Source: The White House
Today, President Donald J. Trump hosts Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele at the White House, where they’ll showcase their historic partnership to make the world a safer place.
Thanks to the two leaders, scores of violent illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gang members, and other sick criminals have been swiftly taken off our streets.
Here is a tiny sample of the cold-blooded criminals deported to El Salvador:
Jorge Luis Guerrero-Quintero, a Venezuelan national and confirmed Tren de Aragua gang member, convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl, second-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury, second-degree menacing with a weapon, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Kerwin Arturo Leal-Estrada, a Venezuelan national and confirmed Tren de Aragua gang member, whose social media accounts show him displaying gang tattoos and signs, holding firearms, and revealing an apparent gunshot wound.
Jorge Luis Zerpa-Belancourt, a Venezuelan national and confirmed Tren de Aragua gang member, convicted on making false statements, making terroristic threats, domestic battering, interfering with emergency communications, and theft.
Jose Lopez-Cruz, a Salvadoran national and confirmed MS-13 gang member, with a previous conviction for felony assault when he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of felony assault, reckless endangerment, concealing a dangerous weapon, minor in possession of a firearm, and dangerous weapon with intent.
Anderson Jose Querales-Martinez, a Venezuelan national and confirmed Tren de Aragua gang member, convicted on felony assault causing reckless and serious bodily injury with a deadly weapon.
Miguel Angel Fuentes-Lopez, a Salvadoran national and confirmed MS-13 gang member, convicted on three counts of assault in the second degree, assault of a corrections employee, and probation violations.
New York Post: 11 more violent illegal migrants — including 7 Tren de Aragua gangbangers — deported from US to El Salvador over the weekend
They’re not alone. As part of separate operations, a litany of violent criminals — including dangerous MS-13 gang leaders, Tren de Aragua gang members, and some of El Salvador’s most wanted criminals — have been deported to the country:
César Humberto López-Larios, a Salvadoran national and one of the MS-13 gang’s original “Twelve Apostles of the Devil.”
Elmer Concepcion Romero Yanes, a Salvadoran national convicted of homicide.
Keivis Jesus Arrechedera Vasquez, a Venezuelan national and Tren de Aragua gang leader with pending drug charges.
Carlos Alvarenga Guillen, a Salvadoran national convicted of rape and aggravated assault of a minor.
Felipe Gomez, a Salvadoran national convicted of homicide.
Leandro Herado Zambrano, a Venezuelan national and Tren de Aragua gang member with pending charges for kidnapping and assault.
Rafael Mejia, a Salvadoran national convicted of child molestation and multiple lewd acts with a child.
Brayant Silva Rauseo, a Venezuelan national and self-admitted Tren de Aragua gang member.
Lino Perez Delgado, a Salvadoran national convicted of sexual assault of a minor.
Jose Morales-Hernandez, a Salvadoran national convicted of homicide and negligent manslaughter.
Elmer Escobar Gonzalez, a Salvadoran national convicted of sexual assault.
Jose Medrano Hernandez, a Salvadoran national convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
Alejandro Ramos, a Salvadoran national convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor under age 13 and aggravated assault.
Maiker Espinoza Escalona, a Venezuelan national and Tren de Aragua gang member convicted of prostitution and human trafficking.
Ricardo Jaramillo Labrador, a Venezuelan national and Tren de Aragua gang member convicted of unlawful detention and disorderly conduct.
Victor Ortega-Burbano, a Venezuelan national and Tren de Aragua gang member with pending charges for discharge of a firearm and theft.
Source: The White House
For the first time ever, chipmaking giant NVIDIA will manufacture its AI supercomputers entirely in the U.S., the company announced today — part of its pledge to produce $500 billion of AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years.
The company will build and test its advanced chips in Arizona and its AI supercomputers in Texas over a million square feet of new manufacturing space.
It’s the Trump Effect in action.
President Donald J. Trump has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off — with trillions of dollars in new investments secured in the tech sector alone.
Earlier this year, President Trump announced a $500 billion private investment in AI infrastructure led by OpenAI, Oracle, and Softbank, while Apple announced a $500 billion investment and TSMC announced a $100 billion investment in chips manufacturing.
Onshoring these industries is good for the American worker, good for the American economy, and good for American national security — and the best is yet to come.
Source: The White House
class=”has-text-align-center”>THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN INNOVATION
AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY
Endless Frontiers Retreat, Austin, Texas
April 14, 2025
THE DIRECTOR: Thank you for the kind introduction. It is a pleasure to speak to you all this evening, here in the early light of the new Golden Age of America.
President Trump has given all of us who serve in his administration a monumental task—the renewal of our nation.
I know, and I think you know, too, that such a renewal will require the reinvigoration of American science and industry. Over the last few decades, America has become complacent, forgetting old dreams of building a wondrous future.
But we know the American pioneer spirit still seeks the exploration of endless frontiers. Our technologies, and what we do with them, will be the tools with which we will make the destiny of our country manifest in this century.
Yet this American hope in the possibility of progress and the power of science and technology does not allow builders and innovators to retreat from politics. Indeed, quite the opposite, which is what brings me here today. A Golden Age is only possible if we choose it.
***
There is nothing predestined about technological progress and scientific discovery. They require the efforts and energies of men and women, the collective choice for order and truth over disorder and opinion.
The last century was called the American Century, as—despite wars and domestic conflict—the United States stood at the forefront of science and technology, building the future. With the strength of our industry and ingenuity, we created the largest middle class the world has ever seen. As President Trump said to me in his letter laying out the science and technology agenda of this administration, “The triumphs of the last century did not happen by chance.”
Ours was the Atomic Age. Ours the victory in the Space Race. And ours the invention of the Internet, collecting and connecting the multiplicity of human knowledge.
Today we fight to restore that inheritance. As the failure of the Biden administration’s “small yard, high fence” approach makes clear, it is not enough to seek to protect America’s technological lead. We also have a duty to promote American technological leadership.
***
A gap lies between our moment and the speed of transformation America experienced midcentury. Progress has slowed. Yes, large language models astonish us, rockets still turn our eyes upward, and satellites envelop the globe. But as we look forward to America’s 250th birthday celebration next year, our progress today pales in comparison to the huge leaps of the 20th century. Consider the country of fifty years ago.
As the nation approached its bicentennial, Americans looked forward to electricity too cheap to meter. By the end of 1972, 30 nuclear plants were operational, 55 were under construction, and more than 80 were planned or ordered. That same year, the Apollo 17 astronauts became the 11th and 12th men to walk on the moon. Five years before, the X-15 rocket plane had set a speed record for a crewed aircraft of Mach 6.7. America was flying higher, faster, and farther than ever before…
Today, however, energy prices still burden producers and consumers alike, and the grid remains precarious. Over the past 30 years only three commercial nuclear reactors have been built and 10 have been closed. Despite spending almost twice as much on healthcare as peer nations, we have the lowest life expectancy. Apollo 17’s steps on the lunar surface have proved mankind’s last. The X-15’s record still stands, and the Concorde was decommissioned more than two decades ago. Our passenger planes are slower than they used to be. Our trains crawl compared to those in other parts of the world. Our cars do not fly
Advances have not stopped, but something has gone wrong.
***
Stagnation was a choice. We have weighed down our builders and innovators. The well-intentioned regulatory regime of the 1970s became an ever-tightening ratchet, first hampering America’s ability to become a net-energy exporter and then making it harder and harder to build. We seem to have lost focus and vision, to have lowered our sights and let systems and structures and bureaucracies muddle us along.
But we are capable of so much more.
Our technologies permit us to manipulate time and space. They leave distance annihilated, cause things to grow, and improve productivity.
As Vice President Vance said in a recent speech, the tradition of American innovation has been one of increasing the capacities of America’s workers, of extending human ability so that more people can do more, and, more meaningful work. But unrestricted immigration, and reliance on cheap labor both domestically and offshore, has been a substitute for improving productivity with technology.
We can build in new ways that let us do more with less, or we can borrow from the future. We have chosen to borrow from the future again and again. Our choice as a civilization is technology or debt. And we have chosen debt.
Today we choose a better way.
***
Our first assignment is to secure America’s preeminence in critical and emerging technologies. This administration will ensure that our nation remains the leader in the industries of the future with a strategy of both promotion and protection—protecting our greatest assets and promoting our greatest innovators.
To the degree it even tried to accomplish this, the Biden administration failed on its own terms, led by a spirit of fear rather than promise. The old regime sought to protect its managerial power from the disruptions of technology, while promoting social division and redistribution in the name of equity. They secured American technology poorly, and failed to strengthen our leadership at all.
Promoting America’s technological leadership requires three things of government. First, we have to make the smart choices of creatively allocating our public research and development dollars. Second, we have to make the right choices in constructing a common-sense, pro-innovation regulatory regime. And third, we have to make the easy choice to adopt the incredible products and tools made by American builders and to enable their export abroad.
In a moment of strategic significance, we must be more creative in our use of public research and development money, and shape a funding environment that makes clear what our national priorities are. Whether in AI, quantum, biotech, or next-generation semiconductors, in partnership with the private sector and academia, it is the duty of government to enable scientists to create new theories and empower engineers to put them into practice. Prizes, advance market commitments, and other novel funding mechanisms, like fast and flexible grants, can multiply the impact of government-funded research.
At a time defined by the desire to build in America again, we have to throw off the burden of bad regulations that weigh down our innovators, and use federal resources to test, to deploy, and to mature emerging technologies. We know, for example, the greatest obstacle to limitless energy in this country has been a regulatory regime opposed to innovation and development. This, too, has been the chief barrier to pushing the envelope again in transportation, whether supersonic aircraft or high-speed rail and flying cars. The time has come to review the rules on the books and to ask whom they really protect and what they really cost.
For a future stamped with the American character, the federal government must become an early adopter and avid promoter of American technology. Our innovators make incredible breakthroughs, but consumers, government included, require products that meet their needs, not just the wide-open country of frontier technology. Our industrial might, unleashed at home, and our technical achievements from AI to aerospace, successfully commercialized, can also be powerful instruments of diplomacy abroad and key components of our international alliances. American progress in critical technologies will make us the global partner of choice and the standards setter to follow if we enable and encourage American companies to distribute the American tech stack around the world.
***
This approach to promoting America’s technological leadership goes hand in hand with a threefold strategy for protecting that position from foreign rivals. First, we must safeguard U.S. intellectual property and take seriously American research security. Second, we must prevent rival nations from infiltrating our infrastructure and supply chains, as well as from embedding themselves in the infrastructure of our allies. And third, we must enforce export controls and other measures that keep American frontier technologies out of competitors’ hands.
We face many dangers as a nation, but thanks to decades of feckless American leaders, China in particular has grown into both a geopolitical rival and technological competitor. This threat requires us to protect our science and technology resources with heightened vigilance, and defend the vital work American researchers do in public and corporate contexts alike from misuse, theft, and disruption. To safeguard our intellectual capital, we must restrict foreign access to sensitive data and strengthen oversight of international collaborators.
Our infrastructure, supply chains, and those of our allies must be secured, too. We cannot afford to remain dependent, as we are in too many essential industries, on Chinese inputs and products, nor can we allow our closest partners to become points of insecurity by relying on Chinese-controlled critical infrastructure, whether in telecom, the grid, or AI. We must establish and secure trusted supply chains, implement public-private partnerships to enhance supply-chain resilience, and create investment incentives to reshore more critical manufacturing.
Finally, after thirty years of subsidizing Chinese growth, it is time for us to stop helping a rival catch up with us in this race. Strict and simple export controls and know your customer rules, with an unapologetic America-first attitude about enforcing them, are central to stopping China from continuing to build itself up at our expense. We want peace between our countries, and that peace depends on keeping America’s bleeding-edge technology out of our competitor’s hands.
***
The Golden Age of American innovation is on our horizon, if we choose it.
In a changing technological environment, the task ahead of us is to adapt to new realities without destroying the American way of life or dis-inheriting the American worker. We seek, in the most basic terms, to secure our economy, restore our middle class, and uphold America as the planet’s best home for innovators.
For many years now the temptation for the kinds of people represented in this room—builders and discoverers—has been to withdraw from politics. In the face of burdensome regulation and inefficient government and the circus of election cycles, many of you have chosen retreat of various kinds.
But there is no substitute for victory. You and your fellow Americans cannot afford to give up on the nation. In a world so shaped by politics as well as technology, we must take action in both of these domains. We need all Americans to continue to rise to the occasion, to make full use of their talents, and to build.
All of us must labor to preserve the inheritance of the American Century to share with posterity, and to ensure that the technologies that give shape to our world help the American people secure the blessings of liberty we received from our forebearers. I bear that responsibility in my role as the President’s Science and Technology Advisor. You bear it, too, in exercising whatever powers and responsibilities you have, whether in business, education, or the laboratory—as Americans.
It is the choices of individuals that will make the new American Golden Age possible: the choice of individuals to master the sclerosis of the state, and the choice of individuals to craft new technologies and give themselves to scientific discoveries that will bend time and space, make more with less, and drive us further into the endless frontier.
Source: The White House
For years, American taxpayers have been on the hook for subsidizing National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as “news.”
As President Trump has stated, taxpayer funding of NPR’s and PBS’s biased content is a waste.
Here are some examples of the trash that passes for “news” at NPR and PBS:
In 2024, NPR ran a Valentine’s Day feature around “queer animals,” in which it suggested the make-believe clownfish in Finding Nemo would’ve been better off as a female, that “banana slugs are hermaphrodites,” and that “some deer are nonbinary.”
In 2024, PBS produced a documentary making the case for reparations.
In 2023, PBS’s Washington Week roundtable covered up Joe Biden’s clear mental decline, with far-left “journalist” Jeff Goldberg claiming Biden is actually “quite acute.”
In 2022, NPR educated the nation on the “whole community of genderqueer dinosaur enthusiasts” and “trans-ceratops.”
In 2021, a PBS station aired a “children’s program” that featured a drag queen named “Lil’ Miss Hot Mess.”
In 2021, NPR reported on the “cousin of diet culture” known as “healthism, which is the idea that we have to be healthy” — as if that was a bad thing.
In 2021, NPR suggested doorway sizes are based on “latent fatphobia.”
In 2021, NPR lamented that “animals deserve pronouns, too.”
In 2022, NPR ran a feature titled “What ‘Queer Ducks’ can teach teenagers about sexuality in the animal kingdom.”
In 2020, PBS show Sesame Street partnered with CNN for a town hall aimed presenting children with a one-sided narrative to “address racism” amid the Black Lives Matter riots.
In 2020, NPR explored “the racial origins of fat phobia.”
In 2017, NPR ran a story titled “Cannibalism: It’s ‘Perfectly Natural,’” in which an author describes eating another human’s placenta: “It was really the prep that made it taste good. Granted, the [husband] was a chef and so he knew how to prepare it osso bucco style and used a really nice wine I had brought. It smelled great. It didn’t taste bad.”
In 2017, PBS aired a panel devoted to what it “mean[s] to be woke” and “white privilege.”
In 2017, PBS produced an entire movie celebrating a transgender teenager’s so-called “changing gender identity.”
In 2015, NPR dedicated an entire segment to the “population of anthropomorphic animal enthusiasts known as ‘furries.’”
NPR and PBS have zero tolerance for non-leftist viewpoints:
In 2020, NPR refused to cover the explosive Hunter Biden laptop scandal in the runup to the election, baselessly claiming there were “many, many red flags” and its “assertions don’t amount to much.”
NPR wrote: “We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.”
When a 25-year veteran NPR reporter and editor spoke out about the network’s refusal to report on the Hunter Biden laptop — and their obsession with liberal causes — they suspended him.
The editor found that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans 87 to zero in their newsroom.
NPR prolifically reported on the Russian collusion hoax, with the editor describing “[Adam] Schiff talking points” as “the drumbeat of NPR news reports.”
NPR management asked its editors to avoid the term “biological sex” when discussing transgender issues.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher once called President Trump “racist,” shared a photo of herself wearing a “Biden for President” campaign hat, serves on the board of a Soros-funded activist group, and described the “reverence for the truth” as a “distraction.”
In 2023, a study found that congressional Republicans saw 85% negative coverage while congressional Democrats saw 54% positive coverage on PBS’s flagship news program.
According to a 2024 study, PBS news staff used 162 variations of the term “far-right,” but only six variations of “far-left.”
Media bias rating agency AllBias — which surveyed nearly 24,000 readers — found NPR’s bias aligns with “liberal, progressive or left-wing thought and/or policy agendas.”
In 2010, NPR terminated journalist Juan Williams, who said it was because he was not a “predictable, black liberal.”
NPR repeatedly dismissed the theory that COVID-19 originated in a lab — a conclusion now deemed likely by the FBI, CIA, and Department of Energy.
April 2020: “Scientists Debunk Lab Accident Theory Of Pandemic Emergence”
May 2020: “As Trump Pushes Theory Of Virus Origins, Some See Parallels In Lead-Up To Iraq War”
May 2021: “Many Scientists Still Think The Coronavirus Came From Nature”
March 2023: “Virologist says COVID origin report could make it harder to study dangerous diseases”
September 2024: “New research points to raccoon dogs in Wuhan market as pandemic trigger. It’s controversial”
A 2024 Media Research Center study found that PBS’s coverage of the Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while coverage of the Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
ICYMI: Padilla, Western Senators Introduce Bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act to Combat Wildfires
A list of Senate Fix Our Forests Act provisions particularly impactful for California is available here
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, last week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Wildfire Caucus, and Senators John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act, bipartisan legislation to combat catastrophic wildfires, restore forest ecosystems, and make federal forest management more efficient and responsive.
The comprehensive Senate bill reflects months of bipartisan Senate negotiations to find consensus on how to best improve forest management practices, accelerate processes to protect communities, advance watershed restoration, and strengthen partnerships between federal agencies, states, tribes, and private stakeholders. The Senate version of the bill would also bolster coordination efforts across agencies through a new Wildfire Intelligence Center, which would streamline the federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combating wildfires.
A one-pager on the bill is available here.
See coverage on the Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act below:
LA Times: California Sen. Padilla hopes Fix Our Forests Act will prevent more L.A. fires
By Faith E. Pinho
Months after wildfires ravaged Los Angeles County, California Sen. Alex Padilla is hoping his bill to overhaul forest management and prevent wildfires might be the first bipartisan measure for President Trump to sign.
“I don’t think anything could completely prevent wildfires, but through this work, if we can prevent just one more community from experiencing the heartbreak felt by the families in Santa Rosa or in Paradise or the Pacific Palisades and Altadena, then this effort would’ve been worth it,” Padilla said Thursday.
Padilla, who chairs the Senate Wildfire Caucus, joined with a bipartisan group of senators from the West — Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) — to introduce the Fix Our Forests Act, which mirrors a bipartisan measure of the same name that the House passed in January.
The Fix Our Forests Act would usher in sweeping changes to how the federal government manages its land — which constitutes 45% of the uninhabited, wildfire-prone land in California, according to the Congressional Research Service. It would create a wildfire intelligence center to centralize federal management, require assessments of fireshed areas and streamline how communities reduce their wildfire risk. It also would ramp up research into wildfire mitigation technologies and change some forestation treatments. […]
Padilla argued that his bill improved upon issues brought by those groups, including adding a provision for prescribed burns, “building on the expertise and experience of Native American tribes that have been implementing prescribed fires for generations.”
The Senate version also redefined projects eligible for grants, “to make sure that the L.A. would be eligible right now,” said Matt Weiner, chief executive and founder of the advocacy organization Megafire Action, which pushed for the legislation.
“I think it’s pretty crazy, frankly, that we’re on the cusp of getting to the president’s desk here a bill that he could sign into law that would be bipartisan and one of the most comprehensive rewrites of federal wildfire policy in decades,” Weiner said. “Amid all the chaos, there’s an opportunity to do something really meaningful here in a bipartisan way.” […]
California’s leaders — including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler — applauded the Senate version of the bill. Newsom pointed to his own efforts temporarily lifting state regulations to speed up rebuilding in the wake of the L.A. fires.
“The Fix Our Forest Act is a step forward that will build on this progress — enabling good projects to happen faster on federal lands,” Newsom said in a statement.
Axios San Diego: New bill aims to bolster fight against wildfires in California
By Kate Murphy
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the West is introducing a bill to combat “catastrophic” wildfires and overhaul forest management.
Why it matters: Climate change and drought are causing wildfires to become more intense, widespread and harder to put out.
The legislation comes after the Los Angeles County blazes in January were called one of the costliest wildfire events in U.S. history, with estimated damages reaching up to $131 billion.
State of play: Some highlights of the Fix Our Forests Act — sponsored by Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) —are :
Reducing wildfire risks in certain areas with more cross-boundary collaboration.
Creating an interagency program to help communities build wildfire-resistant measures.
Increasing research to test and utilize wildfire prevention technologies. […]
What they’re saying: As the state faces more frequent and catastrophic wildfires, this bill “prioritizes building fire-resilient communities, accelerating the removal of hazardous fuels, and strengthening coordination across federal, state, and tribal agencies, including through the creation of the first-ever National Wildfire Intelligence Center,” Sen. Padilla said in a statement.
PoliticoPro: Western senators lead bipartisan push for wildfire mitigation bill
By Jordan Wolman
A bipartisan group Western-state senators is planning to introduce wildfire mitigation legislation that would expedite forest-thinning projects, establish an interagency risk-and-response center and set stricter limits on legal challenges.
Republicans John Curtis of Utah and Tim Sheehy of Montana are joining Democrats Alex Padilla of California and John Hickenlooper of Colorado in sponsoring the Fix Our Forests Act, according to a draft of the bill shared first with POLITICO.
The legislation, which passed the House in a bipartisan vote earlier this year after wildfires devastated Los Angeles, presents a rare opportunity for compromise in Congress and a chance for progress on forestry and wildfire issues that have plagued the West in recent years. […]
The Senate bill also has support from groups including The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, International Association of Fire Chiefs and Megafire Action.
The Senate version of the bill has received significant support from environmental groups, first responders, and wildfire organizations, including:
The Nature Conservancy; National Wildlife Federation; Environmental Defense Fund; National Audubon Society; Citizens’ Climate Lobby; Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership; Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition; The Stewardship Project; the Federation of American Scientists; CAL FIRE; the International Association of Fire Chiefs; Alliance for Wildfire Resilience; Megafire Action; the Association for Firetech Innovation; Climate & Wildfire Institute; Tall Timbers; Bipartisan Policy Center Action (BPC Action); Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO); the American Property Casualty Insurance Association; and the Property and Environment Research Center.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Schiff, Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats Request U.S. Marshals Service Investigation Into Escalating Threats Against Judges
Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats ask Marshals to proactively investigate unlawful threats and prepare to protect judges and their family members in the current heightened threat environment
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and all Committee Democrats warned the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) about the elevated threat environment for federal judges, Supreme Court justices, and their families and requested information about USMS’ ability to investigate the threats against the judiciary.
“The USMS’s Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report noted an increase in ‘the need for protective services’ and ‘the number and intensity of concerning and potentially threatening electronic communications related to’ judges and other persons involved in the judicial process. Since then, federal judges at all levels of the judiciary and appointed by presidents of both parties have expressed concern for their and their colleagues’ safety as a result of this threat environment. The level of these threats was sufficient to spur the federal judiciary to establish a Judicial Security and Independence Task Force,” wrote the Senators.
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts announced the Judicial Security and Independence Task Force to respond to the growing number of threats to sitting federal judges, the judiciary’s latest effort to protect its judges and staff against violence and intimidation. In their letter, the Senators urged the Marshals to investigate the sources of these threats and determine whether they violate federal law. The Senators also asked whether the Marshals have sufficient resources to protect judges and their families and whether recent cuts to Justice Department funding and personnel have hindered the Marshals’ ability to conduct the necessary investigations.
“The USMS, as the agency primarily responsible for the federal judiciary’s safety, must protect against these threats. As family members increasingly become targets, USMS should be prepared to provide protection as needed for targeted family members. USMS must also proactively investigate the sources of these threats, both for a full understanding of the threat environment and to determine whether civil or criminal remedies are appropriate,” continued the Senators.
Federal judges, Supreme Court justices, and their family members have faced relentless attacks, especially on social media, which have escalated in recent years. A Supreme Court justice was the target of an assassination attempt, another justice’s family member received bomb threats at her residence, a federal judge’s child was threatened, and several federal judges have had deliveries anonymously sent to their residences in an apparent warning that people know their address.
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, led the letter. In addition to Padilla and Schiff, the letter was also signed by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Acting Director Pittella:
We write to request a briefing at your earliest convenience on the U.S. Marshals Service’s (USMS) response to threats against federal judges. These increasing threats of violence may endanger our system of government as well as the lives of these judges and their families— including in our home states.
In February 2024, former USMS Director Ronald Davis testified that “[t]he number of verified threats against federal judges has doubled in the last three years.” Additionally, in January 2025, the USMS’s Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report noted an increase in “the need for protective services” and “the number and intensity of concerning and potentially threatening electronic communications related to” judges and other persons involved in the judicial process. Since then, federal judges at all levels of the judiciary and appointed by presidents of both parties have expressed concern for their and their colleagues’ safety as a result of this threat environment. The level of these threats was sufficient to spur the federal judiciary to establish a Judicial Security and Independence Task Force.
The USMS, as the agency primarily responsible for the federal judiciary’s safety, must protect against these threats. As family members increasingly become targets, USMS should be prepared to provide protection as needed for targeted family members. USMS must also proactively investigate the sources of these threats, both for a full understanding of the threat environment and to determine whether civil or criminal remedies are appropriate, including potential violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1503.
We would like to ensure that USMS has allocated its resources to fulfill these missions and to ensure that the USMS’s work has not been damaged by DOJ personnel and funding cuts. Please let us know if additional USMS resources are necessary to guarantee the protection of our federal judges and their families.
To prepare for the briefing, we request answers to the below questions related to USMS’s work on this front.
1. How has USMS responded to the threat environment with respect to federal judges?
2. What steps has USMS taken to ensure the safety of judges’ family members as part of this threat environment?
3. What is USMS’s current capacity to investigate threats against judges and their family members?
4. What is USMS’s current capacity to analyze trends related to threats against judges and their family members, including the sources of those threat trends?
5. Have any recent executive branch personnel or funding decisions affected USMS’s capacity to investigate or respond to threats against judges and their family members?
6. Does USMS need any additional resources to investigate and respond to threats against judges and their family members?
7. Has USMS, whether in conjunction with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices or otherwise, evaluated whether any threats against judges or their family members constitute potential obstruction under 18 U.S.C. § 1503 or any related federal statute? What is the investigation protocol USMS follows for such threats?
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to your response and a briefing.
Sincerely,
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Boston (April 14, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and Congress’s leading proponent for funding for public broadcasting, released the following statement today after news reports stated that the Trump administration is seeking to rescind funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as part of a larger rescission package it plans to send to Capitol Hill.
There are 170 locally-operated, locally-controlled, locally-focused public television licensees in the country, which reach almost 97 percent of Americans, including many rural and remote communities where commercial television can’t succeed. For the 22nd year in a row, public television was ranked the most trusted institution, with 76 percent of Americans agreeing that public television provides an excellent value to communities.
“The White House’s attempt to gut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is an outrageous and reckless attack on one of our most trusted civic institutions,” said Senator Markey. “The CPB supports a public media system that keeps communities informed, educates our children, and reflects the full breadth of America. This rescission package threatens that mission — and would harm the millions of Americans, especially in rural and underserved communities, who rely on public television and radio as their only source of news, culture, and educational programming.
“From ‘PBS NewsHour’ to ‘Sesame Street,’ public television has set the gold standard for programming that empowers viewers, particularly young minds. Cutting off this lifeline is not budget discipline, it’s cultural sabotage. I will fight to ensure that the Trump administration doesn’t pull the plug on this essential public good.”
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
CHARLESTON, S.C. — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R- S.C.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Scott Turner, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, visited One80 Place, an affordable housing development project in Charleston, South Carolina. One80 Place also has a 6-story, $44 million housing and shelter project currently under construction. Located in an Opportunity Zone, the 70 affordable housing units and 65-bed family shelter will be the first of its kind in the area with hopes to replicate the project across the country in the future.
“To have the Secretary of HUD to stop by Charleston, South Carolina, invest his valuable time in seeing the progress that we are making as a community, it is a blessing…and it is also a blessing to have One80 Place working so hard on behalf of a critical issue. One of our top goals on the [Senate Banking] Committee is housing and affordability, and I’m thankful that we have a partner who’s on the job every single day, leading the way from Washington, and many people in the local community, on the job, every single day, helping us take care of our own communities,” Senator Scott said at the visit. “Certainly, we’re focusing on the regulatory environment. And frankly, the private sector as well…you look at our bill, the ROAD to Housing Act, it focuses on relieving some of the pressure in the system from a regulatory perspective. [I believe] that will allow for more homeownership, faster.”
Background
Senator Scott’s Opportunity Zones initiative has driven $84.7 billion to underserved communities, unlocking economic opportunities that were not previously available. As the leader of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during President Trump’s first term, Secretary Turner has been key to the success of the initiative, which has drawn bipartisan praise from the likes of then-Governor John Hickenlooper, Governor Gavin Newsome, and then-Mayor Pete Buttigieg. The Senator is looking forward to working with President Trump and his Republican colleagues on a package to broaden and extend Opportunity Zones and continue driving economic development in the communities that need it most.
The Opportunity Zones (OZ) tax incentive is helping tackle the nation’s housing crisis by making significant increases in housing supply. According to the Economic Innovation Group, OZs have led to:
A significant and immediate increase in new commercial and residential development activity in targeted low-income communities, according to a study of building permits across 47 large cities through June 2022.
The likelihood of investment in a designated census tract in a given month jumped by over 20 percent after OZs were enacted.
The doubling of new national multifamily housing developments.
OZs are home to about 10 percent of the country’s population but now account for 20 percent of all new market-rate multifamily apartment units being developed in the country.
The creation of 172,000 new apartment units across 972 developments and 2,014 cities.
In his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, Secretary Turner committed to visit areas like Charleston, South Carolina, to see firsthand the housing challenges Americans across the country face. In an interview earlier this year, Secretary Turner cited Senator Scott’s ROAD to Housing Act as a priority to help unleash investment in affordable housing initiatives across the country.
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in a letter demanding that the Trump Administration reinstate federal workers who run a federal program that helps lower home cooling and heating costs for hardworking families. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) allows families with children and seniors on fixed incomes to stay cool in the extremely hot summers and warm in the winter. This month, every single worker who helps administer this critically important program was arbitrarily fired by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
“Last year, LIHEAP provided over 6 million American households with the assistance they needed to heat their homes during extremely cold winters and to keep air conditioners running in the soaring heat,” wrote the Senators. “Without this bipartisan program, Americans throughout the country would be forced to make the unacceptable choice between putting food on the table, paying for prescription drugs, or heating their homes in the winter.”
“Therefore, we urge you to immediately reinstate all of the LIHEAP staff that were terminated, reopen the Division of Energy Assistance (DEA) that administers this program, and disburse all of the LIHEAP funds that Congress has appropriated,” the Senators’ letter continued. “Being able to heat your home in the freezing cold and keep the air condition on in the extreme heat is not a luxury. It is a matter of life and death.”
The full letter can be found HERE.
For nearly 45 years, LIHEAP has helped families across Nevada pay home cooling bills in the summer and heating bills in the winter, and prevent energy shutoffs, restore services, make energy-related home repairs, and make homes more energy efficient. Rising energy costs have made this assistance even more important for working families, seniors, and people with disabilities. According to the Census Bureau, more than 23 percent of households report that they were unable to pay their energy bills in full last year.
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) applauded Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin for announcing an expedited plan to clean up St. Louis’ West Lake Landfill two years earlier than originally planned. The EPA’s newly released report comes after Senator Hawley hosted Administrator Zeldin at West Lake Landfill and Coldwater Creek last month so he could witness the radioactive waste and its aftermath firsthand.
In the report, Administrator Zeldin notes the challenges that have plagued Missourians for years as a result of the federal government illegally dumping the radioactive waste decades ago.
“Meeting and speaking with the St. Louis community members who have long endured radioactive waste in their community was beyond moving. This moment requires an unprecedented effort to clean up the West Lake Landfill and impacted sites in the area. I look forward to partnering with Senator Josh Hawley to achieve remarkable and urgent progress,” said EPA Administrator Zeldin.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and colleagues introduced the LIABLE Act, which removes immunity from, and allows suits against, international organizations that provide material support to designated terror groups which commit terrorism against Americans.
Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “The United Nations Relief and Works Agency officials have for decades knowingly provided support to Hamas terrorists, including salaries and materials. That support facilitated Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7th, which was the worst one-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and included the murder and kidnapping of dozens of Americans. Those victims and their families deserve the ability to hold UNRWA accountable, and the LIABLE Act would give them that opportunity.”
The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.).
Sen. Cramer said, “International organizations who knowingly support foreign terrorist organizations should be held legally responsible for their complicity in terrorism. The LIABLE Act ensures those who provide material support to terrorism—whether through direct involvement or by aiding and abetting—can no longer hide behind legal immunity.”
Sen. Budd said, “I’m proud to stand with Senator Cruz and my colleagues to introduce the LIABLE Act, which would ensure that victims of terrorism, along with their families, can seek justice and hold international organizations accountable for aiding and abetting terrorist acts. There is no better example of this than UNRWA, an organization with longstanding ties to Hamas, whose staff members participated in the horrific October 7th attacks. America must send a clear message: supporting terrorism will never be tolerated or ignored.”
Sen. Ricketts said, “UNRWA employees provided material support for Hamas terrorists and contributed to the barbaric October 7th attacks,” said Ricketts. “They need to be held accountable for aiding and abetting terrorism. This bill will enable American victims of terrorism to get justice.”
Sen. Hagerty said, “UNRWA has provided material support to the terrorist organization Hamas and has cultivated anti-Israel extremism and terrorism. UNRWA employees directly participated in the terrorist attacks of October 7th that killed dozens of Americans and UNRWA schools produced over 100 graduates who participated in the atrocities of that terrible day. I am proud to cosponsor this necessary legislation that makes it possible to hold UNRWA accountable for its complicity in terrorism.”
Sen. Barrasso said, “Any international organization aiding terrorist groups must be investigated and held accountable. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency has a lot to answer for after providing resources to Hamas terrorists. The blood of innocent Americans and Israelis who were kidnapped or killed on October 7 is on their hands. I am proud to join Senator Cruz and my colleagues on this important legislation to give victims and their families an opportunity for much-deserved justice.”
Sen. Scott said, “For years, UNRWA has been aiding Iran-backed Hamas in their spread of hateful antisemitism. UNRWA has supported Hamas in enabling these terrorists to commit the horrific massacre and mass kidnapping of Israelis and Jewish Americans over 550 days ago, on October 7th, and the sick individuals responsible for this terrorism must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I’m proud to join my colleague, Senator Ted Cruz, to introduce the LIABLE Act and ensure the victims and their families can finally bring UNRWA to justice.”
Sen. Schmitt said, “International organization like UNWRA are deeply tied with Hamas and must be held accountable for playing a role in kidnapping, murdering, and maiming countless innocent lives on October 7th. I am proud to stand with Senator Cruz as a cosponsor of the LIABLE Act to hold these organizations accountable.”
Read the bill text here.
BACKGROUND
The Limiting Immunity for Assisting Backers of Lethal Extremism (LIABLE) Act would allow American victims of terrorist groups to sue international organizations that provide resources to terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. These organizations would otherwise be immune from lawsuits pursuant to the International Organization Immunity Act (IOIA), which parallels the immunity provided to foreign states through the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA).
During the Biden administration, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) received hundreds of millions of dollars which was poured into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. That process would normally constitute material support for terrorism, because the assistance directly and indirectly benefits Hamas—a known terrorist group. And yet, the Biden administration granted waivers among other legislative measures to circumvent the law and enable UNRWA to support Hamas.
ICYMI: WSJ Op-Ed: “Let Terror Victims Sue UNRWA”
Sen. Cruz and colleagues wrote to then-AG Garland urging the U.S. Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into UNRWA USA, a U.S.-based non-profit that raises funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), for providing material support for terrorism.
Sen. Cruz is committed to being the Senate leader in supporting our ally, Israel, and bolstering the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Sen. Cruz introduced a bill to designate the Iranian-controlled Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization.
Sen. Cruz led a letter to then-U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield opposing Palestinian effort to suspend Israel from the U.N. General Assembly.
Sen. Cruz introduced the Terminating Unlawful Negligence and Nullifying Exemptions and Licenses to Sanctions (TUNNELS) Act of 2024, to rescind the licenses employed by the Biden administration to channel U.S. aid through international and non-governmental organizations to Gaza, and prevent these licenses from being reissued.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
April 08, 2025
The Social Security Administration last week wrongly informed some recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the federal program that provides financial assistance to disabled Americans and low-income senior citizens, that they were no longer receiving benefits.
The agency’s website informed some SSI recipients they are “currently not receiving payments,” according to an April 7 letter from senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Mark Kelly of Arizona to Social Security Administration Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek.
The payment history and all data about benefits for SSI recipients had also vanished, they wrote, adding that they received multiple reports from constituents about the error.
“In my 50 years of work on Social Security and SSI, I have never heard of this happening before,” said Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the program, of the SSI error.
Chris Hubbard, whose 37-year-old disabled adult son relies on the program to pay for his group home, told CBS MoneyWatch she became aware of the problem on March 31, when people in a Facebook group for mothers of autistic children flagged the problem.
Hubbard, who lives with her husband in Westborough, Massachusetts, said she checked her son’s account and was alarmed to find a similar message, leading her to stay up through the night to keep refreshing the page. She fell asleep at 5 a.m. without seeing a change, she said.
“I was continuing to be worried because the message was still on the site, saying this beneficiary doesn’t receive payments,” Hubbard said.
The next morning, however, the correct information was on her son’s page, and the money was deposited on April 1, as scheduled. But she and her husband say they received no outreach from Social Security about the problem, or an explanation of the error. They opted against calling the agency because of the long waits now often required to get someone on the phone.
The Hubbards said they’re worried the glitch could signal more problems with the service, pointing to the potential impact of cuts to SSA’s workforce.
“There’s great concern about this happening again, and why did it happen in the first place?” Tom Hubbard said.
The Social Security Administration told CBS MoneyWatch that the issue was limited to SSI recipients, adding, it “did not impact Social Security or Medicare only beneficiaries.” A spokesperson for the agency said, “This particular issue was resolved less than twenty-four hours later. All my Social Security user logins are again able to connect and view the proper benefit information.”
DOGE changes
The SSI error is concerning because it impacts “some of the most vulnerable in the nation — low-income seniors and children and adults with disabilities — and [they] face extraordinary hardship if their benefits are delayed or disrupted,” the senators wrote in their letter.
The SSI issue could be the result of changes happening at the Social Security Administration under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, Altman said. Musk has claimed that the system is rife with fraud, and alleged the program is “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.”
In recent weeks, the Social Security website has suffered from a number of outages that lasted as long as a day, according to an April 7 Washington Post report. The Social Security Administration told CBS MoneyWatch that the “brief disruptions” lasted about 20 minutes each, on average.
“Before Trump, Musk and DOGE took over, there were no major crashes or glitches on SSA’s website to speak of,” noted Maria Freese, senior Social Security expert at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, an advocacy group focused on retirement issues. “Certainly there were no messages going out telling people erroneously that their benefits were discontinued.”
The maximum monthly SSI payment is $967 for an individual in 2025, with the program aimed at helping people with disabilities and seniors with no or little income. Most SSI recipients have income below the poverty line, according to the Roosevelt Institute.
“SSI recipients experience economic precarity at high rates, and even brief disruptions to benefits could have devastating impacts for these beneficiaries,” the senators wrote in their April 7 letter. “These recent reports of disruption—or threats of disruption— of Social Security benefits is deeply troubling.”
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
April 10, 2025
President Trump’s promises that Social Security benefits will not be cut are providing little reassurance to Massachusetts residents, advocates and employees who are witnessing changes to the program firsthand.
The Trump administration has slashed the nearly 90-year-old agency’s workforce as part of an effort to downsize the federal government. Though no cuts have been made to individual benefits, service delays and staffing reductions are creating anxiety for people across the state.
WBUR is a nonprofit news organization. Our coverage relies on your financial support. If you value articles like the one you’re reading right now, give today.
“They may not be cutting the dollar amount that an individual has earned and is slated to receive, but it’s still a cut if that individual can’t access those funds,” said Betsy Connell, executive director of the Massachusetts Councils on Aging. “If you cut staff, and you cut access to the administration of those services, you’re going to impede people from accessing those benefits.”
Nearly 1.5 million people in the state — about one in five residents — receive Social Security. The federal program provides retirement benefits and disability income to qualified people and often serves as their primary — or only — source of income, advocates say. Massachusetts is home to the highest percentage of older adults in the country living alone and in poverty, according to the Gerontology Institute at UMass Boston.
In recent weeks, phones have been ringing at local councils on aging, elected officials’ offices and Social Security field offices. Often it’s people expressing concern and confusion, advocates say, but there have also been complaints about delayed benefits, long wait times and unexplained errors.
Changes at the agency
The Social Security Administration has cut some 7,000 jobs, including about 3,000 employees who accepted a buyout offer or early retirement. More staff reductions are expected at the agency in the coming weeks.
Rich Couture, a spokesman for the union representing Social Security workers, said the exodus has damaged the agency, which was already at a 50-year staffing low. He said it has caused rising wait times on the national information hotline and longer approval periods for benefits.
In Massachusetts, many field offices in and around Boston were not meeting the agency’s goal of processing 83% of claims within two weeks of filing before the cuts.
Camillie Piñeiro, who works in the Springfield office, said the site is already understaffed by 13 employees, and five more plan to take the early retirement offer.
“People with the most experience have been incentivized to walk away,” Piñeiro said. “The more understaffed we are, the bigger the burden on those that stay.”
The smaller workforce could pose an even bigger problem starting April 14, when many people seeking benefits will need in-person appointments to verify their identities. The new policy was scaled back after advocates and lawmakers raised concerns about barriers to service. Still, Piñeiro said half the calls she answers on the general inquiry line are from people worried their benefits will be stopped if they can’t make it into the office.
Some Social Security beneficiaries don’t live near a field office or lack access to public transportation. In Massachusetts, the Greenfield field office closed over a decade ago, leaving a gap in Franklin County, a largely rural area where 18,925 residents receive Social Security, according to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., joined at right by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, criticizes efforts by President Trump, Elon Musk, and Republicans in Congress to compromise the Social Security program, in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Concerns about in-person service have been exacerbated by the Trump administration’s plans to close federal buildings. No Massachusetts sites are on the list of Social Security offices closing this year. But the Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Federal Building in Boston, which houses a Social Security office, was on a list of buildings to sell that the Trump administration posted and later took down in March. Union spokesman Couture worries the federal government will again target the O’Neill building for closure.
“All these federal buildings — well, that’s one avenue for closure,” Couture said. “So the entire system is under attack.”
Another change causing concern is a new overpayment policy, Piñeiro said. In the past, the agency deducted 10% of a recipient’s monthly benefit if they had received more than they were entitled to. This can result from a mistake on Social Security’s part or a failure to make updates that might impact a person’s benefits.
Now, the agency is withholding all funds until any overpayment is addressed.
“That brings people into the office in a state of desperation,” Piñeiro said. “Retirees cannot afford to lose for one month their benefit.”
Billionaire Elon Musk, who is helming DOGE, the White House’s cost-cutting unit, has repeatedly cited Social Security fraud as a significant problem. But Couture said the fraud rate is far less than 1% of payments a year.
“One of the ways to mitigate this is to provide the agency with resources,” Couture said. “Overpayments could be avoided with adequate staffing.”
Delays and confusion
Some Massachusetts residents have reported long wait times, payment delays and confusing messages in their online account portals.
Carolyn Villers, executive director of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, said her organization joined a lawsuit filed last Wednesday alleging DOGE and the Social Security Administration’s actions violate laws protecting the benefit. Villers said her group has received concerning reports in recent weeks that include payment delays.
Two individuals who were set to receive benefits on March 26 didn’t receive their checks until April 1, leaving one woman unable to pay her rent on time, Villers said, calling it “alarming.”
“I have worked with Mass Senior Action 20 years this fall, and I have never heard of people getting delayed or late payments, certainly without explanation,” she said.
She said she has also heard reports of phone wait times exceeding three hours and limited availability for in-person appointments. One woman was told she would have to wait 40 days — more than a month — for an appointment at any of the six offices in her region, Villers said.
“Until recently, I had not heard of people who called and were told ‘no available appointments,’ ” Villers said. “We have seen and heard from our members and the larger community that there has been a noticeable shift in a lack of access.”
Error reports also appear to be on the rise, Villers said. Concerns have circulated on social media from people who found notices in their online accounts that said they are no longer receiving benefits.
Tom and Christine, a Westborough couple who asked WBUR to withhold their last name because they fear retribution for speaking out, received one such notice. They logged in March 31 to check the account of their son Ned, who has autism. He gets Social Security disability benefits that help pay for the group home where he receives 24/7 care.
The notice on his account caused them to panic, said Chistine. She said she worried that she might have to reapply for her son’s benefits. It turned out to be an error, and the payment arrived on time the following day.
The family also had to wait three weeks to schedule an appointment for Ned’s Medicare benefits. Christine said these experiences have shaken her confidence in the system.
“These are not people we need to stress more, and these are not families we need to stress more,” she said.
Taking action
Massachusetts’ two U.S. senators, both Democrats, say they’re fighting to preserve Social Security benefits.
Last week, Sen. Warren and three other Democratic senators launched a “Social Security War Room” to educate the public about cuts and encourage grassroots activism.
“It is about having a place to bring the stories, so we can have all of the American people privy to what we hear when we’re back home,” Warren told reporters.
Sen. Ed Markey said his office has contacted Social Security officials about complaints from his constituents.
“My office is contacted daily by senior citizens who are terrified that they will lose the earned benefits they rely on to eat and to keep a roof over their head,” he told reporters last month.
Musk and his DOGE team have yet to comment on the lawsuit the Massachusetts Senior Action Council and four other groups filed with seven beneficiaries.
“We keep hearing the administration and Trump say, ‘We’re not gonna cut Social Security.’ Well, they are,” Villers said. “These delays and disruptions that are creating barriers to people accessing their earned benefits are absolutely a cut.”
This story is part of a partnership between WBUR and the Boston University Department of Journalism.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
After reports of repeated crashes and other problems with the US Social Security Administration’s website last week, Senator Elizabeth Warren and other lawmakers are demanding answers about the disruptions following moves by the Trump administration to downsize the agency and cut workers.
In a letter to Acting Social Security Commissioner Leland Dudek on Monday, Warren, along with Democratic Senators Mark Kelly of Arizona and Ron Wyden of Oregon, said they are concerned the website problems and efforts to “hollow out” the agency are “a precursor to attempts to make further cuts to Social Security, or privatize it entirely.”
“These beneficiaries are some of the most vulnerable in the nation — low-income seniors and children and adults with disabilities — and face extraordinary hardship if their benefits are delayed or disrupted,” the senators wrote in the letter.
“It would be outrageous if the Trump Administration, either due to incompetence or nefarious planning, is already disrupting, or threatening to disrupt, Social Security payments for the most vulnerable citizens in the country.”
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
President Trump has repeatedly said his administration will not cut Social Security benefits, but agency employees are leaving and threats of deeper staff cuts loom.
Warren and her two Senate colleagues said constituents who receive Supplemental Security Income, a federal antipoverty benefit, reported last week that after logging into their accounts on the Social Security website, they found a message saying that they are “currently not receiving payments.” Their payment histories and other data had also disappeared, the lawmakers wrote. The glitches were only temporary for some people.
“Some of these constituents have informed us that the issue was quickly resolved and that their profiles now accurately reflect that they are recipients, but it is unclear if these problems have been fully resolved,” the letter read.
Warren and her colleagues said any disruption to the Social Security system “could have devastating impacts” for the 7.4 million American adults and children who receive SSI payments, about 40 percent of whom live below the poverty line.
SSI beneficiaries have little to fall back on if their monthly benefits were to be paused or delayed, as recipients cannot have more than $2,000 in their bank account at a given time (or $3,000 for couples) to qualify, according to Warren and her colleagues.
The letter included a series of questions about the disruptions and operations at the Social Security Administration, including whether the problems are linked to aggressive cuts at the agency by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency.
In a press release accompanying the letter to Dudek, Warren said the inquiry marks the first investigation of her Social Security War Room that she created with other Senate Democrats. The group, her office said, represents “a coordinated effort to protect Americans’ Social Security from Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s efforts to gut the agency.”
The Trump administration’s cost-cutting efforts have imposed a downsizing that has led to7,000Social Security job cuts with potentially thousands more to come at an agency that serves 73 million Americans. The new demands from DOGE include a 50 percent cut to the technology divisionresponsible for the website and other electronic access.
Many of the network outages appear to be caused by an expanded fraud check system imposed by the DOGE team, the Washington Post reported. The technology staff did not test the new software against a high volume of users to see if the servers could handle the rush, the newspaper reported, citing current and former officials.
The website saw a surge in visitors as nervous recipients sought to confirm the existence of their benefits and download their statements.
The problems could continue next week when new identification measures take effect that will require customers applying for benefits to authenticate their identity online, part of the administration’s campaign to root out allegedly fraudulent claims. Those who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service, will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process, officials said.
Material from Globe wire services was used in this report.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
BURLINGTON, Vt., April 14 – In an Oval Office meeting with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, President Trump failed to demand the release of Kilmer Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was wrongly deported from the United States and sent to a Salvadoran prison. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement in response:
Just a few weeks ago, the Trump administration admitted that the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father of three who has been in the country more than decade, was an “administrative error.”
Then, the U.S. Supreme Court — in a 9-0 decision backed by every Trump-appointed justice — ruled that the administration must bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States.
Now, in open defiance of the Supreme Court and without any evidence, the White House claims that Abrego Garcia is a “terrorist,” who was “sent to the right place.”
This is a blatant LIE. As Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, “To this day, the Government has cited no basis in law for Abrego Garcia’s warrantless arrest, his removal to El Salvador, or his confinement in a Salvadoran prison. Nor could it. The Government remains bound by an Immigration Judge’s 2019 order expressly prohibiting Abrego Garcia’s removal to El Salvador.”
Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an innocent man and the father of three. He must not be allowed to rot in an El Salvadorian jail based on lies and defiance of our Constitution. He must be brought home immediately.
This is just another step forward in Trump’s move toward authoritarianism.
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) recently introduced legislation to increase the percentage limitation on assets of real estate investment trusts (REIT) which may be held in taxable REIT subsidiaries.
“By increasing the percentage limitation on assets of real estate investment trusts that can be held in taxable REIT subsidiaries, we are providing businesses with greater flexibility to grow and invest,” said Senator Tillis. “This much-needed change will help REITs continue to invest in critical sectors like infrastructure, and ensure American businesses remain competitive in the global economy.”
“Real estate investments contribute millions to Georgia’s economy, and I’m proud to work alongside Senator Tillis to enable these businesses in critical sectors, like timber, to grow,” said Senator Warnock.
“S. 1334 to restore the taxable REIT subsidiary asset limit from 20 percent to 25 percent is a very important step to grow the domestic lumber manufacturing base,” said Kristen Sawin, Vice President Government and Corporate Affairs, Weyerhaeuser. “Increasing the taxable REIT subsidiary limit back to 25 percent would allow companies like Weyerhaeuser to increase investment in its wood products business in the United States. We appreciate the leadership of Senators Tillis and Warnock on this important piece of legislation.”
“PotlatchDeltic Corporation is delighted by Senator Warnock’s and Senator Tillis’s sponsorship of Senate Bill 1334,” said Wayne Wasechek, Chief Financial Officer, PotlatchDeltic Corporation. “This bill will provide meaningful headroom for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) to grow their taxable REIT subsidiaries (TRS) from a current maximum value of 20% of the REIT’s total asset value up to 25%. Timberland REITs like PotlatchDeltic can have vertically integrated manufacturing businesses such as sawmills which must reside in a TRS. Passage of this bill will provide a much-needed buffer, enabling REITs to continue investing in manufacturing activities in its TRS, exemplified by PotlatchDeltic’s recent $131 million modernization project at our Waldo, Arkansas sawmill. These investments in manufacturing activities and assets are critical for supporting rural jobs and communities and generating market demand and ensuring the sustainable management of our working forests. We are excited to see the bipartisan support for Senate Bill 1334 and appreciate the leadership of Senator Warnock and Senator Tillis in sponsoring this crucial legislation.”
“Nareit supports U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in their bipartisan effort to introduce Senate legislation aimed at increasing the limit on the amount of assets a REIT can own through a fully taxable subsidiary. The current 20 percent cap has presented challenges for REITs seeking to invest additional capital in real estate and related assets, particularly in sectors like infrastructure. Raising the threshold to 25 percent would restore the limit to its previous level, enabling U.S.-based businesses to continue to grow and stay competitive in this transitioning and global economy. Nareit thanks the Senators for their leadership on this important issue,” said the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (Nareit).
Full text of the bill is available HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), joined by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) and Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), wrote to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem urging the Department to reverse its decision canceling the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities (BRIC) program, which included funding for two major projects in Richmond and Portsmouth, as well as tens of millions in funding for other communities across the Commonwealth.
BRIC was established by Congress through the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to support state and local governments in reducing risks posed by natural hazards and future disasters. The bipartisan infrastructure law, which Sens. Warner and Kaine supported and saw through final passage, included $1 billion in funding for BRIC projects over five years, including $133 million that has already been provided to applicants.
Through the BRIC program, Virginia had been set to receive tens of millions in funding for critical projects, including $12 million to make improvements to the Richmond Water Treatment Facility and $24 million to enhance the Lake Meade Dam in Portsmouth. However, DHS recently notified applicants that it was terminating the BRIC program and canceling all applications for funding through the BRIC program – including projects that had already been awarded funding.
“We strongly urge you to reverse this decision that will impact vulnerable residents, businesses, and critical infrastructure in Virginia,” the lawmakers wrote to Sec. Noem.
They continued, “BRIC projects support Virginia localities as they work to reduce immediate hazard risks that threaten community safety. For example, the city of Richmond was awarded $11.99 million in FY2022 to address design flaws and degradation at the Richmond Water Treatment Facility. This facility serves 4,721 businesses, 360 public properties, and 780 essential community facilities. The project is intended to protect water treatment and distribution services for those within the facility’s service area, making the plant more resilient to 100-year flood events. Unfortunately, the necessity of this award was made clear earlier this year when the facility experienced a power failure that resulted in loss of water service for residents across the region. If this award is revoked, the region will be more susceptible to future water contaminations and disruptions in water delivery.
The lawmakers highlighted how the cancelation of this funding will impact vulnerable residents, businesses, and critical infrastructure in Virginia, specifically underscoring that these projects are already underway.
Added the members, “The potential revocation of existing BRIC awards is an unanticipated shock to Virginia localities that have budgeted, planned, and in some cases begun work on these crucial projects. The city of Portsmouth received a $24.21 million BRIC award in FY2022 to protect the community’s drinking water supply by enhancing the Lake Meade Dam. The dam, which serves as a critical reservoir for drinking water and supplies residential, commercial, and industrial users in the Hampton Roads area, is at risk of instability and potential overtopping during heavy precipitation events. The project involves strengthening the dam, upgrading spillways, and improving flood protection, all of which serves to protect the more than 80 occupied residential properties and almost 30 businesses within the dam break inundation zone.”
“The mission of the BRIC program is to build more resilient communities to prevent the need for reactive and more costly disaster spending. Terminating this program – and many of the awards made in recent years – will make communities in Virginia less resilient and more vulnerable to disaster events. We urge you to maintain this critical funding for localities in Virginia,” they concluded.
A copy of letter is available here and text is below.
Dear Secretary Noem:
We write regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent decision to end the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and cancel BRIC applications from Fiscal Years (FY) 2020 – 2023. We strongly urge you to reverse this decision that will impact vulnerable residents, businesses, and critical infrastructure in Virginia.
BRIC projects support Virginia localities as they work to reduce immediate hazard risks that threaten community safety. For example, the city of Richmond was awarded $11.99 million in FY2022 to address design flaws and degradation at the Richmond Water Treatment Facility. This facility serves 4,721 businesses, 360 public properties, and 780 essential community facilities. The project is intended to protect water treatment and distribution services for those within the facility’s service area, making the plant more resilient to 100-year flood events. Unfortunately, the necessity of this award was made clear earlier this year when the facility experienced a power failure that resulted in loss of water service for residents across the region. If this award is revoked, the region will be more susceptible to future water contaminations and disruptions in water delivery.
The potential revocation of existing BRIC awards is an unanticipated shock to Virginia localities that have budgeted, planned, and in some cases begun work on these crucial projects. The city of Portsmouth received a $24.21 million BRIC award in FY2022 to protect the community’s drinking water supply by enhancing the Lake Meade Dam. The dam, which serves as a critical reservoir for drinking water and supplies residential, commercial, and industrial users in the Hampton Roads area, is at risk of instability and potential overtopping during heavy precipitation events. The project involves strengthening the dam, upgrading spillways, and improving flood protection, all of which serves to protect the more than 80 occupied residential properties and almost 30 businesses within the dam break inundation zone.
The mission of the BRIC program is to build more resilient communities to prevent the need for reactive and more costly disaster spending. Terminating this program – and many of the awards made in recent years – will make communities in Virginia less resilient and more vulnerable to disaster events. We urge you to maintain this critical funding for localities in Virginia.
Thank you for your attention to this letter. We look forward to your response.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 17 of her colleagues to press the Trump Administration for information on how their reckless tariff policy will impact farmers across the nation.
“We write with great concern about the impact of the Administration’s reckless tariff agenda on our nation’s farmers,” wrote the Senators to President Trump’s U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer. “Farmers not only have billions of dollars in commodities from last year waiting to be sold, but also have started spring planting and rely on stable markets for their planning.”
“As farm organizations and economists have been warning for months, key trading partners will continue to retaliate against U.S. agricultural products as a result of President Trump’s tariffs,” the Senators continued. “The direct economic impact and uncertainty on America’s farmers stands to change the future of agricultural trade relationships for generations.”
The full letter is available here and below.
Dear Ambassador Greer,
We write with great concern about the impact of the Administration’s reckless tariff agenda on our nation’s farmers. Farmers not only have billions of dollars in commodities from last year waiting to be sold, but also have started spring planting and rely on stable markets for their planning. These farmers have made planting decisions and purchased key inputs such as seeds and fertilizer, selected crop insurance coverage, and even began marketing their expected production. Long before the President’s across-the-board tariff announcement, millions of acres of fall-planted crops like winter wheat were already in the ground and farmers already have enough uncertainty without tariffs adding more volatility.
We continue to hear from farmers and businesses across the agricultural supply chain who are bearing the brunt of the negative impacts of the global tariffs announced by President Trump on April 2, 2025, and earlier tariffs on Canada and Mexico. These actions and the resulting retaliation have injected further uncertainty into the farm economy and continue to rattle commodity markets. Heading into this year, farmers were already facing tightened margins resulting from declining commodity prices and heightened input costs. Many farmers are in a much worse position than they were heading into the 2018-2019 trade war and so are less equipped to withstand the impacts of continued volatility.
As farm organizations and economists have been warning for months, key trading partners will continue to retaliate against U.S. agricultural products as a result of President Trump’s tariffs. For example, on April 3rd, China announced a 34 percent retaliatory tariff on all products from the U.S. A major export destination for U.S.-grown soybeans, futures prices dropped 34 cents on Friday, with an estimated loss in value of unsold 2024 soybeans of nearly $300 million. That Friday drop would also cost farmers nearly $1.4 billion on the 2025 crop. Cotton, another crop that is heavily reliant on exports followed a similar steep decline. Since then, volatility in the markets has continued as the Administration has continued to change the tariffs day-by-day and sometimes hour-by-hour. While the tariffs are currently 10 percent across-the-board for nearly all countries except China, this continued uncertainty is the last thing farmers need as they begin planting season.
Farmers are also continuing to experience the long-term implications of the 2018-2019 trade war when structural trade flows shifted to favor farmers in Brazil and Argentina. A prolonged trade war now with key trading partners will just further exacerbate those trade shifts. This market share that farmers are losing is the result of more than $15 billion in investments by both taxpayers and the farmers themselves through trade promotion programs over the last 50 years.
The direct economic impact and uncertainty on America’s farmers stands to change the future of agricultural trade relationships for generations. As such, we request responses to the following questions:
Did USTR perform any analysis on the impact of the across-the-board tariff policy on farmers prior to implementation? If so, please share that analysis with us.
What do you expect to be the short- and long-term impacts of tariffs on farmers?
There have been conflicting reports as to whether tariffs are being used as leverage in trade negotiations or as a long-term structural shift in trade policy.
Can you provide clarity on the goals of the administration’s trade policy?
If tariffs are being used as leverage in trade negotiations, what are your top agriculture priorities and markets? What countries are you prioritizing in negotiations, and what is the basis for determining those countries?
President Trump indicated that U.S. farmers need to get ready to supply the domestic market instead of the international markets.
Has USTR or have other agencies done analysis to show how production and consumption of crops would need to shift, or what domestic processing would be necessary to accomplish this goal? For example, there is very limited domestic cotton spinning, weaving or apparel manufacturing.
Significant parts of the agricultural trade imbalance are related to imports of specialty crops, many of which are either grown in tropical regions or imported during the off-season. U.S. farmers will not be able to produce these commodities in the same volume or season. Will consumers need to shift from fresh produce in the off season or be forced to pay a higher price due to the tariffs on these products?
Prior to the announcement of the across-the-board tariffs and per-country rates, the USDA announced plans for trade missions to several countries including some with tariffs as high as 46%.
Did USTR consult with USDA on the trade missions or setting tariffs based on targets for opening markets?
We have serious concerns about the haphazard approach taken by the Administration to tariffs that cause unnecessary uncertainty and harm for U.S. farmers and their markets. We look forward to a prompt response.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
April 14, 2025
HARTFORD—U.S. SenatorsChris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), sent a letter to the CEO of DSM-Firmenich, parent company of i-Health, following reports of unsafe working conditions and retaliation against workers at the i-Health warehouse in Enfield, Connecticut. In March 2024, employees at the Enfield warehouse exercised their legally protected right to organize and voted to form a union with Teamsters Local 671.
“Instead of upholding the rights of these employees and honoring your public commitments to their wellbeing, workers allege that DSM-Firmenich has responded with actions that are retaliatory and coercive in nature,” the members wrote.
Following the unionization of the warehouse workers, workers allege the company engaged in retaliatory and coercive activity like enforcing twelve-hour workdays and six-day workweeks, forced holiday shifts, pressure tactics, refusal to hire adequate workers, and disregard for safety concerns and injury reports. This led to at least one worker experiencing a serious shoulder injury due to mandatory overtime. The company also fired eleven full-time and one temporary employee via text message.
“To be clear – firing or otherwise retaliating against workers engaging in lawful, protected strike activity is not just unethical but is also a potential violation of U.S. labor law. American workers have long had fundamental labor rights guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act in order to protect them from unjust situations as this one,” the members continued. “Denying your workers a voice, subjecting them to exhausting and unreasonable schedules, and attempting to counteract their unionization efforts through coercion and retaliation is a gross violation of these rights.”
The members demanded that DSM-Firmenich and i-Health begin immediate corrective actions by reinstating all employees who were wrongfully terminated, ending all coercive and retaliatory practices targeting union members, bargaining in good faith with Teamsters Local 671 on a fair contract, and ensuring full compliance with U.S. labor laws and the company’s own Code of Business Ethics to ensure a safe, secure, and fair workplace environment.
“The workers in Enfield process and distribute DSM-Firmenich products to some of the largest retailers in the country. They are invaluable contributors to your global operations and supply chain and deserve to be treated as such – not as expendable labor subject to the whims of your company. We ask that you show leadership and accountability by addressing this situation expediently and with the best interests of your employees in mind,” the members concluded.
Full text of the letter is available below.
Dear Mr. de Vreeze,
We write to express our deep concern with DSM-Firmenich’s treatment of workers at its i-Health warehouse in Enfield, Connecticut. The actions taken by your management team in response to lawful union activity may be both illegal under U.S. labor law and contradictory to the core principles laid out in DSM-Firmenich’s Code of Business Ethics.
In March 2024, employees at the Enfield warehouse exercised their legally protected right to organize and voted for form a union with Teamsters Local 671 – a vote that was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Instead of upholding the rights of these employees and honoring your public commitments to their wellbeing, workers allege that DSM-Firmenich has responded with actions that are retaliatory and coercive in nature. Reports from both workers and their union representatives detail the following:
Unilateral imposition of twelve-hour workdays and mandatory six-day workweeks;
Elimination of scheduling flexibility and forced holiday shifts;
Surveillance of workers and other pressure tactics designed to discourage union activity;
Refusal to hire adequate temporary workers, leaving a skeleton crew to handle warehouse operations at an extreme pace and volume;
Unlawful retaliation against striking workers by firing eleven full-time and one temporary employee via text message;
Blatant disregard for safety concerns and injury reports, leading to at least one worker experiencing a serious shoulder injury due to excessive mandatory overtime; and
Attempts to discredit and intimidate striking workers by labeling their peaceful picketing as “illegal and dangerous,” despite no evidence of wrongdoing.
If true, these practices reflect an unacceptable abuse of employer power. They run counter to the principles that DSM-Firmenich claims to stand for – indeed, your Code of Business Ethics pledges to protect human rights and promote decent work in your global supply chains, ensure the safety, health, and security of your employees, and respect fundamental labor rights including the freedom to organize and collectively bargain. And yet in Connecticut, the aforementioned patterns of behavior represent an unambiguous failure to honor these commitments.
To be clear – firing or otherwise retaliating against workers engaging in lawful, protected strike activity is not just unethical but is also a potential violation of U.S. labor law. American workers have long had fundamental labor rights guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act in order to protect them from unjust situations as this one. Denying your workers a voice, subjecting them to exhausting and unreasonable schedules, and attempting to counteract their unionization efforts through coercion and retaliation is a gross violation of these rights.
Teamsters Local 671 has already filed a complaint with the NLRB pursuant to the protections afforded to them by law. We hope that DSM-Firmenich and i-Health can rectify the above grievances and return to bargaining in good faith with your employees before appropriate legal action is needed. That is why we strongly urge you to review the actions your company has taken against the Connecticut workers at i-Health and begin immediate corrective action in the following areas:
Reinstate all employees who were wrongfully terminated;
End all coercive and retaliatory practices targeting union members;
Bargain in good faith with Teamsters Local 671 on a fair contract; and
Ensure full compliance with U.S. labor laws and your own Code of Business Ethics to ensure a safe, secure, and fair workplace environment.
The workers in Enfield process and distribute DSM-Firmenich products to some of the largest retailers in the country. They are invaluable contributors to your global operations and supply chain and deserve to be treated as such – not as expendable labor subject to the whims of your company. We ask that you show leadership and accountability by addressing this situation expediently and with the best interests of your employees in mind.
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $8,091,480 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana disaster aid.
“Storms like Laura and Ida ravaged key education and transportation infrastructure in Louisiana. This $8.1 million will help Calcasieu Parish cover the cost of repairing school facilities and aid the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport with Hurricane Ida repairs,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
$7,071,039 to the Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs to Barbe High School facilities resulting from Hurricane Laura damage.
$1,020,441 to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to repair Hurricane Ida damage.
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today joined lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Subcommittee on the Constitution Ranking Member Peter Welch (D-Vt.), in sending a letter to the American Bar Association (ABA) commending lawyers and law firms that are resisting President Trump’s unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession.
“As fellow members of the legal community, we applaud lawyers who are resisting President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession,” the senators wrote. “These orders are unlawful—a tool of intimidation, and a weaponization of the federal government. The president’s actions existentially threaten essential rights guaranteed by our Constitution.”
“The Sixth Amendment right to counsel is undermined when a president signals that choosing to represent his political opponents carries the risk of retribution,” the senators added. “The First Amendment protection against viewpoint discrimination is imperiled when a president seeks to punish lawyers who advocate against his policies. By levying punishments outside the ordinary legal process, these orders violate constitutional due process.”
The senators concluded, “The American Bar Association has stalwartly supported lawyers that have resisted President Trump’s bullying. We join the ABA in commending these lawyers, who have taken financial and professional risks to fight for the rule of law and our constitutional rights. We urge others to join you.”
Between March 6th and March 27th, President Trump issued executive orders targeting four law firms against which he has personal grievances, such as representing his political opponents and associating with lawyers who have been critical of the president. The executive orders limit the targeted law firms’ access to federal buildings, suspend security clearances, and prevent federal agencies from engaging with firm lawyers.
Three law firms—Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Perkins Coie—have rightfully challenged the president’s executive orders in court, asserting that the orders are in violation of the Constitution and the principles that underlie it. In each of these cases, judges appointed by presidents from both political parties have properly issued temporary restraining orders against President Trump.
In addition to Senators Coons and Welch, the letter was signed by the following lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee: Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Senator Coons is a graduate of Yale Law School.
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced a bill to help increase the number of specialist doctors and other medical specialists in rural communities. The bipartisan Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act will tackle the shortage of physicians in rural communities by creating a student loan repayment program for specialist physicians and other specialist medical professionals practicing in rural areas. Every county in Nevada is experiencing a shortage of medical professionals, and in 2024, Nevada was ranked 45th in the nation with regard to the availability of physicians per 100,000 residents.
“Nevada’s shortage of medical professionals is jeopardizing the ability of families to get the care they need — especially in our rural communities,” said Senator Rosen. “We need new solutions to bring more physicians to all parts of our state, which is why I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to create a student loan repayment program for specialist physicians practicing in rural areas. I’ll keep working to address the medical provider shortage crisis Nevada is facing.”
“The entire nation is dealing with a physician shortage, and rural communities in Mississippi have been particularly affected. Congress can help provide a solution,” said Senator Wicker. “The SPARC Act would offer targeted incentives to medical professionals who choose to work in underserved towns and cities. I believe this bill will encourage providers to bring their services to areas that need them most.”
“UNLV strongly supports the Specialty Physicians Advancing Care (SPARC) Act, which represents a meaningful investment in rural health care access,” said Chris Heavey, UNLV Officer in Charge, Executive Vice President and Provost. “By providing much-needed loan repayment incentives, this legislation will help recruit and retain specialty physicians and health care providers in underserved rural communities – ultimately improving health outcomes for thousands of Nevadans and Americans across the country. As a leading public research university committed to training the next generation of physicians and health professionals, we applaud Senator Rosen’s leadership in addressing workforce shortages in rural areas through sustainable and equitable solutions.”
Senator Rosen is working to address Nevada’s health care professional shortage and improve medical care access in the state. Last month, Senator Rosen introduced the bipartisan Physicians for Underserved Areas Act, which would revise the graduate medical education process to increase the likelihood of areas with physician shortages getting more medical residency slots after hospital closures take place elsewhere in the country. She also introduced the bipartisan REDI Act to increase the number of doctors and dentists in underserved areas by allowing them to defer student loan payments without interest until the completion of their residency or internship programs. Last month, she introduced the bipartisan Train More Nurses Act to address the nursing shortage affecting communities across the nation.
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, (D-VA) released the following statement regarding El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s visit to the White House:
“Once again, President Trump is cozying up to an aspiring dictator. The Bukele regime has for many years rounded up tens of thousands of Salvadorans without due process, and indefinitely crammed them into overpopulated megaprisons. Trump is conspiring with President Bukele to do the same with people in the United States, including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal U.S. resident and Maryland father whom the Administration openly admits they deported by mistake, but now refuses to release from a notorious torture prison and return to his American family. The United States should call out Bukele’s contemptuous and anti-democratic behavior rather than celebrate and be complicit in it.”
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
More than 60 business and nonprofit leaders attended event
STOWE, VT – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, hosted a conversation at The Alchemist in Stowe on the impact of President Trump’s trade war on Vermont’s outdoor and tourism economy. Senator Welch’s panel included representatives from The Alchemist, the Old Stagecoach Inn, Mad River Distillers, Burton, J Skis, Waterbury Sports & Power Play Sports, and Hen of the Wood.
“The point of these roundtables is to mobilize as much information as I can, so that when I’m talking about these tariffs with my colleagues, it’s very concrete: How does it affect Vermont farmers? How does it affect our craft brewers? How does it affect our manufacturers and our retail operations that are so essential?” said Senator Welch during the event. “And then, how does it affect our relationships with long-term allies who are on our side when it comes to the goal of creating good local jobs, respecting the environment, and doing things in a way that provides mutual benefit? So, I want to thank everybody for being here today—this is a deadly serious topic. The Trump Administration, in my view, has run amok on this, and my goal is to stop it.”
Panelists shared firsthand the impacts of President Trump’s trade war with Canada and global allies, and discussed how Trump’s rhetoric against Canada has negatively impacted business in Vermont. Frustrations were shared about the uncertainty of the tariffs, rising costs, shifting supply and manufacturing needs, and ways the Trump Administration’s policies are hurting the services and programs Vermonters rely on.
After the panel shared their experiences, the floor was opened to business and nonprofit leaders from across the Vermont, who discussed the long-term implications of tariffs when selling and marketing outside of the United States, the impact of Trump’s funding freezes, and how this will raise prices for working Vermonters.
View photos from the event below:
Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing President Trump’s destructive trade war. Last month, Senator Welch convened Vermont and Canadian business leaders for a roundtable near the U.S.-Canada border to discuss President Trump’s Trade War and how the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs are hurting workers, families, and farmers. In January and February, Senator Welch convened Vermont businesses for roundtables to hear from Vermont businesses and state and local leaders about how the President’s actions reigniting a trade war have impacted their lives and livelihoods.
Senator Welch joined bipartisan colleagues in releasing a resolution to repeal Donald Trump’s sweeping, global tariffs. Senator Welch has also supported legislation pushing back against Trump’s tariffs, including:
The Trade Review Act, bipartisan legislation to reaffirm Congress’ key role in setting and approving U.S. trade policy and reestablish limits on the President’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs without the approval of Congress.
The Tariff Transparency Act of 2025, legislation to require the United States International Trade Commission to conduct an investigation and submit a report on the impact on businesses in the United States of duties, and the threat of duties, on imports from Mexico and Canada.
A Joint Resolution of Disapproval terminating national emergency related to Canadian energy tariffs, passed by the Senate last week on a bipartisan basis.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
April 11, 2025
In a letter to the HHS Secretary, the lawmakers pushed back against the destruction of HHS and its impact on the state
[SPRINGFIELD, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led the Illinois Democratic Delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing frustration and concern that HHS has slashed critical federal funding for the state’s public health programs and infrastructure.
“We write to express our real concern about the Department and Health and Human Services’ (HHS) actions to terminate federal funds for state and local health departments, fire critical public health staff, dismantle health agencies, and close regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago, Illinois. Your decision puts the health and well-being of our people at risk, and will do nothing to ‘Make America Healthy Again,’” the lawmakers wrote.
Last month, it was reported that HHS would terminate $11.4 billion in federal funding for state and local health departments, including more than $125 million in funding for the Illinois Department of Public Health. Lawmakers were also told that Illinois would lose access to an additional $324 million in anticipated federal funding that was already allocated to protect Illinois residents from infectious diseases. Further, Illinois could lose up to $28 million in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants for mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
In an effort to combat the Trump Administration’s destructive funding rescissions, a 24-state coalition, which included Illinois, filed a lawsuit against HHS for the rollback of public health funding. Earlier this month, a federal court barred HHS from terminating these funds for a 14-day period.
“The state’s [Illinois’] efforts to prepare for future public health emergencies—which could include the worsening avian flu situation, measles outbreaks, and other respiratory illness challenges—will be severely hampered if HHS rescinds this essential federal funding. Now that a federal court has blocked HHS from terminating these funds, we urge you to abandon these ill-conceived and dangerous plans,” the lawmakers continued their letter.
In addition to ripping away billions in promised federal funding, Secretary Kennedy has overseen the destruction of HHS’ workforce and infrastructure, putting thousands of dedicated career civil servants out of a job while gutting critical federal agencies. Since President Trump’s inauguration, 10,000 HHS employees have left the agency or been fired. A couple weeks ago, HHS announced that an additional 10,000 public health workers will be fired, including 3,500 from the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,200 workers from the National Institutes of Health and 300 workers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“A reduction in force of this magnitude threatens the ability of HHS to ensure the safety of our nation’s foods, drugs, and medical devices; to inspect and regulate nursing homes; to develop breakthrough cures and treatments for patients with cancer, ALS, and heart disease; and to respond quickly when a public health crisis emerges,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers continued their letter, emphasizing that closing regional health offices and shutting out states from federal resources does nothing to support the health and safety of Americans.
“Finally, it was reported that HHS would dismantle and consolidate several health agencies under an ‘Administration for a Healthier America,’ and close several regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago. HHS Region 5 has been an essential partner in implementing and coordinating federal resources and initiatives. It has worked with state, local, and tribal governments in Illinois to address a range of public health concerns, including infectious disease outbreaks, mental and behavioral health needs, food recalls, and more,” the lawmakers wrote. “Eliminating this office or consolidating it into another regional office risks reducing access to agency personnel and HHS resources for Illinois.”
The lawmakers concluded their letter by reminding Secretary Kennedy of his responsibility to improve public health, not destruct the institution that ensures Americans have the resources to stay healthy.
“It is one thing to undertake efforts to address waste, fraud, and abuse in government. It is quite another to cite these reasonable goals as an excuse to instead decimate our nation’s public health infrastructure. HHS has provided no details on its plans or any explanation of how these steps will improve HHS’ ability to carry out its mission to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans. The complete lack of transparency on these critical decisions supports the logical conclusion that these decisions were made for political purposes without considering their real-world impact,” the lawmakers wrote.
“As HHS Secretary, you are tasked with the serious responsibility of protecting our nation’s health and you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of millions of Americans. Do not neglect this responsibility, and do not waste this opportunity,” the lawmaker concluded their letter.
A copy of the letter is available here and below:
April 11, 2025
Dear Secretary Kennedy,
We write to express our real concern about the Department and Health and Human Services’ (HHS) actions to terminate federal funds for state and local health departments, fire critical public health staff, dismantle health agencies, and close regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago, Illinois. Your decision puts the health and well-being of people at risk, and will do nothing to “Make America Healthy Again.”
In March, it was reported that HHS would be terminating $11.4 billion in federal funding for state and local health departments, including more than $125 million for Illinois. We also have been informed that Illinois will not be able to access an additional $324 million in anticipated federal funding for future work to prevent and address infectious disease. The Illinois Department of Public Health has leveraged these federal funds to improve its technologies and laboratories, support the public health workforce, and strengthen local health departments. However, the state’s efforts to prepare for future public health emergencies—which could include the worsening avian flu situation, measles outbreaks, and other respiratory illness challenges—will be severely hampered if HHS rescinds this essential federal funding. Now that a federal court has blocked HHS from terminating these funds, we urge you to abandon these ill-conceived and dangerous plans.
It also was announced that an additional 10,000 public health workers will be fired from HHS, including 3,500 from the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,200 workers from the National Institutes of Health, and 300 workers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This is on top of the reported 10,000 HHS employees who have already left the agency since January 20, including probationary employees who were fired earlier this year, many of whom were not rehired, despite two court rulings ordering their reinstatement. A reduction in force of this magnitude threatens the ability of HHS to ensure the safety of our nation’s foods, drugs, and medical devices; to inspect and regulate nursing homes; to develop breakthrough cures and treatments for patients with cancer, ALS, and heart disease; and to respond quickly when a public health crisis emerges.
Finally, it was reported that HHS would dismantle and consolidate several health agencies under an “Administration for a Healthier America,” and close several regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago. HHS Region 5 has been an essential partner in implementing and coordinating federal resources and initiatives. It has worked with state, local, and tribal governments in Illinois to address a range of public health concerns, including infectious disease outbreaks, mental and behavioral health needs, food recalls, and more. Eliminating this office or consolidating it into another regional office risks reducing access to agency personnel and HHS resources for Illinois.
It is one thing to undertake efforts to address waste, fraud, and abuse in government. It is quite another to cite these reasonable goals as an excuse to instead decimate our nation’s public health infrastructure. HHS has provided no details on its plans or any explanation of how these steps will improve HHS’ ability to carry out its mission to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans. The complete lack of transparency on these critical decisions supports the logical conclusion that these decisions were made for political purposes without considering their real-world impact.
As HHS Secretary, you are tasked with the serious responsibility of protecting our nation’s health and you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of millions of Americans. Do not neglect this responsibility, and do not waste this opportunity.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your timely response.
Sincerely,
-30-
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
April 11, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week joined U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 15 Senate colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to help ease the financial cost of adoption and support prospective and adoptive families. The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act restores the refundable portion of the Adoption Tax Credit. By allowing the tax credit to be refundable, families will be able to access the full amount as a refund, even if the credit exceeds a family’s tax burden. The existing Adoption Tax Credit allows adoptive families to deduct up to $16,810 in qualified expenses.
“We should be doing everything we can to make things more affordable for families,” Duckworth said. “Adoption can put a financial strain on families, but by making the Adoption Tax Credit fully refundable we’re helping ensure these families can keep more of their hard-earned money to pay for their loved ones’ needs. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation, and I’ll keep working to put money back in the pockets of Americans.”
Earlier this week, Duckworth also joined Senate Democrats in introducing the American Family Act and the Tax Cut for Workers Act to expand the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit, helping give Americans much-needed financial relief.
In addition to Duckworth, Cramer and Klobuchar, this bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tim Scott (R-SC), Mark Warner (D-VA), James Lankford (R-OK), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angus King (I-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
The legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Blake Moore (R-UT-01), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Randy Feenstra (R-IA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Don Beyer (D-VA-08) and Robert Aderholt (R-AL-04).
This legislation is endorsed by the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group Executive Committee and 100 national, state and local groups. The bill text can be found on Senator Duckworth’s website.
-30-
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
Published: 04.09.2025
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) joined U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (MI) and U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI-01) in expressing their willingness to support any requests for federal aid following last week’s historic ice storm that struck Northern Michigan and the eastern Upper Peninsula, which caused power outages for more than 160,000 customers across 12 counties. In a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the lawmakers commended the ongoing response and ensured they are ready to take necessary steps to support the state in requesting federal assistance if recovery needs exceed state and local capacity.
“We write to offer our full support for recovery efforts following the unprecedented ice storm that recently impacted Northern Michigan and the eastern Upper Peninsula. We commend the dedication of first responders, utility crews, volunteers, and State and local officials who have been working tirelessly to restore power and ensure public safety during this difficult time,” wrote the lawmakers.
They continued: “We are committed to doing everything we can at the federal level to help Michiganders recover and rebuild. Please do not hesitate to contact our offices if we may be of any assistance.”
Last week’s storm also caused widespread closures of the Mackinac Bridge, and the indefinite closure of 15 Michigan State Parks. You can read the full letter here.
Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
BURLINGTON, Vt., April 14 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Rep. Becca Balint (Vt.-AL) today released the following statement on the illegal detention of Mohsen Mahdawi by the Trump Administration:
Earlier today, Mohsen Mahdawi of White River Junction, Vermont, walked into an immigration office for what was supposed to be the final step in his citizenship process. Instead, he was arrested and removed in handcuffs by plainclothes, armed, individuals with their faces covered. These individuals refused to provide any information as to where he was being taken or what would happen to him. This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
***VIDEO AVAILABLE***
Video download is available here.
Las Vegas, Nev. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) hosted a press conference alongside representatives from For Our Future Nevada, the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, and New Day Nevada to highlight her legislation to cut taxes for everyday American families. As Republicans’ economic agenda continues to raise prices on working people, the Senator shared an alternative in her Tax Cuts for Workers Act and American Family Act. Earlier this week, Senators Cortez Masto and Bennet (D-Colo.) introduced these bills as part of Senate Democrats’ comprehensive plan to bring relief to the American people.
“Working Nevadans need expanded tax relief – not Republicans’ cost raising agenda – to ensure they can keep providing for their families,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “In Congress, Republicans are working to lower taxes for billionaires at the expense of everyone else. On the other hand, what Democrats are proposing is simple: if government is going to be cutting taxes for anyone, then it should be for the hardworking families who would benefit the most.”
The existing Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – the Worker Tax Cut – has been delivering tax relief for millions of workers for decades. But it’s just not enough, and Cortez Masto is determined to give more working Americans a break. The Tax Cuts for Workers Act would cut taxes for working class Americans without children, who currently receive a much smaller EITC than workers with children. This expansion would include over 136,000 Nevadans by nearly tripling the average tax break many of these Americans receive from the existing EITC. It also extends eligibility for the tax cut to workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 64.
The 2021 expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the American Rescue Plan Act led to a historic reduction in poverty in the United States, particularly for children. Research showed that child poverty fell immediately and substantially to 5.2%, its lowest level on record. The American Family Act would increase the value of the CTC from the current level of $2,000 per child to $6,360 for newborns, $4,320 for children ages one through six, and $3,600 for children age six through 17; end the longstanding policy that reduces the value of the CTC for low-income families; provide for monthly delivery of the credit so families have access to the credit as bills arrive; and index the CTC for inflation to preserve the value of the credit moving forward.
Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported efforts to cut taxes and lower costs for hardworking Nevadans. She helped pass critical expansions to the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue plan, and has been fighting to permanently increase this vital relief for working families. Cortez Masto also helped introduce the No Tax on Tips Act to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax. Additionally, Senator Cortez Masto supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally.
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, are advocating for the Chicago and San Francisco antitrust field offices to remain open. Many agricultural and tech antitrust cases are referred to these offices.
“Now more than ever, antitrust enforcement is needed in the agricultural and technology sectors. Industries like meatpacking, fertilizers, and seeds are consolidating at an alarming rate. And Americans are struggling to afford their groceries. Additionally, the Antitrust Division has ongoing investigations into, and litigation against, large technology platforms,” the lawmakers wrote.
“We strongly urge you to reconsider the Department’s plans to shut down these critical field offices. We should be ramping up our enforcement operations across America, not scaling them back. At a time when Americans are deeply concerned about food prices and the influence of Big Tech, DOJ must root out any anticompetitive behavior that drives up prices, decreases quality or stifles innovation. Maintaining these field offices will further that objective,” they concluded.
Read the senators’ full letter HERE.
Background:
On March 25, 2025, the DOJ proposed eliminating its antitrust field offices in Chicago, Illinois, and San Francisco, California in order to secure additional savings for American taxpayers.
The Chicago field office plays a critical role in enforcing antitrust laws in the agricultural sector. The office serves as the main antitrust enforcement team in the Midwest and helped spearhead the landmark prosecution of Archer Daniels Midland for price-fixing of animal feed additives. This investigation culminated in the defendant pleading guilty and agreeing to pay the largest antitrust fine ever imposed at the time.
The San Francisco field office maintains a key role in civil enforcement, focusing on the technology and media industries, as well as criminal enforcement, prosecuting violations including bid-rigging and price-fixing. The San Francisco office recently led two of the Antitrust Division’s largest criminal investigations – the first culminating in over $125 million in fines and the second culminating in over $1.39 billion in fines, as well as 13 executives being sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to three years.