our leading AI firms offshore their frontier computing infrastructure to the Middle East, we could become as reliant on the Middle East for AI as we are on Taiwan for advanced semiconductors – and as we used to be on the Middle East for oil. We should not foster new dependencies on foreign countries for this premier technology.
“Additionally, these deals will provide our highest end chips to G42, a company with a well-documented history of cooperation with the People’s Republic of China. We applaud the administration’s efforts to limit exports of advanced AI chips to China, including recent actions to further restrict exports of Nvidia chips. However, these efforts will be for nothing if G42 or other companies with ties to China are given large quantities of our most advanced chips.
“Proponents of the deal argue that China will fill the gap if we do not sell substantial quantities of advanced chips to these countries. This is false. China cannot and will not because China makes fewer chips as a nation than these deals offer, and each is inferior to their U.S.-designed equivalent. This is thanks to the bipartisan efforts under both the Trump and Biden administrations to cut off China’s access to advanced chip manufacturing equipment. These efforts have worked, and we should double down on this success rather than squander the leverage we have won.
“If this deal succeeds, the offshoring of frontier American AI will be recorded as an historic American blunder. People around the world deserve to enjoy the benefits we will reap from AI. However, AI chips must only be exported to trusted companies, in reasonable numbers, and in concert with credible security standards and assurances. We welcome the opportunity to work with the administration to meet these objectives and urge our colleagues in Congress to do the same.”
Senator Coons is Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Senator Shaheen is Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Reed is Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator Warner is Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Senator Kelly is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Congressman Himes is Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee. Congressman Krishnamoorthi is Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Source: The White House
The One, Big, Beautiful Bill is a generational chance to protect Medicaid for Americans by removing at least 1.4 million illegal immigrants from the program.
Read more in Breitbart:
“House Republicans are moving to block an estimated 1.4 million illegal aliens from receiving American taxpayer-funded Medicaid as Democrats struggle to message their support for the unpopular position.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee completed its markup of its portion of the budget reconciliation bill Wednesday morning after an all-night session which included a provision blocking anyone unable to verify citizenship, nationality, or satisfactory immigration status from coverage.
The committee projects 1.4 million illegal aliens will be removed from the program due to those requirements.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Top Democratic appropriators call out delays in notification of federal education funding
Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, sent a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon calling out the Department’s failure to provide public K-12 schools across the nation the timely notice they usually receive about federal funding they count on—and urging McMahon to put an end to the harmful delays.
“We write to express our concern about the delay in providing states and school districts with information about expected formula funding required to be provided to them under the fiscal year 2025 appropriations law and request you re-focus the Department of Education on fulfilling its statutory obligations in a clear, certain and timely manner,” write the lawmakers. “We believe you need to immediately change course and work in partnership with states and school districts to help them effectively use federal funds to implement the purposes and requirements of federal law to improve educational opportunities for all students.”
The lawmakers note that, under enacted appropriations laws, “the Department must allocate formula-grant funding for multiple programs authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The largest of these, the Title I-A grant program, will provide $18.4 billion by formula to more than 80 percent of the nation’s school districts, and is already factored into budgets for the coming school year that is only a few months away.”
But despite this requirement to get federal K-12 funding out the door, it has taken the Department more than three times as long as the last administration to provide preliminary allocations to states and school districts after passage of fiscal year 2025 appropriations: “Yet, it took until May 13, 2025—more than 50 days after enactment of the 2025 appropriations law—for the Department to provide preliminary allocations of the amounts states and their school districts should expect to receive under the Title I-A formula grant programs for the 2025-2026 school year. This inexcusable delay is in sharp contrast with actions by the Biden administration. After President Biden signed the 2024 appropriations law on March 23, 2024, the Department provided preliminary allocations under the Title I-A program on April 8, 2024, just over two weeks after the appropriations law was signed. The Trump-McMahon Department took more than three times as much time to accomplish this basic task. We were told your Department’s work would be efficient, particularly after the reduction in force in which you reduced half of the Department’s workforce, but that does not appear to be the case here.”
“The delayed allocation,” the lawmakers write, “gives states less time to identify these [school support and improvement] amounts and make decisions about how best to allocate funds as allowed by federal law, which are required to be used for evidence-based interventions designed to help improve student outcomes in the lowest performing public schools in the state and lowest performing subgroups in public schools in the state.”
The lawmakers conclude by calling on Secretary McMahon to put an end to these delays and ensure K-12 schools have the certainty and support they need in the coming school year: “We implore the Department to reverse course, stop creating chaos, provide states and school districts with information about the resources Congress provided in the 2025 appropriations law and begin to support states and their school districts in the effective implementation of federal law. The Department’s actions to date have only imposed legally dubious policy reversals, funding cancellations, terminations and reductions, and funding directives that do nothing to support students and educators in improving student learning and outcomes.”
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
The Honorable Linda McMahon Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202
Dear Secretary McMahon:
We write to express our concern about the delay in providing states and school districts with information about expected formula funding required to be provided to them under the fiscal year 2025 appropriations law and request you re-focus the Department of Education (“Department”) on fulfilling its statutory obligations in a clear, certain and timely manner. States and school districts are best able to plan to most effectively use federal funds with advance knowledge of expected funding, as Congress intends by providing funds on a forward-funded basis. We have seen and heard numerous remarks from you and President Trump about returning education to the states. However, actions to date tell a very different story about the Department’s intentions. We believe you need to immediately change course and work in partnership with states and school districts to help them effectively use federal funds to implement the purposes and requirements of federal law to improve educational opportunities for all students, particularly students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English learners, students experiencing homelessness and other historically underserved students our federal laws specifically require states to support.
Congress passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which President Trump signed on March 15, 2025. This law includes appropriations to the Department under the terms and conditions of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. Under those terms, the Department must allocate formula-grant funding for multiple programs authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The largest of these, the Title I-A grant program, will provide $18.4 billion by formula to more than 80 percent of the nation’s school districts, and is already factored into budgets for the coming school year that is only a few months away. Public school budgets also already factor in billions in funding for longstanding federal formula grants, including English Language Acquisition Grants, Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, and more. Yet, it took until May 13, 2025–more than 50 days after enactment of the 2025 appropriations law–for the Department to provide preliminary allocations of the amounts states and their school districts should expect to receive under the Title I-A formula grant programs for the 2025-2026 school year.
This inexcusable delay is in sharp contrast with actions by the Biden administration. After President Biden signed the 2024 appropriations law on March 23, 2024, the Department provided preliminary allocations under the Title I-A program on April 8, 2024, just over two weeks after the appropriations law was signed. The Trump-McMahon Department took more than three times as much time to accomplish this basic task.. We were told your Department’s work would be efficient, particularly after the reduction in force in which you reduced half of the Department’s workforce,[1] but that does not appear to be the case here.
As you know, Title I-A is the largest federal program that provides supplemental funds to more than 80 percent of the nation’s school districts for more than half of all public schools. It also contains critical funding to identify and support the lowest performing public schools in each state and consistently underperforming subgroups of students in public schools in each state, and support students experiencing homelessness. States are required to set-aside a portion of a state’s allocation of Title I-A funds for its school support and improvement work without reducing any school district’s allocation. The delayed allocation gives states less time to identify these amounts and make decisions about how best to allocate funds as allowed by federal law, which are required to be used for evidence-based interventions designed to help improve student outcomes in the lowest performing public schools in the state and lowest performing subgroups in public schools in the state. In addition, school districts are required to reserve sufficient funds to provide services to students experiencing homelessness in Title I and non-Title I schools. The Department’s delayed notification could also make it more difficult for school districts to best serve students experiencing homelessness as required by law.
Unfortunately, the Department’s delays also extend to the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) and other programs. REAP supports more than 6,000 rural school districts and was created to address the unique challenges faced by rural schools, including a lower tax base and capacity challenges in seeking competitive funding. Unfortunately, the Department made the application for the Small, Rural Schools Assistance (SRSA) program—one of two REAP grant programs—available on May 14th, with applications due 30 days later on June 13, 2025. By contrast, last year under the Biden administration, the Department released the FY 2024 application for SRSA on March 19, 2024 and provided a 60-day application window. The delayed application and shortened application window under your leadership demonstrate a lack of concern for the challenges rural schools face; or perhaps the Department’s workforce reductions have limited its ability to fulfill its statutory obligations in a timely way.
Unfortunately, we must also note the Department has been busy discontinuing funds for hundreds of grantees of school-based mental health programs we have supported through appropriations directives to the Department and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.[2] The Department abruptly decided to discontinue expected federal support for more than 200 grants for mental health services in schools after what it claimed, without evidence, was an individualized review of the grants.[3] This alleged review led the Department to the conclusion that continuing the grants was not in the “best interest of the Federal Government” and that some of the grants “undermine the well-being of the students these programs are intended to help”.[4] There’s bitter irony in the Department’s decision only days later to issue updated guidance encouraging states to undertake more work under the unsafe school option provision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act [5] after discontinuing funds supported on a bipartisan basis for the important federal support it provides for mental health services that can help students feel safe in school and protect them from acts of school violence.[6]
We implore the Department to reverse course, stop creating chaos, provide states and school districts with information about the resources Congress provided in the 2025 appropriations law and begin to support states and their school districts in the effective implementation of federal law. The Department’s actions to date have only imposed legally dubious policy reversals,[7][8][9] funding cancellations, terminations and reductions,[10][11][12] and funding directives[13][14] that do nothing to support students and educators in improving student learning and outcomes.
In addition, Congress and American taxpayers continue to see an utter lack of transparency from you and this administration. We’ve written numerous letters[15][16][17][18] that have yet to receive adequate or any response. You also failed to meet legal requirements to provide an operating plan at the level of detail required by section 1113 and in adherence to section 1101 of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, despite having more than 45 days to do so. This must change immediately.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We look forward to seeing actions from the Department that align to the timely and effective implementation of the requirements of federal law. We also look forward to responses to our letters and your testimony before committees later this year.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353May 16, 2025
Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Bring Effective Regulation to Horse Racing
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Racehorse Health and Safety Act (RHSA), which protects the health and welfare of racing horses and improves the integrity and safety of horse racing. Congressman Clay Higgins (Louisiana-03) has introduced companion legislation in the House.
“The RHSA will provide horse owners and racetracks flexibility, while also bringing safe and effective regulation to the horseracing industry,” said Senator Cotton.
“Government overreach is impacting industries across our nation with rules in places where they have no business being,” said Congressman Higgins. “The well-intentioned disaster of HISA proved that enforcing uniformed rules in horse racing plagues the industry with confusion and disruption. This legislation is rooted in science and draws from industry experts. It is of horsemen, by horsemen, and for horsemen. We must push back against federal oppression and protect the horse racing industry and the beautiful animals we love.”
Full text of the legislation may be found here.
The Racehorse Health and Safety Act would:
Repeal the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA);
Grant states the right to enter into the interstate compact, which is a contract between multiple states to develop nationwide rules governing scientific control and racetrack safety for horse racing;
Establish the Racehorse Health and Safety Organization (RHSO), which will regulate the horse racing industry;
Establish three Scientific Medication Control Committees (SMCCs) to draft recommended rules for each breed.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353May 16, 2025
Cotton, Boozman, and Westerman to Driscoll: Bureaucratic Hostility Towards Pine Bluff Arsenal Will Undercut President Trump’s Agenda
Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), and Congressman Bruce Westerman (Arkansas-04) today sent a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, expressing opposition to plans to potentially downsize the Pine Bluff Arsenal that run contrary to President Trump’s agenda of accelerating munitions manufacturing in America. Closing the Pine Bluff Arsenal would not only circumvent current law, it would ultimately result in a waste of taxpayer dollars and deepen America’s dependence on foreign countries to meet our military’s needs.
In part, the lawmakers wrote:
“We appreciate your efforts through the Army Transformation Initiative to make the Army more lethal and more efficient, but the directive to potentially downsize Pine Bluff Arsenal—which is based on old, hidebound, bureaucratic recommendations—misses the mark and sets those goals back.”Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
The Honorable Daniel DriscollSecretary of the Army101 Army PentagonWashington, DC 20310-0101
Secretary Driscoll,
We write to express our opposition to and disappointment with your directive to potentially downsize Pine Bluff Arsenal. As you may know, current law prohibits the Army from closing the arsenal, but your directive in effect evades this prohibition. Perhaps worse, the directive would undercut President Trump’s goal of accelerating munitions manufacturing in America, which we strongly support and foresee in Pine Bluff Arsenal’s future. As longtime supporters of the Army who would prefer to continue to work cooperatively with the Army on its priorities, we urge you to reverse immediately this ill-advised decision based on stale, years-old, bureaucratic plans—the exact kind of thinking President Trump was elected to upend.
Though we agree with the Army Transformation Initiative’s broad goals to make the Army more efficient and more lethal, a downsizing at Pine Bluff Arsenal wouldn’t advance these goals. Secretary Hegseth directed the Army “to generate the ammunition stockpiles necessary to sustain national defense.” Unfortunately, the defense industrial base—including the Army’s arsenals—is too small, riddled with supply-chain issues, and often dependent on foreign sources for key materials. Neither the Army’s arsenals nor the larger defense industrial base can meet the munitions needs of our forces and allies. As we’ve explained for years—well before your appointment as secretary—the Army needs to use fully the resources it already owns, like Pine Bluff Arsenal, to meet these needs.
Pine Bluff Arsenal is a solution for these challenges, not some redundant or outdated relic. While it’s true that the arsenal is under-used, that’s because the Army bureaucracy has repeatedly resisted our proposals to expand its operations. Pine Bluff Arsenal is the only site in America that produces vital white-phosphorous ammunition. Further, we have long advocated that the Army use Pine Bluff Arsenal to produce materials like, for instance, nitrocellulose and RDX—both key components of our munitions, but also chokepoints in the supply chain. The arsenal already has access to critical utilities, a significant transportation network, and proximity to raw materials and loading facilities to supply the Army’s needs.
The Army has never offered persuasive explanations for its bureaucratic hostility to expanding operations at Pine Bluff Arsenal. We’ve heard from the Army that commercial facilities or building new facilities are a less expensive, more efficient alternative to using the current arsenals for its munition needs. But this argument is far-fetched. Though commercial industry plays a role, recent experience has proven the extreme difficulty of acquiring sufficient quantities of 155mm rounds because commercial production lines have little to no room for expansion. Likewise, building a new ammunition plant from scratch is an expensive, time-consuming endeavor—at least four years and around a half a billion dollars. For instance, the necessary and overly complicated environmental permits alone can take years.
By contrast, Pine Bluff Arsenal offers inherent advantages over any commercial site—advantages that likely cut in half the timeline for munitions production. The arsenal not only has the type and amount of land necessary to handle dangerous explosives, but also has the existing workforce with deep and irreplaceable expertise. Further, Pine Bluff Arsenal has operated in this space for decades and successfully navigated the burdensome environmental requirements. As we have before, we continue to insist that abandoning these advantages in favor of a speculative new commercial production line or, even worse, to buy ammunition from foreign sources is reckless and a waste of taxpayer money.
We’ve also heard from the Army that its plan results in cost savings, but this argument doesn’t hold water either. Army Materiel Command may appear to save a little money up front by downsizing Pine Bluff from its current capacity or even closing it, but those costs will have to shift to another site to produce white phosphorus. The Army answers that those costs might decrease because of unspecified, magical “efficiencies”—a strange claim since no other site in America produces white-phosphorus ammunition. But any supposed savings from “efficiencies” would likely be dwarfed by the long-term costs of shutting down arsenal operations, safely disposing of explosive materials, conducting environmental remediation, and maintaining perpetual site security. While not gaining much on the munitions front, the Army would add needless costs to operate a virtual ghost town. To be frank, it appears that Army Materiel Command bureaucrats want to shift the costs off their books and onto other Army commands. But that doesn’t result in savings for the Army or the taxpayer, nor does it improve the Army’s munitions crisis.
We appreciate your efforts through the Army Transformation Initiative to make the Army more lethal and more efficient, but the directive to potentially downsize Pine Bluff Arsenal—which is based on old, hidebound, bureaucratic recommendations—misses the mark and sets those goals back. We request an in-person briefing no later than May 22 from you and General George about this matter and how we can collaboratively ensure that Pine Bluff Arsenal will advance President Trump’s munitions goals and continue to contribute to our national security for years to come.
As we noted, we’ve long worked with the Army to support its priorities in the NDAA and the appropriations process, and lately to advance promptly its civilian nominees toward confirmation. We hope this cooperation can continue and grow, rather than be impaired by an unwise decision about the future of Pine Bluff Arsenal.
Sincerely,
Cc: Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) this week introduced the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act, bipartisan legislation to give relief to those who have been victims of fraud, scams, thefts, accidents, and other personal casualty losses. The Senators’ bill would reinstate the tax deduction for personal casualty and theft losses and ensure victims of scams, robberies, storms, and fires do not have to pay taxes on stolen assets and further wipe out their hard-earned savings and financial security.
“It’s outrageous that folks scammed out of their life’s savings are hit with large tax bills. I’m proud to introduce this bill to reinstate this important tax deduction to provide crucial financial relief to those victimized by scams and theft,” said Senator Welch. “Vermont experienced catastrophic floods in July of 2023 and 2024. We know firsthand that victims of floods, storms, and fires go through so much—the last thing they should worry about is being penalized for a natural disaster.”
“As hurricane season is around the corner, I will continue supporting policies that protect Floridians from scammers and fraudsters,” said Senator Moody. “My Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams and Disasters Act will provide commonsense tax relief for victims, often seniors, who have been financially devastated by scams, crimes or destruction from disasters. This legislation will help folks get back on their feet when they experience hardship. When I was Attorney General of Florida, I made sure to fight for Floridians who fell victim to scams, and I will continue bringing this fight to D.C. so that folks have the protections they need.”
“When Wisconsinites fall victim to a fraud or scam, the last thing they should have to worry about is being slapped with an unexpected tax bill once tax season rolls around,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to work with my Republican and Democratic colleagues to introduce this commonsense bill to help make sure if someone is down and out, they have one less thing to worry about than being hit with a tax bill.”
“The Elder Justice Coalition commends Senators Baldwin, Moody and Welch for introducing the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act,” said Bob Blancato, National Coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition. “It is unconscionable that older scam victims who lose hundreds of thousands of dollars face the compounded misery of having to pay taxes on the money lost. Scams are rampant in this nation and serve to exploit the most vulnerable older adults. We hope Senator Baldwin’s bill can be made part of a future tax package. Tax relief for scam victims is tax fairness.”
“The Financial Services Institute (FSI) is proud to support the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams and Disasters Act,” said Dale Brown, President & CEO of Financial Services Institute. “Owing taxes on stolen retirement funds makes an already painful situation worse. Main Street Americans cannot afford to lose their life savings, which they rely upon for a financially secure retirement. This bill will provide some relief to victims and mitigate damages as they work with their trusted financial advisor to recover losses and regain their financial footing.”
“With widespread financial fraud and scams impacting many Americans’ retirement security and financial livelihoods, CFP Board enthusiastically supports this critical piece of legislation that would lessen the impact of financial loss. We look forward to seeing this bill get to the finish line,” said Erin Koeppel, Managing Director of Government Relations and Public Policy Counsel at CFP Board.
Until 2018, the federal government allowed victims of crimes and unexpected, uninsurable disasters to deduct these losses from their taxes with a provision called the Casualty and Theft Loss Deduction. Today, scam victims and homeowners are on the hook for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal taxes unless their misfortunes meet a narrow set of criteria.
The growing sophistication of cybercriminal networks has led to a rapid proliferation in fraud for the past five years. In 2024 alone, American taxpayers reported $16.6 billion in cyber fraud to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The average victim of elder fraud lost $83,000. Natural disasters are also on the rise during a period of increasing insurance premiums and unexpected claim denials.
Without a reinstatement of the casualty and theft loss deduction, Americans who are victims of theft and non-federally declared disasters will continue to face hefty federal tax bills that the IRS is obligated to enforce.
The Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act:
Reinstates the tax deduction for personal casualty loss and provides retroactive coverage to taxpayers who suffered losses in the years that followed.
Ensures that victims who suffered losses since 2017 are able to file an amended tax return accounting for their personal casualty loss.
Companion legislation will be introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08) and Greg Steube (R-FL-17).
The legislation is endorsed by the AARP, The Elder Justice Coalition, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, AICPA-CIMA, National Association of Enrolled Agents, National Association of Realtors, American Land Title Association, CFP Board, Investment Advisers Association, Financial Services Institute, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program, Association of Mature American Citizens, National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators, Operation Shamrock, and SPARK Institute.
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Senator Welch voted against the 2017Republican tax bill, which repealed a tax deduction previously available to victims of scams, thefts, accidents, and other property casualty losses. In turn, reporting has revealed a pattern of Americans ending up with a tax bill after losing money through scams, thefts, and other similar events.
Learn more about the Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act.
Read and download the full text of the bill.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
May 15, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Assistant Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and nine other Democratic colleagues across U.S. Senate Armed Services, Appropriations and Intelligence Committees in demanding that the Department of Defense be transparent with them about the substantial national security and operational risks posed by President Trump’s plan to accept a $400 million aircraft “gift” from the Qatari royal family. In a letter sent to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink last night, the Senators called for answers from the Department of Defense about how it would prevent these national security risks if Donald Trump accepts this gift, and how much taxpayers will have to pay for the extensive upgrades that would need to be made on this unvetted aircraft in order to protect the President, servicemembers and sensitive information from nefarious espionage, attack or disruption.
“[We] write today with alarm over the dangers to operational and national security presented by President Trump’s desire to execute an unconstitutional and unseemly acceptance of a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family in the form of a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft. To serve as Air Force One during his administration, the U.S. Department of Defense would be required to accelerate a comprehensive upgrade to the aircraft, with the direct cost to the American taxpayer likely exceeding $1 billion. We are especially concerned about the operational security and counterintelligence risks of potentially using this aircraft for sensitive Presidential travel— and the massive cost to American taxpayers to identify and close critical vulnerabilities,” the lawmakers said.
The Senators continued: “Having the President travel without the necessary security precautions or secure communications renders the aircraft an easy target for adversaries to gain access to sensitive Presidential-level discussions or classified information, impeding the success of ongoing military operations and endangering our servicemembers… President Trump is claiming that this ‘gift’ of an aircraft worth $400 million is saving taxpayers money, but in reality, his decision will force taxpayers to foot an unnecessary bill—potentially more than $1 billion—to convert a foreign-provided aircraft into the fortress necessary to protect him and his communications—all while taxpayers are already paying at least $3.9 billion for the contract for two aircraft currently being built by Boeing to add to the Air Force One fleet.”
In addition to Duckworth, Schumer and Durbin, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
The full text of the letter follows and is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
May 15, 2025
Deploying National Guardsmen to support immigration enforcement on our own soil is not part of the National Guard’s mission, and it has never happened in our nation’s history
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after the Trump Administration reportedly sought to deploy 20,000 National Guardsmen for civilian law enforcement efforts on U.S. soil:
“I’m deeply disturbed that Donald Trump keeps escalating his abuse and misuse of our nation’s military for his own partisan benefit—claiming to do so because of make-believe foreign threats. In reality, he’s distracting our troops from executing their core mission: protecting the American people and keeping our country safe from real adversaries who wish us harm.
“In less than 4 months in office, we’ve seen Trump force servicemembers to do clerical work in support of non-military missions and threaten to unleash the military to arrest political opponents. And now, Trump’s DHS is asking for 20,000 National Guardsmen to assist with immigration enforcement within our nation’s borders—something they’ve never been asked to do before and that is not part of the National Guard’s mission.
“Not only does this undermine readiness and our national security, it also means Trump is testing the limits of how he can misuse our military against the American people. No one should believe that he will stop at immigrants if this plan moves forward. These are the sorts of things dictators do to destroy democracies and consolidate their own power—and everyone’s freedom is at risk if he succeeds.”
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
May 15, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) in releasing the following statement on President Trump’s trip to the Middle East:
“The President’s first extended foreign trip abroad should have been about advancing U.S. interests in the Middle East. Instead, it has been an instructive lesson in how foreign governments can use their influence to benefit the president personally and those around him— all while creating substantial risks to our national security.
“The President has failed to engage in substantial dialogue on the most urgent strategic challenges facing the region. His Administration has failed to sustain the ceasefire he inherited in Gaza and has systemically undercut America’s diplomatic infrastructure in a way that has created an unprecedented opening for the People’s Republic of China.
“Promoting investment by our Gulf partners in the United States must not come at the expense of protecting our most valuable A.I. and advanced chip technology and it should never line the pockets of the President and his family or inner circle. President Trump must reject all “gifts” and refocus the remainder of his trip on steps to make all Americans safer, secure and more prosperous—not just those with Trump in their name.”