Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) issued the following statement after voting to confirm former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA). Loeffler was confirmed by a vote of 52 to 46.
“As a proven job creator, a successful entrepreneur, and champion for the small business community, Kelly Loeffler is well suited to lead the Small Business Administration. After serving with Kelly here in the Senate and getting to know her well, I am confident that under her leadership and working in tandem with President Trump, Main Streets across the country will thrive once again. I look forward to working with her to ensure our entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout West Virginia have the necessary tools to succeed,” Senator Capito said.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353February 19, 2025
Cotton Statement on Designating Drug Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement following President Trump’s Executive Order to designate murderous drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations:
“Drug cartels from Mexico and Venezuela have the blood of more Americans on their hands than any foreign adversary in American history. They are terrorists and they should be destroyed.”
Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate Floor ahead of voting to confirm Kash Patel, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Senator Barrasso also discussed how quickly Senate Republicans are confirming President Trump’s nominees. The Republican-led Senate has now confirmed 18 of President Trump’s nominees. That is faster than the pace of confirmations under President Barack Obama in 2009 and President Joe Biden in 2021.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“President Trump’s cabinet picks are strong. Senate Republicans are confirming them quickly.
“By the end of today, we will have confirmed 18 of President Trump’s nominees. These nominees are bold and well-qualified.
“That is more nominees than President Obama had in 2009. It is more than President Biden had in 2021. More than twice as many.
“Americans voted for a bold, new direction in Washington. Senate Republicans are delivering it.
“Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Howard Lutnick to be the Secretary of Commerce. He will kickstart the Golden Age of American Manufacturing.
“The Senate is also on track to confirm Kelly Loeffler to be the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Kelly is our former colleague in the Senate. She will be a voice for Main Street America.
“The Senate will soon vote on the confirmation of Kash Patel. Mr. Patel is the nominee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“The United States is seeing increased threats from terrorism.
“The previous FBI Director told the Senate one year ago, ‘I see blinking lights everywhere.’
“On New Year’s Day, 14 Americans were killed in a terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“That is why the Senate must confirm Mr. Patel with speed and urgency.
“Once confirmed, Mr. Patel will begin working to restore trust in one of America’s premier law enforcement agencies.
“Today, regrettably, only 2 in 5 Americans say they hold a favorable view of the FBI. This must change.
“Kash Patel will refocus the FBI on its core mission of fighting crime. He will reshape the Bureau so it is no longer a tool for political attacks. He will rededicate the Bureau to keeping Americans safe.
“This is a uniquely qualified nominee.
“Mr. Patel began his career as a public defender in Florida. He defended the constitutional rights of some of the most dangerous people in the country.
“He later joined the Obama Department of Justice as a counterterrorism prosecutor. He investigated and prosecuted cases that protected our country from the most serious threats.
“He received several awards for excellence for bringing terrorists to justice.
“Mr. Patel saw the power of the FBI to keep Americans safe.
“He also saw how the power of the FBI could be abused.
“In Congress, Mr. Patel lead the investigation that exposed that the FBI was spying unlawfully on President Trump’s 2016 campaign.
“Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation later backed up Mr. Patel’s side of the story. Durham found, ‘The FBI failed to uphold their mission of strict fidelity to the law.’
“This abuse of power was a breach of Americans’ trust in the FBI.
“Kash Patel will restore trust by returning the FBI to its core mission of investigating and fighting crime.
“At his confirmation hearing, he said he will work to cut in half the number of rapes, drug overdoses, and homicides in our country.
“This is something that every law-abiding American should welcome.
“For Democrats, however, this is apparently unacceptable. They claim Mr. Patel wants to weaponize government. That is blatantly false.
“It was Democrats who turned the FBI into a political attack dog against their political opponents.
“The FBI pressured social media companies to censor the Hunter Biden Laptop story.
“It partnered with Joe Biden’s Department of Justice in the targeting of concerned parents who protested woke school board meetings.
“It targeted Catholics as domestic terrorists and spied on them at church.
“It put politics and personal gain over service to the country.
“Mr. Patel will end the weaponization and restore transparency.
“He believes that crime is bad, that two tiers of justice is unacceptable, and that equal justice under the law is good.
“To Democrats, that’s taboo. To the rest of the country, it’s common sense.
“Americans want the FBI to fight crime. Kash Patel is the man to do it.
“If you want to defend our constitutional rights, confirm Kash Patel.
“If you want justice and accountability, confirm Kash Patel. If you want to keep our communities safe, confirm Kash Patel.
“Mr. Patel is a man of integrity and fidelity to the rule of law. I look forward to confirming him.”
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
February 19, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Wednesday joined 21 members of Congress in writing a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to replace the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), a nuclear arms agreement between the United States and Russia. On February 5, 2026, the 2010 New START Treaty between the United States and Russia will expire. Unless a new agreement is in place by that date, there will be no legal limits on U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear forces, reversing decades of work to reduce the risk of nuclear war. In their letter, the bicameral lawmakers urge Secretary Rubio to work with Congress to replace New START and prevent a dangerous and costly arms race between the United States and Russia.
“The Trump administration has a historic opportunity to initiate high-level talks for a new pact and, until those talks reach completion, to mutually agree to respect the limits of New START using existing technical means of verification. Given the time it would take to negotiate a new agreement, an executive understanding that both sides will adhere to New START limits would help to reduce uncertainty in this interim period,” the members wrote.
They added: “We condemn Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling against Ukraine. Russia’s illegal war against the Ukrainian people is at odds with our democratic ideals. Yet even when our nations have had profound disagreements, including during the Cold War, we managed to come to the table to bring the world back from the precipice of nuclear catastrophe.”
U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D.-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also signed the letter, along with U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.-05), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-D.C.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas-37).
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Rubio:
On February 5, 2026, the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the United States and Russia will expire. Unless a new agreement is in place by that date, there will be no legal limits on U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear forces, reversing decades of work to reduce the risk of nuclear war.
We urge you to work with Congress to replace New START and prevent a dangerous and costly arms race between the United States and Russia, the world’s two largest nuclear powers. We also ask that the Department of State provide a briefing on the Administration’s plan for New START in a timely manner.
For five decades, American presidents, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and both George H.W. and George W. Bush, have supported the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control process. This long-standing, bipartisan effort has enjoyed high approval ratings among the American public, who recognize the dangers of nuclear proliferation.
The Trump Administration has a historic opportunity to initiate high-level talks for a new pact and, until those talks reach completion, to mutually agree to respect the limits of New START using existing technical means of verification. Given the time it would take to negotiate a new agreement, an executive understanding that both sides will adhere to New START limits would help to reduce uncertainty in this interim period. It is critical that the Administration not increase the U.S. arsenal above New START limits or resume nuclear testing, which would set back the bipartisan progress made on nuclear nonproliferation and arms control. An unconstrained arms race would make the U.S. less secure and increase the risks to global security.
New START enhances U.S. national security by placing legal limits on all Russian-deployed intercontinentalrange nuclear weapons. The United States and Russia agreed in 2021 to extend the treaty through February 5, 2026, and in February 2023, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was “suspending” its implementation of the treaty. While Russia has agreed to abide by the treaty’s limits, we believe it is in the best interest of both of our nations to pursue formal mechanisms aimed at preventing a nuclear arms race.
We condemn Putin’s nuclear saber-rattling against Ukraine. Russia’s illegal war against the Ukrainian people is at odds with our democratic ideals. Yet even when our nations have had profound disagreements, including during the Cold War, we managed to come to the table to bring the world back from the precipice of nuclear catastrophe. Today, we must do so again.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,
Ahead of today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety online, Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced that they will reintroduce the STOP CSAM Act. The legislation will crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims to sue companies that host this material. The Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced this legislation last Congress.
“Congress has already waited too long to protect kids online and while we’ve stalled social media companies have continued to be hubs for child sexual abuse material. We can’t waste any more time,” said Senator Hawley. “Let’s give parents and victims the ability to hold these companies accountable and sue them. Anything less, and these problems won’t end.”
“Big Tech has woefully failed to police itself, and the American people are demanding that Congress intervene. We made significant headway last year to address Big Tech’s failure to protect our kids online, including five unanimous bipartisan votes on bills in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It’s time to build on that progress. I’m glad to partner with Senator Hawley to soon reintroduce our bill supporting victims of child sexual abuse material and increasing accountability for tech companies, and I encourage all my colleagues to join us,” said U.S. Senator Durbin, ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator Hawley has been a tireless advocate for legislation holding Big Tech accountable and protecting kids online. Last year, Senator Hawley pressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about child exploitation on his social media platforms, urging Zuckerberg to stand up and apologize to the families of victims in the room.
Last Congress Hawley introduced legislation to allow private citizens to sue Big Tech platforms for hosting CSAM. After striking a deal with Senator Durbin to advance the CSAM legislation, the bipartisan bill was eventually blocked on the Senate floor.
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
FULL VIDEO OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE IS AVAILABLE HERE.
PHOTOS & VIDEO OF KAINE ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and environmental leaders held a press conference calling for the end of President Trump’s war on affordable, American-made energy, which will raise energy costs for Americans and kill high-quality jobs. The senators were joined by Natural Resources Defense Council’s Senior Vice President of Climate Jackie Wong, Sierra Club’s Executive Director Ben Jealous, and League of Conservation Voters’ Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld.
In the hours following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including the national energy emergency order, to withdraw support for renewable energy—despite its benefits to America’s economy and environment—and grant his administration new powers to promote fossil fuels at the cost of bedrock environmental laws. Kaine and Heinrich introduced legislation to terminate the national energy emergency President Trump declared. The legislation is privileged, meaning that the Senate will be required to vote on it. The vote is expected next week.
“We are producing more energy now than at any other point in our history, and the U.S. is the envy of the world when it comes to energy innovation and production. The passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act have accelerated clean energy projects and created jobs, and we are on an amazing trajectory,” said Senator Kaine. “Trump’s sham emergency threatens to screw all of that up. Why? Because he’d rather benefit Big Oil and suspend environmental protections than lower costs and create jobs for the American people. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting to terminate President Trump’s emergency.”
“America is producing more energy than ever before including both conventional and renewable sources. This is happening because of the year-over-year certainty Democrats created with tax structures and permitting that has allowed us to make solar, wind, and energy storage cheaper, faster, and less capital intensive to add to the electric grid. We made it possible to build big things in American once again,” said Senator Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “But now, Trump’s fake emergency declaration is causing enormous uncertainty. If you’re thinking about opening a new factory, you don’t know what your tax structure will be in the next 12 months. If you’re trying to site and build a new transmission line, the federal agencies you work with just had a ton of their expert staff sacked, making it more difficult to get a permit. This is going to kill skilled trades jobs and drive up the cost of your electricity bills by as much at $480 a year by 2030. Trump’s war on affordable, American-made energy is killing jobs and raising costs on working families.”
“Trump falsely declared an energy emergency as a pretext to assert authority he lacks and to justify a raft of actions meant to lock us into decades more dependence on the fossil fuels that are driving the climate crisis. There is no energy emergency. There is a climate emergency. Trump’s actions will make it worse,” said Jackie Wong, Senior Vice President for Climate and Energy, Natural Resources Defense Council.
“In the last four years, if you’re under 52, you’ve seen something happen for the first time in your adult life, which is America opening big new factories from coast to coast to give birth to big new industries,” said Ben Jealous, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. “Trump threatened the jobs of 77,000 workers in the wind industry on day one, sent shockwaves through their families and communities, and threatened to derail the United States from seizing the greatest economic opportunity on Planet Earth right now. Donald Trump’s objective here is to cut taxes and allow fossil fuel industries to continue to destroy beautiful places across this country in the interest of greed when we’ve got a better alternative. It’s time for our country’s people to rise up and demand the President of the United States put their interests first.”
“We are NOT in an energy emergency. In fact, Trump inherited a thriving clean energy economy with more than 400,000 new jobs and more cheaper and cleaner energy than ever before. Yet Trump and Musk are desperate to impound, freeze, and repeal the very clean energy investments that lower energy bills and create jobs – the majority of which are in districts currently represented by Republicans – so they can pay for tax cuts for their billionaire buddies. Trump and Musk are firing civil servants who help keep our electricity grid safe and secure and gutting clean energy industries that employ thousands of other workers. And Trump and Musk are threatening our air and water and pushing to open up our most precious public lands for permanent destruction so Trump can make good on his promise to Big Oil CEOs to drill, drill, drill,” said Tiernan Sittenfeld, LCV SVP for Government Affairs.
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) reintroduced legislation to expedite producers’ access to federal disaster relief.
The bipartisan Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act would reform the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) to offer producers impacted by disasters the option to receive an increased, up-front cost-share. The bill would also adjust eligibility for relief to include any wildfire caused or spread due to natural causes, as well as wildfires caused by the federal government. A provision was added this Congress that would extend the timeframe for eligible participants to use the rehabilitative funds, allowing more time for work to be completed.
“In times of crisis, Nebraskans deserve relief—not additional burdens. The ECP’s current distribution system too often fails to provide the support it was designed to offer. My bill will streamline the recovery process, helping to restore agricultural land more quickly following emergencies,” said Senator Fischer.
“Far too many of New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers have been impacted by extreme weather events—including drought, wildfires, and flooding—that have made it more difficult to feed the nation,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to once again partner with Senator Fischer to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation that will quickly deliver emergency funds to producers impacted by extreme weather events. In New Mexico and across the country, our agricultural community continues to recover from extreme weather events in recent months and years, and this legislation will help our farmers and ranchers get back on their feet and continue their recovery.”
“During times of crisis, the last thing Nebraska beef cattle producers should be worrying about is bureaucratic red tape. We thank Senator Fischer for her continued efforts to protect producers’ access to critical assistance and create a more efficient emergency conservation program,” said Nebraska Cattlemen
President Dick Pierce.
“Nebraska has seen its share of weather-related disasters over the past several years, including widespread flooding and large wildfires. These events have unfortunately led many farmers and ranchers to seek disaster assistance through USDA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). Senator Fischer’s Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act is a must-pass piece of legislation that addresses many of the shortcomings we’ve heard from farmers and ranchers about the program. Rebuilding fencing for livestock or clearing substantial debris from fields shouldn’t be slowed down by bureaucratic red tape. We thank Senator Fischer for offering this legislation to help make some needed improvements to this important program,” said
Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation President Mark McHargue.
Background:
The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) were created to help lessen the burden of natural disasters by providing producers with financial and technical assistance to repair and restore their land.
These programs, however, are often slow to respond to wildfires, floods, and other disasters. This means producers face significant delays and red tape when trying to access financial assistance. For many producers, that significant time delay forces them to put off needed repair work or risk beginning the recovery process without a guarantee of federal help.
While some conservation work requires speed to get done, there are other instances where conservation work may need to take place over a couple of months. ECP currently requires that conservation work be done within 60 days after funds are disbursed.
Currently, to participate in ECP, the cause of a wildfire must be determined to be natural. It can be difficult to determine the exact source and cause of a wildfire and to ensure that it was not from a private actor. This leaves many producers who are far removed from the starting point of a wildfire liable for damages.
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) questioned experts about the congressional push to auction off critical U.S. spectrum currently utilized by the Department of Defense. She urged her colleagues to reject attempts to include hastily drafted and short-sighted language in an upcoming reconciliation bill, citing the critical role that the sought-after airwaves play in safeguarding our national defense.
In her remarks, Senator Fischer mentioned more practical solutions such as sharing the valuable airwaves with commercial stakeholders instead of an outright clearing of the spectrum for private exclusive use, an outcome sought by carriers and their allies.
During the hearing, Senator Fischer asked Bryan Clark, a senior fellow and director at the Hudson Institute, about the harm to our military capabilities if the Department of Defense is excluded from the process, risking permanent loss of the Department’s airwaves and its ability to protect our country.
She also asked about misleading influences from foreign adversaries like China in pressuring the U.S. government to auction off exclusive mid-band spectrum that are essential to our national security missions—ultimately, disarming the United States.
Click the image above to watch a video of Sen. Fischer’s questioning
Click here to download audio
Click here to download video
Senator Fischer questions experts: Senator Fischer: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I thank the panel for being here today. We know the context of this hearing is about whether and how to use spectrum in a reconciliation bill. One key focus I’m hearing is on revenues from the new spectrum pipeline that’s only for exclusive commercial use. I want to stress for my colleagues that we must also weigh the cost and the timelines to relocate existing users for this type of pipeline.
The Department of Defense is one of the users, with missile defense radars and satellite constellations providing critical capabilities. DoD losing access to its spectrum bans entirely, which is what vacating or clearing spectrum means, comes with huge risks and will end up costing us more. Replacing national security systems, if that is even possible, would cost hundreds of billions of dollars, and we all know it would take decades to be able to finish. So, a pipeline estimated to raise, by CBO, based on current proposals, between 10 and 15 billion dollars in a 10-year budget window may actually take 20 years to transition.
I agree there are technologies that could make sharing spectrum possible. The DoD must have a seat at the table when its spectrum bands are studied and tested, otherwise we lose them. We risk losing access to this finite resource forever. Mr. Clark, what specific military capabilities could we lose if lawmakers on this committee do not fully consider these realities before pressing ahead?
Mr. Clark: Well, Senator, I think you know, the key capability would be sensing technologies needed for air and missile defense. So, in the lower S-Band, lower X-Band…
Senator Fischer: Could you explain what S- and X- Band are?
Mr. Clark: Right. The lower part of the three gigahertz range in the S-Band is really important for air missile defense because it gives you that combination of resolution and range that allows a radar to be pretty effective at tracking incoming targets. And then we need radars that operate up in the X-Band, which is the eight to 12 gigahertz range, but the lower part of that generally, to be able to differentiate small targets and be able to target them and be able to direct an interceptor like a Patriot missile to go hit them and shoot them down.
Senator Fischer: So we have to see them and identify them.
Mr. Clark: Right. So, you need to both see them and then target them and track them. And that requires essentially two different sensor technologies to be either combined in the same radar or be in different radars. That’s how the Patriot system works. That’s how the Aegis system works that the Navy has. So, if we were to relocate out of those parts of the spectrum, you’ll lose the physics that allows those sensors to work effectively, and we’d have to either have more sensors or come up with a different approach. So that’s why sharing might be an effective alternative, but relocating them entirely may not be feasible because of the physics.
Senator Fischer: You know, Mr. Clark, I have concerns about the role that China has played in influencing our spectrum policy in this country. We’re being told that we have to keep up with China, that they have far more mid-band spectrum available, that their carriers can use the lower three for mobile networks, and that there have been no negative impacts to China’s national security.
Well, you know, in reality, China only has 10 more megahertz of mid-band spectrum available for mobile networks. China also recently imposed restrictions in its lower three band, limiting commercial access to low power, indoor use. And yet, we still hear the China comparison from carriers in their effort to gain exclusive use of these bands, which are needed for our radar systems. If the U.S. blinds its radars purely for economic reasons, that only helps foreign adversaries like China. Do you share my concerns?
Mr. Clark: I do. I think China could be playing a very sophisticated game here where they’re looking to get us to vacate parts of the spectrum that we need for our military sensors, while they retain that access. And so, we unilaterally disarm while they’re able to retain their capabilities. Because, as I said before, they have the ability to move commercial users out of the spectrum basically whenever they need to for their routine government purposes.
Senator Fischer: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit some questions for the record to Mr. Clark about spectrum management, and how that also impacts what we’re talking about today. Thank you.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
February 19, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, on the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 that began the horrific internment of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Mark Takano (D-CA-39) re-introduced the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act, a bill that would establish a clear legal prohibition against un-American policies that seek to imprison individuals solely on the basis of race, religion, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity or disability. As President Donald Trump and his Administration continue their dangerous efforts to whitewash and ignore our nation’s history, passing this bill would be a first step toward recognizing this dark chapter, honoring the families impacted and safeguarding vital freedoms that are supposed to protect all Americans against arbitrary imprisonment or detention with no due process, as happened to Japanese Americans during World War II.
“Our nation must never forget or repeat the horrors thousands of innocent Japanese Americans experienced as prisoners within our own borders,” said Senator Duckworth. “While Donald Trump and his allies seek to suppress the dark chapters of our nation’s history, I’m proud to reintroduce this bill with Senator Hirono and Congressman Takano to reaffirm our commitment to upholding constitutional principles and safeguarding civil liberties in honor of Fred Korematsu and in remembrance of my dear friend and former colleague, Mark Takai. Only by recognizing our nation’s most shameful mistakes can we learn from them and help ensure horrific tragedies like these never happen again.”
“On this Day of Remembrance, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that blatant attacks on civil liberties, such as the incarceration of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans, never occur again,” said Senator Hirono. “Amidst continued attacks on vulnerable communities, I am proud to reintroduce this legislation to safeguard and protect our vital freedoms in honor of the legacies of Fred Korematsu and Congressman Mark Takai.”
“It is only right that we introduce this bill with the Korematsu and Takai name on the Japanese American Day of Remembrance,” said Congressman Takano. “Their legacies of standing up for what is right and fighting for Japanese Americans incarcerated at the hands of our government is a reminder that human rights require a commitment from us all. I am proud to reintroduce this legislation to ensure the dignity of all people and so that the horror my family and tens of thousands of other Japanese Americans experienced never happens again.”
This legislation is named in honor of the late U.S. Congressman Mark Takai from Hawai‘i for his long-time leadership on this issue prior to his passing, and Fred Korematsu, who bravely challenged the Civilian Executive Order in the Supreme Court that directed all people of Japanese ancestry be removed from designated areas on the West Coast.
In 1942, the Lieutenant General of the Western Command of the Army issued Civilian Exclusion Order 34, which directed that all people of Japanese ancestry be removed from designated areas of the West Coast because they were considered to pose a threat to national security. Fred Korematsu challenged that Civilian Exclusion Order. However, on December 18, 1944, the Supreme Court upheld his conviction in Korematsu v. United States. The Non-Detention Act of 1971 sought to remedy this problem by repudiating the legal framework allowing the government to detain U.S. citizens by deeming them national security risks. However, the Non-Detention Act did not specifically bar detentions or imprisonment based on characteristics such as race or religion. The Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act would fix this problem once and for all.
Along with Duckworth and Hirono, the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties ProtectionAct is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tina Smith (D-MN).
Along with Takano, the legislation is co-led by U.S. Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA-07) and Jill Tokuda (D-HI-02).
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) in introducing the Restore Merit to Government Service Act, to bring merit-based hiring back to the federal government and ensure the best-qualified candidates are working in the federal government. This legislation codifies President Trump’s Executive Order last month to end discriminatory hiring practices in the federal government and restore merit-based hiring requirements at all federal agencies.
“We must wash our hands of DEI,” said Senator Tuberville. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris nearly destroyed the fabric of our country with this woke, racist ideology. We need to focus on hiring the best and brightest, not dividing people based on skin color. Thank God President Trump is restoring merit-based hiring practices to our government, and prioritizing the recruitment of individuals who uphold the ideals of our nation. Now Congress must do our job to ensure that this poisonous ideology has no place in our government.”
“For years, Democrats have pushed radicalized policies into the innermost workings of our government, spending tax dollars against Americans’ own best interests. President Trump is right — in order to make the federal government work best for the American people, the federal workforce must hire based on merit above all else. Just like in any business and any job outside of the federal government, our federal agencies should be choosing the best-qualified candidate to show up and get to work for the American people. I encourage my colleagues to pass this good bill that codifies the President’s action so we can make Washington work better for American families,” said Senator Scott.
BACKGROUND:
On January 21, 2025, President Trump signed executive actions to reform the federal hiring process and end illegal discrimination in hiring to restore merit-based opportunity at all federal agencies.
The Restore Merit to Government Service Act of 2025:
Restores Merit to the Hiring Process: Prioritizes the recruitment of individuals who are committed to improving the efficiency of the federal government, upholding the rule of law and the Constitution of the United States and are passionate about the ideals of our nation.
Eliminates DEI Hiring: Prevents the appointment of any individual based on race, sex or religion.
Updates Hiring Procedures: Improves the overall hiring process for individuals by establishing a hiring timeline of no more than 80 days, offers a more streamlined communications process with candidates and integrates modern technology to support agencies with the recruitment and selection process. This legislation ensures that the heads, or designees, of agencies are active participants in the new processes.
Holds Agencies Accountable: The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall establish performance metrics to evaluate the success of the new hiring procedures.
MORE: Tuberville, Schmitt Introduce Legislation To Dismantle DEI Tuberville Supporting Elimination of DEI, Restoration of Lethality in Armed Forces Tuberville Introduces Bill to Boost American Manufacturing, Remove Woke DEI Requirements from CHIPS Act Tuberville Urges Senate to Confirm Hegseth and Rollins, Secure American Farmland with the FARM Act Tuberville: “It’s a New Day in America, Greatness Awaits Us if We Answer the Call of the American People” Tuberville Questions Hegseth, Encourages Him to Represent War Fighters, Not Warmongers as Secretary of Defense Sen. Tuberville Delivers Wins for Alabama in 118th Congress, Will be Sledgehammer for President Trump in Next Congress Tuberville Secures Major Wins for Alabama and Military Tuberville: “We need a military that is 100% focused on protecting our country and enhancing national security.” ICYMI: Tuberville Op-ed: Pete Hegseth, the Change Agent America Needs to Clean up the DOD ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Kudlow to Discuss Meeting with SecDef Nominee ICYMI: Tuberville in the Daily Caller: The Dangerous Biden-Harris Plan to Leave Our Veterans Behind ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Fox Business to Discuss Biden-Harris Administration’s Slow FEMA Response ICYMI: Tuberville Joins “Mornings with Maria” to Discuss Secret Service Leadership Failures, Kamala Harris’ Bad Economic Policies
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
DNI’s 2024 Annual Threat Assessment rates China as “most active and persistent threat” to U.S. government
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) in requesting information from the Pentagon about how many of its employees have used their government devices to access DeepSeek, a Chinese AI application. In a letter to Acting Chief Information Officer at the Department of Defense (DOD), Leslie A. Beavers, the senators also pressed for information surrounding potential cyber threats from the use of DeepSeek, and what practices are being implemented to prevent future cyber security risks.
“We write to express our concern that Department of Defense (DOD) employees accessed the Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek on their work devices and, as a result, Chinese servers,” wrote the senators.
“It is also our understanding, based on the DoD’s Use of Mobile Applications 2023 report, that misuse of mobile applications on DoD personnel devices may not be simply a series of isolated incidents. While our immediate concern is to understand the impact of DoD employees’ access to DeepSeek on national security, we are also interested in understanding the DoD’s policy regarding mobile device applications to the end of ensuring we are diminishing cybersecurity risks associated with certain platforms,” they continued.
Joining U.S. Senators Tuberville and Budd in sending the letter are U.S. Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
Read full text of the letter below or here.
“Dear Ms. Beavers,
We write to express our concern that Department of Defense (DOD) employees accessed the Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek on their work devices and, as a result, Chinese servers.
We understand that the National Security Council (NSC) is currently reviewing the national security implications of DeepSeek and expect this will be an ongoing conversation between Congress, the NSC, and relevant agencies. However, in the immediate term, we request that the Department provide information regarding potential impacts to the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) and the Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN) of the recent incident.
The office of the Director of National Intelligence’s 2024 Annual Threat Assessment states that “China remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to the U.S. Government, private-sector and critical infrastructure networks”. This is evidenced by the recent Salt Typhoon Hack, a breach of at least eight U.S. telecommunications providers, among many other reports of cyberattacks originating from China.
It is also our understanding, based on the DoD’s Use of Mobile Applications 2023 report, that misuse of mobile applications on DoD personnel devices may not be simply a series of isolated incidents. While our immediate concern is to understand the impact of DoD employees’ access to DeepSeek on national security, we are also interested in understanding the DoD’s policy regarding mobile device applications to the end of ensuring we are diminishing cybersecurity risks associated with certain platforms.
Therefore, we request answers to the following questions by no later than March 4, 2025.
How many Department employees connected their work computers and/or mobile devices to Chinese servers via the DeepSeek Application?
Has the DeepSeek app now been deleted from all DoD devices? If not, what steps will you take to ensure the DeepSeek app is removed from all DoD devices?
What steps have been made to limit access on DoD devices to only those applications with a justified and approved need?
What is the Defense Information Systems Agency’s (DISA’s) initial assessment about whether Chinese servers were able to access and exfiltrate sensitive information due to Department personnel use of DeepSeek?
How has the use of the DeepSeek app by Department personnel impacted the operational and cybersecurity risks to the DISN as well as the DODIN?
What guidance or training has DISA shared with Department employees regarding accessing Chinese AI app DeepSeek or any other Chinese-affiliated app?
We understand that the Navy issued guidance against using open-source AI systems for official work. What guidance (if any) are the other services and/or the Department issuing to employees?
What is DISA’s process for assessing which networks, websites and or applications have a connection to the People’s Republic of China and what are DISA’s standard operating procedures when made aware of such a connection?
What action (if any) has been taken regarding the DoD employees who connected their work computers and/or mobile devices to Chinese servers via the DeepSeek Application?
Have all of the recommendations from Management Advisory: The DoD’s Use of Mobile Applications (Report No. DODIG-2023-041) been implemented? If not, why not?
Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to hearing from you and working with the Department of Defense to keep our networks safe from persistent cyber threats.
Sincerely,”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) questioned former Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Labor, during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. During the conversation, Sen. Tuberville emphasized the importance of Alabama’s position as a Right-to-Work state.
Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.
ON RIGHT TO WORK:
TUBERVILLE: “Let’s beat a dead horse here. [We’re a] Right-to-Work state—Alabama—my constituents at home wanna know, are you gonna try to change our status as Right-to-Work?”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “I respect the fact that you are from a Right-to-Work state, and I respect the fact that you can continue to be a Right-to-Work state.”
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.
Back when we had the PRO Act [committee markup], I offered an amendment that would require authorization from employees in order for any kind of dues, fees, or assessments to be used towards a political campaign by the union bosses. It failed.
Are you for that? […] How would you handle that?
Dues going to from a union, paid in a political contribution from employees that are not asked, ‘Can we use your money?’”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “So you’re saying they pay their dues. It’s used for a political contribution without their knowledge?”
TUBERVILLE: “Right.”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “Yeah. Well, again, […] I think they should be aware of where their dues are going.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. Okay. Just asking. You voted for the PRO Act. I was just asking.”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “Senator, if I could correct the record, I did not vote for the PRO Act. I put my name on this. We did not have a vote on the PRO Act. So, I just wanted to correct the record on that.”
ON PRO-LIFE STANCE:
TUBERVILLE: “Alright. We had this conversation a couple weeks ago. My constituents wanna know.
You worked at Planned Parenthood years and years ago. [Are] you pro-life or pro-choice?”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “I am supportive of the President’s agenda. I have a 100% pro-life voting record in Congress, and I will continue to support the America First agenda, which we know includes life.”
TUBERVILLE: “Good answer. Alright.”
ON THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE:
TUBERVILLE: “Talk to me about legal immigration. […] We have the most engineers in the country in the state of Alabama because of NASA and defense contractors and all those things. We’re running short on a lot of engineers, high tech people that are well trained in our country. For some reason, we’re running short because Big Tech is growing.
Where do you stand on legal immigration? Your thoughts?”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “Well, I’m supportive of legal immigration only. I mean, I don’t see another way around it. […] Are you referring to the H-1B Visa program?”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. Anything to do with high-tech. Anything to do with engineers that eventually, we’re going to have to allow more people to come [into the country]. But not to tear down the structure of young men and women having a chance to make a better living because they spent four or five years at a university and have to pay their bills.”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “I appreciate that so much that you brought this up. You know, certainly we never want to replace the American worker. We want to make sure that we’re investing in the American worker, and they have the skills needed for the high-tech industry as we see moving forward through a lot of our respective states. On the visitor’s Visa, on the H-1B, there’s been conversation about in the immediacy, I’ve heard that from many of the senators—it’s about today. What happens today and tomorrow? I commit to you to working, again, with testing the market. That’s the Department of Labor’s remit. It’s to test the market and see in where we need the guest worker program. Once we’ve exhausted all other programs and making sure that we’re out there, then work with the Department of Homeland [Security] and certainly the Department of State and if we have to administer more. […] Congress will determine it, and then I’ll work with those inner agencies as well. And I would love to work with your office on that, specifically.”
ON NIL:
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. I’m not gonna put you under the gun on this question. You probably don’t know a lot about it. A lot of people in this room know a lot about it.
NIL—Name, Image, and Likeness. It is a disaster. And we’re gonna have to do something in your tenure to help young men and women understand, you know, the situation that we’re in because we’re gonna start losing Title IX. We’ve got a young man that just signed an eight-million-dollar contract, and he’s 20 years old. And it’s out of control. So, the next time you come, hopefully, we can have a hearing on what we call Name, Image, and Likeness. I’m all for kids making money, but it is a workforce. It needs to be changed. It needs to be regulated to a point where, you know, all men and women, young men and women can have a chance to make money. So just to bring that to light, but that will be under your purview in the very near future.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.”
CHAVEZ-DeREMER: “Thank you, Senator.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today released the following statement on Donald Trump’s nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to be U.S. Labor Secretary.
“As a proud supporter of the PRO Act that would empower Oregonians and all Americans to unionize and advocate for fair wages, benefits and working conditions, I took special note of Lori Chavez DeRemer’s bizarre disavowal today of her previous support for this vital legislation,” Wyden said. “Her reversal is blatantly anti-worker and calls into question whether she’d be anything more than another tool of Donald Trump and Elon Musk. But her troubling flip-flops didn’t stop there. Just months after telling Oregon voters she was pro-choice, she also told senators today she’s anti-abortion. I will vote against her confirmation.”
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) scorned the recent firing of one thousands employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) across throughout the country as having a detrimental impact on veterans and their ability to access their earned benefits. In a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), King also questioned the Honorable Paul Lawrence Ph.D., nominee to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, on his support for these cuts and how he will work within the department to ensure that veterans are not victims of the VA’s quest to “reduce inefficiencies” – and rely solely on new technology – across the federal government.
“On the layoffs, here is the problem. You have testified, and the press release has been, that this is done in a thoughtful way with reviews. I am a great advocate of Ronald Reagan’s admonition ‘trust but verify.’ I would like to see some data that verifies that that took place. It is hard for me to believe that 1000 people were laid off in a matter of weeks with the kind of thoughtful process that you are defining,” Senator King said, before posing a question that quoted Project 2025 (italicized). “The next administration should explore how reviews would be accelerated with clearance from OMB to target significant cost savings from revising disability rating awards.’ That is a change of benefits. For future claimants, and listen to this, ‘while preserving them fully or partially for existing claimants.’”
Senator King continued, “Partially is a pregnant term. That means you are talking about potentially reducing benefits for people who are getting them now…the phrase ‘preserving benefits fully or partially for existing claimants’ is not very reassuring to the veterans of this country.”
Senator King then questioned the nominee on his support for AI in reviewing veterans claims, noting that AI is a tool, but cannot be used as a medical decision maker when lives are at stake — by again quoting Project 2025 (in italics)
“One is a suggestion for the VA to increase automation. ‘The best way to provide benefits more faster and more accurately is by using technology to perform most ofthe work.’ We are already learning in the private sector through insurance companies that giving AI the decision about making these kind of decisions does not work well. Do you think increased use of technology and artificial intelligence in claims processing is a good idea?” King asked.
Dr. Lawrence responded, “Thank you for the question, Senator. If you noticed it said most of the work. The way the claim comes about is that there is a lot of work where you gather information and it is called development. That’s what takes so long, getting the veterans’ information in front of someone to make a decision. Technology can be used to gather the information faster. So, a government employee and a claims adjudicator can make the decision.”
King asked again, “You are testifying that you are not talking about AI making the decision but simply automating the collection of data?”
“It is called development. That is correct. The decision should be made by an individual, a V.A. employee as required by law. But also to bring judgment into things. I think technology is great but it is not the end all be all,” Dr. Lawrence concluded.
Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King has been a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. Last year, he led the bipartisan Military Spouse Employment Act — pieces of which passed into law in the FY2024 NDAA — which allows military spouses to have a remote work career with any federal agency and helps them to maintain consistent employment should they move with their spouse. He also introduced the Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act to expand military family care to cover critical health care during pregnancies. Most recently, he joined the bipartisan Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act to improve financial security for military families by ensuring life insurance packages for servicemembers and veterans adjust for increases in cost of living and inflation.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to make it easier for Indian Health Services (IHS) to recruit and retain medical workers. Specifically, this legislation, the IHS Workforce Parity Act, improves health care in Tribal communities by allowing providers working part-time to access IHS scholarship and loan repayment programs. Last Congress, this bill passed the Senate unanimously but did not receive a vote in the House of Representatives.
Historically, IHS has a 25% vacancy rate for health care providers, and the IHS Workforce Parity Act would help attract new doctors and nurses to both the agency and Tribal health facilities that serve over 2.5 million American Indian and Alaskan Native Tribal members.
“The severe shortage of IHS health care providers poses a threat to the quality of care that Nevadans in Tribal communities receive. That is unacceptable,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It is time for Congress to come together to pass my common sense, bipartisan legislation and provide real solutions for Indian Country.”
“I am confident our legislation will help address the current difficulty IHS is facing in recruiting and retaining health care professionals,” said Senator Mullin. “Rural health care providers like IHS have unique staffing needs, and our bill offers a flexible, cost-effective solution to ensure IHS maintains a competitive edge when considering new recruits. In strengthening the workforce, IHS can ensure a proper quality of care to their patients and improve patient outcomes.”
Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. Last year, the Senate passed her legislation to strengthen Tribal public safety. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
February 19, 2025
The STOP CSAM Act would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material online
WASHINGTON – In conjunction with today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child safety online, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) announced that they will reintroduce the STOP CSAM Act. The bipartisan legislation would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims to sue companies that host this material, among other things. The Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced this legislation last Congress.
“Big Tech has woefully failed to police itself, and the American people are demanding that Congress intervene. We made significant headway last year to address Big Tech’s failure to protect our kids online, including five unanimous bipartisan votes on bills in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It’s time to build on that progress. I’m glad to partner with Senator Hawley to soon reintroduce our bill supporting victims of child sexual abuse material and increasing accountability for tech companies, and I encourage all my colleagues to join us,” said Durbin.
“Congress has already waited too long to protect kids online and while we’ve stalled social media companies have continued to be hubs for child sexual abuse material. We can’t waste any more time,” said Hawley. “Let’s give parents and victims the ability to hold these companies accountable and sue them. Anything less, and these problems won’t end.”
Durbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts. On January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.
In addition, Durbin’s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit “deepfake” images and videos. The volume of “deepfake” content available online is increasing exponentially as the technology used to create it has become more accessible to the public. The overwhelming majority of this material is sexually explicit and is produced without the consent of the person depicted.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
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WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, on Wednesday questioned Lori Chavez-DeRemer at a hearing on her nomination for Secretary of Labor. Murphy pressed Chavez-DeRemer on whether she would prevent Elon Musk or any private company from accessing sensitive labor investigation data and on her views regarding the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Murphy highlighted Elon Musk’s current conflicts with the Department of Labor and pressed Chavez-DeRemer for her commitment to ensuring he cannot access sensitive data he could use to enrich himself: “Elon Musk is right now the subject of several OSHA investigations. Multiple companies are subject to multiple investigations. His rocket company has an injury rate that is about nine times higher than the industry average. I heard you say you will protect data privacy, but let me ask once again the very specific question: will you commit to denying access to Elon Musk or any of his representatives to information about labor violations at OSHA or any other information about labor violation investigations at the Department of Labor?”
Murphy continued: “This is an individual who owns companies that have existing investigations. He has a direct interest in getting information about the seriousness of those investigations. He has interest in getting information about investigations against his competitors. It seems like a pretty simple commitment to make, to say ‘I am not going to give any private company exclusive access to information about open investigations against them or their competitors.’ Why can’t you just make that commitment to us?”
As billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk argue the only agency responsible for protecting workers’ rights, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), is unconstitutional, Murphy asked Chavez-DeRemer if she agrees: “Both SpaceX and Amazon have filed suits against the NLRB, contesting its constitutionality. It is a pretty extreme argument, saying that the NLRB is actually unconstitutional. I know you were asked earlier about the firing of one of the members. Do you believe that the NLRB is constitutional?”
A full transcript of Murphy’s exchange with Chavez-DeRemer can be found below:
MURPHY: “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much for your willingness to serve and come before this committee. I think Senator Murray’s questions were really important regarding the security of data and sensitive information at the Department of Labor, and so I just want to drill down and maybe make a finer point here.
“Elon Musk is right now the subject of several OSHA investigations. Multiple companies are subject to multiple investigations. His rocket company has an injury rate that is about nine times higher than the industry average. I heard you say you will protect data privacy, but let me ask once again the very specific question: will you commit to denying access to Elon Musk or any of his representatives to information about labor violations at OSHA or any other information about labor violation investigations at the Department of Labor?”
CHAVEZ-DEREMER: “Thank you Senator. On this same issue, committing to privacy, again, I know that for most listening to this it seems as though when we’re trying to answer these questions, but I have not been in these conversations. I am not confirmed. I only see what is happening possibly on the news and so forth. The president has the executive power to have his coalition of advisors and determine what is best for the American people. He made a promise to the American people that he was going to do these things and check into what is happening. Other than that, I don’t have – I have not been read in on any of this. And if confirmed, I commit to taking a deeper look and working with your office and any other office on this issue.”
MURPHY: “This one feels pretty simple. This is an individual who owns companies that have existing investigations. He has a direct interest in getting information about the seriousness of those investigations. He has interest in getting information about investigations against his competitors. It seems like a pretty simple commitment to make, to say ‘I am not going to give any private company exclusive access to information about open investigations against them or their competitors.’ Why can’t you just make that commitment to us?”
CHAVEZ-DEREMER: “Well again, the president has the executive power to exercise it as he sees fit. I am not the president of the United States. I work for the president of the United States, if confirmed, and I will serve at the pleasure of the president. On this issue, again, I have not been into the Department of Labor. So I will commit to working with your office, I will commit to coming back– if confirmed, and I am in the Department of Labor– coming back and answering those questions to this committee. Wholeheartedly I will commit to that.”
MURPHY: “But you have the ability to disagree with the president. You certainly serve at his pleasure, but that doesn’t mean you have to take actions you believe to be unethical. If the president asks you to give access to information to benefit a friend of his who has pending investigations, you wouldn’t say no?”
CHAVEZ-DEREMER: “Well, the president, I think, in building his team – a formidable team – to determine that, I don’t think is expecting yes-men and -women. We are going to be advisors to the president, and I would talk to the president. But on this issue, one, I am not an attorney. I would certainly consult with the Department of Labor solicitors. I would certainly consult with the White House and their attorneys. But until I am confirmed and in the Department of Labor, I would not be able to say specific to this, without having the full picture, before that.”
MURPHY: “I don’t think you need to be an attorney to understand that giving access to a company, to sensitive data about labor violations at their company or to competitors’ companies is deeply unethical.
“Let me ask you another question. Both SpaceX and Amazon have filed suits against the NLRB, contesting its constitutionality. It is a pretty extreme argument, saying that the NLRB is actually unconstitutional. I know you were asked earlier about the firing of one of the members. Do you believe that the NLRB is constitutional?”
CHAVEZ-DEREMER: “I believe the NLRB definitely has its authority and I respect that authority. I know you mentioned, or I mentioned, that I’m not an attorney. That being said, it looks like the courts are dealing with that, but what I respect is the fact that it is [a] separate, independent agency and I think it has a role to play, and I respect that. As the Department of Labor Secretary, if confirmed, I will take that very seriously.”
MURPHY: “But do you believe it is constitutional?”
CASSIDY: “You can answer that question real fast.”
CHAVEZ-DEREMER: “Thank you. I definitely believe the NLRB is an important agency, independent. And I will work with the NLRB, as we have very different jurisdictions but we often overlap. And so I think it is important to recognize it is an important agency, independent and so forth.”
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Senate Republicans’ proposed budget would slash Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act funding, rip away health care and raise costs for millions
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) hosted a press conference on Capitol Hill to slam President Trump and Republicans’ cruel and chaotic budget which would raise health care costs for millions of Americans and slash Medicaid in order to give tax handouts to the ultra-wealthy. TheSenators highlighted how drastic cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) included in Republicans’ budget blueprint would kick tens of millions of people off of their health coverage, decimate state budgets, cut payments to health care providers, and increase costs for the more than 100 million people across the country who rely on these programs.
“When I talk to Vermonters, their heads are spinning. There’s no stable ground underneath them, and they wonder what he’s up to…the number one agenda item for Trump is cutting taxes for billionaires, the families be damned,” said Senator Welch. “We are here to say no. We are going to fight every way that we can to stop this travesty from occurring.”
Watch a livestream and view photos from the press conference below:
Read Senator Welch’s remarks as delivered here.
Sens. Welch and Baldwin were joined by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
Published: February 19 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) and U.S. Representatives Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to authorize NASA to negotiate an agreement with the Town of Chincoteague to address costs associated with relocating the contaminated water wells, reimburse for those identified costs, and provide more local control of the water supply to the Town of Chincoteague. Several of the Town’s wells are located on NASA property and have been contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While the well water is currently being treated to remove PFAS and is safe to drink, these treatments must occur regularly, which is an ongoing cost for NASA. This bill offers a permanent solution to resolve the contamination management hurdle while saving the federal government money.
“We’re proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to remove unnecessary burdens to allow the Town of Chincoteague and NASA to come to an agreement on the costs of relocating contaminated water wells,” said the members. “We will keep working together to get this across the finish line.”
The legislation was passed by the U.S. Senate in December 2024, but it did not pass in the U.S. House of Representatives before the end of the 118th Congress and therefore must be reintroduced.
Full text of the Senate legislation can be found here.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Published: February 19, 2025
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement regarding the recently announced hiring freeze at Acadia National Park:
“In response to conversations with officials from Friends of Acadia and the National Parks Conservation Association, I discussed with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum the problems that the Department’s hiring freeze creates for Acadia because the Park would not be able to hire the seasonal employees required to collect entrance fees and perform other essential tasks such as maintaining trails and providing first responder services to visitors.
“Secretary Burgum has informed me that he has now secured an exception to the hiring freeze that will allow seasonal hiring to proceed. I am continuing to work with the Secretary on the remaining problems caused by the sweeping hiring freeze and the elimination of probationary workers.”
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
02.19.25
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after voting to confirm Kelly Loeffler to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration:
“Congratulations to Kelly Loeffler on her confirmation to lead the U.S. Small Business Administration. Kelly and I served together on the Senate Agriculture Committee, where we worked to advance priorities for our farmers and ranchers and rural small businesses. Small businesses power our economy and Kelly understands the importance of providing them with the right tax, legal and regulatory environment to succeed. I look forward to working with her once again to bolster our small businesses in North Dakota and across the nation.”
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
February 18, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after President Donald Trump laid off more than 1,000 “probationary” employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and purged thousands of federal employees, including many Veterans who devoted their lives to service:
“In the wake of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s mass federal layoffs, I’m continuing to hear from Veterans who suddenly found themselves jobless—including some Veteran federal workers with as many as 18 years of service. This reckless action comes directly after Trump and Musk fired 1,000 VA employees—including doctors, nurses, devoted public servants working the Veterans Crisis Line and more—which will lead to even longer wait times, more backlog and more chaos for our Veterans. While Trump and Musk can keep claiming that they’re working to weed out waste and save money, we know that these mass federal layoffs and VA cuts are ultimately their attempts to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy—and stick our Veterans with the bill. Trump’s federal purge and VA layoffs are a middle finger to our nation’s heroes and their life of service.”
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Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran
WASHINGTON. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced legislation to combat the high cost of prescription drugs and provide greater transparency of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
The Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Transparency Act would ban deceptive and unfair pricing schemes, prohibit arbitrary claw backs of payments made to pharmacies and require PBMs to report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on how much money they make through spread pricing and pharmacy fees.
“PBMs have engaged in deceptive and unfair drug pricing practices for years without proper oversight, driving up the cost of prescription drugs and hurting Kansas pharmacies,” said Sen. Moran. “PBMs should be prohibited from unfairly manipulating costs, and this legislation would provide more transparency through reporting requirements to the FTC to help level the playing field for our pharmacies.”
“Iowans are fed up with the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs and eager for Congress to act to put a stop to pharmacy benefit managers’ shady practices,” said Sen. Grassley. “These bipartisan legislative solutions will bring much-needed transparency to prescription drug pricing and ensure the federal government can effectively target the abusive practices that unfairly drive up drug costs.”
“For too long, Americans have been left in the dark while PBMs – the mysterious middlemen – manipulate prescription drug prices,” said Sen. Cantwell. “We need to hold PBMs accountable for skyrocketing drug costs. With these bipartisan bills, I’m continuing to fight for accountability and transparency in the drug market so we can shine a light on unfair practices and make sure patients get a fair deal on the medications they need.”
The senators were joined by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) in introducing this legislation.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) reintroduced legislation to establish a permanent federal tuition assistance (FTA) program benefitting Air National Guard members. The Air Guard Standardizing Tuition Assistance to Unify the Services (STATUS) Act requires the Secretary of the Air Force to provide tuition assistance to drill-status members of the Air National Guard, consistent with the program available to the Army National Guard. The legislation is supported by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS).
“The men and women in the Air National Guard work alongside their active-duty counterparts to protect our nation and serve our communities,” said Sen. Moran. “Providing the same educational benefits to the Air National Guard that the Army National Guard receives will help increase recruitment rates and make certain our servicemembers have access to the benefits they deserve.”
“Our Air Guard members deserve to receive the same benefits as their counterparts, both in the reserve and active duty components of the military,” said Sen. Hoeven. “Our legislation makes the Air Guard FTA pilot program that we first worked to establish in 2020 permanent and available to drill-status Guard members across the country. Doing so will ensure the Air Guard, like the Happy Hooligans in Fargo, can continue to recruit the best and brightest members to support the increasingly high-tech missions they take on in defense of our nation.”
“Ensuring that the brave women and men serving in the Air National Guard have access to educational opportunities will not only help our recruitment and retention, but will also enhance our overall military preparedness and provide service members the benefits they deserve,” said Sen. Shaheen. “Passing our bipartisan legislation will make tuition more affordable for the Air National Guard and bring their educational benefits in line with the other service branches. Let’s get this done.”
“Colorado is home to over 1,500 Air National Guardsmen whose dedication and sacrifice helps keep our state and country safe,” said Sen. Bennet. “Our bipartisan bill will help attract, develop, and retain members of the Air National Guard and ensure servicemembers nationwide have the educational benefits they deserve.”
“We must take care of the servicemembers who take care of our nation. One way to show our gratitude is to invest in their future through federal tuition assistance,” said retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, President of NGAUS. “We must equally provide for our Soldiers and our Airmen. This bill corrects a long-standing gap in National Guard benefits and will empower our Airmen to reach new heights in knowledge and skill. We thank Senators Hoeven and Shaheen for their efforts and continued support of the National Guard.”
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after Howard Lutnick was confirmed as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce:
“I have no doubt that Howard Lutnick has the experience and expertise to lead the Department of Commerce and help enact President Trump’s economic agenda. I was proud to support Howard’s nomination and look forward to working with him to promote economic competitiveness and bolster Texas’ booming economy.”
Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
WASHINGTON, DC — Kentucky’s Congressional Delegation, led by Dean of the House Hal Rogers, sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday in support of Governor Andy Beshear’s request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration, as a result of deadly flooding across Kentucky that began on February 14, 2025. U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator Rand Paul and U.S. Representatives Hal Rogers, Brett Guthrie, James Comer, Andy Barr, Thomas Massie and Morgan McGarvey signed onto the joint letter expressing support for the entire Commonwealth.
“The storm triggered significant flooding, landslides and mudslides, causing extensive damage to both state and local infrastructure, and tragically claiming at least 14 lives. While precise damage assessments cannot be completed at this time due to ongoing high floodwaters in affected areas, it is estimated that more than 8,000 homes and businesses have been either destroyed or severely damaged,” the letter stated. “The Commonwealth is currently forecasted to receive more inclement weather in the coming days, further complicating the response and recovery.”
President Trump swiftly approved Governor Beshear’s previous request for an emergency disaster declaration over the weekend, providing federal resources for state and local emergency response. The emergency declaration authorized the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts during the early hours of the disaster.
The upgraded request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration would extend federal assistance to all impacted counties that meet the threshold for public and individual assistance.
Click here to download the letter.
Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the confirmation of Kelly Loeffler as U.S. Small Business Administrator:
“Kelly Loeffler is another excellent addition to the President’s team. My former colleague in the Senate knows firsthand the challenges of owning and operating a business today, particularly the constant headache of regulatory red tape that too often stifles small businesses. I’m confident Senator Loeffler will be a champion for policies that empower our nation’s entrepreneurs and get bureaucrats out of the way.”
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) sent two letters to the Trump Administration regarding his recent decision to terminate several thousand employees at the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). The senators expressed deep concerns about the risks that these mass firings could have on the millions of acres of public lands in Nevada and demanded transparency about the projects the terminated employees had been responsible for.
“President Trump’s reckless firing of thousands of employees at the Department of the Interior and the United States Forest Service raises serious concerns about the impacts this could have on Nevada’s public lands,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m joining Senator Cortez Masto in pushing back and requesting more information from the Trump Administration to understand how this will impact ongoing projects across our state.”
“The Trump administration has made the chaotic decision to fire thousands of hard-working federal employees who keep Nevadans safe from wildfires and protect their access to clean water,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The federal government is responsible for managing over 80% of the land in Nevada, and our families deserve answers about how this decision will impact their communities.”
Nevada has the highest percentage of land managed by DOI – more than any other state. Specifically, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages over 60 percent (approximately 48 million acres) of Nevada’s land. Nevada is also home to prominent lands managed by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), National Park Service (NPS), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Additionally, the USFS manages approximately 5.9 million acres of land in Nevada, including some of our most cherished landscapes such as the Lake Tahoe Basin, the Ruby Mountains within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area outside of Las Vegas. Many Nevadans rely on the services provided by Forest Service staff.
The Senators asked that the following information about the terminated employees be made public:
The number of employees terminated.
A description of the position and responsibilities of each terminated employee.
A list and description of the projects to which each terminated employee was assigned.
A description of what information the terminated employees were provided.
The letter to the USFS can be found here and the letter to the DOI can be found here.
Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are champions for Nevada’s great outdoor spaces and public lands. They recently joined Nevada’s Congressional delegation in urging the Trump Administration to preserve national monument designations in Nevada. The Senators passed critical legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects public lands in Nevada and across the U.S. They also passed bipartisan, bicameral legislation to reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, and they delivered critical funding to protect Lake Tahoe in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Last year, Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto announced over $375 million for recreation and conservation projects across Nevada.
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) sent a letter urging Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to use every tool at her disposal to help lower the surging cost of eggs. In her letter, Senator Rosen expressed her concern about the skyrocketing price of eggs and asked the Trump Administration to take immediate action to address the bird flu epidemic and strengthen the food supply chain to prevent disruptions.
“Astronomical prices, coupled with a severe egg supply shortage, are hurting hardworking families in my state. My constituents have continued to reach out, concerned that they cannot access this staple item and if they can, it is too expensive for their family to afford. On top of this, overall inflation increased by 3 percent last month. This is further compounding the high egg prices we are seeing because of supply chain deficiencies,” wrote Senator Rosen. “With egg prices expected to climb by another 20 percent this year, it is imperative for USDA to take immediate actions to mitigate this sharp projected increase.”
“In addition to taking immediate steps to combat the spread of bird flu, I urge you to work with your partners at other federal agencies to address the high costs of eggs and remedy the broader supply chain challenges we are experiencing,” Rosen continued. “This includes working with the Federal Trade Commission to ensure bad actors are not taking advantage of the current dire situation and partaking in price gouging practices that hurt Nevadans.”
The full letter can be found HERE.
Senator Rosen has been holding the Trump Administration accountable for their promise to lower costs for hardworking Nevadans. Earlier this month, she took the Senate floor to call out the Trump Administration for its lack of action to lower grocery prices and address the egg shortage. This week, Rosen joined her Senate colleagues in urging President Donald Trump to reject Congressional Republicans’ plans to increase the cost of living for Americans.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) held a press conference to call out President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ plans to slash Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the super wealthy and billionaires. Medicaid is a lifeline that helps rural hospitals keep their doors open and provides health care to 72 million Americans, including over 8 million seniors and over 30 million kids.
“Republicans have admitted all along it’s their plan to cut Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. It’s flat-out wrong. Americans want us to lower the cost of their health care, not rip it away from Americans with disabilities, seniors in long-term care, and poor kids,” said Senator Baldwin. “Donald Trump promised to lower costs for American families. He lied. Now he is going to kick grandmothers out of nursing homes and kids off their health care, going against the wishes of the over 70 percent of Americans who want Medicaid protected, including the majority of Republicans.”
“Republicans have made clear they won’t hesitate to bleed health programs dry if it means they can shower more tax cuts on billionaires and big corporations,” said Senator Murray. “The cold hard reality is that if Republicans are going to cut this deeply and painfully to extend tax cuts for billionaires—they are going to have to cut things like veterans’ health care, Medicare, and Medicaid. Every time Republicans have tried this—including in Trump’s first term—the American people have made clear: don’t sabotage our health care, and don’t jack up our costs. So, Republicans may be charging down this same dangerous path once again, but once again, Democrats will not be silent about it. Neither will the American people.”
“Here’s the hard truth Republican leadership and the Trump Administration won’t admit to the American people: they can’t fund Trump’s tax scam by just cracking down on fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicaid,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “To cut nearly a trillion dollars, which their budget plan calls for, they have to gut Medicaid. Donald is being dishonest with Americans. It’s cruel, it’s dangerous, and it’ll leave hundreds of thousands of Nevadans without access to affordable health care – just so billionaires can pay less in taxes.”
Republicans are planning deep cuts to Medicaid that will jeopardize the coverage of 72 million Americans, or 1 in 5 people living in the United States who use Medicaid. This includes nearly half of all children, 31.5 million, over 8.3 million seniors, and around 15 million people with disabilities. Medicaid also pays for 6 out of 10 of residents in nursing homes, with 5.6 million Americans counting on Medicaid for their long-term care bills and Medicaid paying for over half of long-term care in the United States. Severe cuts to Medicaid will also jeopardize rural hospitals and clinics’ ability to keep their doors open. Over 12 million rural Americans rely on Medicaid for health care.
In Wisconsin, over 1.2 million are enrolled in Medicaid. About 1 in 3 children in both Wisconsin’s rural and metro communities have Medicaid coverage. More than 300,000 kids under age 19 are members of BadgerCare Plus or another Wisconsin Medicaid program.
Republicans released a budget blueprint that directed the committee with jurisdiction over Medicaid to find $880 billion in cuts for their upcoming budget to pay for tax breaks for the super-wealthy and large corporations. Today, President Trump endorsed that blueprint. As Republicans move forward with their legislation, their plans to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid will jeopardize care for individuals with autism, seniors seeking long-term care, low- and middle-class children, and Americans who rely on rural hospitals.
A full recording of the press conference is available here.