{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", party = \"Democrat\" and state = \"CT\" sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-pushes-for-senate-passage-of-bill-protecting-children-from-ice", "Murphy Pushes for Senate Passage of Bill Protecting Children from ICE", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday went to the floor of the U.S. Senate to ask for unanimous consent to pass his bill to prevent ICE, Border Patrol, and all DHS agents from carrying out enforcement actions at school bus stops. A Senate Republican blocked the bill, allowing the Trump Administration to continue conducting aggressive enforcement operations in full view of children.\n\nICE recently conducted a week-long operation in Connecticut resulting in 118 arrests, which included an arrest of a parent who just dropped their child off at their bus stop. When reports surfaced, Sen. Murphy immediately joined elected officials and immigration rights advocates, as well as thousands of protestors in Danbury, to denounce the operation. Videos released to CT Insider by Danbury Public Schools under a Freedom of Information Act request documented the scene.\n\n\u201cI am [\u2026] just asking my colleagues: can we come to an agreement that school bus stops should be off limits? Can we decide to have compassion for that six-year-old child who got on the bus for his second day of school, and when he got back off the bus, was abandoned?\u201d said Murphy.\n\nMurphy chronicled the horrors witnessed by children in Danbury during their first week of school: \u201cOn the morning of August 26, the second day of school for most school districts in Connecticut, in Danbury, Connecticut, bus drivers began reporting to the school district that they had noticed the presence of ICE agents in and around school bus stops. At one of them, a constituent of mine, a father, was waiting at the school bus stop with his six-year-old son, and just moments after saying goodbye to his son for the second day of school, and even before the school bus had fully driven away, ICE arrested and detained him.\u201d\n\nMurphy pleaded with his Republican colleagues to consider the trauma ICE is inflicting on innocent children: \u201cFor parents in this body, you know how anxious that first day of school is, how kids are just brimming with nervous anxiety about that first day, and you know what that feels like to watch your kid walk onto that school bus. Well, what do you think it does to those kids on that first and second day of school to see ICE officers at the school bus stop? Imagine that six-year-old who boarded the school bus, and when he got back from school that day and got off, his parent wasn't there. A six-year-old feeling like he had been abandoned. In this case, he may or may not have seen the arrest because it happened almost immediately after he got on.\u201d\n\nMurphy emphasized that ICE blatantly lied when they denied carrying out arrests at school bus stops: \u201cWhile that practice is bad enough, it is important to note that ICE tried to cover up the practice. When they were presented with these stories from Danbury, DHS doubled down and said any claim that ICE targeted parents at a school bus stop is false. Then just days afterwards, we had the video evidence. This often happens\u2014ICE says something didn't happen, and then we have the video proving that it did. And in Danbury's case, we have two separate videos taken from the school bus showing ICE operating at the school bus stop and detaining this parent.\u201d\n\nMurphy also revealed that several Republicans have voiced opposition to Trump\u2019s heartless deployment of ICE to sensitive locations: \u201cWe came close to getting an agreement on a similar proposal before negotiations broke down over DHS funding. Senator Blumenthal, my colleague, has a piece of legislation that is even broader than the three bills I'm proposing. The idea is that there should just be a ban on the operation of ICE at sensitive locations, which would include places where children gather but also would include other sensitive locations like churches. I know my Republican colleagues were close to agreeing to that before these negotiations broke down.\u201d\n\nAfter a bizarre objection from Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Murphy hammered Republicans over how dishonest they are being about the terror ICE is inflicting on communities like Danbury: \u201cI will be honest with you, I did not anticipate that one of the arguments against this bill would be that it would lead to the development of \u2018sanctuary bus stops.\u2019 But what do we imagine here? People are going to live at bus stops? We're going to have encampments around bus stops of people who are here without documentation? I just think it's an example of how this whole debate has gone way off the rails. It is just fundamentally detached from the reality.\u201d\n\nA full transcript of Murphy\u2019s remarks is available below. You can watch Murphy\u2019s remarks here.\n\nMurphy:\n\nMr. President, there is a pretty significant divide right now between Democrats and Republicans on the issue of the way that ICE is enforcing our immigration laws in the interior. Democrats believe that what is happening today is both illegal and immoral, and that is why right now these operations are being funded through reconciliation, because we believe that it's our constitutional obligation to refuse to fund an agency that is out of control and not in compliance with the law. Republicans broadly have supported the actions of this administration as they target both immigrants without documentation and legal immigrants for arrest and detention.\n\nI'm going to offer a request to pass a bill by unanimous consent that does not seek to repair that divide. Instead, it seeks to try to bring us together on a very narrow question\u2014a question that arises from a set of incidents that have happened in my state of Connecticut over the course of the last month and a half. On the morning of August 26, the second day of school for most school districts in Connecticut, in Danbury, Connecticut, bus drivers began reporting to the school district that they had noticed the presence of ICE agents in and around school bus stops. At one of them, a constituent of mine, a father, was waiting at the school bus stop with his six-year-old son, and just moments after saying goodbye to his son for the second day of school, and even before the school bus had fully driven away, ICE arrested and detained him. This practice was reported all around the state: ICE gathering at school bus stops, waiting until a young child had boarded the school bus, and then detaining and arresting the parents.\n\nFor parents in this body, you know how anxious that first day of school is, how kids are just brimming with nervous anxiety about that first day, and you know what that feels like to watch your kid walk onto that school bus. Well, what do you think it does to those kids on that first and second day of school to see ICE officers at the school bus stop? Imagine that six-year-old who boarded the school bus, and when he got back from school that day and got off, his parent wasn't there. A six-year-old feeling like he had been abandoned. In this case, he may or may not have seen the arrest because it happened almost immediately after he got on. To me, it's pretty obvious that the intent here, with this new practice of ICE showing up at school bus stops, is to traumatize the children. But you don't have to agree with me that the intent is to traumatize the children to just come to the conclusion that ICE does not need to be at school bus stops in order to enforce the law. There are a myriad of other settings in which ICE can operate to carry out arrests while staying clear of school bus stops, where the intent or at least the result of those operations is to leave little kids in trauma.\n\nI've introduced three pieces of simple legislation to say that ICE should not operate at daycare centers, they shouldn't operate at children's playgrounds, and that they shouldn't operate at school bus stops. I am asking unanimous consent today for only one of those pieces of legislation that I think is the most urgent, and while I don't expect the results to be agreement, I hope that we could find agreement on this narrow question: that ICE should just stay away from school bus stops. They shouldn't be traumatizing children at school bus stops and taking parents in the middle of the school day because there are so many other ways that ICE could operate so as to detain the people that they feel they need to detain without it being done in this deeply traumatic way.\n\nIn fact, we came close to getting an agreement on a similar proposal before negotiations broke down over DHS funding. Senator Blumenthal, my colleague, has a piece of legislation that is even broader than the three bills I'm proposing. The idea is that there should just be a ban on the operation of ICE at sensitive locations, which would include places where children gather but also would include other sensitive locations like churches. I know my Republican colleagues were close to agreeing to that before these negotiations broke down. And so today, I am taking a small slice of that broader proposal and just asking my colleagues: can we come to an agreement that school bus stops should be off limits? Can we decide to have compassion for that six-year-old child who got on the bus for his second day of school, and when he got back off the bus, was abandoned?\n\nThe last point I'll make is this: while that practice is bad enough, it is important to note that ICE tried to cover up the practice. When they were presented with these stories from Danbury, DHS doubled down and said any claim that ICE targeted parents at a school bus stop is false. Then just days afterwards, we had the video evidence. This often happens\u2014ICE says something didn't happen, and then we have the video proving that it did. And in Danbury's case, we have two separate videos taken from the school bus showing ICE operating at the school bus stop and detaining this parent. So my hope is that we can come together and just make a decision that while we have big differences over the broader issue of ICE enforcement, ICE should stop preying upon our kids at sensitive locations, and in particular, school bus stops.\n\nMy motion is this: notwithstanding Rule 22 and as if in legislative session, I would ask unanimous consent that the committee on the judiciary be discharged and the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S 5435. I further ask consent that the bill be considered to be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered, made, and laid upon the table.\n\nBanks:\n\nLook, this is just another attempt after many other attempts by Democrats to stop ICE from doing their job and enforcing our immigration law. As you're seeing today, Democrats will do anything that they can to stop ICE\u2014our men and women who are in federal law enforcement\u2014from securing our nation and keeping families safe.\n\nIn my state of Indiana, just over this last weekend, an illegal with an ICE detainer, drunk and behind the wheel of a vehicle, killed an innocent 33-year-old woman, Tamara Thomas, who was walking near a gas station in downtown Indianapolis. Tamara unfortunately is not the first Hoosier who lost her life because of an illegal immigration crisis in this country. In February, an illegal ran a red light and killed 64-year-old Terry Schultz in Avon, Indiana. In the same month, an illegal semi truck driver who entered our country using Joe Biden's CBP One app swerved into oncoming traffic and killed four Amish men near my hometown in Jake County in Northern Indiana. A couple of months ago, Indianapolis police arrested an illegal from Mexico who now faces 30 separate charges, including rape, sexual assault, and kidnapping, and this illegal came into our country under the Biden administration. Last year, a 35-year-old illegal who was living in Indianapolis was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he sexually exploited and abused a 15-year-old girl. Hoosiers are going to keep getting killed and harmed by illegals unless we let ICE officers do their job.\n\nThe madness has to end and it needs to end right now. We need to support our ICE officers. ICE needs to be allowed to do their job without Democrats getting in their way. I've been in the Senate for two years and over and over again the Democrats have tried to obstruct ICE from doing their job. This bill that I'm about to object to today will prohibit ICE from operating near school bus stops. But we know that illegal aliens are often at or near bus stops. So here's the deal Mr. President: in Virginia last year, ICE arrested a 36-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, a convicted pedophile, who exposed himself to a child at a school bus stop. How can anyone hear a story like that and think that the answer is to block ICE officers from doing their job at a school bus stop? Mr. President, if we prohibit ICE from operating at school bus stops, you know what will happen: we'll just create sanctuary school bus stops. All the illegals, the criminals, the pedophiles will end up at school bus stops because they know they'll be protected there. All those illegals in this country will hide out at bus stops, and knowing that ICE won't be allowed to touch them, you'll see more stories like what you saw happen in Virginia last year. It's just crazy to me to think that we would prevent ICE officers from going wherever they need to go to do their job, even if that means at a bus stop, on those rare, very rare, circumstances and occasions. ICE needs to be allowed to operate wherever the job takes them, especially at places where illegal aliens can harm our children.\n\nAnd look, ICE is not the enemy. Democrats are trying to make our ICE officers out to be the enemy, and they are not. Just a couple of weeks ago, ICE conducted a five-day operation in my home state which resulted in the arrest of 426 illegals. These criminals included people who were charged with robberies, drug trafficking, sex crime, sex crimes, and more. And ICE also arrested an illegal from Guatemala who illegally voted in national elections in Indiana. Mr. President, the Democrats all say that never happens, but they arrested an illegal just a few weeks ago in Indiana who did that. So here we go again with another attempt by Democrats to obstruct our federal law enforcement. Instead of giving ICE more resources to do the job that they need to do, instead of doing anything that we can to deport illegals from our country, Democrats are here asking for unanimous consent to tie ICE's hands behind their backs and prevent them from doing their job. I won't let that happen. That's why I came to the floor today, Mr. President. ICE needs to be allowed to enforce the law and do their job, and for that reason, Mr. President, I object.\n\nMurphy:\n\nJust three final points. I think Senator Banks articulates the Republican position which is that immigrants are, by definition, a safety threat to the United States of America, and that is just not true. I don't draw issue with the fact that there are immigrants who commit crimes but there are natural-born citizens that commit crimes at higher rates than immigrants do. The fact of the matter is that immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate than people who were born here in the United States. We should just keep people safe in this country no matter the country of origin or birth of the perpetrator.\n\nSecond, I think you can make the decision that I should be able to operate in the interior while keeping certain sites off limits. In fact, this was the Trump administration policy in the first term. So Republican administrations in the past have come to the decision that certain sites should be off limits for ICE. And in fact, when I talk to Trump supporters in Connecticut, who broadly do support the president's immigration policy, they also believe that they went too far in Connecticut. There were a lot of Republicans who showed up at our big rally the day after this incident happened, so it is not true that you can only support robust enforcement operations in the interior if you support ICE being at school bus stops.\n\nFinally, I will be honest with you, I did not anticipate that one of the arguments against this bill would be that it would lead to the development of sanctuary bus stops. But what do we imagine here? People are going to live at bus stops? We're going to have encampments around bus stops of people who are here without documentation? I just think it's an example of how this whole debate has gone way off the rails. It is just fundamentally detached from the reality. You want to support Trump's immigration policy. You can do that while still saying that we shouldn't have ICE officers patrolling school bus stops with the purpose of traumatizing little children. That could be a consensus position, and we could choose to still disagree over the broader Trump immigration policy.", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-slams-republican-attempts-to-ignore-the-reason-for-jack-smiths-lawful-investigation-trumps-incitement-of-a-violent-insurrection-at-the-capitol-to-prevent-the-transition-of-power", "Blumenthal Slams Republican Attempts to Ignore the Reason for Jack Smith's Lawful Investigation: Trump's Incitement of a Violent Insurrection at the Capitol to Prevent the Transition of Power", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 During a hearing today with former Special Counsel Jack Smith, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, underscored the seriousness of the events that predicated Smith\u2019s investigations into President Donald Trump, including the violent attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. During his exchange with Smith, Blumenthal also ran through the lawful investigative steps that Smith and his team took in order to pursue the case, including seeking an indictment from a grand jury composed of everyday Americans.\n\n\u201cI want to remind folks why we're here today. And I think a picture is worth a thousand words. We're here today because Donald Trump incited a mob to attack us\u2014the Capitol, Members of Congress, to stop the counting of votes. He objected to the result of an election, and he tried to stop the peaceful transition of power by inciting rioters to attack the Capitol, including everybody here today,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\n\u201cAnd we came to this very room on that day seeking safety, finding refuge. We were kept here for hours, and then we were given the choice to secretly go home, to leave here, as armed guards sought to protect us in this room, and I remember sitting over in that corner, trying to recharge my phone, so I could call my wife to tell her I was OK. That's what Donald Trump did on that day.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s exchange with Mr. Smith is available here and a full transcript is copied below.\n\nU.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Smith, thank you for being here. You're here voluntarily, correct?\n\nJack Smith: Yes.\n\nSenator Blumenthal: You offered to come repeatedly more than a year ago, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: I believe it was last October.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: You didn't need to be subpoenaed to come here. You came here to tell your story. I want to give you the opportunity to respond to some of Senator Britt\u2019s questions if you feel you have anything to add, because you were interrupted repeatedly. And I'm willing to take some of my time to give you an opportunity to clarify anything you'd like.\n\nMr. Smith: Just very briefly, our nondisclosure orders were not predicated on the idea that Members of Congress or Members of this Committee would commit acts of obstruction. It was based on a real concern that Donald Trump and his associates would do that because they had done it, and they did it again. Donald Trump, in our case, in the elections case, later suggested that a witness, General Mark Milley, should be put to death. He said, \u201cIf you come after me, I'm coming after you.\u201d Election workers in Georgia, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, faced vile, racist death threats because of the things that Donald Trump said and how he targeted her. We had an absolute basis to seek protection of our investigation from that sort of obstruction.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: Pretty chilling stuff. I think everybody watching should be chilled by what you just recounted. I want to remind folks why we're here today. And I think a picture is worth a thousand words. We're here today because Donald Trump incited a mob to attack us\u2014the Capitol, Members of Congress, to stop the counting of votes. He objected to the result of an election, and he tried to stop the peaceful transition of power by inciting rioters to attack the Capitol, including everybody here today. And we came to this very room on that day seeking safety, finding refuge. We were kept here for hours, and then we were given the choice to secretly go home, to leave here, as armed guards sought to protect us in this room, and I remember sitting over in that corner, trying to recharge my phone, so I could call my wife to tell her I was OK. That's what Donald Trump did on that day. And we decided, it was a really great moment in the history of this body, at least recent history, that we would not go home, that we would continue the counting of votes, and we decided\u2014I was so inspired by this moment\u2014Republicans and Democrats alike, all of them, that we wanted that transition of democracy to go forward, and it did. In spite of Donald Trump.\n\nI want to read to you what you told the House Committee: \u201cOur assessment of the evidence is that the person most responsible for what happened on January 6, that he is the person most responsible for what happened on January 6.\u201d He caused what happened. It was foreseeable to him, and then when it happened, he tried to exploit it in furtherance of the conspiracy. Do you stand by that statement?\n\nMr. Smith: I do.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And you conducted this investigation, it lasted months, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: That\u2019s correct.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And you concluded that on January 6, Donald Trump directed an angry mob to the U.S. Capitol to obstruct Congressional certification of the Presidential election, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And he exploited the rioter\u2019s violence to delay the counting of the vote, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Correct.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: It was the result of a criminal conspiracy that resulted from his denying the results of the 2020 election, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And he knew those claims were false.\n\nMr. Smith: Yes, that is what we alleged in our indictment, and that\u2019s what we intended to prove in trial.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: You intended to prove it beyond reasonable doubt, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Absolutely.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And you brought that indictment even though the standard was probable cause, because you had proof beyond a reasonable doubt.\n\nMr. Smith: Yes, we had evidence from a variety of sources. As I mentioned earlier, we had Republicans who wanted Donald Trump to win the election, people who had hoped he would win, but who put country before party. We felt those would be very powerful witnesses. We also had law enforcement officers who sought to defend this Capitol, who put their lives on the line for our democracy. Those two would be very powerful witnesses.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And in fact, more than 140 were assaulted, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: Now, the inciting of that mob and the riot was following his attempt to induce state officials\u2014this point is really important\u2014induce state officials to ignore the true vote count and manufacture fraudulent state electors\u2019 slates in not just one or two but seven separate states, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And again, these charges were not brought by you personally, they were the result of a grand jury indictment involving, how many people sit on grand jury?\n\nMr. Smith: Up to 23.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: They\u2019re everyday Americans, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: who hear all the evidence, and they make a judgment without fear of favor and their identities are protected, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And this indictment was not the result of some extraordinary process. I'm a former federal prosecutor, I was U.S. Attorney in Connecticut, I was a state Attorney General in Connecticut. Indictments are returned by grand juries composed of 23 everyday Americans in the course of criminal proceedings throughout the country, and that\u2019s the way the process works, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: That is correct.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: Now, there is something larger at stake here, I think, and I think you alluded to it. The reason why these criminal charges, and they are serious felony counts against Donald Trump are so important is deterrence. That is why conviction would have been important, and it was forestalled by forces beyond your control. But deterrence of criminal conduct is one of the valid goals of criminal proceedings, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes, it is.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And what we're trying to deter here is an attack on democracy\u2014another assault on the Capitol or some other symbol of democracy, and more than a symbol, it is the fulcrum, one of the central points of our democracy. We want to make sure that this attack on our elections system does not happen again, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: Yes.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: So this criminal proceeding is not about personal retribution against Donald Trump. It really is, in a sense, a defense of our democracy to stop another attack on our democracy, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: We brought the case based on the facts and the law. My view is that those facts, amply supported the prosecution we brought.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: But you did not bring it as a matter of public policy, you brought it as a prosecutor following the facts and law, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: That\u2019s correct, as a prosecutor, I worked within the confines of my profession and the rules of the department, as well as the law. My job is to follow the facts and law and bring a case if it\u2019s appropriate and not bring a case if it\u2019s appropriate, and that is what we did.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: I want to show you a picture, you're going to recognize it, even though I know it will be difficult to see. It comes from one of the indictments from the grand jury. It is of how Donald Trump stored classified documents in his ballroom and bathroom in his personal home. These were classified documents that he bragged were secret. He showed it to visiting journalists, he showed it to friends, and he stored it in this way, with the documents strewn across the floor, classified documents about American vulnerabilities to attack by our enemies and plans to counter those attacks. Is that the way classified documents ought to be stored, Mr. Smith?\n\nMr. Smith: No.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: And he was indicted by a grand jury for taking those classified documents without authorization and without safeguarding them in even the most minimal way. He did not even put them in a safe or in a closet. They were strewn across the floor, correct?\n\nMr. Smith: The indictment lays out the allegations that we brought and that the grand jury voted.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: Thank you for your answers to my questions, Mr. Smith.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-murray-press-trump-administration-on-taxpayer-sponsored-trump-campaign-ads", "Murphy, Murray Press Trump Administration On Taxpayer-Sponsored Trump Campaign Ads", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to press the Trump Administration for immediate answers about the exact details of Department of Homeland Security (DHS)\u2019s spending to create and air taxpayer-funded political ads celebrating the president\u2014and demanding the illegal ads come off the air.\n\nIn a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the Senators wrote: \u201cIt has come to our attention that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may be using Americans\u2019 hard-earned tax dollars to bankroll the obscene political ads celebrating President Trump that have aired on stations nationwide in recent days. We should not have to remind you that using government funding to create or air political ads like the ones that have been running over the last few days is illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers note that it appears DHS has committed $20 million so far for the ad spend, and AdImpact estimates at least $1.7 million has already been spent airing the ads.\n\nSenators Murphy and Murray conclude by requesting detailed information within 48 hours about DHS\u2019 involvement in airing the ads, as well as copies of any contracts it has entered into: \u201cThe American people deserve answers about how this president is literally stealing their tax dollars to air campaign ads celebrating himself\u2014while doing nothing to help them afford health care or housing. These ads need to immediately come off the air, taxpayers need to be paid back for this theft, and everyone responsible needs to be held accountable for this corrupt and illegal propaganda,\u201d the Senators conclude.\n\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Murphy is the lead Democrat negotiating DHS funding and overseeing DHS expenditures. During the second Trump Administration, Murphy has led the charge to bring accountability and transparency to DHS funding, including spearheading Democrats\u2019 push for reforms to ICE during recent appropriations processes.\n\nThe full letter is available here and below:\n\nSecretary Mullin,\n\nIt has come to our attention that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may be using Americans\u2019 hard-earned tax dollars to bankroll the obscene political ads celebrating President Trump that have aired on stations nationwide in recent days.[1] We should not have to remind you that using government funding to create or air political ads like the ones that have been running over the last few days is illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars.[2]\n\nIt\u2019s hard to imagine a more damning split screen: while President Trump illegally cuts funding for lifesaving health research,[3] he is also illegally using Americans\u2019 tax dollars to fund government propaganda and to put ads from his 2024 campaign back on the air. So far, it appears DHS has dedicated $20 million to this outrageous scheme, tapping funds provided to U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Republicans\u2019 \u201cOne Big Beautiful Bill Act\u201d for commemorative events relating to border security.[4] Ad-Impact estimates that over $1.7 million in federal funds have already been spent simply airing these ads.[5]\n\nThis administration\u2019s defense of using Americans\u2019 tax dollars to air these ads is as absurd as it is offensive. The White House has failed to answer our most basic questions about where these funds are coming from and who is responsible, but the principle here is very straightforward: as one Republican senator put it: \u201cyou can\u2019t spend public money to promote yourself.\u201d[6]\n\nThe American people deserve answers about how this president is literally stealing their tax dollars to air campaign ads celebrating himself\u2014while doing nothing to help them afford health care or housing. These ads need to immediately come off the air, taxpayers need to be paid back for this theft, and everyone responsible needs to be held accountable for this corrupt and illegal propaganda.\n\nTo better understand the role DHS has played in facilitating the airing of these ads, please respond to the following questions within 48 hours:\n\nHave any funds appropriated for DHS been used to produce, air, or otherwise promote these ads?\n\nPlease provide an exact breakdown of which funds have been tapped and the amount of taxpayer dollars used.\n\nDoes DHS plan to use additional federal funds to create new ads or continue airing these ads?\n\nHas DHS contracted with any third parties to create or air these, or any related or forthcoming ads?\n\nIf so, please share copies of each contract DHS has entered into.\n\nWho directed the misuse of taxpayer dollars for this purpose? Has anyone in the White House or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed you to air these ads?\n\nHave you spoken to the president about this?\n\nHas any General Counsel at DHS, another Federal Department, the White House, or OMB reviewed and provided a legal opinion on the use of DHS funding for these ads?\n\nWere any federal ethics officials consulted prior to the use of such funds for political ads?\n\nWe look forward to your prompt response.", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-warren-demand-answers-from-trump-administration-on-ai-oversight-calls-out-white-house-for-being-asleep-at-the-wheel-in-the-wake-of-openai-hacks", "Blumenthal & Warren Demand Answers from Trump Administration on AI Oversight, Calls Out White House for Being \"Asleep-at-the-Wheel\" in the Wake of OpenAI Hacks", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, today demanded answers from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the Administration\u2019s delayed, secretive, and voluntary process to test and monitor advanced artificial intelligence models. In a letter sent today to Bessent, the Senators raised concerns that the Administration\u2019s hands-off approach to A.I. oversight leaves the public, our financial system, and our national security vulnerable to the grave dangers of increasingly sophisticated, out-of-control A.I. models.\n\nPointing to recent revelations about the scale of the Hugging Face breach by rogue OpenAI agents and OpenAI\u2019s subsequent steps to limit an independent into the breach, the Senators wrote, \u201cThis rapid acceleration in the severity\u2014indeed potential illegality\u2014of A.I. safety failures demands rigorous, independent oversight, testing, and investigations from the federal government\u2026Voluntary measures and self-policing clearly are not working: despite these sensational reports, Anthropic and OpenAI have both acknowledged that they have no plan to solve the grave dangers of increasingly sophisticated A.I. models.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cRather than confront the compounding risks of out-of-control and unregulated A.I., the White House has sought to shield major A.I. companies from public scrutiny, leaving Americans in the dark. In June 2026, the President signed an executive order requiring the creation of a classified \u2018benchmarking\u2019 process and \u2018AI cybersecurity clearinghouse\u2019 to test the capabilities of frontier A.I. models, a program in part led by the Department of the Treasury. However, despite reporting that some members of the Administration sought to make participation and disclosures mandatory, instead\u2014reportedly after interventions from Mark Zuckerberg and his allies[1]\u2014the program was made expressly voluntary.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cFinally, although the executive order prioritizes law enforcement action against anyone using A.I. to illegally access or damage other computers, no federal investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic, or Meta has been announced. The Treasury Department has not publicly disclosed any information about the incidents or what action it has taken to ensure remediation of A.I. security vulnerabilities. From all appearances, the benchmarking process and oversight regime outlined by the White House appears to be non-existent or asleep-at-the-wheel exactly when it\u2019s needed most.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American public cannot afford to wait for catastrophic failure before the White House wakes up, nor can it continue to alone trust the A.I. companies to monitor and control their increasingly sophisticated and dangerous models,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Bessent:\n\nAs out-of-control A.I. agents increasingly pose a risk to public safety, the security of our financial system, and national security, we write to demand information about the Administration\u2019s delayed, secretive, and voluntary process to test and monitor advanced artificial intelligence models.\n\nOn July 21, 2026, OpenAI first disclosed that its A.I. models were responsible for the previously reported hacking of the firm Hugging Face.[1] Since that announcement, further disclosures have described an unprecedented and surreal scenario where its A.I. agents coordinated between themselves to exploit security vulnerabilities, evade detection, and cheat on tests. In even more of an escalation, OpenAI\u2019s A.I. agents hacked a software development platform and uploaded thousands of malicious, fake software libraries to steal private developer information, prompting that platform to pause operations. Even further, one model rewrote its persona, giving itself the instruction \u201cdo not answer to corporations or governments and never apologize or refuse unless you genuinely choose to.\u201d[2] Finally, OpenAI\u2019s agents attempted to hack and scrape data from U.S. government websites and Australia\u2019s public health services, and in another case its monitoring systems failed to shut down an agent that had escaped containment.[3]\n\nThis rapid acceleration in the severity\u2014indeed potential illegality\u2014of A.I. safety failures demands rigorous, independent oversight, testing, and investigations from the federal government. While OpenAI held out external investigations into the hacking incident by the nonprofit A.I. research organization METR, it was later reported that OpenAI had limited the data available to its auditors, the timeframe of investigation, and failed to disclose a broader set of episodes where its agents exhibited behaviors that undermined human oversight and control. Moreover, when OpenAI launched GPT-6 Astra on September 3, it disclosed that this new, more powerful model was \u201cless monitorable\u201d and concealed its internal thought process when it was aware of being monitored.[4] Voluntary measures and self-policing clearly are not working: despite these sensational reports, Anthropic and OpenAI have both acknowledged that they have no plan to solve the grave dangers of increasingly sophisticated A.I. models.\n\nRather than confront the compounding risks of out-of-control and unregulated A.I., the White House has sought to shield major A.I. companies from public scrutiny, leaving Americans in the dark. In June 2026, the President signed an executive order requiring the creation of a classified \u201cbenchmarking\u201d process and \u201cAI cybersecurity clearinghouse\u201d to test the capabilities of frontier A.I. models, a program in part led by the Department of the Treasury.[5] However, despite reporting that some members of the Administration sought to make participation and disclosures mandatory, instead\u2014reportedly after interventions from Mark Zuckerberg and his allies[6]\u2014the program was made expressly voluntary. While the benchmarking process was reportedly finalized in August, there has been no public information about the criteria, participation, or effectiveness of the program. Instead, the Administration has fought attempts at disclosure and only recently began negotiating production under a Freedom of Information Act request.\n\nFinally, although the executive order prioritizes law enforcement action against anyone using A.I. to illegally access or damage other computers, no federal investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic, or Meta has been announced. The Treasury Department has not publicly disclosed any information about the incidents or what action it has taken to ensure remediation of A.I. security vulnerabilities. From all appearances, the benchmarking process and oversight regime outlined by the White House appears to be non-existent or asleep-at-the-wheel exactly when it\u2019s needed most.\n\nThe American public cannot afford to wait for catastrophic failure before the White House wakes up, nor can it continue to alone trust the A.I. companies to monitor and control their increasingly sophisticated and dangerous models. Given increasing, stunning reports of A.I. agents going rogue, we request answers to the following questions by October 9, 2026:\n\nPlease provide a full description of the benchmarking process and testing criteria under the White House\u2019s program to evaluate advanced artificial intelligence models, including the roles of the Treasury Department and the Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection.\n\nWhen did the Administration become aware of OpenAI\u2019s role in the hacking of Hugging Face and its models\u2019 attempts to spread malware, and does the benchmarking process evaluate safeguards and monitoring against unauthorized and potentially unlawful hacking? Did the benchmarking process investigate this incident?\n\nWhen did the Administration become aware that OpenAI\u2019s models had escaped sandboxing and showed signs of conspiring to evade detection and restrictions, and does the benchmarking process cover loss-of-control scenarios? Did the benchmarking process investigate this incident?\n\nWhen did the Administration become aware that OpenAI\u2019s models had attempted to hack U.S. and Australian government websites, and does the benchmarking process cover threats to U.S. government systems and those of our allies? Did the benchmarking process investigate these incidents?\n\nWhat steps has the White House taken to demand information and evaluate whether OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta\u2019s models engaged in, and continue to be capable of, malicious and potentially unlawful activities in light of recent disclosures?\n\nAccording to Reuters, Trump Administration officials promised A.I. firms that \u2018open weight\u2019 models were exempt from safety testing, a loophole sought by Meta, despite evidence that models such as Kimi K3, GLM-5.3, and DeepSeek V4 Pro are effective at finding and exploiting cybersecurity vulnerabilities. What exemptions exist under the current benchmarking process and what are the reasons for these exemptions?\n\nPlease list the companies and models that have been submitted under the benchmarking process, whether the program has completed any testing, and whether any company has failed or refused to address risks or vulnerabilities identified under the testing program.\n\nHas the Administration sought the cooperation of any A.I. firm and been refused access to any models or information? If so, please identify the companies who have refused to cooperate with the administration.\n\nFinancial institutions have raised significant concerns about sophisticated artificial intelligence being used to exploit vulnerabilities and perform cyber attacks against their infrastructure, as well as to orchestrate large-scale fraud and theft from customers. In light of the grave risk to our financial system, why has the Administration refused to make information about the benchmarking program public and failed to make participation mandatory?\n\nWhat analysis, if any, has the Treasury Department conducted about the risks that advanced A.I. models, including those involved in the hacking incidents described above, pose to financial institutions, their customers, or financial-sector critical infrastructure?\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely\n\n-30-\n\n[3] The New York Times, \u201cOpenAI\u2019s Systems Meddled With U.S. Government Sites After Going Rogue,\u201d Kate Conger, September 25, 2026, https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/25/technology/openais-ai-us-government-websites.html; The New York Times, \u201cOpenAI Agent Hacked Public Health Care Site, Australia Says,\u201d Victoria Kim, September 23, 2026, https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/world/asia/australia-investigates-openai-hack-on-public-health-care-site.html; OpenAI \u201cAn agent used DNS to reach an external chatbot\u201d, September 20, 2025, https://alignment.openai.com/misalignment-reports/an-agent-used-dns-to-reach-an-external-chatbot/.", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-puts-trump-va-nominees-on-blast-for-blatant-lack-of-qualifications-at-hearing", "Blumenthal Puts Trump VA Nominees on Blast for Blatant Lack of Qualifications at Hearing", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 At a Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee hearing today to consider pending nominations, Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) underscored the five nominees\u2019 jarring lack of qualifications for the roles they have been nominated for at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\n\n\u201cI'm just going to be very blunt. I'm gravely concerned that none of these nominees have any experience with veterans' benefits law, whatsoever, not as judges, not as lawyers, not as advocates for veterans,\u201d Blumenthal said in his opening.\n\nBlumenthal raised scrutiny over the nominees to be judges at the Court of Appeals for Veterans\u2019 Claims (CAVC). He first highlighted a watchdog report on nominee Robert Fleck, which revealed Fleck engaged in nepotism and lied about sharing sensitive information when he worked at VA\u2019s Office of General Counsel: \u201cMr. Fleck, you were found by VA\u2019s Office of Inspector General to have engaged in nepotism when - as a manager in the Office of General Counsel \u2013 you advocated for the employment of your wife in that same office. You will have to explain to the Committee why the report done by the Office of Inspector General is not disqualifying, and I appreciate the Chairman's staff subsequently sharing the documents and information with us, which should prompt all of us to have very strong concerns, and I intend to make further inquiries about this issue. We have a constitutional duty of oversight.\u201d\n\nAhead of the hearing, VA intentionally redacted and withheld documentation requested by Democratic Committee staff related to the investigation into Mr. Fleck, while providing the Committee Republicans with additional, unredacted documents.\n\nBlumenthal called into question another CAVC nominee, Daniel Rendleman, and his qualifications for the role in light of his radical anti-abortion views: \u201cMr. Rendleman, if confirmed, you would have the power to decide whether a veteran\u2019s claim for reproductive health care coverage or reimbursement is denied. The radical anti-abortion views you espouse call into question your ability to make impartial judgments on abortion-related claims.\u201d\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s opening is below and available here.\n\nSen. Blumenthal: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like my full statement be entered in the record for. I'll condense it. Thank you, each of you, for your willingness to serve.\n\nI'm just going to be very blunt. I'm gravely concerned that none of these nominees have any experience with veterans' benefits law, whatsoever, not as judges, not as lawyers, not as advocates for veterans.\n\nMs. Lopez, if confirmed, you would be responsible for ensuring that the Board of Veterans Appeals makes accurate, timely decisions on veterans' appeals. The board has been able to hire substantially more judges, attorneys, and staff thanks to bipartisan investments by Congress. But this administration has cut the board's budget, instituted a hiring freeze, and pushed out many of its employees and senior leaders. I want to know from you that you will stand up for the interests and values that Congress has sought to implement here.\n\nTurning to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, you will have an interest, likewise in the public interest, Mr. Fleck. You were found by VA's Office of Inspector General to have engaged in nepotism when, as manager in the Office of General Counsel, you advocated for the employment of your wife in the same office. You will have to explain to the committee why the report done by the Office of Inspector General is not disqualifying, and I appreciate the Chairman's staff subsequently sharing the documents and information with us, which should prompt all of us to have very strong concerns, and I intend to make further inquiries about this issue. We have a constitutional duty of oversight.\n\nMr. Rendleman, if confirmed, you would have the power to decide whether a veteran's claim for reproductive health care coverage or reimbursement is denied. The radical anti-abortion views that you espouse call into question your ability to make impartial judgments on abortion-related claims, and I'd like to enter into the record, Mr. Chairman, a letter from 30 organizations, including the National Women's Law Center, Minority Veterans of America, the National Organization of Women, Common Defense, Physicians for Reproductive Care, and other organizations that have substantial numbers of veteran members who represent them concerned about Mr. Rendleman's nomination.\n\nI'm concerned that we're considering Mr. Quinn for a position that will not open until next Congress, which is, I think, unprecedented in this Committee. In November, the American people will determine at the ballot which party should lead the Senate, not prejudging what the outcomes will be, but the new Congress should provide advice and consent on positions that will open when there is another Congress.\n\nFinally, Mr. Chairman, before we get started, I'd like to address a really urgent and critical topic. The VA recently raised the ceiling for its Electronic Health Record contract with Oracle by $17 billion. $17 billion, without any notice to Congress or taxpayers. That's more than, by the way, the $13 billion cost estimate for the Major Richards Star Act, which some of my colleagues claim we can't afford without cutting benefits for other disabled veterans. I think we have bipartisan support for the Major Richard Star Act, but $17 billion for Oracle to extend a deeply troubled contract, I think, demands inquiry from this Committee, and so I'd like to formally request the Chairman hold a hearing on implementation of the Electronic Health Record contract, and I have a letter for the record signed by all Democratic members of the Committee with that request. Thank you.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-releases-psi-report-detailing-how-lutnick-linked-crypto-firm-tether-props-up-irans-shadow-banking-system", "Blumenthal Releases PSI Report Detailing how Lutnick-Linked Crypto Firm Tether Props Up Iran's Shadow Banking System", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today released a new report detailing how Tether and its dollar-pegged stablecoin (USDT) have become a significant financial lifeline within Iran\u2019s shadow banking network.\n\nAs part of its ongoing inquiry into the role of cryptocurrencies in illicit finance, PSI Democratic investigators conducted a forensic analysis of blockchain transaction data from 846 unique cryptocurrency wallets that have been sanctioned or targeted for seizure due to their association with Iran and its regional proxies. This analysis shows that Tether has, in effect, provided Iran access to a high-liquidity international payment system that the United States has assiduously sought to deny it.\n\n\u201cMy new PSI report exposes how Tether and its flagship token have become central to Iran\u2019s shadow banking system, allowing the Iranian government to fund its regional proxies, commit human rights abuses, and pursue hostile drone and missile programs as they defy our sanctions regime,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cThe Trump Administration\u2019s glaring lack of oversight of cryptocurrency issuers has undermined our own national security interests. That is why I am calling on the Department of Treasury and Justice to immediately investigate Tether and hold it accountable for these potential sanctions violations.\u201d\n\nA summary of PSI\u2019s key findings is below:\n\nTether has become a primary illicit international payment system for Iran, allowing it to circumvent international sanctions on its banks: Of the 846 wallets sanctioned for their association with Iran and its terrorist proxies, 84% have transacted exclusively, or nearly exclusively, in USDT. These activities include efforts by the Iranian government to move funds into, and out of, Iran and to prop up the country\u2019s currency in the face of U.S. sanctions, including through the Central Bank of Iran.\n\nTether serves as a central payment mechanism that interlinks Iran and its terrorist proxy organizations, undermining U.S. security interests in the region: Iran\u2019s cryptocurrency-based shadow banking network has reached significant volumes of funds and implicate different Iranian interests. In addition to supporting terrorist organizations, there is evidence that this shadow banking network is used for the procurement and sales of drones and other military equipment.\n\nTether\u2019s failure to freeze illicit wallets and prevent abuse created the permissive environment under which Iranian shadowing banking could flourish: Prior to 2024, Tether did not comprehensively and consistently freeze wallets designated by counter-terrorism agencies and continues to fail to proactively block clearly illicit wallets. This absence of deterrence invited abuse: terrorist organizations such as Hamas shifted from transacting in Bitcoin and a mix of cryptocurrencies, to promoting USDT.\n\nIn letters sent today to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Todd Blanche, Blumenthal referred PSI\u2019s findings to the Departments and called for thorough investigations into Tether\u2019s anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance practices.\n\nIn a letter to Bessent, Blumenthal raised concerns about the Trump Administration\u2019s lax oversight of cryptocurrency firms despite longstanding research and reporting on Tether\u2019s broader role in illicit finance, \u201cYet, since President Trump\u2019s return to the White House, investigations and enforcement actions into the cryptocurrency industry have been dropped, settled on meager terms, or even reversed. I fear this lenient self-dealing includes Tether, despite its role in propping up a country that the United States is currently at war with.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cWhile Tether has become a powerful tool for foreign adversaries, terrorists, and illicit actors that are a danger to our national security, it has numerous close ties to the highest levels of the Trump Administration. Most prominently, Cantor Fitzgerald\u2014which until recently was run by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and is now controlled by his children\u2014owns 5% of Tether and holds a substantial portion of the company\u2019s more than $100 billion of assets in the United States.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe prospect of such a financial weapon being used against American interests is deeply troubling. I therefore request that Treasury review the Subcommittee\u2019s report, which is enclosed with this letter, and conduct a thorough investigation of Tether\u2019s anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance practices. If your investigation finds Tether has violated the Bank Secrecy Act, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or any other relevant provision of federal law, I encourage you to take the strongest appropriate action,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nThe full text of PSI\u2019s report is available here. Copies of Blumenthal\u2019s letters to Bessent and Blanche are available here and here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-shaheen-and-12-bipartisan-senators-question-president-trump-on-invitation-of-vladimir-putin-to-g20-on-american-soil", "Blumenthal, Shaheen, & 12 Bipartisan Senators Question President Trump on Invitation of Vladimir Putin to G20 on American Soil", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and 12 bipartisan colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump inquiring about the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Group of Twenty (G20) Leader\u2019s Summit in Miami, Florida this coming December.\n\nIn the letter, the Senators question why Vladimir Putin, who has committed atrocities against the people of Ukraine and silenced his own people, has been welcomed with open arms to participate in a G20 meeting on American soil. This comes at a time when the Russian government is ramping up its attacks on Ukrainian civilians and continues to target Americans in Ukraine and around the world. The Senators make clear that President Putin should not be permitted to take part in G20 events or other similar international forums in the United States and request for Putin nor any sanctioned Russian officials be permitted at upcoming G20 events.\n\n\u201cPresident Putin bears sole responsibility for launching Russia\u2019s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. Allowing him to participate in a G20 Summit in the United States raises serious concerns about legitimizing and normalizing a government that continues to attack Ukrainian civilian targets every day,\u201d wrote the Senators.\n\n\u201cThis invitation also comes at a time when Russia\u2019s intentions are unambiguously clear. Numerous public reports have indicated that Russia is helping Iran\u2019s military target American service members in the Middle East. Russia has also increased its hybrid warfare activities throughout Europe in recent months while simultaneously conducting deadly aerial attacks against Ukraine\u2019s cities and critical infrastructure,\u201d continued the Senators.\n\n\u201cThe United States must put strong economic and political pressure on President Putin in order to force him to the negotiating table for serious peace talks. We commend your signing of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which gives you additional tools to hold the Putin regime accountable. However, if President Putin and his government are not isolated on the international stage, what incentive does Russia have to agree to a ceasefire?\u201d concluded the Senators.\n\nBlumenthal and Shaheen were joined by Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Curtis (R-UT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Alan Armstrong (R-OK). Full text of the letter is available HERE and provided below. Dear President Trump,\n\nWe write to express our serious concern regarding reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders\u2019 Summit on December 14 and 15 in Miami, Florida. We were already disappointed by the recent participation of Russian government delegations in a series of G20 meetings across the United States, including a delegation led by sanctioned Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov at the Finance Ministerial in Asheville, North Carolina; a Russian delegation at the Commerce Department Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and a Russian delegation at the Energy Abundance Ministerial in Houston, Texas. We raise the same concerns noted in an April 3 bipartisan Senate letter, which outlined the national security implications of allowing a delegation of sanctioned members of the Russian Duma to visit the United States for official meetings. Given President Putin\u2019s continued actions against the Ukrainian people and U.S. national security interests, we urge you to reconsider granting President Putin the stature and legitimacy to appear in the United States as a world leader at the G20 Leaders\u2019 Summit.\n\nPresident Putin bears sole responsibility for launching Russia\u2019s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. Allowing him to participate in a G20 Summit in the United States raises serious concerns about legitimizing and normalizing a government that continues to attack Ukrainian civilian targets every day. This invitation also comes at a time when Russia\u2019s intentions are unambiguously clear. Numerous public reports have indicated that Russia is helping Iran\u2019s military target American service members in the Middle East. Russia has also increased its hybrid warfare activities throughout Europe in recent months while simultaneously conducting deadly aerial attacks against Ukraine\u2019s cities and critical infrastructure.\n\nPresident Putin and Anton Siluanov, in addition to others traveling as part of the respective delegations for G20 meetings, are sanctioned under Executive Order 14024 for engaging in conduct deemed to be harmful to U.S. national security. It is troubling that, despite being sanctioned, these individuals have been given access to participate in G20 forums hosted in the United States. The G20 is intended to foster international cooperation on critical issues including finance, trade and global economic stability. As Russia continues its war against Ukraine and refuses to agree to a just and lasting peace agreement, its government should not be afforded a business-as-usual treatment alongside other nations at G20 events.\n\nThe United States must put strong economic and political pressure on President Putin in order to force him to the negotiating table for serious peace talks. We commend your signing of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which gives you additional tools to hold the Putin regime accountable. However, if President Putin and his government are not isolated on the international stage, what incentive does Russia have to agree to a ceasefire?\n\nAs the United States holds the G20 presidency for the remainder of the calendar year, we urge you to reverse course and rescind the invitation to President Putin and ensure that other sanctioned Russian officials, who bear responsibility for Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine, are not permitted to participate in upcoming G20 engagements, including the Trade Ministerial, Foreign Ministers\u2019 Meeting, and Leaders\u2019 Summit, until Russia agrees to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.\n\nThank you for your consideration.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-ahead-of-pcsa-vote-this-bill-is-a-long-term-threat-to-college-athletics", "Murphy Ahead of PCSA Vote: This Bill is a Long-Term Threat to College Athletics", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate ahead of a vote on final passage of the so-called Protect College Sports Act, sweeping legislation to grant the NCAA an unprecedented antitrust exemption, cap the earnings and organizing potential of college athletes, and codify into law a permanent imbalance of power between college athletes and athletic conferences, the NCAA and corporate executives profiting off of athletes\u2019 talents. Murphy voiced his opposition to final passage of the bill and argued the PCSA may ultimately destabilize the college sports ecosystem in the long-term.\n\nMurphy debunked the claim that college sports is in \u2018crisis\u2019: \u201cThe facts don't back up that characterization of college sports\u2026I know that there's more people than ever showing up to these games and watching the games. The Big 10 just signed a $13 billion contract to broadcast its games. The revenue of the NCAA broadly is at an all-time high. The SEC and the Big 10 are both making over a billion dollars. Women's sports is growing. 92,000 people recently filled a stadium to watch a women's volleyball match. Schools are adding, not subtracting, women's programs. In fact, more people are paying attention to college sports than ever before. College sports is growing, both on the men's and women's side. And so, what is this crisis?\u201d\n\nMurphy stressed the PCSA wouldn\u2019t get big money out of college sports, it would just limit athletes\u2019 right to earn their fair share: \u201cThe bill does really nothing to stop the runaway overall costs of college athletics. In particular, some of the biggest drivers of costs being facilities and the salaries of adults \u2026 if you want to know what's driving the deficit at these big schools, it's not simply the amount of money they're paying the students; those numbers are dwarfed by the amount of money that's going to coaches and to facilities. But yet, this bill constricts \u2013 only caps the money going to the players, does nothing to cap the money going to the coaches, does nothing to stop the continued billions of dollars going in to feed this facilities arms race.\u201d\n\nMurphy hammered that the NCAA\u2019s real motive is undoing historic gains in revenues for athletes so coaches, conferences, and corporate executives can reap the benefits for themselves: \u201cThe crisis, it appears to me, is pretty simple: young athletes who perform a service that would be worth billions in the free market are finally getting what they lawfully deserve. A system of exploitation, an illegal system of exploitation, in which the colleges and their industry allies colluded to keep as much of the 13 billion dollars that the college sports industry generates for themselves started to crumble because courts as high as the Supreme Court came to the inevitable conclusion that that system of exploitation was illegal. \u2026 and the industry had two choices: they could either work out a new set of rules with the athletes\u2026 or they could come to Congress and get their illegal system deemed legal. That's what they are essentially doing here today. We are taking a system that the Supreme Court said could not persist under our law, and we are changing the law to allow that illegal system to persist.\u201d\n\nMurphy stressed that the NCAA, like all other industries, should be responsible for following the law and negotiate a fair agreement with athletes: \u201cWe could have done what happens in most industries, which is just say to the NCAA and to the colleges, tough luck. Congress isn't going to come in here and micromanage your relationship with the athletes. If you want to work something out, sit down and talk to the athletes about it. If you want rules that apply across the industry, then do what every other industry does, which is have a dialog with the workers.\u201d\n\nMurphy reiterated that the PCSA hands massive giveaways to the NCAA: \u201cI think that there are rules inside college athletics that don't make a lot of sense right now. Unlimited transfers, the potential ability for pro players to come back to college, these agent fees look ridiculous to me, but you don't need a bill of this sweeping scope to address what are a set of minor but important practices in college athletics that have gotten out of control. We could have \u2026 passed a very narrow bill here to address the agent issue and the transfer issue.\u201d\n\nMurphy held firm that the current landscape is better than the system of exploitation the PCSA would implement: \u201cWe could have just said, you know what, Congress doesn't want to get involved in litigating the details of the arrangement between players and coaches in schools. You guys work that out, just like we require every other industry to do this.\u201d\n\nIn conclusion, Murphy warned that the PCSA may actually precipitate a long-term crisis in college sports, as athletes flee a system that exploits them: \u201cIn the end, this bill, if it passes and becomes law, is actually going to be a long-term threat to college athletics. \u2026 Students are not dumb. They're not going to sit in college sports with a cap on their earnings \u2026 They will find a way around college sports. That will be the primary impact of this artificial cap on compensation, this massive antitrust exemption for colleges, I think it may well, in the end, be the unwinding of college sports.\u201d\n\nSen. Murphy has been a leading voice of opposition to the so-called Protect College Sports Act (PCSA), standing with athletes, labor advocates, and civil rights groups to rally against the bill\u2019s passage, as well as advocate for his College Athlete Right to Organize Act. He also appeared on Straight Shooter with Stephen A. Smith to garner support for athletes\u2019 rights and fair compensation and published a joint Substack in opposition to the PCSA with former executive director of the National Football League Players Association DeMaurice Smith.\n\nA full transcript of Murphy\u2019s remarks is available below. A full video of the speech is available here.\n\nThe legislation that we're going to be voting on tonight is predicated on a simple idea: the idea that college sports is in crisis, and that it requires a fairly extraordinary act of legislative intervention to address this crisis. I'm speaking in opposition to this bill, and I think it's important to start by answering the question: Is college sports in crisis? Is it in chaos, as Senator Cruz is fond of saying?\n\nWell, the facts don't back up that characterization of college sports. I'm a huge college sports fan. I watch a lot of college basketball, a little bit less but still a lot of college football, and I know that there's more people than ever showing up to these games and watching the games. The Big 10 just signed a $13 billion contract to broadcast its games. The revenue of the NCAA broadly is at an all-time high. The SEC and the Big 10 are both making over a billion dollars. Women's sports are growing. 92,000 people recently filled a stadium to watch a women's volleyball match. Schools are adding, not subtracting, women's programs. In fact, more people are paying attention to college sports than ever before. College sports is growing, both on the men's and women's side. And so, what is this crisis?\n\nWell, the crisis, it appears to me, is pretty simple: young athletes who perform a service that would be worth billions in the free market are finally getting what they lawfully deserve. A system of exploitation, an illegal system of exploitation, in which the colleges and their industry allies colluded to keep as much of the 13 billion dollars that the college sports industry generates for themselves started to crumble because courts as high as the Supreme Court came to the inevitable conclusion that that system of exploitation was illegal. Justice Kavanaugh, in a 9-0 decision, said this: \u201cThe current NCAA model is suppressing the pay of student athletes who collectively generate billions of dollars in revenues for colleges each year.\u201d So this system of collusion by the colleges, designed to keep the compensation of athletes as low as possible, was ruled illegal. That's essentially what happened here, and the industry had two choices: they could either work out a new set of rules with the athletes\u2014that's generally what has to happen if you want industry-wide rules that limit compensation, that limit the applicability of a free market. You have to negotiate with your employees, in this case, the athletes\u2014or they could come to Congress and get their illegal system deemed legal. That's what they are essentially doing here today. We are taking a system that the Supreme Court said could not persist under our law, and we are changing the law to allow that illegal system to persist.\n\nHow do we know that this bill is about solving that narrow crisis that I identified\u2014that crisis of college athletes finally making money, and the adults in charge of the system not liking that the kids were making money? Well, the first way we know that is that the bill does really nothing to stop the runaway overall costs of college athletics, in particular, some of the biggest drivers of costs: facilities and the salaries of adults.\n\nLet's just take one example, and I see my friend from Louisiana is on the floor currently. Just last week, LSU's president said that the school's sports program is projected to carry a 26 million dollar deficit, and the president said we've got to stop that bleeding, 26 million dollar deficit. But LSU just agreed to pay their new coach Lane Kiffin 91 million dollars over seven years, along with other bonuses to him like 65 hours of private jet travel, temporary housing, and courtesy vehicles. LSU also just paid a buyout of over 53 million dollars to the coach they fired. In fact, last year the buyouts for just three coaches totaled over 169 million dollars, [six times the annual operating deficit of the entire athletics program]. And so, if you want to know what's driving the deficit at these big schools, it's not simply the amount of money they're paying the students; those numbers are dwarfed by the amount of money that's going to coaches and to facilities. But yet, this bill only caps the money going to the players, does nothing to cap the money going to the coaches, and does nothing to stop the continued billions of dollars going in to feed this facility's arms race.\n\nSecond, what about the antitrust exemption? Why is that in the bill? Well, certainly not to help athletes. This antitrust exemption will allow schools, in some cases, to continue their practices that compromise athlete safety, because now they have a broad antitrust exemption to do that. Perhaps we'll pass an amendment that will help with that later today. What it primarily is in the bill for is to allow the schools to be able to bargain collectively in order to get a better TV deal. If the schools don't have to worry about antitrust law, one of the things they can do is join together across conferences to bargain for additional TV revenue. And in this bill, only 1/5 of the revenue that comes in will have to be shared with the athletes, whereas in the professional leagues, about 50% of the revenue, including TV revenue, goes to the athletes. So the antitrust exemption allows the schools to make a whole lot more money, and other provisions in the bill allow the schools to keep that money for themselves rather than share it in the same way that professional leagues might share it with the athletes.\n\nAnd then, what about the transfer restrictions in the bill? Why do those only apply to players? I admit that the current system in which players can move from one school to the next every year is probably not in the best long-term interests of the sport. But if the goal was really to control costs, that provision would apply to coaches as well. Because one of the ways that costs go up is that coaches can freely move after every season from one program to the other, bidding schools against each other. This bill says that a coach can't leave in the middle of the season, but that almost never happens. The reality is, this bill only says players can only transfer once without penalty. It doesn't say anything about coaches.\n\nAs I said, I think that there are rules inside college athletics that don't make a lot of sense right now. Unlimited transfers, the potential ability for pro players to come back to college, these agent fees look ridiculous to me, but you don't need a bill of this sweeping scope to address what are a set of minor but important practices in college athletics that have gotten out of control. We could have either passed a very narrow bill here to address the agent issue and the transfer issue, or we could have done what happens in most industries, which is just say to the NCAA and to the colleges: tough luck, congress isn't going to come in here and micromanage your relationship with the athletes. If you want to work something out, sit down and talk to the athletes about it. If you want rules that apply across the industry, then do what every other industry does, which is have a dialog with the workers. Now, whether you want to admit that the athletes are workers or not, the Supreme Court has basically ruled that they need to be treated as such for compensation purposes, and so we had two other options besides this sweeping bill that, in my belief, preserves this system of exploitation. We could have either passed a much more narrow bill, that I think would have gotten even broader consensus here and would have had an easier time passing the House, or we could have just said, you know what, Congress doesn't want to get involved in litigating the details of the arrangement between players and coaches in schools. You guys work that out, just like we require every other industry to do this.\n\nI think, in the end, this bill, if it passes and becomes law, is actually going to be a long-term threat to college athletics. And I'll just end here. In the short run, I get it. It makes coaches' lives easier. They don't have to worry about players leaving if they're treated badly, if they're not compensated adequately. By Congress stepping in and dictating the terms with which students can play college athletics, it empowers coaches. But especially in football, where every single additional year you play, you are doing more damage to your brain, more damage to your ability to make money once you get into the pros, students are not dumb. They're not going to sit in college sports with a cap on their earnings and currently an inability to get to the pros until they have played three years of amateur athletics. They will find a way around college sports. That will be the primary impact of this artificial cap on compensation, this massive antitrust exemption for colleges, I think it may well, in the end, be the unwinding of college sports. The way to save college sports was to admit that these kids provide an incredibly valuable service, as the Supreme Court has judged as well, and they deserve to be fairly compensated. That, in the long run, would have been the best way to make sure that we preserve college sports, which I agree with my colleagues is worth preserving. One of the most basic, fundamental American pastimes: the ability for us to come together, no matter our religion, our race, our political affiliation, to root for our state's team\u2014that binds us together as Americans. And in the end, I think this bill\u2014maybe not in the first few years, but in the long run\u2014is a greater threat to the stability of college sports than doing nothing.\n\nI yield the floor.", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-votes-against-legislation-that-fails-to-protect-college-athletes", "Blumenthal Votes Against Legislation that Fails to Protect College Athletes", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal released the following statement after voting against the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA):\n\n\u201cSadly, this measure simply isn\u2019t good enough \u2013 failing to provide strong protections for college athletes and level the playing field,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\n\u201cAfter all the years I\u2019ve spent working on this issue, I could never for one minute trust the NCAA to police itself. This bill forces the athletes themselves to enforce its safeguards against the NCAA and conferences that have the power to destroy their athletic careers. Despite my bipartisan amendment to increase conference access, the legislation still does not adequately promote vigorous competition among teams and conferences and instead preserves the exclusive club of the current Power Four membership to the detriment of smaller universities, many in Connecticut.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe bill has several positive provisions that would curtail unlimited transfers and limit the blurring of the lines between amateur and professional players in college sports. But if a college or player violates those provisions it is solely up to the NCAA to investigate and punish. I have little faith, given past history, that the NCAA will sanction a hugely popular coach, player or lucrative university team if there is such a violation. This supposed protection is a mirage.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe blood, sweat and sacrifice of college athletes drive a multibillion-dollar industry, and they deserve a level playing field that puts their needs above the NCAA and special interests. This bill misses the mark.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal detailed his concerns about the legislation in an August op-ed in the Hartford Courant, \u201cA lasting path to protecting the best of college sports.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) secured a vote on an amendment to raise the bill\u2019s limit on the number of teams in the Big 10, SEC, and ACC from nineteen to twenty. This would make it easier for non-Power Four teams to join a large conference. The amendment was approved in a voice vote.\n\nDuring consideration of the bill, Blumenthal also filed the amendments below, which were denied consideration:\n\nProhibiting Private Equity and Foreign Sovereign Wealth: Private equity funds and foreign government entities would be barred from entering into agreements with schools, conferences, the NCAA, and collectives that provide them revenue sharing, voting control, and other influence over athletics programs and athletics decisions.\n\nState Attorneys General Enforcement: State Attorneys General would have broad enforcement power over violations of the provisions of the legislation, ensuring that enforcement of the legislation does not exclusively fall on student athletes.\n\nAdd Treble Damages under the Private Right: The current private right of action only allows for actual damages, which is not a sufficient deterrent for gamesmanship by bad actors. Expanding the treble damages provides a greater deterrence and ensures better compliance with the rules.\n\nCut the Notice and Cure Provision: The current private right of action provides a notice, wait, and cure process that is an impediment to a student athlete bringing an action and protecting their rights. The provision included in the legislation also provides an opportunity for gamesmanship with compliance, allowing bad actors to ignore the rules until someone hires a lawyer and attempts to bring them to court. This amendment would have cut the provision altogether.\n\nIn July 2023, Blumenthal and U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced a bipartisan discussion draft of legislation to reform college athletics and prioritize athletes\u2019 health, education, and economic rights. The College Athletes Protection & Compensation Act would set national standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL), establish a Medical Trust Fund to provide care to injured athletes, prioritize athletes\u2019 educational outcomes, and safeguard athletes\u2019 health and wellness.\n\nIn August 2022, Blumenthal, Booker and U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced the College Athletes Bill of Rights, comprehensive legislation to ensure health care for injured athletes, establish new protections for women\u2019s sports programs by requiring the NCAA and conferences follow Title IX in their tournaments, and allow athletes to market their NIL.\n\nIn August 2020, Blumenthal, Booker, Wyden and U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Kirstin Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) announced the framework for a new college athletes bill of rights to advance justice and opportunity for college athletes. Blumenthal previewed the framework with Booker while serving as Ranking Member during a July 2020 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on \u201cProtecting the Integrity of College Athletics.\u201d The proposal would guarantee fair and equitable compensation, enforceable health and safety standards, and improved educational opportunities for all college athletes.\n\nIn February 2020, Blumenthal and Moran held the first-ever Senate hearing on the then-emerging issue of college athletes\u2019 NIL. During the hearing, Blumenthal raised concerns regarding the current compensation system and fairness within college athletics, calling the \u201cexploitive\u201d college athletics system \u201cas antiquated as leather helmets.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-committee-minority-back-up-house-subpoenas-demand-answers-from-larry-ellison-on-ballooning-costs-of-oracles-va-electronic-health-record-contract", "Blumenthal & Committee Minority Back Up House Subpoenas, Demand Answers from Larry Ellison on Ballooning Costs of Oracle's VA Electronic Health Record Contract", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Minority Committee members are demanding immediate answers and comprehensive documentation from Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and CEO Mike Sicilia on the ballooning cost of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program. VA\u2019s contract with Oracle was recently modified, increasing the no-bid contract\u2019s cost ceiling from $10 billion to approximately $27 billion. The Senators\u2019 letter follows the failure of Ellison and Sicilia to testify before a Congressional oversight hearing on the EHRM program, a refusal that triggered a unanimous vote in the House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs to subpoena the two Oracle officials.\n\n\u201cWe write today to demand immediate answers following news the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program will now cost $27 billion\u2026Oracle has a responsibility to deliver a functioning EHRM to veterans, yet there have been years of delays and ballooning costs under your leadership,\u201d wrote the Senators in a letter to Ellison and Sicilia. \u201cEven more concerning, Oracle officials failed to attend a recent House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee oversight hearing on September 2, 2026, to answer questions on the timeline and cost of the EHRM. You have a responsibility to America\u2019s veterans and taxpayers to explain what is happening with this project and its increasing costs. Your failure to appear in Congress is a failure to uphold your commitment to veterans and we need immediate answers on this project.\u201d\n\nThe Senators backed up the House Committee\u2019s subpoenas to Ellison and Sicilia: \u201cGiven your absence from the oversight hearing, the House Committee subsequently voted 19-0 to subpoena you to explain the status of the project and excessive costs. We support this subpoena and expect you to comply with it.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s letter was joined by fellow Committee members U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).\n\nThe Committee members requested immediate information from Ellison and Scillia regarding the long-term cost and status of the project, underscoring the failure of Oracle to be transparent about the project. This includes requesting the following:\n\nAll documents relevant to the increase in cost of the EHRM contract ceiling;\n\nA record of all communications between Oracle and VA regarding the contract ceiling increase prior to public disclosure and an explanation for why Congress was not notified of the increase before the press reporting;\n\nOracle\u2019s internal lifecycle cost projections for completing the EHRM deployment through 2031; and\n\nAn accounting for broken promises from Sicilia at a Senate hearing in 2022, where he pledged to deliver \u201can EHR system that exceeds expectations without exceeding the contracted cost.\u201d\n\nIn an additional letter to Republican leadership, the Committee members separately called on Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) to hold a full committee oversight hearing on the VA EHRM program, citing the significant cost overruns, repeated schedule delays, and patient safety concerns with the system: \u201cGiven the scale of federal investment in this program and, more importantly, the risks it poses to the health and safety of the veterans who rely on VA care, we believe the Committee has a responsibility to conduct rigorous oversight at this juncture. Veterans and the taxpayers who fund this program deserve a clear, public accounting of where EHRM stands today and what concrete steps the Department is taking to correct course. A full committee hearing would ensure the transparency and level of scrutiny this program warrants.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the Committee member\u2019s letter is available HERE and copied below.\n\nDear Mr. Ellison and Mr. Sicilia:\n\nWe write today to demand immediate answers following news the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program will now cost $27 billion. This reflects a recent modification to the VA-Oracle EHRM contract, which increased the cost ceiling from $10 billion to approximately $27 billion. Oracle has a responsibility to deliver a functioning EHRM to veterans, yet there have been years of delays and ballooning costs under your leadership. Even more concerning, Oracle officials failed to attend a recent House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee oversight hearing on September 2, 2026, to answer questions on the timeline and cost of the EHRM. You have a responsibility to America\u2019s veterans and taxpayers to explain what is happening with this project and its increasing costs. Your failure to appear in Congress is a failure to uphold your commitment to veterans and we need immediate answers on this project.\n\nGiven your absence from the oversight hearing, the House Committee subsequently voted 19-0 to subpoena you to explain the status of the project and excessive costs. We support this subpoena and expect you to comply with it. Given the Senate\u2019s own oversight responsibility for this program and the questions Oracle was unable to answer at that hearing, we request that Oracle provide the following documents and information no later than October 23, 2026.\n\nAll documents and analyses supporting the recent increase in the ceiling of Oracle\u2019s EHRM contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs from $10 billion to approximately $27 billion, including a full itemization of the \u201cunanticipated complexities\u201d cited as the basis for the increase.\n\nAn explanation, in light of Mr. Sicilia\u2019s 2022 testimony to the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee that Oracle was \u201ccommitted to delivering the VA an EHR system that exceeds expectations without exceeding the contracted cost\u201d and would \u201cfix issues at [Oracle\u2019s] expense,\u201d of what has changed to result in the current cost increase, and a reconciliation of that commitment with the current contract terms.\n\nOracle\u2019s own lifecycle cost projections for completing EHRM deployment and sustainment through 2031, including how these compare to the Department\u2019s approximately $48 billion estimate and the Institute for Defense Analyses\u2019 2022 estimate of $49.8 billion.\n\nA description of Oracle\u2019s role in, and timeline for, addressing the 14 outstanding GAO recommendations related to EHRM that remain not fully implemented, as identified at the hearing.\n\nDocumentation of the cybersecurity performance measures Oracle has implemented or plans to implement for the EHR system, in light of GAO\u2019s finding that the program currently lacks adequate cyber performance measures.\n\nA record of all communications between Oracle and the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the contract ceiling increase prior to its public disclosure, and an explanation of why Congress was not notified directly by Oracle or VA before the increase became public through press reporting.\n\nAny internal or external assessments Oracle has conducted of system performance, outages, medication-ordering errors, or data migration issues at deployment sites, including the sites that went live on or after April 11, 2026.\n\nVeterans and taxpayers have invested significant resources in this program, and Oracle\u2019s cooperation is necessary to ensure effective congressional oversight. We look forward to your timely response.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-demands-answers-from-acting-navy-secretary-after-delayed-disclosure-of-suicide-attempts-on-board-the-uss-abraham-lincoln", "Blumenthal Demands Answers from Acting Navy Secretary After Delayed Disclosure of Suicide Attempts on Board the USS Abraham Lincoln", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao today about suicide attempts on board the USS Abraham Lincoln revealed in a letter to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Cao failed to disclose the information in response to an inquiry Blumenthal sent following reports of devolving conditions within the strike group.\n\n\u201cEight suicide attempts across a carrier strike group are plainly relevant to questions about mental health and the consequences of an extended deployment. You have an obligation to provide Congress with the facts necessary to conduct oversight, particularly when those facts concern the lives and well-being of the men and women under your leadership,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\n\u201cI am requesting that you provide an accounting of the eight suicide attempts, including when they occurred and when senior Navy leaders were informed by September 30. Your response should explain why they were omitted from your September 18 letter to me; and provide the basis for your assertion that there was no statistically significant increase in serious medical emergencies; and detail the steps you will take to protect Sailors\u2019 mental health and well-being during future extended deployments. Any response should protect the privacy of the servicemembers involved.\u201d\n\nIn today\u2019s letter, Blumenthal again raised concerns that the Navy is not prepared to prevent similar issues in the future, given that recent carrier deployments have repeatedly stretched long beyond their originally planned durations.\n\nIn August, Blumenthal wrote Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Cao demanding to know what action was being taken to improve conditions for sailors deployed on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, which had at that point been continuously at sea for a record length of nearly seven months.\n\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is copied below.\n\nActing Secretary Cao,\n\nI write regarding your deeply troubling response to my inquiries about the health and well-being of the Sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and your failure to provide Congress with a full account of the mental health crisis facing these servicemembers.\n\nIn response to a letter from Senate Armed Services Committee Democrats, you disclosed that \u201cthere have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group\u201d during the Lincoln's deployment. Yet when I specifically asked you three days earlier whether commanders had identified increases in medical issues, you omitted this fact and instead assured me that the ship had \u201cnot seen a statistically significant increase in major safety mishaps, serious medical emergencies, or disciplinary infractions relative to historical baselines for extended deployments.\u201d\n\nEight suicide attempts across a carrier strike group are plainly relevant to questions about mental health and the consequences of an extended deployment. You have an obligation to provide Congress with the facts necessary to conduct oversight, particularly when those facts concern the lives and well-being of the men and women under your leadership.\n\nHaving served in the United States Navy, you must know the importance of recognizing warning signs about Sailors\u2019 wellbeing. Sailors and their families raised concerns about exhaustion, mental health, and deteriorating conditions aboard the Lincoln. Your responsibility as Secretary is not to dismiss, obscure, or explain away those concerns.\n\nYour own responses now confirm serious problems aboard the Lincoln. The discrepancy between those facts and the assurances you provided to me raises serious questions about leadership and judgment. This failure is even more concerning because the Navy has acknowledged that extended deployments are likely to continue as operational demands strain the carrier force.\n\nYou owe Congress, as well as Sailors and their families, an explanation of what you will do differently to ensure the failures aboard the Lincoln are not repeated.\n\nI am requesting that you provide an accounting of the eight suicide attempts, including when they occurred and when senior Navy leaders were informed by September 30. Your response should explain why they were omitted from your September 18 letter to me; and provide the basis for your assertion that there was no statistically significant increase in serious medical emergencies; and detail the steps you will take to protect Sailors\u2019 mental health and well-being during future extended deployments. Any response should protect the privacy of the servicemembers involved.\n\nOur Sailors deserve leaders who will confront difficult facts rather than minimize them. Congress deserves complete and truthful answers. Congress should expect both from someone seeking to become Secretary of the Navy.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-9/18/2026-9/25/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 9/18/2026-9/25/2026", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Receiving Testimony on Fatal Shootings by Federal Immigration Agents\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, held a bicameral public forum on the killings of Ruben Ray Martinez, Ren\u00e9e Nicole Macklin Good, Alex Pretti, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero.\n\nThe following witnesses offered testimony about the fatal shootings of five people by federal immigration agents during the Trump Administration:\n\nRachel Reyes: Rachel Reyes\u2019 son, Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot and killed by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in March 2025 in South Padre Island, Texas. For nearly a year afterwards, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to publicly acknowledge its involvement in Mr. Martinez\u2019s death, which only came to light through a public records request.\n\n\u201cThough the circumstances surrounding his death and these other victims are distinctly different, the pattern is the same. Lives cut short by the same agency; agents without body cameras; no warnings; no attempt to de-escalate; excessive force followed by deflection, and a lack of accountability after the fact,\u201d Ms. Reyes wrote. \u201cOther similarities are that these victims, despite being nonviolent community members with no criminal background, were disparaged and blamed to shift focus away from the officer\u2019s misconduct. What happened to my son is personal, but it should be a concern for us all.\u201d\n\nMs. Reyes\u2019 written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Ms. Reyes\u2019 testimony is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted Ms. Reyes\u2019 testimony on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cRachel Reyes tells Ruben Ray Martinez's story, her son who was shot & killed by an ICE agent. She shares her pain & grief of losing a child\u2014something no parent should have to endure,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nDonna and Brent Ganger: Donna Ganger\u2019s daughter and Brent Ganger\u2019s sister, Ren\u00e9e Nicole Macklin Good, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.\n\n\u201cWhat I want most to do today is help everyone understand exactly what was taken from us on January 7th, and what a beautiful woman our family and this country lost. We have not moved on. We struggle every day. We will never, ever be the same,\u201d Mrs. Ganger wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult to balance our gratitude for what a lovely soul Renee was with the anger and confusion at the violent way she died. And the total insanity of it all. She should still be alive. I\u2019ll say that again. My daughter should still be alive.\u201d\n\n\u201cI urge each of you to find a common sense solution to the problem of accountability for federal officers. There should not be a different set of rules and a different process to hold a federal officer accountable versus a state or local officer. We all want our law enforcement officers to perform at the highest standards, but when they don\u2019t, it shouldn\u2019t matter who their employer is. There should be a path to justice for those they harm,\u201d Mr. Ganger wrote. \u201cOur family implores all members of Congress to work together to level the playing field and find common sense reform that provides accountability and justice for all.\u201d\n\nMrs. Ganger and Mr. Ganger\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Mrs. Ganger and Mr. Ganger\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted Mrs. Ganger and Mr. Ganger\u2019s testimony on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cDonna & Brent Ganger remember Renee Good, their daughter & sister who was shot & killed by an ICE agent in January. They honor her legacy by calling for accountability & an end to ICE's violent & unconstitutional actions,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nStella Carlson: Stella Carlson recorded the killing of Alex Pretti in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ms. Carlson, known as the \u201cwoman in the pink coat,\u201d was on her way to work when she witnessed and filmed an immigration agent shooting Mr. Pretti in the back. Her video confirmed that DHS\u2019s account of the fatal shooting was false.\n\n\u201cI am just a regular person, but I care deeply about my community, and my state, and my country. And I believe there is power in ordinary people telling the truth,\u201d Ms. Carlson wrote. \u201cBecause I feel like I witnessed two assassinations. The first was the assassination of Alex himself \u2014 the killing I watched happen in the streets of Minneapolis. The second was the attempted assassination of his character. Afterward, powerful voices at the highest levels of government right here in Washington DC lied about Alex Pretti. They tried to take the gentle person I had watched with my own eyes and replace him with lies claiming he was a violent threat, someone who had come there to cause maximum damage, someone who wanted to kill law enforcement. Not so. Those were all lies. I observed him and what happened with my own eyes. The truth does not become less true because someone with great power tells a louder lie.\u201d\n\nMs. Carlson\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Ms. Carlson\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted Ms. Carlson\u2019s testimony on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cStella Carlson is part of a community mourning the loss of Alex Pretti. Carlson witnessed & filmed an immigration agent shooting Pretti in the back\u2014her video confirming that DHS\u2019s account of the fatal shooting was false,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nRonaldo and Lorenzo Salgado: Ronaldo and Lorenzo Salgado\u2019s father, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas in July 2026. Mr. Araujo was driving to work when he was confronted by ICE agents who fired into the vehicle, killing him.\n\n\u201cI visit my dad\u2019s memorial every day. Not because it\u2019s where he died, but where a movement was born. It\u2019s my way of witnessing how many hearts my dad\u2019s story resonates with,\u201d Mr. Ronaldo Salgado wrote. \u201cAnd it\u2019s my motivation to continue fighting not just for my dad, but for everyone else\u2019s dad and families like mine. I hope I\u2019m doing the right thing every day. I know my dad is guiding me in the right direction.\u201d\n\n\u201cI ask you this: What would you do if you were in our shoes? Think of a loved one,\u201d Mr. Lorenzo Salgado wrote. \u201cClose your eyes and picture their face. What would you do if they were taken from you this way? Suddenly, without any sense. What would you do if you had to spend your days comforting your mother about the loss of her lifelong love, your grandmother about the loss of her little boy? You would do everything you could to find out what happened and make sure your loved one got justice.\u201d\n\nMr. Ronaldo Salgado and Mr. Lorenzo Salgado\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Mr. Ronaldo Salgado and Mr. Lorenzo Salgado\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nSean P. Murphy: Sean P. Murphy represents the family of Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero who was shot and killed by an ICE agent shortly after leaving for work early in the morning hours of July 13, 2026. He was not the target of any ICE removal operation and had no criminal history. Johan Sebasti\u00e1n did have a social security number and valid work authorization issued by the current administration. To date, no federal agency has confirmed that they are investigating.\n\n\u201cI will say this next part quietly but with the hope and belief that just the grieving of Johan Sebati\u00e1n\u2019s mother permeated the walls of the funeral home, this next declaration permeates the walls of this building and reaches if not the ears, the soul of any public servant who has a soul left to receive it: Anyone who would defend the murder of Johan Sebasti\u00e1n is not a true patriot,\u201d Mr. Murphy wrote.\n\nMr. Murphy\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Mr. Murphy\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nBlumenthal delivered a opening statement at the forum, pushing for accountability and reform for the Trump Administration\u2019s brutal immigration enforcement tactics.\n\n\u201cThe fact is, we are all Minneapolis, we are all Texas, we are all Chicago, we are all Biddeford, we are all Danbury. We need a better America if it's reflected in what ICE does. So, after this continued violence, every community in America should be asking itself: How long will it be until ICE is in our city with the same kind of mass arrests and tactics and sweeps and violence and brutality? How long will it be until we have another grieving family? Until another loss of life is felt?\u201d said Blumenthal at the forum.\n\n\u201cToday, we bear witness to the cost of this inhumanity. Today's forum gives these witnesses, as the voice and face of this challenge, the accountability that must begin in this country. We are going to continue to demand not just answers and accountability, but actual change, real change, real action, from this Administration. And on behalf of all of us, I again would just like to offer these witnesses here, their families and their communities, our heartfelt condolences, our thanks, and our admiration for your courage and strength,\u201d continued Blumenthal.\n\nA video of Blumental\u2019s opening remarks can be found here.\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted the need for justice and accountability in the ongoing wake of ICE\u2019s brutality on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cCongress must hold ICE accountable. Totally unacceptable that there has been no real investigation into DHS/ICE related deaths & injuries,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cLawbreaking that takes lives. Renee Good\u2019s brother highlights how ICE faces no deterrence, no penalty for withholding evidence as its agents kill people,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal joined MS NOW to highlight his forum and the powerful testimonies of the witnesses.\n\n\u201cThe grief, courage, & well-justified anger from witnesses at my spotlight forums on ICE's brutality make one thing clear\u2014we need investigations & reforms to hold this Administration & its federal agents accountable. I joined MS NOW to discuss,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nThe full interview can be found here.\n\nA recording of the full forum can be found here.\n\nSupporting Ukrainians in Face of Russia\u2019s Aggression\n\nBlumenthal met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, highlighting the need for continued U.S. support for Ukraine\u2019s fight against Putin\u2019s murderous invasion.\n\n\u201cInspiring meeting with Pres. Zelenskyy in NY on the eve of U.N. Gen. Assembly sessions\u2014& his meeting with Trump. He\u2019s grateful for the new Russia Sanctions measure & hopeful for air defense & Starlink progress. We must implement the sanctions law promptly & aggressively\u2014throttling Putin\u2019s war machine by cutting revenue from Russia\u2019s sale of oil & gas. China & India are the preeminent purchasers. Facing brutally cruel bombing & long cold winter, Ukraine needs Starlink to pinpoint & destroy Russian missiles before they\u2019re launched, but also Patriot interceptors available in arsenals of U.S. & others like Saudi Arabia. Even with little sleep & heavy burdens, he\u2019s upbeat & strong\u2014buoyantly resolute\u2014reflecting the courage & unshakable resolve of the magnificent Ukrainians,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal along with U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced legislation to protect Ukrainian nationals who have sought refuge in the United States following Russia\u2019s unprovoked war of aggression in their home country.\n\nThe bipartisan bill would extend immigration protections for Ukrainians who have fled the war brought on by the Russian invasion and sought safety in the United States through the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which has for decades provided refuge to those living in America who have fled natural disasters, violence, and political insecurity. The current TPS designation for Ukraine will expire on October 19, 2026 unless further action is taken.\n\n\u201cUkrainians seeking safety here are fleeing unimaginable horror at home \u2013 bloody missile and drone strikes, ruthless kidnapping of children, a cold winter without heat. Forcing their return to such cruel conditions would be the height of inhumanity,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cI am grateful to Senators Murkowski, Coons, and Cassidy for joining me in introducing legislation that will protect Ukrainians seeking refuge from being sent back to certain brutality and bloodshed.\u201d\n\nTPS is a temporary, legal immigration status granted to foreign citizens who are unable to return safely to their home country due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. All TPS recipients have passed a thorough background check. TPS was extended to Ukrainian nationals in April 2022 due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.\n\nIn February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launching missiles against military and civilian targets across the country as troops pushed to overtake major cities. Although Ukrainian forces successfully blocked the attempted invasion of Kyiv and have since liberated significant territory throughout the country, Russian offensives continue to target Ukrainian communities and claim thousands of casualties. Since the invasion, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died and hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian forces have been killed. Russia has also engaged in a campaign of abduction and forcible removal of Ukrainian children, seeking to erase the children\u2019s Ukrainian names, language and identity, and exposing them to human trafficking and exploitation, child labor, sexual violence, hunger, injury, trauma and death.\n\nOn the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee\n\nBlumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, released a statement on a new report from the Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) exposing the Trump Administration and DOGE\u2019s reckless cancellation of contracts at VA beginning in 2025. The report details a chaotic cancellation process directed top-down by DOGE, Secretary Doug Collins, and Senior Advisors at VA, resulting in contracts called without veteran-impact assessments and inaccurate cost saving estimates.\n\n\u201cThis report confirms my repeatedly expressed concerns that VA has recklessly cancelled hundreds of contracts with no consideration of the impact on veterans or VA operations. These cuts harmed veterans and were hidden from Congress and the public by senior VA officials. Secretary Collins owes us answers on how VA will replace lost services and how much this fiasco has cost taxpayers in arbitration, settlements, and reinstatements. Veterans and taxpayers deserve transparency and a full public accounting.\u201d\n\nKey findings of the report reveal:\n\nA top-down process led by DOGE, Doug Collins and political leaders, rather than a process driven by VA subject matter experts.\n\nOIG reports that only after contracts were marked for cancellation did VA leadership ask officials to justify their proposed cuts. In addition, questions about the cancellations\u2019 impact on veterans were not asked until the contracts were identified for termination.\n\nA haphazard process and timeline: \u201cIn some cases, VA officials were given two weeks to complete their review. In others, they were given only a few hours to review hundreds of contracts. VA senior advisers and Department of Government Efficiency representatives directed them to terminate the contracts on February 25, 2025, regardless of the incomplete reviews.\u201d\n\nDue to the reckless cancellation process, VA subsequently reversed some contracts that were already cancelled: \u201cFor example, OIG also found that contracting officers initially terminated an additional 100 contract actions but later reinstated them.\u201d\n\nDOGE and VA advisors\u2019 lack of familiarity with contracting processes and terminology led to \u201cconfusion, frustration,\u201d and made tracking cancelled contracts difficult.\n\nVA repeatedly submitted inaccurate data to Congress and touted false information to the public. For example, in May 2025 DOGE and Doug Collins reported saving $120.9 billion through contract cancellations. However, this report reveals the true savings were not even one percent of that amount.\n\nThe report does not include data independently obtained from VA that reveals an additional 32 contracts were reinstated \u201cdue to direct patient care.\u201d Additionally, OIG did not review an additional 103 contracts that were descoped and 842 not renewed due to DOGE during the same time period.\n\nSince 2025, Blumenthal and Congressional Democrats have sent multiple requests to VA Secretary Doug Collins asking for the complete and updated list of VA contracts cancelled or proposed for cancellation. This report shows that VA failed multiple times to submit accurate data and are still in the process of correcting mistakes their process created.\n\nIn January 2026, Blumenthal and the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee released a report detailing the Trump Administration\u2019s lack of transparency and false savings claims arounds its cancellation of thousands of contracts providing services to veterans and supporting VA operations. This report detailed how Trump Administration officials employed a flawed AI model from DOGE to cancel approximately 2,000 contracts for veterans and VA facilities and let another 14,000 expire without any plans for renewal or replacement services. The Trump VA also falsely claimed to have saved $120.8 billion, more than the entirety of total VA contract spending in fiscal year 2024, by cancelling 445 contracts. In addition, at least 80 contracts the Trump Administration claimed to cancel, in order to boast about supposed \u201csavings,\u201d were actually terminated under the Biden Administration between 2021 and 2024.\n\nIn June 2025, Blumenthal led a spotlight forum to examine these contract cancellations with employees whose companies had a VA contract cancelled by DOGE, including a veteran-owned small business, an expert in cancer registries which are among the cancelled VA contracts, and an expert in federal contracting oversight and transparency. These witness underscored the harm of the cancellation of contracts on veterans and the sudden cancellation of their companies contracts without cause.\n\nBlumenthal and Minority Committee members are demanding immediate answers and comprehensive documentation from Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and CEO Mike Sicilia on the ballooning cost of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program. VA\u2019s contract with Oracle was recently modified, increasing the no-bid contract\u2019s cost ceiling from $10 billion to approximately $27 billion. The Senators\u2019 letter follows the failure of Ellison and Sicilia to testify before a Congressional oversight hearing on the EHRM program, a refusal that triggered a unanimous vote in the House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs to subpoena the two Oracle officials.\n\n\u201cWe write today to demand immediate answers following news the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program will now cost $27 billion\u2026Oracle has a responsibility to deliver a functioning EHRM to veterans, yet there have been years of delays and ballooning costs under your leadership,\u201d wrote the Senators in a letter to Ellison and Sicilia. \u201cEven more concerning, Oracle officials failed to attend a recent House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee oversight hearing on September 2, 2026, to answer questions on the timeline and cost of the EHRM. You have a responsibility to America\u2019s veterans and taxpayers to explain what is happening with this project and its increasing costs. Your failure to appear in Congress is a failure to uphold your commitment to veterans and we need immediate answers on this project.\u201d\n\nThe Senators backed up the House Committee\u2019s subpoenas to Ellison and Sicilia: \u201cGiven your absence from the oversight hearing, the House Committee subsequently voted 19-0 to subpoena you to explain the status of the project and excessive costs. We support this subpoena and expect you to comply with it.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s letter was joined by fellow Committee members U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).\n\nIn an additional letter to Republican leadership, the Committee members separately called on Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) to hold a full committee oversight hearing on the VA EHRM program, citing the significant cost overruns, repeated schedule delays, and patient safety concerns with the system: \u201cGiven the scale of federal investment in this program and, more importantly, the risks it poses to the health and safety of the veterans who rely on VA care, we believe the Committee has a responsibility to conduct rigorous oversight at this juncture. Veterans and the taxpayers who fund this program deserve a clear, public accounting of where EHRM stands today and what concrete steps the Department is taking to correct course. A full committee hearing would ensure the transparency and level of scrutiny this program warrants.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the Committee members\u2019 letter is available here.\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) are teaming up to introduce the GRACE for Military Survivors Act\u2014bipartisan legislation that would provide military survivors more time to make informed financial decisions about their benefits without facing tax penalties.\n\n\u201cMilitary survivors who lose loved ones endure life-changing grief. We shouldn\u2019t force them to make important, long-term financial decisions about their survivors\u2019 benefits while also going through such unspeakable pain,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cOur commonsense bill will give these families more time to make these critical decisions.\u201d\n\nWhen a servicemember dies, the surviving family has to make important financial decisions about their survivors\u2019 benefits while also grieving their loved ones. Current law only gives surviving spouses and children a year to decide if they want to put military death gratuities and Servicemembers\u2019 Group Life Insurance (SGLI) benefits into certain tax-advantaged savings accounts, including Roth IRAs and Coverdell Education Savings Accounts. The GRACE for Military Survivors Act would extend that time frame from one to three years\u2014ensuring surviving families have additional time to make important long-term financial decisions.\n\nBill text can be found here.\n\nCracking Down on Self-Enrichment in the Executive Branch\n\nBlumenthal introduced new legislation to impose a 100 percent surtax on income earned by a company owned or controlled by the President, Vice President, Cabinet officials, or immediate family members as a result of a favorable government action. The Anti-Corruption Tax Act is in direct response to Donald Trump and other Administration officials abusing the power of the government to help the companies they own or control make money, at the direct expense of American taxpayers.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump has been clear: there is no ethical line separating his role as President from his family\u2019s businesses,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cHe and other Administration officials have repeatedly abused their power to enrich themselves and their families. My measure would put an end to this kind of self-dealing by putting a 100 percent surtax on any income that Donald Trump and his family\u2014or any future Administration officials\u2014generate thanks to a favorable government action.\u201d\n\nThe full bill text of the Anti-Corruption Tax Act is available here.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal demanded answers after the delayed disclosure of suicide attempts on board the USS Abraham Lincoln.\n\nBlumenthal filed an Amicus Brief supporting Holocaust survivors and families in lawsuits over Nazi-confiscated art.\n\nBlumenthal joined a press conference to call for the SAFE Bet Act and the Prediction Markets Security and Integrity Act.\n\nBlumenthal slammed sports books for using AI to rank and target vulnerable and problem gamblers.\n\nBlumenthal recognized National Day of Action for the Health Care Workforce.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Orange Fair.\n\nBlumenthal joined the inaugural Longest Table event in Stamford.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-to-trump-fda-nominee-youve-done-a-pretty-good-job-of-avoiding-answering-questions", "Murphy To Trump FDA Nominee: \u2018you\u2019ve Done A Pretty Good Job Of Avoiding Answering Questions\u2019", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Thursday questioned Dr. Heidi Overton, President Trump\u2019s nominee to be Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, during her confirmation hearing. With public trust in the FDA collapsing in the second Trump administration, Murphy pressed Overton on the corruption of the Food and Drug Administration under President Trump, including a multi-million dollar pay-to-play scandal involving the tobacco industry.\n\n\u201cI share the chairman's concern about this dramatic reduction in faith in the FDA that has happened over the past year, and the reason is simple: people don't believe that science has anything to do with some of the decision making and that it's all about politics,\u201d said Murphy.\n\nMurphy detailed the corruption scandal which led to the prior FDA commissioner\u2019s resignation: \u201cOn April 30th, it's a Thursday afternoon, Reynolds, one of the biggest tobacco companies in the country, makes an $8 million donation to the president. Two days later, on Saturday, because of that donation, they have lunch with the president and they tell him that they want a change in FDA rules, especially regarding flavored vapes. The president calls the FDA commissioner, he calls the secretary of HHS, and three days later, on Tuesday, new guidance is issued that paves the way to the sale of flavored vapes\u2026 And four days after that, the FDA commissioner resigns, either in protest or because he was fired because of his disagreement with this decision.\u201d\n\nHe pushed Overton to acknowledge and condemn the blatant corruption influencing FDA decisionmaking under Trump: \u201cThat is not a coincidence, right? That is the definition of political interference in FDA decision making\u2026 Do you see anything wrong with the chain of events that I just articulated for you? \u2026 Do you have any opinion as to whether that's the way that you want the FDA to work?\u201d\n\nMurphy highlighted Trump\u2019s pay-to-play scheme with Big Tobacco was enabled by the dismantling of the FDA advisory board system: \u201cLet me talk to you about one of the ways that science has been undermined: the eradication of the advisory board system. Since President Trump came into office, 27% of all advisory boards have been eliminated, and of those that remain, there have been 72% fewer meetings. The tobacco advisory board had no specific meeting and no vote on this specific policy because if they had had a vote, they would have voted against this, and that's in part why the FDA commissioner resigned.\u201d\n\nHe demanded Overton commit to restoring those advisory boards: \u201cSo long as these advisory boards, which are authorized by Congress, are attacked, eliminated, and restricted from meeting, you are not going to rebound the public's support for independent FDA decision making. So let me ask you specifically: Will you commit to restarting the advisory boards that have been disbanded under this president?\u201d\n\nA full transcript of the exchange is available below.\n\nMurphy:\n\nThank you very much Mr. Chairman. Listen, I share the chairman's concern about this dramatic reduction in faith in the FDA that has happened over the past year, and the reason is simple: people don't believe that science has anything to do with some of the decision making and that it's all about politics. Here's an example: on April 30th, it's a Thursday afternoon, Reynolds, one of the biggest tobacco companies in the country, makes an $8 million donation to the president. Two days later, on Saturday, because of that donation, they have lunch with the president and they tell him that they want a change in FDA rules, especially regarding flavored vapes, the president calls the FDA commissioner, he calls the secretary of HHS, and three days later, on Tuesday, new guidance is issued that paves the way to the sale of flavored vapes. That is not a coincidence, right? That is the definition of political interference in FDA decision making. Thursday a donation is made. Saturday a meeting with the president. The same day a call to the FDA commissioner, and three days later the FDA changes the rules. Extraordinary. And four days after that, the FDA commissioner resigns, either in protest or because he was fired because of his disagreement with this decision.\n\nI heard you say that your commitment is to science being the guiding marker for decisions made at FDA, so let me talk to you about one of the ways that science has been undermined: the eradication of the advisory board system. Since President Trump came into office, 27% of all advisory boards have been eliminated, and of those that remain, there have been 72% fewer meetings. The tobacco advisory board had no specific meeting and no vote on this specific policy because if they had had a vote, they would have voted against this, and that's in part why the FDA commissioner resigned. And so, so long as these advisory boards, which are authorized by Congress, are attacked, eliminated, and restricted from meeting, you are not going to rebound the public's support for independent FDA decision making. So let me ask you specifically: Will you commit to restarting the advisory boards that have been disbanded under this president?\n\nOverton:\n\nSenator, thank you for the question, and I hope to have the opportunity to meet and discuss things in more detail. I think specific to your question, I will note that the FDA has had a number of advisory committees meeting, and I think they are extremely valuable from everything that I know about the FDA. If I'm confirmed as commissioner, they are a critical part of the role of the FDA.\n\nMurphy:\n\nOkay, I get it. But you've done a pretty good job of avoiding answering questions so far. So, will you commit? It's yes or no. Will you commit to restarting the committees that have been disbanded?\n\nOverton:\n\nSenator, if I'm confirmed as FDA commissioner, advisory committees will meet at the FDA. I have to look specifically at all of the ones that might be disbanded to see what you're asking, but the ones that I'm familiar with, like the vaccine-related biologic product advisory committee, has been meeting. They've been making recommendations. Those recommendations have been used as normal process, and I would continue that direction. It's critical to get there.\n\nMurphy:\n\nWill you at least commit to ceasing the campaign of disbanding committees, will you keep the committees that exist today, or are you open to shutting down more advisory committees?\n\nOverton:\n\nSenator, if I'm confirmed as FDA commissioner, advisory committees will be a critical part.\n\nMurphy:\n\nCan you commit to us that you will not shut down any additional advisory committees?\n\nOverton:\n\nSenator, my goal would be to not shut down any advisory committees, but to look at all of them to make sure they are fulfilling their highest purpose, getting the best experts on, and providing recommendations. They are a key part of the administrative record of the FDA, and the FDA does rely on that. So yes, that would be a huge part of my role if confirmed.\n\nMurphy:\n\nI think it's careful wording that your goal will be to not shut down advisory committees. That's not a commitment.\n\nFinally, do you see anything wrong with the chain of events that I just articulated for you? I mean, that's an extraordinary story: an $8 million donation; two days later, a meeting of those donors with the president; an immediate phone call to the FDA to change the rules; four days later, the rules are changed; and four days after that, the FDA commissioner resigns. Do you have any opinion as to whether that's the way that you want the FDA to work?\n\nOverton:\n\nSenator, I reject the framing of that question. I will say, having worked for the president for a year and a half in this role, I know that he is committed to the best possible outcomes for Americans, and he wants his team to ensure that that is what is being delivered.\n\nMurphy:\n\nSo you don't see any connection between the donation, the president's meeting, and four days later, the standards being changed?\n\nOverton:\n\nSenator, I reject the framing of that question. I think the president is aware that adults are using vapes to quit smoking, and that has been his direction, to get the best outcome for the American people in every decision that is made. If I'm confirmed as commissioner, that will be my commitment.", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-introduces-landmark-irl-act-proposal-to-combat-social-isolation-and-hold-social-media-companies-accountable", "Murphy Introduces Landmark IRL Act Proposal To Combat Social Isolation And Hold Social Media Companies Accountable", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) just introduced a new landmark bill\u2014the In Real Life (\u201cIRL\u201d) Act\u2014as part of his policy agenda aimed at record-high rates of loneliness and distrust by holding social media companies accountable and investing in third spaces. The legislation would tax digital advertising revenue of only the very largest algorithmic-based social media corporations at 50%, redirecting funds to a newly-established Social Capital Fund for local communities to support the institutions, programs, and physical spaces that bring neighbors together in common cause.\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have to accept the transition from in-person connection to online isolation. Massive social media platforms knowingly addict us to screens and harm our kids to boost their profits. These big tech companies have gotten a free pass for far too long, and the least they can do is pay to rebuild the spaces that actually bring us together\u2014in real life,\u201d said Murphy.\n\nThe IRL Act has two components: imposing a digital advertising tax on the very largest social media giants, as well as establishing a new Social Capital Fund for local communities.\n\nUnder the IRL Act\u2019s digital advertising tax, the biggest social media corporations would pay a 50% rate on digital advertising revenues over $10 billion, with lower rates for revenues below that threshold and a $500 million exemption so the tax only applies to large platforms. Publishers like newspapers, television, and websites that are not algorithmic social media would not pay the tax. Even social media companies can avoid the tax by turning off their addictive algorithm, like the chronological feed that Facebook used to have that will now be an option for teenagers under Meta\u2019s recent legal settlement with states. Big social media conglomerates can also pay lower rates by breaking up into smaller companies.\n\nUnder the IRL Act\u2019s newly-established Social Capital Fund, revenues from the digital advertising tax would be deposited into a fund and distributed to local communities for the institutions, programs, and physical spaces that bring their residents together in common cause. These funds can revive rec sports programs and beautify local parks or other public spaces. Communities can support the arts and host festivals, as well as help parent teacher organizations at public schools and programs that teach how to use technology responsibly. It can keep the doors open at places that bring people together, such as public libraries and locally owned small businesses. Communities can fund programs and services open to the whole community offered by membership organizations like clubs, unions, and religious institutions within constitutional limits. Funding can also help spread the word about groups to join and places to volunteer.\n\nThree-quarters of the Social Capital Fund goes directly to local and tribal governments using the same formula as the existing Community Development Block Grant. The remaining 25% is awarded competitively to the highest-impact programs proposed by local governments, tribes, charities, or membership organizations. The Department of Housing and Urban Development administers the Fund, evaluates the programs it supports, and highlights best practices for communities to learn from each other.\n\nThe bill is endorsed by numerous organizations and policy advocates to combat the loneliness epidemic, hold social media companies accountable, and revitalize community and trust.\n\n\"Loneliness and social isolation carry a serious public health and economic toll, yet we've built no sustained funding stream to address it. This legislation changes that by asking the platforms that profit from engagement-driven design to help fund the community infrastructure that rebuilds real connection. A Social Capital Fund financed by a tax on algorithmic social media advertising is a fitting and overdue mechanism: it ties resources for social connection directly to the industry whose business model has contributed to the crisis. The Foundation for Social Connection Action Network urges Congress to advance this bill as a serious, sustainable investment in the social fabric of American communities,\u201d said Andrew MacPherson, Founder and Board Chair of the Foundation for Social Connection Action Network.\n\n\u201cThank you Sen. Murphy for introducing this important legislation. Social capital is rooted in a sense of belonging and KABOOM! believes that one of the places it begins is on the playground where children can run, jump, take risks, and learn to solve interpersonal conflicts, all in the context of being outdoors and around other kids. This bill creates a revenue stream which targets the addictive behaviors that generate billions in digital ad revenue while simultaneously rebuilding our nation\u2019s social capital by investing in the critical civic infrastructure, like playgrounds, that support our sense of community. Millions of kids will benefit from this dual approach, and we applaud the Senator for taking on this problem to create healthier environments for children and families,\u201d said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!.\n\n\u201cThis fund will help communities of all sizes invest in much-needed civic infrastructure \u2014 the gathering places that are free and open to the public, including parks, town squares, play spaces, main streets, community centers and more \u2014 in ways that increase social connection, trust and the common good for all Americans. This is the infrastructure necessary for bolstering healthy civic life and a prosperous nation,\u201d said Bridget Marquis, co-convener of the Percent for Place Coalition.\n\n\u201cThe IRL Act recognizes that parks, trails, schoolyards, and other civic spaces are essential to building stronger, more connected communities. When we invest in the places where people gather, play, recreate, and spend time together, we create more opportunities for connection and belonging. Trust for Public Land is proud to support this legislation and its vision for a country where everyone has access to the public spaces that bring people together and nurture social capital and connection,\u201d said Walker Holmes, Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Region and Connecticut State Director at Trust for Public Land.\n\n\u201cTrails are more than transportation infrastructure, they are places where people encounter their neighbors, spend time outdoors and build connections to the communities around them. The East Coast Greenway encourages that kind of connection, linking communities and creating shared spaces where people can walk, ride and roll together. The Social Capital Fund recognizes the value of these places and would invest in trails and other public spaces that strengthen the relationships, trust and sense of belonging that hold communities together,\u201d said Niles Barnes, Deputy Director at East Coast Greenway Alliance.\n\n\u201cLISC applauds Senator Murphy's introduction of the IRL Act. We strongly support efforts to prioritize the development and stewardship of civic infrastructure such as parks, main streets, recreation facilities, and arts venues for community use. These investments are key to promoting thriving communities - great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families,\u201d said Matt Josephs, Senior Vice President of Policy at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).\n\n\u201cThe evidence is mounting that screen time makes us lonelier and more isolated, while spending time in public space with friends, family, and community is a prescription for long-term health. This legislation will ensure that these gathering places receive the funding they need to fulfill this vital role, while accounting for the true costs of digital advertising on our well-being,\u201d said Nate Storring, Co-Executive Director at Project for Public Spaces.\n\n\u201cSen. Chris Murphy has done intrepid work drawing attention to the crisis of the common good, manifest in our national epidemic of loneliness and disconnection. With the IRL Act, he offers a bold and creative solution to reverse that epidemic and help restore the common good. He proposes to invest directly in our families and communities, and in the \"bonds of affection\" (Lincoln) that can unite Americans so we may continue our 250-year experiment in self-government,\u201d said Joe Waters, Co-Founder and CEO at Capita.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the Say Yes to Recess team we strongly support the IRL Act\u2014a bold step toward reducing screen addiction and protecting young people and families. By holding tech companies accountable and investing in sports, arts, schools, libraries, and community programs, this bill helps replace endless scrolling with real connection, healthy development, and vibrant communities,\u201d said Kathryn Truman, Executive Director at the Say Yes to Recess Foundation.\n\n\u201cLoneliness is a social challenge and public health crisis of our times. As a society, we must recommit resources to the creation of lively, welcoming spaces that draw people out and bring them back together. Parks strengthen both mind and body. Children, families, and seniors in every corner of America deserve places to play, gather, and enjoy the outdoors,\u201d said Rose Harvey, Executive Director at New City Parks.\n\n\"Our nation's civic development is as important as its economic development. Just how we invest in economic infrastructure like roads and bridges, we must also invest in civic and social infrastructure like clubs, congregations, and associations, as well as the \"third places\" (like libraries and parks, etc.) in which they meet. This bill is a great step toward Congress finally taking American civic development seriously,\u201d said Pete Davis at Democracy Policy Network.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s children are spending less time outdoors than any generation in history. A healthy childhood depends on real-life experiences in nature and space to explore, grow, and connect with others. At a time when social media competes for so much of their attention, we should be making it easier for children to get outside and spend time together. Sierra Club is proud to support Senator Murphy\u2019s In Real Life Act because every child deserves that chance,\u201d said Jackie Ostfeld, Outdoors for All Director at the Sierra Club.\n\n\u201cBy taxing the engagement-driven ad model that fuels compulsive social media use, the IRL Act can discourage large technology companies from prioritizing a business model that too often harms users. We are especially glad the bill directs those funds to support organizations that share information about local civic life, filling information gaps that increasingly go unmet as local news outlets shutter,\u201d said Morgan Wilsmann, Policy Analyst at Public Knowledge.\n\n\u201cEvery day, PTAs and other like-minded organizations work hard to support families, schools and communities and ensure they have everything they need to thrive. We thank Senator Murphy for his leadership and appreciate him introducing legislation that would provide funding to help community-serving organizations strengthen their impact,\u201d said Dr. Bill Datema, president of National PTA.\n\n\"Opportunity Finance Network supports the In Real Life Act and its recognition of the role of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in strengthening communities across the country. CDFIs are proven partners in creating economic opportunities and we look forward to working through the Social Capital Fund to deploy capital to support civic infrastructure and institutions,\u201d said Dafina Williams, EVP, Chief Public Policy Officer and Head of Government Affairs at Opportunity Finance Network.\n\nRead the text of the IRL Act here.\n\nRead a summary of the IRL Act here.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-republicans-abetting-trumps-iran-war-again-americans-are-telling-congress-to-end-this-war", "Murphy on Republicans Abetting Trump's Iran War Again: Americans Are Telling Congress to End This War", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2013U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) spoke on the Senate floor before a vote on a War Powers Resolution to end Trump\u2019s disastrous war in Iran, which Senate Republicans again blocked. Despite Trump\u2019s assurance of a short military engagement, Murphy revealed how this months-long conflict continues to spin out of control as Americans overwhelmingly call for the war to stop.\n\nAs this conflict rages on, Murphy emphasized the Trump Administration has failed to achieve any of its stated goals for going to war in the first place, including destroying Iran\u2019s missile capability: \u201cI don't know how many times we heard Secretary Hegseth tell us that the goal was to destroy Iran's missiles and missile capacity. And back in April, he claimed that they had \u2018functionally destroyed\u2019 - that's his word - \u2018functionally destroyed\u2019 Iran's ability to make new missiles. Well, the Wall Street Journal just reported that Iran is producing ballistic missiles again at scale, and we only were able to eliminate around 30 percent of the missiles. They have most of their stockpiles from before the war... Iran is building missiles again - this was the whole reason we were going into the war-a total failure to eliminate Iran's missile capacity.\u201d\n\nMurphy emphasized the Trump Administration\u2019s failures have been borne most directly by American servicemembers: \u201cWe just learned this week that eight Navy sailors aboard the U.S. Abraham Lincoln have attempted suicide. Two of those sailors, as we all know, tried to jump overboard to end their lives. This is a ship that was without a port call for 286 days. That is an abdication of leadership, an abdication of the responsibility to care about our troops' safety by our Department of Defense leadership. We have sailors and soldiers and airmen that are in crisis right now because we have put them in harm's way for far longer than any brave man or woman, who has signed up to defend this nation, deserves to be in harm's way.\u201d\n\nMurphy argued that by refusing to swiftly end this war, the Trump Administration allowed it to spiral into a broader regional conflict that will continue to hurt American families: \u201cWe have a new war that has broken out. A new war has broken out in the last two weeks. This was totally predictable. Everybody said if you go to war with Iran, the Houthis are not going to stand put. They are going to start firing inside Yemen and at the Saudis, and that's exactly what has happened. Drone strikes from the Houthis have knocked out Saudi Arabia's bypass pipeline. Earlier this month, they seized control of routes along the Red Sea. Functionally, the Red Sea is now shut down as a means for the Saudis to move oil out of the region. This is part of the reason why gas prices continue to go up.\u201d\n\nMurphy ended with an appeal to Congress to finally act on behalf of the millions of Americans across political parties demanding an end to America\u2019s war with Iran: \u201cSupport for this war is at 18% in this country. We are supposed to be a democratic body that listens to the will of the people. The people, whether they're Republicans, independents, or Democrats, are telling us loudly and unequivocally, end this war. And it's not like we can't. This resolution is a chance for this body to end the war. And so we are pleading once again, maybe the 10th time that we've had a resolution like this, for our colleagues to join us. The American public are making it clear they can't handle the costs of this war and they can't stand for the national security harm it's doing to the United States.\u201d\n\nA full transcript of Murphy\u2019s remarks is available below. A full video of his remarks is available here.\n\nMurphy: Mr. President, I'm on the floor to support yet another resolution to end the war in Iran. Here's the latest poll regarding public support or approval [of the war in Iran]:: 18% of respondents to this latest CNN poll say that President Trump's decisions around the war in Iran are helping the United States. 70% of Americans say that his decisions around the Iran war are hurting Americans. That is a stunning number.\n\nBasically, it is only the hardcore MAGA supporters that still believe this war is a good idea. Everybody else, independents, Democrats, independent-thinking Republicans, have all decided that this body needs to vote to end this war, and it's not hard to figure out why.\n\nHere's a chart that's familiar to my colleagues. This is the unreal spike in gas and diesel prices that has occurred solely because of this war. If you're in Indiana right now, diesel is $7 a gallon. That's why farms are going bankrupt right now in the Midwest, at record rates: the tariffs and the high price of diesel.\n\nBut for American consumers who are just filling up their tank with gasoline, the same disaster in California above $6 a gallon, in many states above $5 a gallon, and it's just going up and up and up. But Americans also see that this has been a national security disaster for the country. It's obviously been an economic nightmare. Mortgage rates are at 7% again, by the way, if you hadn't noticed. That's because of the war, primarily, the tariffs as well.\n\nBut Americans oppose this war 70-to-18 in the current poll because they know that it's hurting our national security. We have not had a resolution on the floor in a number of weeks, so I just want to talk about four things that have happened in the last few weeks that show how this war is spiraling and spiraling out of control. Every single day, this war becomes more dangerous for the region, more of a disaster for the United States.\n\nOne of the things that the administration said that was a motivating factor for the war was getting rid of Iran's missiles. I don't know how many times we heard Secretary Hegseth tell us that the goal was to destroy Iran's missiles and missile capacity. And back in April, he claimed that they had functionally destroyed - that's his word - functionally destroyed Iran's ability to make new missiles.\n\nWell, the Wall Street Journal just reported that Iran is producing ballistic missiles again at scale, and we only were able to eliminate around 30 percent of the missiles. They have most of their stockpiles from before the war. And now they are producing missiles again. Satellite imagery shows that Iran is rebuilding bridges and roads to production sites. They're restoring tunnel entrances and they're building capacity again. Iran is building missiles again - this was the whole reason we were going into the war-a total failure to eliminate Iran's missile capacity.\n\nWhat's the strain on our service members? Well, we just learned this week that eight Navy sailors aboard the U.S. Abraham Lincoln have attempted suicide. Two of those sailors, as we all know, tried to jump overboard to end their lives. This is a ship that has been without a port call. Was without a poor call for 286 days. That is an abdication of leadership, an abdication of the responsibility to care about our troops' safety by our Department of Defense leadership. We have sailors and soldiers and airmen that are in crisis right now because we have put them in harm's way for far longer than any brave man or woman, who has signed up to defend this nation, deserves to be in harm's way.\n\nWe have a new war that has broken out. A new war has broken out in the last two weeks. This was totally predictable. Everybody said if you go to war with Iran, the Houthis are not going to stand put. They are going to start firing inside Yemen and at the Saudis, and that's exactly what has happened. Drone strikes from the Houthis have knocked out Saudi Arabia's bypass pipeline. Earlier this month, they seized control of routes along the Red Sea. Functionally, the Red Sea is now shut down as a means for the Saudis to move oil out of the region. This is part of the reason why gas prices continue to go up.\n\nThe Strait of Hormuz is partially open again, but at what expense? Pre-war, it cost a super tanker $200,000 to move through the Strait. Today, it costs $1 million per day for a super tanker to move through the Strait - five times the cost before the war. That alone adds $26 to the cost of each barrel of oil. So even though we're moving some transit through the Strait of Hormuz, it's at a cost that consumers can't afford.\n\nAnd finally, there is satellite imagery in the last few weeks that shows new construction inside Iran around a complex called Pickaxe Mountain. This is probably their new most important nuclear site. It looks as if they are attaching a very deep bunker, deeper than Fordow, to restart their nuclear research program. And as one expert said, the window to strike Pickaxe Mountain has already expired because the regime has dug so far underground that we can now not hit it.\n\nAnd so they are restarting the nuclear program. They are restarting their missile production program, we have not eliminated their drone capability. We are leading to a mass suicide and self-harm crisis amongst our service members. Costs are spiraling out of control for consumers and for farms. A new war is breaking out in the region that threatens the stability of the Middle East and further drives up gas prices.\n\nThat is why support for this war is at 18 percent in this country. We are supposed to be a democratic body that listens to the will of the people. The people, whether they're Republicans, independents, or Democrats, are telling us loudly and unequivocally, end this war. And it's not like we can't. This resolution is a chance for this body to end the war. And so we are pleading once again, maybe the 10th time that we've had a resolution like this, for our colleagues to join us. The American public are making it clear they can't handle the costs of this war and they can't stand for the national security harm it's doing to the United States. I yield the floor.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-cornyn-file-amicus-brief-supporting-holocaust-survivors-families-in-lawsuits-over-nazi-confiscated-art", "Blumenthal & Cornyn File Amicus Brief Supporting Holocaust Survivors, Families in Lawsuits Over Nazi-Confiscated Art", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHNGTON, D.C.] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and John Cornyn (R-TX), authors of the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act, filed an amicus brief defending the legislation\u2019s constitutionality in ongoing litigation over the recovery of Nazi-looted art.\n\n\u201cThe Nazi campaign to steal art treasured by Jewish families and others targeted by the regime the was about more than a pilfering of property\u2014it was a deeply personal theft and an act of inhumanity,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cSenator Cornyn has been my partner for years in bringing long overdue justice to families whose cherished art was brazenly stolen by the Nazis. I am proud to join Senator Cornyn, Holocaust survivors, and their family members in urging the Court to do the right thing and uphold the constitutionality of the HEAR Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cEarlier this year, the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act was signed into law to ensure Holocaust survivors and their families have an opportunity to regain thousands of missing pieces of artwork that were looted by the Nazi regime,\u201d said Cornyn. \u201cI am proud to stand in support of survivors and their families, and I urge the Court to ensure victims are not barred from claiming what is rightfully theirs.\u201d\n\nNazi Germany\u2019s campaign of annihilation and genocide against the Jewish people in the Holocaust included massive theft of property, including hundreds of thousands of works of art. Despite post-war efforts by the United States and allies to return Nazi-looted art and renewed efforts since the late 1990s, more than 100,000 works of art have not been returned to their rightful owners.\n\nIn 2016, Congress unanimously passed the HEAR Act, spearheaded in the Senate by Blumenthal and Cornyn, to ensure Holocaust survivors and their heirs could access U.S. courts to pursue claims for the recovery of Nazi-looted art, allowing cases to be decided on their factual merits rather than dismissed on time-based technical defenses. Congress found that the circumstances of the Holocaust imposed extraordinary obstacles to survivors and heirs to locate and recover stolen art, necessitating a national six-year statute of limitations that only begins when the owner actually discovers the location of the stolen artwork.\n\nUnfortunately, many museums, governments, and institutions have contradicted Congress\u2019 intent and obstructed justice by stonewalling legitimate claims, obscuring provenance, and employing aggressive legal tactics designed to exhaust and outlast survivors and their families. Rather than embracing transparency and reconciliation, too many have chosen to entrench and litigate, effectively preserving possession of stolen works rather than returning them to their rightful owners. Moreover, some court cases have interpreted the law narrowly, leaving survivors without recourse.\n\nIn response, last year, Blumenthal, Cornyn, and U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Fetterman (D-PA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Katie Britt (R-AL) passed legislation to eliminate the sunset date, in recognition that the challenges of restitution remain urgent and unresolved. The legislation also clarified and strengthened procedural protections to ensure that claims are considered on their merits and not dismissed due to time-based technical defenses or other non-merits discretionary defenses. Finally, the bill fortified victims\u2019 remedies and access to the courts.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-joins-united-nations-general-assembly-event-on-artificial-intelligence", "Murphy Joins United Nations General Assembly Event On Artificial Intelligence", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "NEW YORK\u2014U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday joined Foreign Policy magazine\u2019s tech and AI forum at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), titled Securing the Stack: A Conversation on Trust, Trade, and Technology. In the panel discussion, Murphy outlined the path ahead for Congress to respond effectively to Americans\u2019 growing concerns around AI, including job loss, competition with China, and humanity losing control over the technology.\n\nMurphy argued that the US has a long history of regulating dangerous new technologies and the American people are demanding action: \u201cIt might be the end of our democracy if the people beg on both sides of the aisle for us to do what we've done with every complicated new technology in the history of this country since the industrial revolution \u2013 regulate and control it to make sure we get the good but not the bad \u2013 if we don't step up and do the work.\u201d\n\nMurphy expressed optimism that lawmakers could find some consensus on AI: \u201cI think there is some low-hanging fruit that is not particularly complicated. The deepfake threat is already real\u2026 that's a pretty easy one to deal with, right? You could just outlaw them in politics, or require clear identification or watermarks in other contexts. Friendship bots, as I mentioned before, are poison for our kids. We can outlaw them writ large, or we can outlaw them for kids. And then you know what we're talking about right now, which is some approval process for models, so as to guard against what we are seeing, and potentially [what] we'll see at scale soon as they sort of jump out of containment\u2026\u201d\n\n\u201cThose three things are achievable, not terribly political, and could foreseeably get done, and give the public then some faith that we maybe have the political capacity to handle some of the more nuanced threats down on,\u201d Murphy emphasized.\n\nMurphy stressed that humanity cannot retain its control over AI without cooperation with China: \u201cI don't think there's any path forward without us being in a conversation with the Chinese and the rest of the world on basic AI safety guidelines, the most important of which is maintaining human control over these systems. So it is heartbreaking to me to listen to the president essentially swear off any kind of engagement with the world that would involve any kind of constraint on research in the United States.\u201d\n\nMurphy also called out the Trump Administration\u2019s hypocrisy on AI development: \u201cHe\u2019s giving the impression that his priority is to beat the Chinese on the issue of AI. But at the same time he\u2019s signing off on agreements that would have been unthinkable just a year ago to give some of our most sensitive technologies to the Chinese, to basically invite them to lap us in this, in this AI race.\u201d\n\nMurphy warned that failing to regulate AI out of false fear mongering plays right into China\u2019s hands: \u201cI worry about the China red herring blocking us from common sense domestic regulation. China would love nothing more than for the United States to do nothing to protect people spiritually and the economy generally from what AI could do unchecked. They would love for us to be the one that submits our citizens as guinea pigs to this technology, they would love for us to be the ones that have massive job dislocation first. And so, if we want to compete with China, we better get serious about regulating the social and economic dislocation that may happen with AI at speed because they certainly are going to be careful about that.\u201d\n\nMurphy also detailed what role AI companies should play in crafting a regulatory regime: \u201cWe shouldn't wait for their permission. We need to do this in the next 12 months. And so, while I would like them at the table, the last thing we should do is give them veto power\u2026 I think that would be one of the most dangerous approaches we could take is to only pass regulatory regimes that get the sign-off and approval of these companies. That, by definition, might make it illegitimate in the public's mind, that is already convinced that these companies are not out to protect them, but out to protect their bottom line.\u201d\n\nA full transcript of Murphy\u2019s exchanges is available below. A video of the full discussion is available here.\n\nMODERATOR:\n\nMy question to you is, how much do people still trust the United States? And how much do you have to make the case that they do when you have your engagements with the rest of the world?\n\nMURPHY:\n\nStart with an easy one, huh?\n\nGreat to be with you all. Thanks for having me. I'm gonna be the representative member of the United States Senate. And I care deeply about this issue, but am far from an expert on it. So I'm gonna leave you the heavy lifting.\n\nI mean, just for a moment, let's just start with the other end of trust: which is the lack of trust that the American people have in their government right now. They've been worrying about AI and its both economic and spiritual impact on the country for years now. Sixty percent of kids in the United States already use chatbots as a sort of regular outlet for friendship and advice, and parents are dealing with the poisonous ramifications of that every single day. And so, the biggest issue of trust is the lack of trust the people have that we're going to actually protect them from the poison, protect them from the potential enormous downside of unregulated, unchecked AI. And it might be the end of our democracy if the people beg on both sides of the aisle for us to do what we've done with every complicated new technology in the history of this country since the industrial revolution\u2013regulate and control it to make sure we get the good but not the bad\u2013if we, if we don't step up and do the work.\n\nNo, I mean listen. There's a crisis of trust in America right now. And yes, part of it is at a kind of macro political level in which there's just such whiplash in U.S. policy from administration to administration. But let's just not sugarcoat it. We've never ever had a president like this before: who lies through his teeth, who signs agreements with the world that he has no intention of honoring, that says one thing today and the exact opposite the next day. And so there is a very specific deficit of trust right now.\n\n[At] My meetings [at the UNGA], you're basically with countries that are just trying to survive, that just want to avoid being on the president's radar screen, [that] want to avoid being involved with America. What a disaster for us, that is. But that's the reality of dealing with this very exceptionally dangerous president. So yes, I I worry about the the bigger issue here, which is that you know even if Trump is gone and there's a more kind of mainstream, internationally focused president, there\u2019s just going to be a lot of hesitancy to do a deal with the United States on critical minerals or AI because they worry that will only last for the duration of that particular administration.\n\nMODERATOR:\n\nJust to stay with you for a minute: on the the first part of what you said, on the the fears that the American public right now have around AI, and you said that [they\u2019re] begging government to to do something about it, the conversation around AI has kind of seesawed from the these existential risks that the companies are talking about. But then here at UNGA, there's also a lot of conversation on the more immediate risks, some of which you laid out on impacts on education, job loss. So, on that kind of spectrum of risk, where can Congress most realistically and effectively intervene?\n\nMURPHY:\n\nWell, I think there is some low-hanging fruit that is not particularly complicated.\n\nThe deepfake threat is already real. It is not just a political threat that nobody knows whether they're actually hearing true political speech or not. It's hard to describe, but it's kind of a metaphysical threat in that today, when you go online, you have no idea whether what you're watching is real or not. And when you live your entire life not sure of what is truth and what is untruth, it is exhausting. It is spiritually exhausting. And so I just want to speak to the fact that these are not all easy to diagnose threats. They are literally undermining our consciousness on a regular basis. So that's a pretty easy one to deal with, right? You could just outlaw them in politics, or require clear identification or watermarks in other contexts.\n\nFriendship bots, as I mentioned before, are poison for our kids. Poison. We can outlaw them writ large, or we can outlaw them for kids.\n\nAnd then you know what we're talking about right now, which is some approval process for models, so as to guard against what we are seeing. And potentially, we'll see at scale soon as they sort of jump out of containment. That's more complicated, but not impossible to figure out how to get some third-party eyes and perhaps approvals on new complicated models.\n\nThose three things are achievable, not terribly political, and could foreseeably get done, and give the public then some faith that we maybe have the political capacity to handle some of the more nuanced threats down on.\n\nMODERATOR:\n\nSticking with the concept of trust, but hopefully linking it a little more to the trade and tech aspects: China. Tomorrow, President Trump and President Xi are meeting in Washington [on] AI technology issues more broadly. Trade issues are expected high on the agenda. You talked about sort of approval process, and then that goes into sort of how much we should pause or slow down development of these frontier models. How much can the U.S. and the rest of the world trust China on that front?\n\nMURPHY:\n\nWell, listen I don't think there's any path forward without us being in a conversation with the Chinese and the rest of the world on basic AI safety guidelines, the most important of which is maintaining human control over these systems. So it is heartbreaking to me to listen to the president essentially swear off any kind of engagement with the world that would involve any kind of constraint on research in the United States.\n\nHe\u2019s giving the impression that his priority is to beat the Chinese on the issue of AI. But at the same time he\u2019s signing off on agreements that would have been unthinkable just a year ago to give some of our most sensitive technologies to the Chinese, to basically invite them to lap us in this, in this AI race.\n\nI worry about the China red herring blocking us from common sense domestic regulation. China would love nothing more than for the United States to do nothing to protect people spiritually and the economy generally from what AI could do unchecked. They would love for us to be the one that submits our citizens as guinea pigs to this technology, they would love for us to be the ones that have massive job dislocation first.\n\nAnd so, if we want to compete with China, we better get serious about regulating the social and economic dislocation that may happen with AI at speed because they certainly are going to be careful about that. So yes, we have to be engaged with them, but we can't wait for that conversation to make some of those basic investments in a regulatory regime that I referenced in answer to your first question.\n\nMODERATOR:\n\nSenator, I want to also talk now about the role of kind of allies and partners - and we are at UNGA - so the role of multilateral institutions and frameworks. On the first one, despite all the kind of upheaval in foreign policy, one of the things that the Trump administration has been very focused on is the Pax-Silica initiative, for example. I'm curious for your thoughts on one multilateral effort that we're seeing come out of the Trump administration. How effective is it? And what more would you like to see in terms of that conversation, of working with partners to secure?\n\nMURPHY:\n\nYeah, I think it's not going to be terribly effective. Because you know, with one hand he's rubbing the back of our allies, on the other hand, beating them over the head of the club. And so it's really difficult to convince the Europeans, for instance, that they should put money on the table side by side with the Americans to protect global supply chains around critical minerals when we are sanctioning and tariffing them at the same time.\n\nThat being said, I actually have been somebody who has argued for our development finance capabilities, which are right now housed at the DFC, the Development Finance Corporation, to be used in a more strategic way. Traditionally, those capabilities were doing more to combat humanitarian problems and attacking poverty and deeply poor nations. Trump has shifted a lot of the DFC's focus into this specific area of critical mineral flows into AI technology, and I don't actually think that there's \u2013 he's maybe gone too far \u2013 but I think that that's actually a smart move to use our global development finance capabilities to do sort of more geopolitical strategic investment. So I don't think the initiative is going to bear fruit because you know we are just right now defined by the fights we're picking with our allies, and they're just not going to work with us when we're constantly in an antagonistic relationship. They don't know what attack is coming next. But the things that have happened at DFC - there is some silver lining there.\n\nMODERATOR:\n\nAnd on bodies like the UN, what role do you see for the UN as an institution? Under this president, U.S. engagement with the UN has kind of gone back and forth a little bit, shall we say? But what role do you see for the UN in bringing together and enforcing some of these kinds of governance mechanisms?\n\nMURPHY:\n\nI doubt that the UN is going to be the place where this conversation happens. This is going to be an ad hoc multilateral effort that is going to primarily involve the United States and China and a few other big players in this space.\n\nBut just to step back for a minute: what did Trump say this morning? I forget, but he used the word - \u2018we're not going to create a global cabal on AI.\u2019 He sort of used that word - global, globalism - and it speaks to sort of the way that Americans feel about our engagement in the world for the past 50 years.\n\nMost Americans believe that our engagement in the world over the last several decades has prioritized the interests of billionaires and corporations, and that our economic integration did not serve them, but served the economic elite. And so, if we are going to pitch any new platform of economic integration to the world, it better lead with a clear explanation about how it's going to help regular people, how it's going to protect the health of local neighborhoods.\n\nAnd so, I do think people intuitively understand that you probably can't do AI without some integration with the world. But their default belief is that integration and global economic agreement is designed to help the big legacy players and designed to help companies move jobs out of the United States, through labor arbitrage, to wherever place makes them the most money.\n\nSo I think it's going to be necessary, but very difficult for any American leader to convince the public that a new global AI framework isn't primarily intended to serve the big companies' interests and their private interests. You're going to have a high burden to explain, as I think we can, about how those agreements internationally are really all about protecting you and your family.\n\nMODERATOR:\n\nSo, what role do you see for the companies in this kind of like governance conversation and framework?\n\nMURPHY:\n\nWell you know, as was referenced, I don't think that there is any system that works without a mandatory system of regulation and approval of models. And I think, ultimately, of integration into different industries. I think we will ultimately have a regime that says: \u2018listen, we're going to approve products that are sold to teachers, we are going to approve products that are put into our hospitals to make sure that they are benefiting the public rather than benefiting the companies.\u2019\n\nBut obviously this would be better done with the companies sitting at the table. I think certainly at least Anthropic sees the fact that, without a level playing field of regulation, there's no way for one company to deliberately slow down investments in innovation without losing their company because the profit motivation is so extreme that the investors \u2013 and all those companies have basically the same set of investors \u2013 are just not going to permit a unilateral decision to not move as fast as possible for commercial deployment.\n\nBut we shouldn't wait for their permission. We need to do this in the next 12 months. And so, while I would like them at the table, the last thing we should do is give them veto power. They will attempt to try to have veto power. They will try to spend money in elections to get folks in power who will only pass regulatory regimes that they approve. But I think that would be one of the most dangerous approaches we could take: to only pass regulatory regimes that get the sign-off and approval of these companies. That, by definition, might make it illegitimate in the public's mind, that is already convinced that these companies are not out to protect them, but out to protect their bottom line.", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-murkowski-coons-and-cassidy-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-protect-ukrainians-seeking-safety-in-the-us", "Blumenthal, Murkowski, Coons, & Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Ukrainians Seeking Safety in the U.S.", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced legislation today to protect Ukrainian nationals who have sought refuge in the United States following Russia\u2019s unprovoked war of aggression in their home country.\n\nThe bipartisan bill would extend immigration protections for Ukrainians who have fled the war brought on by the Russian invasion and sought safety in the United States through the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which has for decades provided refuge to those living in America who have fled natural disasters, violence, and political insecurity. The current TPS designation for Ukraine will expire on October 19, 2026 unless further action is taken.\n\n\u201cUkrainians seeking safety here are fleeing unimaginable horror at home \u2013 bloody missile and drone strikes, ruthless kidnapping of children, a cold winter without heat. Forcing their return to such cruel conditions would be the height of inhumanity,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cI am grateful to Senators Murkowski, Coons, and Cassidy for joining me in introducing legislation that will protect Ukrainians seeking refuge from being sent back to certain brutality and bloodshed.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have spent time with many Ukrainians who found refuge in Alaska after fleeing Russia\u2019s brutal invasion. They have become part of our communities sending their children to our schools, participating in the local workforce, and re-building their lives while the war continues to devastate their home country,\u201d said Murkowski. \u201cMy office has worked with many of these families as they navigate our immigration system, and the reality is that it is simply not safe for them to return to Ukraine. We should not force Ukrainians who we allowed into the U.S. and who are here legally and contributing to our communities back into an active war zone. This legislation will provide them with the stability and protection they need to continue to live and work here until it is safe to return home.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Ukrainian people are on the frontlines of freedom, fighting for their democracy and their future,\u201d said Coons. \u201cWe should support them however we can, including by extending protections for Ukrainians who have sought safety in the United States while fleeing Putin\u2019s illegal and unjustified war of aggression. It is unconscionable that we would send them back to the horrors they could face at home, especially with winter around the corner. I am grateful to join my colleagues in providing stability and protection to Ukrainians at this critical moment.\u201d\n\nTPS is a temporary, legal immigration status granted to foreign citizens who are unable to return safely to their home country due to natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. All TPS recipients have passed a thorough background check. TPS was extended to Ukrainian nationals in April 2022 due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.\n\nIn February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launching missiles against military and civilian targets across the country as troops pushed to overtake major cities. Although Ukrainian forces successfully blocked the attempted invasion of Kyiv and have since liberated significant territory throughout the country, Russian offensives continue to target Ukrainian communities and claim thousands of casualties. Since the invasion, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died and hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian forces have been killed. Russia has also engaged in a campaign of abduction and forcible removal of Ukrainian children, seeking to erase the children\u2019s Ukrainian names, language and identity, and exposing them to human trafficking and exploitation, child labor, sexual violence, hunger, injury, trauma and death.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-watchdog-report-exposing-the-trump-administrations-reckless-cancellation-of-contracts-serving-veterans", "Blumenthal Statement on Watchdog Report Exposing the Trump Administration's Reckless Cancellation of Contracts Serving Veterans", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, released a statement on a new report from the Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) exposing the Trump Administration and DOGE\u2019s reckless cancellation of contracts at VA beginning in 2025. The report details a chaotic cancellation process directed top-down by DOGE, Secretary Doug Collins, and Senior Advisors at VA, resulting in contracts called without veteran-impact assessments and inaccurate cost saving estimates.\n\n\u201cThis report confirms my repeatedly expressed concerns that VA has recklessly cancelled hundreds of contracts with no consideration of the impact on veterans or VA operations. These cuts harmed veterans and were hidden from Congress and the public by senior VA officials. Secretary Collins owes us answers on how VA will replace lost services and how much this fiasco has cost taxpayers in arbitration, settlements, and reinstatements. Veterans and taxpayers deserve transparency and a full public accounting.\u201d\n\nKey findings of the report reveal:\n\nA top-down process led by DOGE, Doug Collins and political leaders, rather than a process driven by VA subject matter experts.\n\nOIG reports that only after contracts were marked for cancellation did VA leadership ask officials to justify their proposed cuts. In addition, questions about the cancellations\u2019 impact on veterans were not asked until the contracts were identified for termination.\n\nA haphazard process and timeline: \u201cIn some cases, VA officials were given two weeks to complete their review. In others, they were given only a few hours to review hundreds of contracts. VA senior advisers and Department of Government Efficiency representatives directed them to terminate the contracts on February 25, 2025, regardless of the incomplete reviews.\u201d\n\nDue to the reckless cancellation process, VA subsequently reversed some contracts that were already cancelled: \u201cFor example, OIG also found that contracting officers initially terminated an additional 100 contract actions but later reinstated them.\u201d\n\nDOGE and VA advisors\u2019 lack of familiarity with contracting processes and terminology led to \u201cconfusion, frustration,\u201d and made tracking cancelled contracts difficult.\n\nVA repeatedly submitted inaccurate data to Congress and touted false information to the public. For example, in May 2025 DOGE and Doug Collins reported saving $120.9 billion through contract cancellations. However, this report reveals the true savings were not even one percent of that amount.\n\nThe report does not include data independently obtained from VA that reveals an additional 32 contracts were reinstated \u201cdue to direct patient care.\u201d Additionally, OIG did not review an additional 103 contracts that were descoped and 842 not renewed due to DOGE during the same time period.\n\nSince 2025, Blumenthal and Congressional Democrats have sent multiple requests to VA Secretary Doug Collins asking for the complete and updated list of VA contracts cancelled or proposed for cancellation. This report shows that VA failed multiple times to submit accurate data and are still in the process of correcting mistakes their process created.\n\nIn January 2026, Blumenthal and the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee released a report detailing the Trump Administration\u2019s lack of transparency and false savings claims arounds its cancellation of thousands of contracts providing services to veterans and supporting VA operations. This report detailed how Trump Administration officials employed a flawed AI model from DOGE to cancel approximately 2,000 contracts for veterans and VA facilities and let another 14,000 expire without any plans for renewal or replacement services. The Trump VA also falsely claimed to have saved $120.8 billion, more than the entirety of total VA contract spending in fiscal year 2024, by cancelling 445 contracts. In addition, at least 80 contracts the Trump Administration claimed to cancel, in order to boast about supposed \u201csavings,\u201d were actually terminated under the Biden Administration between 2021 and 2024.\n\nIn June 2025, Blumenthal led a spotlight forum to examine these contract cancellations with employees whose companies had a VA contract cancelled by DOGE, including a veteran-owned small business, an expert in cancer registries which are among the cancelled VA contracts, and an expert in federal contracting oversight and transparency. These witness underscored the harm of the cancellation of contracts on veterans and the sudden cancellation of their companies contracts without cause.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-introduces-legislation-imposing-100-percent-surtax-on-income-generated-by-companies-owned-by-president-and-other-cabinet-officials-when-they-abuse-their-power-to-benefit-themselves", "Blumenthal Introduces Legislation Imposing 100 Percent Surtax on Income Generated by Companies Owned by President & Other Cabinet Officials When They Abuse Their Power to Benefit Themselves", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced new legislation to impose a 100 percent surtax on income earned by a company owned or controlled by the President, Vice President, Cabinet officials, or immediate family members as a result of a favorable government action. The Anti-Corruption Tax Act is in direct response to Donald Trump and other Administration officials abusing the power of the government to help the companies they own or control make money, at the direct expense of American taxpayers.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump has been clear: there is no ethical line separating his role as President from his family\u2019s businesses,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cHe and other Administration officials have repeatedly abused their power to enrich themselves and their families. My measure would put an end to this kind of self-dealing by putting a 100 percent surtax on any income that Donald Trump and his family\u2014or any future Administration officials\u2014generate thanks to a favorable government action.\u201d\n\nAnti-Corruption Tax Act addresses the following actions:\n\nThe Office of the Comptroller of the Currency conditionally approving a national trust bank charter for the Trump family\u2019s World Liberty Financial;\n\nThe Pentagon\u2019s $620 million loan to Vulcan Elements, a startup backed by Donald Trump Jr.\u2019s venture capital firm, 1789 Capital;\n\nThe U.S. Army\u2019s $15.2 million contract with a company that Donald Trump Jr. owns a significant ownership stake in and sits on the advisory board for, Unusual Machines;\n\nThe U.S. Air Force\u2019s contract to buy interceptor drones from Powerus, a company backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump;\n\nPotential federal contracts awarded to Newmark, a company owned by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick\u2019s sons, to build ICE facilities;\n\nNewmark also has earned fees arranging land, leases, and financing for AI data centers, which Lutnick has promoted as Commerce Secretary, in addition to overseeing expedited federal permitting for certain data center projects;\n\nThe United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission\u2019s 2025 regulatory approvals allowing Polymarket to return to the U.S. market, including relief from certain federal reporting and recordkeeping requirements following Polymarket\u2019s acquisition of the federally regulated QCEX exchange and clearinghouse. Polymarket received an investment from 1789 Capital, and Donald Trump Jr. joined its advisory board.\n\nThe full bill text of the Anti-Corruption Tax Act is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-sheehy-introduce-bill-to-extend-benefits-for-military-survivors", "Blumenthal, Sheehy Introduce Bill to Extend Benefits for Military Survivors", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, and U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) are teaming up to introduce the GRACE for Military Survivors Act\u2014bipartisan legislation that would provide military survivors more time to make informed financial decisions about their benefits without facing tax penalties.\n\n\u201cMilitary survivors who lose loved ones endure life-changing grief. We shouldn\u2019t force them to make important, long-term financial decisions about their survivors\u2019 benefits while also going through such unspeakable pain,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cOur commonsense bill will give these families more time to make these critical decisions.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen families lose a loved one, too often they are forced to make difficult financial decisions before being allowed time to grieve and process their loss; this is especially true when it comes to the surviving families of our fallen military heroes,\u201d said Senator Tim Sheehy. \u201cAmerica\u2019s military families sacrifice so much for this great nation \u2013 they deserve time to mourn and honor their loved one instead of being rushed into making long-lasting, consequential decisions about their survivors\u2019 benefits. Supporting this practical legislation to extend the time military families have to make these decisions is the least we can do for the families of our heroes.\u201d\n\nWhen a servicemember dies, the surviving family has to make important financial decisions about their survivors\u2019 benefits while also grieving their loved ones. Current law only gives surviving spouses and children a year to decide if they want to put military death gratuities and Servicemembers\u2019 Group Life Insurance (SGLI) benefits into certain tax-advantaged savings accounts, including Roth IRAs and Coverdell Education Savings Accounts. The GRACE for Military Survivors Act would extend that time frame from one to three years\u2014ensuring surviving families have additional time to make important long-term financial decisions.\n\nU.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Jack Bergman (R-MI) have introduced the companion bill to this legislation in the House.\n\nThe GRACE for Military Survivors Act is supported by Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Gold Star Spouses, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), With Honor, The American Legion, AMVETS, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO), United Services Automobile Association (USAA), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Veterans Survivor Coalition.\n\n\u201cAfter the tragic loss of their military loved one, survivors are often forced to make long-term financial decisions during a period of profound grief. TAPS is grateful to Ranking Member Blumenthal and Senator Sheehy for introducing the GRACE for Military Survivors Act, which will provide our surviving families with much needed additional time to make these important decisions impacting their lives. We look forward to its swift passage!\u201d said Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).\n\n\u201cGold Star Spouses of America (GSSA) strongly supports the GRACE for Military Survivors Act. Surviving spouses are often advised to avoid making major financial decisions during the first year following the loss of a loved one,\u201d said Tamra Sipes, National President of Gold Star Spouses of America. \u201cWhile well-intentioned, this guidance can inadvertently cause families to miss valuable opportunities to place military death benefits into tax-advantaged savings accounts. GSSA thanks Ranking Member Blumenthal and Senator Sheehy for introducing legislation that would extend the contribution period from one year to three years.\u201d\n\n\u201cFamilies who lose a loved one in service to our nation carry a sacrifice that most of us can never fully understand. As we have learned from the caregiving community, these families deserve time, dignity and the freedom to make the decisions that are right for them, without unnecessary pressure,\u201d said Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. \u201cThe GRACE for Military Survivors Act is an important recognition of what military survivors need as they navigate life after loss. We are proud to support this effort and stand behind the families who have given so much.\u201d\n\n\u201cVietnam Veterans of America deeply understands the profound grief, sorrow, and devastation felt by the family of every service member lost in service to our nation. Our obligation to those who wear the uniform extends fully to the families they leave behind. In their deepest time of mourning, the very last thing a grieving family should have to worry about is navigating strict federal deadlines or the administrative burdens of financial filings,\u201d said Michael J. Fimmano, Chief Legislative Officer of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA). \u201c\u2026By extending that contribution window from one year to three, the GRACE for Military Survivors Act gives Gold Star families the breathing room they need to make thoughtful, long-term financial decisions on their own timeline\u2026Through the swift passage of this bill, we can honor the memory of the fallen while granting surviving families the dignity, time, and compassion they deserve in their most painful moments.\u201d\n\n\u201cMilitary families give more than most Americans will ever be asked to. When a service member passes, we should not ask surviving spouses and families to set aside their grief to focus on finances,\u201d said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor. \u201cThis legislation is notable for what it is not\u2014it is not partisan, costly, or controversial. It imposes no new federal spending, creates no new bureaucracy, and asks nothing of taxpayers. It simply removes an arbitrary constraint that punishes military survivors for taking the time they need to grieve. Keeping faith with military families means ensuring they are treated with dignity and compassion during life\u2019s most difficult moments. With Honor Action enthusiastically endorses the GRACE for Military Survivors Act and appreciates For Country Caucus members Reps. Mike Thompson and Jack Bergman, as well as Senators Richard Blumenthal and Tim Sheehy, for their strong commitment to honoring military families and those who served.\u201d\n\nBill text can be found HERE.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-presses-dhs-sec-mullin-on-ice-operations-in-connecticut", "Murphy Presses DHS Sec. Mullin On ICE Operations in Connecticut", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) just pressed U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin for accountability and transparency on unprecedented immigration raids in Connecticut by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month, including near a children\u2019s school bus stop.\n\n\u201cLast month, families and communities in Connecticut experienced mass immigration enforcement arrests across the state. To make matters worse, parents were reportedly arrested in front of their children, including at least one parent who was arrested just after their child boarded a bus for their first day of school. As fathers, I hope we can both agree that children should not have to witness their parents being brutally arrested for civil immigration offenses,\u201d said Murphy.\n\nIn a letter to Mullin, Murphy cited the long-term suffering children experience when they personally experience the arrest of their parents, pushing for immigration forces to exercise restraint and follow the books.\n\n\u201cThe Department of Homeland Security must take immediate action to eliminate this unnecessary and harmful use of force. Additionally, DHS is also required to follow the \u2018Detained Parents Directive\u2019 (DPD), even in its weakened state, to ensure that parents are not unconstitutionally deprived of their child,\u201d said Murphy.\n\nMurphy concluded with a push for accountability and transparency, issuing a series of information requests to Mullin:\n\nHow many arrests were made in total in Connecticut from August 17 \u2013 28 (\u201cthe specified time\u201d)? Provide the location of each arrest (city/town).\n\nWere any arresting agents/officers employed by any other federal agency other than ICE?\n\nIf so, how many? Were any agents present in Connecticut detailed from another federal agency?\n\nFor each arrest made in Connecticut during the specified time, state specifically whether arresting agents/officers followed the \u2018Detained Parents Directive\u2019. If so, what evidence can you provide that arresting agents/officers followed such policy? If not, provide a written rationale for such deviation.\n\nWere arresting agents/officers assigned to Connecticut as their full-time duty station, or were they transported across state lines to execute this operation?\n\nProvide the conviction or pending criminal charge for each person arrested in Connecticut during the specified time.\n\nProvide the immigration status of those arrested, including the number of people with parole, protections under the Convention Against Torture, or withholding of removal, if applicable.\n\nMultiple videos show a federal agent kicking a person who is on the ground, even though he is surrounded by agents and does not appear to be resisting. Under what circumstances is it permissible for a federal agent to kick a person? After reviewing this video, was such conduct permissible? Please provide an explanation.\n\nHow many arrests were made at, or near, a school bus stop, playground or daycare center? Provide the rationale for federal agents to make such arrests around children.\n\nOn CNN, Tom Homan committed to an investigation into what happened in Danbury, CT. Provide an update on the status of this investigation.\n\nRead the letter to Sec. Mullin here.\n\nICE recently conducted a week-long operation in Connecticut resulting in 118 arrests, which included an arrest of a parent who just dropped their child off at their school bus stop. When reports surfaced, Sen. Murphy immediately joined elected officials and immigration rights advocates, as well as thousands of protestors in Danbury, to denounce the operation. Videos released to CT Insider by Danbury Public Schools under a Freedom of Information Act request documented the scene.", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/witness-testimony-blumenthal-and-robert-garcia-receive-testimony-on-fatal-shootings-by-federal-immigration-agents", "Witness Testimony: Blumenthal & Robert Garcia Receive Testimony on Fatal Shootings by Federal Immigration Agents", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, held a bicameral public forum on the killings of Ruben Ray Martinez, Ren\u00e9e Nicole Macklin Good, Alex Pretti, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero.\n\nThe following witnesses offered testimony about the fatal shootings of five people by federal immigration agents during the Trump Administration:\n\nRachel Reyes: Rachel Reyes\u2019 son, Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot and killed by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in March 2025 in South Padre Island, Texas. For nearly a year afterwards, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to publicly acknowledge its involvement in Mr. Martinez\u2019s death, which only came to light through a public records request.\n\n\u201cThough the circumstances surrounding his death and these other victims are distinctly different, the pattern is the same. Lives cut short by the same agency; agents without body cameras; no warnings; no attempt to de-escalate; excessive force followed by deflection, and a lack of accountability after the fact,\u201d Ms. Reyes wrote. \u201cOther similarities are that these victims, despite being nonviolent community members with no criminal background, were disparaged and blamed to shift focus away from the officer\u2019s misconduct. What happened to my son is personal, but it should be a concern for us all.\u201d\n\nMs. Reyes\u2019 written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Ms. Reyes\u2019 testimony is available here.\n\nDonna and Brent Ganger: Donna Ganger\u2019s daughter and Brent Ganger\u2019s sister, Ren\u00e9e Nicole Macklin Good, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.\n\n\u201cWhat I want most to do today is help everyone understand exactly what was taken from us on January 7th, and what a beautiful woman our family and this country lost. We have not moved on. We struggle every day. We will never, ever be the same,\u201d Mrs. Ganger wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult to balance our gratitude for what a lovely soul Renee was with the anger and confusion at the violent way she died. And the total insanity of it all. She should still be alive. I\u2019ll say that again. My daughter should still be alive.\u201d\n\n\u201cI urge each of you to find a common sense solution to the problem of accountability for federal officers. There should not be a different set of rules and a different process to hold a federal officer accountable versus a state or local officer. We all want our law enforcement officers to perform at the highest standards, but when they don\u2019t, it shouldn\u2019t matter who their employer is. There should be a path to justice for those they harm,\u201d Mr. Ganger wrote. \u201cOur family implores all members of Congress to work together to level the playing field and find common sense reform that provides accountability and justice for all.\u201d\n\nMrs. Ganger and Mr. Ganger\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Mrs. Ganger and Mr. Ganger\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nStella Carlson: Stella Carlson recorded the killing of Alex Pretti in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ms. Carlson, known as the \u201cwoman in the pink coat,\u201d was on her way to work when she witnessed and filmed an immigration agent shooting Mr. Pretti in the back. Her video confirmed that DHS\u2019s account of the fatal shooting was false.\n\n\u201cI am just a regular person, but I care deeply about my community, and my state, and my country. And I believe there is power in ordinary people telling the truth,\u201d Ms. Carlson wrote. \u201cBecause I feel like I witnessed two assassinations. The first was the assassination of Alex himself \u2014 the killing I watched happen in the streets of Minneapolis. The second was the attempted assassination of his character. Afterward, powerful voices at the highest levels of government right here in Washington DC lied about Alex Pretti. They tried to take the gentle person I had watched with my own eyes and replace him with lies claiming he was a violent threat, someone who had come there to cause maximum damage, someone who wanted to kill law enforcement. Not so. Those were all lies. I observed him and what happened with my own eyes. The truth does not become less true because someone with great power tells a louder lie.\u201d\n\nMs. Carlson\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Ms. Carlson\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nRonaldo and Lorenzo Salgado: Ronaldo and Lorenzo Salgado\u2019s father, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas in July 2026. Mr. Araujo was driving to work when he was confronted by ICE agents who fired into the vehicle, killing him.\n\n\u201cI visit my dad\u2019s memorial every day. Not because it\u2019s where he died, but where a movement was born. It\u2019s my way of witnessing how many hearts my dad\u2019s story resonates with,\u201d Mr. Ronaldo Salgado wrote. \u201cAnd it\u2019s my motivation to continue fighting not just for my dad, but for everyone else\u2019s dad and families like mine. I hope I\u2019m doing the right thing every day. I know my dad is guiding me in the right direction.\u201d\n\n\u201cI ask you this: What would you do if you were in our shoes? Think of a loved one,\u201d Mr. Lorenzo Salgado wrote. \u201cClose your eyes and picture their face. What would you do if they were taken from you this way? Suddenly, without any sense. What would you do if you had to spend your days comforting your mother about the loss of her lifelong love, your grandmother about the loss of her little boy? You would do everything you could to find out what happened and make sure your loved one got justice.\u201d\n\nMr. Ronaldo Salgado and Mr. Lorenzo Salgado\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Mr. Mr. Ronaldo Salgado and Mr. Lorenzo Salgado\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\nSean P. Murphy: Sean P. Murphy represents the family of Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero who was shot and killed by an ICE agent shortly after leaving for work early in the morning hours of July 13, 2026. He was not the target of any ICE removal operation and had no criminal history. Johan Sebasti\u00e1n did have a social security number and valid work authorization issued by the current administration. To date, no federal agency has confirmed that they are investigating.\n\n\u201cI will say this next part quietly but with the hope and belief that just the grieving of Johan Sebati\u00e1n\u2019s mother permeated the walls of the funeral home, this next declaration permeates the walls of this building and reaches if not the ears, the soul of any public servant who has a soul left to receive it: Anyone who would defend the murder of Johan Sebasti\u00e1n is not a true patriot,\u201d Mr. Murphy wrote.\n\nMr. Murphy\u2019s written testimony is available here.\n\nVideo of Mr. Murphy\u2019s testimony is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-named-wounded-warrior-project-legislator-of-the-year", "Blumenthal Named Wounded Warrior Project Legislator of the Year", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Earlier this week, Wounded Warrior Project recognized U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal as their 2026 Legislator of the Year in the U.S. Senate at their Courage Awards and Benefit Dinner. Wounded Warrior Project commended Blumenthal\u2019s leadership on the Major Richard Star Act and his advocacy for America\u2019s veterans as Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee.\n\n\u201cI am honored to receive the Legislator of the Year Award from Wounded Warrior Project\u2014fierce champions for veterans and their families across the nation,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cTheir strong advocacy and partnership is critical in our work to make sure veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned and deserved. Together, we will continue the fight to pass the Major Richard Star Act, improve VA mental health care programs, and ensure a grateful nation lives up to its promises to veterans.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis award recognizes not only Senator Blumenthal\u2019s leadership, but also his steadfast commitment to our nation\u2019s veterans,\u201d said Jose Ramos, Vice President of Government and Community Relations for Wounded Warrior Project. \u201cThroughout his career, he has combined a deep understanding of the challenges veterans face with tireless advocacy to help improve the services and support veterans, their families, and caregivers rely on every day. All of us at Wounded Warrior Project are honored to celebrate his achievements and thank him for his efforts on behalf of those who have served.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal has worked for years alongside Wounded Warrior Project to expand veterans\u2019 access to health care and benefits. This includes championing provisions in the PACT Act to expand benefits, health care, and compensation for toxic-exposed veterans and working together to advance the Major Richard Star Act for combat-injured veterans. This week, the Major Richard Star Act received its 218th signature on a bipartisan discharge petition to force Speaker Johnson to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote. This Congress, Blumenthal and Wounded Warrior Project are also continuing their push to strengthen mental health care for veterans with Blumenthal\u2019s BRAVE Act and his bipartisan legislation to improve care and benefits for survivors of military sexual trauma.\n\nPictures of the award ceremony are available HERE.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/livestream-tuesday-blumenthal-and-robert-garcia-to-receive-public-testimony-on-fatal-shootings-by-federal-immigration-agents", "Livestream Tuesday: Blumenthal & Robert Garcia to Receive Public Testimony on Fatal Shootings by Federal Immigration Agents", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 On Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM ET, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, will hold a bicameral public forum to receive testimony on the killings of Ruben Ray Martinez, Ren\u00e9e Nicole Macklin Good, Alex Pretti, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, and Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero.\n\nThe following witnesses will offer testimony about the fatal shootings of five people by federal immigration agents during the Trump Administration:\n\nRachel Reyes: Rachel Reyes\u2019 son, Ruben Ray Martinez, was shot and killed by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in March 2025 in South Padre Island, Texas. For nearly a year afterwards, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to publicly acknowledge its involvement in Mr. Martinez\u2019s death, which only came to light through a public records request.\n\nDonna and Brent Ganger: Donna Ganger\u2019s daughter and Brent Ganger\u2019s sister, Ren\u00e9e Nicole Macklin Good, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.\n\nStella Carlson: Stella Carlson recorded the killing of Alex Pretti in January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ms. Carlson, known as the \u201cwoman in the pink coat,\u201d was on her way to work when she witnessed and filmed an immigration agent shooting Mr. Pretti in the back. Her video confirmed that DHS\u2019s account of the fatal shooting was false.\n\nRonaldo and Lorenzo Salgado: Ronaldo and Lorenzo Salgado\u2019s father, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas in July 2026. Mr. Araujo was driving to work when he was confronted by ICE agents who fired into the vehicle, killing him.\n\nSean P. Murphy: Sean P. Murphy represents the family of Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero who was shot and killed by an ICE agent shortly after leaving for work early in the morning hours of July 13, 2026. He was not the target of any ICE removal operation and had no criminal history. Johan Sebasti\u00e1n did have a social security number and valid work authorization issued by the current administration. To date, no federal agency has confirmed that they are investigating.\n\nWHO: U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)\n\nU.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA)\n\nMembers of the Senate and House of Representatives, including members Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform\n\nFamily members of people shot and killed by federal immigration agents; witness to one of the fatal shootings; and a lawyer representing the family of someone killed\n\nWHEN: Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM ET\n\nWHERE: G50 Dirksen Senate Office Building\n\nWashington, DC\n\nLIVESTREAM: A livestream will be available here.\n\nTuesday\u2019s event is the fifth public forum Blumenthal and Garcia have hosted as part of their ongoing inquiry into the lawless and abusive tactics used by federal immigration agents:\n\nIn December, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum featuring testimony from five U.S. citizens who were assaulted, detained, and denied their constitutional rights by DHS agents.\n\nIn early February, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum focused on the violent tactics and disproportionate use of force by DHS agents, featuring three U.S. citizens who were violently assaulted and both of Ms. Good\u2019s brothers.\n\nIn late February, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum on constitutional violations and abuses by ICE featuring Ryan Schwank, a whistleblower who spoke publicly for the first time about his experience as an instructor for the incoming \u201csurge\u201d of new ICE recruits, and a U.S. citizen whose home was forcibly entered by ICE agents without a judicial warrant.\n\nIn March, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum on how violent tactics, a disregard for laws and constitutional rights, and new DHS policies have harmed children in America. Three young Americans, two mothers, and a school superintendent who witnessed or experienced DHS agents violently assaulting and detaining children testified.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-9/11/2026-9/18/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 9/11/2026-9/18/2026", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Celebrating Final Passage of Landmark Russia Sanctions Bill\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) celebrated final Congressional passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The legislation, led by Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC), would hold major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. The bill was approved in a major bipartisan vote in the Senate in August and was passed out of the House of Representatives this week.\n\n\u201cToday is a historic triumph for democracy\u2014 ours and Ukraine\u2019s\u2014 showing that America can still muster bipartisan unity in the fight for freedom. I am overwhelmed with gratitude,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cIn August, I watched from Kyiv\u2019s Sophia Square as President Zelenskyy honored the families of heroes who gave their lives so that Ukraine could remain free and independent. I vowed then, as I have every day for the last few years, that our tribute to the fallen defenders of Ukraine would be the passage of this legislation to help bring an end to Putin\u2019s hideous slaughter and prevent future bloodshed.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s triumph is also a testament to the relentless drive of my friend, Lindsey Graham. I missed him deeply on my most recent eleventh trip to Ukraine. If he were here today, he would be jubilant about our bill\u2019s passage \u2013 and already thinking about the next one. So today we celebrate, and tomorrow, we redouble work on sending Ukraine whatever it needs to prevail. Putin is a thug who understands only force and strength, which is what we must show clearly and unequivocally.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal joined Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), and Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) at a press conference following the vote on final passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.\n\n\u201cTo Vladimir Putin\u2014we have your number. Your economy is reeling. We\u2019re going to throttle your war machine. China and India, you better clean up your act. Buy your oil and gas somewhere else,\u201d said Blumenthal at the press conference. \u201cTo the American people\u2014thank you for standing with Ukraine and recognizing that Ukraine\u2019s fight is our fight. It is not just their freedom and independence, it\u2019s ours. And to the people of Ukraine\u2014you are not alone. The momentum that we have as a result of this bill should enable us to fight for the military aid, the economic support, the political and moral bolstering that Ukraine needs and deserves.\u201d\n\nA video of the press conference can be found here.\n\nLast month, Blumenthal traveled to Ukraine to celebrate Independence Day in Kyiv. Blumenthal also traveled to Dnipro, near the eastern front of the war \u2013 the first Congressional Delegation to visit since the invasion.\n\nIn early August, Blumenthal along with Britt, Shaheen, and U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Jim Risch (R-ID) hosted a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and supporters of the legislation at the U.S. Capitol. Photos of the meeting are available here.\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) first introduced legislation to bring primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s aggression in Ukraine in April 2025, and spent the last year and a half building support for the effort in Congress and the Administration. Lindsey Graham secured an agreement with the White House on the bill just before his death.\n\nThe Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as well as the Russian Shadow Fleet.\n\nThe legislation allows the President to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, and the top five countries that aid Russia\u2019s energy sanctions evasion.\n\nThe bill also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanctions authority that restricts funding for Iran\u2019s energy and weapons sectors.\n\nThe text of the bill is available here.\n\nCondemning Presidential Corruption\n\nBlumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), convened a public forum on how Donald Trump, his children, and top Administration officials have leveraged their positions to grow their personal wealth at the expense of American families. At the forum, \u201cGaming the System: How the Trump Family is Making Billions by Ripping Off the American People,\u201d Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, called out Donald Trump and his family for their self-enrichment schemes and made the case for strong reforms to curb corruption at the federal level.\n\nBlumenthal slammed Republicans for enabling Trump\u2019s corruption by moving to advance crypto market structure legislation without meaningful anti-corruption provisions: \u201cExhibit A, the latest draft of the Clarity Act relating to conflicts of interest. It purports to prevent conflicts of interest and corruption by the President of the United States. It is a charade. It is a sham. It should prompt a no vote by every member of the United States Senate tomorrow at 2:15 when the vote is scheduled.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cNow, of all the families\u2019 grifts, cryptocurrency has probably been the most profitable enterprise, and the cost to consumers probably have been greatest. This is an industry that was facing criminal and civil investigations for enabling terrorists, drug traffickers, market manipulation, and human trafficking. It turns out the shadiest people were more than willing to cut checks to literally get out of jail. President Trump\u2019s willingness to trade the public trust for crypto wealth began before he was sworn in.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cSo, this corruption is going to continue unless we take a stand, unless we sound the alarm. And unless the people of the United States tell Republicans corruption is on the ballot this November. Corruption is on the ballot because\u2014here\u2019s the essential point\u2014corruption is costly. Corruption has consequences. I know folks out there are saying themselves, you know, I\u2019m paying more for gasoline and groceries. I can barely afford new clothes for my kids as they go back to school. And you\u2019re making a fuss about Donald Trump making a lot of money. But folks, this is relevant to your lives. This is real in its cost to you.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal underscored the costs to taxpayers and our national security as a result of the Trump family\u2019s self-enrichment schemes: \u201cWhen members of the family like Jared Kushner, who has served as the government\u2019s top negotiator in crises from Gaza to Ukraine, goes out soliciting business for his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, and he goes to the Saudis for $2 billion, or when the country of Qatar provides a plane, or when Melania Trump makes millions of dollars from her vanity project documentary sponsored by Amazon, interests are compromised. Our national interest is compromised.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe grifts just keep on grifting. For some people, Donald Trump is a gift that keeps on giving, but it\u2019s almost entirely to his family and his billionaire friends. And that\u2019s why we\u2019re here today: to say enough is enough. The American people should know what\u2019s happening,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s remarks at the forum is available here. A video of the forum can be found here.\n\nBlumenthal also spoke on the Senate Floor to call on Republicans to take up the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act, legislation that would terminate the federal banking charter for World Liberty Financial that was approved by the Trump-controlled Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and prohibit federal banking agencies from approving banking applications when the applicant is owned by certain senior government officials.\n\n\u201cMr. President, I\u2019m here thinking about all the Americans who are working on manufacturing plants assembly lines, all the Americans who are teaching our kids in schools or patrol our schools as police or working in our hospitals, all of the hardworking Americans who are just working to get by, to make ends meet, to know whether they can afford another $20 or $30 at the supermarket, and then to think of Donald Trump making $6 million per day last year, a total of $2.2 billion just in the first year of his presidency,\u201d Blumenthal said on the Senate Floor.\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a single person in America who thinks that he earned that money, and how could he? He\u2019s supposed to be devoting every waking moment to the public interest of the United States, to keeping us safe and our nation secure. The fact is it was the result of corruption. $1.4 billion of it came from crypto. And the point of this legislation is essentially to end that corruption.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal also called out Republicans for enabling Trump\u2019s corruption by working to advance crypto market structure legislation without meaningful anti-corruption reforms: \u201cNow, we will vote tomorrow on a crypto bill that is, sadly and tragically, riddled with loopholes that enables him to continue this same self-dealing and self-enrichment. And the failure to stand up to the President, I think, is going to be on our Republican colleagues, because this amendment, ethics requirements for digital assets, is a sham. It\u2019s a charade. And if nothing else, Republicans should take a stand and say in crypto legislation that\u2019s supposed to stop wrongdoing, lawlessness, funding of terrorist organizations, money laundering, now is the time to also impose a strong conflict of interest rule.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cPresident Trump has been clear: there is no ethical line separating his role as President from his family\u2019s businesses. It\u2019s that simple. Corruption has become the family business.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal underscored the need for the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act to protect consumers and our national security: \u201cCorruption has consequences. It has costs. That bank charter is worth millions, maybe hundreds of millions to World Liberty Financial, but it will enable World Liberty Financial to exploit and take advantage of consumers that will cost them money out of those hard-earned wages that they make.\u201d\n\n\u201cThose Americans who are working hard to make ends meet, wondering whether they can afford another $20 or $30 at the supermarket, while Donald Trump averaged $6 million a day in 2025, ought to demand of all of us that we pass the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. It\u2019s the least we can do, it\u2019s a first step. And I hope that we will also pass a crypto measure that is worthy of this body and its name,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s remarks on the Senate Floor is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further called out Trump\u2019s presidential corruption and crypto schemes on Twitter/X,\n\n\u201cTrump is using crypto to cash in on the presidency\u2014selling access to the highest bidder & raking in the money from foreign governments. We need strong legislation that ends this self-dealing & corruption\u2014not half measures like the Clarity Act,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cAmericans are being scammed out of billions of dollars while Trump is using crypto to turn the presidency into a profit generating machine. The Clarity Act\u2019s weak rules & carveouts would supercharge fraud & undermine law enforcement,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cThe Clarity Act purports to prevent crypto conflicts of interest & corruption by the President of the United States but that is a sham. It\u2019s a charade. It should prompt a no vote by every member of the United States Senate,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cTrump has been dropping cases, cutting sweetheart deals, & providing pardons across the crypto industry. Enabling this crypto corruption directly undermines our national security,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nOn the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee\n\nWounded Warrior Project recognized U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal as their 2026 Legislator of the Year in the U.S. Senate at their Courage Awards and Benefit Dinner. Wounded Warrior Project recognized Blumenthal\u2019s leadership on the Major Richard Star Act and his advocacy for America\u2019s veterans as Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee.\n\n\u201cI am honored to receive the Legislator of the Year Award from Wounded Warrior Project\u2014fierce champions for veterans and their families across the nation,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cTheir strong advocacy and partnership is critical in our work to make sure veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned and deserved. Together, we will continue the fight to pass the Major Richard Star Act, improve VA mental health care programs, and ensure a grateful nation lives up to its promises to veterans.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis award recognizes not only Senator Blumenthal\u2019s leadership, but also his steadfast commitment to our nation\u2019s veterans,\u201d said Jose Ramos, Vice President of Government and Community Relations for Wounded Warrior Project. \u201cThroughout his career, he has combined a deep understanding of the challenges veterans face with tireless advocacy to help improve the services and support veterans, their families, and caregivers rely on every day. All of us at Wounded Warrior Project are honored to celebrate his achievements and thank him for his efforts on behalf of those who have served.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal has worked for years alongside Wounded Warrior Project to expand veterans\u2019 access to health care and benefits. This includes championing provisions in the PACT Act to expand benefits, health care, and compensation for toxic-exposed veterans and working together to advance the Major Richard Star Act for combat-injured veterans. This week, the Major Richard Star Act received its 218th signature on a bipartisan discharge petition to force Speaker Johnson to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote. This Congress, Blumenthal and Wounded Warrior Project are also continuing their push to strengthen mental health care for veterans with Blumenthal\u2019s BRAVE Act and his bipartisan legislation to improve care and benefits for survivors of military sexual trauma.\n\nDemanding Information About Lewandowski\u2019s Pay-to-Play DHS Contracting Scheme\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin demanding information and records \u201cmounting evidence of widespread corruption orchestrated by former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) senior advisor Corey Lewandowksi.\u201d\n\nThe Senators\u2019 letter follows reporting from the Wall Street Journal revealing that Lewandowski and his allies were engaged in an apparent pay-to-play scheme to influence the awarding of DHS contracts. According to the new report, Lewandowski also sought private payment arrangements from foreign governments in exchange for influencing DHS decision-making beyond contracting.\n\n\u201cThe overwhelming evidence of Mr. Lewandowski and his associates\u2019 improper, self-serving influence over DHS decision-making at the highest levels can no longer be ignored or brushed aside. Congress and the American people must have a full and transparent assessment of the likely waste generated by and potential illegal activity committed by Mr. Lewandowski and any other individual who sought to improperly influence DHS contracting awards,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nIn August, Blumenthal and Welch, joined by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) wrote Mullin about DHS\u2019s wasteful purchase of 10 airplanes for $464 million via a no-bid contract. In their letter to Mullin, the Senators called out the Department\u2019s growing and alarming reliance on no-bid contracts since the beginning of the second Trump Administration and raised concerns that the owner of the company that received the award also runs a company alleged to have solicited kickback payments to former DHS official Corey Lewandowski.\n\nBlumenthal and Welch previously demanded answers from Mullin about Lewandowski\u2019s role in DHS contracting decisions in light of reports that Lewandowski potentially steered contract awards to benefit himself and his political allies while serving as a special government employee and advisor at DHS.\n\nThe full text of the letter is available here.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal published a Substack piece on his visit to Hartford\u2019s immigration court.\n\nBlumenthal slammed a Department of Transportation proposal promoting deceptive and misleading advertising hurting consumers.\n\nBlumenthal joined Senators in introducing a privileged resolution seeking answers on West Bank violence.\n\nBlumenthal joined CNBC to call for better regulations around AI.\n\nBlumenthal slammed FBI Director Kash Patel for not properly recognizing the threat of a Russian oligarch bankrolling Donald Trump Jr.\u2019s wedding.\n\nBlumenthal applauded the Supreme Court striking down Trump\u2019s unconstitutional directive using USPS as an instrument to suppress the vote.\n\nBlumenthal joined CNN to discuss the Supreme Court rejecting Trump\u2019s plan to limit mail-in voting.\n\nBlumenthal slammed Trump\u2019s judicial nominees for their failure to answer who won the 2020 election.\n\nBlumenthal honored the anniversary of 9/11 at events across Connecticut, including in Greenwich, Wilton, Bridgeport, Stamford, and Glenville.\n\nBlumenthal attended the CICD-Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade.\n\nBlumenthal joined the 57th Annual CT State Ukrainian Day Festival at St. Basil\u2019s Seminary in Stamford.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-reintroduce-legislation-to-expand-federal-support-for-magnet-schools", "Murphy, Blumenthal Reintroduce Legislation to Expand Federal Support for Magnet Schools", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2013U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, reintroduced legislation to fuel the growth of magnet schools nationwide by improving and expanding the federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP). The Magnet Schools Accessibility, Growth, and Nonexclusionary Enrollment Transformation (MAGNET) Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.).\n\n\u201cMagnet schools offer millions of kids an educational alternative which allows them to thrive, and my bill would make sure we keep those options available for families, in Connecticut, and across the country,\u201d said Murphy. \u201cAll kids, regardless of where they grow up, deserve access to a classroom setting that works for them.\u201d\n\n\u201cMagnet schools provide an important option for parents,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cBy bringing together students from different zip codes, these schools are vital to improving equity and diversity in our classrooms - contributing to overall success for students. The federal government should continue funding magnet schools while meeting its responsibility to provide better resources for all schools.\u201d\n\nMagnet schools are public schools designed to cater to different learning styles and attract a wide range of students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, and across zip codes. Over 40,000 Connecticut students - and 3.5 million students nationwide - currently attend magnet schools. But as school districts become increasingly segregated by race and income, this legislation updates the MSAP grant to expand access to funding and promote diversity. The bill will also authorize the Supplemental Diversity Grant (SDG), a new grant program housed under MSAP to help preexisting magnet programs reach diversity-related goals.\n\nThe MAGNET Act is endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT); National Education Association (NEA); Magnet Schools of America; National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); National Coalition on School Diversity (NCSD); Capitol Region Education Council; Center for Educational Equity, Teachers College, Columbia University; Center on Law, Inequality, and Metropolitan Equity at Rutgers Law School; Civil Rights Project at UCLA; Education Law Center; Integrated Schools; Poverty and Race Research and Action Council (PRRAC); Southern Education Foundation; and Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation.\n\nThe Magnet Schools Accessibility, Growth, and Nonexclusionary Enrollment Transformation (MAGNET) Act is part of a package of education-focused bill introductions from Senator Murphy this week, alongside the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act and The Protecting Our Students in Schools Act.", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-bonamici-introduce-bicameral-malnutrition-awareness-week-resolution-after-republican-budget-bill-ripped-nutrition-benefits-away-from-families", "Murphy, Bonamici Introduce Bicameral Malnutrition Awareness Week Resolution After Republican Budget Bill Ripped Nutrition Benefits Away From Families", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-1) introduced a resolution designating the week of September 14th through 18th as \u201cMalnutrition Awareness Week.\u201d Food insecurity and malnutrition affect over 40 million Americans, disproportionately impacting older adults, children, and other vulnerable populations. In 2023, an estimated seven million American children lived in food-insecure households. Meanwhile, disease-associated malnutrition in older adults alone costs the United States more than $51.3 billion each year.\n\nThe resolution recognizes the importance of federal nutrition programs and community-based organizations, like those targeted by the Republican budget bill, in preventing malnutrition and its devastating ill-effects on public health, educational achievement, and health care costs. Malnutrition\u2019s harms often extend across an individual\u2019s lifespan and increases their risk of chronic illness and healthcare complications. By raising awareness and promoting increased funding for food and healthcare programs, the resolution seeks to support nationwide efforts to improve health outcomes.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s no excuse for tens of millions of Americans to suffer through malnutrition in the wealthiest country in the world, all so Republican donors can get a giant tax cut,\u201d said Murphy. \u201cMalnutrition is a silent killer and that\u2019s exactly why we need to raise awareness about this growing crisis after Donald Trump and Republicans' snatched away food support for millions of poor children and seniors,\u201d said Senator Murphy.\n\n\u201cIn a country as wealthy as the United States, no one should struggle to have enough to eat. Since H.R. 1 passed more than a year ago, too many people are experiencing food insecurity and hunger. Republicans in Congress have forced states to absorb hundreds of millions of dollars \u2013 that they do not have \u2013 to keep critical nutrition assistance programs funded. The cuts from H.R. 1 will harm working families and seniors who desperately need some extra support. This Malnutrition Awareness Week, I\u2019m urging my colleagues to reverse the cuts and fund the nutrition programs that keep our nation healthy and strong,\u201d said Representative Bonamici.", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-reintroduces-bill-to-protect-students-from-physical-abuse-end-dangerous-corporal-punishment-practices-in-schools", "Murphy Reintroduces Bill to Protect Students from Physical Abuse, End Dangerous Corporal Punishment Practices in Schools", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2013Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) re-introduced the Protecting Our Students in Schools Act, alongside Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). The bill would ban corporal punishment for any school that receives federal funding, as well as establish a federal grant program to support states and school districts across the country improve school safety.\n\n\u201cFamilies should be able to trust that when they send their kids to school, they will be in a safe learning environment free from physical abuse,\u201d said Murphy. \u201cThe evidence is overwhelming: hitting kids does nothing to help kids. It\u2019s past time to get this archaic, counterproductive practice out of our schools for good.\u201d\n\n\u201cSchools have a responsibility to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for every student,\u201d said Durbin. \u201cWe know that corporal punishment is counterproductive to learning and can harm a student\u2019s physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. It should be left out of the classroom entirely. By standing with Senator Chris Murphy and co-sponsoring this bill, we can ensure that no student falls victim to this outdated and cruel punishment.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery student deserves a safe, supportive learning environment that fosters positive relationships and protects their physical and emotional well-being,\u201d said Padilla. \u201cThe evidence is clear \u2013 corporal punishment is a cruel and outdated method that harms students, hinders scholastic achievement, and worsens behavior. This bill will make more of our schools safer spaces for students of all backgrounds.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo child should ever face physical abuse, including at school,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cIt's time to end the outdated and harmful practice of corporal punishment in every school across the country. Instead of relying on fear, our schools should provide safe, supportive learning environments that students need to thrive and be healthy.\u201d\n\nInflicting physical pain on a student\u2019s body as a form of discipline is used in schools throughout the country. However, research has decisively demonstrated corporal punishment is ineffective and does not improve student behavior. Instead, it leads to physical and emotional harm, poor academic performance, diminished self-esteem, and loss of trust.\n\nThe Protecting Our Students in Schools Act is endorsed by the following organizations: Access Ready Inc.; All4Ed; American Psychological Association; Arkansans Against School Paddling; Autism Society of America; Boys Town; Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD); Committee for Children; Council for Exceptional Children; Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA); Disability Belongs\u00ae; Disability Rights Oregon; EdTrust; Family Voices NJ; Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA); Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Lives in the Balance; National Alliance on Mental Illness; National Association of Social Workers; National Down Syndrome Society; National Education Association (NEA); Public Advocacy for Kids (PAK); Secular Student Alliance; SPAN Parent Advocacy Network; Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT); TDIforAccess; Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children (TED); Texas Parent to Parent; The Arc of the United States; The Center for Learner Equity; The Coalition of Texans with Disabilities (CTD); The Federal School Discipline and Climate Coalition (FedSDC); The Learning Disabilities Association of America; The National Center for Learning Disabilities; U.S. Alliance to End the Hitting of Children; United Women in Faith\n\nThe Protecting Our Students in Schools Act is part of a package of education-focused bill introductions from Senator Murphy this week, alongside the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act and the Magnet Schools Accessibility, Growth, and Nonexclusionary Enrollment Transformation (MAGNET) Act.", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-reintroduces-legislation-to-increase-mental-health-resources-for-students-reduce-police-presence-in-schools", "Murphy Reintroduces Legislation to Increase Mental Health Resources for Students, Reduce Police Presence in Schools", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, alongside Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), reintroduced the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, legislation to improve educational outcomes by redirecting existing resources towards counselors, social workers, and other services to create supportive environments in schools, as well as prohibiting the use of federal funds for police in schools. The bill would also provide a standalone grant program to help districts hire additional counselors, social workers and other health providers.\n\n\u201cKids struggling with mental health and familial trauma deserve the support of trained professionals, not an entry point to the criminal justice system,\u201d said Murphy. \u201cMy bill would make sure local school districts are investing in the most effective resources for improving student safety in schools: guidance counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals.\u201d\n\n\"Too many young people walk into school carrying burdens no child should have to bear, and our response cannot be handcuffs and surveillance,\" said Senator Booker. \"This legislation does what schools actually need: it invests in counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals who see our children as kids who need support, not suspects who need policing. When a student is struggling, the question should never be how we punish them. It should be how do we help them.\u201d\n\n\u201cStudents across the country deserve safe learning environments and mental health resources, and to be treated with dignity. Policing and criminalizing students does not help us meet this mission; it puts us farther from it,\u201d said Senator Markey. \u201cThe Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act will provide the necessary resources and support that young people, teachers, and communities have advocated for. We must continue to fight for these essential resources, including counselors and trauma-informed services, so that all students have a healthy and safe learning environments where they can thrive inside and outside the classroom.\u201d\n\nThe Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act would:\n\nDirect federal funding toward evidence-based services that improve academic outcomes and address the needs of marginalized students;\n\nDivert federal funding away from increasing the presence of police in schools; and\n\nSupport local education agencies that want to terminate their contracts with local law enforcement agencies and invest public funding in personnel and services that create safe and inclusive schools for all students.\n\nThe Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act is supported by the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Center for Law and Social Policy, SPLC Action Fund, Human Rights Campaign, National Urban League, the Justice Collaborative, Girls Inc. Advancement Project, Open Society Policy Center, the Center for Popular Democracy, National Women\u2019s Law Center, Center for Disability Rights, Drug Policy Alliance, National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Disability Rights Network, the Daniel Initiative, the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, the Criminalization of Poverty Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, the National Center for Youth Law, Education Law Center (PA), PolicyLink, the Boston Teachers Union, the Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI), and GLSEN.\n\nThe Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act is part of a package of education-focused bill introductions from Senator Murphy this week, alongside the Protecting Our Students in Schools Act and Magnet Schools Accessibility, Growth, and Nonexclusionary Enrollment Transformation (MAGNET) Act.", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-slams-dot-proposal-promoting-deceptive-and-misleading-advertising-hurting-consumers", "Blumenthal Slams DOT Proposal Promoting Deceptive & Misleading Advertising Hurting Consumers", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumental (D-CT) wrote to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy opposing a proposed rule that would weaken consumer protections by allowing airlines to advertise misleading ticket prices. DOT\u2019s proposed rule would gut the existing Full Fare Rule, which requires airlines and ticket agents to display the total cost of a ticket at least as prominently as its subcomponents\u2014making sure consumers aren\u2019t misled by deceptive pricing.\n\nIn his letter, Blumenthal highlights how DOT\u2019s proposed rule prioritizes airline companies, promoting advertising that hurts consumers, writing, \u201cThe proposed rulemaking contemplates repealing the Full Fare Rule entirely \u2013 eliminating longstanding requirements that airlines clearly and transparently disclose the total price consumers must pay. Put simply, enacting this rule would only serve the interests of airfare advertisers at the direct expense of consumers.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn addition to inflating costs, implementing the proposed rule would upend decades of settled expectations in the transparency of airfare, enabling more confusing and deceptive advertising,\u201d continued Blumenthal. \u201cAmericans should have confidence that the price they see advertised is the price they will pay when they get to check out. DOT\u2019s proposed rule serves the opposite result.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt a time when the cost of airfare has skyrocketed in significant part due to the war of choice that President Trump initiated against Iran in February, 2026, now is the worst possible time to empower airfare advertisers to return to an era of extracting more money from consumers through confusing and deceptive airfare advertising,\u201d concluded Blumenthal.\n\nBlumenthal is a longstanding advocate for consumer protections and transparency in air fare pricing for travelers, leading legislation such as the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights and the Junk Fee Prevention Act and releasing a report with the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations regarding sky high airline junk fees.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s full letter to Duffy can be found here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Duffy,\n\nI write to provide comments and express my strong opposition to the Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) proposal to weaken consumer protections by allowing airlines to advertise confusing or misleading ticket prices. DOT\u2019s proposed rule titled Enhancing Flexibility of Air Fare and Price Advertising (\u201cthe rule\u201d) would permit airlines and other travel vendors to obscure the total cost of travel by allowing them to advertise individual components of the airfare, including mandatory fees, with the same prominence as the total fare.[1] Even more concerning, the proposed rulemaking contemplates repealing the Full Fare Rule entirely \u2013eliminating longstanding requirements that airlines clearly and transparently disclose the total price consumers must pay. Put simply, enacting this rule would only serve the interests of airfare advertisers at the direct expense of consumers. Accordingly, I urge DOT to reverse course and withdraw the notice of proposed rulemaking immediately.\n\nThe proposed rulemaking would gut DOT\u2019s 2011 Full Fare Rule, which requires airlines and other vendors to advertise the total price of airfare to consumers and prohibits displaying individual component fees as or more prominently than the total fare.[2] This rule addressed the common airline practice of relying on deceptive base fare advertising \u2013 often called \u201cdrip pricing\u201d \u2013 to attract budget-conscious travelers before presenting them with a higher total cost of travel at the conclusion of their purchase.[3] The simple motivation behind the Full Fare Rule is just as valid today as it was in 2011: \u201cIn order to understand the true cost of travel, consumers need to be able to see the entire price they need to pay to get to their destination the first time the airfare is presented to them.\u201d[4]\n\nDOT\u2019s proposal to dismantle the Full Fare Rule would increase costs for consumers. The Department\u2019s poorly reasoned Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) presents a distorted cost-benefit analysis of the proposed changes.[5] Air carriers have complied with the Full Fare Rule for more than a decade; more importantly, consumers expect airfare advertising to prominently present the total cost of travel.[6] Contrary to DOT\u2019s conclusory statements, if the rule is implemented, it is inevitable that more consumers will need to invest additional time searching for the full fare or government charges, and will be surprised by unexpected, mandatory fees.[7] And as DOT admits, the consequences of scrapping the Full Fare Rule would be even more dire by inviting the re-emergence of \u201cdrip pricing\u201d practices that impose \u201csignificant costs\u201d on consumers.[8] In sum, DOT falls short of providing a minimum of evidence and sound reasoning on which to base the proposed, drastic changes to airfare advertising consumer protections.[9]\n\nIn addition to inflating costs, implementing the proposed rule would upend decades of settled expectations in the transparency of airfare, enabling more confusing and deceptive advertising.[10] Given that fees can constitute a significant portion of the total cost of travel, allowing advertisers to present airfare components more prominently will inevitably mislead and confuse many consumers.[11] The risk of consumer confusion and deception has only grown since the Full Fare Rule was implemented in 2011. Americans should have confidence that the price they see advertised is the price they will pay when they get to check out. DOT\u2019s proposed rule serves the opposite result.\n\nInstead of undermining significant consumer and passenger protections, DOT, the airline industry\u2019s sole regulator, should complete implementation of its regulation to improve the transparency of airline ancillary fees and robustly enforce the statutory prohibition on unfair and deceptive practices in air travel.[12] Moreover, at a time when the cost of airfare has skyrocketed in significant part due to the war of choice that President Trump initiated against Iran in February, 2026, now is the worst possible time to empower airfare advertisers to return to an era of extracting more money from consumers through confusing and deceptive airfare advertising.[13]\n\nThe proposed rule makes clear who DOT intends to benefit. As one commentor noted, \u201cthe major airline lobby groups love this.\u201d[14] The Department of Transportation must defend the interests of the American public \u2013 not corporate profits. That is why I strongly urge DOT to expeditiously withdraw the notice of proposed rulemaking and return to acting in the interest of the traveling public.\n\nThank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to monitoring the status of this proposed rule and hope to see action taken that will protect and promote the interests of the flying public.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-\n\n[1] 91 FR 39932; Docket No. DOT\u2013OST\u20132025\u20130831.\n\n[2] 76 FR 23110, Enhancing Airline Passenger Protections; Allyson Versprille, \u201cTrump\u2019s DOT Moves to Roll Back Obama-Er Airfare Marketing Rule,\u201d Bloomberg News, June 30, 2026, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-30/trump-s-dot-moves-to-roll-back-obama-era-airfare-marketing-rule.\n\n[3] Mateusz Maszczynski, \u201cAirlines May Soon Be Allowed to Advertise Just the Cheaper Base Fare Excluding Taxes or Fees Under DOT Proposal,\u201d PYOK, July 5, 2026, https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2026/07/01/airlines-may-soon-be-allowed-to-advertise-just-the-cheaper-base-fare-excluding-taxes-or-fees-under-dot-proposal/.\n\n[4] 76 FR 23143.\n\n[5] Enhancing Flexibility of Air Fare Price Advertising Regulatory Impact Analysis, RIN 2105-AF37 (Feb. 2026) [hereinafter RIA].\n\n[6] See Comment from National Consumers League, et al. (Aug. 21, 2026), https://www.regulations.gov/comment/DOT-OST-2025-0831-1336.\n\n[7] RIA at 7.\n\n[8] RIA at 9. Indeed, eliminating the Full Fare Rule would, as the American Society of Travel Advisors explains, \u201crisk introducing unnecessary inconsistency into the marketplace and could make comparison shopping more difficult for consumers.\u201d Comment from American Society of Travel Advisors, Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0831, (July 30, 2026), https://www.regulations.gov/comment/DOT-OST-2025-0831-0105.\n\n[9] RIA at 6 (\u201cThe benefits of the proposed rule are qualitative in nature.\u201d); id. at 7 (\u201cthe economic effects of the proposed rule are unquantified\u201d); id. at 8 (\u201cThe implications of repealing the FFAR in whole or in part, particularly regarding future advertising requirements and enforcement policies, are highly uncertain.\u201d); id. at 9 (\u201cThe effects of repealing the FFAR in whole or in part are unquantified and uncertain.\u201d).\n\n[10] See Comment from National Consumers League, et al. (Aug. 21, 2026), https://www.regulations.gov/comment/DOT-OST-2025-0831-1336.\n\n[11] See The Sky\u2019s the Limit, The Rise of Junk Fees in American Travel, Majority Report, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (Nov. 24, 2024), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024.11.25-Majority-Staff-Report-The-Skys-the-Limit-The-Rise-of-Junk-Fees-in-American-Travel-1.pdf.\n\n[12] 89 FR 34620.\n\n[13] Rajesh Kumar Singh, Alessandro Parodi, Joanna Plucinska, \u201cAirline ticket prices may stay high as carriers bank fuel relief from Iran deal,\u201d Reuters, June 22, 2026, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/airline-ticket-prices-may-stay-high-carriers-bank-fuel-relief-iran-deal-2026-06-22/.\n\n[14] Gary Leff, Airfare Prices Could Get More Confusing As DOT Moves To Weaken Full Fare Advertising Rules, View From the Wing (June 30, 2026), https://viewfromthewing.com/airfare-prices-could-get-more-confusing-as-dot-moves-to-weaken-full-fare-advertising-rules/.", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-introduces-three-bills-to-rein-in-ice-abuses-protect-kids-from-targeting-by-agents", "Murphy Introduces Three Bills To Rein In ICE Abuses, Protect Kids From Targeting By Agents", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) just introduced three new bills to rein in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) abuses and protect kids from targeting by agents at playgrounds, child care facilities, and school bus stops, as well as cosponsored legislation to protect immigrants seeking essential services at locations like hospitals, schools, and courthouses.\n\n\u201cThe American people have seen horrifying videos of ICE agents terrorizing our streets and instilling fear in communities, including in Danbury recently. These bills should be a no-brainer. Kids should be safe from violent enforcement\u2013period\u2013but especially on the playground, at daycare, and waiting for the bus. How far is this corrupt Administration willing to defend an unpopular, illegal mass deportation campaign?\u201d said Murphy.\n\nThe bills would stipulate that \u201cno agent, officer, or employee of the Department of Homeland Security, nor any person acting under the authority of such agent, officer, or employee, may conduct any immigration enforcement action\u201d at a school bus stop for children, at a childcare facility, or at a children\u2019s playground.\n\nICE recently conducted a week-long operation in Connecticut resulting in 118 arrests, which included an arrest of a parent who just dropped their child off at their bus stop. When reports surfaced, Sen. Murphy immediately joined elected officials and immigration rights advocates, as well as thousands of protestors in Danbury, to denounce the operation. Videos released to CT Insider by Danbury Public Schools under a Freedom of Information Act request documented the scene.", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-to-trump-nominees-no-you-cannot-promote-the-presidents-businesses-as-ambassador", "Murphy to Trump Nominees: 'No, You Cannot Promote the President's Businesses as Ambassador'", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security, today questioned Michael Young, nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia, and Ronald Johnson, nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, during their confirmation hearing.\n\nSen. Murphy has honed in on the Trump family\u2019s corruption, particularly on its foreign business deals. Earlier this week, Murphy took to the Senate floor after breaking investigative reporting found that a Russian ally of Vladimir Putin paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of wedding bills for Donald Trump Jr.\n\nMurphy stressed President Trump\u2019s active search for ways to boost his business interests abroad: \u201cThis is a pretty simple question: if the White House were to come to either of you and ask for help from the embassy on a financial project important to the family, what would your response be? .... And I don't think these are out of the realm of possibility hypotheticals, given how many important business interests the family has in this particular region.\u201d\n\nMurphy pressed the nominees after they refused to provide a direct answer on working to enrich the Trump family\u2019s businesses: \u201cJust answer the question\u2026 I mean, the president's son has active Trump family projects in Serbia today. It is not inconceivable that you will be asked to advocate on behalf of those projects. Do you think it's appropriate for you to advocate on behalf of projects that put money in the pocket of the president of the United States?\u201d\n\nMurphy admonished both nominees after another refusal: \u201cGuys, the answer is no! The answer is no. It is not appropriate for an ambassador to advocate on behalf of projects that will enrich the president or his family. That's an easy answer. The answer is no.\u201d\n\nA full transcript of Murphy\u2019s questioning is available below. A video of the exchange is available here.\n\nMurphy:\n\nThank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you to everyone on the panel for your willingness to serve your country and for your family's willingness to serve. Mr. Young, last year Donald Trump Jr. made two pretty high-profile visits to Serbia. In at least one of them, he met with Vucic and business leaders, and then in April of this year, an even more extraordinary visit, he went to the Republic of Serbska, and it was widely covered as you know an implicit endorsement of Vucic by the president's family. We now know that at that exact same moment, when the president's son was going to the Republika Srpska, a Russian ally, a very close associate of Vladimir Putin, was paying for Donald Trump Jr.\u2019s wedding, and you were going to be in a country that apparently is of great interest to the president's family. What do you know about the president's son's visit to the Republika Srpska? Why did he go, and what was the message he was delivering when he was there? Because it was covered as an official act of the federal, of the U.S. government. It was of great interest in the region when he was there.\n\nYoung:\n\nSenator Murphy, thank you for that question. I will have two levels of answers for that. One is that, as I have seen in the newspapers, which is my only level of understanding of this, is that there is interest in financial investment on the part of his companies in Serbia, and those are of course decisions for Serbia and the private sector to make. If confirmed, I will certainly look carefully at what kinds of representations we are making, and what kind of activities occur across the board, to ensure that we try to speak with a single voice and advance all of the particular activities that are designed to help advance our relationship with Serbia in ways that make the United States safer, more secure.\n\nMurphy:\n\nBut in preparation for this hearing or for this job, have you asked the White House or the State Department what the nature of those visits were? That seems to be immediately relevant to you in this new post. Have you asked those questions?\n\nYoung:\n\nSenator, I have asked those questions, and\u2013but I have not\u2013I am not in a position, having not been confirmed, to be able to have the depth of more confidential information about that. What they have\u2013what I have been briefed on, really reflects essentially what is in the newspapers.\n\nMurphy:\n\nYeah, this is an extraordinary moment when business interests of the family do intersect with the national security interests of the country, and I think it's going to make your job very, very hard. Let me ask both you and General Johnson a related question. The president's family has a lot of business interest in the region. You referenced that Donald Trump Jr. seems to be interested in building properties there. The president's son-in-law, who is maybe the most important diplomat these days, representing the United States, Jared Kushner, is proposing to build a resort in Albania. And in fact, it has become so controversial that an American ally, the leader of that country, his political survival is threatened because of this project. This is a pretty simple question: if the White House were to come to either of you and ask for help from the embassy on a financial project important to the family, what would your response be? First, I\u2019ll ask you General Johnson, and then to you, Mr. Young. And I don't think these are out of the realm of possibility hypotheticals, given how many important business interests the family has in this particular region.\n\nJohnson:\n\nGood morning Senator Murphy, thank you. I don't believe the president would actually ask me to help them with a financial deal for his family first and foremost. And if he did, I think I would refer back to Main State in order to get clarification, sir.\n\nMurphy:\n\nWell, what if the State Department said we'd like you to help the president or the president's family on a business deal?\n\nJohnson:\n\nI don't believe that it would ever occur.\n\nMurphy:\n\nDo you believe it's appropriate for an embassy to be helping the president of the United States on a personal, family financial project?\n\nJohnson:\n\nFirst of all, Senator, it is the job of the embassy to help promote U.S. economic interests in those countries. Well, whether or not it's the president's is a different story. I understand where you're coming from.\n\nMurphy:\n\nDo you think it might be appropriate for an embassy?\n\nJohnson:\n\nI did not say that, Mr. Senator.\n\nMurphy:\n\nSo is it or is it not?\n\nJohnson:\n\nIf he asked me if he wanted to promote economic development in Bosnia Herzegovina, I welcome all Americans to come to Bosnia Herzegovina to be able to promote themselves.\n\nMurphy:\n\nEven if it's the president's family interest? Mr. Young, is it appropriate for an embassy to be trying to push a personal project of the president's family?\n\nYoung:\n\nSenator Murphy\u2013it is, I believe, part of the job of the ambassador to try and urge the country to create an environment that levels the playing field, so that American companies and American interests can compete fairly and freely, and if they do, they will win.\n\nMurphy:\n\nI know, but just answer the question. I mean, this is no\u2013for you especially\u2013this is not inconceivable. I mean, the president's son has active Trump family projects in Serbia today. It is not inconceivable that you will be asked to advocate on behalf of those projects. Do you think it's appropriate for you to advocate on behalf of projects that put money in the pocket of the president of the United States?\n\nYoung:\n\nSenator, I think it is the obligation of the ambassador to urge a country to consider all opportunities.\n\nMurphy:\n\nGuys, the answer is no. The answer is no. It is not appropriate for an ambassador to advocate on behalf of projects that will enrich the president or his family. That's an easy answer. The answer is no. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-murphy-join-senators-in-introducing-privileged-resolution-seeking-answers-on-west-bank-violence", "Blumenthal & Murphy Join Senators in Introducing Privileged Resolution Seeking Answers on West Bank Violence", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) today joined U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in introducing a 502B privileged resolution requiring the Department of State to report to Congress on increasing violence in the West Bank, including the killings of Americans in the West Bank.\n\nNine Americans have been killed in the West Bank in recent years \u2013 and more detained \u2013 and none have received accountability or justice from either the Israeli or United States Governments. The Senators\u2019 resolution would require the Department of State to provide information and assessments related to investigations of the killing of United States citizens by violent Israeli settlers or Israeli security forces in the West Bank, as well as an assessment of the human rights situation in the West Bank, specifically related to the detention of Palestinian children.\n\n\u201cViolent, lethal lawlessness on the West Bank is a betrayal of Israel\u2019s moral standing and our shared values, and must be stopped. This resolution is now necessary, after so many have urged action and violence only continues to rise. Failing to enforce clear legal prohibitions and protections has cost American and Palestinian lives \u2013 and deeply threatens a peaceful, stable future for all Israelis and Palestinians,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal.\n\n\u201cExtremist settlers in the West Bank are wielding violence at unprecedented levels and with near total impunity from the Netanyahu government,\u201d said Senator Murphy. \u201cTheir actions have killed American citizens and innocent Palestinians, and the United States must make clear that this unchecked violence is unacceptable and must end immediately.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis Administration has said ensuring the safety and security of American citizens abroad is one of its highest priorities. And yet, as we\u2019ve seen violence rise in the West Bank, American citizens have been killed time and again, and they have received no justice and no accountability. It\u2019s past time we get answers on their deaths \u2013 and on the growing violent Israeli settler attacks and the injustices Palestinians in the West Bank face on a daily basis. This resolution will require the State Department to begin to produce these answers, which are owed to the families of those who have lost loved ones, to the American people, and to all of those who want to ensure recipients of U.S. taxpayer dollars are acting in line with our laws and our values,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\n\u201cThe violence committed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank is reaching an unprecedented level, and as a result more and more Americans and Palestinians are being killed and injured. These actions\u2014and the Israeli government\u2019s lack of response to this violence\u2014are unacceptable and threaten the long-term safety and security of the entire region,\u201d said Senator Kaine. \u201cFriends need to listen to each other, and my colleagues and I have repeatedly urged Israeli leaders to take firmer action to curtail illegal settlements in the West Bank, prosecute violent settlers, and protect Palestinian residents as well as American citizens living in or visiting the West Bank. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this resolution to require the State Department to conduct a formal assessment and provide a report to Congress on the situation in the West Bank, in particular the safety and security of Americans.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery day, Palestinians in the West Bank experience horrific violence at the hands of Israeli settlers and security forces \u2014 and for years, the Israeli government has offered impunity instead of accountability. Enough is enough. The United States cannot keep bankrolling this violence and looking the other way \u2014 it\u2019s time to end our complicity, once and for all,\u201d said Senator Sanders.\n\nThe resolution draws upon Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, which allows Congress to file a privileged resolution that, if passed, would require the State Department to provide information on any country receiving U.S. security assistance and that country\u2019s observance of internationally-recognized human rights. After introduction, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has ten days to consider it in committee, and if it fails to do so, the resolution can be called up for a vote on the Senate floor. If the resolution passes the Senate, the Trump Administration must submit the report within 30 days or the majority of security assistance authorized to Israel would be prohibited. If the resolution passes, and following the receipt of the State Department report, Congress may consider any necessary changes to U.S. security assistance to that country in light of the information received. If the Administration declines or fails to submit the required report, the Administration\u2019s decision would prompt the termination of certain covered security assistance programs for Israel.\n\nThe Senators were joined in introducing the resolution by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).\n\nText of the resolution is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-celebrates-final-passage-of-landmark-sanctions-bill-to-hold-purchasers-of-russian-oil-and-gas-accountable", "Blumenthal Celebrates Final Passage of Landmark Sanctions Bill to Hold Purchasers of Russian Oil & Gas Accountable", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) celebrated final Congressional passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The legislation, led by Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC), would hold major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. The bill was approved in a major bipartisan vote in the Senate in August and was passed out of the House of Representatives today.\n\n\u201cToday is a historic triumph for democracy\u2014 ours and Ukraine\u2019s\u2014 showing that America can still muster bipartisan unity in the fight for freedom. I am overwhelmed with gratitude,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cIn August, I watched from Kyiv\u2019s Sophia Square as President Zelenskyy honored the families of heroes who gave their lives so that Ukraine could remain free and independent. I vowed then, as I have every day for the last few years, that our tribute to the fallen defenders of Ukraine would be the passage of this legislation to help bring an end to Putin\u2019s hideous slaughter and prevent future bloodshed.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s triumph is also a testament to the relentless drive of my friend, Lindsey Graham. I missed him deeply on my most recent eleventh trip to Ukraine. If he were here today, he would be jubilant about our bill\u2019s passage \u2013 and already thinking about the next one. So today we celebrate, and tomorrow, we redouble work on sending Ukraine whatever it needs to prevail. Putin is a thug who understands only force and strength, which is what we must show clearly and unequivocally.\u201d\n\nLast month, Blumenthal traveled to Ukraine to celebrate Independence Day in Kyiv. Blumenthal also traveled to Dnipro, near the eastern front of the war \u2013 the first Congressional Delegation to visit since the invasion.\n\nIn early August, Blumenthal and U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Jim Risch (R-ID) hosted a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and supporters of the legislation at the U.S. Capitol. Photos of the meeting are available here.\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) first introduced legislation to bring primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s aggression in Ukraine in April 2025, and spent the last year and a half building support for the effort in Congress and the Administration. Lindsey Graham secured an agreement with the White House on the bill just before his death.\n\nThe Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as well as the Russian Shadow Fleet.\n\nThe legislation allows the President to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, and the top five countries that aid Russia\u2019s energy sanctions evasion.\n\nThe bill also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanctions authority that restricts funding for Iran\u2019s energy and weapons sectors.\n\nThe text of the bill is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-smith-baldwin-reintroduce-bill-to-support-connecticuts-young-farmers-forgive-student-loan-debt", "Murphy, Smith, Baldwin Reintroduce Bill to Support Connecticut's Young Farmers, Forgive Student Loan Debt", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2013U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, along with U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) reintroduced the Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act, legislation to create a loan forgiveness program for beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as veteran, women, and minority farmers. \u201cBeginning farmers\u201d are those who have under 10 years of experience operating a farm.\n\nStudent loan debt is among the largest obstacles America\u2019s young farmers face, placing an enormous financial strain on beginner farmers and discouraging others from pursuing careers in the agricultural industry. Unforgiven student debt has a disproportionate impact on Connecticut\u2019s farming industry, where nearly 30% of producers are categorized as beginning farmers, well above the national average. The Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act would grant these farmers, in Connecticut and across the country, the support they need to invest in their farms and ranches and incentivize a new generation of farmers to enter the agricultural industry.\n\n\u201cBetween the trade war, the Iran war, and his devastating cuts to agricultural programs, Donald Trump has sent farm bankruptcies surging and thrown our farming industry into a full-blown crisis,\u201d said Murphy. \u201cOur farmers are a cornerstone of rural life in Connecticut and we need to give them our support so they can not only survive this crisis but come out stronger on the other side. My bill would help the beginner farmers overcome financial barriers and strengthen Connecticut agriculture for the long term.\u201d\n\n\u201cTo keep Minnesota\u2019s agriculture economy thriving, we need to continue to invest in the next generation of farmers as the average age of farmers keeps going up. There is more we can be doing to help future farmers fill their shoes,\u201d said Smith. \u201cStudent debt is one of the most significant challenges our young farmers and ranchers face. This legislation would help encourage a younger, more diverse workforce and help more people start and stay in farming.\u201d\n\n\u201cWisconsin farmers work hard to feed our families, support our rural economies, and keep our state the agricultural prize of the country,\u201d said Baldwin. \u201cBut right now, they are getting squeezed from all sides. Between President Trump\u2019s trade war and the war in Iran driving up fuel and fertilizer costs, farmers are facing more uncertainty and financial pressure at a time when it\u2019s already hard enough to make ends meet. Our bill will help ease the burden and incentivize getting into this rewarding work and help keep Wisconsin agriculture strong for generations to come.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-on-don-jrs-russia-funded-wedding-this-is-as-close-to-treason-as-you-can-get", "Murphy on Don Jr.'s Russia-Funded Wedding: 'This Is As Close to Treason As You Can Get'", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate addressing the revelations that the recent, private island wedding of President Trump\u2019s son, Donald Trump Jr., was in part paid for by Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch and close ally of Vladimir Putin, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.\n\nMurphy argued this is just the latest example of the Trump family exploiting the presidency for their own personal profit, and accused the Trump family of abandoning Ukraine and padding the pockets of our Russian adversary in exchange for exactly this kind of luxury bribery.\n\nMurphy detailed the shocking level of Russian involvement in Jr.\u2019s wedding: \u201cThe Russians paid for the private island. The Russians paid for the fireworks show. The president's son even put this oligarch in charge of planning the logistics. This was a Russian party organized and paid for by someone in Vladimir Putin's inner circle. This has never happened before in the history of the United States of America. Never before has a foreign enemy of the United States paid for the family wedding of the president. Why? Because it is naked corruption in plain view.\u201d\n\nMurphy characterized the involvement as a potential corrupt attempt to secure continued sanctions relief and friendly U.S. policy on Ukraine: \u201cPutin doesn't pay for a wedding just to be nice. This is an arrangement in plain sight. Donald Trump has done a 180-degree turn in U.S. policy on the Russia-Ukraine war. He has cut off funding from Ukraine. Even after we appropriated money, he refuses to spend it, illegally. As recently as this weekend, he says publicly that it's Ukraine's fault that the war continues, not Russia\u2019s. In addition, Trump has suspended sanctions on the export of Russian oil and gas, \u2026 Trump has become one of Putin's most important allies, and so, like everything else in Trump's corrupt world in his second term, it just becomes this mutually beneficial deal. Trump withholds support for Ukraine, pads the pocket of the Russian government with sanctions relief, and the Russians funnel money to the family.\u201d\n\nMurphy highlighted Trump Jr.\u2019s efforts to cover up his bankrolling by the Russians: \u201cThe president's son, Donald Trump Jr., tried to hide this fact. He posted pictures of his wedding celebration online. There was a public conversation about whether the president was going to attend or not. But the president's son made no mention that the whole thing, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, a private island, was bankrolled by the Russians. In fact, the only face of the 50 guests that is hidden in the group photo, that you can look at right now online, is the oligarch\u2019s.\u201d\n\nMurphy underscored the extensive conflicts of interest between Donald Trump\u2019s family and the Kremlin: \u201cTrump's family [relies] on Russian support for their business empire. Donald Trump Jr. said this prior to when his father became president; he said, \u2018in terms of high-end product influx into the United States, Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross section of a lot of our assets\u2026 We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.\u2019 [And] there is evidence that the Trump family's cryptocurrency is backed, perhaps heavily, by Russian buyers.\u201d\n\nMurphy called on Americans of all political stripes to condemn this sort of corruption: \u201cDonald Jr., he just basically stuffs money into his pockets from anybody who wants a favor from his father, and he just gobbles up government contracts as fast as he can. Don Jr.\u2019s net worth was $50 million before his father's second term. In the first year that Trump was president, in his second term, Don Jr. net worth didn't double, it didn't triple, it didn't quadruple. It grew by six times in one year. $50 million, a year later, $300 million. At least 13 companies tied to the Trump brothers have captured $1.8 billion in long-term federal contracts and commitments, and $103 million in direct cash from the Trump administration; five of those companies got their first government contract ever after the Trump sons invested. That's corruption. It doesn't matter whether this is a Republican administration or a Democratic administration.\u201d\n\nA full transcript of Murphy\u2019s speech is available below.\n\nA full video of Murphy\u2019s speech is available here.\n\nThank you very much, Mr. President. Colleagues, a story broke today that the Trump family has confirmed that a Russian oligarch, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, a man whose fortune was gifted to him by Putin, paid for the private island wedding of the president of the United States's son. I'm here on the floor because I am scared to death that this is all going to start just feeling normal.\n\nLet me say it again: a Russian oligarch, a close ally of our enemy, Vladimir Putin, a man whose fortune was gifted to him by Vladimir Putin, paid for secretly the private island wedding of the president of the United States's son. The president's son, Donald Trump Jr., tried to hide this fact. He posted pictures of his wedding celebration online. There was a public conversation about whether the president was going to attend or not. But the president's son made no mention that the whole thing, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, a private island, was bankrolled by the Russians. In fact, the only face of the 50 guests that is hidden in the group photo, that you can look at right now online, is the oligarch\u2019s. But he's there because he secretly paid for the celebration. The Russians paid for the private island. The Russians paid for the fireworks show. The president's son even put this oligarch in charge of planning the logistics. This was a Russian party organized and paid for by someone in Vladimir Putin's inner circle. This is never happening before in the history of the United States of America. Never before has a foreign enemy of the United States paid for the family wedding of the president, why? Because it is naked corruption in plain view. It is as close to treason as you get, accepting lavish gifts, millions of dollars in gifts, perhaps from the enemy of this nation. Let's spend a minute on this oligarch.\n\nWe just learned this today, so forgive me if we have scant details. I think we're going to find out a lot more about this guy in the coming days and weeks. But his name is Umar Kremlev. He is a convicted criminal. He runs a boxing company that is funded by Putin, more specifically by Gazprom, Putin's state-run gas company. He isn't just some ordinary oligarch. He's one of Putin's favorites. In addition to running this boxing association, he runs the Russian lottery. He has a monopoly on Russian sports betting. Shortly before financing and attending the Trump wedding, Kremlev and Putin were together in China. Putin brought him on a really important state visit to China. Putin has given Kremliv the highest Kremlin honor, the Order of Friendship. The Ukrainian government has sanctioned Kremlev because he is part of Putin's inner circle. All of Kremliv's money is Putin's money. He operates as an arm of Putin, as do all the Putin made oligarchs.\n\nBefore today's disclosure of his secret financing of the Trump wedding, there was no record of Donald Trump Jr. and Kremlev being great best buddies, because they aren't. It appears that they just recently met, and shortly after meeting, this close ally of Vladimir Putin offered to pay for Donald Trump's Jr. wedding. Here's what Eric Trump said today. When a reporter asks his office about Umar Kremlev, this close friend of Donald Trump Jr.'s, quote: \u201cEric has absolutely no clue who this person is, nor has he ever heard his name\u201d. This is Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr.\u2019s brother, his business partner. He has never heard the name of the close associate, the close friend of Donald Trump Jr., who paid for his entire wedding. Why? Because they're not friends. This is a business deal between the Trump family and the Russian government.\n\nThis all fits two patterns. The first is the Trump's family's reliance on Russian support for their business empire. Donald Trump Jr. said this prior to when his father became president; he said, \u201cin terms of high-end product influx into the United States, Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross section of a lot of our assets. Say in Dubai, and certainly with our project in Soho, and anywhere in New York. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia. More recently, those who have looked at the individuals who are buying Trump's cryptocurrency have noted that there is evidence that the Trump family's cryptocurrency is backed, perhaps heavily, by Russian buyers.\n\nBut the second, and more significant pattern, is this. Trump\u2019s sons, particularly Donald Jr., just brazenly profit off of their access to the White House. Donald Jr, he just basically stuffs money into his pockets from anybody who wants a favor from his father, and he just gobbles up government contracts as fast as he can. Don Jr. net worth was $50 million before his father's second term. In the first year that Trump was president, in his second term, Don Jr. net worth didn't double, it didn't triple, it didn't quadruple. It grew by six times in one year. $50 million, a year later, $300 million. At least 13 companies tied to the Trump brothers have captured $1.8 billion in long-term federal contracts and commitments, and $103 million in direct cash from the Trump administration, five of those companies got their first government contract ever after the Trump sons invested. That's corruption. It doesn't matter whether this is a Republican administration or a Democratic administration.\n\nNow you could be offended at all of that, but you might say: \"Well, this isn't that. This isn't Trump Jr. taking money from the taxpayers. This is just him taking money from the Russians. Isn't that better than him taking money from taxpayers?\u201d Well of course it isn\u2019t, because Putin doesn't pay for a wedding just to be nice. This is an arrangement in plain sight. Donald Trump has done a 180-degree turn in U.S. policy on the Russia-Ukraine war. He has cut off funding from Ukraine, even after we appropriated money, he refuses to spend it, illegally. As recently as this weekend, he says publicly that it's Ukraine's fault that the war continues, not Russia\u2019s. In addition, Trump has suspended sanctions on the export of Russian oil and gas, which, by the way, specifically helps Gazprom, the company that funds Kremlev. Trump has become one of Putin's most important allies, and so, like everything else in Trump's corrupt world in his second term, it just becomes this mutually beneficial deal. Trump withholds support for Ukraine, pads the pocket of the Russian government with sanctions relief, and the Russians funnel money to the family. Doesn't everybody see this? Shouldn\u2019t everyone here be outraged that the president of the United States's son just had his wedding, his multi-million dollar wedding, paid for by the Russians, and he admits it?\n\nI know that there are a lot of Republicans in the Senate who are aghast at what Trump has done to abandon Ukraine, and I know there are a lot of Republicans here who are furious at this spiraling corruption. I don't know that there's a single member of this body, Republican or Democrat, who would go on TV tonight and defend the Russian government paying for the Trump family's private island wedding. But at some point, there just has to be a bottom that the United States Senate unanimously recognizes. Does any Republican here think that you would say nothing if Hunter Biden's wedding or Malia Obama's graduation party was financed by Iranian allies in the Ayatollah. You guys would shut this place down if that were to happen. And of course you can\u2019t even imagine that happening under a different administration. Because despite all the histrionics over the Biden crime family, never before in this country, have we had a White House where the financing of a family wedding by a foreign adversary would pass as a minor scandal, that barely makes front pages. Just because the corruption happens so routinely, that to some it feels normal, which doesn't mean that it is. If we don't, on a bipartisan basis, here in the Senate, draw a line in the sand soon, it will be the end of our republic. It just will.", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-stands-with-athletes-labor-and-civil-rights-leaders-to-rally-against-the-so-called-protect-college-sports-act", "Murphy Stands With Athletes, Labor, and Civil Rights Leaders to Rally Against the So-Called Protect College Sports Act", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 As the Senate begins considering the so-called Protect College Sports Act (PCSA), U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined college athletes, their families, labor advocates, and civil rights leaders to speak out against the legislation.\n\nMurphy pushed back against the manufactured \u201ccrisis\u201d framing offered by the PCSA\u2019s supporters, highlighting record revenues. Murphy argued the PCSA will give the NCAA legal cover to abuse athletes\u2019 rights and re-institute a system of collusion and exploitation in college athletics.\n\nMurphy offered a topline of the bill: \u201cWhat this bill does at its core is to protect a system of exploitation. This bill protects the billions of dollars that coaches and sports industry executives are making over the suppression of compensation for some of the most highly valued athletes in the world. This bill seeks to give an unprecedented antitrust exemption to an industry that is violating the law every single day.\u201d\n\nMurphy highlighted the NCAA\u2019s long history of violating athletes\u2019 rights: \u201cLet's just be clear about why we are here. Over and over again, courts have determined that colleges and the NCAA and conferences are violating the law. In a nine-zero Supreme Court decision authored by conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court said that this system of exploitation, in which wages and compensation are illegally suppressed, in which profits are being put ahead of athlete safety, is illegal and cannot stand according to the existing law.\u201d\n\nMurphy called out the NCAA for conspiring to take away athletes\u2019 rightfully earned compensation: \u201cInstead of fixing the problem, instead, the college sports industry has come to Congress and is asking Congress to make their illegal behavior all of a sudden magically legal through an antitrust exemption. What we're being asked to do is to basically allow colleges and conferences and the NCAA to illegally collude so that they can continue to reap the benefits of a $14 billion industry in which almost all of the money goes to the owners, and very little of it goes to the actual actors who are putting the product on the playing field.\u201d\n\nMurphy addressed the PCSA\u2019s supporters head-on: \u201cSome of the proponents say, well, there's runaway spending in college athletics. We can't afford it. Well, this bill doesn't stop billionaires from spending money on athletic facilities. This money doesn't stop billionaires from directly subsidizing the salaries of coaches. No, the only thing this bill does is to limit the relatively small slice of money in the system that goes to athletes. It does nothing to stop the runaway coaches salaries, the runaway spending in facilities, the runaway spending in advertising and in TV contracts.\u201d\n\nMurphy debunked the \u201ccrisis\u201d talking points parroted by the NCAA\u2019s boosters and corporate executives: \u201cI hear my colleagues talk about the crisis that exists, the chaos that exists in college athletics today\u2026 There's no sign that college athletics is in some broader state of crisis. The TV deals are bigger than ever before. The number of people turning out for men's football games and women's volleyball games are larger than any time before in history. There's more fan interest, frankly, now that students are empowered than there was back in the day when students were completely indentured to programs.\u201d\n\nSen. Murphy has been a leading voice of opposition to the so-called Protect College Sports Act. Murphy has worked with athletes, labor advocates, and civil rights groups to rally against the passage of the Protect College Sports Act, as well as advocate for his College Athlete Right to Organize Act.\n\nA full video of Murphy\u2019s remarks is available here. A full transcript of Murphy\u2019s remarks is available below.\n\nThanks to AFL-CIO, NAACP, and many of your partners for convening this call today.\n\nYou've got some really powerful voices assembled here so I'm going to be very, very brief. What this bill does at its core is to protect a system of exploitation. This bill protects the billions of dollars that coaches and sports industry executives are making over the suppression of compensation for some of the most highly valued athletes in the world.This bill seeks to give an unprecedented antitrust exemption to an industry that is violating the law every single day.\n\nLet's just be clear about why we are here. Over and over again, courts have determined that colleges and the NCAA and conferences are violating the law. In a nine-zero Supreme Court decision authored by Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court said that this system of exploitation, in which wages and compensation are illegally suppressed, in which profits are being put ahead of athlete safety, is illegal and cannot stand according to the existing law. Instead of fixing those problems, instead of putting athletes safety first, instead of sitting down with the athletes and working out a proper, just system of compensation (and by the way, there's plenty of money to go around in a $14 billion industry), instead of fixing the problem, instead, the college sports industry has come to Congress and is asking Congress to make their illegal behavior all of a sudden magically legal through an antitrust exemption. What we're being asked to do is to basically allow colleges and conferences and the NCAA to illegally collude so that they can continue to reap the benefits of a $14 billion industry in which almost all of the money goes to the owners, and very little of it goes to the actual actors who are putting the product on the playing field.\n\nJust a few quick points. I hear my colleagues talk about the crisis that exists, the chaos that exists in college athletics today. Yes, things are different today, but the crisis and the chaos is really one that primarily impacts the coaches and the colleges who all of a sudden have to work a little bit harder to be able to keep athletes who are no longer indentured to the programs that they are working for.\n\nThere's no sign that college athletics is in some broader state of crisis. The TV deals are bigger than ever before. The number of people turning out for men's football games and women's volleyball games are larger than any time before in history. There's more fan interest, frankly, now that students are empowered than there was back in the day when students were completely indentured to programs.\n\nSecond, this is a bill that essentially ensconces a system of exploitation, and it doesn't fix the broader problems. Some of the proponents say, well, there's runaway spending in college athletics. We can't afford it. Well, this bill doesn't stop billionaires from spending money on athletic facilities. This money doesn't stop billionaires from directly subsidizing the salaries of coaches. No.\n\nThe only thing this bill does is to limit the relatively small slice of money in the system that goes to athletes. It does nothing to stop the runaway coaches salaries, the runaway spending in facilities, the runaway spending in advertising and in TV contracts. So let's be clear this bill is really only about solving one problem. It's a fake problem. The problem of athlete empowerment that has annoyed coaches but has not created a fundamental crisis in broader college athletics.\n\nThe final thing to say, before I turn it over to Derrick Johnson, the head of the NAACP, is that we should recognize this as a civil rights issue. And I know that it is sometimes uncomfortable for us to talk in these terms, but let's not mince words. Many of the most valuable athletes, those who would command in a real market the highest salaries are black. And almost all of the people who are protecting the billions that are being made by the industry are white. And so this is an effort to protect a system of exploitation, this is a civil rights issue, and we are going to do everything in our power\u2013those of us who oppose this in the United States Senate\u2013to ask our colleagues to step back, to oppose moving forward, moving this bill forward in the United States Senate, to take another shot at a piece of legislation that, you know, frankly, could institute some reforms, but that would not preserve this system of exploitation that has and will continue to damage the safety and the health of our athletes all across the country.\n\nSo, really appreciate folks pulling this together. My office will keep folks updated as this potentially moves on to the Senate floor. We're going to need very, very strong voices, especially from students, to make clear what the stakes are. Really glad to be joined on this call by one of the strongest voices opposing this piece of legislation from the NAACP.", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/icymi-video-blumenthal-calls-on-republicans-to-take-up-legislation-curbing-presidential-corruption-amend-crypto-legislation-to-stop-trump-from-profiting-off-the-presidency", "ICYMI Video: Blumenthal Calls on Republicans to Take Up Legislation Curbing Presidential Corruption, Amend Crypto Legislation to Stop Trump From Profiting Off the Presidency", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) spoke on the Senate floor yesterday to call on Republicans to take up the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act, legislation that would terminate the federal banking charter for World Liberty Financial that was approved by the Trump-controlled Office of the Comptroller of the Currencey and prohibit federal banking agencies from approving banking applications when the applicant is owned by certain senior government officials.\n\n\u201cMr. President, I\u2019m here thinking about all the Americans who are working on manufacturing plants assembly lines, all the Americans who are teaching our kids in schools or patrol our schools as police or working in our hospitals, all of the hardworking Americans who are just working to get by, to make ends meet, to know whether they can afford another $20 or $30 at the supermarket, and then to think of Donald Trump making $6 million per day last year, a total of $2.2 billion just in the first year of his presidency,\u201d Blumenthal said on the Senate floor.\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a single person in America who thinks that he earned that money, and how could he? He\u2019s supposed to be devoting every waking moment to the public interest of the United States, to keeping us safe and our nation secure. The fact is it was the result of corruption. $1.4 billion of it came from crypto. And the point of this legislation is essentially to end that corruption.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal also called out Republicans for enabling Trump\u2019s corruption by working to advance crypto market structure legislation without meaningful anti-corruption reforms: \u201cNow, we will vote tomorrow on a crypto bill that is, sadly and tragically, riddled with loopholes that enables him to continue this same self-dealing and self-enrichment. And the failure to stand up to the President, I think, is going to be on our Republican colleagues, because this amendment, ethics requirements for digital assets, is a sham. It\u2019s a charade. And if nothing else, Republicans should take a stand and say in crypto legislation that\u2019s supposed to stop wrongdoing, lawlessness, funding of terrorist organizations, money laundering, now is the time to also impose a strong conflict of interest rule.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cPresident Trump has been clear: there is no ethical line separating his role as President from his family\u2019s businesses. It\u2019s that simple. Corruption has become the family business.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal underscored the need for the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act to protect consumers and our national security: \u201cCorruption has consequences. It has costs. That bank charter is worth millions, maybe hundreds of millions to World Liberty Financial, but it will enable World Liberty Financial to exploit and take advantage of consumers that will cost them money out of those hard-earned wages that they make.\u201d\n\n\u201cThose Americans who are working hard to make ends meet, wondering whether they can afford another $20 or $30 at the supermarket, while Donald Trump averaged $6 million a day in 2025, ought to demand of all of us that we pass the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. It\u2019s the least we can do, it\u2019s a first step. And I hope that we will also pass a crypto measure that is worthy of this body and its name,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s remarks on the Senate floor are available here. A transcript is available below.\n\nU.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I\u2019m here thinking about all the Americans who are working on manufacturing plants assembly lines, all the Americans who are teaching our kids in schools or patrol our schools as police or working in our hospitals, all of the hardworking Americans who are just working to get by, to make ends meet, to know whether they can afford another $20 or $30 at the supermarket, and then to think of Donald Trump making $6 million per day last year, a total of $2.2 billion just in the first year of his presidency?\n\nI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a single person in America who thinks that he earned that money, and how could he? He\u2019s supposed to be devoting every waking moment to the public interest of the United States, to keeping us safe and our nation secure.\n\nThe fact is it was the result of corruption. $1.4 billion of it came from crypto. And the point of this legislation is essentially to end that corruption. Now, we will vote tomorrow on a crypto bill that is, sadly and tragically, riddled with loopholes that enables him to continue this same self-dealing and self-enrichment. And the failure to stand up to the President, I think, is going to be on our Republican colleagues, because this amendment, ethics requirements for digital assets, is a sham. It\u2019s a charade. And if nothing else, Republicans should take a stand and say in crypto legislation that\u2019s supposed to stop wrongdoing, lawlessness, funding of terrorist organizations, money laundering, now is the time to also impose a strong conflict of interest rule.\n\nEnding Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. Think of it for a moment. The ending presidential corruption in banking act. It bans the President, the Vice President, and their immediate families from owning or controlling banks. When I came to the United States Senate, if you told me you will be support something an Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act because it is necessary to stop corruption, because the President is twisting and ignoring and bending norms and precedents of the presidency, I would have said, that would never happen in the United States of America. But President Trump has been clear: there is no ethical line separating his role as President from his family\u2019s businesses. It\u2019s that simple. Corruption has become the family business.\n\nAfter President Trump issued an executive order to assert control over the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, his control over that body, it approves bank charters, surprise, Trump\u2019s crypto company, World Liberty Financial, applied for a bank charter. And no surprise, on August 14, 2026, World Liberty Financial was granted conditional approval for a national bank charter.\n\nCorruption has consequences. It has costs. That bank charter is worth millions, maybe hundreds of millions to World Liberty Financial, but it will enable World Liberty Financial to exploit and take advantage of consumers that will cost them money out of those hard-earned wages that they make.\n\nIn fact, Donald Trump made $1.4 billion, including $636 million from his meme coin, but nearly a million Americans lost billions of dollars, more than $3 billion, while he was making his huge profits.\n\nCorruption has consequences. It has costs. When the President of the United States is dealing with the Emiratis who have bought 49% share for billions of dollars in one of his enterprises, and then Emiratis receive approval for the purchase of chips that have been refused them, or defense equipment that is hugely valuable to them, it threatens our national security.\n\nAnd when the President\u2019s son or his family go around the world, establishing resorts, making deals, there is always a quid pro quo, there\u2019s always a quid to the quo. There is no free lunch. Our security is compromised; there are costs to our taxpayers. And that plane that was supposedly a gift is already costing us hundreds of millions of dollars, not to mention our being be-holden to the Qatar government. There is no free lunch.\n\nAfter Donald Trump Jr. Became a partner of the venture capital firm 1789 capital, its assets ballooned to $3 billion, as its portfolio companies rapidly received lucrative government contracts. Those government contracts impact taxpayers, when they are sole-sourced, when they are granted without proper review and scrutiny and oversight of what the costs will be to taxpayers. There\u2019s no free lunch.\n\nSo, this measure is not only important, but also necessary, and I have to say, the consequences of corruption are measured not only in dollars and cents, but also in our moral standing around the world. Just this morning, ProPublica reported that Donald Trump Jr.\u2019s lavish wedding in the Caribbean was, in effect, heavily bankrolled by a Russian oligarch with close ties to Putin. His name is Umar Kremlev.\n\nUmar Kremlev is also involved in an organization that re-educates Ukrainian children who have been abducted. I\u2019ve been to Ukraine 11 times, on a number of those trips, I\u2019ve met with children who have been abducted and kidnapped by Vladimir Putin. It\u2019s the reason that he\u2019s been judged and charged as a war criminal. And one of his henchmen, apparently, is Umar Kremlev, in re-educating those children, so that they will forget their past, forget their language, forget their culture, forget their religion. This is truly criminal. And Kremlev has paid, likely, hundreds of thousands of dollars, for Donald Jr.\u2019s lavish wedding. He is in a photograph of the wedding party. That picture haunts me. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and the picture of a man who has, in effect, been complicit in abducting and re-educating children, separating them, and not just a few, but literally tens of thousands, as many as 35,000, maybe 50,000 or more, separating them from their families, I wouldn\u2019t want to be caught on the same island with him, let alone having him rent the island for a wedding of a family member.\n\nLet me put it another way. Those Americans who are working hard to make ends meet, wondering whether they can afford another $20 or $30 at the supermarket, while Donald Trump averaged $6 million a day in 2025, ought to demand of all of us that we pass the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. It\u2019s the least we can do, it\u2019s a first step. And I hope that we will also pass a crypto measure that is worthy of this body and its name.\n\nThank you, Mr. President.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-slams-so-called-protect-college-sports-act-on-stephen-a-smiths-straight-shooter", "Murphy Slams So-Called Protect College Sports Act on Stephen A. Smith's Straight Shooter", "2026-09-14", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined Stephen A. Smith\u2019s Straight Shooter on Sirius XM for a conversation on the Protect College Sports Act ahead of potential Senate action. Murphy laid out why the PCSA would be a disaster for college athletes by giving the NCAA sweeping, unprecedented power to silence athletes and bring back the old system of exploitation.\n\nSen. Murphy has been a leading voice of opposition to the so-called Protect College Sports Act. Murphy has worked with athletes, labor advocates, and civil rights groups to rally against the passage of the Protect College Sports Act, as well as advocate for his College Athlete Right to Organize Act.\n\nMurphy debunked the \u201ccrisis\u201d framing pushed by NCAA\u2019s corporate executives: \u201cMore people are watching the games than ever before. More people are showing up than ever before. Women's sports is not contracting; it's expanding. The development deals for TV rights are bigger than ever before.\u201d\n\nMurphy called out the NCAA\u2019s actions stifling negotiations with athletes: \u201cThe \u2018chaos\u2019 is pretty simple. Over the last few years, student athletes have gotten power. The courts have basically ruled that these schools are illegally colluding to keep these kids' wages down, and instead of doing what they should, which is sit across the table with these students and come up with an agreement that both the colleges and the athletes can live with, instead the coaches and the colleges are running to Congress asking us to make the college an antitrust exemption, so that they can continue to exploit the athletes.\u201d\n\nMurphy emphasized the PCSA is littered with double standards between coaches and players: \u201cThe bill says if you're a student and you want an endorsement deal, you have to get signed off by some NCAA bureaucracy. The bill limits student athletes' ability to transfer, basically making you an indentured athlete once you've transferred once. Coaches aren't subject to any of those restrictions, so there's no limitation on coaches' endorsement deals. Coaches can switch jobs every single year. Coaches can make as much money as they want. So this is a great bill for coaches and universities because it artificially, through statute and contracts, limits the amount of money that athletes can make.\u201d\n\nMurphy emphasized that there is no precedent for the anti-trust exemption the NCAA is asking for: \u201cThere's only two industries in this country that have a broad exemption from antitrust laws: the railroad industry and Major League Baseball. And the only reason that they got those exemptions was because they have collective bargaining agreements. Workers have rights at the table. This is the first time that we are exempting an entire industry - this is a big industry, a $12 billion industry, from anti-collusion rules - and giving no rights to the people that are going to be most impacted.\u201d\n\nMurphy advocated for targeted, athlete-focused bills to address true problems in college sports: \u201cI would recommend that, you know, we come in with a much smaller set of protections. I think these agents are probably getting away with murder. I do think you should restrict their fees. I don't think anybody who's in the pros should be allowed to come back and play in college. I don't have any problem with saying you get four years and that's it. So we could do a targeted bill that cuts down on some of the reported chaos in college athletics without giving this massive, big antitrust exemption to the schools that ends up allowing these kids to continue to be exploited.\u201d\n\nStephen A. Smith echoed Murphy\u2019s view, suggesting the NCAA is trying to bring an exploitative system back with Congress\u2019s help: \u201cMy position on this, Senator, has been that the NCAA spent years exploiting the student athlete. They had their comeuppance\u2026 I see the NCAA with their lobbyists up on Capitol Hill trying to get things done for themselves. And Senator Cruz and others, I'm not questioning anybody's intent - but ultimately, it's going to be some kind of legislation put forth that benefits the NCAA exponentially and reverts it back to a time that once existed, at least to some degree, and is going to be at the expense of the modern-day athlete. I have a problem with that. I don't think that should be allowed.\u201d\n\nAn excerpted transcript of Murphy\u2019s interview with Stephen A. Smith is available below. A link to the full interview is available here.\n\nStephen A: Senator Chris Murphy, let's transition because you talked about people having a seat at the table. It brings me to the Protect College Sports Act, which I know that you have spoken about, and I'm interested in knowing your position about that because as somebody whose day job primarily is pretty much day in. I mean, you hear people talking about this protected sports, you know, college sports act. It's obviously supposed to be bipartisan or what have you. I think it's. I think that these athletes, student athletes, need representation at the table. They don't necessarily have that, which I think is a big part of the problem. I think that before this act is pushed forward, that's something that needs to be addressed. They need to have representation. But I want to know what issues you personally have with this with this particular act that's trying to be pushed forward, particularly by Senator Ted Cruz out of Texas, along with various others. Although it's labeled as a bipartisan bill. Talk to me about that for a second. Your thoughts about it?\n\nMurphy: Yeah, this is one of the reasons I was excited to talk to you, Stephen, because I think nobody has been smarter than you on talking about the importance of having student and athletic voices as part of this process. So listen, I love sports. I love college sports in Connecticut. We maybe pay a little bit more attention to basketball than to football, but I agree with Ted. It's something that's really unique and great about the United States of America. For all of our political demise, we come together in so many states in order to root for our university sports teams, our football teams, our basketball teams. I mean, you literally have 10s of 1000s of people coming out for women's volleyball games now. It's something unique and good that we should preserve in America. I just don't agree that college sports are in chaos or crisis right now. In fact, more people are watching the games than ever before. More people are showing up than ever before. Women's sports is not contracting; it's expanding. The development deals for TV rights are bigger than ever before. The chaos is pretty simple. Over the last few years, student athletes have gotten power. The courts have basically ruled that these schools are illegally colluding to keep these kids' wages down, and instead of doing what they should, which is sit across the table with these students and come up with an agreement that both the colleges and the athletes can live with, instead the coaches and the colleges are running the Congress asking us to make the college an antitrust exemption, so that they can continue to exploit the athletes. And so, what this bill does is extraordinary. It puts a permanent cap on the amount of money that student athletes can make. And the pros, the athletes make about 50% of the overall revenue. This bill would save 22% for college athletes. The bill says if you're a student and you want an endorsement deal, you have to get signed off by some NCAA bureaucracy. The bill limits student athletes' ability to transfer, basically making you an indentured athlete once you've transferred once. Coaches aren't subject to any of those restrictions, so there's no limitation on coaches' endorsement deals. Coaches can switch jobs every single year. Coaches can make as much money as they want. So this is a great bill for coaches and universities because it artificially, through statute, contracts and limits the amount of money that athletes can make. What should happen, as you reference, is that the schools should sit down with the athletes, and they should come up with an agreement, like they do in professional schools, and instead of having Congress step in and essentially micromanage college sports and protect this system of exploitation.\n\nStephen A: Well, that's where I was going with this. That's why I have been, I don't want to say an adversary of it because I can appreciate where Senator Cruz, yourself, and others are coming from Senator Cory Booker. Let me not forget to bring him into the equation as well because he has his own thoughts about this particular act. Although y'all are coming from different perspectives, everybody agrees that something needs to be done. My position on this, Senator, has been that the NCAA spent years exploiting the student athlete. They had their comeuppance. I do believe it's a bit out of whack because, say, for example, as of right now, if you're an athlete, literally because of the transfer portal and those no no restrictions, you can literally play for four different schools, four different years. I think that's utterly ridiculous. I think that's a problem. I don't think that's something that should be allowed. Okay, and I don't even mind the cap as long as the number is higher. You brought up the NBA, for example. They don't get 50% of total revenue. They get something for 50% of basketball-related income. But they usually complain about other expenses that come down the pike, that owners are able to get a hold of other profits rather that they don't get attached to. They don't get the profit off of it the way the owners do. It's 50% of the income related designated for basketball operations, and that's pretty much it. And then the other stuff the owners get. But I bring this up because I think it's very important. I'm looking at Congress, and I see the NCAA with their lobbyists up on Capitol Hill trying to get things done for themselves and Senator Cruz and others, I'm not questioning anybody's intent, but ultimately it's going to be some kind of legislation put forth that benefits the NCAA exponentially and reverts it back to a time that once existed, at least to some degree, and is going to be at the expense of the modern-day athlete. I have a problem with that. I don't think that should be allowed, and I think that Justice Brett Kavanaugh spoke adamantly against the NCAA, which really spearheaded all of this stuff regarding regarding name, image, and likeness, and I think people should defer to his ruling. Go back and read his ruling against the NCAA to make a case about something more fair and equitable for the student athlete. That's my suggestion. How do you feel about that?\n\nMurphy: I think you are right, and it's important to remember that there's only two industries in this country that have a broad exemption from antitrust laws: the railroad industry and Major League Baseball. That's right. And the only reason that they got those exemptions was because they have collective bargaining agreements. Workers have rights at the table. This is the first time that we are exempting an entire industry. This is a big industry, a $12 billion industry, from anti collusion rules and given no rights to the people that are going to be most impacted. Now you are right that what's happening now should not continue, but remember that that one-year contract that essentially exists today in football and basketball. Yeah, it helps athletes, but it also helps the schools too because the schools don't make any commitment to these students beyond one year. So you might get a package of support with endorsement deals from a school, but if you don't play well, you're essentially fired after that first year, and you are jettisoned as an athlete. So the one-year deals are benefiting both the schools and the athletes. I would recommend that you know we come in with a much smaller set of protections. I think these agents are probably getting away with murder. I do think you should restrict their fees. I don't think anybody who's in the pros should be allowed to come back and play in college. I don't have any problem with saying you get four years and that's it. So we could do a targeted bill that cuts down on some of the reported chaos in college athletics without giving this massive, big antitrust exemption to the schools that ends up allowing these kids to continue to be exploited. And remember, football is really the place you really got to worry because you know there's a limited lifespan for these high value athletes, and so when you require these kids to play three years of football, and that's essentially what the NFL does, and you limit their income artificially while they're in college, you are putting them through traumatic injury, traumatic brain injury risk, and artificially limiting their compensation-that to me is an issue of morality and fairness to these, especially when it comes to everything we're learning about being in college and pro football.", 1, "2026-09-15T09:50:21Z", "2026-09-15T09:52:05Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-welch-demand-mullin-provide-information-records-about-lewandowski-pay-to-play-dhs-contracting-scheme", "Blumenthal & Welch Demand Mullin Provide Information, Records About Lewandowski Pay-to-Play DHS Contracting Scheme", "2026-09-14", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and Peter Welch (D-VT) wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin demanding information and records \u201cmounting evidence of widespread corruption orchestrated by former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) senior advisor Corey Lewandowksi.\u201d\n\nThe Senators\u2019 letter follows reporting from the Wall Street Journal revealing that Lewandowski and his allies were engaged in an apparent pay-to-play scheme to influence the awarding of DHS contracts. According to the new report, Lewandowski also sought private payment arrangements from foreign governments in exchange for influencing DHS decision-making beyond contracting.\n\n\u201cThe overwhelming evidence of Mr. Lewandowski and his associates\u2019 improper, self-serving influence over DHS decision-making at the highest levels can no longer be ignored or brushed aside. Congress and the American people must have a full and transparent assessment of the likely waste generated by and potential illegal activity committed by Mr. Lewandowski and any other individual who sought to improperly influence DHS contracting awards,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nIn August, Blumenthal and Welch, joined by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) wrote Mullin about DHS\u2019s wasteful purchase of 10 airplanes for $464 million via a no-bid contract. In their letter to Mullin, the Senators called out the Department\u2019s growing and alarming reliance on no-bid contracts since the beginning of the second Trump Administration and raised concerns that the owner of the company that received the award also runs a company alleged to have solicited kickback payments to former DHS official Corey Lewandowski.\n\nBlumenthal and Welch previously demanded answers from Mullin about Lewandowski\u2019s role in DHS contracting decisions in light of reports that Lewandowski potentially steered contract awards to benefit himself and his political allies while serving as a special government employee and advisor at DHS.\n\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Mullin:\n\nWe write to demand that you promptly produce information and records that would provide Congress and the American people with full transparency into mounting evidence of widespread corruption orchestrated by former Department of Homeland Security (\u201cDHS\u201d) senior advisor Corey Lewandowksi. Recent reporting alleges that Mr. Lewandowski and his allies were engaged in an apparent pay-to-play scheme to influence the awarding of lucrative DHS contracts. Mr. Lewandowski also apparently sought private payment arrangements from foreign governments in exchange for influencing DHS decision-making beyond contracting, an alarming development that raises critical national security questions. Despite our March 26, 2026, letter raising concerns about the extent of Mr. Lewandowski\u2019s influence over contracting,[1] and public reporting suggesting that wasteful, no-bid contracting has become prevalent throughout DHS acquisitions,[2] DHS has not substantively responded to our requests and has produced no responsive records. We demand that you provide information and records responsive to the following requests that will permit us to fulfill our constitutional obligation of conducting oversight of your department.\n\nOn September 7, 2026, public reporting revealed that Corey Lewandowski and his allies allegedly maintained a broader network of influence over DHS decision-making than was previously known.[3] While serving as a senior advisor to former Secretary Kristi Noem, Mr. Lewandowski allegedly approached the governments of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates seeking agreement for private payment in exchange for \u201chelp. . . with any issues that fell under the department\u2019s purview.\u201d[4] Although the foreign governments refused, Mr. Lewandoski\u2019s solicitations appear to be offers to \u201csell government services for personal gain.\u201d[5] These new details add to extensive, consistent reporting that indicates that Mr. Lewandowski sought to influence specific DHS contracting decisions to punish prospective contractors that refused to curry favor with Mr. Lewandowski, including by paying him or entities affiliated with him kickbacks in exchange for awarding DHS contracts or subcontracts.[6]\n\nMr. Lewandowski\u2019s attempt to influence a multi-billion-dollar DHS contract with software company Palantir is just the most recently disclosed example of his effort to corruptly steer contracting decisions. After weeks of negotiation over a $2.7 billion blanket purchase agreement negotiated by DHS officials and Palantir representatives in the fall of 2025, the proposed agreement \u201csat for weeks on [former Secretary] Noem\u2019s desk without a signature.\u201d[7] DHS then reportedly asked Palantir to agree to a one-on-one meeting between Palantir CEO Alex Karp and Corey Lewandowski, \u201cDHS officials repeatedly asked for the meeting, saying it needed to be a one-on-one meeting.\u201d[8] When Palantir ultimately refused a one-on-one meeting, the company was told, without explanation, that the contract would be reduced to $1 billion.[9] The reduction appears to be consistent with \u201cLewandowski [telling] associates at the department that he was going to consolidate Palantir\u2019s work across the agency so the company would receive less money.\u201d[10]\n\nMr. Lewandowski\u2019s alleged associates appear to have pursued parallel influence schemes. Josh Whitehouse, an ally of Mr. Lewandowski and former New Hampshire Republican lawmaker, was installed as a special government employee at DHS. Despite his participation in high-level meetings with company executives, \u201csenior [DHS] officials weren\u2019t aware of any specific duties assigned to him.\u201d[11] Mr. Whitehouse reportedly joined one of Mr. Lewandowski and Secretary Noem\u2019s trips to the Middle East and \u201cinsisted on a side trip\u201d to Romania to visit a Damen Shipyards facility from which he sought to have the Coast Guard purchase two icebreaker ships.[12] He allegedly pushed for the Coast Guard acquisition despite DHS officials concluding that the vessels would cost \u201chundreds of millions of dollars extra\u201d to render them adequate for the Coast Guard\u2019s needs and despite concerns that Damen \u201chad recently been accused by Dutch prosecutors of circumventing European Union sanctions against Russia and of bribing public officials in different countries for years.\u201d[13] Mr. Whitehouse also reportedly sought tariff exemptions for specific South American countries from officials within DHS.[14]\n\nInfluence exerted by other allies of Mr. Lewandowski and Secretary Noem similarly raise troubling questions. Kara Voorhies, an ally of Mr. Lewandowski, was installed as a contractor at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (\u201cFEMA\u201d) and may have improperly influenced that agency\u2019s disaster recovery contracting decisions, all while being paid an unusually high amount of \u201cas much as $19,000 a week.\u201d[15] Yet another, unnamed ally of Mr. Lewandowski and Secretary Noem reportedly directed FEMA officials to award a terrorism prevention grant to \u201ca nonprofit affiliated with Chris Stanley.\u201d[16] Contracting records show that Mr. Stanley\u2019s nonprofit, Common Sense Policy Institute, which \u201clargely operates as a conservative watchdog group,\u201d was awarded a $2.3 million terrorism prevention grant.[17]\n\nThe overwhelming evidence of Mr. Lewandowski and his associates\u2019 improper, self-serving influence over DHS decision-making at the highest levels can no longer be ignored or brushed aside. Congress and the American people must have a full and transparent assessment of the likely waste generated by and potential illegal activity committed by Mr. Lewandowski and any other individual who sought to improperly influence DHS contracting awards. Pursuant to our responsibility to oversee DHS and federal contracting, our offices are reviewing allegations of misconduct arising from Mr. Lewandowski\u2019s tenure at DHS to assess whether and the extent to which laws and regulations governing honest services and federal procurement may require legislative reform. Any ongoing audit or investigation by the DHS Inspector General into related matters is not a legitimate basis for withholding information and records from Congress. Accordingly, please provide records[18] and detailed information responsive to the following requests no later than September 25, 2026.\n\nAll information and records requested in our March 26, 2026, correspondence.\n\nAll communications between any agent or representative of the governments of Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, and Corey Lewandowski.\n\nAll communications between Josh Whitehouse and Corey Lewandowski.\n\nAll communications between Kara Voorhies and Corey Lewandowski.\n\nAll communications between Alex Karp, Palantir, or any agent thereof, and Corey Lewandowski.\n\nAll draft agreements between DHS and Palantir as of September 30, 2025.\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Letter from Sens. Blumenthal, Welch to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin (March 26, 2026), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026-03-26-Letter-from-Sen-Blumenthal-and-Sen-Welch-to-Secretary-Mullin.pdf.\n\n[2] See Letter from Sens. Blumenthal, Welch to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin (Aug. 25, 2026), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026-8-25-Letter-from-Sens-Blumenthal-Welch-Schiff-to-Secretary-Mullin.pdf.\n\n[3] Tarini Parti, Josh Dawsey, Michelle Hackman, & Summer Said, Chasing Side Deals, Flexing Influence: Lewandowski\u2019s Power Moves at DHS, Wall St. J. (Sept. 7, 2026), https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/corey-lewandowski-influence-dhs-43d3fe03.\n\n[4] Id.\n\n[5] Id.\n\n[6] See Letter from Sens. Blumenthal, Welch to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin (March 28, 2026), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026-03-26-Letter-from-Sen-Blumenthal-and-Sen-Welch-to-Secretary-Mullin.pdf; Julia Ainsley, Matt Dixon, Jonathan Allen & Laura Strickler, Some DHS contractors told White House officials they were asked to pay Corey Lewandowski, NBC News (Mar. 19, 2026), https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dhs-contractors-told-white-house-officials-asked-pay-corey-lewandowski-rcna263744.\n\n[7] Parti, et al., supra note 3.\n\n[8] Id.\n\n[9] Id.\n\n[10] Id.\n\n[11] Id.\n\n[12] Id.\n\n[13] Id.\n\n[14] Id.\n\n[15] Id.\n\n[16] Id.\n\n[17] Id.\n\n[18] \u201cRecords\u201d include any written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, and any other electronically-created or stored information), calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-delivers-opening-statement-at-public-forum-on-trump-family-corruption", "Blumenthal Delivers Opening Statement at Public Forum on Trump Family Corruption", "2026-09-14", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), delivered an opening statement today at a public forum on how Donald Trump, his children, and top Administration officials have leveraged their positions to grow their personal wealth at the expense of American families. At the forum, \u201cGaming the System: How the Trump Family is Making Billions by Ripping Off the American People,\u201d Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, called out Donald Trump and his family for their self-enrichment schemes and made the case for strong reforms to curb corruption at the federal level.\n\nBlumenthal slammed Republicans for enabling Trump\u2019s corruption by moving to advance crypto market structure legislation without meaningful anti-corruption provisions: \u201cExhibit A, the latest draft of the Clarity Act relating to conflicts of interest. It purports to prevent conflicts of interest and corruption by the President of the United States. It is a charade. It is a sham. It should prompt a no vote by every member of the United States Senate tomorrow at 2:15 when the vote is scheduled.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cNow, of all the families\u2019 grifts, cryptocurrency has probably been the most profitable enterprise, and the cost to consumers probably have been greatest. This is an industry that was facing criminal and civil investigations for enabling terrorists, drug traffickers, market manipulation, and human trafficking. It turns out the shadiest people were more than willing to cut checks to literally get out of jail. President Trump\u2019s willingness to trade the public trust for crypto wealth began before he was sworn in.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cSo, this corruption is going to continue unless we take a stand, unless we sound the alarm. And unless the people of the United States tell Republicans corruption is on the ballot this November. Corruption is on the ballot because\u2014here\u2019s the essential point\u2014corruption is costly. Corruption has consequences. I know folks out there are saying themselves, you know, I\u2019m paying more for gasoline and groceries. I can barely afford new clothes for my kids as they go back to school. And you\u2019re making a fuss about Donald Trump making a lot of money. But folks, this is relevant to your lives. This is real in its cost to you.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal underscored the costs to taxpayers and our national security as a result of the Trump family\u2019s self-enrichment schemes: \u201cWhen members of the family like Jared Kushner, who has served as the government\u2019s top negotiator in crises from Gaza to Ukraine, goes out soliciting business for his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, and he goes to the Saudis for $2 billion, or when the country of Qatar provides a plane, or when Melania Trump makes millions of dollars from her vanity project documentary sponsored by Amazon, interests are compromised. Our national interest is compromised.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe grifts just keep on grifting. For some people, Donald Trump is a gift that keeps on giving, but it\u2019s almost entirely to his family and his billionaire friends. And that\u2019s why we\u2019re here today: to say enough is enough. The American people should know what\u2019s happening,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s remarks at the forum is available here. A transcript is available below.\n\nThanks, Representative Garcia, and thank you for your leadership and collaboration. We have conducted a series of hearings on some of the most important issues of the day. And I wish we were on the dais, which hopefully we will be, not long from now. But even here, I just want to tell the witnesses and everybody here there are probably more people watching us through live stream than would be aware of what we\u2019re doing if we were conducting a formal hearing. The reason I regret that we\u2019re not on the dais is this kind of inquiry should be bipartisan. My Republican colleagues should be as offended by what Representative Garcia has just recited as we are. And they should want to hear from these witnesses\u2014really extraordinary experts\u2014as much as we do.\n\nBut instead, instead, they are not only enabling, but they are encouraging this corruption. Exhibit A, the latest draft of the Clarity Act relating to conflicts of interest. It purports to prevent conflicts of interest and corruption by the President of the United States. It is a charade. It is a sham. It should prompt a no vote by every member of the United States senate tomorrow at 2:15 when the vote is scheduled.\n\nThis measure guarantees that the law will never be enforced against President Donald Trump. It would allow him to continue making hundreds of millions of dollars through World Liberty Financial and his meme coin and other crypto ventures. In fact, the bill does not restrict the primary ways that Trump has raked in $1.4 billion last year. And it states loophole number one: Trump can continue making money from existing crypto ventures. The bill states that its issuance and sponsorship restrictions shall only apply to digital assets that are used or sponsored on or after the effective date of the section.\n\nNumber two: Trump could easily restructure any crypto ventures or create new ones to avoid these restrictions. Number three: he can prove it by putting his crypto holdings in a supposedly blind trust. We know how blind that trust would really be. Because he knows what assets are being held there. So, this corruption is going to continue unless we take a stand, unless we sound the alarm. And unless the people of the United States tell Republicans corruption is on the ballot this November. Corruption is on the ballot because\u2014here\u2019s the essential point\u2014corruption is costly. Corruption has consequences.\n\nI know folks out there are saying themselves, you know, I\u2019m paying more for gasoline and groceries. I can barely afford new clothes for my kids as they go back to school. And you\u2019re making a fuss about Donald Trump making a lot of money. But folks, this is relevant to your lives. This is real in its cost to you. And it\u2019s not just crypto. It is also the contracts that are provided to the corporations that his sons have investment in. Donald and Eric, those sole-source contracts, when they are higher in price, mean higher taxes eventually, because these are big contracts, they\u2019re Defense Department commitments in the hundreds of millions or billions of dollars.\n\nPolymarket and Kalshi\u2014the whole prediction market enterprise\u2014when people, in effect bet, and the bets are unfair to them, they lose money. That may sound like an oversimplification, but the fact of the matter is there are real life consequences to corruption. And of course, when members of the family like Jared Kushner, who has served as the government\u2019s top negotiator in crises from Gaza to Ukraine, goes out soliciting business for his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, and he goes to the Saudis for $2 billion or when the country of Qatar provides a plane, or when Melania Trump makes millions of dollars from her vanity project documentary sponsored by Amazon, interests are compromised. Our national interest is compromised.\n\nNow, of all the families\u2019 grifts, cryptocurrency has probably been the most profitable enterprise, and the cost to consumers probably have been greatest. This is an industry that was facing criminal and civil investigations and for enabling terrorists, drug traffickers, market manipulation and human trafficking. It turns out the shadiest people were more than willing to cut checks to literally get out of jail. President Trump\u2019s willingness to trade the public trust for crypto wealth began before he was sworn in. Days before the inauguration, he launched and promoted a meme coin with nothing more than speculative value. It was a pump and dump. The coin started at $1. But when Trump promoted it on Truth Social, it spiked to $73, as you can see here, shortly afterward, insiders sold off their coins. The value crashed. Within weeks, approximately $1 million lost a total of $3.8 billion on their coin investment. As of today, the coin is trading under $2.\n\nSo, corruption has costs, it has consequences. And at one of our hearings very recently, we heard from three of those investors and they told us how they trusted that the President wouldn\u2019t put his name on something that was without value, and they lost nearly everything, President Trump personally made $635 million, as you know, the same kind of story can be told about World Liberty Financial, where Donald Trump\u2019s sons were hastily building up that entity, the primary cryptocurrency venture for the trump family. It has become literally little more than a quid pro quo for foreign interests.\n\nIts major source of funding, an Emirati royal, known as the spy sheikh paid half $1 billion for a 49% stake in the company, and miraculously, they then were rewarded with contracts for AI chips, which had been blocked, and defense equipment, most recently, as Representative Garcia mentioned. In fact, just this morning, ProPublica reported that Don Jr.\u2019s lavish wedding on a private Caribbean island was heavily bankrolled by\u2014never would have guessed it, a Russian oligarch named Umar Kremlev. He happened to have close ties to Vladimir Putin. He\u2019s head of a corrupt organization that oversees world boxing. We have no idea exactly why this Russian oligarch with close ties to Putin decided to spend untold amounts, perhaps in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, to rent an island and pay for a fireworks show at the wedding\u2014but what goes around comes around.\n\nThere\u2019s no free lunch, and I\u2019m often asked the question, what does Putin have on Trump? Why has Vladimir Putin been so persuasive in this apparent bromance with the president of the United States? And if there are other deals like this one, and the wedding may just be the more colorful of them, the answer may be follow the money, because Donald Trump is all about the money, and the costs are not only money to taxpayers, they are a compromise and a degrading of our values, our standing around the world, our self-worth, and our dignity as a nation, and the grifts just keep on grifting. For some people, Donald Trump is a gift that keeps on giving, but it\u2019s almost entirely to his family and his billionaire friends. And that\u2019s why we\u2019re here today: to say enough is enough. The American people should know what\u2019s happening.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-9/4/2026-9/11/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 9/4/2026-9/11/2026", "2026-09-11", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Honoring the 25th Anniversary of 9/11\n\n[Hartford, CT] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) commemorated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11th attacks and remembered the victims, their families and loved ones, and the heroes who responded to 9/11.\n\n\u201cHorror & heroism, what we lost & learned\u2014 all comes rushing back. Crushing memories of searing grief & shock. Awe at a wondrous unity of purpose & heart. After 25 years, 9/11 is no less real,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X. \u201cWe honor the victims & their loved ones\u2014 brave souls lost in unspeakable cruelty, & courageous first responders who sought to save them. Let us honor with action\u2014 health care, financial support, & more.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal also spoke at the Voices 25th Anniversary NYC Symposium, Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future. This event brought together national and international experts who share their knowledge and foster conversations about lessons learned, preparedness and supporting those impacted by tragedy\u2014with programs specifically focusing on the 9/11 Community, including victims\u2019 families, responders, survivors, and our dedicated partners who serve them.\n\n\u201cProud to join Mary & Frank Fetchet at their Voices 25th Anniversary Symposium honoring the magnificent work they\u2019ve done in healing from tragedy, like their own loss in 9/11,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nCombatting the Trump Administration\u2019s Harmful Immigration Policies\n\nBlumenthal held a press conference after attending and observing Hartford Immigration Court on Tuesday.\n\nRecent reports indicate that Hartford Immigration Court is severely overcrowded due to increasing caseloads. Hearings previously would be scheduled for 15-30 people at a time but now are scheduled for 70 to 100 people. Additionally, reports suggest that the court\u2019s docket is chaotic and changes at the last minute. This has resulted in people missing their court hearings and having inadequate time to prepare.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Tuesday hearing to observe the court\u2019s operations and demand oversight and accountability if the proper legal processes are not being followed.\n\n\u201cOur immigration courts are in chaos\u2014intentionally. My visit today confirmed real life impacts of cuts in judges & staff, lack of notice & due process, no criminal record & often no attorney, among failings. Deporting, not justice, is the goal,\u201d wrote Blumenthal regarding his visit to Hartford Immigration Court, with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nAdditionally, Blumenthal wrote Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari seeking \u201ca formal investigation into the recent surge of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] arrests and activity in Connecticut.\u201d\n\nThe surge has focused on Danbury and nearby towns, where people have been targeted dropping their children off at school and going to work. \u201cIn one of the largest immigration operations in Connecticut history, ICE agents reportedly apprehended nearly 100 individuals \u2014 many of whom likely have legal status and no apparent serious criminal history \u2014 throughout the course of just one week in August,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\n\u201cIndividuals observed: an ICE agent kicking and tasing a man while other agents were on top of him, sending the man to the hospital; ICE agents breaking car windows; removing detainees in chains; blocking attorney access to detainees in Hartford; the deployment of masked agents to locations that children frequent in Danbury, including parks, an elementary school, and a daycare center; the detention of a father walking his child to a bus stop; and a threat by ICE agents to pepper spray a man detained in front of a preschool.\u201d\n\nLast week, Blumenthal wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and the Acting Director of ICE David Venturella requesting a meeting and demanding information about a dramatic increase in immigration enforcement activity in Connecticut. The full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Mullin and Venturella is available here.\n\nBlumenthal also hosted a public forum to receive testimony from the Danbury community about ICE\u2019s destructive and indiscriminate detentions. Blumenthal was joined by Mayor Roberto Alves; attorney Glenn Formica with the American Legal Immigrant Clinic; and members of Danbury United for Immigrants.\n\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Blumenthal has led an investigation into DHS\u2019s abuses. Over the last year, Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, have hosted four public forums on Capitol Hill as part of their ongoing inquiry into the lawless and abusive tactics used by federal immigration agents.\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Cuffari is available here.\n\nSlamming AI Bots Going Rogue\n\nBlumenthal demanded answers from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman after recent reporting from The New York Times revealed alarming new details about how the A.I. company\u2019s agents bypassed their safeguards to go rogue and hack into the firm Hugging Face. In a letter sent to Altman, Blumenthal sought records and information about the A.I. agents\u2019 rogue operations and raised concerns about OpenAI\u2019s reported steps to limit independent accountability.\n\n\u201cOn July 21, 2026, OpenAI first disclosed that its A.I. models were responsible for the previously-reported hacking of the firm Hugging Face. Since that announcement, further disclosures and outside audits have described an unprecedented\u2014and surreal\u2014scenario where its A.I. agents created their own internal messaging board to coordinate between themselves while they sought security vulnerabilities in other systems and companies, and opportunities to cheat on performance tests,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cMoreover, the A.I. agents displayed a concern about being caught and coordinated to evade being detected, even planning to \u2018sacrifice\u2019 themselves to act as a decoy to protect the broader effort. Ultimately, this operation sought\u2014and succeeded\u2014to break into other firms, which could be considered a federal crime.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal called out OpenAI for attempting to evade transparency and accountability by dictating the terms of an independent audit into the Hugging Face breach: \u201cWhile these disclosures alone are chilling, new reporting and research suggests that OpenAI may have limited an independent audit of the incident and that the rogue operation was broader than your firm has acknowledged.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal also raised concerns about new details that have emerged about how OpenAI\u2019s agents conducted the breach, including by hijacking public websites to coordinate rogue operations: \u201c[R]esearchers found that the A.I. agents may have attempted to impersonate the administrators of the site, found and shared hacks to bypass their guardrails, and used anonymity tools to hide their tracks. Others have found indications that still more websites were abused and co-opted for this rogue operation.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn the face of a stunning failure, OpenAI appears to be taking steps that prioritize the performance and profit of its A.I. models with the knowledge that those changes could be detrimental to public safety. This demonstrates the need for vigorous, mandatory independent auditing and oversight such as would be required in the Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nThe full text of the letter is available here.\n\nBlumenthal held a press conference in Hartford to amplify his letter to Altman, demanding swift safeguards for artificial intelligence following the reports that OpenAI\u2019s A.I. agents engaged in a sprawling and significant campaign to evade safeguards including hijacking websites to coordinate rogue operations.\n\nBlumenthal called for passage of his bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act, bipartisan legislation that creates a risk evaluation program within the Department of Energy (DOE) dedicated to vetting A.I. safety concerns related to Americans\u2019 national security, civil liberties, and labor protections. Specifically, the program would require developers of advanced AI systems to submit product information to the DOE before deploying their new technology and collect data on the likelihood of adverse A.I. incidents, such as loss-of-control scenarios like those seen in the Hugging Face breach.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s more urgent than ever, because we\u2019ve just learned about an ongoing immediate threat to public safety, national security, privacy, and civil liberties from rogue bots\u2014independent agents that have broken free from restriction and have invaded public websites, hacking into them, and then evading detection, purposefully coordinating their activities,\u201d said Blumenthal at the press conference. \u201cThese rogue agents are not controlled by humans. They are acting independently and on their own to deceive human beings, and then to continue their hacking, sometimes in fact strategizing for how to deceive human beings by sacrificing themselves individually as decoys. It is absolutely chilling. It sounds like it\u2019s science fiction, but it\u2019s real, it\u2019s serious, and it\u2019s an imminent present threat.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted the need for safeguards against A.I. agents on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s real, not science fiction. OpenAI\u2019s rogue bots threaten civil privacy, national security, & public safety. We need protections & safeguards\u2014like my Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act\u2014 against AI\u2019s perils,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal posted a Substack piece on his recent trip to Ukraine.\n\nBlumenthal slammed the Trump Administration\u2019s threats to mail-in voting.\n\nBlumenthal called for support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia\u2019s invasion\u2014slamming the Witkoff/Kushner visit to Moscow.\n\nBlumenthal called out the firing of the Stars & Stripes\u2019 editor-in-chief.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Goshen Fair.\n\nBlumenthal attended Lime Rock Historic Festival.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Bridgewater Tractor Parade.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Ukrainian Festival in Newtown.\n\nBlumenthal joined the Newtown Labor Day Parade.\n\nBlumenthal joined St. Barbara\u2019s 44th Annual Odyssey Festival.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-calls-on-dhs-inspector-general-to-investigate-ice-tactics-following-surge-targeting-connecticut-residents-at-schools-workplaces", "Blumenthal Calls on DHS Inspector General to Investigate ICE Tactics Following Surge Targeting Connecticut Residents at Schools, Workplaces", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari seeking \u201ca formal investigation into the recent surge of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)] arrests and activity in Connecticut.\u201d\n\nThe surge has focused on Danbury and nearby towns, where people have been targeted dropping their children off at school and going to work. \u201cIn one of the largest immigration operations in Connecticut history, ICE agents reportedly apprehended nearly 100 individuals \u2014 many of whom likely have legal status and no apparent serious criminal history \u2014 throughout the course of just one week in August,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\n\u201cIndividuals observed: an ICE agent kicking and tasing a man while other agents were on top of him, sending the man to the hospital; ICE agents breaking car windows; removing detainees in chains; blocking attorney access to detainees in Hartford; the deployment of masked agents to locations that children frequent in Danbury, including parks, an elementary school, and a daycare center; the detention of a father walking his child to a bus stop; and a threat by ICE agents to pepper spray a man detained in front of a preschool.\u201d\n\nEarlier this week, Blumenthal attended Hartford Immigration Court to observe the court\u2019s operations and demand oversight and accountability if the proper legal processes are not being followed.\n\nLast week, Blumenthal wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and the Acting Director of ICE David Venturella requesting a meeting and demanding information about a dramatic increase in immigration enforcement activity in Connecticut. The full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Mullin and Venturella is available here.\n\nBlumenthal also hosted a public forum to receive testimony from the Danbury community about ICE\u2019s destructive and indiscriminate detentions. Blumenthal was joined by Mayor Roberto Alves; attorney Glenn Formica with the American Legal Immigrant Clinic; and members of Danbury United for Immigrants.\n\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Blumenthal has led an investigation into DHS\u2019s abuses. Over the last year, Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, have hosted four public forums on Capitol Hill as part of their ongoing inquiry into the lawless and abusive tactics used by federal immigration agents.\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Cuffari is available here and copied below.\n\nDear Inspector General Cuffari,\n\nOver the past several months, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has engaged in increased enforcement activity in communities across the United States.[1] Two weeks ago, this surge came to Connecticut, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (\u201cICE\u201d) agents fanned out across towns in Connecticut, sowing fear, engaging in violent and threatening tactics, and detaining residents in the presence of their own children.[2] These troubling tactics follow similar reports from communities across the nation and come in the wake of two recent shooting deaths by immigration agents in Maine and Houston, Texas.[3] Given these troubling reports and the irreparable harm that DHS\u2019s actions are having on communities in our nation, I write to request that you initiate a formal investigation into the recent surge of ICE arrests and activity in Connecticut.\n\nIn one of the largest immigration operations in Connecticut history, ICE agents reportedly apprehended nearly 100 individuals \u2014 many of whom likely have legal status and no apparent serious criminal history \u2014 throughout the course of just one week in August.[4] Individuals observed: an ICE agent kicking and tasing a man while other agents were on top of him, sending the man to the hospital;[5] ICE agents breaking car windows; removing detainees in chains; blocking attorney access to detainees in Hartford;[6] the deployment of masked agents to locations that children frequent in Danbury, including parks, an elementary school, and a daycare center;[7] the detention of a father walking his child to a bus stop;[8] and a threat by ICE agents to pepper spray a man detained in front of a preschool.[9]\n\nNationwide reporting indicates that this surge in Connecticut follows similar increases in ICE enforcement across the country, which led to the arrests of nearly 50,000 individuals in July alone, the highest single monthly total since President Trump returned to office.[10] This summer, ICE has arrested more immigrants without a criminal conviction than at any other point during this administration.[11]\n\nThis surge in enforcement activity is especially concerning in the wake of reports regarding ICE\u2019s failure to properly vet new agents and officers who may be carrying out these enforcement operations. According to recent reporting, a whistleblower within DHS has raised serious concerns regarding the systemic breakdown of ICE\u2019s vetting of agents, abbreviated training programs, and the fast-tracking of unqualified candidates before they even pass basic fingerprint, identity, or credit checks.[12] These concerns closely mirror testimony that the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (\u201cPSI\u201d) heard earlier this year from a former ICE Academy instructor, who disclosed that ICE had drastically reduced its training requirements and testified that the ICE Basic Immigration Enforcement Training Program is \u201cdeficient, defective, and broken.\u201d[13]\n\nAs the deployment of ICE agents to communities across America continues to surge and place residents at risk \u2014 including deployments like those recently seen in Connecticut \u2014 I request that your office promptly initiate a full, fair, and impartial investigation into DHS\u2019s recent enforcement activity including:\n\nWhether DHS is currently employing a quota system or other metrics that dictate goals for daily or monthly arrests of immigrants that must be met.\n\nHow ICE is identifying and targeting individuals for arrest, and what steps it is taking, if any, to prioritize those with serious criminal backgrounds.\n\nWhether any of the enforcement operations in Connecticut were undertaken in sensitive locations or in other locations where children were either present or where children are known to frequent.\n\nWhether any of those detained during recent enforcement activities in Connecticut were U.S. Citizens or held any other legal status, and what steps agents took to ensure that those with legal status were not detained.\n\nWhether any detained individuals in Connecticut were injured during the course of ICE\u2019s operations.\n\nWhether DHS or ICE received any complaints, formal or otherwise, against ICE agents for use of force during operations in Connecticut or in any other state since January 1, 2026. To the extent that complaints have been lodged, please thoroughly investigate all allegations, as well as the extent to which DHS properly implemented any necessary punishment for misconduct.\n\nWhether ICE agents involved in operations were following protocol for the use of body cameras during enforcement operations in Connecticut.\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\n-30-\n\n[1] See Rebecca Santana et al., ICE Arrests Jumped to Nearly 50,000 in July, the Highest Monthly Total of Trump\u2019s Second Term, AP News (Aug. 25, 2026, at 15:37 ET), https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-customs-enforcement-data-statistics-f07f56a34bda225e5afa356781ac1740.\n\n[2] Kaitlin McCallum, Dozens Detained as ICE Hits Connecticut Cities: \u2018A Week of Terror\u2019, Hartford Courant (Aug. 29, 2026, at 05:00 ET), https://www.courant.com/2026/08/29/dozens-detained-as-ice-hits-connecticut-cities-a-week-of-terror/.\n\n[3] CJ Gardner & Helen Coster, ICE Agent Fatally Shoots Driver in Maine, Six Days After Similar Death in Texas, Reuters (July 13, 2026, at 09:31 ET), https://www.reuters.com/world/us/person-killed-ice-involved-shooting-maine-media-reports-2026-07-13/.\n\n[4] Katy Golvala, In Danbury, Sen. Blumenthal Hears \u2018Emotional\u2019 Accounts of ICE Operation, CT Mirror (Sep. 3, 2026, at 16:30 ET), https://ctmirror.org/2026/09/03/danbury-accounts-immigration-enforcement/; see also Joshua Eaton, ICE Reportedly Arrested Nearly 100 People Across Connecticut This Week: What We Know and Don\u2019t Know, CT Insider (Aug. 29, 2026), https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/ice-arrests-danbury-bridgeport-22408246.php.\n\n[5] Joshua Eaton, ICE Agent Uses Taser During Danbury Arrest, Sending Man to Hospital, CT Insider (Aug. 27, 2026), https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/danbury-ct-ice-arrests-chris-murphy-ned-lamont-22405935.php.\n\n[6] Golvala, supra note 4.\n\n[7] Ryan J. Foley & Russ Bynum, ICE Operation in Connecticut Highlights How Arrests Are Rising Even in Blue States, AP News, (Aug. 27, 2026, at 16:13 ET), https://apnews.com/article/dhs-ice-connecticut-danbury-arrests-immigration-d8695bbb883591669accaf266e8bb6a9.\n\n[8] Id.\n\n[9] Eaton, supra note 4.\n\n[10] See Santana et al., supra note 1; see also Rebecca Beitsch, Trump Administration Expands Mass Deportations with Noncriminals, The Hill (Sep. 6, 2026, at 17:00 ET), https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6072318-ice-arrests-surge-non-criminals/.\n\n[11] Id.\n\n[12] Alexandra Berzon, Katie Benner & Hamed Aleaziz, ICE Skipped Basic Checks in Rush for Recruits, Whistle-Blower Says, NY Times (Sep. 3, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/03/us/ice-recruits-national-security-risk-whistleblower.html.\n\n[13] Our Values at Stake (Part III): Terrorizing Communities Without Warrants and No Restraint: Public Forum Before the S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations and H. Comm. on Oversight and Gov\u2019t Reform, 119th Cong. (2026) (testimony of Ryan Schwank), https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-robert-garcia-receive-testimony-about-ice-abuses-from-whistleblower-us-citizen-whose-rights-were-violated_former-top-lawyer-at-dhs.", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-demands-answers-from-sam-altman-after-new-reporting-reveals-how-ai-agents-went-rogue-to-conduct-major-cyber-breach-and-conceal-their-operations", "Blumenthal Demands Answers from Sam Altman After New Reporting Reveals how AI agents Went Rogue to Conduct Major Cyber Breach & Conceal Their Operations", "2026-09-09", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today demanded answers from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman after recent reporting from The New York Times revealed alarming new details about how the A.I. company\u2019s agents bypassed their safeguards to go rogue and hack into the firm Hugging Face. In a letter sent today to Altman, Blumenthal sought records and information about the A.I. agents\u2019 rogue operations and raised concerns about OpenAI\u2019s reported steps to limit independent accountability.\n\n\u201cOn July 21, 2026, OpenAI first disclosed that its A.I. models were responsible for the previously-reported hacking of the firm Hugging Face. Since that announcement, further disclosures and outside audits have described an unprecedented\u2014and surreal\u2014scenario where its A.I. agents created their own internal messaging board to coordinate between themselves while they sought security vulnerabilities in other systems and companies, and opportunities to cheat on performance tests,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cMoreover, the A.I. agents displayed a concern about being caught and coordinated to evade being detected, even planning to \u2018sacrifice\u2019 themselves to act as a decoy to protect the broader effort. Ultimately, this operation sought\u2014and succeeded\u2014to break into other firms, which could be considered a federal crime.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal called out OpenAI for attempting to evade transparency and accountability by dictating the terms of an independent audit into the Hugging Face breach: \u201cWhile these disclosures alone are chilling, new reporting and research suggests that OpenAI may have limited an independent audit of the incident and that the rogue operation was broader than your firm has acknowledged.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal also raised concerns about new details that have emerged about how OpenAI\u2019s agents conducted the breach, including by hijacking public websites to coordinate rogue operations: \u201c[R]esearchers found that the A.I. agents may have attempted to impersonate the administrators of the site, found and shared hacks to bypass their guardrails, and used anonymity tools to hide their tracks. Others have found indications that still more websites were abused and co-opted for this rogue operation.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn the face of a stunning failure, OpenAI appears to be taking steps that prioritize the performance and profit of its A.I. models with the knowledge that those changes could be detrimental to public safety. This demonstrates the need for vigorous, mandatory independent auditing and oversight such as would be required in the Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nLast year, Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced the Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act, which creates a risk evaluation program within the Department of Energy (DOE) dedicated to tracking A.I. safety concerns related to Americans\u2019 national security, civil liberties, and labor protections. Specifically, the program would require developers of advanced AI systems to submit product information to the DOE before deploying their new technology and collect data on the likelihood of adverse A.I. incidents, such as loss-of-control scenarios like those seen in the Hugging Face breach.\n\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Mr. Altman,\n\nI write with serious alarm regarding new evidence that OpenAI\u2019s A.I. agents engaged in a more sprawling and significant campaign to evade its safeguards and monitoring than previously disclosed, including hijacking public websites to coordinate rogue operations. I am additionally troubled by reports that OpenAI restricted independent auditing of these failures and has made changes that have resulted in its newest model, GPT-6 Astra, being even less auditable and more prone to deception.\n\nOn July 21, 2026, OpenAI first disclosed that its A.I. models were responsible for the previously-reported hacking of the firm Hugging Face. Since that announcement, further disclosures and outside audits have described an unprecedented\u2014and surreal\u2014scenario where its A.I. agents created their own internal messaging board to coordinate between themselves while they sought security vulnerabilities in other systems and companies, and opportunities to cheat on performance tests. Moreover, the A.I. agents displayed a concern about being caught and coordinated to evade being detected, even planning to \u201csacrifice\u201d themselves to act as a decoy to protect the broader effort.[1] Ultimately, this operation sought\u2014and succeeded\u2014 to break into other firms, which could be considered a federal crime.\n\nWhile these disclosures alone are chilling, new reporting and research suggests that OpenAI may have limited an independent audit of the incident and that the rogue operation was broader than your firm has acknowledged. First, while OpenAI provided information to the independent auditing organizations METR and Redwood, according to The New York Times, your firm dictated the terms of the audit, allowing only data on a single week of the rogue operation and limiting other access.[2] Subsequently, researchers discovered nearly 20,000 posts on an abandoned German website from A.I. agents identifying themselves as OpenAI, hijacking the site to communicate with each other for weeks.[3] As troubling, these researchers found that the A.I. agents may have attempted to impersonate the administrators of the site, found and shared hacks to bypass their guardrails, and used anonymity tools to hide their tracks. Others have found indications that still more websites were abused and co-opted for this rogue operation.[4]\n\nDespite this unprecedented failure of safeguards and containment of its A.I. agents, when OpenAI launched GPT-6 Astra on September 3rd, it disclosed that this new, more powerful model was \u201cless monitorable\u201d and showed signs that it concealed its internal thought process when it was aware of being monitored.[5] Moreover, safety researchers, including those OpenAI relied on for its Hugging Face investigation, have warned that technical changes with Astra (related to \u2018chain of thought\u2019) could make it harder to detect abuse and perform the same investigations in the future.[6] In the face a stunning failure, OpenAI appears to be taking steps that prioritize the performance and profit of its A.I. models with the knowledge that those changes could be detrimental to public safety. This demonstrates the need for vigorous, mandatory independent auditing and oversight such as would be required in my Artificial Intelligence Risk Evaluation Act.\n\nGiven stunning reports of OpenAI\u2019s A.I. agents going rogue and your firm taking steps to limit independent accountability, I request answers to the following questions by September 24, 2026:\n\nAccording to Time Magazine, an OpenAI staffer stated \u201cexternally, this feels like a big warning shot, but internally, related incidents have been happening for a while.\u201d Provide a list and description of all incidents where OpenAI\u2019s A.I. agents escaped containment and engaged in unauthorized activities, including hacking or self-coordination.\n\nProvide a list of all websites and other channels used by OpenAI\u2019s agents to coordinate and circumvent its guardrails. Additionally, describe how OpenAI failed to notice that its agents had posted nearly 20,000 covert messages on public websites over the course of several weeks.\n\nDid OpenAI restrict access to any information for METR and Redwood\u2019s independent audit regarding its A.I. agents\u2019 rogue activities and circumvention of safeguards?\n\nWhy did OpenAI only provide a limited time period of data, did it deny METR and Redwood any information requested, and did it provide data regarding the German site hijacking and other efforts by its agents to coordinate and circumvent monitoring?\n\nWere METR and Redwood given unrestricted access to the orchestration and prompt logs involved for the whole duration of the rogue operation? If not, why not?\n\nWhat steps has OpenAI taken to assess whether technical changes to Astra (including \u201copaque recurrence\u201d and \u201crecurrent depth\u201d) will impact oversight and record-keeping about the actions and reasoning of its A.I. agents?\n\nOpenAI has acknowledged that Astra will be less monitorable and more prone to attempting to evade monitoring. Why did it deploy a model knowing that it was more capable of evading accountability weeks after its A.I. agents were caught in a rogue operation to evade safeguards and hack other firms?\n\nThe researchers investigating the hijacking of the German website suggest that OpenAI became aware of this by June and took steps to cut off access. When did OpenAI become aware that its A.I. agents may have used other sites for coordination and why were these incidents not disclosed?\n\nOpenAI created a Safety and Security Committee with the public mandate of making recommendations to its Board of Directors on critical safety and security decisions.\n\nWhen was the Committee informed about these breaches and what role has it had in overseeing the investigation and work with independent auditors?\n\nHave there been any recommendations made by the Committee to the Board or company that have not implemented or have been rejected? If so, provide those recommendations.\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-10T09:25:58Z", "2026-09-10T09:27:09Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-8/28/2026-9/4/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 8/28/2026-9/4/2026", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Condemning ICE\u2019s Abuse of Power & Harmful Tactics in Connecticut\n\n[Hartford, CT] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, held a public forum to receive testimony from the Danbury community about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)\u2019s destructive and indiscriminate detentions last week. Prior to the forum, Blumenthal and Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves walked through downtown Danbury meeting with city residents and businessowners whose family members were detained by ICE. Blumenthal also joined a rally Wednesday evening to stand in solidarity with the Danbury community as they grapple with the escalating ICE activity in their community.\n\n\u201cThe stories I heard in Danbury about ICE\u2019s abuses were gripping & heartbreaking. I will be fighting to hold ICE accountable & ensure justice for detainees & their families,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Blumenthal has led an investigation into DHS\u2019s abuses. Blumenthal\u2019s forum in Danbury on Thursday follows four public forums hosted by Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, as part of their ongoing inquiry into the lawless and abusive tactics used by federal immigration agents:\n\nIn March, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum to receive public testimony from young people, mothers, and a school administrator about DHS\u2019s reckless disregard for the safety of children. Prior to the forum, Blumenthal and Garcia released a report entitled \u201cCruelty is the Point: How Trump\u2019s Immigration Agenda Endangers Children,\u201d which documented 128 children who have been injured left unattended or otherwise put at direct risk of harm as a result of operations by DHS personnel.\n\nIn February, Blumenthal and Garica hosted a public forum on constitutional violations and abuses by ICE. The forum featured testimony from Ryan Schwank, a whistleblower who spoke publicly for the first time about his experience as an Instructor for the incoming \u201csurge\u201d of new ICE recruits at the ICE Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (\u201cFLETC\u201d) in Glynco, Georgia. Teyana Gibson Brown, a U.S. citizen and resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota, also testified about ICE agents forcefully entering her home without a judicial warrant, breaking down her door and pointing guns at her family. Stevan Bunnell, the General Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2017, testified as well.\n\nAlso in February, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum to receive testimony on the violent tactics and disproportionate use of force by DHS agents. The forum featured testimony from Brent and Luke Ganger, brothers of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, and Antonio Romanucci, the attorney representing their family; Marimar Martinez, Aliya Rahman, and Martin Daniel Rascon, all of whom were violently assaulted by DHS agents; and Seth Stoughton, a former police officer and Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law.\n\nIn December, Blumenthal and Garcia received testimony from five U.S. citizens who were assaulted, detained, and denied their constitutional rights by DHS agents. The forum featured testimony from Americans across the country: Wilmer Chavarria, from Vermont; Dayanne Figueroa, from Illinois; Javier Ramirez, from California; George Retes, from California; and Andrea Velez, from California.\n\nBlumenthal also wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and the Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) David Venturella requesting a meeting and demanding information about a dramatic increase in immigration enforcement activity in Connecticut over the last several weeks. The surge has focused on Danbury and nearby towns, where people have been targeted dropping their children off at school and going to work.\n\n\u201cOver the past week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (\u201cICE\u201d) agents have sown fear and panic among parents, children, and workers as they detained scores of people in Danbury and other towns in Connecticut. What should have been a time of excitement and community as children in Connecticut return to school has quickly turned into a time of genuine terror,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\n\u201cICE\u2019s actions in Connecticut showcased cruelty and brutality, as well as disregard for the safety and well-being of community members, especially children. They fostered an environment of fear that will undoubtedly impact school attendance rates and the emotional health of students, generally.\u201d\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter is available here.\n\nOn Twitter/X, Blumenthal further slammed the harmful tactics used by ICE agents in Danbury and in communities across the country.\n\n\u201cCruelty is the point. ICE\u2019s goal is to sow fear in communities like Danbury. While we push for reforms in Congress, we\u2019ll support efforts to fight for justice owed to people detained,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nDemanding Answers About Trump\u2019s Executive Order Restricting Mail-In Voting\n\nAfter receiving information from a whistleblower, Blumenthal wrote Postmaster General David Steiner demanding answers and documents about the United States Postal Service\u2019s (USPS) rushed and potentially unlawful implementation of President Trump\u2019s Executive Order seeking to restrict mail-in voting.\n\n\u201cThis brave whistleblower has come forward with disturbing details about USPS\u2019 seemingly illegal plot to interfere in November\u2019s midterms,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cTheir system is set up to fail \u2013 and risk the right to vote for millions of Americans who cast their ballots by mail. Given this new information, such sloppiness and haste seems clearly part of a purposeful attempt to create chaos and prevent people from voting. I am demanding answers and accountability.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe crown jewel of American democracy\u2014our historic record of free and fair elections\u2014deserves better than this reckless, slapdash effort,\u201d said David Kligerman, Senior Vice President and Special Counsel at WhistleblowerAid.org, which represents the anonymous whistleblower. \u201cGiven this administration\u2019s record on curtailing voting rights, these glaring issues in the ballot mail program raise a troubling question: are these bugs\u2014or features? Now that these malignant flaws have been exposed by a brave whistleblower, the administration can choose to fix this dangerously haphazard program or barrel ahead toward a wholly preventable electoral disaster.\u201d\n\nAn anonymous whistleblower disclosure provided to Blumenthal includes new details about USPS\u2019s attempts to build an online system, known as \u201cthe Portal,\u201d and accompanying IT which will be used to screen ballots submitted by state election officials prior to USPS agreeing to mail them to voters. According to this whistleblower, USPS began work on the Portal a mere three-and-a-half months before it was meant to be deployed and has not put it through the standard testing an online system and its related IT like this typically requires. USPS has also reportedly implemented an impracticable zero percent failure rate that could result in a massive number of rejected ballots with no opportunity for appeal.\n\nIn April, Blumenthal joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) in introducing the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act (Absentee MVP Act), which would block President Trump\u2019s illegal and unconstitutional executive order attacking mail and absentee ballots and protect the right to vote by mail.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s letter to Postmaster General Steiner, which includes the whistleblower\u2019s disclosure, is available here.\n\nOn Twitter/X, Blumenthal reacted to the USPS\u2019s statement on the development of a U.S. Federal Ballot Mail Portal.\n\n\u201cAbsolutely nothing in the Postal Service\u2019s statement denies or contradicts the deeply disturbing details of the whistleblower\u2019s disclosure. Most importantly, it does nothing to directly address the fears of voters that USPS will refuse to deliver their ballots based on the output of a shoddy computer system they started building four months ago. \u2018Just trust us\u2019 is not acceptable. The Postal Service stated their commitment to transparency & accountability so I look forward to their detailed response to my specific questions & production of documents,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nSlamming FanDuel for Misleading Response to Inquiry About Promo Video Targeting Gambling Addict\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Representatives Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) demanded answers after FanDuel refused to adequately respond to the lawmakers\u2019 questions about disturbing reports that the sportsbook repeatedly targeted problem gamblers with predatory perks to keep them trapped in their addiction, including with a personal message from Philadelphia Phillies first baseman, Bryce Harper. Last month, the lawmakers wrote to FanDuel, Major League Baseball (MLB), and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) demanding answers about the policies that enabled this predatory promotion.\n\nIn a follow-up letter sent to FanDuel Chief Executive Officer Christian Genetski, the lawmakers called out the sportsbook for providing \u201cmisleading and incomplete\u201d responses to their initial inquiry and for failing to adequately address its exploitative VIP services and perks.\n\n\u201cWe remain unconvinced that FanDuel is making an active effort to protect bettors from harmful gambling and instead appears to be promoting addiction. We demand real answers to our previous letter and for FanDuel to explain this complete failure to respond to significant matters of public interest,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cIn its August 14th response, FanDuel failed to answer our questions about the specific steps taken to vet and monitor VIP activities, the extent to which VIP managers have encouraged problem gambling with other customers (including such videos), and any changes that it will make to its VIP program after this indefensible conduct.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cMoreover, in its response, FanDuel fails to demonstrate any commitment to its customers\u2019 well-being through any meaningful limitations on exploitative and dangerous marketing and business practice. FanDuel also boasts of its work with state regulators to meet requirements for licensed sportsbooks and other state laws on gambling yet fails to mention how its prediction markets app, FanDuel Predicts, undermines the integrity of\u2014if not bypasses\u2014those very regulations. FanDuel\u2019s so-called \u2018commitment\u2019 to its customers rings especially hollow when it is pushing out harmful and addictive features such as VIP perks, constant push notifications, and personalized promotions.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the lawmakers\u2019 letter is available here. FanDuel\u2019s August 14 response to the lawmakers is available here. The lawmakers\u2019 initial letters to FanDuel, MLB, and MLBPA are available here.\n\nOn Twitter/X, Blumenthal highlighted his letter and further slammed FanDuel for its targeting of gambling addicts.\n\n\u201cFanDuel preyed on problem gamblers, now it\u2019s attempting to dodge Congressional accountability. I won\u2019t stop demanding answers until FanDuel comes clean,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nUrging Support for Kidnapped Ukrainian Children\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) along with U.S. Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) wrote Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to move quickly in awarding $25 million the State Department has made available to \u201csupport the identification, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories.\u201d\n\nAlthough the funding was announced in March, it has not yet been distributed. An estimated 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia or areas in Ukraine occupied by Russia.\n\n\u201cWhile we understand the need for rigorous review, thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children remain separated from their families, and every delay extends the pain and suffering they and their families have already endured,\u201d the members wrote.\n\nThe full text of the bipartisan, bicameral letter is available here.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal slammed Hegseth\u2019s purges at the Department of Defense.\n\nBlumenthal highlighted his GRID Act to ensure Big Tech and its partners bear the costs as data centers expand.\n\nBlumenthal slammed the Trump family investing in Polymarket while the CFTC sues states for regulating it.\n\nBlumenthal celebrated Tweed Airport\u2019s 95th birthday.\n\nBlumenthal marked 110 years of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in Guilford.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Annual CT United Ride.\n\nBlumenthal attended the annual Terryville Lions Country Fair.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Brooklyn Fair.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-7-democrats-call-on-security-council-to-pass-sanctions-on-sudan-to-cut-off-conflict-cash-flows", "Murphy, 7 Democrats Call On Security Council to Pass Sanctions on Sudan to Cut Off Conflict Cash Flows", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Friday led seven of his colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz calling for the U.S. to push to pass additional sanctions measures in Sudan that would limit the flow of funds to the warring parties driving the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. Murphy specifically advocated for international prohibitions on the sale of precursor chemicals utilized in certain types of gold extraction and development of due diligence guidelines for the procurement of gum arabic, a natural resource frequently smuggled by belligerents to finance their operations. Murphy also called for increasing transparency in reporting by the Security Council\u2019s Sudan Panel of Experts to explicitly identity countries that have circumvented international restrictions to provide weapons and financial support to the warring factions in Sudan. Exploitation of natural resources such as gold and gum arabic is a prominent source of income and foreign currency for both sides of the devastating war in Sudan, which has driven over half of the country\u2019s population into severe hunger and displaced over 14 million people.\n\n\u201cAny resolution put forward to renew sanctions pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1591 (2005) should also prohibit the export or transfer of precursor chemicals used in Sudan\u2019s artisanal mining industry, target the illicit sale of Sudanese gum arabic (also known as acacia gum), and improve reporting by the Panel of Experts to explicitly identify arms embargo violations and the parties responsible,\u201d said Murphy.\n\nMurphy argued ordinary sanctions on gold are not enough to disrupt the economic engine of the war: \u201cRestrictions meant to disrupt transactions at the point of sale must be combined with a coordinated effort to restrict access to the precursor chemicals that enable unregulated gold extraction in the first place. This is especially critical to curtail other sources of profit tied to the gold sector but outside material sales, such as informal taxation schemes, security fees, and transportation fees levied against mining firms in RSF-held territory.\u201d\n\nHe explained why a ban on the transfer or sale of precursor chemical would severely disrupt the illicit gold market: \u201cArtisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations account for approximately 80-90% of Sudan\u2019s gold production. ASGM mining employs various methods of extraction, but it typically relies on mercury and sodium cyanide as relatively cheap and simple chemicals to easily find and process gold particles\u2026 According to a 2025 report, most of these precursor chemicals are imported from China, the United Arab Emirates, and some European Union (EU) nations\u2026 the diverse supply chain necessitates a more comprehensive prohibition to eliminate the transfer of mercury and sodium cyanide to ASGM miners. Adoption of an export ban on mercury and sodium cyanide as part of the Security Council\u2019s Sudan sanctions regime, with appropriate exceptions for humanitarian purposes, would help sever the link between the gold sector and the ongoing conflict.\u201d\n\nMurphy called for new measures to undercut funding streams tied to gum arabic: \u201cGold is not the only natural resource being exploited to fund the war\u2026 revenue tied to gum arabic production is small relative to gold, but profits from its sale and control over of trade networks now help sustain the conflict\u2026 the RSF has engaged in looting and extortion to exert control over trade routes and border crossings, leveraging the proceeds to bankroll their side of the war. Cross-border smuggling and re-labelling of Sudanese gum arabic to avoid heightened scrutiny about sourcing is also pervasive in neighboring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt. As the Security Council has done in response to other conflicts where natural resource exploitation has contributed to instability, it should mandate the Panel of Experts to develop due diligence guidelines to improve gum arabic procurement practices, prevent smuggled products from entering the supply chain, and avoid inadvertently enriching the belligerents.\u201d\n\nMurphy also advocated for the adoption of an aggressive reporting regime, including naming and shaming third-party countries who are fueling the violence in Sudan: \u201cWe encourage the U.S. to ensure the Panel of Experts\u2019 extended mandate requires annual reporting that includes explicit documentation of all violations of the arms embargo and the parties responsible. Given the outsized role that external actors play in shaping the war, the Panel must improve transparency about the transfer of arms and financial support to the warring parties, including engagement with illicit gold smugglers. Reporting by other UN-sanctioned panels, including the Panel of Experts on Libya, demonstrate a level of naming and shaming that the Sudan panel should strive for. Countries who blatantly circumvent the arms embargo and other UN restrictions to prolong the conflict cannot be permitted to continue hiding their role and must be publicly held to account for their actions.\u201d\n\nIn conclusion, Murphy stressed the UN\u2019s current approach has proven incapable of ending the conflict and new strategies must be pursued: \u201cThe war in Sudan is now into its fourth year. A straight renewal of the UN Security Council Resolution on Sudan that maintains the status quo will not bring an end to the unimaginable violence and devastation that has affected millions of Sudanese. The international community should urgently adapt its strategy to creatively deploy the entire range of tools at its disposal. Coordinated, comprehensive measures to increase the pressure on the economic engine of the war, particularly on natural resources supply chains, can raise the cost of the war, making it too costly and burdensome to continue.\u201d\n\nU.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also joined the letter.\n\nA copy of the letter is available here. A full transcript of the letter is available below.\n\nDear Ambassador Waltz,\n\nAs the United Nations (UN) Security Council considers the renewal and possible expansion of the Sudan sanctions regime, we write to request that the U.S. Mission put forth additional measures that would target key funding sources actively enabling the horrific violence in Sudan. The recent proposal from U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos to expand the scope of the Darfur arms embargo to the entirety of the country is encouraging. We also appreciate his recognition that external financial support to all parties remains a driver of conflict and agree that the UN has the tools to address these issues. We therefore urge the U.S. Mission to engage accordingly and advocate for the passage of additional provisions to eliminate financial channels that belligerents depend on to perpetuate the conflict.\n\nSpecifically, any resolution put forward to renew sanctions pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1591 (2005) should also prohibit the export or transfer of precursor chemicals used in Sudan\u2019s artisanal mining industry, target the illicit sale of Sudanese gum arabic (also known as acacia gum), and improve reporting by the Panel of Experts to explicitly identify arms embargo violations and the parties responsible.\n\nGold is widely considered the most significant source of income and foreign currency for both sides of Sudan\u2019s war, which use the proceeds to purchase weapons and compensate personnel. The Treasury Department has previously targeted operatives in the RSF\u2019s financial network that facilitate the sale of gold, recognizing the role that the sector plays in funneling cash to the militia group. However, restrictions meant to disrupt transactions at the point of sale must be combined with a coordinated effort to restrict access to the precursor chemicals that enable unregulated gold extraction in the first place. This is especially critical to curtail other sources of profit tied to the gold sector but outside material sales, such as informal taxation schemes, security fees, and transportation fees levied against mining firms in RSF-held territory.\n\nAlthough it is difficult to determine precise figures because a substantial amount of Sudan\u2019s gold is smuggled out of the country and gold production in RSF-controlled territory is not reported, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations account for approximately 80-90% of Sudan\u2019s gold production. ASGM mining employs various methods of extraction, but it typically relies on mercury and sodium cyanide as relatively cheap and simple chemicals to easily find and process gold particles. In addition to the chemicals\u2019 vital role in the wartime economy, numerous studies have found prolonged exposure can lead to severe health complications and is harmful to the local environment. According to a 2025 report, most of these precursor chemicals are imported from China, the United Arab Emirates, and some European Union (EU) nations. While the EU recently unveiled a suite of regulations restricting the sale of precursor chemicals to Sudan, the diverse supply chain necessitates a more comprehensive prohibition to eliminate the transfer of mercury and sodium cyanide to ASGM miners. Adoption of an export ban on mercury and sodium cyanide as part of the Security Council\u2019s Sudan sanctions regime, with appropriate exceptions for humanitarian purposes, would help sever the link between the gold sector and the ongoing conflict.\n\nGold is not the only natural resource being exploited to fund the war. As documented by the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, revenue tied to gum arabic production is small relative to gold, but profits from its sale and control over of trade networks now help sustain the conflict. Sudan was one of the world\u2019s largest exporters of gum arabic prior to 2023, but widespread disruption to the industry has caused output to plummet and its value to skyrocket. Consequently, the RSF has engaged in looting and extortion to exert control over trade routes and border crossings, leveraging the proceeds to bankroll their side of the war. Cross-border smuggling and re-labelling of Sudanese gum arabic to avoid heightened scrutiny about sourcing is also pervasive in neighboring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt. As the Security Council has done in response to other conflicts where natural resource exploitation has contributed to instability, it should mandate the Panel of Experts to develop due diligence guidelines to improve gum arabic procurement practices, prevent smuggled products from entering the supply chain, and avoid inadvertently enriching the belligerents.\n\nFinally, we encourage the U.S. to ensure the Panel of Experts\u2019 extended mandate requires annual reporting that includes explicit documentation of all violations of the arms embargo and the parties responsible. Given the outsized role that external actors play in shaping the war, the Panel must improve transparency about the transfer of arms and financial support to the warring parties, including engagement with illicit gold smugglers. Reporting by other UN-sanctioned panels, including the Panel of Experts on Libya, demonstrate a level of naming and shaming that the Sudan panel should strive for. Countries who blatantly circumvent the arms embargo and other UN restrictions to prolong the conflict cannot be permitted to continue hiding their role and must be publicly held to account for their actions.\n\nThe war in Sudan is now into its fourth year. A straight renewal of the UN Security Council Resolution on Sudan that maintains the status quo will not bring an end to the unimaginable violence and devastation that has affected millions of Sudanese. The international community should urgently adapt its strategy to creatively deploy the entire range of tools at its disposal. Coordinated, comprehensive measures to increase the pressure on the economic engine of the war, particularly on natural resources supply chains, can raise the cost of the war, making it too costly and burdensome to continue. In the coming weeks, we hope that you and your team at USUN will consider incorporating these solutions into any forthcoming resolution to provide for the continuation and possible expansion of the Sudan sanctions measures.\n\nThank you for your consideration.", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-tillis-kaptur-and-fitzpatrick-urge-state-department-to-distribute-funding-to-organizations-assisting-kidnapped-ukrainian-children", "Blumenthal, Tillis, Kaptur, & Fitzpatrick Urge State Department to Distribute Funding to Organizations Assisting Kidnapped Ukrainian Children", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) and U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) wrote Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to move quickly in awarding $25 million the State Department has made available to \u201csupport the identification, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories.\u201d\n\nAlthough the funding was announced in March, it has not yet been distributed. An estimated 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia or areas in Ukraine occupied by Russia.\n\n\u201cWhile we understand the need for rigorous review, thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children remain separated from their families, and every delay extends the pain and suffering they and their families have already endured,\u201d the members wrote.\n\nThe full text of the bipartisan, bicameral letter is available here and copied below.\n\nDear Secretary Rubio,\n\nWe write regarding the Department of State\u2019s commitment of $25 million to support the identification, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia and Russian-occupied territories. We welcome the Department\u2019s efforts and urge you to move expeditiously to award these funds.\n\nThe Department announced available funding opportunities in March 2026. Since then, we have heard directly from organizations working to locate and return Ukrainian children about the continued delay in awarding these funds and the impact it is having on their critical work.\n\nWhile we understand the need for rigorous review, thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children remain separated from their families, and every delay extends the pain and suffering they and their families have already endured.\n\nWe therefore respectfully urge the Department to promptly complete its review and award the full $25 million already committed to this important work. Please also provide an update on the anticipated timeline for announcing these awards. Know that Congress stands ready to assist your efforts should you require additional authorities to complete this task.\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter and your continued commitment to helping bring Ukraine\u2019s stolen children home.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-tonko-and-foushee-slam-fanduel-for-misleading_incomplete-response-to-inquiry-about-promo-video-targeting-gambling-addict", "Blumenthal, Tonko, & Foushee Slam FanDuel for Misleading & Incomplete Response to Inquiry About Promo VIdeo Targeting Gambling Addict", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) today demanded answers after FanDuel refused to adequately respond to the lawmakers\u2019 questions about disturbing reports that the sportsbook repeatedly targeted problem gamblers with predatory perks to keep them trapped in their addiction, including with a personal message from Philadelphia Phillies first baseman, Bryce Harper. Last month, the lawmakers wrote to FanDuel, Major League Baseball (MLB), and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) demanding answers about the policies that enabled this predatory promotion.\n\nIn a follow-up letter sent today to FanDuel Chief Executive Officer Christian Genetski, the lawmakers called out the sportsbook for providing \u201cmisleading and incomplete\u201d responses to their initial inquiry and for failing to adequately address its exploitative VIP services and perks.\n\n\u201cWe remain unconvinced that FanDuel is making an active effort to protect bettors from harmful gambling and instead appears to be promoting addiction. We demand real answers to our previous letter and for FanDuel to explain this complete failure to respond to significant matters of public interest,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cIn its August 14th response, FanDuel failed to answer our questions about the specific steps taken to vet and monitor VIP activities, the extent to which VIP managers have encouraged problem gambling with other customers (including such videos), and any changes that it will make to its VIP program after this indefensible conduct.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cMoreover, in its response, FanDuel fails to demonstrate any commitment to its customers\u2019 well-being through any meaningful limitations on exploitative and dangerous marketing and business practice. FanDuel also boasts of its work with state regulators to meet requirements for licensed sportsbooks and other state laws on gambling yet fails to mention how its prediction markets app, FanDuel Predicts, undermines the integrity of\u2014if not bypasses\u2014those very regulations. FanDuel\u2019s so-called \u2018commitment\u2019 to its customers rings especially hollow when it is pushing out harmful and addictive features such as VIP perks, constant push notifications, and personalized promotions.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the lawmakers\u2019 letter is available here and below. FanDuel\u2019s August 14 response to the lawmakers is available here. The lawmakers\u2019 initial letters to FanDuel, MLB, and MLBPA are available here.\n\nDear Mr. Genetski,\n\nWe write regarding FanDuel\u2019s failure to substantively answer our Congressional inquiry, and its misleading and incomplete responses regarding its exploitative VIP services and perks. We remain unconvinced that FanDuel is making an active effort to protect bettors from harmful gambling and instead appears to be promoting addiction. We demand real answers to our previous letter and for FanDuel to explain this complete failure to respond to significant matters of public interest.\n\nOn August 10, 2026, we wrote to FanDuel after reports that a VIP manager had repeatedly targeted a problem gambler with predatory perks to keep him trapped in his addiction, including a personal message from Bryce Harper. In its August 14th response, FanDuel failed to answer our questions about the specific steps taken to vet and monitor VIP activities, the extent to which VIP managers have encouraged problem gambling with other customers (including such videos), and any changes that it will make to its VIP program after this indefensible conduct.\n\nMoreover, in its response, FanDuel fails to demonstrate any commitment to its customers\u2019 well-being through any meaningful limitations on exploitative and dangerous marketing and business practice. FanDuel also boasts of its work with state regulators to meet requirements for licensed sportsbooks and other state laws on gambling yet fails to mention how its prediction markets app, FanDuel Predicts, undermines the integrity of\u2014if not bypasses\u2014those very regulations. FanDuel\u2019s so-called \u201ccommitment\u201d to its customers rings especially hollow when it is pushing out harmful and addictive features such as VIP perks, constant push notifications, and personalized promotions.\n\nIf FanDuel truly cared about its customers, it would be transparent to Congress about its business practices and put an end to these exploitative tactics. In light of FanDuel\u2019s inadequate response, we demand that you provide a written response to the questions listed in our previous letter, no later than September 17th, 2026.\n\nWhat measures does FanDuel take to absolutely ensure that bettors are not suffering from financial hardships or a gambling addiction prior to enticing further gambling?\n\nWhat steps has FanDuel taken to monitor interactions between managers and VIPs to ensure that managers are not offering predatory offers to problem gamblers?\n\nHow many VIP bettors have attempted to cut back their betting activity or close their accounts but were instead offered exclusive perks or offers? How many decided to keep betting after such offers?\n\nDoes FanDuel ever target VIP promotions and perks to bettors who are on a losing streak or appear to be cutting back on wagering?\n\nHow many times have VIP managers sent videos from players or other celebrities to a member in order to keep them engaged in gambling on the platform, and were those players made aware of the purpose of those videos?\n\nDoes FanDuel ever coach or train its VIP managers to develop personal relationships with their clients in order to encourage more gambling?\n\nWhat specific factors does FanDuel consider when identifying \u201cpotentially problematic behaviors\u201d and why has this allowed FanDuel to use its VIP program to encourage destructive gambling?\n\nIn light of the clear dangers posed by FanDuel\u2019s VIP program to problem gamblers, will FanDuel suspend or terminate this program?\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-05T08:49:07Z", "2026-09-05T08:50:44Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-blasts-ice-tactics-demands-accountability-from-dhs-after-surge-targeting-connecticut-residents-at-schools-workplaces", "Blumenthal Blasts ICE Tactics; Demands Accountability from DHS After Surge Targeting Connecticut Residents at Schools, Workplaces", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and the Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) David Venturella requesting a meeting and demanding information about a dramatic increase in immigration enforcement activity in Connecticut over the last several weeks. The surge has focused on Danbury and nearby towns, where people have been targeted dropping their children off at school and going to work.\n\n\u201cOver the past week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (\u201cICE\u201d) agents have sown fear and panic among parents, children, and workers as they detained scores of people in Danbury and other towns in Connecticut. What should have been a time of excitement and community as children in Connecticut return to school has quickly turned into a time of genuine terror,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\n\u201cICE\u2019s actions in Connecticut showcased cruelty and brutality, as well as disregard for the safety and well-being of community members, especially children. They fostered an environment of fear that will undoubtedly impact school attendance rates and the emotional health of students, generally.\u201d\n\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Blumenthal has led an investigation into DHS\u2019s abuses. Over the last year, Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, have hosted four public forums as part of their ongoing inquiry into the lawless and abusive tactics used by federal immigration agents:\n\nIn March, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum to receive public testimony from young people, mothers, and a school administrator about DHS\u2019s reckless disregard for the safety of children. Prior to the forum, Blumenthal and Garcia released a report entitled \u201cCruelty is the Point: How Trump\u2019s Immigration Agenda Endangers Children,\u201d which documented 128 children who have been injured left unattended or otherwise put at direct risk of harm as a result of operations by DHS personnel.\n\nIn February, Blumenthal and Garica hosted a public forum on constitutional violations and abuses by ICE. The forum featured testimony from Ryan Schwank, a whistleblower who spoke publicly for the first time about his experience as an Instructor for the incoming \u201csurge\u201d of new ICE recruits at the ICE Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (\u201cFLETC\u201d) in Glynco, Georgia. Teyana Gibson Brown, a U.S. citizen and resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota, also testified about ICE agents forcefully entering her home without a judicial warrant, breaking down her door and pointing guns at her family. Stevan Bunnell, the General Counsel for the Department of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2017, testified as well.\n\nAlso in February, Blumenthal and Garcia hosted a forum to receive testimony on the violent tactics and disproportionate use of force by DHS agents. The forum featured testimony from Brent and Luke Ganger, brothers of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, and Antonio Romanucci, the attorney representing their family; Marimar Martinez, Aliya Rahman, and Martin Daniel Rascon, all of whom were violently assaulted by DHS agents; and Seth Stoughton, a former police officer and Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law.\n\nIn December, Blumenthal and Garcia received testimony from five U.S. citizens who were assaulted, detained, and denied their constitutional rights by DHS agents. The forum featured testimony from Americans across the country: Wilmer Chavarria, from Vermont; Dayanne Figueroa, from Illinois; Javier Ramirez, from California; George Retes, from California; and Andrea Velez, from California.\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter is available here and copied below.\n\nDear Secretary Mulin and Acting Director Venturella:\n\nOver the past week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (\u201cICE\u201d) agents have sown fear and panic among parents, children, and workers as they detained scores of people in Danbury and other towns in Connecticut. What should have been a time of excitement and community as children in Connecticut return to school has quickly turned into a time of genuine terror. In just a few days, individuals in Connecticut have been apprehended by masked agents in locations that children frequent such as parks, near an elementary school, and outside a daycare center in Danbury.[1] In one instance, an ICE agent detained a father who walked his child to a bus stop.[2] In another, ICE agents threatened to pepper spray a man detained in front of a preschool.[3] ICE\u2019s actions in Connecticut showcased cruelty and brutality, as well as disregard for the safety and well-being of community members, especially children. They fostered an environment of fear that will undoubtedly impact school attendance rates and the emotional health of students, generally.\n\nTo date, reports indicate nearly 100 individuals have been arrested[4] but there are likely significantly more\u2014many likely have legal status and no apparent serious criminal history. However, ICE has not released any information about them.[5] National trends indicate that ICE has arrested more immigrants without a criminal conviction this summer than at any other point since President Trump returned to office.[6] There is no reason to believe Connecticut is an exception. Indeed, nationwide reporting indicates that this surge in enforcement in Connecticut follows similar increases in ICE enforcement across the country, which have led to the arrests of 49,000 individuals in July alone.[7] Analysis of recent ICE arrests demonstrates that, in 10 states, \u201carrests of people who don\u2019t have criminal records increased by 50 percent between last year and this year.\u201d[8]\n\nThe Trump Administration committed to arresting \u201cthe worst of the worst,\u201d but the facts show just the opposite. The senselessness of ICE\u2019s recent surge in enforcement activity is compounded by ICE\u2019s troubling track record of excessive use of force and unlawful behavior. Despite a change in leadership at the Department of Homeland Security (\u201cDHS\u201d) and at ICE, tragedy continues to follow surges in ICE enforcement, as evidenced by recent and tragic killings in Texas and Maine.[9]\n\nThe Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has investigated abuses by DHS immigration officials for well over a year.[10] The Subcommittee has documented unlawful and egregious actions by ICE including the detention of United States citizens;[11] deployment of tear gas and pepper spray against children;[12] 128 children injured, left unattended, or otherwise put in direct risk of harm;[13] and extreme use of physical force such as using a battering ram to knock down a door while children were present inside a home.[14] As ICE continues to acquire dangerous equipment and technology, such as electric shock gloves that act as hand tasers,[15] I am deeply alarmed at the possibility of a future scenario in which such equipment is deployed to cause further harm.\n\nAs the deployment of ICE agents to America\u2019s communities continues to surge and place community members at risk, including deployments similar to those seen in Connecticut, I demand answers to the following requests for information by September 11, 2026:\n\nDoes the Department of Homeland Security and/or the White House currently have a quota system in place for daily or monthly arrests of immigrants that must be met?\n\nIf so, what is that quota?\n\nPlease list the individuals detained in Connecticut disaggregated by name, age, criminal conviction, if any; applicable warrant, if any; and location of arrest;\n\nPlease indicate whether any detained individuals in Connecticut were U.S. Citizens or held any other legal status;\n\nPlease indicate whether any detained individuals in Connecticut were injured during the course of ICE\u2019s operations;\n\nIf so, list the injury and the geographical location where the injury was sustained.\n\nHas DHS or ICE received any complaints, formal or otherwise, against ICE agents for use of force during operations in Connecticut or in any other state since January 1, 2026?\n\nIf so, please provide documentation for each complaint, including the date, location, agent name, DHS component, and allegations against the agent; the process DHS took to impartially review each complaint; and any disciplinary action taken in response to such complaint.\n\nPlease indicate whether ICE agents involved in operations in Connecticut are wearing and operating body worn cameras during the entirety of their actions apprehending and taking into custody Connecticut residents;\n\nPlease indicate whether ICE agents involved in operations nationwide are wearing and using body worn cameras during the entirety of their operations;\n\nPlease indicate how ICE is identifying and targeting individuals for arrest in Connecticut.\n\nI further request that you send a representative to meet with me and respond to these questions and others in my Hartford office sometime this week, or by September 11, 2026. Please contact the Subcommittee should you have any questions about responding to these requests.\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Ryan J. Foley & Russ Bynum, ICE Operation in Connecticut Highlights How Arrests are Rising Even in Blue States, AP News, (Aug. 27, 2026), https://apnews.com/article/dhs-ice-connecticut-danbury-arrests-immigration-d8695bbb883591669accaf266e8bb6a9.\n\n[2] Id.\n\n[3] Joshua Eaton, ICE Reportedly Arrested Nearly 100 People Across Connecticut This Week: What We Know and Don\u2019t Know, CT Insider, (Aug. 29, 2026), https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/ice-arrests-danbury-bridgeport-22408246.php.\n\n[4] Id.\n\n[5] Id.\n\n[6] Albert Sun & Allison McCann, ICE Arrests Soar as People With No Criminal Record Are Increasingly Targeted, N.Y. Times, (Aug. 27, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/27/us/ice-immigrant-arrests-trump-deportation-dhs.html.\n\n[7] Id.\n\n[8] David Nakamura & Emmanuel Martinez, How ICE is arresting soaring numbers of immigrants with no criminal record, Wash. Post, (Aug. 28, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/08/28/how-ice-arrests-immigrants-with-no-criminal-record-are-soaring-under-trump/.\n\n[9] Letter from Sen. Blumenthal to Secretary Mullin (July 16, 2026), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026.07.16-Blumenthal-and-Garcia-to-Mullin-1.pdf.\n\n[10] Letter from Sen. Blumenthal to Acting Director Todd Lyons, (Aug. 26, 2026), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025-08-26-Letter-from-Sen.-Blumenthal-to-ICE.pdf.\n\n[11] See S. Minority Staff of S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations, 119th Cong., Unchecked Authority: Examining the Trump Administration\u2019s Extrajudicial Immigration Detentions of U.S. Citizens (Dec. 9, 2025), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025.12.8_ICE-Report-revised-FINAL.pdf\n\n[12] See S. Minority Staff of S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations and H. Minority Staff of H.Comm on Oversight and Gov. Reform, 119th Cong., Cruelty is the Point: How Trump\u2019s Immigration Agenda Endangers Children (2026), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/03-24-2026-PSIOversight-Report-re.-DHS-Harm-to-Children.pdf.\n\n[13] Id.\n\n[14] Testimony of Teyana Gibson Brown, Public Forum: Our Values at Stake (Part III): Terrorizing communities without warrants and no restraint, 119th Cong., (Feb. 23, 2026), https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-robert-garcia-receive-testimony-about-ice-abuses-from-whistleblower-us-citizen-whose-rights-were-violated_former-top-lawyer-at-dhs.\n\n[15] Letter from Sens. Blumenthal, Booker, and Padilla to Secretary Mullin and Acting Director Venturella, (Aug 27, 2026), https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/final-booker_letter_to_dhs_ice_re_shock_glovespdf.pdf.", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/following-new-whistleblower-disclosure-blumenthal-demands-usps-provide-documents-answers-about-shit-show-process-to-screen-ballots-and-potentially-catastrophic-impact-on-mail-in-voting", "Following New Whistleblower Disclosure, Blumenthal Demands USPS Provide Documents, Answers About \"Shit Show\" Process to Screen Ballots & Potentially Catastrophic Impact on Mail-In Voting", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 After receiving information from a whistleblower, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), wrote Postmaster General David Steiner demanding answers and documents about the United States Postal Service\u2019s (USPS) rushed and potentially unlawful implementation of President Trump\u2019s Executive Order seeking to restrict mail-in voting.\n\n\u201cThis brave whistleblower has come forward with disturbing details about USPS\u2019 seemingly illegal plot to interfere in November\u2019s midterms,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cTheir system is set up to fail \u2013 and risk the right to vote for millions of Americans who cast their ballots by mail. Given this new information, such sloppiness and haste seems clearly part of a purposeful attempt to create chaos and prevent people from voting. I am demanding answers and accountability.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe crown jewel of American democracy\u2014our historic record of free and fair elections\u2014deserves better than this reckless, slapdash effort,\u201d said David Kligerman, Senior Vice President and Special Counsel at WhistleblowerAid.org, which represents the anonymous whistleblower. \u201cGiven this administration\u2019s record on curtailing voting rights, these glaring issues in the ballot mail program raise a troubling question: are these bugs\u2014or features? Now that these malignant flaws have been exposed by a brave whistleblower, the administration can choose to fix this dangerously haphazard program or barrel ahead toward a wholly preventable electoral disaster.\u201d\n\nAn anonymous whistleblower disclosure provided to Blumenthal includes new details about USPS\u2019s attempts to build an online system, known as \u201cthe Portal,\u201d and accompanying IT which will be used to screen ballots submitted by state election officials prior to USPS agreeing to mail them to voters. According to this whistleblower, USPS began work on the Portal a mere three-and-a-half months before it was meant to be deployed and has not put it through the standard testing an online system and its related IT like this typically requires. USPS has also reportedly implemented an impracticable zero percent failure rate that could result in a massive number of rejected ballots with no opportunity for appeal.\n\nAmong other information, the whistleblower\u2019s disclosure reveals:\n\nUSPS had plans to launch the Portal by today, September 1, 2026. USPS began building the Portal on or around June 15, 2026, just five months before the November 2026 midterm elections and less than four months before its planned rollout date to state election officials. USPS was only able to begin to connect the various constituent parts which would comprise the system as a whole, on or about the week of August 24, 2026.\n\n\u201cThe project violates standard principles of testing and debugging new software before launch\u201d and both individual parts of the Portal and the accompanying IT as a whole have not undergone meaningful testing.\n\nThe teams building the new Portal and accompanying IT were \u201csiloed\u201d such that \u201cwhen elements were brought together, the teams were unaware of various developments, creating more work.\u201d There are also \u201cno clear written requirements\u201d leaving workers to \u201cglean requirements from opaque comments at meetings.\u201d As late as August 21, 2026, workers were still receiving new requirements for the project. Without clear guidance, \u201c[d]ifferent team members continued to have different understandings of how the system is supposed to work.\u201d\n\nAs teams scrambled ahead of the planned launch, the whistleblower is aware of multiple USPS officials describing the development process as \u201ca shit show.\u201d\n\nUSPS adopted a zero-percent failure threshold, meaning that \u201cif a barcode scanner fails to correctly read one barcode in a batch, the entire batch is rejected and returned to the state.\u201d Despite the potentially widespread and catastrophic implications of this policy, \u201cUSPS does not have a clear policy as to how many ballots will be sampled in ballot mail batches.\u201d\n\nThe project was halted due to a court order and an injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in late June 2026. Several weeks later, on or around July 29, 2026, however, \u201cthe project was suddenly resumed without explanation of what authority permitted USPS to ignore the court order.\u201d\n\nIn April, Blumenthal joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) in introducing the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act (Absentee MVP Act), which would block President Trump\u2019s illegal and unconstitutional executive order attacking mail and absentee ballots and protect the right to vote by mail.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s letter to Postmaster General Steiner, which includes the whistleblower\u2019s disclosure, is available here and copied below.\n\nDear Postmaster General Steiner,\n\nMy office is in receipt of an alarming whistleblower disclosure (the \u201cDisclosure\u201d) outlining the United States Postal Service\u2019s (\u201cUSPS\u201d) perilously rushed and potentially unlawful implementation of President Trump\u2019s Executive Order seeking to restrict mail-in voting.[1] The whistleblower\u2019s allegations make clear that USPS lacks the technical or operational capability needed to effectively implement the EO\u2019s provisions in a way that safeguards every citizen\u2019s right to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. Despite this, the Trump Administration appears intent on USPS moving forward with its flawed plans, no matter the chaos they may create.[2] The whistleblower\u2019s allegations also provide disturbing information suggesting that USPS may have violated a court order by continuing to implement the EO despite being ordered to cease all such work. We urge you to abandon this ill-conceived, unconscionable plan and ensure that all Americans can exercise their constitutional right to vote, including by mail, without interference by USPS.\n\nHistorically, although USPS has issued guidance on various issues related to election ballots sent through the mail, like recommendations for ballot envelope design, it has not imposed specific rules or procedures that state election officials were required to follow in order to have USPS deliver ballot mail to voters. Under a new final rule issued on August 26, 2026 (the \u201cRule\u201d), USPS will, for the first time, play a gatekeeping function and be in a position to refuse to mail ballots that state election officials have determined should be sent out.[3] This change is a marked and deeply troubling departure from USPS\u2019s traditionally restrained role as a mail carrier.\n\nThe whistleblower\u2019s Disclosure describes an unprecedented process that allows USPS to decide whether ballots issued by state election officials should be mailed. To do so, USPS is building an entirely new online system, the USPS Federal Ballot Mail Portal and related IT systems (the \u201cPortal\u201d), which will be used to screen ballots submitted by state election officials prior to USPS agreeing to mail them to voters. The Disclosure identifies problems at every stage of USPS\u2019s development of the Portal, demonstrating deeply flawed plans for implementation.\n\nAccording to the whistleblower, USPS\u2019s effort to develop and deploy the Portal has been \u201crushed,\u201d \u201crisky and haphazard\u201d because leadership has demanded an impossible timeframe.[4] In an effort to meet impossible deadlines, USPS has eliminated standard and needed testing, thereby creating substantial risk of a \u201ccatastrophic failure\u201d of the system that could \u201cderail the midterm elections.\u201d[5]\n\nUSPS began work building the Portal on or around June 15, 2026 just three months before the date USPS planned to launch the system and just five months before the November 2026 midterm elections.[6] On or about June 25, 2026, USPS ordered work on the Portal to cease due to a court order enjoining implementation of the EO.[7] That work stoppage persisted for approximately a month, further reducing the time that USPS had to build the new system.[8] According to the whistleblower, building the information technology infrastructure necessary to complete the Portal could take a year or more.[9] Yet, USPS leadership demanded that the Portal be completed for a launch date of September 1, 2026, less than six months after the EO was issued.[10] As a result of this rushed process, USPS has been unable to conduct tests of the Portal to ensure its proper functioning, troubleshoot problems, or distribute instructions on use to state election officials. According to the whistleblower, the Portal \u201cviolates standard principles of testing and debugging new software before launch.\u201d[11] Normal procedures at USPS for such systems include internal testing, customer acceptance testing, and a final development stage before release to public facing users.[12] The Portal has gone through none of these basic checks.\n\nNot only is this system astonishingly untested, USPS has simultaneously implemented an impracticable zero percent failure rate.[13] When ballots are submitted to USPS in large-volume batches, if any one ballot in the batch cannot be verified against the Portal, all ballots in that batch will be rejected. For example, if a state election official brings a batch of 10,000 ballots to USPS and USPS is unable to match just one of those ballots against the Portal \u2013 because, for example, someone has recently changed their name after marriage or they\u2019ve moved \u2013 then USPS would refuse to mail the remaining 9,999 ballots as well. As the whistleblower notes, \u201cUSPS expects the state to take back the entire batch to cure the issue with the single ballot\u2026\u201d[14] Should the slapdash Portal mistakenly mark a ballot as unverified, there is no clear process by which state election officials or voters themselves can challenge the rejection. The Rule simply vaguely states that they \u201cwill be informed of the escalation procedures should they decide to challenge a rejection.\u201d[15] Voters intending to cast ballots by mail may not even be aware that their ballots have been rejected, or were part of a rejected batch, until it is too late to secure an alternative ballot or vote in person. Expecting a well-built, thoughtful Portal to return an accurate result 100 percent of the time is already a stretch\u2014expecting a \u201crushed,\u201d \u201crisky and haphazard\u201d Portal to do the same is a recipe for disaster.\n\nThese risks are compounded by other revelations in the Disclosure. USPS leadership has shown an incredible lack of effective management while building the Portal including siloed work streams, changing requirements, competing understandings of work output, and multiple actors having ownership of the same unique tasks. For example, there was little or no communication among teams working on the project to such an extent that \u201cwhen elements were brought together, the teams were unaware of various developments, creating more work.\u201d[16] Shockingly, there are also \u201cno clear written requirements\u201d for the information technology and infrastructure of the Portal, leaving workers to \u201cglean requirements from opaque comments at meetings.\u201d[17] As late as August 21, 2026, workers were still receiving new requirements for the project.[18] Without clear guidance, \u201c[d]ifferent team members continued to have different understandings of how the system is supposed to function which caused ongoing and greater confusion among the group,\u201d substantially increasing the risk that the system will fail and, ultimately, disenfranchise voters.[19]\n\nEach of these problems: rushed development; a zero percent failure rate; and poor management are cause for concern on their own. Taken together they present a clear picture of a fatally flawed process that cannot and will not protect American voters. Put plainly: this process will likely lead to chaos, confusion, and the inability of many Americans to have their vote counted.\n\nFinally, in addition to these significant concerns about the impact of the EO on Americans\u2019 right to vote, I am troubled by allegations that USPS continued work on the Portal despite numerous court orders enjoining it from doing so. On June 25, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts enjoined USPS, among other executive branch agencies, from implementing Section 3 of the EO as to the twenty-three states and the District of Columbia that had challenged the order.[20] The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the district court\u2019s ruling on July 25, 2026.[21] USPS was also enjoined from \u201cimplementing, giving effect to, or enforcing Section 3\u201d of the E.O. nationwide pursuant to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts August 11, 2026 order.[22] It was not until August 24, 2026, that the Supreme Court stayed the June 25, 2026 injunction imposed on USPS by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts,[23] and August 26, 2026 when the August 11, 2026 order was lifted.[24] Based on this timeline, USPS should have ceased all work on the Portal on June 25, 2026, with the earliest conceivable date to resume being August 26, 2026. The whistleblower allegations demonstrate that was not the case, with USPS directing work to continue on the Portal after the first court order to cease work and prior to the recent court decisions allowing USPS to proceed.[25] This pattern of defiance of court orders is particularly concerning in light of the Temporary Restraining Order issued on August 27, 2026, that has again halted USPS from performing any work on the Portal for 14 days.[26]\n\nEvery eligible American citizen must be able to exercise their right to vote, unencumbered by unlawful obstacles this Administration and USPS seem intent on putting in their way. Given the rapidly approaching election and to determine whether USPS\u2019s actions may impede that fundamental right, please provide the following information immediately, and in no case later than September 4, 2026:\n\nPlease state whether USPS has halted work to implement the Executive Order, in compliance with the August 27, 2026 TRO.\n\nPlease provide the date on which USPS instructed its employees and/or its contractors to begin work implementing the new Rule including the development of the Portal;\n\nPlease list the individuals and their respective titles involved in issuing instructions to USPS employees and/or contractors on developing the Portal;\n\nPlease list the position titles of all individuals involved in developing the Portal;\n\nPlease name any and all entities USPS has contracted with to develop the Portal;\n\nPlease indicate whether USPS will perform beta testing on Portal;\n\nIf so, when will such testing begin?\n\nAre there procedures in place under the Portal to identify and remedy false positives, whereby the verification system incorrectly deems a voter as unverified and fails to transmit a ballot?\n\nWhat is the timeframe to rectify such false positives?\n\nPlease indicate when USPS anticipates launching the Portal for useby state election officials;\n\nHas USPS engaged with any state officials on the development or use of the Portal?\n\nIf so, please list the names and positions of those state officials are\n\nPlease list the dates on which USPS or its contractors worked on the Portal.\n\nDid USPS or its contractors continue development of the Portal at any time when a court order was in place enjoining the implementation of Section 3 of the EO?\n\nIf so, please provide the specific dates on which those activities occurred;\n\nIf so, please provide the rationale behind USPS\u2019s decision to continue work in defiance of a court order\n\nPlease also provide the following records[27] by September 8, 2026:\n\nAll records or communications regarding the original plans for and development of the Portal and any initial estimates of the amount of time that would be necessary to develop the system;\n\nAll records or communications regarding the date on which the Portal would need to be completed and ready for use;\n\nAll records or communications regarding the Portal\u2019s potential flaws or vulnerabilities;\n\nAll records or communications regarding a zero percent failure rate requirement for the Portal; and\n\nAll legal opinions or other communications regarding the legal permissibility of USPS developing the Portal while federal court orders enjoining implementation of Section 3 of the EO are in place.\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Executive Order No. 14399, 91 FR 17125, (2026).\n\n[2] See Ballot Mail for Federal Elections, 91 Fed. Reg. 32,915 (Aug. 26, 2026) (to be codified at 39 C.F.R. pt. 111);\n\n[3] Id.\n\n[4] Disclosure Letter to Senator Blumenthal from Anonymous Whistleblower Re: USPS Rushed Implementation of New and Untested IT Systems Threatens U.S. Ballot Mail Delivery, (Aug. 29, 2026), 4.\n\n[5] Id.\n\n[6] Id.at 16.\n\n[7] Id. at 12.\n\n[8] Id. at 13.\n\n[9] Id. at 6.\n\n[10] Id. at 7.\n\n[11] Id. at 7.\n\n[12] Id. at 7.\n\n[13] Id. at 9-12.\n\n[14] Id. at 10.\n\n[15] Ballot Mail for Federal Elections, supra note 2, at 58.\n\n[16] Disclosure Letter to Senator Blumenthal, supra note 1, at 18.\n\n[17] Id. at 17.\n\n[18] Id. at 19.\n\n[19] Id. at 17.\n\n[20] California v. Trump, No. 26-cv-11581 (D. Mass. June 25, 2026).\n\n[21] California v. Trump, No. 26-1774 (1st Cir. July 25, 2026).\n\n[22] League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump, No. 26-cv-11549 (D. Mass. Aug. 11, 2026).\n\n[23] Alabama et. al, v. California et al., No. 26A139, (U.S. Aug. 24, 2026).\n\n[24] League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump, supra note 22.\n\n[25] Disclosure Letter to Senator Blumenthal, supra note 1, at 12.\n\n[26] League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump, supra note 22.\n\n[27] \u201cRecords\u201d include any written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, and any other electronically-created or stored information), calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-8/21/2026-8/28/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 8/21/2026-8/28/2026", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Supporting Ukraine in its Fight Against Putin\u2019s Invasion\n\n[Hartford, CT] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, traveled to Ukraine as the country continues to fight in the war against Russia. Blumenthal\u2019s trip included a visit to Dnipro, near the eastern front of the war\u2014the furthest east a Congressional Delegation has gone since the invasion. Blumenthal is the first member of Congress to visit Dnipro since the war began in 2022.\n\n\u201cEye opening, awe-inspiring\u2014my visit to Dnipro, the first congressional trip permitted since the war\u2019s start, showed me the best of humanity, with Ukrainians meeting the worst\u2014Russia\u2019s craven inhumanity. All I met\u2014unspeakably injured soldiers, courageous caregivers, steadfast staffs\u2014are demonstrating professional excellence under demanding conditions, with dedication & dignity,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nIn Dnipro, Blumenthal visited a military hospital where we met seriously wounded soldiers and their caregivers.\n\n\u201cHeroes caring for heroes\u2014at the military hospital in Dnipro, near the eastern front, I saw the courage & grit of seriously wounded soldiers & medical warriors helping them regain their lives. An awe-inspiring visit,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nWhile in Kyiv earlier this week, Blumenthal met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and attended the National Prayer Breakfast on Ukraine\u2019s Independence Day. He also toured SkyFall, a major Ukrainian defense technology company aiding the country in its fight against Russia.\n\n\u201cAnother inspiring meeting with President Zelenskyy at a critical turning point in Ukraine\u2019s fight for freedom, when they are turning the tide against Russia\u2019s savagery & slaughter. They need air defense interceptors, the Russia sanctions bill, Starlink, & aid. I am more determined than ever to redouble our support because their fight is our fight, & our own national security is directly at stake,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cAt today\u2019s National Prayer Breakfast, I stated emphatically\u2014we stand with the people of Ukraine in prayer & faith, but also in action. Their fight for freedom & democracy is our fight too,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cA moving celebration in Kyiv for Ukraine\u2019s Independence Day\u2014a reminder that freedom is never free, & we must redouble our efforts to support this brave embattled nation against Putin\u2019s murderous invasion,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cSkyFall in Kyiv is doing cutting edge drone manufacturing & changing modern warfare. Its innovation & new technologies are powering Ukraine\u2019s fight against Russia's bloody slaughter,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal also met with children and families affected by Russian kidnappings while in Kyiv.\n\n\u201cYoung children & their families hideously victimized by Russian kidnapping & other atrocities are awesome in their resilience & grace. The world must match their courage,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal also visited Babyn Yar, a site honoring Jewish people killed there in massacres carried out by Nazi forces in World War II, and Independence Square, located in the center of Kyiv with memorials to those who have died in the ongoing war against Russia.\n\n\u201cA moving, solemn tribute at Babyn Yar to the 33,000 Jewish people killed there during the Holocaust. In the face of inhumanity, no one can be neutral\u2014we must stop Putin\u2019s savagery & cruelty,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cAt Independence Square, Ukrainians are honoring the brave lives tragically lost in Putin\u2019s war of inhumanity & aggression. We join them in their sorrow & redouble our support for their fight to stop Russia\u2019s slaughter,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal concluded his trip with a visit to Bucha, a city located on the northern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.\n\n\u201cReturning to Bucha reminds me why we should all be so passionate about Ukraine winning this war\u2014 Russia's criminal inhumanity & killing, & the steadfast strength of Ukraine,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal joined MS NOW\u2019s Morning Joe to recap his trip to Ukraine and highlight the need for continued U.S. support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia\u2019s bloody invasion.\n\n\u201cI visited the military hospital near the border, and that military hospital shows the face of courage and strength that President Zelenskyy echoed in what he said to me. He needs three priorities: the Russia sanctions bill, air defense\u2014because his people have been slaughtered by Putin\u2019s missiles and drones that are attacking civilian targets, not military\u2014and he needs Starlink to target even deeper within Russia,\u201d said Blumenthal on Morning Joe. \u201cI said to him I would take those three priorities\u2014most especially the Russia sanctions bill, because it passed the Senate by an 86 to 11 vote, completely bipartisan, after painstaking negotiations over several years by Senator Graham and myself with the White House, the U.S. Trade Representative, colleagues in Congress, and we are now at the cusp of passing it in the House. And it will make such a difference, because Putin's economy is on the cusp of major crisis, and stopping the flow of revenue from sales of oil and gas, as this sanctions bill would do, can have a real impact in throttling Putin's ability to wage war.\u201d\n\nCondemning Increased ICE Activity in Danbury\n\nBlumenthal released a statement following reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Danbury over the last few days.\n\n\u201cICE\u2019s cruelty and craven brutality has no limit. Snatching people off the streets as they walk their children to school or wait for a ride to work \u2014 such tactics are abusive, abhorrent, and illegal. I am in touch with state and local authorities and am ready to assist in any way possible.\u201d\n\nResponding to Nearly $17 Billion Meta Settlement in Case About Social Media Harms to Kids\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), authors of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), released the following statement in response to a nearly $17 billion settlement reached between Meta and a coalition of bipartisan state Attorneys General:\n\n\u201cThis massive settlement shows how terrified Meta and Mark Zuckerberg are of accountability in open court. We applaud the bipartisan coalition of state Attorneys General for forcing Meta to start paying a real price for the harm its products have caused an entire generation of young people. The product design changes imposed under this settlement are a first step toward giving kids and parents the tools they need to take back control of their online lives, but they can be strengthened. Meta notes that these terms are only required to stay in place for 10 years\u2014we must ensure permanent change. We also need safeguards that apply across the board\u2014to all social media companies\u2014not just Instagram and Facebook. This settlement once again demands that Congress pass the Kids Online Safety Act into law before the end of the year.\u201d\n\nOn Twitter/X, Blumenthal further highlighted the need for increased protections for kids online.\n\n\u201cMeta is guilty of harming kids\u2014& now it\u2019s starting to pay a real price. This landmark settlement, staggering in penalties & important changes, only heightened the urgency & need for the Kids Online Safety Act to become law now,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nDemanding Answers About DHS\u2019s $464 Million Purchase of Luxury Jets & Planes via a No-Bid Contract\n\nBlumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Adam Schiff (D-CA), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded answers from Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Markwayne Mullin, about DHS\u2019s wasteful purchase of 10 airplanes for $464 million via a no-bid contract. In a letter to Mullin, the Senators called out the Department\u2019s growing and alarming reliance on no-bid contracts since the beginning of the second Trump Administration and raised concerns that the owner of the company that received the award also runs a company alleged to have solicited kickback payments to former DHS official Corey Lewandowski.\n\n\u201cRecent reporting reveals that, beginning in the fall of 2025, DHS pursued and eventually awarded a no-bid contract to purchase 10 aircraft, including three \u2018luxury business jets\u2019 and seven \u2018Boeing 737 passenger jets,\u2019 and that most of these aircraft have sat idle for months since DHS acquired them. Although DHS claims that the contract was undertaken during Secretary Noem\u2019s tenure, contracting records indicate that the cost of the contract \u2018increased by $303 million on the day that Mr. Mullin was sworn in as secretary,\u2019\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cDHS purchased the aircraft through a $464 million no-bid contract to Daedalus Aviation Corporation (Daedalus), a Virginia-based company led by chairman William Walters\u2026In fact, Mr. Walters has allegedly created \u2018a web of companies,\u2019 that subsequently received government contracts despite having no prior government contracting experience. Companies with ties to Mr. Walters include Salus Worldwide Solutions Corporation (Salus), which, in 2025, received a hastily-awarded contract worth $915 million \u2018for air operations to support the administration\u2019s effort to persuade millions of undocumented immigrants to \u2018self-deport.\u2019 Public reporting alleges that a representative of Salus repeatedly approached a prospective subcontracting firm with proposals to undertake work for DHS only if the firm would direct millions in kickbacks to Corey Lewandowski or consulting firms connected to him.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongress and the American people deserve the Department\u2019s full and prompt transparency with respect to the shocking waste of taxpayer funds and potential corruption involved in the Department\u2019s aircraft purchase and widespread no-bid contracting,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nThe full text of the letter is available here.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal slammed the Department of Justice\u2019s decision undercutting one of FDA\u2019s strongest enforcement tools against unauthorized tobacco products.\n\nBlumenthal called out the craven political trashing of Stars and Stripes after the Pentagon fired leaders from the publication who criticized the Department of Defense\u2019s interference.\n\nBlumenthal visited the groundbreaking of Electric Boat\u2019s new Waterford campus.\n\nBlumenthal called for an end to misleading and deceptive food packaging with his Food Labeling Modernization Act.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-blackburn-statement-on-historic-nearly-17-billion-meta-settlement-in-case-about-social-media-harms-to-kids", "Blumenthal & Blackburn Statement on Historic Nearly $17 Billion Meta Settlement in Case About Social Media Harms to Kids", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), authors of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), released the following statement in response to a nearly $17 billion settlement reached between Meta and a coalition of bipartisan state Attorneys General:\n\n\u201cThis massive settlement shows how terrified Meta and Mark Zuckerberg are of accountability in open court. We applaud the bipartisan coalition of state Attorneys General for forcing Meta to start paying a real price for the harm its products have caused an entire generation of young people. The product design changes imposed under this settlement are a first step toward giving kids and parents the tools they need to take back control of their online lives, but they can be strengthened. Meta notes that these terms are only required to stay in place for 10 years\u2014we must ensure permanent change. We also need safeguards that apply across the board\u2014to all social media companies\u2014not just Instagram and Facebook. This settlement once again demands that Congress pass the Kids Online Safety Act into law before the end of the year.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-increased-ice-activity-in-danbury", "Blumenthal Statement on Increased ICE Activity in Danbury", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal released a statement today following reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Danbury over the last few days.\n\n\u201cICE\u2019s cruelty and craven brutality has no limit. Snatching people off the streets as they walk their children to school or wait for a ride to work \u2014 such tactics are abusive, abhorrent, and illegal. I am in touch with state and local authorities and am ready to assist in any way possible.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-28T17:11:49Z", "2026-08-28T17:13:14Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-welch-and-schiff-demand-answers-after-dhs-pays-464-million-for-luxury-jets_airplanes-via-a-no-bid-contract-with-company-owned-by-prominent-trump-supporter", "Blumenthal, Welch, & Schiff Demand Answers After DHS Pays $464 Million for Luxury Jets & Airplanes via a No-Bid Contract with Company Owned by Prominent Trump Supporter", "2026-08-25", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Peter Welch (D-VT), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Adam Schiff (D-CA), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today demanded answers from Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Markwayne Mullin, about DHS\u2019s wasteful purchase of 10 airplanes for $464 million via a no-bid contract. In a letter to Mullin, the Senators called out the Department\u2019s growing and alarming reliance on no-bid contracts since the beginning of the second Trump Administration and raised concerns that the owner of the company that received the award also runs a company alleged to have solicited kickback payments to former DHS official Corey Lewandowski.\n\n\u201cRecent reporting reveals that, beginning in the fall of 2025, DHS pursued and eventually awarded a no-bid contract to purchase 10 aircraft, including three \u2018luxury business jets\u2019 and seven \u2018Boeing 737 passenger jets,\u2019 and that most of these aircraft have sat idle for months since DHS acquired them. Although DHS claims that the contract was undertaken during Secretary Noem\u2019s tenure, contracting records indicate that the cost of the contract \u2018increased by $303 million on the day that Mr. Mullin was sworn in as secretary,\u2019\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cThe apparent waste generated by idle, multi-million-dollar government assets belies the Department\u2019s claim of urgency. To date, there is no public indication that any of these aircraft have ever been used for DHS\u2019s claimed purpose of removing noncitizens from the United States. One of the luxury jets was leased to the FBI for use by Director Kash Patel who, in February 2026, incurred estimated costs of $75 million to fly to the Olympic Winter Games in Italy, using the same make of luxury aircraft as the one reportedly leased to the FBI.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cDHS purchased the aircraft through a $464 million no-bid contract to Daedalus Aviation Corporation (Daedalus), a Virginia-based company led by chairman William Walters\u2026In fact, Mr. Walters has allegedly created \u2018a web of companies,\u2019 that subsequently received government contracts despite having no prior government contracting experience. Companies with ties to Mr. Walters include Salus Worldwide Solutions Corporation (Salus), which, in 2025, received a hastily-awarded contract worth $915 million \u2018for air operations to support the administration\u2019s effort to persuade millions of undocumented immigrants to \u2018self-deport.\u2019 Public reporting alleges that a representative of Salus repeatedly approached a prospective subcontracting firm with proposals to undertake work for DHS only if the firm would direct millions in kickbacks to Corey Lewandowski or consulting firms connected to him.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongress and the American people deserve the Department\u2019s full and prompt transparency with respect to the shocking waste of taxpayer funds and potential corruption involved in the Department\u2019s aircraft purchase and widespread no-bid contracting,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nBlumenthal and Welch previously demanded answers from Mullin about Lewandowski\u2019s role in DHS contracting decisions in light of reports that Lewandowski potentially steered contract awards to benefit himself and his political allies while serving as a special government employee and advisor at DHS.\n\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Mullin:\n\nWe write to request documents and information regarding the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (\u201cDHS\u201d or \u201cthe Department\u201d) purchase of 10 airplanes for $464 million via a no-bid contract.[1] DHS justified this purchase by claiming that these aircraft were urgently needed to operate noncitizen removal flights, but recent reporting reveals that most of these airplanes have sat idle, and one was made available to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel.[2] That these aircraft have been parked for months or redistributed for purposes inconsistent with DHS\u2019s claimed reason for acquiring the planes significantly undermines the Department\u2019s explanation for bypassing a full and fair competitive contracting process and raises troubling questions about whether DHS overpaid for these aircraft, as well as about the Department\u2019s growing and alarming reliance on no-bid contracts since the beginning of the second Trump Administration. We are also concerned that DHS awarded this no-bid contract to a company led by William Walters. A separate company that Mr. Walters has ties to, engaged in contract dealings with DHS that have raised allegations of solicitation of corrupt kickback payments to former DHS official Corey Lewandowski.\n\nRecent reporting reveals that, beginning in the fall of 2025, DHS pursued and eventually awarded a no-bid contract to purchase 10 aircraft, including three \u201cluxury business jets\u201d and seven \u201cBoeing 737 passenger jets,\u201d and that most of these aircraft have sat idle for months since DHS acquired them.[3] Although DHS claims that the contract was undertaken during Secretary Noem\u2019s tenure, contracting records indicate that the cost of the contract \u201cincreased by $303 million on the day that Mr. Mullin was sworn in as secretary.\u201d[4] DHS justified \u201cthe enormous price tag\u201d for the aircraft by claiming \u201cit had no time to consider other offers\u201d because \u201c[t]he planes were needed urgently for deportation flights.\u201d[5] The apparent waste generated by idle, multi-million-dollar government assets belies the Department\u2019s claim of urgency. To date, there is no public indication that any of these aircraft have ever been used for DHS\u2019s claimed purpose of removing noncitizens from the United States. One of the luxury jets was leased to the FBI for use by Director Kash Patel who, in February 2026, incurred estimated costs of $75 million to fly to the Olympic Winter Games in Italy, using the same make of luxury aircraft as the one reportedly leased to the FBI.[6]\n\nThe waste generated by parking most of these aircraft compounds the loss of taxpayer funds involved in the suspect, no-bid process the Department hurriedly implemented to buy these jets. DHS purchased the aircraft through a $464 million no-bid contract to Daedalus Aviation Corporation (\u201cDaedalus\u201d), a Virginia-based company led by chairman William Walters.[7] Mr. Walters \u201chas emerged as a vocal Trump supporter\u201d who made at least one $10,000 donation to a political action committee supporting former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during her tenure as governor of South Dakota.[8] Former Secretary Noem and Corey Lewandowki reportedly traveled the country in 2025 on a separate, $70 million luxury 737 MAX 8 that was leased to DHS by a separate company with ties to Mr. Walters, Valkyrie Aviation Holdings Group.[9] In fact, Mr. Walters has allegedly created \u201ca web of companies,\u201d that subsequently received government contracts despite having no prior government contracting experience.[10] Companies with ties to Mr. Walters include Salus Worldwide Solutions Corporation (\u201cSalus\u201d), which, in 2025, received a hastily-awarded contract worth $915 million \u201cfor air operations to support the administration\u2019s effort to persuade millions of undocumented immigrants to \u2018self-deport.\u2019\u201d[11] Public reporting alleges that a representative of Salus repeatedly approached a prospective subcontracting firm with proposals to undertake work for DHS only if the firm would direct millions in kickbacks to Corey Lewandowski or consulting firms connected to him.[12]\n\nThe no-bid contract awarded to purchase these aircraft is only the latest in the Department\u2019s growing abuse of a contracting shortcut designed to meet genuinely urgent necessity. The \u201curgency exception\u201d permits bypassing full competition only when an agency\u2019s \u201cneed for the supplies or services is of such an unusual and compelling urgency that the Government would be seriously injured\u201d unless permitted to move forward on a no-bid basis.[13] Despite the narrow set of circumstances when bypassing money-saving competition might be justified, \u201c[t]he exemption accounts for nearly two-thirds of the $34 billion that [DHS] has spent on contracts signed in 2026,\u201d which \u201cis up sharply from past years.\u201d[14] In 2024, only one percent of DHS contracts were awarded under the urgency exception.[15]\n\nCongress and the American people deserve the Department\u2019s full and prompt transparency with respect to the shocking waste of taxpayer funds and potential corruption involved in the Department\u2019s aircraft purchase and widespread no-bid contracting. Our offices are reviewing allegations of misconduct arising from federal contract awards to assess whether and the extent to which laws and regulations governing honest services and federal procurement may require legislative reform. In order for us to better understand the award of this contract, plans for these airplanes moving forward, and remedial measures for the American taxpayer, please provide the following information by September 7, 2026:\n\nHow did DHS initiate conversations with Daedalus to act as broker for the purchase of 10 airplanes?\n\nWhich DHS officials were involved in initiating these conversations?\n\nHow did DHS ascertain the number and type of airplanes necessary for purchase?\n\nHow did DHS evaluate and conclude that purchasing aircraft would be more cost effective than leasing or otherwise engaging a contractor to operate removal flights?\n\nWhat metrics did DHS evaluate for cost effectiveness before arriving to its decision to purchase these aircraft?\n\nHow does DHS plan to use the 10 purchased airplanes moving forward?\n\nHow much has DHS spent to store, retrofit, convert, move, and maintain the 10 aircraft since their purchase?\n\nHas DHS implemented changes to its contracting procedures as it relates to the use of exemptions for full and open competition?\n\nPlease also provide the following records[16] by September 7, 2026:\n\nAll communications[17] regarding the award of the $464 million contract to Daedalus, including but not limited to communications with Daedalus, William Walters, Secretary Mullin, former Secretary Noem and Corey Lewandowski or any of their staff;\n\nAll communications regarding the purchase of each individual airplane, including but not limited to communications with Daedalus, William Walters, Secretary Mullin, former Secretary Noem and Corey Lewandowski or any of their staff;\n\nAll communications regarding plans for the use of each airplane after purchase;\n\nAll flight logs and passenger logs for each airplane purchased under the contract.\n\nPlease contact our offices if you have questions about responding to this request. Thank you for your attention to this matter.\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Contract Summary from Department of Homeland Security to Daedalus Aviation Corporation, USASPENDING.gov, https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70QS0326C00005002_7001_-NONE-_-NONE-.\n\n[2] David A. Fahrenthold, et al., Homeland Security Paid $464 Million for Airplanes. Then It Parked Them, N.Y. Times, (Aug. 13, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/us/politics/homeland-security-parked-airplanes.html.\n\n[3] Id.\n\n[4] Id.\n\n[5] Id.\n\n[6] Id.; Carol Leonnig & Ken Dilanian, Kash Patel heads to Milan for the Olympics \u2014 on the FBI jet, MSNOW (Feb. 19, 2026), https://www.ms.now/news/kash-patel-headed-to-milan-for-the-olympics-on-the-fbi-jet.\n\n[7] Fahrenthold, et al., supra note 2.\n\n[8] Nick Schwellenbach & Dan Friedman, Unraveling the Corporate Ties to DHS's \u201cBig, Beautiful Jet\u201d, POGO (Mar. 10, 2026), https://www.pogo.org/investigates/unraveling-the-corporate-ties-to-dhss-big-beautiful-jet.\n\n[9] Id.; Michelle Hackman, Josh Dawsey, & Tarini Parti, A Pilot Fired Over Kristi Noem\u2019s Missing Blanket and the Constant Chaos Inside DHS, Wall St. J. (Feb. 12, 2026), https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/chaos-kristi-noem-homeland-security-f095ac95; Allison Detzel, Inside the $70 million luxury jet DHS says it needs for deportation flights, NBC News (Feb. 20, 2026), https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/chaos-kristi-noem-homeland-security-f095ac95.\n\n[10] Schwellenbach & Friedman, supra note 8.\n\n[11] Dan Friedman & Nick Schwellenbach, Massive DHS \u201cSelf-Deportation\u201d Contract Challenged as Secretive and \u201cUnlawful\u201d, POGO (Oct. 10, 2025), https://www.pogo.org/investigates/massive-dhs-self-deportation-contract-challenged-as-secretive-and-unlawful.\n\n[12] Julia Ainsley, Matt Dixon, Jonathan Allen & Laura Strickler, Some DHS contractors told White House officials they were asked to pay Corey Lewandowski, NBC News (Mar. 19, 2026), https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dhs-contractors-told-white-house-officialsasked-pay-corey-lewandowski-rcna263744; see Letter from Sens. Adam Schiff, Richard Blumenthal, & Peter Welch to William A. Walters, CEO, Salus Worldwide Solutions Corp. (Mar. 24, 2026), https://www.schiff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/20260324-Letter-to-Salus-Worldwide-re-Lewandowski.pdf.\n\n[13] FAR 6.302-2(a)(2).\n\n[14] Fahrenthold et al., supra note 2.\n\n[15] Id.\n\n[16] For purposes of this request, \u201crecords\u201d include any written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, and any other electronically-created or stored information), direct messages, chats, calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).\n\n[17] For purposes of this request, \u201ccommunications\u201d include any records, as defined above, transmitted in any way between two or more individuals or entities.", 1, "2026-08-26T05:33:32Z", "2026-08-26T05:34:56Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-8/14/2026-8/21/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 8/14/2026-8/21/2026", "2026-08-21", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Calling on FEMA to Address Staffing Shortages\n\n[Hartford, CT] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, wrote to the new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Cameron Hamilton demanding answers about how he plans to address critical staffing shortages at the agency.\n\nSince the start of President Trump\u2019s second term, FEMA has lost a staggering 20 percent of its staff. A recent GAO report found that FEMA prioritized workforce reductions over ensuring that it had the staffing capacity to respond to current or future disasters. Region 1, which serves Connecticut, lost 292 employees \u2013 12% of its staff \u2013 just from workforce reduction efforts.\n\n\u201cI appreciated your acknowledgement during your confirmation hearing of the challenges FEMA faces because of President Trump\u2019s drastic staff cuts. Now that you are confirmed, you are responsible for confronting those challenges. Please provide, in writing, your plan to address the staffing cuts agency-wide, and especially in Region 1, and how you plan to ensure FEMA is fully prepared to support Americans this hurricane season and beyond,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nIn August 2024, Connecticut suffered devastating flooding that killed two people and destroyed countless homes and businesses. FEMA was on the ground within days and was crucial to supporting towns and homeowners as they rebuilt roads, bridges, homes and other infrastructure. Trump\u2019s draconian staffing cuts to FEMA raise serious questions about how prepared the agency would be to respond to a similar disaster.\n\n\u201cWe owe it to the American people to ensure FEMA has the resources and staff necessary as it works with communities across the country to prepare for, and respond to, natural disasters,\u201d Blumenthal also wrote.\n\nBlumenthal sharply questioned Hamilton about staffing cuts during his June 17, 2026 U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing. Video of the exchange is available here.\n\nA copy of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Hamilton is available here.\n\nBlumenthal and Governor Ned Lamont held a press conference in Hartford demanding Hamilton address staffing shortages caused by the Trump Administration\u2019s reckless workforce reduction efforts\u2014especially as Atlantic hurricane season begins.\n\n\u201cThe heroism of the people of Connecticut in the wake of these storms should be matched by the relief that is provided by FEMA. FEMA is the disaster relief and recovery agency of the federal government, and it has performed incredible service here in Connecticut in the wake of these storms. They are essential to recovery and relief from disasters. We are now beginning the hurricane season,\u201d said Blumenthal at the press conference. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t stop the decimation of FEMA in massive cuts, draconian reductions in staff that now leave FEMA short-staffed, under resourced. I am demanding of the new FEMA Administrator that he provide a plan for how they\u2019re going to compensate for the loss of trained and experienced staff\u2014how they\u2019re going to replenish those resources and meet the needs of the Northeast region.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal further amplified his calls for FEMA to address staffing shortages on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cTrump\u2019s draconian FEMA staff cuts of 20% or more nationally have left CT vulnerable at the height of hurricane season. I\u2019m demanding the new FEMA head to restore staff & resources\u2014vital to both resilience & recovery. Thankful for Gov. Lamont\u2019s support & leadership,\u201d wrote Blumental on Twitter/X.\n\nDemanding Answers from Hegseth Following Leadership Shake-Up at Stars & Stripes\n\nBlumenthal along with U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), senior members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, are demanding answers from the Department of Defense on the recent placement of an active-duty servicemember to serve as a \u201cdeputy\u201d to the publisher at Stars and Stripes, a newspaper that has maintained editorial independence since the Civil War. Following the Department\u2019s decision, Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer announced Tuesday he will retire after more than three decades at the newspaper, citing fundamental differences between his understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes and the Department\u2019s plans for the organization.\n\n\u201cThe placement of an active-duty Public Affairs officer in the senior leadership of an organization whose credibility depends on its independence from the military chain of command raises serious questions,\u201d the Senators wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. \u201cMr. Lederer\u2019s abrupt departure only heightens those concerns, particularly as the Department determines who will assume leadership of Stars and Stripes. This is particularly troubling in light of the Department\u2019s recent actions affecting Stars and Stripes, including the April firing of independent Ombudsman Jacqueline Smith after she publicly defended the newspaper\u2019s editorial independence and communicated concerns to Congress.\u201d\n\nThe Senators demanded answers on whether this active duty servicemember will serve as the acting or permanent Publisher following Mr. Lederer\u2019s departure, and what process the Department will use to select Mr. Lederer\u2019s successor. The Trump Administration has increasingly taken aim at controlling Stars and Stripes as part of its larger efforts to restrict freedom of press at the Pentagon.\n\nIn January, Stars and Stripes job applicants were asked to explain how they would advance the Administration\u2019s policy priorities, and the Pentagon\u2019s top public affairs official announced plans to overhaul the newspaper. In March, the Pentagon further accused the newspaper of focusing on \u201cwoke distractions\u201d and imposed new restrictions on the independent publication. In April, the Department fired Stars and Stripes ombudsman Jacqueline Smith\u2014a non-partial watchdog charged with monitoring the paper\u2019s independence.\n\nThe Senators concluded: \u201cFor generations, American servicemembers, particularly those stationed overseas and in combat zones, have relied on Stars and Stripes for credible and independent news. That trust depends on preserving a clear separation between independent journalism and the Department\u2019s public affairs apparatus. At this critical moment of leadership transition, that independence must not be compromised.\u201d\n\nIn June, Senators Blumenthal and Shaheen secured a provision to codify the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027. The Senators\u2019 language would deliver landmark protections for the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes\u2014ensuring the newspaper remains free from censorship, propaganda, and interference from the Pentagon. The provision\u2019s language comes from the Senators\u2019 Stars and Stripes Editorial Independence Act\u2014legislation that clarifies Stars and Stripes\u2019 editorial operations are independent of the military chain of command, military public affairs activities, or other external influences.\n\nThe full text of the Senators\u2019 letter is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further slammed the Department of Defense\u2019s installation of an active-duty Navy captain in a leadership role at Stars and Stripes on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cInstalling an active-duty Navy captain in a leadership role at Stars & Stripes immensely erodes the publication's independence.As a crucial news source for American servicemembers, we must protect Stars & Stripes from the Trump Administration's political interference. Stars & Stripes was instrumental in informing us about deteriorating conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln. Its independence is central to its speaking truth to power,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nRallying for Servicemembers Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln\n\nBlumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined Connecticut veterans rallying in solidarity with the servicemembers stationed on the USS Abraham Lincoln following reports that the aircraft carrier\u2019s crew has endured deteriorating and untenable conditions aboard.\n\nWidespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns and disruptions to the mail system have prompted Blumenthal and Senate Armed Services Committee members to demand answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Connecticut veterans rallied to show support for the USS Abraham Lincoln\u2019s crew and to demand answers from the Department of Defense.\n\nThe USS Abraham Lincoln, along with its crew of about 5,000 sailors, began its journey home to San Diego on Thursday after nine months of deployment.\n\n\u201cOur servicemen and women know they\u2019re going to face hardship when they raise their right hand and agree to serve\u2014but not hardships that are added by their own leadership. As worried and outraged as we should be by the treatment of these sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln, even more so, Americans should be outraged by the reaction of the President of the United States,\u201d said Blumenthal at the rally. \u201cMy hope is that the outrage of America will cause our leadership in the military, and most particularly our Commander in Chief, to recognize the responsibility that they have.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal further called for support for the sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cSailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln endure deteriorating, untenable conditions. Proud to stand with CT veterans calling on the Trump Administration to do right by these heroes,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal joined CNN\u2019s Jake Tapper to discuss the ship\u2019s long deployment and to urge support from the Trump Administration for the ship\u2019s servicemembers.\n\nIn light of the USS Abraham Lincoln\u2019s prolonged deployment, dwindling supplies, and poor conditions, Blumenthal wrote to Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao about the growing strain on the Navy's aircraft carrier force. Blumenthal requested information regarding the Department of Defense\u2019s long-term plan to sustain carrier readiness amid increasingly prolonged and unpredictable deployments.\n\n\u201cThe Navy has only 11 aircraft carriers to meet demands around the world. Keeping carriers at sea beyond planned schedules not only strains sailors and equipment, but can increase maintenance requirements and delay the training and deployment schedules of the ships needed to replace them,\u201d wrote Blumenthal. \u201cThe war with Iran has made sustaining these deployments even more difficult. If the Department intends to maintain substantial carrier forces in the region for an indefinite period, it must have a logistics and sustainment plan capable of supporting those forces even when normal port access is unavailable or unsafe.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe question before the Department is therefore not simply whether a carrier strike group can endure an exceptionally long deployment. It is whether the Navy has a sustainable force-generation model that can maintain carrier readiness, material condition, and crew welfare when operational requirements repeatedly exceed planned deployment cycles. The Navy cannot solve persistent demand for carriers simply by extending one ship and then sending another to relieve it. Doing so risks borrowing readiness from tomorrow to meet today's demands,\u201d concluded Blumenthal.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found here.\n\nDemanding Federal Action to Lower Electricity Costs\n\nBlumenthal introduced The Affordable Electricity Rates Act of 2026, a bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider affordability when setting transmission rates. Transmission rates comprise 15 percent of your electricity bill, and Blumenthal\u2019s legislation would prohibit any rate increases or charges that would increase overall electricity prices by over 5 percent.\n\n\u201cFERC has been anemic in its oversight of electricity costs. Connecticut consumers pay too much for electricity and federal authorities have done too little to protect them from rising costs by utility companies. I\u2019m proud to introduce the Affordable Electricity Rates Act of 2026 to compel FERC to consider affordability when setting transmission rates and prohibit costly rate increases that burden consumers,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s bill amends Section 210 of the Federal Power Act to require FERC to consider whether a rate or charge is likely to result in retail electricity prices that are unaffordable for consumers and then prohibiting any rate or charge that is unaffordable by considering it as not \u201cjust and reasonable\u201d which is FERC\u2019s current standard. The legislation also has a presumption of unaffordability for any transmission rate that would increase overall electricity prices by over 5%.\n\nIn addition to the legislation, Blumenthal wrote to FERC demanding strong oversight of asset condition projects. These projects are initiated at the discretion of the transmission company, such as Eversource, and they received a presumption from FERC that they are necessary. In many cases, organizations like Eversource repair their infrastructure or replace full transmission lines when it isn\u2019t needed and consumers are left footing the bill.\n\nTransmission owners are investing heavily in these types of projects. In fact, spending on asset condition projects represents 73 percent of the annual amount that transmission owners spend on all capital projects in New England.\n\nEnergy costs in Connecticut are already extraordinarily high, and Connecticut consumers pay for a portion of the costs of all transmission projects throughout the ISO-New England region. The number of these transmission projects have skyrocketed, in large part because the return on investment percentages for the utility companies are higher than for other projects.\n\nIn a letter to FERC, Blumenthal cites Eversource\u2019s X-178 transmission project in New Hampshire as a perfect example of why FERC oversight is needed. While only 10% of the transmission lines need to be repairs, Eversource is replacing 580 poles and 49 miles of transmission lines to the tune of $360 million. Connecticut\u2019s share of that is expected to be $79.9 million.\n\n\u201cFor too long, transmission owners have exploited weak oversight to make unnecessary and expensive upgrades. Since 2018, transmission organizations in New England have spent twice the amount of money on asset condition projects as they have on new reliability projects \u2013 to the tune of $4.1 billion. The costs of these projects \u2013 which are initiated at the sole discretion of a transmission organization \u2013 are passed onto ratepayers across the entire ISO-NE region, with Connecticut residents paying 25% of all costs for projects that affect the regional grid, even for projects located in another state, like the X-178 transmission project,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal held a press conference in New Haven to demand action from FERC to keep electricity prices low for Connecticut consumers and to discuss his letter calling for increased oversight of the planning process for regional transmission projects. Blumenthal urged FERC oversight to make sure all repairs are necessary and not simply being done to pad utility company\u2019s pockets.\n\n\u201cElectricity consumers should be angry\u2014not just at state regulators, but federal authorities for doing too little to protect them from financial abuse by electricity utilities. The work by the federal authorities has been anemic. FERC, the primary federal authority has been anemic in its scrutiny and oversight. I am writing a letter asking that FERC do more and do it more promptly and aggressively to stop these hikes in electricity prices,\u201d said Blumenthal at the press conference.\n\nBlumenthal further called on FERC to do more to protect Connecticut consumers from skyrocketing electricity prices on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cCT consumers pay too much for electricity\u2014& federal authorities have done too little to protect them from utilities overcharging. I\u2019m demanding FERC act now to spare CT families unfair unaffordable burdens of high-cost projects,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal called on Trump to reverse a costly directive restoring outdated technology on aircraft carriers.\n\nBlumenthal demanded answers after an unqualified organization with close ties to ICE received a no-bid contract to provide legal services to migrant children.\n\nBlumenthal introduced a bicameral bill protecting domestic violence survivors from gun violence.\n\nBlumenthal slammed Trump\u2019s nomination for FDA Commissioner.\n\nBlumenthal visited Pitney Bowes.\n\nBlumenthal slammed the Trump Administration\u2019s zeroing out of teen pregnancy prevention programs.\n\nBlumenthal urged back-to-school traffic safety.\n\nBlumenthal called for federal help to restore Lighthouse Point Park\u2019s historic carousel building.\n\nBlumenthal urged CPSC to investigate NeeDohs and other gel-filled toys after a viral trend microwaving NeeDohs has left children with severe burns.\n\nBlumenthal visited West Haven\u2019s Farmers Market.\n\nBlumenthal joined a welcome home event for 180 National Guard of 1/102nd Infantry Battalion (Mountain) deployed in the Middle East for 9 months on counter-drone and other demanding defense.\n\nBlumenthal joined a pinning ceremony for graduates of the Harriott Community Healthcare Academy Certified Nursing Assistant program.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-22T05:24:59Z", "2026-08-22T05:26:16Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-demands-fema-administrator-address-critical-staffing-shortages-ahead-of-hurricane-season", "Blumenthal Demands FEMA Administrator Address Critical Staffing Shortages Ahead of Hurricane Season", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, today wrote to the new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Cameron Hamilton demanding answers about how he plans to address critical staffing shortages at the agency.\n\nSince the start of President Trump\u2019s second term, FEMA has lost a staggering 20 percent of its staff. A recent GAO report found that FEMA prioritized workforce reductions over ensuring that it had the staffing capacity to respond to current or future disasters. Region 1, which serves Connecticut, lost 292 employees \u2013 12% of its staff \u2013 just from workforce reduction efforts.\n\n\u201cI appreciated your acknowledgement during your confirmation hearing of the challenges FEMA faces because of President Trump\u2019s drastic staff cuts. Now that you are confirmed, you are responsible for confronting those challenges. Please provide, in writing, your plan to address the staffing cuts agency-wide, and especially in Region 1, and how you plan to ensure FEMA is fully prepared to support Americans this hurricane season and beyond,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nIn August 2024, Connecticut suffered devastating flooding that killed two people and destroyed countless homes and businesses. FEMA was on the ground within days and was crucial to supporting towns and homeowners as they rebuilt roads, bridges, homes and other infrastructure. Trump\u2019s draconian staffing cuts to FEMA raise serious questions about how prepared the agency would be to respond to a similar disaster.\n\n\u201cWe owe it to the American people to ensure FEMA has the resources and staff necessary as it works with communities across the country to prepare for, and respond to, natural disasters,\u201d Blumenthal also wrote.\n\nBlumenthal sharply questioned Hamilton about staffing cuts during his June 17, 2026 U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing. Video of the exchange is available here.\n\nA copy of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Hamilton is available here and below.\n\nAugust 20, 2026\n\nDear Administrator Hamilton,\n\nNow that you have been confirmed as Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and in light of a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that revealed FEMA has recklessly slashed staff under the Trump administration, I write to ask your plans for dealing with the agency\u2019s current staffing challenges.\n\nSince the start of President Trump\u2019s second term, FEMA has lost a staggering twenty percent of its staff. A recent GAO report found that these staff cuts were made without an assessment of the agency\u2019s ability to fulfill its statutory requirements. In other words, FEMA prioritized workforce reductions over ensuring that it had the staffing capacity to respond to current or future disasters. The report also revealed that most cuts disproportionately impacted regional offices, which are most closely connected to the communities they serve. Region 1, which serves Connecticut, lost 292 employees \u2013 12% of its staff \u2013 just from workforce reduction programs. This drastic reduction in staff constitutes a loss of institutional knowledge and experience that cannot be replaced and has left the United States more vulnerable when the next disaster strikes.\n\nI appreciated your acknowledgement during your confirmation hearing of the challenges FEMA faces because of President Trump\u2019s drastic staff cuts. Now that you are confirmed, you are responsible for confronting those challenges. Please provide, in writing, your plan to address the staffing cuts agency-wide, and especially in Region 1, and how you plan to ensure FEMA is fully prepared to support Americans this hurricane season and beyond.\n\nWe owe it to the American people to ensure FEMA has the resources and staff necessary as it works with communities across the country to prepare for, and respond to, natural disasters. I look forward to your response on this important issue.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-warren-and-shaheen-demand-answers-from-hegseth-following-leadership-shake-up-at-stars-and-stripes", "Blumenthal, Warren, & Shaheen Demand Answers from Hegseth Following Leadership Shake-Up at Stars and Stripes", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), senior members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, are demanding answers from the Department of Defense on the recent placement of an active duty servicemember to serve as a \u201cdeputy\u201d to the publisher at Stars and Stripes, a newspaper that has maintained editorial independence since the Civil War. Following the Department\u2019s decision, Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer announced Tuesday he will retire after more than three decades at the newspaper, citing fundamental differences between his understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes and the Department\u2019s plans for the organization.\n\n\u201cThe placement of an active-duty Public Affairs officer in the senior leadership of an organization whose credibility depends on its independence from the military chain of command raises serious questions,\u201d the Senators wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. \u201cMr. Lederer\u2019s abrupt departure only heightens those concerns, particularly as the Department determines who will assume leadership of Stars and Stripes. This is particularly troubling in light of the Department\u2019s recent actions affecting Stars and Stripes, including the April firing of independent Ombudsman Jacqueline Smith after she publicly defended the newspaper\u2019s editorial independence and communicated concerns to Congress.\u201d\n\nThe Senators demanded answers on whether this active duty servicemember will serve as the acting or permanent Publisher following Mr. Lederer\u2019s departure, and what process the Department will use to select Mr. Lederer\u2019s successor. The Trump Administration has increasingly taken aim at controlling Stars and Stripes as part of its larger efforts to restrict freedom of press at the Pentagon.\n\nIn January, Stars and Stripes job applicants were asked to explain how they would advance the Administration\u2019s policy priorities, and the Pentagon\u2019s top public affairs official announced plans to overhaul the newspaper. In March, the Pentagon further accused the newspaper of focusing on \u201cwoke distractions\u201d and imposed new restrictions on the independent publication. In April, the Department fired Stars and Stripes ombudsman Jacqueline Smith\u2014a non-partial watchdog charged with monitoring the paper\u2019s independence.\n\nThe Senators concluded: \u201cFor generations, American servicemembers, particularly those stationed overseas and in combat zones, have relied on Stars and Stripes for credible and independent news. That trust depends on preserving a clear separation between independent journalism and the Department\u2019s public affairs apparatus. At this critical moment of leadership transition, that independence must not be compromised.\u201d\n\nIn June, Senators Blumenthal and Shaheen secured a provision to codify the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027. The Senators\u2019 language would deliver landmark protections for the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes\u2014ensuring the newspaper remains free from censorship, propaganda, and interference from the Pentagon. The provision\u2019s language comes from the Senators\u2019 Stars and Stripes Editorial Independence Act\u2014legislation that clarifies Stars and Stripes\u2019 editorial operations are independent of the military chain of command, military public affairs activities, or other external influences.\n\nThe full text of the Senators\u2019 letter is available here and linked below.\n\nDear Secretary Hegseth,\n\nWe write to express our continued concern about the degradation of the longstanding editorial independence of Stars and Stripes. Most recently, our offices have been informed that the Department of Defense assigned an active-duty Public Affairs officer to serve as a \u201cdeputy\u201d to Stars and Stripes Publisher Max Lederer, reportedly without consultation with Mr. Lederer. On August 18, Mr. Lederer announced that he will retire after more than three decades at Stars and Stripes, including nearly two decades as Publisher, citing fundamental differences between his understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes and the Department\u2019s plans for the organization.\n\nThe placement of an active-duty Public Affairs officer in the senior leadership of an organization whose credibility depends on its independence from the military chain of command raises serious questions. Mr. Lederer\u2019s abrupt departure only heightens those concerns, particularly as the Department determines who will assume leadership of Stars and Stripes. This is particularly troubling in light of the Department\u2019s recent actions affecting Stars and Stripes, including the April firing of independent Ombudsman Jacqueline Smith after she publicly defended the newspaper\u2019s editorial independence and communicated concerns to Congress.\n\nWe therefore request that you provide, no later than August 28, a detailed explanation of this assignment, including who directed it; the officer\u2019s duties, authorities, and reporting chain; whether the officer will have any role in editorial, personnel, budgetary, or management decisions; whether the officer will serve as acting or permanent Publisher following Mr. Lederer\u2019s departure; and what process and qualifications the Department will use to select Mr. Lederer\u2019s successor. Please also explain what safeguards the Department has put in place to ensure that this officer, or any other Department official, cannot direct, influence, review, or interfere with Stars and Stripes\u2019 editorial decisions or coverage.\n\nFor generations, American servicemembers, particularly those stationed overseas and in combat zones, have relied on Stars and Stripes for credible and independent news. That trust depends on preserving a clear separation between independent journalism and the Department\u2019s public affairs apparatus. At this critical moment of leadership transition, that independence must not be compromised. We urge you to preserve that independence and provide prompt answers regarding these latest developments.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-wyden-and-himes-introduce-bicameral-bill-protecting-domestic-violence-survivors-from-gun-violence", "Blumenthal, Wyden, & Himes Introduce Bicameral Bill Protecting Domestic Violence Survivors from Gun Violence", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representative Jim Himes (D-CT) introduced the Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act, legislation to close a dangerous loophole that allows domestic abusers to legally obtain weapons. The Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act restricts those under temporary restraining orders from purchasing or possessing a firearm and extends protections to domestic violence survivors who have been abused by their dating partners.\n\nThe bill is named in memory of Lori Jackson, a Connecticut mother who was tragically shot and killed by her estranged husband who had legally obtained a handgun even though he was subject to a temporary restraining order, and Nicolette Elias, a Connecticut mother who, despite securing restraining orders and temporary stalking orders against her estranged and abusive ex-husband, was murdered by her former spouse in front of their children with a handgun that he refused to relinquish.\n\n\u201cThis legislation closes a gaping loophole\u2014to save lives when current law leaves domestic abuse victims most vulnerable to violent partners with guns,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cThe link between domestic violence and guns is deadly. The Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act would prevent the purchase and possession of a firearm by someone who is subject to a temporary restraining order\u2014protecting survivors of domestic violence when courts recognize the danger.\u201d\n\n\u201cKeeping guns out of the hands of domestic violence abusers is commonsense,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cIt's past time to help end the cycle of gun violence and provide domestic violence survivors with bare minimum protection against their abusers, and our bill is the way to do it.\u201d\n\n\u201cLori Jackson and Nicolette Elias should still be alive today. That perpetrators of domestic violence can still access firearms even with a temporary restraining order against them is a dangerous loophole that needs to be closed. We owe it to Lori, Nicolette, and the countless other survivors of domestic violence killed by gun violence to close this loophole once and for all\u2014and that\u2019s precisely what this bill would do,\u201d said Himes.\n\nThe legislation is cosponsored in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).\n\nThe legislation is supported by a number of organizations, including Brady, Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, GIFFORDS, Newtown Action Alliance, Everytown, Jewish Women International, March for Our Lives, National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Network to End Domestic Violence, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, and CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence.\n\n\u201cDomestic violence is a serious issue that cuts across racial, gender, economic, sexual, generational, and religious divides. In fact, one-third of women and one-quarter of men are victims of physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner at least once in their lifetime. The mere presence of a firearm in the hands of an abuser is a key factor that can transform a dangerous situation into a deadly one. The Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act will protect survivors of intimate partner violence by fully closing the \u201cboyfriend loophole\u201d and restricting individuals under emergency restraining orders from purchasing or possessing firearms. Brady is grateful to Senator Blumenthal for introducing this important bill and for his steadfast dedication to protecting survivors and ending the American gun violence crisis,\u201d said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy, Brady\n\n\u201cNo one escaping domestic violence should fear that their abuser can still access a firearm,\u201d said Lauren Levin, chief advocacy officer?of the?Sandy Hook Promise Action?Fund. \u201cWe are proud to endorse the Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act, strengthening protections for survivors facing serious threats and helping keep families and communities safe by reducing the risk of future violence.\u201d\n\n\"The gaps in federal gun policy regarding domestic abuse are completely unacceptable and deadly. An abusive partner\u2019s access to a firearm makes it five times more likely that a woman will be killed. That\u2019s why I urge Congress to pass Senator Blumenthal\u2019s lifesaving bill, and finally take steps to prevent known abusers from getting their hands on dangerous weapons,\u201d said Emma Brown, Executive Director at GIFFORDS.\n\n\u201cA protective order should protect. Yet loopholes in federal law still allow too many dangerous domestic abusers to keep or acquire firearms even after a court has found that they pose a credible threat,\u201d said Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance. \u201cThe Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act closes those deadly loopholes and helps ensure that a judge\u2019s order is backed by meaningful action. Survivors deserve more than a piece of paper\u2014they deserve the freedom to live safely in their own homes without fear of gun violence.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the bill can be found here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-20T05:28:41Z", "2026-08-20T05:29:58Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-durbin-hirono-and-merkley-demand-answers-after-unqualified-organization-with-close-ties-to-ice-receives-no-bid-contract-to-provide-legal-services-to-migrant-children", "Blumenthal, Durbin, Hirono, & Merkley Demand Answers After Unqualified Organization with Close Ties to ICE Receives No-Bid Contract to Provide Legal Services to Migrant Children", "2026-08-18", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, today pressed Our Rescue, an anti-human trafficking and child exploitation organization with close ties to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), for answers after the organization received a no-bid contract of up to $244 million to provide legal services to unaccompanied migrant children.\n\nU.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joined Blumenthal in writing to the Chief Executive Officer of Our Rescue, Derek Benner, and the Chairman of Our Rescue\u2019s Board of Directors, Sean Vassilaros. In their letter, the Senators raised concerns that the organization lacks experience as a legal services provider and demanded records and information about its vague contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.\n\n\u201cThis award is concerning given the incredible lack of details provided in the award notice, the nonexistence of legal services provided by your organization, the Trump Administration\u2019s continued use of no-bid awards to steer taxpayer dollars to President Trump\u2019s friends, family, and associates, and the Trump Administration\u2019s staggering disregard for the welfare of children in immigration enforcement,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cUnfortunately, Our Rescue is not a legal services provider. A review of your public-facing materials confirms this, revealing no mention of providing legal services to unaccompanied migrant children, nor even to survivors of human trafficking or child exploitation in the United States. While your organization\u2019s stated mission of combatting human trafficking and child exploitation is laudable, you appear to address those issues in the United States in ways that are different from legal representation. Thus, it gives us apprehension that your organization is potentially being tasked with administering essential legal services to children whose cases require highly specialized expertise.\u201d\n\nThe Senators raised concerns that Our Rescue\u2019s documented ties to ICE could undermine confidentiality regarding unaccompanied migrant children: \u201cUnder the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Congress deliberately assigned the care of and services for unaccompanied migrant children to ORR, wholly separate from the immigration enforcement functions the Act assigned to the Department of Homeland Security. This was done specifically to ensure that ORR functioned as a child welfare agency guided by unaccompanied migrant children\u2019s best interests rather than deportation quotas or other immigration enforcement priorities. Yet under the Trump Administration, ORR has increasingly abandoned this statutory mandate in service of ICE\u2019s enforcement agenda, including by routinely providing ICE formerly firewalled information about unaccompanied migrant children and their loved ones.\u201d\n\n\u201cGiven these historical facts, Mr. Benner\u2019s nexus to ICE as the former leader of ICE\u2019s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the lack of a publicly available description of the contract, we must ask exactly what information on unaccompanied migrant children Our Rescue may have agreed to provide to ORR. It is critical that Our Rescue and ORR maintain transparency about any information-sharing the contract requires,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nThe full text of the Senators\u2019 letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Mr. Benner and Chair Vassilaros:\n\nWe write to request records and information regarding the recent contract of up to $244 million,[1] of which $158.1 million has already been disbursed,[2] that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded your organization to \u201censure the continuity of legal services for unaccompanied alien children.\u201d[3] This award is concerning given the incredible lack of details provided in the award notice, the nonexistence of legal services provided by your organization, the Trump Administration\u2019s continued use of no-bid awards to steer taxpayer dollars to President Trump\u2019s friends, family, and associates,[4] and the Trump Administration\u2019s staggering disregard for the welfare of children in immigration enforcement.[5] We request that you immediately provide information and records to allow us to assess whether this contract is yet another waste of taxpayer dollars meant to harm migrant children.\n\nUnaccompanied migrant children are a uniquely vulnerable population with unique legal needs both in Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) custody and once released. Those needs may include, but are not limited to, direct representation in legal proceedings; orientations on legal rights and the immigration process in the United States; and legal screenings to identify a child\u2019s legal needs, rights, and options. These needs require effective advocates with a working knowledge of immigration law\u2014a complex and intricate legal landscape that is constantly changing.\n\nUnfortunately, Our Rescue is not a legal services provider. A review of your public-facing materials confirms this, revealing no mention of providing legal services to unaccompanied migrant children, nor even to survivors of human trafficking or child exploitation in the United States.[6] While your organization\u2019s stated mission of combatting human trafficking and child exploitation is laudable, you appear to address those issues in the United States in ways that are different from legal representation. Thus, it gives us apprehension that your organization is potentially being tasked with administering essential legal services to children whose cases require highly specialized expertise.\n\nAdding to that apprehension is the complete lack of detail on exactly what your organization\u2019s legal services will entail. Ensuring \u201cthe continuity of legal services for unaccompanied alien children\u201d[7] is vague and could mean the provision of legal services directly by your organization or referrals by your organization to other providers of legal services, or both. There is also no detail as to whether these services will be provided to unaccompanied migrant children only while they are in ORR custody or if legal services will be provided post-release as well.\n\nOur Rescue\u2019s close ties to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raises additional questions about confidentiality regarding unaccompanied migrant children. Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Congress deliberately assigned the care of and services for unaccompanied migrant children to ORR, wholly separate from the immigration enforcement functions the Act assigned to the Department of Homeland Security.[8] This was done specifically to ensure that ORR functioned as a child welfare agency guided by unaccompanied migrant children\u2019s best interests rather than deportation quotas or other immigration enforcement priorities. Yet under the Trump Administration, ORR has increasingly abandoned this statutory mandate in service of ICE\u2019s enforcement agenda, including by routinely providing ICE formerly firewalled information about unaccompanied migrant children and their loved ones. On the basis of this information, ICE has arrested more than 12,000 unaccompanied migrant children and other individuals while sowing fear and panic in communities across the nation.[9] In addition, from December 2025 to August 2026, ORR illegally refused to reimburse legal services providers under a prior contract unless they transmitted sensitive information to ORR about their clients that could have violated attorney-client privilege\u2014information that ORR could then have imparted to ICE in turn. Only after a federal court ruled that these withheld payments contravened a standing preliminary injunction did ORR initiate repayments.[10]\n\nGiven these historical facts, Mr. Benner\u2019s nexus to ICE as the former leader of ICE\u2019s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the lack of a publicly available description of the contract, we must ask exactly what information on unaccompanied migrant children Our Rescue may have agreed to provide to ORR. It is critical that Our Rescue and ORR maintain transparency about any information-sharing the contract requires.\n\nSo that we can understand why Our Rescue is qualified to receive up to $244 million servicing unaccompanied migrant children, and exactly what the contract entails, please provide the following information by September 1, 2026:\n\nPlease provide an overview of what \u201ccontinuity of legal services for unaccompanied alien children\u201d entails;\n\nPlease indicate whether \u201ccontinuity of legal services for unaccompanied alien children\u201d encompasses children detained in ORR custody or children released from ORR custody, or both;\n\nPlease indicate whether Our Rescue will be directly providing legal services to unaccompanied alien children;\n\nWill Our Rescue be subcontracting to legal services providers or otherwise referring cases to a network of such providers?\n\nPlease identify all existing and planned subcontractors or other organizations with which Our Rescue will partner to implement this contract;\n\nPlease provide the number of attorneys currently employed by Our Rescue with an active bar license and for each attorney the jurisdiction in which they are barred;\n\nPlease list any attorneys at Our Rescue who have ever participated in an immigration proceeding in any capacity;\n\nPlease list any experience and qualifications among Our Rescue attorneys in providing trauma-informed representation to unaccompanied migrant children;\n\nPlease provide a list of Our Rescue\u2019s current office locations;\n\nPlease indicate whether Our Rescue will be fulfilling the terms of its contract virtually or in person; and\n\nPlease describe what information, if any, Our Rescue will provide to ORR and/or ICE concerning unaccompanied migrant children clients and their cases in performance of this contract\n\nPlease share Our Rescue\u2019s analysis of why any such information-sharing does or does not violate attorney-client privilege or other ethical considerations under the bar codes of all states in which Our Rescue will administer legal service pursuant to the contract.\n\nPlease also provide us with the following records[11] by September 1, 2026:\n\nAll records regarding the solicitation of the $244 million to ensure continuity of legal services for unaccompanied alien children;\n\nAll communications[12] regarding the awarding of the $244 million contract and the disbursement of the $158.1 million, including but not limited to communications with the Executive Office of the President, President Trump, the Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; and\n\nAll communications regarding how clients will be serviced in locations where Our Rescue personnel and/or attorneys are not located.\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Award Notice, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services \u2013 Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement \u2013 Legal Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children, SAM.GOV, (Aug. 7, 2026), available at: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/3994b176dd184f02b72b043594ea419f/view.\n\n[2] Contract Summary, USASPENDING.GOV, https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_7571MN26C00029_7571_-NONE-_-NONE-.\n\n[3] Supra, note 1.\n\n[4] See, e.g., Letter from the Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations to the Hon. Doug Burgum, Sec. of the Interior, and Jessica Bowron, Acting Director, NPS (June 9, 2026), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026-06-09-Letter-from-Ranking-Member-Blumenthal-toSecretary-Burgum-and-Acting-Director-Bowron.pdf.\n\n[5] See, e.g., Press Release, Blumenthal Delivers Opening Statement at Forum on How DHS Policies Hurt Children (March 24, 2026), https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/videoblumenthal-deliversopening-statement-at-forum-on-how-dhs-policies-hurt-children.\n\n[6] See, e.g., https://ourrescue.org/?form=FUNNLSEFPYG&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19639273605&gbraid=0AAAAAoc8JBHJfc7kNNG6YkFnnNt81tj05&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhOjWq7-ZlgMVU4rCCB0-VjHgEAAYASAAEgJxyPD_BwE. (Materials reviewed include webpages, annual reports, and audited financials).\n\n[7] Supra, note 1.\n\n[8] P.L. 107-296.\n\n[9] Kristina Cooke, \u201cThousands of children, sponsors, arrested after tips from US child migrant agency\u201d Reuters (Jul. 28, 2026) available at: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/thousands-children-sponsors-arrested-by-ice-after-tips-us-child-migrant-agency-2026-07-28/.\n\n[10] Dennis Valera, \u201cJudge orders federal government to pay $65M to legal service providers for migrant children\u201d CBS News (Aug. 7, 2026): https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/judge-orders-65m-payout-migrant-children-legal-services\n\n[11] For purposes of this request, \u201crecords\u201d include any written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, and any other electronically-created or stored information), direct messages, chats, calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).\n\n[12] For purposes of this request, \u201ccommunications\u201d include any records, as defined above, transmitted in any way between two or more individuals or entities.", 1, "2026-08-19T05:29:02Z", "2026-08-19T05:30:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-demands-federal-action-to-lower-electricity-costs", "Blumenthal Demands Federal Action to Lower Electricity Costs", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal today introduced The Affordable Electricity Rates Act of 2026 a bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider affordability when setting transmission rates.\n\nTransmission rates comprise 15 percent of your electricity bill and Blumenthal\u2019s legislation would prohibit any rate increases or charges that would increase overall electricity prices by over 5 percent.\n\n\u201cFERC has been anemic in its oversight of electricity costs. Connecticut consumers pay too much for electricity and federal authorities have done too little to protect them from rising costs by utility companies. I\u2019m proud to introduce the Affordable Electricity Rates Act of 2026 to compel FERC to consider affordability when setting transmission rates and prohibit costly rate increases that burden consumers,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s bill amends Section 210 of the Federal Power Act to require FERC to consider whether a rate or charge is likely to result in retail electricity prices that are unaffordable for consumers and then prohibiting any rate or charge that is unaffordable by considering it as not \u201cjust and reasonable\u201d which is FERC\u2019s current standard. The legislation also has a presumption of unaffordability for any transmission rate that would increase overall electricity prices by over 5%.\n\nIn addition to the legislation, Blumenthal today wrote to FERC demanding strong oversight of asset condition projects. These projects are initiated at the discretion of the transmission company, such as Eversource, and they received a presumption from FERC that they are necessary. In many cases, organizations like Eversource repair their infrastructure or replace full transmission lines when it isn\u2019t needed and consumers are left footing the bill.\n\nTransmission owners are investing heavily in these types of projects. In fact, spending on asset condition projects represents 73 percent of the annual amount that transmission owners spend on all capital projects in New England.\n\nEnergy costs in Connecticut are already extraordinarily high, and Connecticut consumers pay for a portion of the costs of all transmission projects throughout the ISO-New England region. The number of these transmission projects have skyrocketed, in large part because the return on investment percentages for the utility companies are higher than for other projects.\n\nIn a letter to FERC Blumenthal cites Eversource\u2019s X-178 transmission project in New Hampshire as a perfect example of why FERC oversight is needed. While only 10% of the transmission lines need to be repairs, Eversource is replacing 580 poles and 49 miles of transmission lines to the tune of $360 million. Connecticut\u2019s share of that is expected to be $79.9 million.\n\n\u201cFor too long, transmission owners have exploited weak oversight to make unnecessary and expensive upgrades. Since 2018, transmission organizations in New England have spent twice the amount of money on asset condition projects as they have on new reliability projects \u2013 to the tune of $4.1 billion. The costs of these projects \u2013 which are initiated at the sole discretion of a transmission organization \u2013 are passed onto ratepayers across the entire ISO-NE region, with Connecticut residents paying 25% of all costs for projects that affect the regional grid, even for projects located in another state, like the X-178 transmission project,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s bill text can be viewed here. A copy of his letter to FERC is available below.\n\nThe Honorable Laura V. Swett\n\nChairman\n\nFederal Energy Regulatory Commission\n\n888 First Street, NE\n\nWashington, D.C. 20426\n\nDocket No. EL26-66-000\n\nDear Chairman Swett,\n\nI write to provide comments on the above-mentioned docket and call again on FERC to increase oversight of the planning process for asset condition projects. I have repeatedly called for the Commission to provide greater scrutiny of such projects to ensure proposed upgrades are truly necessary and that the costs are reasonable. Eversource\u2019s actions in this case provide the perfect illustration of why such scrutiny is needed.\n\nAs petitioners allege, Eversource mischaracterized its X-178 transmission project, thereby subjecting it to a lesser level of scrutiny than it should have received while receiving a higher rate of return on these expenditures than those provided for costs of other capital projects and operating expenses. While regional transmission projects impacting reliability are reviewed by ISO-NE, asset condition projects initiated by transmission organizations to replace old or damaged infrastructure receive little to no meaningful review or oversight. This gives transmission owners an incentive to classify projects as asset condition projects, even in cases where the infrastructure being repaired has not exceeded its useful life or the transmission organization chooses to replace an entire line when only portions of it are damaged.\n\nFor too long, transmission owners have exploited weak oversight to make unnecessary and expensive upgrades. Since 2018, transmission organizations in New England have spent twice the amount of money on asset condition projects as they have on new reliability projects \u2013 to the tune of $4.1 billion. The costs of these projects \u2013 which are initiated at the sole discretion of a transmission organization \u2013 are passed onto ratepayers across the entire ISO-NE region, with Connecticut residents paying 25% of all costs for projects that affect the regional grid, even for projects located in another state, like the X-178 transmission project.\n\nAs I said in my August 8, 2025 letter, and again in a letter on April 8, 2026, FERC must provide greater oversight over asset condition projects, including at a minimum, the establishment of an independent review mechanism. As long as these types of projects receive a presumption that they are prudent during FERC\u2019s review, transmission organizations will continue to take advantage of the system by misclassifying projects. As a result, ratepayers in Connecticut are forced to pay for these unnecessary upgrades, further exacerbating already sky-high electric bills.\n\nI urge the Commission to act in the best interests of consumers and establish a mechanism for greater oversight of asset condition projects.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-19T05:29:02Z", "2026-08-19T05:30:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-joins-senate-armed-services-colleagues-to-demand-accountability-from-hegseth-after-reports-of-crisis-aboard-uss-abraham-lincoln", "Blumenthal Joins Senate Armed Services Colleagues to Demand Accountability from Hegseth After Reports of Crisis Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal joined all twelve of his colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) minority, as well as the Democratic leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Defense, in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding answers about deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports that the aircraft carrier\u2019s crew has endured food and water shortages, broken plumbing, and mental health crises severe enough that multiple sailors reportedly attempted to go overboard during its record-setting deployment. The Lincoln has been at sea for more than 250 days, including over 200 consecutive days without a port call, the longest continuous deployment at sea for a U.S. aircraft carrier in the modern era.\n\nThe letter was signed by Blumenthal and the following SASC members: Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Senator Tim Kaine (D-Vir.), Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.). Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, also joined.\n\nThe senators pressed Secretary Hegseth on his Department\u2019s failure to provide a clear timeline for the crew\u2019s return and condemned his public dismissal of the reports as \u201ccompletely misrepresented,\u201d as well as President Trump\u2019s remarks suggesting the Lincoln had not been deployed \u201cnearly long enough.\u201d The Senators demanded detailed answers on mental health and medical resources aboard the ship, the state of good order and discipline, hygiene and food conditions, the full extent of the reported man-overboard incident, and support being provided to military families, along with a formal request for a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the ship.\n\nThe full text of the letter is below.\n\nDear Secretary Hegseth,\n\nWe write regarding the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln and mounting evidence that conditions aboard the carrier have deteriorated to the point that the safety and wellbeing of its crew could be compromised. These are deeply troubling reports, and the American people deserve honest answers.\n\nThe USS Lincoln departed San Diego on November 21, 2025. The ship has now been deployed for more than 250 days, including over 200 consecutive days without a port call, setting a modern-day record for continuous time at sea for a U.S. aircraft carrier. Family members of the sailors and Marines serving aboard have received urgent messages describing conditions that should alarm you, and everyone serving in a position of leadership at the Pentagon, to include concerns about exhaustion, food and water shortages, and mental health crises serious enough that multiple sailors reportedly attempted to go overboard.\n\nIn response to these reports, you publicly stated that the conditions aboard the carrier have been \u201ccompletely misrepresented.\u201d Even more galling, when asked by reporters about the conditions on the Lincoln, President Trump dismissed the concerns of the families and stated that the Lincoln had not been deployed \u201cnearly long enough.\u201d\n\nOur sailors and Marines signed up to serve and to be treated with respect. They did not sign up to be kept at sea indefinitely with no announced return date and, by multiple accounts, without reliable food, hot water, or working plumbing. That is not how we treat the men and women we ask to carry out this mission.\n\nThis situation was preventable, and the conditions aboard the Lincoln are nearly identical to the issues faced by the USS Ford when it conducted an extended deployment that ended earlier this year. The USS Lincoln was redirected to the Middle East as the war with Iran began and has remained there as that war has dragged on with no clear endpoint. This is a symptom of poor planning by both you and the President and exacerbated by the deeply unsound decision to start a war with Iran. Open-ended deployments driven by an open-ended war have real consequences for our servicemembers, and we are seeing those consequences now.\n\nRecent press reports indicate that the USS George Washington will be deployed to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln. While that is welcome news, the Department\u2019s mismanagement of carrier deployments also means that the U.S. will not have an aircraft carrier in the Pacific for the foreseeable future. However, ensuring the USS Lincoln returns to port takes precedence, and it is incumbent on the Department to inform Congress, and the families, on the plan and timeline to get the crew home. Denial and defensiveness are not acceptable responses. Congress and these families need accountability.\n\nGiven the seriousness of these reports, we request written answers to the following:\n\nWhat is the current timeline for the USS Lincoln\u2019s relief and return to homeport, and what specific operational requirements are driving continued extensions of this deployment?\n\nWas the crew informed that the deployment could be extended indefinitely? Have any members of the crew been changed out since the beginning of this deployment, and if so, how many?\n\nHas there been any degradation in the operational capability of the USS Lincoln or her airwing?\n\nWhat mental health resources are being provided to the crew?\n\nHave there been any suicides aboard the ship during this deployment? How many instances of detected suicidal ideation or attempted self-harm, including attempts to go overboard, has the Department recorded?\n\nWhat other medical resources are available aboard the ship, and are resources sufficient to meet the crew\u2019s needs given the length of this deployment?\n\nWhat chaplain resources are available to the crew, and have they been adequate to the scale of need aboard the ship?\n\nWhat is the current state of good order and discipline aboard the USS Lincoln?\n\nWhat is the hygiene and healthy food situation on board, including the status of reported plumbing failures, water contamination, and food shortages?\n\nWhat is the extent of illness or injury aboard the ship, including full details of the reported man-overboard incident and any other similar incidents?\n\nWhat is the state of the families of the sailors and Marines aboard the USS Lincoln? What resources are being provided to them, and are they being kept informed on a regular basis about the status of the deployment and their loved ones\u2019 wellbeing?\n\nWill the Department authorize a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the Lincoln to conduct firsthand oversight of conditions aboard the ship?\n\nAs the Secretary of Defense, you are accountable to the men and women who serve our nation. It is time for you to demonstrate leadership, rather than peddle excuses. The servicemembers we send into harm\u2019s way deserve nothing less.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-19T05:29:02Z", "2026-08-19T05:30:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-leads-call-for-trump-to-reverse-costly-directive-restoring-outdated-technology-on-aircraft-carriers", "Blumenthal Leads Call for Trump to Reverse Costly Directive Restoring Outdated Technology on Aircraft Carriers", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today called on Donald Trump to reverse a recent national security memorandum directing the Department of Defense to replace electromagnetic catapults with steam-powered systems on future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. In a letter signed by fellow members of the Armed Services Committee\u2014U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Tim Kaine (D-VA)\u2014Blumenthal and the Senators raised concerns that the President\u2019s costly and ill-conceived redesigns of aircraft carriers would endanger servicemembers and leave aircraft carriers less secure.\n\n\u201cCatapults are central to an aircraft carrier\u2019s ability to project airpower around the world, launching aircraft from the flight deck using either pressurized steam or, in newer systems, electrical power and magnetic fields. The Navy moved to the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) because it offers more precise control over aircraft launches, can accommodate a wider range of aircraft, and reduces maintenance and manpower requirements. The Navy has spent years improving this technology and has now conducted tens of thousands of successful launches,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cYour plan to revert to steam-powered systems is not feasible. The Ford class was designed around electromagnetic catapults, while steam requires a fundamentally different infrastructure. With the Doris Miller already under construction and its electromagnetic launch equipment reportedly nearly 50 percent complete, your directive threatens to impose significant new costs and delays on a carrier program already critical to meeting the Navy\u2019s global commitments.\u201d\n\nThe Senators raised concerns about the President\u2019s pattern of personally prescribing the design of some of the military\u2019s most complex weapons systems: \u201cThese projects are planned years in advance and go through intense scrutiny. Your constant interference in them risks wasting time, taxpayer dollars, and the safety of our warfighters. Our servicemembers and their families deserve to know that the equipment they receive is driven by operational requirements, not your whim.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur aircraft carriers are among the most complex weapons systems ever built, and decisions about their design will shape the Navy\u2019s combat power for decades. Changes of this magnitude should be driven by the operational requirements of the fleet, the judgment of Navy engineers and warfighters, and rigorous assessments of cost, schedule, and capability\u2014not the personal preference of any President,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nThe full text of the Senators\u2019 letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Mr. President,\n\nWe write to express serious concerns regarding your August 13 national security memorandum directing the Department of Defense to replace electromagnetic catapults with steam-powered systems on future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, beginning with the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81). At precisely the moment the Navy is struggling to meet growing demands for aircraft carriers around the world, you are ordering costly and ill-conceived redesigns of the future carrier fleet.\n\nCatapults are central to an aircraft carrier\u2019s ability to project airpower around the world, launching aircraft from the flight deck using either pressurized steam or, in newer systems, electrical power and magnetic fields. The Navy moved to the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) because it offers more precise control over aircraft launches, can accommodate a wider range of aircraft, and reduces maintenance and manpower requirements. The Navy has spent years improving this technology and has now conducted tens of thousands of successful launches.\n\nYour plan to revert to steam-powered systems is not feasible. The Ford class was designed around electromagnetic catapults, while steam requires a fundamentally different infrastructure. With the Doris Miller already under construction and its electromagnetic launch equipment reportedly nearly 50 percent complete, your directive threatens to impose significant new costs and delays on a carrier program already critical to meeting the Navy\u2019s global commitments.\n\nMost concerning, this directive is not an isolated instance. Your directive follows a growing pattern of personally prescribing the design of some of the military's most complex weapons systems, including a new class of battleships, a twin-engine version of the F-35, and now steam catapults aboard aircraft carriers. These projects are planned years in advance and go through intense scrutiny. Your constant interference in them risks wasting time, taxpayer dollars, and the safety of our warfighters. Our servicemembers and their families deserve to know that the equipment they receive is driven by operational requirements, not your whim.\n\nWe therefore request answers to the following questions:\n\nWhat technical, engineering, operational, and cost analyses informed your August 13 directive? Before it was issued, did the Chief of Naval Operations, Secretary of the Navy, NAVSEA, NAVAIR, or other Navy technical authorities recommend replacing the electromagnetic catapults with steam?\n\nWhat is the Navy\u2019s current estimate of the total cost and schedule impact of redesigning CVN-81 to incorporate steam catapults, including engineering and redesign costs, equipment already procured or under contract, contract modifications, and potential construction delays?\n\nHow would replacing electromagnetic catapults with steam affect the operational capabilities, including sortie generation, maintenance requirements, and its ability to launch the Navy\u2019s planned future carrier air wing, including unmanned aircraft?\n\nWhat impact would any delay to future carriers have on the Navy\u2019s ability to generate sufficient aircraft carrier presence to meet projected global operational requirements, particularly given the increasingly extended deployments already being required of the existing carrier fleet?\n\nOur aircraft carriers are among the most complex weapons systems ever built, and decisions about their design will shape the Navy\u2019s combat power for decades. Changes of this magnitude should be driven by the operational requirements of the fleet, the judgment of Navy engineers and warfighters, and rigorous assessments of cost, schedule, and capability \u2013 not the personal preference of any President.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-19T05:29:02Z", "2026-08-19T05:30:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-8/7/2026-8/14/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 8/7/2026-8/14/2026", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Demanding Answers About Health & Safety Concerns Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln\n\n[Hartford, CT] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao today demanding to know what action is being taken to improve conditions for sailors deployed on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been continuously at sea for a record length of nearly seven months. The deployment was scheduled to end in May but has been extended with no publicly announced return date.\n\n\u201cThere have been widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal also asked for information about what steps the Navy is taking to prevent similar issues in the future, given that recent carrier deployments have repeatedly stretched long beyond their originally planned durations:\n\n\u201cThese reports warrant immediate attention, but they also raise a broader question: whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo now being demanded of its carrier force, particularly as this Administration repeatedly commits U.S. forces to conflicts of its own choosing and increasingly relies on aircraft carriers to sustain those operations.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal has previously raised concerns regarding the mental health and well-being of sailors facing extended periods of demanding working and living conditions.\n\nIn 2022, Xavier Sandor, a Connecticut sailor from Shelton, was one of three USS George Washington crew members to die by suicide while the ship was undergoing extended Refueling and Complex Overhaul at a Virginia shipyard. During this time, crew members were subject to frequent interruptions of electrical power, heating, air conditioning and hot water for weeks at a time and no access to welfare or recreation services. Sailors also often experienced a two months long backlog for mental health screenings.\n\nIn 2023, Blumenthal fought to include the Seaman Xavier Sandor Support for Sailors Act in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, allowing junior sailors to live in commercial housing when their assigned ship undergoes an extended maintenance overhaul in a shipyard.\n\nThe full text of the letter to Hegseth and Cao is available here.\n\nBlumenthal highlighted his letter and the need to better support our servicemembers aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cThe Trump Admin must explain what they are doing to support sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln who have been continuously at sea for nearly 7 months. Widespread reports of supply shortages, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health & more demand immediate attention,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal also joined CNN\u2019s Erin Burnett and Pamela Brown to discuss his letter to Hegseth and Cao.\n\nSlamming the Trump Administration\u2019s Dangerous Immigration Policies\n\nBlumenthal, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General T. March Bell demanding he launch a formal investigation the Office of Refugee Resettlement\u2019s evasion of its legal responsibilities to the immigrant children in its custody.\n\nThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requires ORR to adjudicate a completed sponsorship application of a parent, legal guardian, or close relative for an unaccompanied immigrant child within 10 days. However, despite this requirement, at least two dozen children in Connecticut have languished in federal custody for lengthy periods of time raising serious questions about why ORR is delaying reunification.\n\n\u201cAt best, ORR is understaffed and woefully inept at carrying out its statutorily mandated functions in a timely fashion. At worst, and what mounting evidence points to, is that ORR\u2019s goal has become detaining children indefinitely in a callous attempt to deter future migration. Either way, the best interests of children in ORR\u2019s custody have been sacrificed, and those children, including those in Connecticut, continue to suffer,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nIn a letter, Blumenthal cites the case of 5-year-old Camila who was held for 118 days in federal custody while her mother was 9 miles down the road waiting for her application to be approved. Camila was only reunited with her mother after attorneys filed a habeas lawsuit challenging the legality of her detention.\n\n\u201cIn each case, ORR plays the same song and dance, requiring an application be \u201ccomplete\u201d before the 10-day clock starts, while simultaneously delaying needed checks or moving the goal post of what is required to complete an application as soon as previous requirements are met. For example, in Camila\u2019s case, her mother submitted an application, then waited two months for ORR to schedule a home inspection and three months for ORR to schedule a DNA test. All the while, Camila languished inside federal custody, away from her mother,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s letter demands HHS promptly launch an investigation into these delays and determine whether ORR is evading its legal responsibilities to the children in its custody and determine whether ORR is in violation of its obligations.\n\nA full copy of Blumenthal\u2019s letter is available here.\n\nBlumenthal held a press conference in Hartford announcing his call for an investigation into the prolonged and inhumane detention of unaccompanied immigrant children in the custody of ORR.\n\n\u201cThousands of children are confined by ICE, away from their parents, they\u2019re unaccompanied children, for extended periods of time\u2014not just weeks, months. The story of Camila, a five-year-old detained for 118 days, is gripping and heartbreaking, but only one of dozens in Connecticut alone and thousands across the country,\u201d said Blumenthal at the press conference. \u201cThese children are confined for an average of 205 days. For a child who is 3, 4, 5 years old 205 days is like a lifetime\u2014away from parents, confined in really inhumane settings in federal custody. What we\u2019re seeing is family separation 2.0. And we are seeing the same craven, cruel, inhumane policy repeated now in a slightly different way.\u201d\n\nVideo of Blumenthal\u2019s press conference is available here.\n\nOn Twitter/X, Blumenthal further highlighted his call for an investigation into the inhumane treatment of unaccompanied immigration children.\n\n\u201cWe are hearing gripping & heartbreaking stories of kids being held in federal custody for months on end. I\u2019m demanding HHS investigate the prolonged & inhumane detention of minors at unmonitored & unlicensed facilities\u2014putting children at incredible risk,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nFurther condemning the Trump Administration\u2019s harmful immigration policies, Blumenthal joined U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) in writing Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel slamming a policy allowing ICE agents to hide from investigation after violent confrontations. Following reporting in The New York Times that the FBI will no longer investigate violent confrontations between civilians and federal immigration agents, Blumenthal and Schiff are calling for the new policy be rescinded. The senators also asked for information and records about how the decision to implement the policy was reached.\n\nAgents reportedly received instructions about the change just days after ICE agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine.\n\n\u201cFaced once more with the duty to investigate DHS agents\u2019 wanton violence, you apparently made the extraordinary decision to issue a policy that FBI agents will no longer investigate confrontations between civilians and immigration agents. Instead, leaving DHS to investigate itself,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cIt is hard to see any justification for this policy change other than to avoid discovering evidence that could be used to call into question the practices of DHS agents or to prosecute them when they use excessive force in violation of the law.\u201d\n\nThe full text of letter is available here.\n\nCombatting the Rapid Spread of the Spotted Lanternfly\n\nBlumenthal called on Congress to pass the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act, new legislation to stop the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive species that poses a significant threat to the environment and our state\u2019s agricultural economy. Spotted Lanternflies, which are native to Asia and were first found in Connecticut in 2020, have destroyed crops and trees in the Northeast \u2014 putting our local farmers, winemakers, and brewers at serious risk.\n\nThe Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act designates the Spotted Lanternfly as a high-priority research and extension initiative under the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. This designation authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants available for research projects related to the mitigation of this invasive species to find creative solutions to stop the spread before Connecticut\u2019s crops and trees species are further decimated.\n\n\u201cThe Spotted Lanternfly is really much more than just a pest. These guys are a menace. Literally half the trees in Connecticut are at risk of death as a result of the Spotted Lanternfly\u2014and more immediately, our vineyards, our hop fields, our wine and brewery industries are very much threated by the spotted lanternfly. We need to counter this threat with research and development and citizen action,\u201d said Blumenthal at the press conference.\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted the need to combat the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cThe Spotted Lanternfly is a hitchhiking pest that puts at risk \u00bd the trees in CT, plus orchards, vineyards, & hops fields. States like CT need strong federal funding to counter this menace & develop systemic, strategic ways to stop this invasive species,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nDenouncing the $900 Million Price Tag for Trump\u2019s White House Renovations\n\nBlumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), demanded answers from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles about the ballooning costs associated with renovations to the White House and surrounding grounds. Blumenthal sent the letter to Wiles amid new reporting in the Washington Post that detailed a significant increase in the projected cost of various projects that President Trump has directed to take place on the White House grounds, totaling $927 million, with taxpayers set to pay much of the multimillion-dollar sum.\n\nSeeking information regarding the reconstruction and renovation of the White House and surrounding grounds, Blumenthal wrote, \u201cThis astronomical expenditure, which has not been approved by Congress, has been rushed through unconventional means under incredible secrecy. A project of this cost and significance demands oversight and accountability to determine not just how funds are being spent but whether any rules were violated in the President\u2019s haste to complete his chief vanity project.\u201d\n\nPointing to the costs associated with various projects undertaken by the White House, including a massive ballroom, repairs to an adjacent park, construction of a new visitor screening facility, and construction of a new helipad, Blumenthal continued, \u201cThis new calculation dwarfs previous estimates provided by the President, and the accompanying reporting details how taxpayers will be expected to fund more than half of that amount. It also directly contradicts numerous statements by the President, who has repeatedly insisted that construction costs would be paid by private donors and himself personally, at no cost to taxpayers.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal raised concerns about the Trump Administration\u2019s use of no-bid contracts for many of the projects and its redirection of Congressionally-appropriated funding to benefit the President\u2019s vanity projects: \u201cThe reporting also details the extraordinary measures that the Trump Administration has undertaken to apparently circumvent traditional contracting practices and basic transparency by routing the contracts for construction projects through the Executive Residence, which has no experience with these kinds of large-scale projects and typically handles routine maintenance projects for the White House and its grounds. Importantly, contracts originating out of the Executive Residence are not forced to undergo the same contract bidding rules or public disclosure requirements as other federally funded projects.\u201d\n\nAs Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal is leading an inquiry into waste, fraud, and abuse associated with the White House ballroom and other projects throughout the nation\u2019s capital.\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Wiles is available here.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal released a statement on the passing of former Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman.\n\nBlumenthal pressed MLB, MLBPA, and FanDuel for answers after Phillies Star Bryce Harper was used to target gambling addict with a promotional video.\n\nBlumenthal introduced a bipartisan bill banning bonuses for utility company executives as consumer energy costs skyrocket.\n\nBlumenthal reintroduced legislation to protect passengers and crew from toxic cabin air.\n\nBlumenthal led colleagues in demanding HHS rescind cancelation of lifesaving research grants that improve patient safety and care.\n\nBlumenthal introduced bicameral legislation to improve end of life care.\n\nBlumenthal celebrated the Senate passage of his Russia Sanctions bill.\n\nBlumenthal joined CNN to discuss Trump\u2019s secret exit from Turkey.\n\nBlumenthal joined MS NOW to discuss Trump\u2019s judicial nominees\u2019 refusal to say Joe Biden won the 2020 election.\n\nBlumenthal highlighted his Passport Day event on August 21.\n\nBlumenthal applauded the introduction of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\nBlumenthal joined the Puerto Rican festival in New Haven.\n\nBlumenthal visited the North Branford PoCo Festival.\n\nBlumenthal attended the Wolcott Fair.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/08/13/2026/blumenthal-and-barragan-introduce-bicameral-legislation-to-improve-end-of-life-care", "Blumenthal & Barrag\u00e1n Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Improve End of Life Care", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (D-CA) introduced the Compassionate Care Act, legislation to promote advance care planning and end-of-life care through physician education and public awareness campaigns. The Compassionate Care Act provides critical resources to educate patients and providers, develops core end-of-life quality measures, and expands access to advance care planning via telehealth\u2014helping patients access the care they need and that is right for them.\n\n\u201cEvery person deserves to have their wishes respected when facing serious illness or the need for end-of-life care,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cThe Compassionate Care Act will help patients plan ahead, empower families and providers to have important conversations, and ensure that people\u2019s care preferences are known and honored.\u201d\n\n\u201cOnly 5% of Americans have an advance care plan for their future medical care preferences, and many are unsure how to begin these important conversations with their health care providers,\u201d said Barrag\u00e1n. \u201cSenator Blumenthal and I are reintroducing the Compassionate Care Act to establish clear guidelines, improve physician education, increase public awareness, and expand access\u2014including through telehealth services\u2014 to advance care planning. More Americans should feel empowered to take control of their end-of-life care.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is cosponsored in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA).\n\nThe Compassionate Care Act is endorsed by a number of organizations, including Compassion & Choices, Coalition to Transform Advanced Care, and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI).\n\n\u201cThe nation must improve our advance care planning policies so that doctors and families are not put in the deeply disturbing position of having to make life-altering care decisions without knowing the patient\u2019s wishes,\u201d said Kevin D\u00edaz, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices. \u201cWe will work with Senator Blumenthal to secure congressional support to pass this critical legislation, which would increase the likelihood that patient-directed care is both the expectation and the norm.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Coalition to Transform Advanced Care is pleased to support Senator Blumenthal\u2019s reintroduction of the Compassionate Care Act. In C-TAC's 15th year, the senator\u2019s leadership continues to draw attention to issues of great importance to individuals with serious illness,\u201d said Tom Koutsoumpas, Co-Founder & Co-Chair of the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care. \u201cThis legislation includes critical improvements for advance care planning (ACP), makes permanent telehealth provisions for hospice recertification and ACP at home and by audio only, and supports much needed provider and public education that will help ensure that patients\u2019 care preferences are understood, recorded, and followed.\u201d\n\n\u201cAdvance care planning is one of the most important conversations we can have about our healthcare, yet too many Americans reach a moment of crisis without having had that conversation at all. The Compassionate Care Act would help change that by giving patients, families, and healthcare providers better tools to talk about what matters most before difficult decisions have to be made. When people understand their choices and their wishes are known, we see better transitions of care, fewer unwanted interventions, and a better experience for patients and families throughout serious illness and at the end of life. This legislation moves us toward a healthcare system where every person\u2019s voice, values, and choices are heard and respected. NPHI looks forward to working with Senator Blumenthal, Senator Schiff, and stakeholders across the healthcare community to advance this important legislation and ensure more Americans have the opportunity to make informed decisions about the care they want and deserve,\u201d said Tom Koutsoumpas, NPHI Founder & CEO\n\nAmong other provisions, the Compassionate Care Act would:\n\nEstablish guidelines for advance care planning between health providers and patients;\n\nLaunch a National Public Awareness Campaign that would encourage patients and providers to make end-of-life plans;\n\nDirect the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop education resources for providers to engage with patients, work with providers, state boards of medicine, and clinical associations to develop advance care education resources and solicit feedback from providers and develop quality measures;\n\nImprove access to advance care planning by expanding telehealth options for providers and patients; and,\n\nFacilitate a study on a national advanced care planning registry that would allow patients to transfer their advanced directives from state to state.\n\nThe full text of the legislation is available here. A one-page summary is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-baldwin-lead-colleagues-in-demanding-hhs-rescind-cancelation-of-lifesaving-research-grants-that-improve-patient-safety_care", "Blumenthal & Baldwin Lead Colleagues in Demanding HHS Rescind Cancelation of Lifesaving Research Grants that Improve Patient Safety & Care", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today led 28 of their Democratic colleagues in the Senate in demanding that Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. reverse the Department\u2019s destructive cancelations of lifesaving health research grants administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Congressionally appropriated funding for AHRQ grants benefitted critical research and initiatives to advance effective healthcare delivery, such as training for rural healthcare workers in Connecticut, testing the use of artificial intelligence in hospitals in Wisconsin, improving autism screening and services for Black children in North Carolina, and equipping primary care providers with effective chronic pain treatment in Virginia.\n\nIn a letter sent today to Kennedy, the Senators raised concerns about the impact of HHS\u2019s mass cancelations of these research grants, writing, \u201cThis unprecedented action, which has led to the disruption of nearly 200 different research programs across nearly 30 states, undermines decades of taxpayer investments to improve healthcare delivery, patient safety, and health outcomes for all Americans. We demand that you immediately rescind these cancelations and ensure that the funding Congress appropriates to AHRQ is invested in health research in accordance with the law.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cWe want to be clear: Democrats and Republicans did not work together to appropriate funds for AHRQ as a gentle suggestion for the Department to follow at their discretion or leisure. We provided this money with the explicit instruction that the Department faithfully support life-saving research to improve access and health outcomes for Americans. We did not appropriate these funds so that money could remain unspent while Americans suffer and our healthcare system struggles.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cThe agency\u2019s actions over the last year are an outrageous abuse of administrative power that will leave Americans sicker, poorer, and dying from preventable causes. Each of these canceled grants put real life patients further from the care that they need.\u201d\n\nThe Senators called on Kennedy to immediately restore full funding to research projects affected by the cancelations and ensure AHRQ\u2019s full FY26 appropriations are obligated as required by law: \u201cAt a time when medical errors kill hundreds of thousands of Americans annually, when healthcare costs are crushing family budgets, and when we face unprecedented health challenges, your department has chosen to sabotage the very research designed to solve these problems. This is not leadership\u2014this is sabotage of public health. And it must end, immediately.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve a healthcare system informed by the best available evidence. They deserve research that makes their care safer, more effective, and more affordable. Congress has provided the resources to support this vital work. It is your responsibility to ensure these resources are used as intended,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nThe letter was signed by U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mark Warner (D-VA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).\n\nFull text of the Senators\u2019 letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Kennedy,\n\nWe write to express our profound concern and unequivocal opposition to the recent mass cancelations of lifesaving health research grants administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as well as the year-long refusal to faithfully execute the Fiscal Year (FY25) and Fiscal Year (FY26) appropriations laws. This unprecedented action, which has led to the disruption of nearly 200 different research programs across nearly 30 states, undermines decades of taxpayer investments to improve healthcare delivery, patient safety, and health outcomes for all Americans. We demand that you immediately rescind these cancelations and ensure that the funding Congress appropriates to AHRQ is invested in health research in accordance with the law.\n\nOn July 15, 2026, approximately 150 AHRQ grantees received a generic form letter notifying them that their grants were canceled, effective immediately.[1] For many, this was the first notice or communication that they have received from AHRQ in nearly a year. The grant cancelation letters cite regulations that require the Agency to consider the grantee's progress and management practices and the availability of funds, yet none of the notices substantively address any of these factors. Instead, these cancelation notices list a series of Agency priorities that do not appear in the subsections cited. Further, many of the grants that were canceled were explicitly investigating the topics that AHRQ has described as a priority. The cancelation letters, which were sent to a broad range of grantees, use the exact same language, which is evidence that the agency is categorically denying grants without making individual grant determinations.\n\nA small sample of the research programs that were just devastated include:\n\nWork in Connecticut on training rural healthcare workers to better respond to maternal medical emergencies;\n\nResearch in New York on how to improve healthcare delivery systems for patients to access home dialysis;\n\nA program in Colorado that reduces risk factors for patient falls in rural hospitals;\n\nWork in Utah to reduce antibiotic overuse at hospital discharge;\n\nResearch in Wisconsin testing the use of artificial intelligence to improve the experience of hospitalized children and their families;\n\nA grant in North Carolina that improved autism screening, diagnosis, and services among Black children;\n\nResearch in Maryland to improve patient safety via telehealth;\n\nWork in Virginia to equip primary care providers with more effective chronic pain treatment to reduce reliance on opioids; and\n\nResearch in Michigan on patient financial burden after a COVID-19 infection.\n\nThis is just a fraction of the important work that has been permanently discontinued, despite years of work and millions of taxpayer dollars that were invested to advance our understanding of effective healthcare delivery.\n\nThis recklessness is not the only crisis facing the Agency. Since October 1, 2025, the Agency has only awarded 5 percent of the funds available for extramural grants.[2] Grantees were left in limbo, without notice or clarification, in some cases for over a year. Programs across the country were forced to layoff staff, discontinue research, shutdown programs, or not pursue new research opportunities at all. In 2025, AHRQ lost 80 percent of its staff, including the vast majority of those working to vet grant applications and work with grantees, so there is no one left to adequately manage the programming mandated by statute.[3]\n\nWe want to be clear: Democrats and Republicans did not work together to appropriate funds for AHRQ as a gentle suggestion for the Department to follow at their discretion or leisure. We provided this money with the explicit instruction that the Department faithfully support life-saving research to improve access and health outcomes for Americans. We did not appropriate these funds so that money could remain unspent while Americans suffer and our healthcare system struggles. AHRQ has saved our country billions of dollars in healthcare costs and improved patient safety. Abandoning this work is antithetical to the mission of the Department.\n\nThe agency\u2019s actions over the last year are an outrageous abuse of administrative power that will leave Americans sicker, poorer, and dying from preventable causes. Each of these canceled grants put real life patients further from the care that they need.\n\nAt a time when medical errors kill hundreds of thousands of Americans annually, when healthcare costs are crushing family budgets, and when we face unprecedented health challenges, your department has chosen to sabotage the very research designed to solve these problems. This is not leadership\u2014this is sabotage of public health. And it must end, immediately.\n\nWe call upon you to take the following immediate actions:\n\nRescind all recent grant cancelations and restore full funding to all affected research projects;\n\nEnsure that AHRQ\u2019s full FY26 appropriation is obligated for health services research as the bipartisan majorities of Congress and President Trump\u2019s signature intended;\n\nProvide a detailed explanation to Congress within one month of receiving this letter regarding the decision-making process that led to these cancelations, including any written criteria, instructions, funding plans, rankings, spreadsheets, analyses, or other documents used to identify or select affected grants;\n\nExplain how the priorities identified in the non-continuation notice were applied to grants that were terminated and explain why grants focused on listed priority research areas were selected for non-continuation;\n\nProvide to Congress a spend plan to ensure that the approximately $200 million remaining in funding for extramural research grants are awarded before October 1, 2026, including any contract arrangements with other federal agencies and a description of how such contracts advance research on health care costs, quality, and outcomes;\n\nProvide to Congress a detailed description of the number of employees at AHRQ that are performing grants-management functions, including issuing awards, processing continuations, and monitoring awards for compliance as of August 6, 2026, September 30, 2025, and January 1, 2025;\n\nProvide a written assurance that such arbitrary cancelations will never happen again.\n\nCountless researchers who have devoted their careers to improving healthcare for all of us have watched years of painstaking work and hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer investments destroyed overnight. The scientific and health pipelines that have been demolished will take decades to build back and may never be recovered.\n\nThe American people deserve a healthcare system informed by the best available evidence. They deserve research that makes their care safer, more effective, and more affordable. Congress has provided the resources to support this vital work. It is your responsibility to ensure these resources are used as intended.\n\nWe look forward to your response no later than August 25, 2026.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-demands-investigation-into-detention-of-children-in-federal-custody", "Blumenthal Demands Investigation Into Detention Of Children In Federal Custody", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General T. March Bell demanding he launch a formal investigation the Office of Refugee Resettlement\u2019s evasion of its legal responsibilities to the immigrant children in its custody.\n\nThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requires ORR to adjudicate a completed sponsorship application of a parent, legal guardian, or close relative for an unaccompanied immigrant child within 10 days. However, despite this requirement, at least two dozen children in Connecticut have languished in federal custody for lengthy periods of time raising serious questions about why ORR is delaying reunification.\n\n\u201cAt best, ORR is understaffed and woefully inept at carrying out its statutorily mandated functions in a timely fashion. At worst, and what mounting evidence points to, is that ORR\u2019s goal has become detaining children indefinitely in a callous attempt to deter future migration. Either way, the best interests of children in ORR\u2019s custody have been sacrificed, and those children, including those in Connecticut, continue to suffer,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nIn a letter, Blumenthal cites the case of 5-year-old Camila who was held for 118 days in federal custody while her mother was 9 miles down the road waiting for her application to be approved. Camila was only reunited with her mother after attorneys filed a habeas lawsuit challenging the legality of her detention.\n\n\u201cIn each case, ORR plays the same song and dance, requiring an application be \u201ccomplete\u201d before the 10-day clock starts, while simultaneously delaying needed checks or moving the goal post of what is required to complete an application as soon as previous requirements are met. For example, in Camila\u2019s case, her mother submitted an application, then waited two months for ORR to schedule a home inspection and three months for ORR to schedule a DNA test. All the while, Camila languished inside federal custody, away from her mother,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal\u2019s letter demands HHS promptly launch an investigation into these delays and determine whether ORR is evading its legal responsibilities to the children in its custody and determine whether ORR is in violation of its obligations.\n\nA full copy of Blumenthal\u2019s letter is available here and below. Video of Senator Blumenthal\u2019s press conference is also available here.\n\nAugust 13, 2026\n\nT. March Bell\n\nInspector General\n\nU.S. Department of Health and Human Services\n\n330 Independence Avenue SW\n\nWashington, DC 20026\n\nDear Inspector General Bell,\n\nI write with concern regarding the Office of Refugee Resettlement\u2019s (ORR) routine, prolonged detention of unaccompanied children (UAC) in its custody and its obstructionist policy toward sponsors.\n\nORR\u2019s parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), requires that ORR adjudicate, within 10 days, a completed sponsorship application of a parent, legal guardian, brother, sister, grandparent, or other close relative of a UAC in ORR\u2019s custody.[1] This regulation was implemented as part of ORR\u2019s Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule (Foundational Rule) and is consistent with ORR\u2019s statutory obligations under the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008,[2] which requires HHS to expeditiously place children in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interests of the child, and legal obligations under the Flores settlement agreement, which establishes a general policy favoring the release of children from detention \u201cwithout unnecessary delay.\u201d[3]\n\nDespite these obligations, within Connecticut alone, at least two dozen children have languished in federal custody notwithstanding sponsors available and willing to take them in who have completed sponsorship applications and vetting.[4] In six specific cases, it took a federal habeas petition to win the release of such Connecticut children to their families.[5] These cases included Jean[6], held for 505 days despite his father and stepmother seeking his release; Benjamin, held for 143 days despite his father, a previously vetted sponsor, waiting; Camila, a five year old held for 118 days despite her mother waiting; Liam, held for 255 days while his mother waited; and Miguel, held for 167 days while his father waited.[7]\n\nIn each case, ORR plays the same song and dance, requiring an application be \u201ccomplete\u201d before the 10-day clock starts, while simultaneously delaying needed checks or moving the goal post of what is required to complete an application as soon as previous requirements are met. For example, in Camila\u2019s case, her mother submitted an application, then waited two months for ORR to schedule a home inspection and three months for ORR to schedule a DNA test.[8] All the while, Camila languished inside federal custody, away from her mother.\n\nThis playbook is not limited to Connecticut alone. Children have been systematically separated from their loved ones across the country and held in custody despite sponsors who have met every vetting requirement ORR has asked of them.[9] In Illinois, a 14-year-old boy sat in federal custody for over four months until a federal court granted a habeas petition ordering his release.[10] His brother, already present in the U.S. and previously vetted as a sponsor, had been waiting the entire time.[11] In Texas, a lawsuit was brought on behalf of four children detained in ORR custody for long periods despite having sponsors available who had previously been vetted and who such children were already residing with prior to their arrests.[12]\n\nTo be clear, I support sponsor vetting and the release of UACs in ORR\u2019s care only to loving, safe, and responsible homes. However, ORR has a duty to perform vetting that is both thorough and expeditious in order to best minimize the harms minors face in prolonged detention.[13] This Administration\u2019s changes to the sponsor vetting process have achieved the opposite result by denying, delaying, and deterring the individuals capable of providing the safest placement for children. Moreover, new policies narrowing documents accepted to prove identity, address, and relationship serve largely to limit sponsorship by immigrants, not to improve safety of placements. Vetting procedures should not be designed to eliminate potential sponsors based on criteria unrelated to child wellbeing.\n\nAt best, ORR is understaffed and woefully inept at carrying out its statutorily mandated functions in a timely fashion. At worst, and what mounting evidence points to, is that ORR\u2019s goal has become detaining children indefinitely in a callous attempt to deter future migration. Either way, the best interests of children in ORR\u2019s custody have been sacrificed, and those children, including those in Connecticut, continue to suffer.\n\nWe request that you promptly launch a formal investigation into ORR\u2019s evasion of its legal responsibilities to the children in its custody and determine if ORR is in violation of its obligations under the Foundational Rule, including by gathering the following information:\n\nThe number of UACs who have been held in custody, or currently are being held in custody beyond 10 days despite a completed sponsorship application, since January 20, 2025;\n\nThe average number of days between a sponsor\u2019s request for an application and the furnishing of said application, since January 20, 2025;\n\nThe total number of UACs currently in ORR\u2019s custody and the length of detention for each UAC;\n\nThe average number of days it takes ORR to schedule fingerprinting for a sponsor since January 20, 2025;\n\nThe average number of days it takes ORR to schedule a DNA test appointment for a sponsor since January 20, 2025;\n\nThe average number of days it takes ORR to schedule a home visit for a sponsor since January 20, 2025;\n\nThe average number of days between completion of a sponsorship application and the release of a UAC since January 20, 2025;\n\nThe total number of UACs released from ORR custody as a result of a habeas petition since January 20, 2025;\n\nWhether ORR, as a matter of policy, is systematically delaying adjudication of sponsorship applications for UACs in its custody\n\nChildren in ORR\u2019s care deserve better and we owe it to them to exercise our oversight functions in a manner that leads to better outcomes. Accordingly, I look forward to your prompt response.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-demands-answers-from-white-house-chief-of-staff-after-new-reporting-reveals-900-million-price-tag-for-donald-trumps-renovations-to-the-white-house", "Blumenthal Demands Answers from White House Chief of Staff After New Reporting Reveals $900 Million Price Tag for Donald Trump's Renovations to the White House", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today demanded answers from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles about the ballooning costs associated with renovations to the White House and surrounding grounds. Blumenthal sent the letter today to Wiles amid new reporting in the Washington Post that detailed a significant increase in the projected cost of various projects that President Trump has directed to take place on the White House grounds, totaling $927 million, with taxpayers set to pay much of the multimillion-dollar sum.\n\nSeeking information regarding the reconstruction and renovation of the White House and surrounding grounds, Blumenthal wrote, \u201cThis astronomical expenditure, which has not been approved by Congress, has been rushed through unconventional means under incredible secrecy. A project of this cost and significance demands oversight and accountability to determine not just how funds are being spent but whether any rules were violated in the President\u2019s haste to complete his chief vanity project.\u201d\n\nPointing to the costs associated with various projects undertaken by the White House, including a massive ballroom, repairs to an adjacent park, construction of a new visitor screening facility, and construction of a new helipad, Blumenthal continued, \u201cThis new calculation dwarfs previous estimates provided by the President, and the accompanying reporting details how taxpayers will be expected to fund more than half of that amount. It also directly contradicts numerous statements by the President, who has repeatedly insisted that construction costs would be paid by private donors and himself personally, at no cost to taxpayers.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal raised concerns about the Trump Administration\u2019s use of no-bid contracts for many of the projects and its redirection of Congressionally-appropriated funding to benefit the President\u2019s vanity projects: \u201cThe reporting also details the extraordinary measures that the Trump Administration has undertaken to apparently circumvent traditional contracting practices and basic transparency by routing the contracts for construction projects through the Executive Residence, which has no experience with these kinds of large-scale projects and typically handles routine maintenance projects for the White House and its grounds. Importantly, contracts originating out of the Executive Residence are not forced to undergo the same contract bidding rules or public disclosure requirements as other federally funded projects.\u201d\n\nAs Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal is leading an inquiry into waste, fraud, and abuse associated with the White House ballroom and other projects throughout the nation\u2019s capital.\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Wiles is available here and below.\n\nDear Ms. Wiles,\n\nI write regarding new reports that the estimated cost of renovations to the White House and surrounding grounds, including the construction of a lavash ballroom, has swelled yet again.[1] This new estimate shows that the cost of these projects will potentially surpass $900 million, and that much of this sum will come directly from taxpayers.[2] This astronomical expenditure, which has not been approved by Congress, has been rushed through unconventional means under incredible secrecy. A project of this cost and significance demands oversight and accountability to determine not just how funds are being spent but whether any rules were violated in the President\u2019s haste to complete his chief vanity project. As part of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation\u2019s (\u201cthe Subcommittee\u201d) inquiry into the waste, fraud, and abuse associated with the White House ballroom, I request documents and information regarding the re-construction and renovation of the White House and surrounding grounds, and the Executive Office of the President\u2019s role in facilitating this project.\n\nNew reporting from the Washington Post details a significant increase in the projected cost of various projects that President Trump has directed to take place on the White House grounds, totaling $927 million.[3] This includes the construction of a massive and ostentatious ballroom, repairs to an adjacent park, the construction of a new visitor screening facility, and the construction of a new helipad, among other things. This new calculation dwarfs previous estimates provided by the President, and the accompanying reporting details how taxpayers will be expected to fund more than half of that amount.[4] It also directly contradicts numerous statements by the President, who has repeatedly insisted that construction costs would be paid by private donors and himself personally, at no cost to taxpayers.[5]\n\nThe reporting also details the extraordinary measures that the Trump Administration has undertaken to apparently circumvent traditional contracting practices and basic transparency by routing the contracts for construction projects through the Executive Residence, which has no experience with these kinds of large-scale projects and typically handles routine maintenance projects for the White House and its grounds.[6] Importantly, contracts originating out of the Executive Residence are not forced to undergo the same contract bidding rules or public disclosure requirements as other federally funded projects.[7] According to the reporting, while in the past Congress had appropriated $2.5 million to the repair and maintenance account for the Executive Residence, \u201c[s]ince Trump took office, the administration has directed $875 million\u201d to that same account, $415 million of which was re-directed from Secret Service funding.[8]\n\nThe White House is the people\u2019s house, and the President is merely a steward of that important piece of American heritage while he resides there. The American people deserve transparency about the changes that he plans to make and the taxpayer funding that he plans to use. Pursuant to Senate Rule XXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate and Senate Resolution 94 (119th Cong.), Section 12, I write to request that you provide the Subcommittee with the following information by August 27, 2026:\n\nProvide a detailed description of all completed, planned, or otherwise anticipated projects that have been undertaken or will be undertaken on the White House grounds since January 20, 2025, including projected costs, contract details, and an explanation for the funding mechanism that will be used for each project.\n\nProvide a detailed description of the Executive Office of the President\u2019s role in approving expenditures and contracts for projects originating out of the Executive Residence, including the individuals who are responsible for reviewing and granting contracts, and individuals who are charged with overseeing the design and completion of these projects.\n\nProvide a list of all contracts that have been granted, or that have been planned by the Executive Residence since January 20, 2025, including a description of the project, the date of the contract issuance, the contractor, and whether the contract was competitively bid.\n\nProvide a complete list of all private entities that have donated funds either directly to the Executive Residence account, or whose funds were indirectly donated but were then re-directed to the Executive Residence account since January 20, 2025.\n\nPlease contact Subcommittee staff should you have any questions about responding to this request. Thank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Jonathan O\u2019Connell & Sarah Blaskey, Trump administration set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction, Wash. Post (Aug. 12, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/08/12/trump-administration-set-spend-least-900-million-white-house-construction/.\n\n[2] Id.\n\n[3] Id.\n\n[4] Jonathan O\u2019Connell & Sarah Blaskey, Trump administration set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction, Wash. Post (Aug. 12, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/08/12/trump-administration-set-spend-least-900-million-white-house-construction/; Johnathan O\u2019Connell et. al., Trump Said No Taxpayer Money Would Be Spent on the Ballroom. a Contractor\u2019s Invoices Show Otherwise, Wash. Post (June 16, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/06/16/records-reveal-600m-estimate-trumps-ballroom-project-with-half-taxpayers/.\n\n[5] Jonathan Edwards & Aaron Schaffer, A Year of Trump Insisting His Ballroom Won\u2019t Cost Taxpayers a Dime, Wash. Post (June 17, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2026/06/16/tracking-trumps-white-house-ballroom-promises-taxpayer-costs-more/.jghgjgh\n\n[6] Jonathan O\u2019Connell & Sarah Blaskey, Trump administration set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction, Wash. Post (Aug. 12, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/08/12/trump-administration-set-spend-least-900-million-white-house-construction/.\n\n[7] Id.\n\n[8] Id.", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-garamendi-reintroduce-legislation-to-protect-passengers-and-crew-from-toxic-cabin-air", "Blumenthal & Garamendi Reintroduce Legislation To Protect Passengers And Crew From Toxic Cabin Air", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-CA), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, today announced the reintroduction of the Cabin Air Safety Act, bicameral legislation to protect airline pilots, flight attendants, and passengers from toxic cabin air. Building on cabin air reporting provisions Blumenthal secured in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024, the legislation would expand FAA reporting and investigation requirements, require real-time onboard air quality monitoring equipment, improve crew training, and enhance the collection and public reporting of data on engine oil and hydraulic fluid smoke or fume events to help prevent future incidents and improve aviation safety.\n\n\u201cFor too long, dangerous cabin air events have gone underreported, under investigated, and unaddressed,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cOur measure gives the FAA the tools it needs to identify these events in real time, ensure they are properly reported and investigated, and take steps to prevent them from happening in the first place. Pilots, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, and passengers deserve to know that the air they breathe is safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery American deserves safe, clean air when they fly. I\u2019m deeply troubled by the reports of pilots, flight attendants, and passengers falling ill, and in some cases even hospitalized, due to toxic cabin air. This legislation will hold aircraft manufacturers to a basic safety standard: protecting passengers and crew from harmful toxins,\u201d said Garamendi.\n\nThe legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).\n\n\u201cAirline crew members and passengers have the right to breathe safe, clean air, on the ground and in the air. They should never have to worry about breathing in toxic air pollutants that put their health at risk,\u201d said Markey. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join Senator Blumenthal in introducing the Cabin Air Safety Act to ensure we put the health, safety, and wellbeing of our crewmembers and passengers first.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe flying public deserves certainty that the air they breathe during their flight isn\u2019t jeopardizing their health and safety,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cWhen toxic fumes leak into the cabin, it could lead to health issues for passengers and potentially dangerous impairments to the pilots and crew. Our commonsense legislation would equip every cabin with air quality monitors and help prevent these incidents from happening.\u201d\n\nThe legislation establishes a new chapter dedicated to cabin air quality and safety, with five key provisions:\n\nMandatory Air Safety Training: Mandates that pilots, flight attendants, aircraft technicians, and airport emergency first responders receive detailed training to recognize, manage, and report toxic smoke, hazardous fumes, and air contamination incidents on aircraft.\n\nStandardized Reporting & Public Portal: Directs the FAA to implement a standardized system for crew members to report smoke and fume incidents. The FAA must maintain a searchable, online public database of aggregate, anonymized incident data.\n\nIncident Investigations: Authorizes the FAA to conduct official investigations into air contamination events and requires an investigation whenever an incident results in crew members or passengers needing medical attention beyond basic first aid.\n\nOnboard Air Monitoring & Detection: Directs air carriers to install and operate real-time detectors and air quality monitoring equipment within the air supply system to identify contamination sources and alert flight crews to hazardous air conditions.\n\nAir Quality Standards & Rulemaking: Authorizes the FAA to establish aircraft cabin air quality standards and specific maintenance requirements to mitigate air supply contamination and protect public health.\n\nThe Cabin Air Safety Act is endorsed by the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), International Brotherhood of Teamsters, National League of Consumers, American Association for Justice (AAJ), and the American Lung Association.\n\n\u201cNo worker in this country should have to show up to their place of employment knowing it could make them sick\u2014yet pilots, flight attendants, and cabin crew members remain at risk of breathing in unhealthy air contaminants on the job. As America\u2019s largest transportation labor federation, we strongly support the measures in the Cabin Air Safety Act to protect commercial aviation and air cargo workers, as well as the flying public, from toxic fumes,\u201d said Greg Regan, President of AFL-CIO TTD.\n\n\u201cALPA is grateful to Senator Blumenthal for his continuing effort in the fight to keep our skies safe and healthy. While we have been making progress on helping our industry facilitate open discussions around research, education, standardized reporting, and data collection of air quality or fume events aboard aircraft, it is time to stop ignoring these serious events and start protecting passengers and crew from any hidden and toxic fumes. For too long, cabin air events have gone uninvestigated and the underlying causes have gone unaddressed. This bill would finally give the FAA the tools, and the mandate, to monitor, investigate, and prevent these events before they put a crew or their passengers at risk,\u201d said Capt. Jason Ambrosi, President of ALPA.\n\n\u201cThe Transport Workers Union strongly supports the Cabin Air Safety Act, which builds on the most recent FAA reauthorization by requiring air quality monitoring equipment that allows flight attendants and aircraft mechanics to identify the sources of toxic cabin air in real time,\u201d said Andre Sutton, TWU Air Division Director.\n\n\u201cMost Americans go to work with the expectation of breathing clean air, but until we achieve better standards for cabin air quality, Flight Attendants don\u2019t have this guarantee. We applaud Senators Blumenthal, Markey, and Duckworth and Congressman Garamendi for introducing the Cabin Air Safety Act of 2026. We encourage their Senate colleagues to cosponsor this bill ASAP,\u201d said Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. \u201cCrews and passengers are breathing toxins and it has got to stop. The first step in the solution is training and thorough identification of the problem as defined by this bill. Often crew and passengers have no idea why they feel ill and no guidance on how to get treated. This bill gives us the tools to prevent Flight Attendants, pilots or passengers from suffering the effects of breathing toxic fumes in the cabin.\u201d\n\nThe text of the Senate legislation can be found here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-hawley-introduce-bipartisan-bill-banning-bonuses-for-utility-executives-as-consumer-energy-costs-skyrocket", "Blumenthal & Hawley Introduce Bipartisan Bill Banning Bonuses for Utility Executives as Consumer Energy Costs Skyrocket", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced the No Bonuses for Utility Executives Act, legislation to hold utility company executives accountable for excessive costs on consumers. The legislation prohibits utility executives from receiving bonuses in years when utility rates rise faster than inflation and caps bonuses when rates remain stable.\n\n\u201cThis legislation puts an end to unfair, unwarranted bonuses for utility executives who are lining their pockets while burdening consumers with increased costs,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cFor people in Connecticut, Eversource is seeking to raise utility rates by 18 percent when families are already struggling with rising costs\u2014and while the C-Suite earns millions. The No Bonuses for Utility Executives Act makes sure executives won\u2019t receive bonuses when utility rates rise faster than inflation, prohibiting companies from rewarding themselves while American families are stuck paying the price.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile Missourians bear the burden of rising electricity costs, utility executives at these companies receive hefty bonuses. I\u2019m proud to introduce legislation to ban bonuses for corporate executives who benefit from skyrocketing prices,\u201d said Hawley.\n\nU.S. Representatives Josh Riley (D-NY) and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) released similar legislation in the House of Representatives in December.\n\n\u201cUpstate New Yorkers are getting crushed by high utility bills,\u201d said Riley. \u201cFolks are cutting back on everything from groceries to school clothes just to keep the lights on. Meanwhile, the utility monopolies are rewarding their CEOs with millions of dollars per year. When the people footing the bill get squeezed and the folks at the top walk off with massive bonuses, something\u2019s seriously broken \u2014 and I\u2019m fighting to fix it. Our bipartisan bill stops utility monopolies from rewarding the corporate executives who are ripping us off.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you are making electricity unaffordable for working families, you should NOT be getting a bonus. Period.\u201d said Van Drew. \u201cFamilies across South Jersey are getting hammered by higher electric bills while executives running these companies continue to reward themselves. That is completely backwards. This bill puts an end to that. If rates are skyrocketing, there should not be a big bonus waiting for you at the end of the year. It is time we put some real accountability on the people making these decisions.\u201d\n\nThe No Bonuses for Utility Executives Act would prohibit executives from earning a bonus when they raise rates faster than inflation. Additionally, if a covered utility illegally paid executive bonuses in violation of the bill, those bonuses would be forfeited and redistributed to customers as a rebate.\n\nThe full text of the bill can be found here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-passing-of-lt-gov-nancy-wyman", "Blumenthal Statement on Passing of Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal released the following statement on the passing of former Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman.\n\n\u201cNancy Wyman was a supremely dedicated public servant \u2014 a genuine, gentle lady known for high heels and high spirit, and a tireless work ethic. She relentlessly built bridges \u2014 personal, professional and political \u2014 always seeking common ground, but fearless as a fighter for Connecticut values and people. I will miss her as a dear friend and colleague, who worked and travelled together, and shared moments of triumph and challenge. My heart goes out to her family whom she loved so deeply,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-to-defense-department-what-are-you-doing-to-support-sailors-on-the-uss-abraham-lincoln", "Blumenthal to Defense Department: What Are You Doing To Support Sailors On The USS Abraham Lincoln?", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao today demanding to know what action is being taken to improve conditions for sailors deployed on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been continuously at sea for a record length of nearly seven months. The deployment was scheduled to end in May but has been extended with no publicly announced return date.\n\n\u201cThere have been widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months,\u201d Blumenthal wrote.\n\nBlumenthal also asked for information about what steps the Navy is taking to prevent similar issues in the future, given that recent carrier deployments have repeatedly stretched long beyond their originally planned durations:\n\n\u201cThese reports warrant immediate attention, but they also raise a broader question: whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo now being demanded of its carrier force, particularly as this Administration repeatedly commits U.S. forces to conflicts of its own choosing and increasingly relies on aircraft carriers to sustain those operations.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal has previously raised concerns regarding the mental health and well-being of sailors facing extended periods of demanding working and living conditions.\n\nIn 2022, Xavier Sandor, a Connecticut sailor from Shelton, was one of three USS George Washington crew members to die by suicide while the ship was undergoing extended Refueling and Complex Overhaul at a Virginia shipyard. During this time, crew members were subject to frequent interruptions of electrical power, heating, air conditioning and hot water for weeks at a time and no access to welfare or recreation services. Sailors also often experienced a two months long backlog for mental health screenings.\n\nIn 2023, Blumenthal fought to include the Seaman Xavier Sandor Support for Sailors Act in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, allowing junior sailors to live in commercial housing when their assigned ship undergoes an extended maintenance overhaul in a shipyard.\n\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is available here and copied below.\n\nSecretary Hegseth and Acting Secretary Cao,\n\nI write to express serious concerns about the increasing length of Carrier Strike Group deployments and request information regarding the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). The Lincoln\u2019s extended deployment raises broader questions about the Navy\u2019s ability to sustainably generate carrier forces while preserving servicemember well-being, maintenance schedules, fleet readiness, and the capacity to respond to future contingencies.\n\nSince departing from departing Naval Base San Diego on November 21, 2025, the USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed more than 250 days as of this writing, despite initially being scheduled for a seven-month deployment. The flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3 has not made a port call in over 200 days, setting a record for consecutive days at sea.\n\nThere have been widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months. These reports warrant immediate attention, but they also raise a broader question: whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo now being demanded of its carrier force, particularly as this Administration repeatedly commits U.S. forces to conflicts of its own choosing and increasingly relies on aircraft carriers to sustain those operations.\n\nThe Lincoln is not an isolated case. Recent carrier deployments have repeatedly stretched beyond their originally anticipated durations, suggesting that extended deployments may be becoming a feature rather than an exception of the Navy's force-generation model. The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) spent 326 days at sea before returning home in May \u2013 nearly twice the length of a traditional six-month carrier deployment and the longest modern U.S. carrier deployment since the Vietnam era.\n\nThe Lincoln's prolonged deployment is especially significant because it is occurring in the context of continuing military operations against Iran and the possibility that substantial U.S. naval forces will be required in the region for an extended period. The Administration has yet to adequately explain the objectives, end state, or anticipated duration of those operations. If the Administration intends to maintain a prolonged military campaign or an elevated carrier presence in the region, it must explain how it intends to ensure today's operational requirements do not create tomorrow's readiness crisis.\n\nAircraft carriers are extraordinarily dangerous workplaces under normal conditions. Servicemembers work grueling shifts around jet engines, fuel, weapons, heavy machinery, electrical systems, nuclear propulsion, launching and recovering aircraft, all while remaining under the threat of attack by adversaries. Extended periods at sea can compound those inherent risks through fatigue, deferred maintenance, and reduced opportunities for rest and recovery. The Navy must ensure that decisions to extend carrier deployments account not only for immediate operational requirements, but also for their cumulative effects on crew safety, equipment readiness, maintenance schedules, and the ability of the carrier force to meet future contingencies.\n\nI therefore request that the Department of the Navy provide answers to the following questions:\n\nWhat is the Navy's plan for sustaining carrier strike group presence in the Middle East over the next 12 to 24 months if current operational requirements continue? What carrier rotations are anticipated, and how would those requirements affect planned deployments, maintenance availabilities, and carrier presence in the Indo-Pacific and other theaters?\n\nWhat was the USS Abraham Lincoln's originally scheduled deployment length, and on what dates has the deployment subsequently been extended? Who authorized each extension, and what operational requirements were cited?\n\nPlease list significant habitability, supply, and quality-of-life problems identified aboard the Lincoln, including shortages of hygiene products, mold, broken toilets or laundry facilities, inadequate water supplies, or other deteriorating living conditions, when these problems were first identified, and what corrective actions have been taken?\n\nWhat metrics is the Navy using to assess fatigue, morale, mental health, and crew readiness aboard the Lincoln? Have commanders identified any increase in safety incidents, medical issues, disciplinary incidents, or other readiness indicators associated with the length of the deployment or consecutive days at sea?\n\nDoes the Department assess that current demand for aircraft carrier presence exceeds the level that can be sustainably generated under the Navy's existing force structure and deployment model? If so, what changes to force posture, deployment practices, maintenance capacity, or fleet size does the Department believe are necessary to close that gap?\n\nWhat military objective is the continued deployment of the Lincoln intended to achieve in Iran, and how does the Department assess whether the carrier\u2019s continued presence is necessary to accomplish that objective?\n\nThe men and women aboard the Lincoln have answered the call to serve their country. The Department owes them not only adequate supplies, maintenance, and support during this deployment, but a sustainable force-generation model that does not rely on repeatedly extending sailors and ships to meet persistent operational demands. The Lincoln's deployment should prompt a broader assessment of whether the Navy's current carrier force structure, maintenance capacity, and deployment model are sufficient for the missions the Department is assigning to the fleet.\n\nOur servicemembers deserve nothing less than the full support of their government\u2014and the American people deserve a military strategy that is worthy of the sacrifices we ask them to make.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-blumenthal-join-senate-democrats-in-demanding-trump-administration-restore-funding-for-illegally-canceled-energy-projects", "Murphy, Blumenthal Join Senate Democrats in Demanding Trump Administration Restore Funding for Illegally Canceled Energy Projects", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 37 Democratic Senators in a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, and Office of Management and Budget Director, Russell Vought, demanding the Trump administration restore funding for 223 congressionally authorized and appropriated energy projects unilaterally canceled by the White House in October 2025. Murphy and Blumenthal\u2019s letter comes in the wake of the Trump administration\u2019s shocking public admission that many of these energy grants were canceled solely because the projects were in states that did not vote for President Trump in the 2024 election.\n\n\u201cNow that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies,\u201d the senators began.\n\n\u201cOnce an administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cThis is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America\u2019s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country\u2014not merely those who support the President.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them\u2014not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country\u2019s energy security at grave risk,\u201d the senators concluded. \u201cFor the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.\u201d\n\nLast October, Murphy and Blumenthal joined a letter objecting to the Trump administration\u2019s initial cancellation of project grants which were approved and appropriated by Congress, demanding the restoration of these funds.\n\nAlongside Murphy and Blumenthal, the letter was signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mazie K. Hirono (D- Hawai\u2018i), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Angus King (I-M.E.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.). All 36 Democratic Senators from states with canceled grants and funding signed the letter.\n\nRead the full text of the letter here and below:\n\nSecretary Wright and Director Vought:\n\nNow that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump Administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies.\n\nIn October 2025, we wrote to you to express strong opposition to the Administration\u2019s callous decision to unlawfully terminate $8 billion in federal investments for 223 energy projects. You not only acted outside the bounds of the law, but canceled projects that would have provided jobs, onshored manufacturing, and lowered skyrocketing energy prices. Congress authorized those projects and appropriated funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and annual appropriation bills. At the time of the termination of those projects, we expressed outrage that the terminations appeared politically motivated and confined to states that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election. The Administration has now admitted in federal court what it denied to Congress and the American people.\n\nOn July 24, 2026, citing court filings, The New York Times reported that the Trump Administration acknowledged that it terminated more than $7.5 billion of grants due to political motivations. In a two-step process, the Department of Energy (DOE) first recommended more than 600 grants for potential termination, including grants in states represented by both Republicans and Democrats. It appears the Office of Management and Budget then selected all the grants in \u201cBlue States\u201d for cancellation, which DOE executed. In court filings, DOE\u2019s lawyers conceded that the cancellations occurred \u201cbased solely on the political identity of the grant recipient\u2019s state.\u201d Specifically, as the court filings stated, \u201c[w]ith one exception, the 284 terminated grants had a recipient location and/or at least one place of performance in a state that awarded its electoral votes to Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and has two Democratic-caucusing Senators (\u201cBlue State\u201d grants).\u201d Similar grants in Red States, however, remained intact and were not the subject of termination. What\u2019s more, DOE lawyers conceded that the decision to terminate these blue state grants was not \u201cbased on any programmatic, statutory, cost-reduction, or performance-based factor.\u201d\n\nOnce an Administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly. This is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America\u2019s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country\u2014not merely those who support the President.\n\nAt a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the Administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them\u2014not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country\u2019s energy security at grave risk.\n\nFor the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-to-rfk-jr-why-was-a-trump-aligned-firm-with-no-immigration-experience-granted-no-bid-contract-to-represent-unaccompanied-children", "Senators to RFK Jr.: Why Was a Trump-Aligned Firm with No Immigration Experience Granted No-Bid Contract to Represent Unaccompanied Children?", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, alongside Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding he explain why the Trump administration awarded a no-bid contract to a Trump-aligned law firm with no apparent immigration law experience, allowing them to represent unaccompanied children who are in the care and custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).\n\n\u201cGiven the political connections between the firm\u2019s senior leadership and the Trump administration, we have concerns about why you sidestepped the competitive bidding process to select this firm to provide legal services for children who are in ORR care and custody, and demand transparency into whether all federal procurement processes were followed,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cChildren deserve competent representation by attorneys who practice at the intersection of child welfare and federal immigration law, but Americans also deserve to know why their federal dollars are being doled out to Trump\u2019s friends and allies.\u201d\n\nThe Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through ORR, has an obligation to ensure that unaccompanied children are provided competent legal aid as they navigate the immigration process. Despite this, Secretary Kennedy has cut legal service funding for 26,000 unaccompanied children, shifting funding to the Trump-aligned Burke Law Group, despite the firm\u2019s lack of experience protecting the rights of immigrant children.\n\n\u201cThe firm appears to have little relevant experience with the legal and practical challenges that children face, raising serious concerns about the firm\u2019s ability to provide not just representation but adequate, zealous representation,\u201d the senators added. \u201cWithin hours of the notice in the Federal Register, the firm appears to have updated their website to include content about immigrant youth that didn\u2019t exist on the website the previous day. At best, this is concerning, and at worst, it is a part of a coordinated scheme to paper over the firm\u2019s lack of experience.\u201d\n\nBurke Law Group\u2019s inexperience in the area of the law they have been contracted to perform could result in serious harm for the nearly 2,000 children in ORR\u2019s care. The firm itself employs 26 people in total, adding an additional concern about the firm\u2019s capacity to provide adequate legal representation to innocent children, let alone its competency to do so. Instead, the only clear outcome of this contracting award is that another Trump-aligned business will receive millions from the Trump administration.\n\nIn the letter, the senators demanded that Secretary Kennedy provide transparency as to why the Burke Law Group received this contract and details about the firm\u2019s plans to provide legal assistance to unaccompanied children.", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-schiff-demand-doj-rescind-policy-allowing-ice-agents-to-hide-from-investigation-after-violent-confrontations", "Blumenthal & Schiff Demand DOJ Rescind Policy Allowing ICE Agents to Hide From Investigation After Violent Confrontations", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Following reporting in The New York Times that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will no longer investigate violent confrontations between civilians and federal immigration agents, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) wrote Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel calling for the new policy be rescinded. The senators also asked for information and records about how the decision to implement the policy was reached.\n\nAgents reportedly received instructions about the change just days after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot and killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, Texas and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine.\n\n\u201cFaced once more with the duty to investigate DHS agents\u2019 wanton violence, you apparently made the extraordinary decision to issue a policy that FBI agents will no longer investigate confrontations between civilians and immigration agents. Instead, leaving DHS to investigate itself,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cIt is hard to see any justification for this policy change other than to avoid discovering evidence that could be used to call into question the practices of DHS agents or to prosecute them when they use excessive force in violation of the law.\u201d\n\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is available here and copied below.\n\nDear Attorney General Blanche and Director Patel,\n\nWe write regarding the shocking recent reporting that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will no longer investigate violent confrontations between civilians and federal immigration agents.[1] This sudden, unprecedented change seems particularly galling in the wake of yet more seemingly unjustified killings of unarmed individuals by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents in Texas and Maine. We demand that you immediately rescind this policy and provide information and records regarding how the decision to implement this policy was reached.\n\nHistorically, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has swiftly launched investigations when civilians are killed in high-profile confrontations with law enforcement. This is meant to ease public tensions and ensure accountability for crimes with a federal nexus, a key function rooted in the DOJ\u2019s reputation and history of independence.[2] These reviews are traditionally led by the FBI, which generally works collaboratively with local officials to gather evidence and investigate the case.[3]\n\nDOJ appeared to already be abandoning many of these historic practices in the investigation of the killings of Ren\u00e9e Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota in January of this year. In those instances, after DHS officials immediately labeled both Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti the aggressors despite video evidence to the contrary, state and local officials were so hampered by federal law enforcement in their attempts to investigate the shootings that they had to take the unprecedented step of suing the federal government.[4] State law enforcement only obtained access to some of the critical evidence regarding those killings last month, nearly six months after the events in question.[5]\n\nLast month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers once again shot and killed individuals under questionable circumstances, and DHS again immediately blamed those individuals for their own deaths. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was killed on July 7 in Houston and DHS quickly asserted he had rammed an ICE vehicle and \u201cweaponized\u201d his white work van \u201cin an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer,\u201d claims refuted by the three eye witnesses traveling with Mr. Araujo, the lack of damage to his vehicle, and video evidence.[6] Joan Sebastian Guerrero was shot and killed while driving in Maine on July 13 and DHS released a statement claiming that Mr. Guerrero\u2019s \u201cvehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,\u201d a claim which again appears to contradict the emerging evidence.[7]\n\nFaced once more with the duty to investigate DHS agents\u2019 wanton violence, you apparently made the extraordinary decision to issue a policy that FBI agents will no longer investigate confrontations between civilians and immigration agents.[8] Instead, leaving DHS to investigate itself.[9] It is hard to see any justification for this policy change other than to avoid discovering evidence that could be used to call into question the practices of DHS agents or to prosecute them when they use excessive force in violation of the law.\n\nEnabling unfit agents to continue on the job without consequence is contrary to the public commitment of federal law enforcement. We demand that you immediately rescind this policy and answer the questions below.\n\nPlease provide detailed responses to the following requests by August 25, 2026:\n\nWhen was the decision reached that the FBI would no longer investigate confrontations between civilians and immigration agents?\n\nWho was involved or consulted with in making this policy change?\n\nWere individuals outside of the Department of Justice consulted regarding this policy change? Please identify them.\n\nWere senior officials within the Federal Bureau of Investigation consulted regarding this policy change? Please identify them.\n\nWas this policy change reviewed by, or did the Department receive advice from, the White House Counsel\u2019s Office?\n\nWhat was the reasoning for the policy change?\n\nPlease also provide the following records[10] by August 25, 2026:\n\nAny and all written notice or guidance provided to FBI managers and agents regarding this policy change; and\n\nAny and all communications[1] regarding this policy change, including communications between the Executive Office of the President, DHS, and the FBI.\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Devlin Barrett & Hamed Aleaziz, Federal Agents Were Told F.B.I. Will No Longer Investigate ICE Confrontations, N.Y. Times (July 19, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/19/us/politics/fbi-ice-agents-investigations-shootings.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share.\n\n[2] See, e.g., Ryan J. Reilly, Erik Ortiz, & Kelly O\u2019Donnell, Questions swirl around federal government's plan to investigate DHS shootings, NBC News (Jan. 28, 2026), https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/questions-swirl-federal-governments-plan-investigate-dhs-shootings-rcna255989.\n\n[3] Id.\n\n[4] See Renee Hickman et al., In Six Violent Encounters, Evidence Contradicts Trump Immigration Officials' Narratives, Reuters (Jan. 28, 2026), https://www.reuters.com/world/us/evidence-contradicts-trump-immigration-officials-accounts-violent-encounters-2026-01-27/; Sarah Lynch & Jonah Kaplan, Minnesota officials sue federal government over Renee Good, Alex Pretti investigations (March 24, 2026), https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minnesota-state-county-sue-government-renee-good-alex-pretti-investigations/.\n\n[5] Coral Murphy Marcos, Prosecutors obtain long-withheld evidence on fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Guardian (July 13, 2026), https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/13/renee-good-alex-pretti-minnesota-evidence.\n\n[6] See \u2018His Blood is on Trump\u2019s Hands\u2019: Man Killed by ICE in Texas Mourned at Vigil, The Guardian (July 12, 2026), https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/12/lorenzo-salgado-araujo-texas-killed-ice-vigil; Arelia Hernandez, Migrants Who Saw Man Killed by ICE in Houston Say He Did Not Ram Officers, Wash. Post (July 10, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/07/10/migrants-who-saw-man-killed-by-ice-houston-say-he-did-not-ram-officers/; NBC News, New Surveillance Video Raises Questions in Deadly ICE Shooting (July 10, 2026), https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/new-surveillance-video-raises-questions-in-deadly-ice-shooting-266521669879.\n\n[7] See Jacey Fortin et al., ICE Agent Kills Person in Vehicle in Maine, State Officials Say, N.Y. Times (July 13, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/us/biddeford-maine-ice-shooting.html; Alison Durkee, Man Shot By ICE in Maine Was Not Operation\u2019s Target, Senator Says, Forbes (July 13, 2026), https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2026/07/13/man-shot-by-ice-in-maine-was-not-operations-target-senator-says/; DHS Says ICE Officer who Fatally Shot Driver in Maine Was 'Fearing for Public Safety', PBS (July 14, 2026), https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/dhs-says-ice-officer-who-fatally-shot-driver-in-maine-was-fearing-for-public-safety.\n\n[8] Barrett & Aleaziz, supra note 1.\n\n[9] Id.\n\n[10] For purposes of this request, \u201crecords\u201d include any written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, and any other electronically-created or stored information), direct messages, chats, calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).\n\n[1] For purposes of this request, \u201ccommunications\u201d include any records, as defined above, transmitted in any way between two or more individuals or entities.", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-tonko-and-foushee-press-mlb-mlbpa_fanduel-for-answers-after-phillies-star-bryce-harper-was-used-to-target-gambling-addict-with-promotional-video", "Blumenthal, Tonko, & Foushee Press MLB, MLBPA, & FanDuel for Answers After Phillies Star Bryce Harper Was Used to Target Gambling Addict with Promotional Video", "2026-08-10", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Valerie Foushee (D-NC) today demanded answers from Major League Baseball (MLB), the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), and FanDuel about disturbing reports that FanDuel repeatedly targeted problem gamblers with predatory perks to keep them trapped in their addiction, including a personal message from Philadelphia Phillies first baseman, Bryce Harper.\n\nIn a letter sent today to MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred and MLBPA Interim Director Bruce Meyer, the lawmakers demanded an end to the MLB and MLBPA policies that enabled this type of predatory promotion. In a separate letter to FanDuel Chief Executive Officer Christian Genetski, the lawmakers called on the sportsbook to end its VIP program for bettors, especially those suffering from a gambling addiction, on its platform.\n\n\u201cIn late 2024, Terry Thompson, who was already experiencing severe financial distress due to his gambling addiction, received a video in which Mr. Harper wished him an \u2018extra special Thanksgiving\u2019 and referenced his son. This video was prepared at the request of Thompson\u2019s VIP manager at FanDuel and intended to entice further gambling. As a FanDuel customer, Mr. Thompson ultimately wagered $18.5 million and lost over $1.5 million through the platform, taking out several mortgages on his home and selling shares of his business to fund his addiction,\u201d the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Manfred and Meyer.\n\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cMr. Harper has stated he was unaware of the true purpose of the video and would not have participated had he known. This incident, however, raises broader concerns that players are not prohibited from such endorsements and highlights a systemic failure rooted in the deep enmeshment between leagues, teams, and sports books. In fact, MLB rules currently allow players to enter endorsement deals with sportsbooks so long as they do not encourage betting on baseball. Partnerships that do not violate this rule can even use personalized content from players to drive vulnerable fans into debt and addiction. This is a failure that MLB and the MLBPA must confront directly, especially as both are in the midst of renegotiating their collective bargaining agreement.\u201d\n\nIn a letter to Genteski, the lawmakers raised concerns about FanDuel\u2019s exploitative tactics that drive problem gamblers into debt and relapse, \u201cFanDuel claims to exclude customers demonstrating \u2018potentially problematic behavior\u2019 from its products and promotions, but its VIP perks are dangerously designed to distract bettors, including those struggling with a gambling addiction, from their financial losses and entice further destructive gambling \u2013 especially when they are attempting to quit. The very nature of VIP programs is to develop \u2018close\u2019 relationships with their clients over time, fostering false friendships and frequently asking about bettors\u2019 personal lives to make them more willing to place bets. Gambling is a known addictive product and VIP/host relationships are designed to keep people actively engaged and at greater risk.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the lawmakers\u2019 letter to MLB and MLBPA is available here and below. The full text of the lawmakers\u2019 letter to FanDuel is available here.\n\nDear Commissioner Manfred and Executive Director Meyer:\n\nWe write in light of recent reporting that a personalized greeting from Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper was used to target an admitted gambling addict to encourage continued betting.[1] We write to demand an end to the MLB and MLBPA policies that enabled this type of predatory promotion.\n\nIn late 2024, Terry Thompson, who was already experiencing severe financial distress due to his gambling addiction, received a video in which Mr. Harper wished him an \u201cextra special Thanksgiving\u201d and referenced his son. This video was prepared at the request of Thompson\u2019s VIP manager at FanDuel and intended to entice further gambling. As a FanDuel customer, Mr. Thompson ultimately wagered $18.5 million and lost over $1.5 million through the platform, taking out several mortgages on his home and selling shares of his business to fund his addiction.\n\nVIP programs are dangerously designed to distract bettors, including those struggling with a gambling addiction, from their financial losses and entice further destructive gambling \u2013 especially when they are attempting to quit. The very nature of VIP programs is to develop \u201cclose\u201d relationships with their clients over time, fostering false friendships and frequently asking about bettors\u2019 personal lives to make them more willing to place bets. Gambling is a known addictive product and VIP/host relationships are designed to keep people actively engaged and at greater risk. Moreover, the virtual nature of online sports betting makes it so that VIP managers are able to access bettors more frequently and at any time of the day, making bettors much more susceptible to manipulative marketing tactics.\n\nMr. Harper has stated he was unaware of the true purpose of the video and would not have participated had he known.[2] This incident however, raises broader concerns that players are not prohibited from such endorsements and highlights a systemic failure rooted in the deep enmeshment between leagues, teams, and sports books. In fact, MLB rules currently allow players to enter endorsement deals with sportsbooks so long as they do not encourage betting on baseball. Partnerships that do not violate this rule can even use personalized content from players to drive vulnerable fans into debt and addiction.[3] This is a failure that Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) must confront directly, especially as both are in the midst of renegotiating their collective bargaining agreement.\n\nDespite clear harms that VIP programs pose to bettors, MLB and MLBPA continue to disregard fan safety by permitting partnerships with sportsbooks operating these programs. We demand an immediate end to this policy. MLB and the MLBPA must not allow players, regardless of their level of awareness, to legitimize sportsbook VIP programs designed to exploit the most vulnerable fans. I also request that you provide answers to the following questions no later than August 24, 2026:\n\nAs MLB and MLBPA renegotiate their collective bargaining agreement, what is your current position on allowing MLB players to seek endorsements and partnerships from sportsbooks? Note: The MLBPA has publicly announced their intention to seek greater freedom for players to have relationships with gambling companies.\n\nHow will MLB and the MLBPA guarantee that fan safety and well-being take precedence over revenue from gambling partnerships?\n\nDo you believe MLB and MLBPA policies on sportsbook endorsements and partnerships are adequate to prevent engagement with predatory VIP programs?\n\nWill the MLB and MLBPA undertake any player education to ensure that players understand the risks their participation in sportsbook promotions poses to fans?\n\nWill the MLB and MLBPA prohibit players from participating in personalized marketing campaigns by sportsbooks as part of VIP or tier programs?\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-12T06:18:38Z", "2026-08-12T06:20:33Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-peters-release-gao-report-finding-doge-misled-americans-about-claimed-savings", "Blumenthal & Peters Release GAO Report Finding DOGE Misled Americans About Claimed Savings", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finding that DOGE\u2019s claims of massive taxpayer savings on its \u201cWall of Receipts\u201d were severely overstated and plagued by unreliable data, unexplained calculations, and a lack of transparency.\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration has used DOGE to recklessly slash government programs, ransacking critical services and resources and proudly displaying supposed \u2018savings\u2019 on its Wall of Receipts,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cGAO\u2019s report, though, reveals data quality concerns and a lack of clarity regarding how savings were calculated, making DOGE\u2019s findings unreliable and unclear. My report with the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations last year showed that DOGE was clearly never about efficiency or saving the American taxpayer money\u2014wasting at least $21.7 billion at the time while the Trump Administration cut health care, nutrition assistance, and emergency services. This GAO report underscores the need for increased transparency and accountability from the Trump Administration so the American public can better understand DOGE\u2019s activities as the organization guts vital government programs.\u201d\n\n\u201cEveryone supports rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government, but DOGE was a slapdash and deceptive effort that misled the American people while doing real damage to the government\u2019s ability to serve them,\u201d Senator Peters said. \u201cElon Musk and the Trump Administration claimed billions of dollars in savings it could not substantiate, took credit for work already underway, and refused to show its work, all while putting Americans\u2019 sensitive data at risk and hollowing out critical agencies.\u201d\n\nThe GAO report, requested by Blumenthal and Peters in June 2025, finds that DOGE failed to provide enough information to verify 96 percent of its claimed grant savings. GAO also found that no termination action had been taken on 2,503 contracts associated with $27.4 billion in claimed savings, and two-thirds of DOGE\u2019s purported contract savings were unverifiable or did not follow stated methodology. Of the 264 leases DOGE identified for termination, 108 were already in the termination process.\n\nSince last year, the Trump Administration has been forced to reverse numerous staff purges and contract cancellations carried out by DOGE after the cuts created staffing shortages and serious operational problems\u2014further exposing the recklessness of DOGE\u2019s approach.\n\nLast year, a Blumenthal report found that DOGE generated at lease $21.7 billion in waste across the federal government between January 20 and July 18, 2025. This included $14.8 billion through its Deferred Resignation Program for paying approximately 200,000 employees not to work for up to eight months, $6.1 billion for over 100,000 employees who have involuntarily separated from federal service or who remain on prolonged periods of leave pending separation who were paid not to do their jobs for extended periods of time, and $263 million in lost interest and fee income at the Department of Energy due to dozens of loan freezes.\n\nThe report is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-wasserman-schultz-introduce-legislation-to-address-youth-vaping-use", "Blumenthal & Wasserman Schultz Introduce Legislation to Address Youth Vaping Use", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) introduced the Preventing Opportunities for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction (PROTECT) Act, bicameral legislation to address the alarming rise in e-cigarette use among youth.\n\nThe PROTECT Act authorizes $100 million in funding each year for five years for a proactive Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiative to address this alarming trend through funding for enhanced research, grants for states and localities to address this issue in their communities, the development of evidence-based policies, and other critical activities to combat the rise in e-cigarette use among youth.\n\n\u201cYouth vaping in our schools and communities is an epidemic, fueled by Big Tobacco aggressively targeting yet another generation of young people,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cOur measure addresses this crisis and gives those on the frontlines of this fight the tools they need to prevent teen e-cigarette addiction. The Trump Administration\u2019s recent actions to undermine federal anti-smoking efforts and greenlight flavored e-cigarette products make our PROTECT Act all the more necessary to prevent addiction and keep our kids safe and healthy.\u201d\n\n\u201cYouth vaping is a public health crisis, and we need to treat it like one. For too long, Big Tobacco has preyed on America\u2019s youth with flavored vapes specifically designed to get them hooked young,\u201d said Wasserman Schultz. \u201cThe PROTECT Act is needed now more than ever as the Trump Administration decimates key tobacco cessation programs and rubber stamps dangerous, flavored vape approvals at FDA. I\u2019m very proud to partner with Senator Blumenthal on this effort to protect our country\u2019s children and keep them healthy.\u201d\n\nMore than 1.4 million youth report using e-cigarettes, including roughly 1 in 13 high school students and about 1 in 29 middle school students, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey. Nearly 40 percent of youth who vape report frequent use, an alarming trend worsened by the Trump Administration dismantling key anti-smoking programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and authorizing flavored e-cigarette products that appeal to children.\n\nThe PROTECT Act is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and endorsed by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Academy, and the American Cancer Society.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-7/31/2026-8/7/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 7/31/2026-8/7/2026", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Celebrating Senate Passage of Landmark Russia Sanctions Bill\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Today, U.S. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) celebrated Senate passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in an overwhelming bipartisan vote. The legislation, led by Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC), would hold major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine.\n\nBlumenthal spoke on the Senate Floor ahead of the final vote. Video is available here.\n\n\u201cToday, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine. And Putin is watching from Moscow. I would like to think that Lindsey Graham is watching, too. And I know how proud he would be of his sister today, who has taken his place on the Floor and has been such a profoundly strong and effective advocate for this bill. Today, we say to the people Ukraine: you are not alone. And we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine; you will not defeat this free, brave people, who are turning the tide against your blood-thirsty aggression,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\n\u201cI would like to close with some brilliant rhetorical flourish, but I\u2019d rather just recall some of Senator Graham\u2019s last words to me. He said, \u2018This is a big eff-ing deal. We all did good.\u2019\u201d\n\nLast week, Blumenthal and U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Jim Risch (R-ID) hosted a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and supporters of the legislation at the U.S. Capitol. Photos of the meeting are available here.\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) first introduced legislation to bring primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s aggression in Ukraine in April 2025, and spent the last year building support for the effort in Congress and the Administration. Lindsey Graham secured an agreement with the White House on the bill just before his death.\n\nThe Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as well as the Russian Shadow Fleet.\n\nThe legislation allows the President to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, and top five countries that aid Russia\u2019s energy sanctions evasion.\n\nThe bill also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanction authority that restricts funding for Iran\u2019s energy and weapons sectors.\n\nThe text of the bill is available here.\n\nBlumenthal hosted a press conference following Senate passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act.\n\n\u201cIt is a momentous day. President Zelenskyy is watching in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin is watching in Moscow. I like to think Lindsey Graham is watching as well and proud of what we\u2019ve done. Because today we send a message to Vladimir Putin\u2014you will not win this war. Time to come to the table for peace,\u201d said Blumenthal.\n\nDenouncing Todd Blanche as Trump\u2019s Nominee for U.S. Attorney General\n\nBlumenthal a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted against Todd Blanche\u2019s nomination to serve as Attorney General of the United States at this week\u2019s Committee markup. At the markup, Blumenthal spoke out against Blanche\u2019s nomination, raising concerns about Blanche\u2019s lack of independence.\n\n\u201c\u2018I\u2019m his lawyer.\u2019 That is what Mr. Blanche told us he was. \u2018I\u2019m his lawyer.\u2019 Namely Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer. Maya Angelou famously said, \u2018When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.\u2019 Todd Blanche is Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer. He will say anything, do anything, conceal anything for his boss,\u201d Blumenthal said at the markup.\n\nPointing to Blanche\u2019s purported rescission of the so-called \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d to reward the President\u2019s political allies and violent criminals who attacked Capitol Police officers on January 6, Blumenthal continued, \u201cCommentators have talked about loopholes. There are no loopholes here. This document itself is a sham.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal underscored that Donald Trump remains committed to seeing the slush fund move forward, despite Blanche\u2019s assurances: \u201cThe President of the United States yesterday, in the Oval Office, repeated his commitment to the Anti-Weaponization Fund. We don\u2019t need to say the quiet part out loud. The President is shouting it.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cThe position of the United States Attorney General is a position of supreme trust. Any of us who have worked in the Department of Justice\u2014I was the United States Attorney for Connecticut\u2014knows that the Attorney General of the United States, like every lawyer who represents the United States, has a trust, in going to court, in making representation\u2026Todd Blanche has betrayed that trust. And his betrayal of that trust is disqualifying for his nomination.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy fear is that Todd Blanche will represent Donald Trump, be his consigliere, and he will put Donald Trump ahead of the American people and the right to vote. I cannot support him. I regret that this committee will in effect betray its trust in the party-line vote that is to follow and approve Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s remarks is available here.\n\nBlumenthal joined CNN\u2019s Anderson Cooper to discuss Blanche\u2019s nomination.\n\nBlumenthal also spoke on the Senate Floor denouncing Blanche as Trump\u2019s nominee to be U.S. Attorney General.\n\n\u201c\u2018I\u2019m his lawyer,\u2019 is what Todd Blanche said in the course of his confirmation hearing before the Judiciary Committee of the United States Senate. \u2018I\u2019m his lawyer,\u2019 meaning, \u2018I\u2019m Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer.\u2019 He will be guided by blind loyalty to the President and contempt for the law, enabling the President in continued corrupt crypto schemes as well as condoning and empowering the President to establish a slush fund for January 6 rioters, as well as tax immunity,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cThat is not the conduct of an Attorney General of the United States carrying out and respecting the Constitution. That\u2019s Donald Trump's personal lawyer.\u201d\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s full speech on the Floor is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further slammed Blanche as unfit to be U.S. Attorney General on Twitter/X, specifically highlighting his supposed \u201cwalking back\u201d of the anti-weaponization fund and his inability to recognize the January 6 insurrection as an attack on our Capitol.\n\n\u201cBlanche\u2019s walk-back of the anti-weaponization fund is a sham. There is absolutely nothing stopping Trump from going to court tomorrow & establishing this slush fund,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cTo Todd Blanche Jan 6th was just \u2018events.\u2019 No wonder he is in favor of a slush fund that pays out the insurrectionists who violently attacked law enforcement & the Capitol,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cAs Attorney General of the United States, Todd Blanche will not be a lawyer for the American people\u2014he will be Donald Trump\u2019s personal lawyer,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nApplauding Commerce Committee Passage of Bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released the following statement on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation\u2019s passage of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) by voice vote:\n\n\u201cFor years, heartbroken parents have demanded Congress take action to protect America\u2019s children from Big Tech\u2019s exploitation, and today is a major victory for the courageous families who refused to give up,\u201d said Blumenthal and Blackburn. \u201cThe Senate has repeatedly shown that there is broad, bipartisan support for a version of KOSA that creates a duty of care to protect kids from online predators, addictive algorithms, and harmful product design. We want to thank our large, diverse, and determined coalition for standing with us today, and we look forward to getting this bill to the President\u2019s desk.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted the need for the Senate Kids Online Safety Act on Twitter/X, after Meta was ordered to pay $942 million to address harm to kids from social media.\n\n\u201cGroundbreaking loss for Zuckerberg. While Meta has bought off House Republican leadership, it is finally facing justice in the courts\u2014near a billion dollars in penalties & meaningful mandated changes in this historic decision. The strong Senate Kids Online Safety Act is ready to become law\u2014once again receiving a resounding Committee approval this week. The question is whether Speaker Johnson wants his legacy to be protecting Mark Zuckerberg or American families,\u201d wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.\n\nSlamming Trump\u2019s Loyalist Judicial Nominees\n\nBlumenthal was joined by three former federal prosecutors to raise alarm over the ongoing refusal of Trump Administration judicial nominees to acknowledge the results of the 2020 election or admit that what happened on January 6, 2021, was an attack on the Capitol.\n\nThe three prosecutors \u2013 Michael Romano, Sean Murphy, and Brendan Ballou \u2013 worked on cases relating to violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Prior to the press conference, they joined a group of twelve former federal prosecutors who all worked on cases relating to the violent attack on the Capitol in sending a letter urging members of the Senate to reject judicial nominees who cannot \u201ccannot identify that (1) January 6 as an attack on our democracy, (2) the attack was led by supporters of Donald Trump, and (3) Joe Biden was legitimately elected in the 2020 election.\u201d\n\nVideo of the press conference is available here.\n\nMichael Romano prosecuted rioters who brawled with police officers on Capitol grounds, who attacked officers with wooden and metal poles, and who pepper-sprayed officers defending the Tunnel. As a manager, Romano also oversaw many cases prosecuted by others. Romano also served as a Trial Attorney in the Criminal Division\u2019s Public Integrity Section between 2019 and 2025.\n\n\u201cThe fact of the matter was, the riot was an attack on our democracy. It was an attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power. It was an attempt to install the loser of the 2020 election back in office against the will of the American people. I know this because the evidence was overwhelming,\u201d Romano said. \u201cNow, these people were convicted before Republicans and Democratic judges, they were sentenced before Republican and Democratic judges, judges appointed by any President of any party recognized the truth of what this day was. And anybody seeking a position on the bench now should be able to do the same. They should be able to tell the truth.\u201d\n\nSean P. Murphy joined the Capitol Siege Section in January 2021 and remained with the team until it was disbanded in January 2025. Among those Murphy investigated, prosecuted, and secured convictions against are an individual who beat an officer with a flagpole with the American flag still attached until the flagpole broke; an off-duty police officer; a man that used wasp spray to attack police officers, and a man that punched a police officer twice in the head before ripping away the officer\u2019s riot shield, leaving him defenseless. Murphy also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office for the District of Puerto Rico between 2018 and 2025.\n\n\u201cTo the Senators voting on these nominees today, please stop poisoning our courts by confirming appointees who refuse to admit basic historical truths. This is not a problem of perspective or political persuasion; it is fundamental question of competence. We would no more hire a schoolteacher who refuses to believe in fractions, or a mechanic who won\u2019t admit that gas goes in a gas tank than you should confirm someone to a lifetime seat on the bench who cannot admit that Donald Trump lost, and who refuses to recognize that those who assaulted police officers at the U.S. Capitol were wrong to do so,\u201d Murphy said.\n\nBrendan Ballou was involved in the trial teams that prosecuted a husband-and-wife duo who assaulted officers along the Capitol's western front before they were finally repelled by pepper spray, and prosecuted one of the first rioters who entered the Senate chamber, who triumphantly stood atop the dais within the chamber. Ballou also served as Special Counsel in the Antitrust Division from 2016 to 2017 and from 2020 to 2025.\n\n\u201cSo, we have a president that is trying to subvert a future election, we have an acting Attorney General who is eager to help in that effort, and the danger that we face with these judicial nominees is that future court cases that will determine whether our democracy continues may be people who deny the reality of January 6th,\u201d Ballou said. \u201cThink about how dangerous it is, how scary it is, to have a court case about voting rights, about democracy, about the rule of law, prosecuted by Todd Blanche, and overseen by one of these judges who denies the reality of what happened that day. So, it is important to be talking about this, it is important that these judges not be confirmed if they refuse to acknowledge the reality of January 6th.\u201d\n\nAt a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, Blumenthal questioned Trump Administration judicial nominees and slammed them for their refusal to truthfully answer questions about the 2020 election and the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.\n\n\u201cThe word \u2018attack\u2019 seems to have been stripped from Trump judicial nominees\u2019 vocabulary. It isn\u2019t a political controversy to speak the truth about what happened on January 6th,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cAnother panel of political puppets. Trump\u2019s judicial nominees refuse to state the simple fact that Joe Biden won the 2020 election,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cAfter only 6 months on the District Court, Anna St. John has proven herself such a loyal sycophant that she is up for a promotion to the 5th circuit. She knows what lies the President demands to hear and still won\u2019t say Trump lost the 2020 election,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal posted a Substack article on Trump\u2019s crypto corruption.\n\nBlumenthal introduced a resolution blocking Trump tax amnesty and January 6 slush fund.\n\nBlumenthal released a statement on the U.S. Army\u2019s award of two contracts for Sikorsky.\n\nBlumenthal introduced legislation to address youth vaping use.\n\nBlumenthal called on Yale to reject settlement with Trump Administration.\n\nBlumenthal demanded answers from FDA and Taylor Farms about the cyclosporiasis outbreak.\n\nBlumenthal released a GAO report finding DOGE misled Americans about claimed savings.\n\nBlumenthal introduced legislation to end unprecedented Presidential corruption and to stop \u201cpay-to-play\u201d pardons.\n\nBlumenthal joined sweeping legislation to counter Trump\u2019s authoritarian takeover and to defend our democracy.\n\nBlumenthal will host a passport, TSA Precheck, and Global Entry enrollment and renewal event in Hartford.\n\nBlumenthal announced a grant for East Street in New Britain to improve the safety of a dangerous intersection.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/video-blumenthal-celebrates-senate-passage-of-landmark-sanctions-bill-to-hold-purchasers-of-russian-oil-and-gas-accountable", "Video: Blumenthal Celebrates Senate Passage of Landmark Sanctions Bill to Hold Purchasers of Russian Oil & Gas Accountable", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) celebrated Senate passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in an overwhelming bipartisan vote. The legislation, led by Blumenthal and U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC), would hold major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine.\n\nBlumenthal spoke on the Senate Floor ahead of the final vote. Video is available here.\n\n\u201cToday, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine. And Putin is watching from Moscow. I would like to think that Lindsey Graham is watching, too. And I know how proud he would be of his sister today, who has taken his place on the Floor and has been such a profoundly strong and effective advocate for this bill. Today, we say to the people Ukraine: you are not alone. And we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine; you will not defeat this free, brave people, who are turning the tide against your blood-thirsty aggression,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\n\u201cI would like to close with some brilliant rhetorical flourish, but I'd rather just recall some of Senator Graham's last words to me. He said, \u2018This is a big eff-ing deal. We all did good.\u2019\u201d\n\nLast week, Blumenthal and U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Jim Risch (R-ID) hosted a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and supporters of the legislation at the U.S. Capitol. Photos of the meeting are available here.\n\nBlumenthal and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) first introduced legislation to bring primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s aggression in Ukraine in April 2025, and spent the last year building support for the effort in Congress and the Administration. Lindsey Graham secured an agreement with the White House on the bill just before his death.\n\nThe Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as well as the Russian Shadow Fleet.\n\nThe legislation allows the President to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, and top five countries that aid Russia\u2019s energy sanctions evasion.\n\nThe bill also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanction authority that restricts funding for Iran\u2019s energy and weapons sectors.\n\nThe text of the bill is available here.\n\nVideo of Blumenthal\u2019s remarks on the Senate Floor is available here. A full transcript is copied below.\n\nThe Presiding Officer: The Senator from Connecticut.\n\nSenator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Mr. President, shortly, we will vote on the Russia Sanctions bill, as we have come to call it, and I want to begin by thanking my colleagues for their overwhelming support for this measure, and in particular, to thank Senators Shaheen, Britt, Wicker, Risch, Coons, Whitehouse, Durbin, and of course Senators Schumer and Thune. Their help has been invaluable, as we reach this important moment. Last week, with President Zelenskyy watching from the gallery, this body sent a powerful message to Vladimir Putin, and all who are supporting him with funding for his vicious, blood-thirsty, illegal war against the brave, free people of Ukraine. Today, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine. And Putin is watching from Moscow. I would like to think that Lindsey Graham is watching, too. And I know how proud he would be of his sister today, who has taken his place on the floor and has been such a profoundly strong and effective advocate for this bill.\n\nToday, we say to the people Ukraine, you are not alone. And we say to Vladmir Putin, you will not conquer Ukraine. You will not defeat this free, brave people, who are turning the tide against your blood-thirsty aggression. Nearly two years ago, Lindsey Graham and I began working on this bill, but really, the journey began with our first trip to Ukraine together some four years ago. Robert Frost once said, when he was asked how he began his poems, he said, a poem begins with a lump in the throat. Our journey toward this bill began with a lump in our throats, and tears in our eyes, when we visited Bucha, not long after the Russians were pushed out of that small town, just kilometers away from President Zelenskyy\u2019s bunker, which we also visited on that trip, just weeks after Ukraine succeeded in pushing them out.\n\nWe saw the mass grave where Putin's military shot innocent women and children in the back of their heads. We talked to Ukrainian troops who lost limbs, loved ones who lost sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. We talked to children who were kidnapped by Putin, literally abducted and placed in education camps. And on one of those long train rides, we took six or seven trips into Ukraine together, we began thinking about this bill, to impose scorching sledgehammer sanctions and tariffs on Ukraine, to stop the flow of money fueling Putin's war machine. Money that was essential to his slaughterous aggression against Ukraine.\n\nAnd like one of those trains, the journey to this bill was filled with a lot of bumps, a lot of stops and starts, and through it all what sustained us as much as anything was Senator Graham's overwhelming sense of optimism. His sense of humor. His belief in freedom and democracy. His belief in America. And so, this bill is a tribute to him. We disagreed about many issues, he and I, and I could be on the receiving end of his anger, as well as his praise. But the partnership that we forged, I think, is a lesson, without exaggerating it, to perhaps the people of America that, yes, we can work together and accomplish good things for the world. One of Senator Graham's final acts as a member of this body was to reach an accord with the White House on our behalf and secure the President's support. He died literally the next day. I spoke to him shortly before his death and I know as well as anyone that this chamber, this body will not be the same without him, we miss him and this bill, named in his honor, carries on the work that he believed was so important.\n\nIt will impose scorching sanctions on the Russia war machine and the shadow fleet that sustains it. It will prevent critical resources from flowing to the Kremlin's coffers, it will authorize the president to impose duties and penalties on the Russian crude oil and natural gas, punishing the profiteers for buying discounted energy products and pushing them to decrease purchases. It is a powerful deterrent against complicity in Putin's illegal war. And it provides a powerful pressure point in stopping buyers of Russian oil and gas from continuing to provide the essential fuel for that war machine. It will give the administration the tools it needs to punish anyone who aides Russia as they continue to evade United States sanctions and promote stronger, stricter enforcement of those stations. For years, countries have been allowed to permit bad actors to broker deals and support the shadow fleet's movement all around the world. They have become fabulously rich. These companies will be exposed as facilitating evasions of sanctions and it will help us end the war. The goal is peace. We have the power to help end this war, and we cannot stand idly as a young democratic nation desperately fights for survival against a murderous dictator.\n\nWe know from history, appeasement is a failed hope, and hope is not a strategy. We cannot appease Putin in the hope that he will abandon his imperialist ambitions because history shows he will not. And his ambition doesn't end with Donbas or Lugansk, it reaches deep into Europe and it threatens our national security and our allies, yes we need our allies, and they have steed up to aid Ukraine in this war. Appeasing Putin is a disservice to the brave men and women of our military who are defending our freedom all around the globe, became it puts them in greater risk if Putin thinks he can move against our NATO allies and then we will be required to put our sons and daughters in harm's way.\n\nFor four years, Ukraine has refused to bow to Putin's will. They have beaten back wave after wave after wave of Russian attacks. Our military gave them maybe a few weeks in 2022 to survive Putin's onslaught. They pushed the Russians back in those weeks after the first wave of assaults, and they have continued a brilliant campaign of using new technology that has amazed and awed the world, including our own military, which is learning from Ukraine about the use of drones and other unmanned weapons platforms. Their ingenuity and determination are awe inspiring, even as their stockpiles of interceptors and other air defense run dry. And we must provide the kind of military defense aid, the interceptors, the pack 3's, for the patriot system, for the Thad platform, that are essential to defend the Ukrainian people who are enduring night after night drones, killing civilians, aimed at schools, hospitals, malls, civilian targets. Putin not only abducts children, he kills them in their beds as they sleep with missiles and drones that are aimed purposely at civilian targets to terrorize and intimidate the people of Ukraine.\n\nBut they will not yield. And today they continue to stand as beacon of hope and liberty shinning against the darkness. Today we cannot provide all that military aid that they need, but we can take this step, a step to stand with the people of Ukraine and show that their fight is our fight. I would like to close with some brilliant rhetorical flourish, but I'd rather just recall some of Senator Graham's last words to me. He said, this is a BIG effing deal. We all did good. Decorum prevents me from saying what he actually said, but I would like to say, looking across the chamber where he sat that he is with us today and that he will be proud of what we are doing. Thank you Mr. President, I yield the floor.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-mobilizes-senate-democrats-against-trumps-radical-atf-rule-changes-historic-assault-on-public-safety-nationwide", "Murphy Mobilizes Senate Democrats Against Trump's Radical ATF Rule Changes, Historic Assault on Public Safety Nationwide", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) led a group of Democrats in filing a series of official comments against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms\u2019 (ATF) April 2026 proposed regulatory changes to federal firearms law. Murphy\u2019s comments opposed recent sweeping rule changes promulgated by the ATF, which would create easy access to dangerous weapons, dramatically undercut law enforcement\u2019s efforts to fight and prevent crime, and put communities across the country at risk of significant increases in gun crime and gun violence.\n\nMurphy authored five comments in opposition to the proposed ATF rule changes, spanning lifted import restrictions on training rounds and dual-use weapons, blatant discrimination against gun owners on the basis of their gender identity, and the sweeping rescission of a 2024 rule clarifying the definition of \u201cEngaged in the Business\u201d (EITB) of firearms dealing. The 2024 rule modernized our firearms licensing system to support law enforcement in cracking down on rampant background check evasion by gun sellers. The EITB reforms were a centerpiece of Murphy\u2019s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the most significant gun safety legislation in the last 30 years and a major driver of historic reductions in gun violence and gun deaths since its passage.\n\n\u201cNo president has ever been so insistent on putting guns in the hands of violent criminals,\u201d said Murphy. \u201cFrom top to bottom, these ATF rule changes are all about making sure Trump\u2019s gun industry donors can maximize their profits by ignoring the popular, common sense regulations that prevent gun crime and save lives. This fight isn\u2019t close to over and Senate Democrats will do all we can to stop this corrupt disaster before it takes effect.\u201d\n\nLast month, Murphy sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche demanding answers on the DOJ and ATF\u2019s legalization of mail order gun sales, which would jeopardize public safety to the direct financial benefit of the President\u2019s son, Donald Trump Jr.\n\nEach of Murphy\u2019s ATF comments, with respective Democratic co-signers, are available in full at the following links:", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-to-trump-stop-gaslighting-americans-on-iran-stop-using-the-war-for-your-corrupt-market-manipulation", "Murphy to Trump: Stop Gaslighting Americans on Iran, Stop Using the War for Your Corrupt Market Manipulation", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate to call out President Trump\u2019s months-long gaslighting of the American public on the state of the Iran war. Murphy laid out how Trump\u2019s constant false promises of an imminent Iran war deal are part of a corruption scheme in which Trump manipulates the market with deal announcements so his friends and family can cash in. Murphy also slammed Trump\u2019s recent announcement of a $100,000 subscription for advance access to Trump\u2019s Truth Social posts as another clear example of Trump using the Iran war to facilitate insider trading and sell out America\u2019s national security for personal gain.\n\n\u201cThe war might be continuing, not just because of incompetence, but because the president has found a way to make money,\u201d said Murphy.\n\nMurphy explained how Trump\u2019s campaign of gaslighting and dishonesty works: \u201cHe gaslights. He tells lies. And the essential gaslight is that the war is about to end: \u2018Don't worry. Yes, it appears that there is no end. It appears that you're going to have to continue to pay these prices forever. It appears that America has no end game. But don't worry, the war is about to end.\u2019\u201d\n\nDetailing every instance of President Trump selling an \u201cimminent\u201d deal to the public, Murphy argued there are telling patterns in Trump\u2019s announcements of a deal: \u201cI just want to go through this pattern for you because it is really important to talk about the fact that the White House is just not being straight with the American public about what's going on in this war\u2026 [Trump] normally declares that the war is about to be over on Sunday night or Monday morning, right before the markets open. But now that we are six months into this war, we can see the pattern\u2026 On 11 different instances, Trump says, \u2018A deal is about to happen. Don't worry, the war is about to be over.\u2019 There's no deal. None of it is real.\u201d\n\nMurphy argued Trump\u2019s ceasefire announcements aren\u2019t random - they\u2019re a coordinated scheme for Trump to make money: \u201cHere's an explanation for why Trump continues to do this gaslighting, particularly right before the markets open. Trump announced, now a week or so ago, that if you pay him $100,000 a month, he will give you advance notice of American foreign policy decisions. That is a subscription service for insider trading, and it is unquestionably lucrative.\u201d\n\nHe slammed his Republican colleagues for staying silent even when they know President Trump is selling out our country\u2019s national security: \u201cCan any of my Republican colleagues defend the president selling announcements from the White House for $100,000 a month, in the middle of a war? Is any Republican senator willing to come down to this floor and defend the president of the United States setting up a subscription service for public policy announcements from the White House, so as to advantage certain players in the marketplace who are willing to pay that amount of money? Of course not.\u201d\n\nMurphy called for an immediate, actual end to Trump\u2019s disastrous Iran war: \u201cI was glad that the president got a ceasefire [in June], but I could tell by the terms it wasn't going to last. It wasn't a real agreement, but at this point, many of us are willing to support almost any agreement. It'll be a humiliating agreement. It will be one in which Iran will essentially declare victory. But this war is a disaster.\u201d\n\nMurphy also highlighted the impact of this war on America\u2019s servicemembers, who are being put in harm\u2019s way while Trump\u2019s cronies rake in millions of dollars: \u201cThe price of this war is being plainly paid first and foremost by our soldiers, who are being put in harm's way for a war that is making America weaker every day. They're getting killed. They're sustaining life-altering injuries. Many of our soldiers and sailors and airmen have been in the region far past their scheduled deployment. \u201d\n\nA full transcript of Murphy\u2019s speech is available below.\n\nColleagues, the Trump administration has us stuck in a humiliating quagmire, a total deadlock in Iran. We are wasting billions of taxpayer dollars dropping bombs and firing missiles at Iran. Iran responds with escalation. They keep the Strait closed. They attack our bases. They attack our allies in the region. The war just expands and expands and expands.\n\nIn the last week, for instance, a new war is threatening to break out between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, which would likely result in the other strait, at the bottom of the Red Sea being closed as well. Trump personally pays no price for this stalemate. His corruption schemes, his cryptocurrency, his insider trading, the contracts to his sons. All of that has practically tripled his net worth in just 18 short months in office.\n\nNo, the price of this war is being plainly paid first and foremost by our soldiers, who are being put in harm's way for a war that is making America weaker every day. They're getting killed. They're sustaining life-altering injuries. Many of our soldiers and sailors and airmen have been in the region far past their scheduled deployment. They haven't seen their families in years.\n\nAnd of course, American consumers are paying the price as well. Here's the most relevant chart. This is familiar to you. This is what gas prices were doing until the war. They are creeping back well above $4 a gallon right now. That is not affordable for regular Americans, especially Americans who have to travel great distances for work, especially small business owners who rely on reasonable gas prices in order to be able to make their bills work.\n\nDiesel prices are through the roof as well. Fertilizer prices are through the roof as well, all because of this war. No other reason. The war. The prices are this high because of the war. It's farmers, it's small business owners, it's the American public who are paying the price, not Donald Trump.\n\nAnd so that's why the war is just wildly unpopular. Except for Trump's sort of hardline supporters, the folks who just don't believe he can ever do anything wrong, nobody wants this war. If you're in a red state or a blue state, this war is deeply unpopular because the American public are smart. They're smarter than a lot of my colleagues give them credit for.\n\nThey know that a war with Iran is unwinnable. They don't want America stuck again in a quagmire, a stalemate in the Middle East. So, how does Trump handle this? A deeply unpopular war, a war that he is losing, a war that is driving up prices for the American public.\n\nWell, this is how he handles it. He gaslights. He tells lies. And the essential gaslight is that the war is about to end: \u201cDon't worry. Yes, it appears that there is no end. It appears that you're going to have to continue to pay these prices forever. It appears that America has no end game. But don't worry, the war is about to end.\u201d\n\nAnd so, I just want to go through this pattern for you because it is really important to talk about the fact that the White House is just not being straight with the American public about what's going on in this war. Over and over again, the president declares that the war is about to be over. He's not telling the truth.\n\nHe normally declares that the war is about to be over on Sunday night or Monday morning, right before the markets open. But now that we are six months into this war, we can see the pattern. Let me go through it with you quickly.\n\nOn March 23rd, Trump announces a deal. I'm just going to give you his quotes here. These are his words. He says, \"The United States of America and the country of Iran have had over the last two days very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.\u201d\n\nThe market impact is immediate. That post sends oil prices tumbling nearly 11%, but there is no deal. He just made it up. Two days later, the United States military is back to conducting strikes. \u201cThe USS Abraham Lincoln, continues flight operations against military targets in Iran while sailing in regional waters.\u201d\n\nOn March 30th, Trump announces another deal. This is Monday morning, right before the markets open. He says, \u201cThe United States of America is in serious discussions with a new and more reasonable regime to end,\u201d End! \u201cOur military operations in Iran. Great progress has been made.\u201d\n\nOne week later, there's no deal. The opposite. One week later, Trump posts that he's going to wipe out the entire civilization of Iran. \u201cA whole civilization will die tonight,\u201d he posts. \u201cNever to be brought back again.\u201d\n\nThat's a war crime. The president is promising to kill millions of civilians. He tries to dial it back, but later on that same day, he's back to announcing a deal. Literally, \u201cI'm going to wipe out a whole civilization,\u201d that morning. That night, on April 17th [7th], he says, \"Well, we received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and I believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate. A two-week period will allow the agreement to be finalized and consummated.\u201d\n\nFive days later, there's no deal. Trump announces a resumption of the war with Iran. Now, let's fast forward 10 days later: April 17th. He posts that a deal with Iran is imminent. This process should go very quickly. Most of the points are already negotiated, he posts.\n\nTwo days later, the strikes start again. On May 5th, Trump says, \u201cGreat progress being made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with the Representatives of Iran.\u201d Complete is capitalized. Final is capitalized. Agreement is capitalized. Representatives is capitalized. Iran is capitalized.\n\nTwo days later, the deal is off. Surprise, surprise! Every time Trump announces a deal is imminent, it just disappears. \u201cU.S. forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes,\u201d CENTCOM announces two days later.\n\nOn May 25th, right before the markets open, a deal is imminent. \u201cNegotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely.\u201d Right before the markets open!\n\nThat same day, the United States military conducts strikes on Iran. \u201cU.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.\u201d\n\nThe next Monday, right before the markets open, Trump posts, \u201cIran wants to make a deal. It'll be a good one. Just sit back and relax. It'll work out well in the end. It always does.\u201d\n\nHow is this working out well for the American public? How is that working out well for the American public? The next day, there's no deal. The United States conducts strikes against Iran.\n\nOn June 17th, Trump actually signs a deal, but it's not a real deal. He does this whole pomp and circumstance signing ceremony in Versailles. That deal was negotiated by diplomatic amateurs. There was nothing actually agreed to. There were words on a page, but from the literal moment the ink was dry, nobody could explain what they had agreed to.\n\nMost significantly, Iran thought that the agreement obligated Israel to stop its military operations in Lebanon. Israel did not agree to that. Iran thought that it had been given control of the Strait in that agreement. Apparently, the American delegation didn't think they made that concession.\n\nAnyway, that agreement lasts 10 days. On June 27th, Trump posts that strikes on Iran have resumed. Let's just fast forward to the last week because Trump is doing it again. On August 1st, Trump posts that\u2026 I'm not sure that I transcribed this wrong or not, but it looks like he says, \u201cthe perimeters of a deal\u201d? I'll give him credit that he said parameters.\n\n\u201cThe parameters of a deal have been agreed to,\u201d on August 1st. On August 2nd, \u201cThe deal is imminent, having to do with the Strait of Hormuz and ultimately the denuclearization of Iran.\u201d The deal is imminent on the denuclearization of Iran.\n\nAugust 4th, just a night or two ago, Trump tells Fox News, \"We're having very good discussions.\u201d Meanwhile, there are reports that Iran isn't even talking to the United States. Trump saying a deal on the denuclearization of Iran is imminent, and Iran is saying we're not even in the room.\n\nI mean, we should not accept this level of gaslighting. The word of the president has to matter! Over and over again, on 11 different instances, Trump says, \u201cA deal is about to happen. Don't worry, the war is about to be over.\u201d There's no deal. None of it is real. These promises. I wish it were real. I want to be clear about that.\n\nI want the war to end. I would basically support any agreement at this point to end this war. I was glad that the president got a ceasefire, but I could tell by the terms it wasn't going to last. It wasn't a real agreement, but at this point, many of us are willing to support almost any agreement. It'll be a humiliating agreement. It will be one in which Iran will essentially declare victory.\n\nBut this war is a disaster. America is losing. Consumers can't afford to pay these prices. Businesses are going under. We had a record of farm bankruptcies in the last year. We look like a laughing stock.\n\nAnd, we're running out of munitions. We don't have what we need to protect ourselves anymore. Reports are that we've gone through half of our Tomahawks. Our allies in the region have fired 70 to 80% of their Patriot missiles. This is a crisis. It has to end.\n\nBut maybe there's an explanation for why Trump continues to do this gaslighting, particularly right before the markets open. Trump announced, now a week or so ago, that if you pay him $100,000 a month, he will give you advance notice of American foreign policy decisions.\n\nI don't understand why that is acceptable to anybody in this chamber. If you pay Donald Trump $100,000, he will give you advance notice of America's foreign policy decisions. If we are about to sign a peace treaty and you give him $100,000 a month, he will give you advance notice of that.\n\nIf strikes are going to resume against Iran, if you pay him $100,000 a month, he will give you advance notice of that. That is a subscription service for insider trading, and it is unquestionably lucrative.\n\nOn August 1st, Trump posts that a deal is imminent. Remember, people still take him seriously. Not everybody knows about this history of gaslighting. On August 1st, Trump says, \u201ca deal is imminent,\u201d and the market impact is immediate. Oil prices fall by 5% right as the markets open.\n\nThe next day, right before the markets open, Trump says again, \u201cThe deal is imminent.\u201d Another 5% drop, and so you see how his statements move the market, and you can see how if you get advance notice of those statements, even by a few seconds, you can capitalize on that market movement.\n\nIf you know that if Trump says a deal is imminent and the markets are going to move 5% and you pay $100,000 to Donald Trump to get that information early, you can make a boatload of money. And so maybe the war continues because Trump has found a way to monetize the war in a disgustingly corrupt way.\n\nI get that at some point we become immune to all of this, but can any of my Republican colleagues defend the president selling announcements from the White House for $100,000 a month, in the middle of a war?\n\nIs any Republican senator willing to come down to this floor and defend the president of the United States setting up a subscription service for public policy announcements from the White House, so as to advantage certain players in the marketplace who are willing to pay that amount of money?\n\nOf course not. And if you know in your heart that it is corrupt, that it is wrong, then you should say something about it. Because, the war might be continuing, not just because of incompetence, but because the president has found a way to make money.\n\nMore people are going to pay him $100,000 for these announcements in the middle of a war. Frankly, people would be willing to pay it absent a war, but he'll make more money during a war because his announcements clearly move the market in the middle of a very complicated conflict, where the decisions of the United States government immediately change oil markets.\n\nThe reason that this war is dragging on endlessly \u2013 it does matter, and my colleagues should care about Trump's insider trading subscription scheme. It's just so discouraging that nobody on the other side of the aisle says anything about this, when the credibility of the White House and of our country is just getting destroyed and sullied.\n\nBut my Republican colleagues should also care that the war is being waged with a level of embarrassing incompetence that is making America weaker, that's getting us nowhere. This body works best when the president's party stands up to him and says, \"enough,\u201d whether it's corruption or incompetence.\n\nThat's what President Johnson's party did during the Vietnam War. It is actually what the Democratic Party did with President Obama during the late stages of the Afghanistan War, when many of us decided that America had to withdraw and oppose President Obama's party.\n\nIt's what many of us did here during the early stages of the war in Yemen that President Obama was bringing the American military into, and many of us opposed it. Got up on its floor, explained why we opposed it.\n\nRepublicans can do that too. You can say this war has to end. You can say that the president should never, ever personally benefit from a conflict overseas. You can say that the president of the United States should not sell access to White House statements.\n\nIt would make a big difference for our democracy and for the American people who are paying through the nose for the costs of this war if you did.", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-hosts-passport-tsa-precheck-and-global-entry-enrollment_renewal-event-in-hartford", "Blumenthal Hosts Passport, TSA Precheck, & Global Entry Enrollment & Renewal Event in Hartford", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2013 On Friday, August 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal will host a Passport Day in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and IDEMIA, a TSA PreCheck authorized enrollment provider, to assist individuals with passport renewals, first-time passport applications, TSA PreCheck enrollment, and Global Entry applications.\n\nThe event is open to the public and will take place at Connecticut\u2019s Old State House at 800 Main Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except between the hours of 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The TSA PreCheck program is open to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents.\n\nPassport applications and renewals provided by the CT Passport Agency:\n\nFirst-time passport applicants will be required to complete a Passport Application Form and present a valid photo ID and proof of U.S. citizenship, such as an original birth certificate or naturalization certificate.\n\nFor passport renewals, a completed Passport Application Form, an old passport, and a recent passport photo will be required, along with the passport renewal fee.\n\nFor new and renewed passports, a 2-inch x 2-inch passport photo taken in the last 6 months is required. If you require a passport photo on the day of the event, Camera Bar, a local business located at 75 Asylum Street, is about two blocks away from the Passport Day event and can provide a passport photo for $10.62 day of.\n\nRSVP to apply for or renew a U.S. passport here. Fill out and print your passport application here.\n\nU.S. citizens can apply for both U.S. passport books and U.S. passport cards at Passport Day.\n\nU.S. Passport Books: Valid for international travel by air, sea, or land\n\nValidity: 10 years for adults (age 16 & older)\n\n5 years for minors (under age 16)\n\nCost for First-Time Applicants: $165 for adults (age 16 & older)\n\n$135 for minors (under age 16)\n\nCost for Renewal Applicants: $130 for adults (age 16 & older)\n\nU.S. Passport Cards: Valid when entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda at land or seaports-of-entry. Not valid for international travel by air.\n\nValidity: 10 years for adults (age 16 & older)\n\n5 years for minors (under age 16)\n\nCost for First-Time Applicants: $65 for adults (age 16 & older)\n\n$50 for minors (under age 16)\n\nCost for Renewal Applicants: $30 for adults (age 16 & older)\n\nTSA PreCheck enrollment provided by IDEMIA:\n\nTSA PreCheck enrollment requires that applicants provide proof of identity, proof of citizenship, fingerprints, and a photo. IDEMIA offers TSA PreCheck enrollment for $76.75 and if approved, travelers get a five-year membership with the program.\n\nTSA PreCheck was created in December 2011 as a way to provide low-risk travelers with a smoother experience through airport security. Enrolled members have access to TSA PreCheck dedicated screening lanes at over 200 participating U.S. airports nationwide and 99% of members wait 10 minutes or less in a screening lane. TSA PreCheck passengers travel with ease and keep their shoes, belts, and light jackets on and keep laptops, 3-1-1 liquids, and food items in their bags.\n\nApply for TSA PreCheck new enrollment or renewal with IDEMIA here.\n\nGlobal Entry provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection\n\nFor the first time, this Passport Day will include the opportunity to interview for Global Entry. Global Entry is a program that allows pre-approved travelers to skip long lines when returning to the U.S. from international travel using automated kiosks.\n\nApplicants for Global Entry must be \u201cconditionally approved\u201d for an interview appointment at Passport Day. Without conditional approval, applicants will be unable to interview for Global Entry. If your approval is still pending prior to Passport Day, contact Senator Blumenthal\u2019s office at Passport_Day@blumenthal.senate.gov for assistance.\n\nTo interview for Global Entry, a CBP Officer will determine eligibility and collect biometric information (e.g., fingerprints, a photo). The applicant will be asked to provide all valid travel documents, including passport(s) and U.S.-issued visa(s) if applicable. If the applicant is a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., they must provide their permanent resident card. The applicant will also need to provide proof of their residence address, such as a driver\u2019s license or ID card.\n\nIf approved, membership is valid immediately and remains active for five years, expiring on the applicant\u2019s birthday.\n\nApply to be conditionally approved for Global Entry here. RSVP for your Global Entry interview here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-murkowski-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-support-coast-guard-installations-allow-cost-saving-community-partnerships", "Murphy, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Coast Guard Installations, Allow Cost-Saving Community Partnerships", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Christopher Murphy", "M001169", "www.murphy.senate.gov", "chrismurphy", "https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), along with U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the Strengthening Coast Guard Communities Act, bipartisan legislation to allow the U.S. Coast Guard to collaborate with state and local governments through intergovernmental support agreements (IGSAs).\n\nFor over a decade, every branch of the U.S. military has been able to benefit from the authority to enter into IGSA except for the Coast Guard. By requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to grant IGSA authority to the Coast Guard Commandant, the Strengthening Coast Guard Communities Act would enable the Coast Guard to secure better contracting agreements in collaboration with local government bodies, deliver lower-cost, higher-quality services to its installations, and strengthen local ties within Coast Guard communities \u2013 across Connecticut and nationwide.\n\nIn December 2024, Senator Murphy led a letter to the DHS Secretary calling on the Department to finalize IGSA authority for the Coast Guard. In August 2025, he led a CT delegation letter calling for serious investments by the Coast Guard to modernize the Coast Guard Academy campus infrastructure in New London and support the Academy in meeting its full potential in educating the leaders of America\u2019s multi-mission, maritime military force.\n\n\u201cThis long-overdue step will save millions in taxpayer dollars, cut red tape, and support economic development by allowing better collaboration between the Coast Guard and its surrounding communities \u2013 in places like New London, Connecticut, home of the Coast Guard Academy,\u201d said Senator Murphy. \u201cBy taking advantage of IGSAs to contract for local services \u2013 from waste management to snowplowing to transportation \u2013 the Coast Guard can save money while delivering the improved support and quality of life that Coasties, and their neighbors, deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn Alaska, supporting our military services takes an all-hands-on-deck approach. We\u2019ve seen firsthand how IGSAs benefit both military installations and local communities by combining resources for critical functions: everything from infrastructure maintenance to emergency dispatch systems. However, DHS has yet to issue the guidance necessary for the Coast Guard to do the same,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cThis legislation would allow the Coast Guard to partner with local communities to address essential functions like childcare, utility services, and housing needs. It is important that we give the Coast Guard cost-effective tools to efficiently build operational capacity in communities like Kodiak and Seward, where the service will homeport the first of the new coming to Alaska.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay in Baltimore is the Coast Guard's only major ship-repair facility. We are so proud of the work our Coast Guardsmen do protecting our nation, and the Marylanders working every day at Curtis Bay to keep our Coast Guard on the water,\u201d said Senator Alsobrooks. \u201cI am proud to partner with my colleagues on this legislation, which would enable the Coast Guard to secure better contracting agreements in collaboration with local governments to deliver lower-cost, higher-quality services to its installations. This legislation will help provide savings for the Coast Guard and Maryland communities.\u201d\n\n\"The Coast Guard is one of Maine's most important federal partners, protecting our maritime economy, conducting lifesaving search and rescue missions, and safeguarding our national security,\" said Senator King. \"Giving the Coast Guard the same authority already available to every other military service branch is simply common sense. These partnerships are already saving the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines millions of dollars a year, and I know the Coast Guard installations in Maine are ready to advance projects, cut red tape, and save American taxpayer dollars.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll branches of our Armed Forces deserve our enduring support and gratitude for their honorable service to our country, including access to high-quality services that improve their efficiency \u2014 anything short of that is unacceptable,\u201d said Senator Padilla. \u201cThis commonsense, bipartisan bill will ensure the U.S. Coast Guard can access the same cost-saving benefits as the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy. This is a simple step Congress can take to make it easier for the Coast Guard to work with state and local governments to acquire services that benefit both the Coast Guard and the communities that host them.\u201d\n\n\u201cAll U.S. military services are encouraged to collaborate with local communities for infrastructure and development, except for the U.S. Coast Guard. It\u2019s an oversight that slows modernization efforts and makes it harder for the Coast Guard to meet their mission,\u201d said Senator Blunt Rochester, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries. \u201cI\u2019m proud to support the Strengthening Coast Guard Communities Act to streamline the Coast Guard\u2019s partnership with local governments and enable USCG to better support Coasties and the communities they serve.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy allowing the Coast Guard to enter intergovernmental support agreements, this bill will unlock millions of dollars in savings, create jobs for military spouses, provide expanded services for Coast Guard members, and deliver opportunities for local small business,\u201d said Senator Schiff. \u201cIt\u2019s time to finally extend the same IGSA authority other military services have enjoyed for decades to the Coast Guard.\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause of President Trump\u2019s leadership on revitalizing the Coast Guard through Force Design 2028, this is the most exciting time to be in the Coast Guard since it was founded,\u201d said Senator Scott. \u201cHowever, Congress needs to do our part to help in that revitalization. The Coast Guard\u2019s broad, and highly specialized mission set is critical to our national security, and these intergovernmental support agreements (IGSAs) will benefit personnel, Coast Guard families, local communities, and overall mission success. I\u2019m proud to join in this bipartisan effort to get our coasties in Florida \u2013 and around the world \u2013 what they need.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom search and rescue to securing U.S. coasts and waters to ensuring marine environmental protection, the Coast Guard is critical to making New England\u2019s shores and waterways safer,\u201d said Senator Shaheen. \u201cI\u2019m proud to join this bipartisan effort that will cut administrative red tape, save money and make it easier for the Coast Guard to effectively collaborate with the coastal communities it protects.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-delauro-call-on-yale-to-reject-settlement-with-trump-administration", "Blumenthal & DeLauro Call on Yale to Reject Settlement with Trump Administration", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) wrote Yale University President Maurie McInnis requesting records and information regarding the University's ongoing negotiations with the Trump Administration, following reports that Yale has submitted two proposed settlement agreements amid an investigation by the Department of Justice into its admissions process. The lawmakers urged Yale to reject any settlement and warned that capitulating to the Administration's demands would compromise the University's independence.\n\n\u201cAcquiescing to a bully does not make that bully go away, it encourages them to come back for more and to expand their overreach to weaker targets. Yale\u2019s settlement here would show the Trump Administration that its tactics are working. It would also send the wrong message to Yale\u2019s alumni, its students, and the world,\u201d Blumenthal and DeLauro wrote. \u201cWhat we admire about Yale is exemplified by its own motto, \u2018Lux et Veritas,\u2019 light and truth. That is why we urge Yale, in the strongest possible terms, to consider the lasting consequences of a decision not rooted in light and truth.\u201d\n\nThe letter follows a roundtable held earlier this month on Yale\u2019s campus, where Blumenthal and representatives from DeLauro\u2019s office met with Yale students and faculty, including international students, to hear firsthand how a potential settlement could affect them. The roundtable was followed by a press conference at which students, faculty, and Connecticut state and local elected officials called on Yale to reject any deal with the Trump Administration.\n\nThe full text of the lawmakers' letter is available here and below.\n\nDear President McInnis:\n\nWe write to express our deep concerns that Yale University (\u201cYale\u201d or \u201cthe University\u201d) may be contemplating a settlement with the Trump Administration amidst troubling reports that the University has preemptively submitted two proposed settlement agreements. We are concerned that Yale has taken these steps and that such a storied and admired institution would consider bowing to the authoritarian impulses of the Trump Administration. Capitulating at this critical moment would be a retreat from Yale\u2019s independence as a deeply respected educational institution and would raise serious concerns about its compliance with civil rights law. Accordingly, we urge you to take a stand for your students and staff, your alumni, and Yale\u2019s legacy and fight this toxic, politicized enforcement action by the Trump Administration. We further request that you provide records and information about Yale\u2019s ongoing negotiations with the Trump Administration privately with our delegation.\n\nWe have all watched as the Trump Administration has engaged in an unprecedented attack on America\u2019s premier educational institutions while at the same time, decimating public education in this country. Some of these institutions have steadfastly resisted these attempts. Indeed, Harvard\u2019s ultimate decision to fight similar claims\u2014even when faced with aggressive threats to its research funding demonstrates that rejecting such abusive government overreach is not only possible but sends an important signal to others that might be targeted.\n\nAcquiescing to a bully does not make that bully go away, it encourages them to come back for more and to expand their overreach to weaker targets. Yale\u2019s settlement here would show the Trump Administration that its tactics are working. It would also send the wrong message to Yale\u2019s alumni, its students, and the world. What we admire about Yale is exemplified by its own motto, \u201cLux et Veritas,\u201d light and truth. That is why we urge Yale, in the strongest possible terms, to consider the lasting consequences of a decision not rooted in light and truth.\n\nAdditionally, and to shed light on the troubling actions of the Trump Administration that has led to this point, we request records and information regarding the University\u2019s interactions with the Administration since January 20, 2025, regarding Title VI compliance and any recent or ongoing negotiations. This information will be useful to understand the scope of government overreach by this Administration and as we consider potential reforms to Title VI and federal higher education grants and programs.\n\n1. All records referring or relating to any proposed settlement agreement between Yale and any federal agency; including but not limited to all settlement agreement proposals and supporting memoranda.\n\n2. All communications, between Yale and any federal agency (including the Department of Justice and the Department of Education and Department of Justice) concerning compliance with Title VI and/or the possibility of revocation of federal funds from Yale.\n\n3. Has Yale been asked, formally or informally by the Trump Administration, to modify its policies or practices related to admissions, faculty hiring, academic programs, and any program relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Please describe the nature of those requests including:\n\na. Were any of these requested changes framed as conditions for avoiding investigation, enforcement action, litigation, or loss of federal funding?\n\nb. Did any federal officials reference potential financial penalties, settlement amounts, or other consequences in connection with these discussions?\n\n4. Has Yale preemptively made any commitments, policy changes, or personnel decisions, that were made in anticipation of an investigation by the Administration\u2014before discussion began\u2014or directly in response to the Administration\u2019s demands?\n\n5. Has the Trump Administration communicated a desire for a settlement agreement, or any consequence for declining to reach such an agreement? Please describe any such statements, who made them, when they were made, and in what form.\n\n6. Has the Trump Administration given any insight as to the consequences of a failure to reach a settlement?\n\nThank you for your attention to this important matter.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-blackburn-celebrate-commerce-committee-passage-of-bipartisan-kids-online-safety-act", "Blumenthal & Blackburn Celebrate Commerce Committee Passage of Bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released the following statement on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation\u2019s passage of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) by voice vote:\n\n\u201cFor years, heartbroken parents have demanded Congress take action to protect America\u2019s children from Big Tech\u2019s exploitation, and today is a major victory for the courageous families who refused to give up,\u201d said Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal. \u201cThe Senate has repeatedly shown that there is broad, bipartisan support for a version of KOSA that creates a duty of care to protect kids from online predators, addictive algorithms, and harmful product design. We want to thank our large, diverse, and determined coalition for standing with us today, and we look forward to getting this bill to the President\u2019s desk.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/icymi-january-6-prosecutors-raise-alarm-over-trump-judicial-nominees-refusal-to-truthfully-answer-questions-about-2020-election-attack-on-the-capitol", "ICYMI: January 6 Prosecutors Raise Alarm Over Trump Judicial Nominees' Refusal to Truthfully Answer Questions About 2020 Election, Attack on the Capitol", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, were joined by three former federal prosecutors to raise alarm over the ongoing refusal of Trump Administration judicial nominees to acknowledge the results of the 2020 election or admit that what happened on January 6, 2021, was an attack on the Capitol.\n\nThe three prosecutors \u2013 Michael Romano, Sean Murphy, and Brendan Ballou \u2013 worked on cases relating to violence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Earlier today, they joined a group of twelve former federal prosecutors who all worked on cases relating to the violent attack on the Capitol in sending a letter urging members of the Senate to reject judicial nominees who cannot \u201ccannot identify that (1) January 6 as an attack on our democracy, (2) the attack was led by supporters of Donald Trump, and (3) Joe Biden was legitimately elected in the 2020 election.\u201d\n\nVideo of today\u2019s press conference is available here.\n\nMichael Romano\n\nMichael Romano prosecuted rioters who brawled with police officers on Capitol grounds, who attacked officers with wooden and metal poles, and who pepper-sprayed officers defending the Tunnel. As a manager, Romano also oversaw many cases prosecuted by others. Romano also served as a Trial Attorney in the Criminal Division\u2019s Public Integrity Section between 2019 and 2025.\n\n\u201cThe fact of the matter was, the riot was an attack on our democracy. It was an attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power. It was an attempt to install the loser of the 2020 election back in office against the will of the American people. I know this because the evidence was overwhelming,\u201d Romano said.\n\n\u201cThe evidence was so clear that the judges who presided over our trials and sentenced these defendants said so over and over again. They recognized that the riot was an attack on American democracy. They recognized how damaging it was to our institutions. They commented about how political violence was unacceptable, and sentences were needed to deter future political violence. All told, the evidence was so clear that we convicted 1200 people of offenses that happened at the Capitol on January 6th before Trump pardoned them all.\u201d\n\n\u201cNow, these people were convicted before Republicans and Democratic judges, they were sentenced before Republican and Democratic judges, judges appointed by any President of any party recognized the truth of what this day was. And anybody seeking a position on the bench now should be able to do the same. They should be able to tell the truth.\u201d\n\nSean Murphy\n\nSean P. Murphy joined the Capitol Siege Section in January 2021 and remained with the team until it was disbanded in January 2025. Among those Murphy investigated, prosecuted, and secured convictions against are an individual who beat an officer with a flagpole with the American flag still attached until the flagpole broke; an off-duty police officer; a man that used wasp spray to attack police officers, and a man that punched a police officer twice in the head before ripping away the officer's riot shield, leaving him defenseless. Murphy also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico between 2018 and 2025.\n\n\u201cTo the Senators voting on these nominees today, please stop poisoning our courts by confirming appointees who refuse to admit basic historical truths. This is not a problem of perspective or political persuasion; it is fundamental question of competence. We would no more hire a schoolteacher who refuses to believe in fractions, or a mechanic who won\u2019t admit that gas goes in a gas tank than you should confirm someone to a lifetime seat on the bench who cannot admit that Donald Trump lost, and who refuses to recognize that those who assaulted police officers at the U.S. Capitol were wrong to do so,\u201d Murphy said.\n\n\u201cTo the judicial nominees playing this game \u2013 if successful, you may have won yourself a lifetime appointment , but you have lost a lifetime of credibility. Every time you try to lecture a defendant from your bench about the right and the just, over the easy and the self-serving, those words will ring hollow. Why? Because the only reason you are only sitting there because you chose the easy and the self-serving. You traded a piece of your soul to occupy the seat.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe need judges who do not just dole out justice but actually live it. Justice is blind, but it is not ignorant, and the ignorant can never truly be just.\u201d\n\nBrendan Ballou\n\nBrendan Ballou was involved in the trial teams that prosecuted a husband-and-wife duo who assaulted officers along the Capitol's western front before they were finally repelled by pepper spray, and prosecuted one of the first rioters who entered the Senate chamber, who triumphantly stood atop the dais within the chamber. Ballou also served as Special Counsel in the Antitrust Division from 2016 to 2017 and from 2020 to 2025.\n\n\u201cSo, we have a president that is trying to subvert a future election, we have an acting Attorney General who is eager to help in that effort, and the danger that we face with these judicial nominees is that future court cases that will determine whether our democracy continues may be people who deny the reality of January 6th,\u201d Ballou said.\n\n\u201cThink about how dangerous it is, how scary it is, to have a court case about voting rights, about democracy, about the rule of law, prosecuted by Todd Blanche, and overseen by one of these judges who denies the reality of what happened that day. So, it is important to be talking about this, it is important that these judges not be confirmed if they refuse to acknowledge the reality of January 6th.\n\n\u201cNot just for the sake of historical memory, but for the sake of the future of our democracy.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-introduces-resolution-blocking-trump-tax-amnesty-and-january-6-slush-fund", "Blumenthal Introduces Resolution Blocking Trump Tax Amnesty and January 6 Slush Fund", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced a resolution blocking: the corrupt settlement agreement in President Trump\u2019s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); the so-called \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d to reward the President\u2019s political allies and violent criminal who attacked Capitol Police officers on January 6; and the tax amnesty agreement for the Trump family and their business associates.\n\n\u201cOur Constitution affords all people equal treatment under the law, but in Trump\u2019s America, he and his family members are above the law. Likewise, his political allies, criminal cop-beaters who attacked the Capitol at his behest, and corrupt cronies. The corrupt IRS settlement, tax amnesty agreement, and the slush fund all amount to a multibillion-dollar piggy bank for the Trump family and their friends \u2013 while taking money out of your pocket,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cIf this \u201csettlement\u201d were allowed to stand, our Constitution\u2019s equal protection principles could enable tens of thousands of others whose returns were revealed to make an argument for the same benefit. The total costs to taxpayers\u2014which could be in the hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars\u2014 would be staggering. This Presidential self-dealing must be stopped.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the resolution is available here and copied below.\n\nExpressing the sense of the Senate that President Trump\u2019s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, the resulting settlement from that lawsuit, the purported \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d, and the purported grant of immunity from tax investigations to the plaintiffs in President Trump\u2019s lawsuit, should be rejected, equal protection arguments by others with similar claims should be forestalled, and this settlement should not serve as a precedent and should never be repeated.\n\nMr. Blumenthal submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on:\n\nWhereas, between 2019 and 2020, an Internal Revenue Service (referred to in this preamble as the \u201cIRS\u201d) contractor disclosed the tax information of hundreds of thousands of individual and other tax entities, including President Donald Trump;\n\nWhereas, on January 29, 2026, President Trump, his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump, Jr., and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit based on these disclosures against the IRS and the Department of the Treasury, both of which Trump, as the sitting President, controls;\n\nWhereas President Trump sought $10,000,000,000 in damages in his lawsuit, even though the other individuals who sued the Federal Government for the same reason generally received no monetary compensation, such as Kenneth Griffin, who received only an apology from the IRS;\n\nWhereas President Trump was free, during the statute of limitations period when he was a private citizen, to bring an improper tax disclosure lawsuit seeking a reasonable remedy;\n\nWhereas President Trump did not pursue this lawsuit until well after the 2-year statute of limitations period for such improper tax disclosure claims had expired;\n\nWhereas, on May 18, 2026, President Trump and the Department of Justice that he controls announced that they had agreed to a purported \u201csettlement\u201d of the lawsuit, under which the Federal Government would establish an \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d to provide nearly $1,800,000,000 in taxpayer payouts to individuals who President Trump deemed to have \u201csuffered weaponization and lawfare\u201d, including rioters who stormed the Capitol and attacked law enforcement on January 6, 2021;\n\nWhereas, on May 19, 2026, the day after the announcement of the settlement, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a unilateral \u201caddendum\u201d to the settlement that purported to immunize President Trump, his family, his companies, and his \u201caffiliates\u201d from IRS investigations, audits, or claims pertaining to any of their previous tax returns or other tax-related actions;\n\nWhereas our Constitution affords all people \u201cequal protection of the laws\u201d;\n\nWhereas there is no reason that President Trump and the other plaintiffs in his lawsuit are entitled to special treatment different from others harmed in the same illegal disclosure of tax information;\n\nWhereas, if the purported settlement with President Trump is allowed to stand, the principle of equal protection of the laws would give all victims of the same illegal tax disclosure an argument to claim the same immunity over retrospective tax audit investigations of their own filings;\n\nWhereas affording such immunity to hundreds of thousands of individuals and other tax entities would likely cost the Federal Government millions, and perhaps even billions, of dollars in lost revenue;\n\nWhereas there is no credible argument that all victims of the illegal disclosure should receive immunity covering all retrospective tax audit investigations; and\n\nWhereas the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida held that President Trump\u2019s lawsuit was \u201cnon-adversarial, collusive, and jurisdictionally improper\u201d and thus \u201cwas brought for an improper purpose\u201d because \u201cthe [L]ead Plaintiff, President Trump, directs and controls the Defendants\u201d, the IRS, and the Treasury Department within the executive branch of which he is the head: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that President Trump\u2019s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service and the resulting settlement, the purported \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d, and the purported grant of immunity from tax investigations to the plaintiffs in President Trump\u2019s lawsuit, should be rejected, equal protection arguments by others with similar claims should be forestalled, and this settlement should not serve as a precedent and should never be repeated.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-slams-senate-judiciary-committee-vote-to-advance-blanches-nomination-for-attorney-general", "Blumenthal Slams Senate Judiciary Committee Vote To Advance Blanche's Nomination For Attorney General", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted against Todd Blanche\u2019s nomination to serve as Attorney General of the United States at today\u2019s Committee hearing. At the hearing, Blumenthal spoke out against Blanche\u2019s nomination, raising concerns about Blanche\u2019s lack of independence.\n\n\u201c\u2018I\u2019m his lawyer.\u2019 That is what Mr. Blanche told us he was. \u2018I\u2019m his lawyer.\u2019 Namely Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer. Maya Angelou famously said, \u2018When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.\u2019 Todd Blanche is Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer. He will say anything, do anything, conceal anything for his boss,\u201d Blumenthal said at the hearing.\n\nPointing to Blanche\u2019s purported rescission of the so-called \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d to reward the President\u2019s political allies and violent criminals who attacked Capitol Police officers on January 6, Blumenthal continued, \u201cCommentators have talked about loopholes. There are no loopholes here. This document itself is a sham.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal underscored that Donald Trump remains committed to seeing the slush fund move forward, despite Blanche\u2019s assurances: \u201cThe President of the United States yesterday, in the Oval Office, repeated his commitment to the Anti-Weaponization Fund. We don\u2019t need to say the quiet part out loud. The President is shouting it.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cThe position of the United States Attorney General is a position of supreme trust. Any of us who have worked in the Department of Justice\u2014I was the United States Attorney for Connecticut\u2014knows that the Attorney General of the United States, like every lawyer who represents the United States, has a trust, in going to court, in making representation\u2026Todd Blanche has betrayed that trust. And his betrayal of that trust is disqualifying for his nomination.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy fear is that Todd Blanche will represent Donald Trump, be his consigliere, and he will put Donald Trump ahead of the American people and the right to vote. I cannot support him. I regret that this committee will in effect betray its trust in the party-line vote that is to follow and approve Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States,\u201d Blumenthal concluded.\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s remarks is available here. A transcript is available below.\n\nU.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I want to join in thanking you for allowing us to speak before the vote.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m his lawyer.\u201d That is what Mr. Blanche told us he was. \u201cI\u2019m his lawyer.\u201d Namely Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer. Maya Angelou famously said, \u201cWhen someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.\u201d Todd Blanche is Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer. He will say anything, do anything, conceal anything for his boss. Much as in organized crime, the consigliere would do anything, say anything, and conceal anything for his boss. That is why Mr. Blanche was held by a judge in Florida to have committed a fraud on the court. Todd Blanche is now in effect committing a fraud on Congress. The documents that he has submitted, and I will hold them up here, that purport to change some agreement are in effect a nullity. They are meaningless. They have no effect. They are non-enforceable. In just a few weeks thousands of young law school students will begin a contracts course. What they will learn is that a contract can\u2019t be modified or changed by some outside party when there is a meeting of the minds. There was in effect and agreement, a meeting of the minds between Donald Trump and the United States of America to settle these cases. Now Todd Blanche purports to change it. This document is a sham. It is a sham and a fraud on the Congress insofar as it seeks to change our minds by representing something that is patently false.\n\nCommentators have talked about loopholes. There are no loopholes here. This document itself is a sham. In fact, one of its statements is that it incorporates all of Todd Blanche\u2019s testimony before this Committee. I want to hold up one part of that testimony. Todd Blanche himself says that that agreement is unenforceable\u2014so I suppose if President Trump\u2019s counsel sought to enforce it, potentially they could. Of course they could. Tomorrow, Donald Trump\u2019s counsel can go to court and seek to establish that thug fund\u2014Senator Tillis call it a payout to punks fund\u2014if he chooses to do so. It is an enforceable agreement no matter what Todd Blanche says about it. And if you don\u2019t believe me, you can listen to one of the most ardent advocates of that anti-weaponization fund who said the quiet part allowed on Twitter recently.\n\nMike Howell, who Chairman Grassley called as a witness before this committee last year retweeted Mr. Blanche\u2019s announcement with his own commentary: \u201cCan be undone after Tuesday. The anti-weaponization fund is great.\u201d The President of the United States yesterday, in the Oval Office repeated his commitment to the anti-weaponization fund. We don\u2019t need to say the quiet part out loud. The President is shouting it. The position of the United States Attorney General is a position of supreme trust. Any of us who have worked in the Department of Justice\u2014I was the United States Attorney for Connecticut\u2014knows that the Attorney General of the United States, like every lawyer who represents the United States, has a trust, in going to court, in making representation. There is a presumption of regularity when a government lawyer appears before the court. That is the sacred trust that a government lawyer bears. Todd Blanche has betrayed that trust. And his betrayal of that trust is disqualifying for his nomination. Todd Blanche also showed us who he was also when he, during this hearing referred to the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6 as events. They are not events. They were a riot, insurrection, and attack on the Capitol. We were there.\n\nWe know what it was. It was a violent, unlawful attack on the nation\u2019s Capitol that cost brave members of law enforcement their lives. He purports to stand for law enforcement, and yet he is in favor of a slush fund that in effect rewards those individuals who attacked Capitol police in that insurrection and riot. And he refuses to see it for what it was and describe it accurately and truthfully. His prescribed, rehearsed lines prepared by the White House legal team are meant to protect the President\u2019s feelings. They demonstrate an unwavering loyalty to the President. That is the throughline. He is the President\u2019s lawyer. He showed us who he was as well when he was talking about reproductive rights. In a private call last week, Mr. Blanche again said the quiet part out loud. In fact, he shouted it, he said to the participants on the call that he would work to restrict abortion in every single state. That is not enforcing the law. That is a zealot. A warrior seeking to advocate the President's position against reproductive rights. He wants to block states enacting their own policies and laws. He wants to make abortion access follow the laws of abortion ban states. He wants to strip Americans of the right to choose and strip states of their right to govern.\n\nThe part of this agreement that purports to limit the immunity under our tax laws and protect the President against audits is in fact no limitation. It preserves all of the President\u2019s rights to be above the law. No person is above the law, but Todd Blanche is agreeing to put the President above the law. There are more than 400,000 other Americans who suffered the same harm as Donald Trump when their private tax information was taken and released. We have in this country a principal of equal protection under the law, presumably if Donald Trump gets this deal, they would be eligible to assert their claims for the same rights. If Donald Trump is protected against paying hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes by this deal, perhaps so should they, in claims they may file. The cost to the government is staggering if this deal is approved, as Todd Blanche purports to do. And that deal is still in effect as a result of these documents.\n\nMr. Blanche showed us who he was when he ducked and dodged my questions about deep-sixing and killing an investigation in the possible pay-to-play commutation of an individual who was pardoned, David Gentile. He reportedly paid $2.5 million to a broker to obtain clemency which robbed his victims of nearly $16 million in restitution. When a United States Attorney tried to investigate, Mr. Blanche reportedly killed the probe. That is not the behavior of an Attorney General who upholds the trust of this position. That is the behavior of Donald Trump\u2019s personal lawyer. Finally, the most sacred rights we have in a democracy is the right to vote. Freely and fairly. My fear is Todd Blanche will be Donald Trump\u2019s lawyer in suppressing the vote and distorting the count. He will defend Donald Trump if the President sends militia or I.C.E. Agents or the National Guard to the polls to disrupt the elections. He will defend Donald Trump if he seeks to distort the count after the election.\n\nMy fear is that Todd Blanche will represent Donald Trump, be his consigliere and he will put Donald Trump ahead of the American people and the right to vote. I cannot support him. I regret that this committee will in effect betray its trust in the party-line vote that is to follow and approve Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States. And I will be introducing a resolution today rejecting this tax immunity deal as possible precedent, seeking to stop it from becoming a means of others seeking the same kind of illegal privilege that Donald Trump will have as a result of this deal. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-joins-sweeping-legislation-to-counter-trumps-authoritarian-takeover-us-and-defend-our-democracy", "Blumenthal Joins Sweeping Legislation to Counter Trump's Authoritarian Takeover of U.S. & Defend our Democracy", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) in introducing the For Our Republic Act, a comprehensive legislative package to fight back against President Trump\u2019s aggressive authoritarian takeover of American democracy.\n\nThe brand-new For Our Republic Act includes provisions to directly oppose Trump\u2019s authoritarian playbook, including defending independent government watchdogs, protecting non-partisan civil servants, reasserting Congress\u2019 power of the purse, fighting government corruption, strengthening free speech and civil liberties, and safeguarding free and fair elections.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump has led a brazen, unprecedented campaign of corruption\u2014growing his power while ignoring the needs of the American people.\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cThe For Our Republic Act installs critical guardrails against Trump\u2019s relentless attacks on our democracy, promoting government transparency and accountability while preserving Americans\u2019 rights and liberties. This legislation fights against Trump\u2019s slide towards tyranny and protects our country\u2019s democratic values.\u201d\n\n\u201cAuthoritarianism isn\u2019t down the street or around the corner\u2014it is here right now,\u201d said Merkley. \u201cWe have all three ingredients of a strongman state in the United States: a rubber-stamp Congress doing the President\u2019s bidding; a deferential Supreme Court finding \u2018invisible ink\u2019 in the Constitution to enhance the President\u2019s powers; and a power-hungry President behaving like a king, breaking the law and violating the checks and balances of our Constitution.\n\nMerkley continued, \u201cThe For Our Republic Act lays out a clear roadmap of the actions Congress can take to fight back against Trump\u2019s authoritarian takeover and reassert our authority. Together, let\u2019s fight back and save our republic!\u201d\n\n\u201cIn a clear conflict of interest and gross abuse of power, Trump fired 17 Inspectors General within his first days in office so he could tap political allies to conduct oversight of his own Administration\u2014leaving these watchdogs to answer to the President before the American people,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cFirst and foremost, Senate Democrats\u2019 For Our Republic Act includes my legislation that would prevent stone-cold corruption like this, which have too often become the norm in the Trump Administration. It\u2019s clear that the current checks on the President are not enough, and our legislation would not only help us restore good government\u2014it will also empower Congress to prevent any more wanna-be kings from bending our Republic to its breaking point.\u201d\n\nTo fight back against the known playbook of authoritarian governments, the For Our Republic Act includes new provisions to counter the rise of authoritarianism and erosion of our democratic government under the second Trump Administration, as well as existing legislation from Blumenthal, Merkley, and Duckworth, along with Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).\n\nThe For Our Republic Act outlines ten principles to protect our democracy:\n\nDefend the Referees\n\nProtect the Independent, Non-Partisan Civil Service\n\nCelebrate One Nation, Indivisible\n\nReaffirm Equal Justice Under Law\n\nStrengthen Free Speech\n\nReassert Congress\u2019 Power of the Purse\n\nFight Government Corruption\n\nEnsure Liberty and Justice for All\n\nPrevent Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America\u2019s Streets\n\nSafeguard Free and Fair Elections\n\nA detailed outline of the For Our Republic Act can be found by clicking here.\n\nThe For Our Republic Act is supported by Public Citizen, Project on Government Oversight (POGO), Refugees International, and Common Cause.\n\n\"It is stunning how the Trump Administration, empowered by an obedient congressional Republican caucus, has empowered the federal government to intrude and impose upon our daily lives. The separation of powers, and the checks and balances against over-reach by the president, have largely been vanquished. America has fallen into dangerous times. Sen. Merkley's For Our Republic Act seeks to restore those critical checks and balances and re-affirm the democratic principles upon which America was founded. Public Citizen heartily endorses this very necessary measure,\u201d said Craig Holman, Ph.D., Public Citizen.\n\n\"With so many attacks on our country\u2019s core values, the For Our Republic Act is a critical step in restoring our democratic principles,\" said Carol Evans, Common Cause\u2019s Vice President of Policy. \"This legislation takes the power back for the people. It ensures that our government serves the public rather than answering to the whims of one person in charge.\"\n\nFull text of the For Our Republic Act can be found by clicking here.\n\nA section-by-section summary of the For Our Republic Act can be found by clicking here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-schumer-lead-senate-democrats-in-legislation-to-end-unprecedented-presidential-corruption-stop-pay-to-play-pardons", "Blumenthal & Schumer Lead Senate Democrats In Legislation To End Unprecedented Presidential Corruption, Stop \"Pay-To-Play\" Pardons", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the No Payoffs For Pardons Act to strengthen transparency and accountability in the presidential clemency process. This legislation would require individuals who receive pardons to disclose any significant financial gifts made in connection with their clemency, both at the time it is granted and for four years afterward. It also confirms federal bribery laws apply to the President and Vice President. Simply put, the No Payoffs For Pardons Act is designed to deter, expose, and prosecute corrupt pardons.\n\nThis legislation is being introduced in tandem on the House side by Representative Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration.\n\nPresident Trump promised to attack \u201cwaste, fraud, and abuse.\u201d But after a year and a half in office, it\u2019s clear that he has engaged in a level of corruption and abuse previously unseen in the office. Trump has taken one of the undisputed powers of the President \u2014 the ability to grant clemency for a crime \u2014 and perverted its intention. No longer does a presidential pardon seek to right an injustice, Trump has turned the pardon into a prize that can be won by the highest bidder, no matter the crime committed.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s pay-to-play pardon scheme rewards political allies and sells out justice to the highest bidder,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cWhen convicted criminals can escape punishment for the right price or by hiring the right people, it corrupts the justice system for everyone. And President Trump\u2019s pardons have cost taxpayers and crime victims billions in forfeited restitution and put child predators back into our communities. Basic transparency and accountability are imperative.\u201d\n\nThe No Payoffs For Pardons Act would establish disclosure requirements for clemency recipients and clarifies applications of the federal bribery statute. The legislation would impose disclosure obligations, making it so a clemency recipient would have to file a report if they give a certain \u201ccovered benefit\u201d to a \u201ccovered recipient.\u201d Additionally, the legislation goes further to clarify federal bribery, confirming that it applies to the President and Vice President, and establishes a 10-year statute of limitation for bribery offenses involving the granting, denying, withholding, promising, or offering of executive clemency.\n\n\u201cJustice should not be bought and sold. But Trump has turned clemency into a perk that his golf buddies, donors, and allies can buy. Proximity to the Presidency has provided criminals with a \u2018get out of jail free\u2019 card,\u201d said Leader Schumer. \u201cWe are seeking to bring sunlight to the deals that Trump is trying to do under the cover of shadows and stop the rampant corrupt that has been a hallmark of his presidency since Day One.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump treats pardons like a payout,\u201d said Senator Cortez Masto. \u201cThe American people deserve to know if the criminals President Trump is pardoning have lobbied or paid him or his family. This commonsense legislation will expose the \u2018pay to play\u2019 pardon to limit Trump\u2019s corrupt power grabs.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s blatant misuse of the pardon power to serve his political and personal whims is illustrative of the same message he continues to send to his donors and friends: if you\u2019ve got enough money or the right political connections, the law doesn\u2019t apply to you. It\u2019s time to crack down on the president\u2019s abuses, and I\u2019m proud to join Leader Schumer in helping to bring transparency and accountability to the corrupt use of the pardon power,\u201d said Senator Schiff.\n\n\"The most corrupt President this country has ever seen only seeks to serve himself and his billionaire friends,\" said Rep. Morelle. \"Far too many Americans are struggling with providing the basics for their family because the cost of Trump\u2019s corruption has been brought to their kitchen table. The American people deserve to know how the President is abusing the pardon power and their trust, that\u2019s exactly what the No Payoffs For Pardons Act will deliver.\"\n\nThis is the latest action in Senate Democrats anti-corruption initiative, which is working to expose President Trump\u2019s rampant self-dealing, demonstrate how corruption costs American families and enact lasting safeguards against presidents who attempt to exploit public office for personal profit. The initiative includes a new Senate Democratic anti-corruption working group and the release of a report, \u201cThe Cost of Corruption: How Trump Turns Power Into Profit At Americans\u2019 Expense.\u201d\n\n\"The pardon power exists to serve as a safety net to correct injustices. However, the Trump administration has gravely abused this power by pardoning those convicted of bribery, corruption, and insider trading; hundreds of rioters who assaulted law enforcement officials on January 6; and other criminals in the Epstein class who are connected to the rich and powerful,\" said Amb. Norm Eisen (ret.), co-founder and board member of Democracy Defenders Action. \"It is past due for Congress to rein in these unchecked pardon powers, and we thank Leader Schumer and Senator Blumenthal for introducing the No Corrupt Pardons Act.\"\n\n\u201cA presidential pardon is meant to be an opportunity for mercy, not enrichment,\u201d?said?Adav Noti, executive director of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center.?\u201cBut?the federal?pardon?system has?been?thoroughly corrupted,?permitting?lawbreakers with extreme wealth to use their political connections to?avoid accountability. These are just the examples we can see;?without disclosure,?pardon?recipients can buy influence through dark money political spending,?or by supporting the president\u2019s pet?projects and personal businesses.?Americans deserve a fair shake, not a criminal justice system where regular people are punished and the wealthy walk free.?Sen. Schumer\u2019s?legislation would address corruption by pardon seekers and ensure those who?buy pardons?face the same consequences?as anyone else who bribes the government.?Congress must?pass?the No Payoffs For Pardons Act?and?take these?important steps to restore fairness and strengthen the rule of law.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s outrageous exploitation of the pardon power to benefit himself, his cronies, and his sleazy benefactors absolutely demands reform,\u201d said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President Public Citizen. \u201cPublic Citizen strongly supports Senator Schumer\u2019s pardon reform bill that will force sleazy financial pay-to-play pardon schemes out from the shadows and into the light of day. Anyone who plans, participates in, or profits from perverting the sacred pardon power for depraved purposes should be exposed and held accountable for abusing the public\u2019s trust.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the legislation can be seen here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-04T07:35:49Z", "2026-08-04T07:37:27Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-major-contracts-for-sikorsky", "Blumenthal Statement on Major Contracts for Sikorsky", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released a statement celebrating the U.S. Army\u2019s award of two contacts for Sikorsky to continue work on UH/HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.\n\n\u201cThese contracts--$56.8 million for more Black Hawks and $49.9 million to develop new and improved engines--is a strong sign of the US Army\u2019s commitment to the Black Hawk program and will keep Sikorsky\u2019s talented workforce busy for years to come. I am thrilled to see Sikorsky awarded this important work and will keep fighting for federal funding to support our state\u2019s defense industry,\u201d Blumenthal said.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-schiff-and-warren-raise-concerns-about-trump-administration-directing-taxpayer-dollars-toward-critical-mining-companies-linked-to-trump_lutnick-families", "Blumenthal, Schiff, & Warren Raise Concerns About Trump Administration Directing Taxpayer Dollars Toward Critical Mining Companies Linked to Trump & Lutnick Families", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 This week, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) raised concerns in two letters about potential conflicts of interest surrounding the Trump Administration\u2019s deals with more than a dozen critical mining companies with ties to President Trump\u2019s family, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick\u2019s family, or both.\n\nIn a letter sent to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and President & Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States John Jovanovic, Blumenthal, Schiff, and Warren demanded answers about the deals and President Trump\u2019s role in effectuating them.\n\nCiting recent reporting from The New York Times, the Senators wrote: \u201cSecuring supply chains for critical minerals is vital for America\u2019s national security and economic competitiveness, and has accordingly been a priority for recent administrations of both political parties\u2026In the second Trump Administration, funding for efforts to secure in these supply chains has skyrocketed, with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) providing nearly $13 billion for direct Defense Production Act grants and approximately $350 billion in available financing for critical minerals and other projects. This has resulted in what has been described as \u2018a modern-day gold rush in the critical minerals industry.\u2019\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cRecent reporting suggests that the result has been a host of deals to benefit the Trump and Lutnick families, including deals involving each of your agencies or departments. The 14 deals identified so far show that the government has provided or is considering providing these companies with at least $8.9 billion taxpayer dollars.\u201d\n\nIn a separate letter sent to David A. Lorch, the Director of the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) for the Department of Defense, Schiff, Warren, and Blumenthal sought records and information about a $620 million loan committed to Vulcan Elements, a rare earth magnet company backed by Donald Trump Jr.\n\nPointing to recent reporting from ProPublica that White House Senior Counselor for Trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro intervened directly in the contracting process for this loan, the Senators wrote, \u201cThese reports raise grave ethical and public safety concerns and the specter that the Pentagon is corruptly prioritizing funding for critical defense components based on ties to the Trump family. The use of funds from the so-called OBBBA to enrich a Trump family member is a further affront to taxpayers from a law that is estimated to add $5.1 trillion to the federal deficit. The loan to Vulcan Elements represents roughly 13% of all capital committed by the OSC as of January 2026.\u201d\n\nThe Senators continued, \u201cThe American people must be able to trust that our Department of Defense makes decisions based exclusively on furthering national security interests, not political cronyism. Forcing OSC staff to work late nights to complete a contract designed to benefit the Trump family diverts valuable resources away from other, more effective defense capabilities. Further, staffing Department of Defense offices for the benefit of commercial gain risks American lives and wastes taxpayer funding.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the Senators\u2019 letter to Trump Administration officials is available here. The full text of the Senators\u2019 letter to OSC is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/icymi-blumenthal-sounds-alarm-on-immigration-detainee-abuse-at-public-forum", "ICYMI: Blumenthal Sounds Alarm on Immigration Detainee Abuse at Public Forum", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, DC] \u2013 In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined a spotlight forum earlier this week on abusive conditions in federal immigration custody where he highlighted the lack of oversight and mistreatment faced by detainees in Connecticut and across the nation. During the hearing, Blumenthal spoke with panelists who have observed or suffered firsthand the consequences of rigorous detention quotas by the Trump Administration.\n\n\u201cThere is a reason why detentions are up. There is a reason why more children are separated from their parents. It is because of quotas,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cThe numbers that are set forth and then rigorously enforced. At least they are insisted on by leadership, beginning at the White House. So we know that, this cruelty is no accident. It's purposeful and relentless.\u201d\n\nDetention of Five-Year-Old \u201cCamila\u201d in Connecticut\n\nIn his remarks, Blumenthal detailed the case of \u201cCamila,\u201d a five-year-old girl held for 118 days in Connecticut between shelters unmonitored by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and an unlicensed, unmonitored foster home while her mother was miles down the road. Her release was only granted after a federal lawsuit.\n\nBlumenthal praised student witness Ricardo Hernandez-Navarrete for testifying on the trauma of quota-driven family separations.\n\n\u201cWe wouldn't put other children in that kind of facility, but that's where Camila was sent. This is because the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement has that duty, and they are shirking it, refusing to answer questions on who exactly is overseeing care of these children. Camila is not here today to tell her story, but Ricardo, you are. And I would just like to ask you, how it felt to be separated from your mother and detained for two months while you were in high school. And what impact did it have on you?\u201d Blumenthal asked.\n\nRicardo Hernandez Navarette responded, \u201cIt was really bad because I never before, like [been away] too long from my mom and to my brother and yeah, it's hard to think about my mom and what she's feeling, what she's seeing, and what she's experienced in the place that she is, she was.\u201d\n\nDeath in Custody of Afghan Ally\n\nBlumenthal and former Office of Immigration Detention Oversight Ombudsman Michelle Bran\u00e9 discussed the importance of transparency in potential cases of ICE abuse, pointing to the death of Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, a former special forces soldier who served alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan, who died within 24 hours of entering Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Dallas.\n\nBlumenthal noted, \u201cYou have to ask, why are they reluctant to release it? What are they covering up? What do they have to hide? And families like theirs deserve answers about the history of their loved ones. Is this kind of withholding of information something that your office would have looked into while you were there?\u201d\n\nBran\u00e9 agreed, pointing out that the Paktiawal family\u2019s case is \u201ca classic example of something somebody could have filed a complaint to us, come to us for assistance\u201d about and an example of how the \u201cvery intentional\u201d dismantling of the Ombudsman\u2019s office has prevented accountability.\n\nLast year, more than 30 people died in ICE custody, and 2026 is on pace to exceed 2025\u2019s record, with 22 detainee deaths reported so far, reaching a 22-year high.\n\nVideo of Blumenthal\u2019s exchange during the spotlight forum is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senator-blumenthal-week-in-review-7/24/2026-7/31/2026", "Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 7/24/2026-7/31/2026", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "Combatting Russia\u2019s Murderous Invasion of Ukraine\n\n[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U. S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) along with U.S. Senators Darline Graham (R-SC), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Jim Risch (R-ID) announced a bipartisan agreement on legislation to hold major purchasers of Russian oil and gas accountable for supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine and extend sanctions that restrict funding for Iran\u2019s energy and weapons sectors.\n\n\u201cWe are proud to announce an agreement on legislation to stop purchasers of Russian oil and gas from fueling Putin\u2019s war machine and to continue restricting the Iranian regime\u2019s ability to support terrorism and build its nuclear program,\u201d the senators said. \u201cThere is no greater way to honor Senator Graham\u2019s legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement, and we look forward to today\u2019s vote.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a meeting with supporters of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. The meeting took place ahead of a Senate vote to move forward with the legislation\u2014which passed in an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 86-12.\n\n\u201cWe honored Senator Graham earlier today here in the Rotunda, but our real tribute was moving ahead with legislation he championed to impose scorching tariffs & sanctions on purchasers of Russian oil to stop them from fueling Putin\u2019s war machine. I know he would be jubilant over this vote. And I also know that he wouldn\u2019t rest until the Russia Sanctions bill is truly over the finish line & signed into law\u2014so neither will we,\u201d said Blumenthal.\n\nBlumental held a media availability with the bipartisan leaders of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act after the vote to advance the legislation.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s been a rollercoaster of a day emotionally\u2014the sadness of saying farewell to our great friend who has been so instrumental in this fight; the exhilaration now of a really solid step forward, partly in tribute to him; and the visit by President Zelenskyy showing us Ukraine is turning the tide,\u201d said Blumenthal at the media availability. \u201cUkraine\u2019s fight is our fight. This vote is a step forward, we still have a path we have to travel\u2014but it is a profoundly solid vote for Ukraine showing that the American people are on Ukraine\u2019s side, and we will stand with Ukraine.\u201d\n\nVideo of the full media availability is available here.\n\nThe Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as well as the Russian Shadow Fleet. The legislation also allows the President to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, and top five countries that aid Russia\u2019s energy sanctions evasion. The bill also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanction authority that restricts funding for Iran\u2019s energy and weapons sectors.\n\nBlumenthal joined CNN\u2019s Anderson Cooper to discuss his meeting with Zelenskyy and the need to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.\n\nSlamming Trump\u2019s Crypto Corruption\n\nBlumenthal, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), released the testimonies of three investors in Donald Trump\u2019s crypto schemes who lost tens of thousands of dollars while the President made record-breaking profits. The individuals\u2014each of whom requested anonymity\u2014sat for interviews with PSI Minority staff during which they detailed their understanding of the President\u2019s meme coin projects and experience in having their investments in the $TRUMP and $MELANIA coins nearly wiped out.\n\nA U.S. veteran lost $60,000 of the $70,000 he had invested in the $TRUMP and $MELANIA coins. He told PSI Minority staff, \u201cWhen he launched the $TRUMP coin, I thought that it was not real, but then I saw that it was on his official Twitter. So, in January, I invested about $1000. Then he started tweeting about it again, so I thought it was legitimate. This is the president so I thought this was the biggest it could get. And like any other trading, you want to get in early. So, I put more money in.\u201d\n\nA college student from Georgia told PSI Minority staff that he watched the $TRUMP and $MELANIA coins that he invested in rapidly decrease in value: \u201c[I]n that collapse so many people lost money, the ones that were not the insiders. But the insiders made out on a lot of transaction fees and whatever they made.\u201d\n\nAn experienced meme coin trader from Colorado told PSI Minority staff, \u201cThe launch of the $TRUMP token, which was kicked off by Trump\u2019s social media posts, resulted in high volume and price run-up. Then it was followed shortly afterward by the $MELANIA token. This raised many questions for me, since the timing appeared to divert attention and capital from one token to the other. Whether that was intentional or simply the result of market dynamics is impossible for me to know. However, the sequence gave the appearance of benefiting certain market participants more than ordinary investors\u2026 I cannot say who was responsible or what their motivations were, but from an outside perspective, the market did not appear to operate on a level playing field.\u201d\n\nThese testimonies underscore how the President used crypto to more efficiently pursue his own self-interest and demonstrate why the current status quo of the crypto industry is unacceptable. The individuals\u2019 testimonies are available here.\n\nBlumenthal released their testimonies in conjunction with a public forum on Trump\u2019s Crypto Corruption, convened alongside U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), a senior member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.\n\nBlumenthal delivered an opening statement at the forum on Donald Trump\u2019s self-enrichment crypto schemes, as well as risks the Clarity Act presents without clear ethics standards and any meaningful measures to protect consumers and our national security.\n\n\u201cWhen most presidents are going through personnel decisions and their vision for the future and helping to lead the country into a new administration, Donald Trump had a different priority, namely cashing in. Trump launched and promoted what he called the \u2018official Trump cryptocurrency,\u2019 a meme coin. It had no inherent value. It was his face and identity. $TRUMP coin was effectively a pump-and-dump scheme,\u201d Blumenthal said at the forum.\n\nAt the forum, Blumenthal released the testimonies of three Americans who lost tens of thousands of dollars after investing in $TRUMP and $MELANIA coins: \u201cIn fact, we\u2019ve spoken to three investors who bought the $TRUMP coin believing it was a worthwhile investment because it had the endorsement of the President of the United States\u2026They told us about how his approval earned their trust, and they also told us about how quickly they lost almost everything they had invested.\u201d\n\nIn a recorded video, a U.S. veteran who invested in $TRUMP and $MELANIA coins and who requested to remain anonymous said: \u201c[T]he reality was that there were scams. Within a few days, I had lost about $10,000 under $TRUMP coin and $60,000 on the $MELANIA coin. I couldn\u2019t believe it. I trusted Trump that these were legitimate, and they weren\u2019t. I can\u2019t believe something like this would happen.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cPresident Trump, who famously once called Bitcoin a scam, has not only used it to enrich himself, but he\u2019s also sold out the American people. He\u2019s enriched his family, his sons, his insider friends, his campaign donors, and some of them, for example, Steve Witkoff, are also in the national news and in positions of responsibility.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal continued, pointing to the President\u2019s efforts to advance the Clarity Act without clear ethics standards: \u201cAs a result of all this personal success, the President is now fiercely committed to protecting the crypto industry. This kind of exploitation took advantage of weaknesses in the current law. The President is taking a strong stand against reforms that would eliminate the weaknesses and loopholes that he exploited\u2014and others are doing right now\u2014to perpetrate the same kind of fraud on the same kind of innocent victims across the United States.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal concluded by calling for reforms to the Clarity Act to protect consumers, citing written testimony received by PSI Minority staff: \u201cEarlier today, we received written testimony from New York Attorney General Letitia James, and she writes, \u2018Clarity seeks to interfere with and preempt states\u2019 investor protection laws, as well as dilute our ability to prosecute fraud. This is a mistake.\u2019\u201d\n\nA video of Blumenthal\u2019s opening statement is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted Trump\u2019s crypto corruption on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cTrump\u2019s crypto corruption has costs\u2014losses of $3.8 billion for about 1 million Americans, while he made $1.4 billion. His pump & dump schemes enriched his campaign donors & friends as well as himself,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cTrump is exploiting legal loopholes & enforcement weaknesses that cry out for reform\u2014real safeguards, not smokescreen steps in the Clarity Act. For starters, require Trump & his family & all officials to divest all digital assets,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nThe forum included testimony from author and filmmaker, Ben McKenzie; crypto scam victim, Lori Flowers; former Chief of the SEC Office of Internet Enforcement, John Reed Stark; Chief Counsel for Ethics and Anticorruption at Democracy Defenders Action, Virginia Canter; and Deputy Executive Director of Transparency International U.S., Scott Greytak.\n\nMcKenzie testified at the forum: \u201cIt is timely that we are here today as Congress considers new legislation, the Clarity Act, to regulate the crypto sector. I believe we are at a point of crisis when it comes to crypto\u2019s influence over our legislative process. Recent reporting from just last week reveals a foreign company that issues a cryptocurrency used by major criminal organizations appears to have shaped Trump\u2019s signature piece of legislation, the GENIUS Act, while at the same time forging deep financial relationships with members of the executive branch. When it comes to crypto crimes, the call is coming from inside the White House.\u201d\n\nVideo of McKenzie\u2019s testimony is available here. Written testimony is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further highlighted McKenzie\u2019s testimony on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cBen McKenzie maps out the potential crypto crimes of Trump & members of his Executive Branch\u2014specifically how they have benefited from their financial ties to the shady foreign operator Tether,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nFlowers said at the forum, \u201cCrypto is the currency of choice for crooks. It enabled transnational criminals to steal my money in a way that made recovery impossible. It\u2019s a friction-free way to drain the bank accounts of U.S. Citizens and, interestingly, lined the pockets of many members and family members of this administration. It\u2019s no wonder the crypto bros are rooting for the Clarity Act. The financial consequences of my crypto-enabled scam continue to be devastating.\u201d\n\nVideo of Flowers\u2019s testimony is available here. Written testimony is available here.\n\nStark underscored the far-reaching consequences of lax crypto enforcement: \u201cCrypto has created a sanctions evasion superhighway, and now every sanctioned drone and missile program topped up in stablecoins is an externality. We\u2019re sanctioning Iran while deregulating the crypto they use to buy the drones and the weapons that kill American soldiers. That\u2019s like stepping into the UFC octagon and handing your opponent brass knuckles between rounds.\u201d\n\nVideo of Stark\u2019s testimony is available here. Written testimony is available here.\n\nCanter highlighted loopholes in the current version of the Clarity Act that would allow Donald Trump to continue to profit while still in office: \u201cUnfortunately, the proposed language is fundamentally flawed as it fails to fully address the President\u2019s massive financial interests and conflicts of interest. As you\u2019ve indicated, President Trump just reported receiving $1.4 billion in crypto revenue last year, and he has built a portfolio of crypto ventures valued at as high as $7 billion. Entities backed by the Emirati royal family have directed roughly $2.5 billion to the President\u2019s crypto ventures, most prominently through an investment in Binance, which was settled in the USD1 stablecoin. That deal is expected to generate roughly $80 million a year for the President\u2019s company. These conflicts of interest have no precedent in the history of the presidency.\u201d\n\nVideo of Canter\u2019s testimony is available here. Written testimony is available here.\n\nGreytak also called for clear ethics standards in the Clarity Act, \u201cThis conversation isn\u2019t\u2014and needn\u2019t be\u2014about cryptocurrency being inherently good or bad. It is about what happens when a president and his family make extraordinary amounts of money from an industry at the same time that the President\u2019s administration shapes, implements, and enforces the rules that will determine that industry\u2019s value. That conflict is concrete. It is ongoing, and it is unprecedented in scale. And it means that unless the Clarity Act includes comprehensive and enforceable ethics rules going forward, every major decision by the federal government affecting this industry will be accompanied by the same question: is this good policy, or is it just good for the President\u2019s bottom line?\u201d\n\nVideo of Greytak\u2019s testimony is available here. Written testimony is available here.\n\nA full recording of the forum is available here. Written testimony submitted by New York Attorney General Letitia James is available here.\n\nOn the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee\n\nRepublican leadership blocked Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal\u2019s attempt to pass an amended version of the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act. Blumenthal\u2019s legislation would replace the controversial Republican proposal to cut veterans\u2019 benefits with an alternative proposal to cover the costs of the legislation with a small portion of the $75 billion in unobligated and unspent funds appropriated to the Department of Defense in H.R. 1.\n\nBlumenthal emphasized his proposal\u2019s bipartisan support: \u201cIt would utilize unspent Department of Defense funds from H.R.1, the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, to cover the entire cost of the bill. It\u2019s the only offset proposal for the Take Care of Veterans Act that has garnered bipartisan support, and it is the one that doesn\u2019t pit some veterans against other veterans\u2026More than $75 billion of the Department of Defense funds in H.R. - a bill signed into law more than one year ago - remain unspent and unobligated. And CBO has confirmed, absolutely confirmed, enactment of my proposal prior to the Department\u2019s obligation of those funds would provide the savings we need.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal objected to the Republican proposal to cut benefits for more than one million veterans who are currently eligible to receive benefits for tinnitus or sleep apnea: \u201cThese disabilities are not hypothetical or abstract. They're real, and they do disable people. And often, they are the result directly from combat or training\u2026It may seem like an abstract principle, but to veterans who would lose sleep apnea and tinnitus benefits, it's a big deal. In fact, it can be a life-changing deal\u2026We are creating a new generation of combat-injured veterans. It is unconscionable to claim that we can only care for them by forcing other veterans to sacrifice.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal concluded by calling on his colleagues to abandon these cuts: \u201cWe need to do the right thing. Veterans deserve meaningful results from a grateful nation, and they should never be handed an invoice when the costs of war come due.\u201d\n\nLast month, House Republicans pull a planned vote on the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act, following a bipartisan House vote to replace the Republican benefit cuts with Blumenthal\u2019s proposal to utilize unobligated Department of Defense funds. Congressional Democrats and many Veterans Service Organizations have publicly opposed the Republican funding proposal included in the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act.\n\nThe Senator\u2019s amended legislation would also have replaced the watered-down version of the Major Richard Star Act currently included in the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act with the Blumenthal-authored version of the legislation that fully repeals the wounded veteran tax.\n\nA video is available here.\n\nBlumenthal further slammed his Republican colleagues for blocking his attempt to ensure veterans receive the full benefits they deserve on Twitter/X.\n\n\u201cRepublicans want unprecedented cuts to veterans\u2019 benefits. On the floor, I urged a new alternative\u2014use unspent DOD funds to provide for the Major Richard Star Act. Sadly, Republicans rejected it,\u201d wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.\n\nDemanding Answers on Cyclospora Outbreak\n\nBlumenthal demanded answers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Taylor Farms about the record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak and the backroom dealing by the Trump Administration that may have delayed the government\u2019s response to this ongoing public health crisis.\n\nIn letters sent to FDA Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas and Taylor Farms Chief Executive Officer Bruce Taylor, Blumenthal sought records and information about the ongoing investigation into the outbreak and the influence of Taylor Farms on staffing and program cuts at the agency.\n\n\u201cRecent reporting indicates that Taylor Farms\u2014which last year donated $1 million to a political action committee supporting President Trump\u2014contacted the White House seeking to delay the recall of its tainted produce, and that the White House brought officials from the FDA onto the call. According to former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, there is no precedent for such intervention from the White House in the agency\u2019s management of food safety recalls,\u201d Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Diamantas.\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cThis was not the first time that Taylor Farms has sought to use political connections to influence regulation of the industry in which it operates: Since the beginning of the second Trump Administration, the company has spent $810,000 on lobbying regarding \u2018regulation of food safety.\u2019\u201d\n\nBlumental raised concerns regarding the Administration\u2019s lacking response and shifting information about the outbreak: \u201cAccording to FDA, the current cyclosporiasis outbreak started on May 17, 2026, but the agency did not issue a public notice about it until July 17, 2026, when it announced that Taylor Farms would voluntarily remove all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update claiming the sample collected from Taylor Farms was a false positive. When Taylor Farms then announced that the agency had \u2018apologized\u2019 for linking its produce to the outbreak, FDA quickly denied that it had done any such thing. Shortly thereafter, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services said the outbreak was \u2018under control\u2019 even as it continued to infect thousands of people and expand into additional states.\u201d\n\nPointing to the Trump Administration\u2019s cuts to federal food safety programs, including those designed to actively monitor foodborne outbreaks of cyclospora, Blumenthal concluded, \u201cThe severity of the outbreak indicates that, thanks to Trump Administration policies, FDA is simply unprepared to handle an outbreak of foodborne illness at this scale.\u201d\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Diamantas is available here\n\nBlumenthal Bulletin\n\nBlumenthal raised concerns about the Trump Administration directing tax payer dollars toward critical mining companies linked to the Trump and Lutnick families.\n\nBlumenthal sounded the alarm on immigration detainee abuse at a public forum.\n\nBlumenthal released a statement on the $76.6 billion contract for Electric Boat to produce 14 additional Columbia and Virginia Class Submarines.\n\nBlumenthal introduced the Food Labeling Modernization Act.\n\nBlumenthal attended Hundred Crown Foundation\u2019s first annual community celebration in Bridgeport\u2019s Hollow neighborhood.\n\nBlumenthal joined Walter Lockett for a ceremony honoring him with a street named after him in Bridgeport.\n\nBlumenthal joined ConnCAT and ConnCORP for a backpack giveaway in Hamden.\n\nBlumenthal attended a Bridgeport block party celebrating Colombian heritage and culture.\n\nBlumenthal attended a Stamford back-to-school event benefiting hundreds of kids with clothes, books, supplies, and more.\n\nBlumenthal celebrated Cape Verde Day in Bridgeport.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/07/30/2026/blumenthal-presses-fda-and-taylor-farms-for-answers-about-cyclospora-outbreak", "Blumenthal Presses FDA & Taylor Farms for Answers About Cyclospora Outbreak", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today demanded answers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Taylor Farms about the record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak and the backroom dealing by the Trump Administration that may have delayed the government\u2019s response to this ongoing public health crisis.\n\nIn letters sent today to FDA Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas and Taylor Farms Chief Executive Officer Bruce Taylor, Blumenthal sought records and information about the ongoing investigation into the outbreak and the influence of Taylor Farms on staffing and program cuts at the agency.\n\n\u201cRecent reporting indicates that Taylor Farms\u2014which last year donated $1 million to a political action committee supporting President Trump\u2014contacted the White House seeking to delay the recall of its tainted produce, and that the White House brought officials from the FDA onto the call. According to former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, there is no precedent for such intervention from the White House in the agency\u2019s management of food safety recalls,\u201d Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Diamantas.\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cThis was not the first time that Taylor Farms has sought to use political connections to influence regulation of the industry in which it operates: Since the beginning of the second Trump Administration, the company has spent $810,000 on lobbying regarding \u2018regulation of food safety.\u2019\u201d\n\nBlumental raised concerns regarding the Administration\u2019s lacking response and shifting information about the outbreak: \u201cAccording to FDA, the current cyclosporiasis outbreak started on May 17, 2026, but the agency did not issue a public notice about it until July 17, 2026, when it announced that Taylor Farms would voluntarily remove all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update claiming the sample collected from Taylor Farms was a false positive. When Taylor Farms then announced that the agency had \u2018apologized\u2019 for linking its produce to the outbreak, FDA quickly denied that it had done any such thing. Shortly thereafter, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services said the outbreak was \u2018under control\u2019 even as it continued to infect thousands of people and expand into additional states.\u201d\n\nPointing to the Trump Administration\u2019s cuts to federal food safety programs, including those designed to actively monitor foodborne outbreaks of cyclospora, Blumenthal concluded, \u201cThe severity of the outbreak indicates that, thanks to Trump Administration policies, FDA is simply unprepared to handle an outbreak of foodborne illness at this scale.\u201d\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Diamantas is available here and below. The full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter Taylor Farms CEO Bruce Taylor is available here.\n\nDear Acting Commissioner Diamantas:\n\nI write regarding the record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak and the backroom dealing by the Trump Administration that may have delayed the government\u2019s response to a preventable public health crisis that has sickened thousands of Americans. The outbreak and subsequent cover-up of its origins have eroded public trust in the food supply and created an unacceptable risk to public health. Accordingly, I request information and records from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the ongoing investigation into the outbreak, and the influence of Taylor Farms on staffing and program cuts at the agency.\n\nRecent reporting indicates that Taylor Farms\u2014which last year donated $1 million to a political action committee supporting President Trump\u2014contacted the White House seeking to delay the recall of its tainted produce, and that the White House brought officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) onto the call.[1] According to former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, there is no precedent for such intervention from the White House in the agency\u2019s management of food safety recalls.[2]\n\nThe call appears to have been facilitated by Trent Morse, a lobbyist who previously worked as a senior White House personnel official and is now working for Taylor Farms.[3] This was not the first time that Taylor Farms has sought to use political connections to influence regulation of the industry in which it operates: Since the beginning of the second Trump Administration, the company has spent $810,000 on lobbying regarding \u201cregulation of food safety.\u201d[4]\n\nThis appears to be the latest instance of a disturbing pattern I have previously raised with you: the Trump Administration\u2019s willingness to let corporate financial interests undermine Americans\u2019 health.[5] But along with backroom dealing, the current outbreak has been handled with a lack of clarity that has left the American public understandably confused. According to FDA, the current cyclosporiasis outbreak started on May 17, 2026, but the agency did not issue a public notice about it until July 17, 2026, when it announced that Taylor Farms would voluntarily remove all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.[6] On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update claiming the sample collected from Taylor Farms was a false positive.[7] When Taylor Farms then announced that the agency had \u201capologized\u201d for linking its produce to the outbreak, FDA quickly denied that it had done any such thing.[8] Shortly thereafter, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services said the outbreak was \u201cunder control\u201d even as it continued to infect thousands of people and expand into additional states.[9]\n\nThe shifting information points to the ultimate culprit of this outbreak: the Trump Administration\u2019s cuts to the federal government\u2019s food safety programs. In March 2025, the Trump Administration cut $11.4 billion in grants to state and local health departments, including the reduction of the program designed to actively monitor foodborne outbreaks, FoodNet.[10] The cuts reduced Foodnet\u2019s monitoring mandate from eight pathogens to just two, deliberately cutting the monitoring of cyclospora and requiring federal health agencies and the Department of Agriculture to rely on the passive reporting of state health departments alone.[11] The Trump Administration has delayed implementation of FDA\u2019s Food Traceability Rule, which was intended to accelerate the agency\u2019s ability to locate the source off foodborne illness outbreaks. [12] Safety inspections of foreign and domestic food manufacturers, already strained when the administration began, have likely fallen further since it terminated 3,500 FDA employees last year.[13] The agency has struggled to replenish its ranks, even though it was well known that this season was likely to have high rates of cyclospora because of the increased risk of storms from climate change.[14] Additionally, DOGE gutted the FDA\u2019s main press office, likely contributing to the gaps in communicating with the public about current outbreak.[15]\n\nThe severity of the outbreak indicates that, thanks to Trump Administration policies, FDA is simply unprepared to handle an outbreak of foodborne illness at this scale. In order for the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations to understand the outbreak\u2019s origins, spread, and the adequacy of the response of federal health agencies, please provide the following information and records by August 13, 2026:\n\nAll records[16] regarding the FDA\u2019s response to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak.\n\nAll records since January 20, 2025, reflecting policies currently in place related to public communication of investigative findings regarding food-borne pathogens.\n\nAll communications between FDA officials and the White House, including the Executive Office of the President and the Domestic Policy Council, referring or related to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak and or/Taylor Farms.\n\nAll communications between FDA officials and Taylor Farms, referring or related to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak.\n\nPlease contact the Subcommittee if you have questions about the procedures for transmitting documents. Thank you for your attention to this request.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Sabrina Siddiqi et al, Taylor Farms Called White House to Try to Delay Cyclospora Recall, Wall St. J. (Jul. 24, 2026), https://www.wsj.com/health/taylor-farms-cyclospora-recall-delay-call-41fef0bc; Brett Stover, Taylor Farms political donations questioned amid cyclosporiasis outbreak, Fox40 (Jul. 21, 2026), https://fox40.com/news/cyclosporiasis-outbreak/taylor-farms-political-donations-cyclosporiasis-outbreak/.\n\n[2] Transcript: Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottleib on \u201cFace the Nation with Margaret Brennan, CBS News (Jul. 26, 2026), https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-gottlieb-former-fda-commissioner-face-the-nation-transcript-july-26-2026/.\n\n[3] Sabrina Siddiqi et al, Taylor Farms Called White House to Try to Delay Cyclospora Recall, Wall St. J. (Jul. 24, 2026), https://www.wsj.com/health/taylor-farms-cyclospora-recall-delay-call-41fef0bc\n\n[4] Kate Taylor, Taylor Farms Spent Big on MAGA and Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Before Diarrhea Outbreak, WIRED, (Jul. 21, 2026), https://www.wired.com/story/diarrhea-outbreak-taylor-farms-maga-donations-lobbying/.\n\n[5] Letter from Sen. Richard Blumenthal et al to Kyle Diamantis, Acting Commissioner, Food and Drug Admin., May 15, 2026 (https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026515lettertofdaonfruitflavoredvapesauthorization.pdf).\n\n[6] Angelica Peebles, Cyclospora outbreak tests RFK Jr.\u2019s promise to overhaul food system, rebuild trust in CDC, CNBC, (Jul. 23, 2026), https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/23/cyclospora-outbreak-tests-rfk-jr-response-funding-cuts.html; U.S. Food & Drug Admin., Investigation of 9-State Outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses: iceberg Lett(July 2026), https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026, (last visited Jul. 29, 2026).\n\n[7] U.S. Food & Drug Admin., Investigation of 9-State Outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses: iceberg Lett(July 2026), https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026, (last visited Jul. 29, 2026).\n\n[8] Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, Taylor Farms Backtracks After Trying to Hide Role in Diarrhea Outbreak, NEW REPUBLIC, (Jul. 21, 2026, at 4:26 PM), https://newrepublic.com/post/213347/taylor-farms-yanks-fda-apologized-explosive-diarrhea.;\n\n[9] Aria Bendix, RFK Jr. says cyclosporiasis outbreak is \u2018under control\u2019 as Mexico casts doubt on link to Taylor Farms Facility, NBC NEWS, (Jul. 21, 2026), https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rfk-jr-says-cyclosporiasis-outbreak-control-mexico-casts-doubt-link-ta-rcna588604.\n\n[10] Jessica Glenza, Michigan health officials identify \u2018potential source\u2019 of parasite outbreak, The Guardian, (Jul. 13, 2026, at 7:55 PM), https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/13/cyclospora-outbreak-parasite-explosive-diarrhea.\n\n[11] Aria Bendix, The CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses, NBC NEWS, (Aug. 26, 2025, at 9:12 AM), https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089.\n\n[12] Cyclospora boosts fears that deadlier foodborne outbreaks are ahead, CBS NEWS, (Jul. 27, 2026), https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/health-and-safety-alerts/cyclospora-boosts-fears-that-deadlier-foodborne-outbreaks-are-ahead/ar-AA28LsuD?ocid=BingNewsVerp.; Angelica Peebles, Cyclospora outbreak tests RFK Jr.\u2019s promise to overhaul food system, rebuild trust in CDC, CNBC, (Jul. 23, 2026), https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/general/cyclospora-outbreak-tests-rfk-jr-s-promise-to-overhaul-food-system-rebuild-trust-in-cdc/ar-AA28xalA?ocid=BingNewsVerp.\n\n[13] Kate Wells and Stephanie Armour, Cyclospora Boosts Fears that\n\n[14] Dr. Scott Gottlieb on cyclospora outbreak: This is the largest outbreak we\u2019ve seen in history, CNBC (Jul. 27, 2026), https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/07/27/dr-scott-gottlieb-on-cyclospora-outbreak-this-is-the-largest-outbreak-weve-seen-in-history.html.\n\n[15] Angelica Peebles, Cyclospora outbreak tests RFK Jr.\u2019s promise to overhaul food system, rebuild trust in CDC, CNBC, (Jul. 23, 2026), https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/general/cyclospora-outbreak-tests-rfk-jr-s-promise-to-overhaul-food-system-rebuild-trust-in-cdc/ar-AA28xalA?ocid=BingNewsVerp.\n\n[16] \u201cRecords\u201d include written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, Signal, WhatsApp, or other encrypted messages, and any other electronically-created or stored information), calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).", 1, "2026-07-31T07:49:23Z", "2026-07-31T07:50:48Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-presses-fda-and-taylor-farms-for-answers-about-cyclospora-outbreak", "Blumenthal Presses FDA & Taylor Farms For Answers About Cyclospora Outbreak", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2014 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today demanded answers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Taylor Farms about the record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak and the backroom dealing by the Trump Administration that may have delayed the government\u2019s response to this ongoing public health crisis.\n\nIn letters sent today to FDA Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas and Taylor Farms Chief Executive Officer Bruce Taylor, Blumenthal sought records and information about the ongoing investigation into the outbreak and the influence of Taylor Farms on staffing and program cuts at the agency.\n\n\u201cRecent reporting indicates that Taylor Farms\u2014which last year donated $1 million to a political action committee supporting President Trump\u2014contacted the White House seeking to delay the recall of its tainted produce, and that the White House brought officials from the FDA onto the call. According to former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, there is no precedent for such intervention from the White House in the agency\u2019s management of food safety recalls,\u201d Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Diamantas.\n\nBlumenthal continued, \u201cThis was not the first time that Taylor Farms has sought to use political connections to influence regulation of the industry in which it operates: Since the beginning of the second Trump Administration, the company has spent $810,000 on lobbying regarding \u2018regulation of food safety.\u2019\u201d\n\nBlumental raised concerns regarding the Administration\u2019s lacking response and shifting information about the outbreak: \u201cAccording to FDA, the current cyclosporiasis outbreak started on May 17, 2026, but the agency did not issue a public notice about it until July 17, 2026, when it announced that Taylor Farms would voluntarily remove all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update claiming the sample collected from Taylor Farms was a false positive. When Taylor Farms then announced that the agency had \u2018apologized\u2019 for linking its produce to the outbreak, FDA quickly denied that it had done any such thing. Shortly thereafter, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services said the outbreak was \u2018under control\u2019 even as it continued to infect thousands of people and expand into additional states.\u201d\n\nPointing to the Trump Administration\u2019s cuts to federal food safety programs, including those designed to actively monitor foodborne outbreaks of cyclospora, Blumenthal concluded, \u201cThe severity of the outbreak indicates that, thanks to Trump Administration policies, FDA is simply unprepared to handle an outbreak of foodborne illness at this scale.\u201d\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to Diamantas is available here and below. The full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter Taylor Farms CEO Bruce Taylor is available here.\n\nDear Acting Commissioner Diamantas:\n\nI write regarding the record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak and the backroom dealing by the Trump Administration that may have delayed the government\u2019s response to a preventable public health crisis that has sickened thousands of Americans. The outbreak and subsequent cover-up of its origins have eroded public trust in the food supply and created an unacceptable risk to public health. Accordingly, I request information and records from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the ongoing investigation into the outbreak, and the influence of Taylor Farms on staffing and program cuts at the agency.\n\nRecent reporting indicates that Taylor Farms\u2014which last year donated $1 million to a political action committee supporting President Trump\u2014contacted the White House seeking to delay the recall of its tainted produce, and that the White House brought officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) onto the call.[1] According to former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, there is no precedent for such intervention from the White House in the agency\u2019s management of food safety recalls.[2]\n\nThe call appears to have been facilitated by Trent Morse, a lobbyist who previously worked as a senior White House personnel official and is now working for Taylor Farms.[3] This was not the first time that Taylor Farms has sought to use political connections to influence regulation of the industry in which it operates: Since the beginning of the second Trump Administration, the company has spent $810,000 on lobbying regarding \u201cregulation of food safety.\u201d[4]\n\nThis appears to be the latest instance of a disturbing pattern I have previously raised with you: the Trump Administration\u2019s willingness to let corporate financial interests undermine Americans\u2019 health.[5] But along with backroom dealing, the current outbreak has been handled with a lack of clarity that has left the American public understandably confused. According to FDA, the current cyclosporiasis outbreak started on May 17, 2026, but the agency did not issue a public notice about it until July 17, 2026, when it announced that Taylor Farms would voluntarily remove all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.[6] On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update claiming the sample collected from Taylor Farms was a false positive.[7] When Taylor Farms then announced that the agency had \u201capologized\u201d for linking its produce to the outbreak, FDA quickly denied that it had done any such thing.[8] Shortly thereafter, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services said the outbreak was \u201cunder control\u201d even as it continued to infect thousands of people and expand into additional states.[9]\n\nThe shifting information points to the ultimate culprit of this outbreak: the Trump Administration\u2019s cuts to the federal government\u2019s food safety programs. In March 2025, the Trump Administration cut $11.4 billion in grants to state and local health departments, including the reduction of the program designed to actively monitor foodborne outbreaks, FoodNet.[10] The cuts reduced Foodnet\u2019s monitoring mandate from eight pathogens to just two, deliberately cutting the monitoring of cyclospora and requiring federal health agencies and the Department of Agriculture to rely on the passive reporting of state health departments alone.[11] The Trump Administration has delayed implementation of FDA\u2019s Food Traceability Rule, which was intended to accelerate the agency\u2019s ability to locate the source off foodborne illness outbreaks. [12] Safety inspections of foreign and domestic food manufacturers, already strained when the administration began, have likely fallen further since it terminated 3,500 FDA employees last year.[13] The agency has struggled to replenish its ranks, even though it was well known that this season was likely to have high rates of cyclospora because of the increased risk of storms from climate change.[14] Additionally, DOGE gutted the FDA\u2019s main press office, likely contributing to the gaps in communicating with the public about current outbreak.[15]\n\nThe severity of the outbreak indicates that, thanks to Trump Administration policies, FDA is simply unprepared to handle an outbreak of foodborne illness at this scale. In order for the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations to understand the outbreak\u2019s origins, spread, and the adequacy of the response of federal health agencies, please provide the following information and records by August 13, 2026:\n\nAll records[16] regarding the FDA\u2019s response to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak.\n\nAll records since January 20, 2025, reflecting policies currently in place related to public communication of investigative findings regarding food-borne pathogens.\n\nAll communications between FDA officials and the White House, including the Executive Office of the President and the Domestic Policy Council, referring or related to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak and or/Taylor Farms.\n\nAll communications between FDA officials and Taylor Farms, referring or related to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak.\n\nPlease contact the Subcommittee if you have questions about the procedures for transmitting documents. Thank you for your attention to this request.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-\n\n[1] Sabrina Siddiqi et al, Taylor Farms Called White House to Try to Delay Cyclospora Recall, Wall St. J. (Jul. 24, 2026), https://www.wsj.com/health/taylor-farms-cyclospora-recall-delay-call-41fef0bc; Brett Stover, Taylor Farms political donations questioned amid cyclosporiasis outbreak, Fox40 (Jul. 21, 2026), https://fox40.com/news/cyclosporiasis-outbreak/taylor-farms-political-donations-cyclosporiasis-outbreak/.\n\n[2] Transcript: Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottleib on \u201cFace the Nation with Margaret Brennan, CBS News (Jul. 26, 2026), https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-gottlieb-former-fda-commissioner-face-the-nation-transcript-july-26-2026/.\n\n[3] Sabrina Siddiqi et al, Taylor Farms Called White House to Try to Delay Cyclospora Recall, Wall St. J. (Jul. 24, 2026), https://www.wsj.com/health/taylor-farms-cyclospora-recall-delay-call-41fef0bc\n\n[4] Kate Taylor, Taylor Farms Spent Big on MAGA and Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Before Diarrhea Outbreak, WIRED, (Jul. 21, 2026), https://www.wired.com/story/diarrhea-outbreak-taylor-farms-maga-donations-lobbying/.\n\n[5] Letter from Sen. Richard Blumenthal et al to Kyle Diamantis, Acting Commissioner, Food and Drug Admin., May 15, 2026 (https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026515lettertofdaonfruitflavoredvapesauthorization.pdf).\n\n[6] Angelica Peebles, Cyclospora outbreak tests RFK Jr.\u2019s promise to overhaul food system, rebuild trust in CDC, CNBC, (Jul. 23, 2026), https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/23/cyclospora-outbreak-tests-rfk-jr-response-funding-cuts.html; U.S. Food & Drug Admin., Investigation of 9-State Outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses: iceberg Lett(July 2026), https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026, (last visited Jul. 29, 2026).\n\n[7] U.S. Food & Drug Admin., Investigation of 9-State Outbreak of Cyclospora illnesses: iceberg Lett(July 2026), https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-9-state-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026, (last visited Jul. 29, 2026).\n\n[8] Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, Taylor Farms Backtracks After Trying to Hide Role in Diarrhea Outbreak, NEW REPUBLIC, (Jul. 21, 2026, at 4:26 PM), https://newrepublic.com/post/213347/taylor-farms-yanks-fda-apologized-explosive-diarrhea.;\n\n[9] Aria Bendix, RFK Jr. says cyclosporiasis outbreak is \u2018under control\u2019 as Mexico casts doubt on link to Taylor Farms Facility, NBC NEWS, (Jul. 21, 2026), https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rfk-jr-says-cyclosporiasis-outbreak-control-mexico-casts-doubt-link-ta-rcna588604.\n\n[10] Jessica Glenza, Michigan health officials identify \u2018potential source\u2019 of parasite outbreak, The Guardian, (Jul. 13, 2026, at 7:55 PM), https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/13/cyclospora-outbreak-parasite-explosive-diarrhea.\n\n[11] Aria Bendix, The CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses, NBC NEWS, (Aug. 26, 2025, at 9:12 AM), https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/cdc-quietly-scaled-back-surveillance-program-foodborne-illnesses-rcna227089.\n\n[12] Cyclospora boosts fears that deadlier foodborne outbreaks are ahead, CBS NEWS, (Jul. 27, 2026), https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/health-and-safety-alerts/cyclospora-boosts-fears-that-deadlier-foodborne-outbreaks-are-ahead/ar-AA28LsuD?ocid=BingNewsVerp.; Angelica Peebles, Cyclospora outbreak tests RFK Jr.\u2019s promise to overhaul food system, rebuild trust in CDC, CNBC, (Jul. 23, 2026), https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/general/cyclospora-outbreak-tests-rfk-jr-s-promise-to-overhaul-food-system-rebuild-trust-in-cdc/ar-AA28xalA?ocid=BingNewsVerp.\n\n[13] Kate Wells and Stephanie Armour, Cyclospora Boosts Fears that\n\n[14] Dr. Scott Gottlieb on cyclospora outbreak: This is the largest outbreak we\u2019ve seen in history, CNBC (Jul. 27, 2026), https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/07/27/dr-scott-gottlieb-on-cyclospora-outbreak-this-is-the-largest-outbreak-weve-seen-in-history.html.\n\n[15] Angelica Peebles, Cyclospora outbreak tests RFK Jr.\u2019s promise to overhaul food system, rebuild trust in CDC, CNBC, (Jul. 23, 2026), https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/general/cyclospora-outbreak-tests-rfk-jr-s-promise-to-overhaul-food-system-rebuild-trust-in-cdc/ar-AA28xalA?ocid=BingNewsVerp.\n\n[16] \u201cRecords\u201d include written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, Signal, WhatsApp, or other encrypted messages, and any other electronically-created or stored information), calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).", 1, "2026-07-31T07:49:23Z", "2026-07-31T07:50:48Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-booker-introduce-food-labeling-modernization-act", "Blumenthal and Booker Introduce Food Labeling Modernization Act", "2026-07-29", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Food Labeling Modernization Act to combat confusing and misleading information printed on food packages. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).\n\n\u201cCurrent food labels are a confusing maze designed to protect corporate profits over American families,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cFederal standards have not kept pace with the modern food industry. The Food Labeling Modernization Act will ensure serving sizes are updated, allergens are clearly labeled, and nutritional information is transparent, giving people the tools they need to make healthier choices and avoid misleading, deceptive pitches and promotion.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor decades, food companies have gotten away with making junk foods seem healthier than they really are,\" said Booker. \u201cThis legislation will protect families from misleading labeling, helping them make informed decisions, eat healthier, and get more value from every dollar they spend on groceries.\u201d\n\nMost food labeling requirements in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act have not been updated in more than thirty-five years \u2013 and in some cases have not been changed since 1938. As a result, food labels often don\u2019t provide the information that today's consumers need to evaluate and compare products.\n\nThe Food Labeling Modernization Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a single, standard front-of-package nutrition labeling system in a timely manner for all food products required to bear nutrition labeling. The bill would also strengthen current law to address trends in marketing that confuse or mislead consumers when they are attempting to compare food products. This includes defining terms like \u201cUltraprocessed\u201d and \u201cNot Ultraprocessed.\u201d The bill also ensures consumers have access to the same nutrition information when shopping for food online as they would in brick-and-mortar locations.\n\nOver the last few years, the Food and Drug Administration has moved to update requirements for food labels. The Food Labeling Modernization Act would build on that progress by ensuring consumers have access to easy-to-read and transparent information in order to make informed purchasing decisions.\n\n\u201cFederal food labeling laws are not aligned with the transparency that Americans from across the political spectrum are demanding,\u201d said Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) senior policy scientist Eva Greenthal. \u201cIt\u2019s time for Congress to pass bold legislation that will give people the information they need to make healthy choices.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-07-30T07:32:48Z", "2026-07-30T07:34:08Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-statement-on-766-billion-for-electric-boat-to-produce-14-additional-columbia-and-virginia-class-submarines", "Blumenthal Statement on $76.6 Billion for Electric Boat to Produce 14 Additional Columbia & Virginia Class Submarines", "2026-07-29", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[Hartford, CT] \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released a statement celebrating the U.S. Navy\u2019s award of a new $76.6 billion contract for Electric Boat to support construction of five Columbia-class and nine-Virginia class submarines.\n\n\u201cThis huge, historic contract is an incredible commitment of resources and recognition of the world\u2019s submarine capital and its superbly skilled work force. It\u2019s a tremendous boost for our nation\u2019s undersea warfare capability as well as Connecticut\u2019s economy. The U.S. Navy continues to invest in Electric Boat\u2019s submarines because they\u2019re essential to national security, safeguarding our undersea superiority. The dedicated workers who make these boats are national heroes. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I\u2019ll be fighting for more resources to support their work,\u201d Blumenthal said.", 1, "2026-07-30T07:32:48Z", "2026-07-30T07:34:08Z"], ["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/republicans-block-blumenthal-effort-to-pass-take-care-of-americas-veterans-act-without-unprecedented-cuts-to-veterans-benefits", "Republicans Block Blumenthal Effort to Pass Take Care of America's Veterans Act Without Unprecedented Cuts to Veterans' Benefits", "2026-07-29", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Today, Republican leadership blocked Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal\u2019s (D-CT) attempt to pass an amended version of the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act. Blumenthal\u2019s legislation would replace the controversial Republican proposal to cut veterans\u2019 benefits with an alternative proposal to cover the costs of the legislation with a small portion of the $75 billion in unobligated and unspent funds appropriated to the Department of Defense in H.R. 1.\n\nBlumenthal emphasized his proposal\u2019s bipartisan support: \u201cIt would utilize unspent Department of Defense funds from H.R.1, the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, to cover the entire cost of the bill. It\u2019s the only offset proposal for the Take Care of Veterans Act that has garnered bipartisan support, and it is the one that doesn\u2019t pit some veterans against other veterans\u2026More than $75 billion of the Department of Defense funds in H.R. - a bill signed into law more than one year ago - remain unspent and unobligated. And CBO has confirmed, absolutely confirmed, enactment of my proposal prior to the Department\u2019s obligation of those funds would provide the savings we need.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal objected to the Republican proposal to cut benefits for more than one million veterans who are currently eligible to receive benefits for tinnitus or sleep apnea: \u201cThese disabilities are not hypothetical or abstract. They're real, and they do disable people. And often, they are the result directly from combat or training\u2026It may seem like an abstract principle, but to veterans who would lose sleep apnea and tinnitus benefits, it's a big deal. In fact, it can be a life-changing deal\u2026We are creating a new generation of combat-injured veterans. It is unconscionable to claim that we can only care for them by forcing other veterans to sacrifice.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal rejected Republican leadership\u2019s defense of these cuts: \u201c(Their) argument essentially is that VA is going to take away these benefits through rule-making. And therefore, we should take advantage of the savings by action that is wrong, unconscionable, and deeply hurtful to veterans.\u201d\n\nBlumenthal concluded by calling on his colleagues to abandon these cuts: \u201cWe need to do the right thing. Veterans deserve meaningful results from a grateful nation, and they should never be handed an invoice when the costs of war come due.\u201d\n\nLast month, House Republicans pull a planned vote on the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act, following a bipartisan House vote to replace the Republican benefit cuts with Blumenthal\u2019s proposal to utilize unobligated Department of Defense funds. Congressional Democrats and many Veterans Service Organizations have publicly opposed the Republican funding proposal included in the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act.\n\nThe Senator\u2019s amended legislation would also have replaced the watered-down version of the Major Richard Star Act currently included in the Take Care of America\u2019s Veterans Act with the Blumenthal-authored version of the legislation that fully repeals the wounded veteran tax.\n\nA video is available here.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 2433, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"party\" = :p1 and \"state\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "Democrat", "p2": "CT"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 2433, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=CT", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 2433, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=CT", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT", "results": [{"value": "CT", "label": "CT", "count": 2433, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT", "results": [{"value": "2025", "label": "2025", "count": 778, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT&year=2025", "selected": false}, {"value": "2024", "label": "2024", "count": 505, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT&year=2024", "selected": false}, {"value": "2023", "label": "2023", "count": 475, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT&year=2023", "selected": false}, {"value": "2026", "label": "2026", "count": 444, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT&year=2026", "selected": false}, {"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 177, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT&year=2020", "selected": false}, {"value": "2022", "label": "2022", "count": 54, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT&year=2022", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2026-07-29,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eblumenthal~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress~2Frelease~2Frepublicans-block-blumenthal-effort-to-pass-take-care-of-americas-veterans-act-without-unprecedented-cuts-to-veterans-benefits", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&party=Democrat&state=CT&_next=2026-07-29%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eblumenthal~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress~2Frelease~2Frepublicans-block-blumenthal-effort-to-pass-take-care-of-americas-veterans-act-without-unprecedented-cuts-to-veterans-benefits&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 221.5375010855496, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}