{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"MA\" and year = 2024 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-renews-fight-to-address-chronic-underfunding-and-barriers-to-sovereignty-in-indian-country", "Warren Renews Fight to Address Chronic Underfunding and Barriers to Sovereignty in Indian Country", "2024-12-23", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Renews Fight to Address Chronic Underfunding and Barriers to Sovereignty in Indian Country\n\nBill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reintroduced the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act. The bill is designed to implement recommendations from the report Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans, published by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in December 2018. The report was drafted with extensive input from Tribal governments and citizens and other stakeholders, concluding that federal programs designed to support the social and economic wellbeing of Tribal Nations and Native peoples remain chronically underfunded and often inefficiently structured.\n\nWhile the federal government has substantial trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations, it has repeatedly failed to honor these obligations. The report put it bluntly: \u201cThe United States expects all nations to live up to their treaty obligations and it should live up to its own.\u201d\n\nThis bill reaffirms the relationship between the federal government and Tribal nations and would strengthen federal programs for Native communities. The bill lays out a path to ensure the United States meets its promises to Tribal nations. Provisions in the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act include:\n\nCriminal Justice and Public Safety: Grants full Tribal jurisdiction modeled on the Violence Against Women Act\u2019s special tribal criminal jurisdiction, with funding to implement it if tribes choose; provides funding for Tribal justice systems, Tribal law enforcement, and detention facilities; requires Tribal consent before a federal execution of a Tribal citizen; establishes grants to support Native victims of crime; victim advocates for Native victims of all crimes;\n\nHealth Care: Provides full, mandatory, inflation-adjusted funding for the Indian Health Service; funding for the Sanitation Facilities Construction Program; provides funding for the Special Diabetes Programs for Native Americans; permanent FMAP for Urban Indian Health Programs; Medicaid coverage of any services provided by Indian health care providers; strengthens Native Hawaiian health care programs; provides funding for Tribal Epidemiology Centers; Medicaid reimbursement for substance use disorder facilities; requires conferring with Urban Indian Health Programs; Medicaid work requirement exemption; clarification of Medicaid policies.\n\nEducation: Provides full funding for Tribal Colleges and Universities, expanding TCU instruction and outreach, and TCU construction, modernization, & repair; full funding for Bureau-funded schools, including construction, modernization, and repair; support for Native language revitalization, and address shortage of Native teachers and of teachers in Native-serving schools (based on Senator Tester\u2019s legislation); Johnson-O\u2019Malley funding; support for culturally inclusive education; support for Alaska Native education programs; Every Student Succeeds Act implementation; funding for local Tribal educational agencies and offices; strengthen TCU graduate and Native language programs.\n\nHousing: Provides full funding for the Indian and Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant Programs; set aside of USDA rural housing funding; allow Tribal housing authorities to administer their own voucher programs; funding for the Indian Community Development Block Grants, Section 184 Indian and Native Hawaiian Home Loan Guarantee Programs, and Native American Direct Loans; Tribal HUD-VASH (based on Senator Tester\u2019s bill); Housing Improvement Programs; establishes a Coordinated Environmental Review Workgroup.\n\nEconomic Development: Provides funding for Tribal roads, transit, and transportation programs; funding for Native CDFIs, funding for water pollution control; water and waste disposal program funding; additional funding for fractionated land buybacks; funding for a Tribal Broadband Fund; strengthen the FCC Office of Native Affairs and Policy; establishes an FCC Tribal Spectrum Market, and affirm Tribal ownership of spectrum over their lands, in line with Senator Warren\u2019s DIGITAL Reservations Act; E-rate expansion; Tribal Connectivity Fund; funding for USDA Office of Tribal Relations funding for broadband support.\n\n\u201cThis bill will help restore the relationship between our government and Tribal nations and empower them by providing significant, long-term funding for Native communities,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI remain committed to ensuring the U.S. government honors its promises.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe National Congress of American Indians continues to support and applaud the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, and NCAI is pleased that Senator Warren has reintroduced it. As NCAI did in 2022, we stand ready to support the understanding of the legislation. The Act is predicated upon upholding the promises made by the U.S. and would address the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that our federal government provides \u2018steady, equitable, and non-discretionary funding\u2019 to Tribal Nations. To reiterate NCAI\u2019s prior statements, the U.S. has not lived up to the trust responsibility to Tribal Nations and there is indisputable evidence that a crisis of need exists throughout Indian Country on many fronts. The Act provides for needs in health care, public safety, housing, education, economic opportunities, and critical touchstone infrastructures, such as broadband. All of these, and others, are essential needs in Indian Country every day, necessary to the fundamental quality of life in Tribal communities. The same quality of life that every American expects in their own community,\u201d said Larry Wright, Jr., Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians. \u201cAs the Federal-Tribal trust relationship endures into this 21st Century and beyond, this Act represents a necessary evolution of the trust relationship. The Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act breathes life into a fundamental tenet at NCAI, that Indian Country is a non-discretionary part of our national society.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerican Indians and Alaska Natives are this Continents\u2019 First Peoples, yet we remain last in health care status and in accessing robust public health and clinical health services. Despite the sacred promises the United States negotiated with us, we continue to live sicker and die sooner than every other group in America. This must change. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Broken Promises report exposes the often desperate and largely invisible struggles our Nations, communities, and the health systems that serve us endure because the United States continues to break its promises to Tribes. The National Indian Health Board applauds the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, and any other congressional efforts to turn this around and honor the Trust and Treaty obligations of the United States to Tribal Nations,\u201d said Chief Bill Smith, Chairman of the National Indian Health Board, and Vice President of the Valdez Native Tribe.\n\n\u201cThe Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act is a pivotal step in the right direction to ensure that total funding is needed for Native education and empowering our Native youth both in and out of the classroom. We look forward to working with Senator Warren, Representative Kilmer, and all other members of Congress to advance educational opportunities for Native students,\u201d said the National Indian Education Association.\n\n\u201cThe American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and the Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) have been beacons of hope for Tribal Nations by offering culturally relevant, place-based Tribal higher education. We endorse the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act to address and rectify the dark passages of Native American history. The failure of the U.S. Government to live up to their treaty promises is not simply a thing of the past but an ongoing legacy that our children have inherited, and they live with the burden of these failures,\u201d stated Ahniwake Rose, AIHEC\u2019s President & CEO, \u201cWe applaud Senator Warren\u2019s and Representative Kilmer\u2019s efforts to acknowledge the past and address these broken promises. We encourage Congress to offer our future generations a new legacy and pass this act as it is a path toward growth and sustainability of Tribal Nations, including through excellence in Tribal higher education.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is pleased to endorse the CDC Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act which would provide Tribes access to funds to prepare for public health emergencies. We are grateful that this bill includes Urban Indian Organization input on the development of public health plans. Equitable access to critical preparedness funds ensures Indian Country is prepared to respond to future public health emergencies,\u201d said Francys Crevier (Algonquin) J.D., CEO, NCUIH.\n\n\"The National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC) supports the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, which seeks to hold the federal government to its trust and treaty obligations, empower Tribal governments, and improve the lives of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people,\" said Lucy R. Simpson, Executive Director, NIWRC.\n\n\u201cHistorical underfunding has continued to remain an issue for Indian Country. We need federal legislation that reaffirms our important nation-to-nation relationship with the federal government. We thank Senator Warren and Congressman Kilmer for their most recent legislation, The Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, to address these critical issues,\u201d said the Native American Finance Officers Association.\n\n\u201cThe Native CDFI Network (NCN) wholeheartedly supports the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, and we commend Senator Warren and Congressman Kilmer for refining the language of this emerging legislation to authorize the appropriation of unspent Treasury dollars for the benefit of Indian tribes, in particular to Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs),\u201d said Pete Upton, Interim CEO of NCN. \u201cIncreasing the flow of federal resources to Native communities in this way represents an important step in righting the longstanding wrongs perpetrated against our communities, and Native CDFIs are uniquely equipped to transform these resources into positive, lasting outcomes for Native consumers, small business owners, and homeowners.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur Broken Promises report underscored the federal government\u2019s failure to meet its trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations, perpetuating inequities in funding and services. This legislation represents a critical opportunity to reverse this trend and provide Native communities with the resources they need to thrive. The federal government must prioritize equitable, steady, and mandatory funding to empower Tribal Nations to exercise self-governance and build stronger futures for their people. Under Secretary Haaland\u2019s leadership, progress has been made on the Commission\u2019s recommendations, but we cannot stall. Congress must act to honor trust obligations and secure lasting change for Indian Country,\u201d said Chair Rochelle M. Garza, USCCR.\n\n\u201cUSET SPF welcomes and is encouraged by the introduction of the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act. The problems caused by centuries of failure in the delivery of trust and treaty obligations are deep-seated and complex. Accordingly, this legislative initiative will require sustained and thoughtful effort on the part of Congress and Tribal Nations to properly address the findings of the Broken Promises Report. We commend Senator Warren, Representative Kilmer, and their staff for their courage and diligence in ensuring that meaningful action is taken in response to Broken Promises. We look forward to further collaboration to refine and strengthen the bill,\u201d said Chief Kirk Francis, President, United South and Eastern Tribes Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF).\n\n\u201cIn its Broken Promises report, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission urged Congress to honor the federal government\u2019s trust obligations and pass legislation that would finally provide steady and equitable funding to address unmet needs and support the public safety, health care, educational, housing, and economic development of Native tribes and people,\u201d said former USCCR Commissioner Debo P. Adegbile. \u201cWe are grateful that Senator Warren and Congressman Kilmer transformed the Commission\u2019s recommendations into actionable and meaningful legislation with the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act. The bill would deliver on promises too long deferred.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has worked to protect and advance tribal sovereignty, to emphasize the federal government\u2019s trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations, and to affirm Washington\u2019s government-to-government relationship with Tribal Nations:\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Warren reintroduced the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act (S. 2907), which would establish a commission to formally investigate, document, and acknowledge the Federal Indian Boarding School Policies. In August 2021, she and Congresswoman Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), the House lead for this legislation, sent a letter to the Indian Health Service (IHS), urging the agency to ensure that culturally appropriate supports are in place for those affected by the Indian Boarding School Policies. Senator Warren also led a request that the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hold a hearing on this bill. The Committee did so, and Senator Warren delivered remarks calling for passage of the bill. She originally introduced this bill in 2020 with then-Congresswoman Haaland.\n\nIn June 2023, the legislation was unanimously reported favorably out of the Indian Affairs Committee. Senator Warren delivered an opening statement at a business meeting of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs which considered her bill, highlighting the need for a truth and healing commission to reckon with the trauma and suffering caused by the federal government\u2019s Indian Boarding School policies\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) introduced the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, historic legislation to address chronic underfunding and barriers to sovereignty faced by Indian Country as a result of the federal government\u2019s failures to meet its trust and treaty responsibilities. The legislation would hold the federal government accountable for honoring the country\u2019s legal promises to Native peoples.\n\nIn April 2021, Senator Warren reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act (S. 1368), which invests more than $2.5 billion to build or rehabilitate homes for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, and allows tribal housing authorities to administer their own voucher programs. NAIHC adopted a resolution supporting this bill when it was reintroduced in the last Congress. She has long been outspoken about the need to address Indian Country\u2019s housing challenges.\n\nSenator Warren fought to ensure that sovereign Tribal Nations have the resources needed to protect the health and well-being of their citizens during this pandemic. She has introduced a number of bills and taken other steps to advance the health and welfare of Native peoples, including:\n\nthe American Indian and Alaska Native Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (S. 1868) (provisions of which were included in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) Reauthorization Act of 2021);\n\nthe Tribal Medical Supplies Stockpile Access Act (S. 3444), legislation that would guarantee that the IHS tribal health authorities, and urban Indian organizations have access to the Strategic National Stockpile of drugs and medical supplies;\n\nthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tribal Public Health Security and Preparedness Act (S. 3968), which would ensure tribal nations have equal access to funding through the CDC to prepare for public health emergencies;\n\nthe Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act (S. 3418), which would provide nearly $1 billion a year directly to tribal governments and organizations to combat the substance use epidemic\u2014building on insights she gleaned at roundtables in which she participated with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and at the Choctaw Nation;\n\nthe Native American Suicide Prevention Act, a version of which was enacted in December 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law No. 116-260);\n\nthe Coronavirus Containment Corps Act (S. 188), which would require contact tracing collaboration with Tribal health authorities and funding for the IHS;\n\nthe Maternal Health Pandemic Response Act (S. 4769, 116th Congress), which would ensure that the federal response to the pandemic, including vaccine development, considers and addresses the specific challenges faced by Native women;\n\nthe Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act (S. 3850, 116th Congress), which includes funding for Tribal data collection, and IHS consultation with Tribal Nations;\n\nthe COVID-19 Emergency Manufacturing Act (S. 3847, 116th Congress), which would provide COVID-19 products at no cost to federal, state, local, and IHS and Tribal health programs;\n\nthe COVID Community Care Act (S. 4941, 116th Congress), which would provide emergency funding for community organizations in medically underserved communities, including Native communities;\n\ndelivering floor speeches urging the swift nomination of an IHS director during the Trump administration, and highlighting the toll of the 2019 government shutdown on workers and families in Massachusetts, including those who rely on urban Indian health programs;\n\nwriting op-eds with other champions for Indian Country on health challenges facing Native communities; and\n\ncosponsoring more than a hundred pieces of legislation to benefit Indian Country.\n\nThe Department of the Interior launched a process to review and remove derogatory names\u2014including those containing slurs against Native Americans\u2014from federal lands, consistent with Senator Warren\u2019s bill with Representative Al Green, the Reconciliation in Place Names Act (S. 2400).\n\nSenator Warren helped push for the establishment of an Office of Tribal and Native Affairs at the Treasury Department. She led a bipartisan group of senators urging Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to establish the Office, echoing longstanding calls from Indian Country. In June 2022, the Treasury Department established a new Office of Tribal and Native Affairs, per Senator Warren\u2019s request.\n\nSenator Warren stood with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in their successful fight to save their reservation in Massachusetts. The Trump administration attempted to disestablish the Tribe\u2019s reservation and litigated the matter. Senator Warren twice cosponsored legislation to provide a fix to the 2009 Supreme Court case Carcieri v. Salazar, so that Tribal Nations\u2019 lands\u2014like those of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe\u2014can be taken into trust and protected. Senator Warren objected to the Trump administration\u2019s efforts, and worked with colleagues and the Tribe to fight the disestablishment. Senator Warren joined then-Congresswoman Haaland in filing a bicameral, bipartisan amicus brief opposing the disestablishment. The Biden administration withdrew the Trump-era legal challenges, preserving the trust status of the Tribe\u2019s homeland and ending the legal challenges it had faced from the executive branch. Last December, the Department of the Interior conclusively reaffirmed the trust status of the Tribe\u2019s reservation, thus securing its future.\n\nSenator Warren has been a leader in the push to rescind the Medals of Honor awarded to U.S. soldiers who perpetrated the Wounded Knee Massacre. She has twice introduced the Remove the Stain Act (S. 1073), pushed for the bill\u2019s inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act, and urged President Biden to use his executive authority to rescind the medals.\n\nSenator Warren has pushed to expand Tribal connectivity. She introduced the DIGITAL Reservations Act (S. 4331, 116th Congress) to affirm Tribal Nations\u2019 and Native Hawaiian organizations\u2019 ownership of broadband spectrum over their lands. And she twice introduced the Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act (S. 1365), to extend the Federal Communication Commission\u2019s 2.5 GHz Tribal Priority Window.\n\nSenator Warren has worked for Tribal sovereignty on cannabis, including twice introducing the bipartisan STATES Act, which would keep states, territories, and Tribal Nations safe from federal overreach when deciding the best approach to marijuana.\n\nSenator Warren has been outspoken in her support of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). She was an original cosponsor of a resolution marking the 40th Anniversary of ICWA, and has joined two amicus briefs in support of the law.\n\nFor years, Senator Warren has fought back against threats to Tribal lands and waters. She joined efforts to resist the Trump administration\u2019s assaults on Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. And she applauded the Biden administration\u2019s decision to reinstate protections for the monuments. Senator Warren also opposed efforts to advance the Keystone XL, Dakota Access, Line 3, and other pipelines. She joined two amicus briefs to support Tribal Nations\u2019 efforts to halt operation of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). And she questioned Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works nominee Michael Connor regarding the DAPL and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 relationship with Tribal Nations during his confirmation hearing.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-urges-ftc-to-protect-patients-scrutinize-cardinal-gi-alliance-deal", "Warren Urges FTC to Protect Patients, Scrutinize Cardinal-GI Alliance Deal", "2024-12-23", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Urges FTC to Protect Patients, Scrutinize Cardinal-GI Alliance Deal\n\nMerger of Big Drug Wholesaler, Gastroenterology Service Provider Threatens Competition, Cost Increases, and Health Risks to Patients\n\nBy allowing wholesalers to control physician practices, wholesalers could pressure doctors to prescribe medicine that is most profitable for them, even if it\u2019s not in the best interest of their patients\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, urging the agency to closely scrutinize pharmaceutical wholesaler Cardinal Health\u2019s $3.9 billion proposed acquisition of a majority stake in GI Alliance, the country\u2019s largest gastroenterology management services organization.\n\n\u201cThis deal threatens to limit competition by expanding Cardinal Health\u2019s control of physician practices, while giving Cardinal an incentive to restrict those practices from contracting with Cardinal\u2019s rival wholesalers,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nCardinal Health has a long history of leveraging its dominant market power in a way that negatively impacts patients and health care providers. The company controls 28% of the prescription drug wholesale market, making it one of the three biggest wholesalers in the country. Along the way, Cardinal has pursued an aggressive vertical acquisition strategy, buying up companies to solidify its dominance in the wholesaler market , including acquiring a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO), a data analytics firm, medical device lines, specialty pharmacies, and physician practices. These acquisitions are part of a broader trend of health care conglomerates operating as both seller and buyer of prescription drug services.\n\n\u201cCardinal has consistently locked its customers into restrictive contracts, blocked out rival wholesalers, and squeezed generic drug manufacturers, leading to more frequent drug shortages, higher drug costs, and poorer health outcomes,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nIn October, Senator Warren sounded the alarm about another one of Cardinal\u2019s proposed acquisitions: Cardinal\u2019s acquisition of Integrated Oncology Network (ION), an MSO that oversees over 50 physician practices spanning 10 states. With this acquisition, Cardinal would be able to force its affiliated practices to enter into sole-source or prime vendor agreements, locking them in and effectively blocking competing wholesalers from offering their services \u2014 while introducing conflicts of interest that could raise drug costs. The FTC did not act, and the acquisition was completed earlier this month. The new Cardinal-GI Alliance deal is even larger in scope, posing a bigger threat.\n\n\u201cIn addition to the concerns I outlined in my October letter, the acquisition of GI alliance introduces further opportunities for self-dealing, as Cardinal serves as the primary supplier of pharmaceutical products for Gastrologix GPO \u2014 the only gastroenterology-focused GPO in the nation,\u201d wrote Senator Warren. \u201cAccordingly, I urge FTC to closely scrutinize this deal, including under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, which prohibits any acquisition that may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has long highlighted the negative consequences of vertical integration in the health care industry on patients, providers, and taxpayers. Senator Warren recently introduced her Patients Before Monopolies Act (PBM Act), bipartisan and bicameral legislation to prohibit joint ownership of PBMs and pharmacies, a gross conflict of interest that enables these companies to enrich themselves at the expense of patients and independent pharmacies.\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to use every tool available to the government to lower drug prices and fight anticompetitive business practices in the health care industry:\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the FTC to closely scrutinize the Novo Nordisk-Catalent merger and to block it if it violated antitrust law.\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra asking him to lower the cost of vital weight-loss drugs by using the agency\u2019s existing legal authority to issue generic licenses for semaglutide, a prescription drug sold under the names Ozempic and Wegovy.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo reiterating their agencies\u2019 clear legal authority to use \u201cmarch-in\u201d rights under the Bayh-Dole Act to lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent letters to eight pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily de-list over 100 patents that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined may be improperly or inaccurately listed in the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA\u2019s) Orange Book, which would open opportunity for more competition and lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, and Under Secretary Laurie Locascio, highlighting the lawmakers\u2019 new review of public comments on the agency\u2019s Draft Interagency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights and urged them to strengthen and finalize the guidance.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Chamber of Commerce expressing concern and demanding an explanation for the organization\u2019s opposition to the Biden administration\u2019s proposal to boost competition and lower drug prices for American families and businesses by allowing agencies to consider price when deciding to exercise their \u201cmarch-in rights\u201d under the Bayh-Dole Act.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the leadership of Novo Nordisk (Novo), slamming the company for its decision to discontinue production of Levemir (detemir) insulin, one of only three long-acting insulins on the market, and asked the company to commit to continue producing Levemir until a biosimilar is made available.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter in response to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) discontinuing the brand-name version of Flovent HFA, the go-to inhaler for children, blasting the company for its price-gouging strategy that may cause millions of children to lose access to one of the few drugs that is appropriate to treat their asthma and allergies.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) led 75 lawmakers in sending a letter to the Biden administration in support of strengthening and finalizing its draft guidance to protect taxpayers and reduce prescription drug prices. The lawmakers submitted a public comment supporting the \u201cInteragency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights\u201d and calling for changes to ensure increased transparency, oversight, and accessibility of medical products invented through taxpayer-funded research and development.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal announced that three drug manufacturers pulled their sham patents after warnings, and urged the FDA to continue fighting against Big Pharma\u2019s patent abuse.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Newsweek commending the Biden administration\u2019s announcement that price can be considered in the government\u2019s decision to march-in on a drug, effectively lowering drug costs, and calling on Americans to fight back against an industry that has been taking advantage of them for decades.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren issued a statement after the Biden administration announced it would issue guidance to federal agencies that would allow the government to seize patents of certain expensive drugs developed with taxpayer support to create more competition and lower prices.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent letters to the CEOs of 8 pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily remove sham patent claims improperly included in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book and end their unlawful practices that delay competition and drive up costs for patients and taxpayers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, legislation that would radically reduce drug prices through public manufacturing of prescription drugs.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the FTC to issue a policy statement about the improper listing of drug-related patents in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf, urging him to close loopholes that pharmaceutical companies have exploited to block generics from entering the market, keeping drug prices high and maximizing profits.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-clarke-reintroduce-bill-to-establish-consistent-robust-medical-research-funding", "Warren, Clarke Reintroduce Bill to Establish Consistent, Robust Medical Research Funding", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Clarke Reintroduce Bill to Establish Consistent, Robust Medical Research Funding\n\nBicameral bill would protect NIH, FDA funding from Washington funding fights\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | One Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.) reintroduced their National Biomedical Research Act, a bill to provide the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with predictable, robust funding for medical research and development. Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) are cosponsors of the bill.\n\nThe National Biomedical Research Act would create the Biomedical Innovation Fund, a new funding stream of $10 billion per year for select initiatives at the NIH and the FDA. The legislation specifies that the Biomedical Innovation Fund should supplement \u2014 not supplant \u2014 existing appropriations for the agencies; funds would only be available during years when Congress increases discretionary appropriations for NIH and FDA, thus ensuring that funding for medical research never falls below Fiscal Year 2024 levels. Fund dollars will also be available through interagency transfer to support research conducted jointly by the NIH or the FDA and other federal agencies.\n\n\u201cThe United States leads the world in biomedical innovation, and so much of that innovation happens in Massachusetts. Big federal investments in medical research and development help make this progress possible,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cOur bill would save lives by making sure our researchers have the resources to keep delivering lifesaving breakthroughs and treatments \u2014 regardless of who\u2019s in charge in Washington.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to partner with Senator Warren to reintroduce the National Biomedical Research Act. This legislation would provide researchers with the vital resources they need to continue diagnosing, treating, and preventing a myriad of diseases \u2013 many of which disproportionately impact communities of color. We must always remember sufficiently funding medical research is paramount to the health and safety of the American public,\u201d said Rep. Clarke. \u201cRe-establishing our commitment to supporting scientists and doctors dramatically improves their ability to safeguard our communities against the devastating effects of health care disparities. Let me be clear: this legislation is an opportunity to protect American families proactively, and I believe it is incumbent on us, as members of Congress, to ensure it happens.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the Biomedical Research Fund established by the bill would supplement yearly appropriations for:\n\nBasic Research: research on the underlying basis of disease to better address disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment;\n\nDisruptive Innovation: breakthrough research on diseases with unmet medical needs or for which current treatments are limited, inadequate, or burdensome;\n\nAddressing Burdensome Diseases: research on chronic, degenerative diseases that disproportionately contribute to spending under Medicare, Medicaid, Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program, TRICARE, or the Veterans Health Administration;\n\nEarly Career Scientists: grants to young scientists and research institutions supporting these scientists, which lead to earlier research independence and enhance employment opportunities;\n\nImproving Diversity: research conducted by investigators from traditionally underrepresented groups, research in labs of varying sizes, and research at institutions in states that could improve the geographic diversity of funding;\n\nRegulatory Science: research to improve the predictability, consistency, and efficiency of the review of medical products and regulatory decision-making;\n\nMedical Product Surveillance: the development, regulatory review, and postmarket surveillance of new medical products.\n\nThe National Biomedical Research Act has been endorsed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, American Heart Association, Fenway Health, Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, Society for Behavioral Medicine, Association for Clinical Oncology, Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals, Public Citizen, UMass Chan Medical School, and ZERO Prostate Cancer.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-hawley-merkley-push-automakers-on-their-opposition-to-car-owners-right-to-repair-their-own-vehicles", "Warren, Hawley, Merkley Push Automakers on Their Opposition to Car Owners\u2019 Right to Repair Their Own Vehicles", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Hawley, Merkley Push Automakers on Their Opposition to Car Owners\u2019 Right to Repair Their Own Vehicles\n\nBipartisan Letter Criticizes Auto Industry Fearmongering\n\n\u201cThe industry has raised concerns about data sharing with independent repair shops to justify opposing right-to-repair, while earning profits from sharing large amounts of personal data with insurance companies.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the leaders of each of the top 10 U.S. automakers with concerns about the companies\u2019 fierce opposition to car owners\u2019 right to repair the vehicles they own in the way they choose. The letters were sent to General Motors, Toyota, Ford, Hyundai Group, Stellantis, Honda, Nissan, Tesla, Subaru, and Volkswagen.\n\nThe letters denounce automakers\u2019 actions to prevent vehicle owners from taking their vehicle to the mechanic of their choice by blocking vehicle owners\u2019 ability to access or share information necessary for repair, like diagnostic data. These repair restrictions are an example of companies\u2019 opposition to \u201cright-to-repair,\u201d which refers to a person\u2019s ability to choose where they repair the products they own, including vehicles, consumer electronics, household appliances, agricultural equipment, and other goods. Without restrictions on right-to-repair, a vehicle owner can go to a local mechanic of their choice and is not forced to go to the manufacturer or car dealer for maintenance and repair of their vehicle.\n\nBy restricting right-to-repair, equipment manufacturers like car companies can create a monopoly on vehicle repairs, allowing them to raise prices. Customers consistently rate independent repair shops better on price (as well as overall satisfaction) than dealerships, which nearly all receive the worst possible ratings from car owners on price. Right-to-repair is also crucial for local economies, with more than half of independent repair shops reporting difficulty in making repairs on a daily or weekly basis because of auto manufacturers\u2019 repair restrictions.\n\n\u201cAs the gatekeepers of vehicle parts, equipment, and data, automobile manufacturers have the power to place restrictions on the necessary tools and information for repairs, particularly as cars increasingly incorporate electronic components,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cThis often leaves car owners with no other option than to have their vehicles serviced by official dealerships, entrenching auto manufacturers\u2019 dominance and eliminating competition from independent repair shops.\u201d\n\nNow, auto manufacturers are trying to claim that they restrict independent repairs as a matter of cybersecurity. However, according to a study by the FTC, as well as analysis from cybersecurity experts, these concerns have no legitimacy. Rather, experts have found that cyberattacks on connected devices are due to \u201cthe poor quality of deployed software and the poor state of device security \u2013 not the availability of diagnostic and repair tools and information.\u201d\n\n\u201cCar manufacturers should not hide behind a false dichotomy of cybersecurity and consumer choice in order to avoid their legal obligations to facilitate independent vehicle repair,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cCybersecurity experts have forcefully pushed against manufacturers\u2019 fearmongering.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers note that the automakers\u2019 cited concern with sharing data with independent repair shops to facilitate repairs appears to conflict with their practice of selling large amounts of sensitive consumer data with insurance companies and other third parties \u2014 often without clear consumer consent.\n\n\u201cThe industry has raised concerns about data sharing with independent repair shops to justify opposing right-to-repair, while earning profits from sharing large amounts of personal data with insurance companies,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cIt is clear that the motivation behind automotive companies\u2019 avoidance of complying with right-to-repair laws is not due to a concern for consumer security or privacy, but instead a hypocritical, profit-driven reaction. This kind of anti-consumer, anti-repair practice must come to an end in all industries.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers are urging the car companies to comply with all right-to-repair laws while protecting consumer privacy interests and are requesting information from the companies regarding their data sharing practices.\n\nSenator Warren has repeatedly sought to bolster competition and fight back against costly restrictions on repairs for cars, military equipment, agricultural equipment, and other goods:\n\nIn December 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative arie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) introduced the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act to increase military readiness and cut costs by allowing servicemembers to repair their own equipment, including in austere environments.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Deere & Company (John Deere), accusing the company of undermining its own \u201cright-to-repair\u201d agreements and evading its responsibilities under the Clean Air Act by failing to grant its customers the right to repair their own agricultural equipment.\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent two letters denouncing the costly restrictions imposed by Pentagon contractors on the Department of Defense (DoD) that bar the military from repairing its own military equipment and instead force it to pay billions of dollars extra to contractors.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren included a provision in the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA that would require Pentagon contractors to provide DoD with \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d access to repair materials.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), celebrated the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reversing course and allowing enforcement of Massachusetts\u2019 pro-consumer Right to Repair law.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reverse its course after it sent a recent letter to auto manufacturers, advising them not to comply with Massachusetts\u2019 Right to Repair law.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-smith-renew-fight-to-strengthen-us-pharmaceutical-manufacturing-capacity-and-end-over-reliance-on-foreign-countries-for-life-saving-drugs", "Warren, Smith Renew Fight to Strengthen U.S. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Capacity and End Over-Reliance on Foreign Countries for Life-Saving Drugs", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Smith Renew Fight to Strengthen U.S. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Capacity and End Over-Reliance on Foreign Countries for Life-Saving Drugs\n\nBill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act, a bill to reinvigorate the United States' manufacturing capacity and end the nation's reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs used by millions of Americans.\n\n77% of the facilities that manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in drugs consumed by Americans are located overseas. As demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this overreliance leaves Americans vulnerable to supply chain shocks that result in extreme shortages of critical medicines, harming patients and health care professionals across the nation. The United States must take steps to counter this overreliance and ensure that reliable and high-quality drugs can be produced at home.\n\nThe Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act would:\n\nRequire the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Defense Department to develop a confidential list of \"critical drugs\" essential for public health and national security.\n\nLower the cost of domestic production by providing $1 billion a year for 5 years to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, to dramatically upgrade domestic manufacturing capacity of \u201ccritical drugs.\u201d\n\nRequire the Defense Department, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, and Federal Bureau of Prisons to purchase American-made drugs and provide funding to subsidize the purchase of these drugs, creating a market for domestically-produced pharmaceuticals.\n\nBoosts supply chain transparency by requiring drugmakers to annually report to the FDA information about the source of APIs and starting materials used to make drugs consumed in the United States; requiring drugmakers to report information on foreign manufacturers in their supply chain to any federal agency to which they supply drugs; and requiring the FDA to issue both public and classified reports to Congress on the strength of the U.S. supply chain.\n\nRequires the Federal Trade Commission and the Treasury Department to study the role of foreign investment in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry within one year of the Act\u2019s passage.\n\n\"A strong, reliable supply chain for life-saving drugs will prevent shortages and protect American families,\" said Senator Warren. \"This bill will end our overreliance on foreign countries and give us the tools we need to produce the critical drugs that millions of Americans depend on here at home.\"\n\n\"Addressing the vulnerabilities in our pharmaceutical supply chain is a matter of public health and national security,\" said Senator Smith. \"I'm glad to work with Senator Warren on this bill that strengthens our country's capacity to manufacture critical drugs on U.S. soil and closes gaps in our supply chain. This will help lessen our over-reliance on other countries and make sure Americans can get the drugs they need.\"\n\nSenator Warren also secured a provision in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to address DoD\u2019s overreliance on foreign drug manufacturers. The provision requires the Department of Defense to establish a plan to ensure access to safe, high-quality pharmaceutical products and eliminate or mitigate risks in the pharmacy supply chain, including the feasibility of establishing a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility owned and operated by the Department of Defense (DoD).\n\nFor years, Senator Warren has worked to end the United States\u2019 overreliance on foreign countries for critical drugs and to boost the nation's domestic manufacturing capacity:\n\nIn October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced the United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act, legislation to require the Federal Trade Commission, in consultation with the Department of Commerce, to produce a report on the impacts of foreign investment in the United States\u2019 pharmaceutical industry.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) wrote to the Department of Defense requesting an update on the Department\u2019s efforts to address risks to the military pharmaceutical supply chain.\n\nIn December 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the need for the public manufacturing of generic drugs to address critical drug shortages and ensure access and affordability of prescription drugs for consumers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Jan Schakowsky reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, to address the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs and increase competition in the generic pharmaceutical market.\n\nIn June 2022, during the NDAA negotiations, Senator Warren prioritized her bills to help prevent civilian harm, electrify the military's vehicle fleet, prevent conflicts of interests and corruption at the Department of Defense, prohibit price gouging by defense contractors, expand medical care for military families, lower the costs of prescription drugs, and reduce America's reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs.\n\nIn December 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Gregory Kausner, who was performing the duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment at the Department of Defense (DoD), urging him to address DoD\u2019s overreliance on pharmaceuticals produced abroad.\n\nIn November 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio introduced the Strengthening Supply Chains for Servicemembers and Security Act to address the national security risk posed by the United States\u2019 reliance on foreign entities for pharmaceuticals.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith reintroduced the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act -- comprehensive legislation that takes bold steps to reinvigorate the United States' manufacturing capacity and end the nation's reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs used by millions of Americans.\n\nIn September 2020, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote to President Donald Trump raising questions about the failure of his recent Executive Order to address the nation's overreliance on foreign nations for key drug products, and asking that he support their legislation, which would address this serious problem.\n\nIn March 2020, Senators Warren and Rubio introduced bipartisan legislation to combat America's supply chain risk and dependence on China for pharmaceuticals.\n\nIn December 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with Senators Tom Cotton, Mitt Romney, and Tim Kaine, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper raising concerns about the national security risks posed by U.S. reliance on foreign-manufactured pharmaceutical products.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warren-secures-protections-for-servicemembers-from-blast-overpressure", "ICYMI: Warren Secures Protections for Servicemembers from Blast Overpressure", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Warren Secures Protections for Servicemembers from Blast Overpressure\n\nOne year after Lewiston shooting, Congress passes much-needed legislation in defense bill that builds upon years of Warren's efforts\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 One year after a shooting in Lewiston, Maine killed 18 people and wounded 13, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) secured bipartisan provisions in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA) to protect servicemembers exposed to blast overpressure and provide them the necessary care. The legislation passed by Congress builds upon many years of Senator Warren\u2019s work to reduce blast exposure for servicemembers.\n\nThis provision includes major reforms from Senator Warren\u2019s and Ernst\u2019s (R-Iowa) Blast Overpressure Safety Act, which will:\n\nSupport servicemembers by permanently establishing the National Intrepid Center of Excellence to treat TBIs;\n\nEnhance efforts to mitigate exposure by modifying existing and future weapons systems to minimize blast overpressure;\n\nEstablish standardized monitoring, treatment, and referral guidelines for servicemembers;\n\nCreate an intensive, comprehensive brain health and trauma program to improve access to care after exposure; and\n\nIncrease transparency regarding blast overpressure safety during the weapons acquisition process.\n\n\u201cBlast overpressure has been devastating for our servicemembers\u2019 health, causing suicide, depression, seizures, and more,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI am firmly committed to doing everything I can in Congress to protect our servicemembers from injuries caused by their own weapons and get them the care they deserve.\u201d\n\nFor over 7 years, Senator Warren has led efforts to measure blast exposure and develop protocols that protect service members:\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren hosted a forum with officials from the Department of Defense, brain health experts from Home Base, and a veteran who received treatment at Home Base about the importance of improving access to care for servicemembers, establishing a longitudinal study to better understand other health effects that may be connected to blast overpressure, and addressing the link between blast overpressure and suicide.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.), Ernst (R-Iowa), and Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) efforts to identify, prevent, and treat traumatic brain injuries (TBI) related to service members\u2019 exposure to blast overpressure. The GAO accepted this review.\n\nOn April 11, 2024, Senators Warren and Joni Ernst introduced the Blast Overpressure Safety Act \u2013 bipartisan legislation that would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to enact a variety of measures to help mitigate and protect service members from blast overpressure. Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren led a hearing on the impacts of blast overpressure on American service members and the need for DoD to better protect service members from blast overpressure.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Warren, Ernst, and Tillis sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, asking him to provide updates on steps the DoD is taking to better understand and address the effects of blast exposure on service members' mental and physical health during training and operations.\n\nIn May 2019, Senators Warren and Ernst introduced the Blast Pressure Exposure Study Improvement Act, which would require more frequent progress reports from DoD regarding the longitudinal study and added two feasibility assessments to the study. They secured this bill in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 NDAA.\n\nIn May 2018, Senators Warren and Ernst introduced the Blast Exposure and Brain Injury Prevention Act to improve research on TBIs, speed up the development of therapies to treat TBI, and strengthen DoD\u2019s capacity to track and prevent blast pressure exposure.\n\nSenator Warren introduced an amendment in the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (Sec. 734) that required DoD to establish a longitudinal medical study examining the effects of blast pressure exposure.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-investigation-reveals-mohela-may-have-contributed-to-nearly-2-million-student-loan-duplication-errors-appearing-on-borrowers-credit-reports", "Senate Investigation Reveals MOHELA May Have Contributed to Nearly 2 Million Student Loan Duplication Errors Appearing on Borrowers\u2019 Credit Reports", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senate Investigation Reveals MOHELA May Have Contributed to Nearly 2 Million Student Loan Duplication Errors Appearing on Borrowers\u2019 Credit Reports\n\nSenators Urge CFPB, Education Department to Investigate and Hold Companies Accountable\n\n\u201c[W]e write to share the results of this investigation\u2014which suggest that MOHELA\u2019s failure to provide advanced notice of the transfer to the CRAs contributed to nearly two million credit reporting errors.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 In a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Education (ED), U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) revealed the alarming findings of a Senate investigation into millions of consumer credit reporting errors that occurred during the transfer of student loan accounts from Nelnet to MOHELA in 2023. The senators urged the CFPB and ED to investigate these errors and use their supervisory and enforcement authority to hold the appropriate parties accountable.\n\nIn May 2024, reports surfaced about incorrect, duplicate student loan records appearing on student borrowers\u2019 credit reports after their loans were transferred from NelNet to MOHELA. For many borrowers, the errors led to reduced credit scores, hurting their ability to obtain mortgages, car loans, and other credit. The initial reports did not indicate how many borrowers had been affected, for how long, or who was responsible.\n\nIn August 2024, the senators opened an investigation into the matter, sending inquiries to NelNet, MOHELA, and the three largest credit reporting agencies (CRAs), Equifax, Experian, and Transunion, requesting information on the impact on borrowers and how the mistakes occurred. The results of the investigation include brand new findings that suggest that MOHELA\u2019s failure to provide advanced notice of the transfer to the CRAs contributed to nearly two million credit reporting errors. The investigation revealed that:\n\nMOHELA allegedly failed to inform credit reporting agencies of the loan transfers from NelNet, contributing to nearly two million credit reporting errors. According to the CRAs, there is an established protocol in which loan servicers provide advanced notice of a loan transfer, including information regarding \u201cthe number of loans being transferred, the timing of the transfer, and the characteristics of the loans.\u201d All three of the credit reporting agencies reported that they did not always receive this advanced notice from MOHELA.\n\nHundreds of thousands of borrowers were affected by these errors, for as long as 1.5 years. Between the time when the duplicate errors began to occur (in January 2023) and when the credit reporting agencies claimed to have fixed all the errors (by the end of August 2024), the agencies collectively identified over 200,000 consumers affected by these mistakes.\n\nIn over 100,000 cases, the errors resulted in incorrect credit scores appearing on borrowers\u2019 accounts. Approximately 14,000 borrowers experienced decreased credit scores, with many experiencing significant declines in scores.\n\nBorrowers submitted approximately 7,500 complaints and disputes in attempts to correct the errors.\n\nNone of the servicers or credit reporting agencies took responsibility for the credit reporting errors. MOHELA claimed that it \u201cimplemented and follows the applicable process required under its federal loan servicing contract.\u201d The credit reporting agencies attributed the errors to the loan servicers\u2019\u2014and particularly MOHELA\u2019s\u2014failure to provide advanced notice of the loan transfers.\n\nNelNet, MOHELA and the credit reporting agencies have no plans to compensate affected borrowers. When asked how each company planned to compensate borrowers harmed by the reporting errors, NelNet, MOHELA, and the credit reporting agencies all reported having no plans to compensate affected borrowers.\n\nThe lawmakers acknowledged that their investigation only covered loans transferred from NelNet to MOHELA and encouraged the CFPB and ED to \u201cinvestigate duplicate student loan reporting errors across federal student loan servicing in order to determine the scope of the problem and ensure safeguards are in place such that similar mistakes do not occur again.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to reform our higher education system, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable:\n\nIn December 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (D-PA) led 24 lawmakers in sending a bicameral letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra and Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, revealing the results of their investigation into Navient regarding its cancellation process for the predatory, for-profit student loans in its portfolio and urging the agencies to hold the student loan servicer accountable for any violations of federal law.\n\nIn November 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) sent a letter blasting MOHELA for abusing borrowers with potentially illegal, exploitative terms of use.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (ED) commending the agencies on their progress in helping borrowers who are struggling financially to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy and asking them to continue expanding awareness of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new policy.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated new federal student debt relief, bringing the total number of Americans who have had their debt canceled under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program during the Biden-Harris Administration to a historic 1 million people and counting.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Merkley (D-Ore.) released a new report examining the impact of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new Higher Education Act rule, finding that low- and middle-income borrowers, seniors, women, and Black borrowers will receive enormous benefits from the new rule.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren joined Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to launch an investigation into the reported mishandling of student loan transfers by MOHELA, Nelnet and credit reporting agencies.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) led over 30 lawmakers in a letter urging student loan servicer Navient to reform its flawed process to cancel the private student loans of borrowers who attended fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden, Chris Van Hollen, and Bernie Sanders, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, cautioning the Department of Education on Federal Student Aid\u2019s transition to the Unified Servicing and Data Solution system.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, and Sanders released a joint statement on the American Federation of Teachers\u2019 lawsuit against MOHELA for allegedly overcharging and misleading student loan borrowers.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren and King led their colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging them to provide guidance and communication to borrowers as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program transfers from MOHELA to the Department of Education.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren led a growing coalition of senators in urging the Department of Education to hold student loan servicer MOHELA accountable for its failures.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and 24 members of the U.S. Senate sent a letter to Senator Tammy Baldwin, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, encouraging them to provide $2.7 billion in funding to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) in fiscal year (FY) 2025.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Carper, Kaine, and Representative Don Davis (D-N.C.) called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to release data on the Postsecondary Education Complaint System (PECS), a centralized database to track complaints against schools who participate in the Tuition Assistance (TA) and My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA) program.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren led eight of her colleagues in sending a letter to David L. Yowan, President and Chief Executive Officer of student loan servicer Navient, urging the servicer to cancel decades-old private student loans pushed onto borrowers attending fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Markey, and Van Hollen released a new report: Servicing Scandals: Student Loan Servicers\u2019 Failures During Return to Repayment, which reveals a decades-long pattern of student loan servicer incompetence and misconduct that has affected millions of borrowers nationwide.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a hearing on student loan servicer Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) and its failures during borrowers\u2019 return to repayment, including MOHELA\u2019s mismanagement of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, along with U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and John Larson (D-Conn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Social Security Administration (SSA), the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), and the U.S. Department of Education to end the practice of offsetting Social Security benefits to pay off defaulted student loans.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a statement calling for an investigation into student loan mismanagement by MOHELA.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), along with Representative Ayanna Pressley, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Representative Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to host a fourth session of the student debt negotiated rulemaking to consider relief for borrowers experiencing financial hardship.\n\nIn December 2023, U.S. Senators Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey,, and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent follow-up letters to student loan servicers \u2013 MOHELA, EdFinancial, Nelnet, and Maximus \u2013 raising concerns about borrowers\u2019 problems with return to repayment, requesting information about the borrower experience, and pushing back on the servicers\u2019 claim that budget shortfalls limit their ability provide quality customer service to millions of borrowers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging him to leverage his existing and full authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senators Alex Padilla and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Jim Clyburn, and Frederica Wilson led 79 other lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to swiftly deliver on his promise to deliver student debt cancellation to working and middle class families by early 2024.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) visited communities across Massachusetts to celebrate the Biden administration\u2019s student debt cancellation plan and help residents sign up for student loan relief.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senator Brown and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.), urged Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to swiftly discharge the loans of borrowers defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges and universities, including those operated by Corinthian College.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Representatives Jayapal, Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) led more than 80 colleagues in a bicameral letter to the Department of Education calling for it to release the memo outlining the Biden administration\u2019s legal authority to cancel federal student loan debt and immediately cancel up to $50,000 of debt for Federal student loan borrowers.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led a group of colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona urging the Department of Education to take swift action to automatically remove all federally-held student loan borrowers from default.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-slams-fed-occ-as-asleep-at-the-wheel-on-necessary-bank-merger-guideline-updates", "Warren Slams Fed, OCC As \u201cAsleep at the Wheel\u201d on Necessary Bank Merger Guideline Updates", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Slams Fed, OCC As \u201cAsleep at the Wheel\u201d on Necessary Bank Merger Guideline Updates\n\nAs Capital One-Discover deal receives state regulatory approval, Sen. Warren presses agencies to make needed updates to merger framework\n\n\u201cThe Fed and the OCC\u2019s failures to act to meaningfully strengthen our nation\u2019s bank merger review framework threaten the stability of our economy and the livelihoods of working families.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell, Fed Vice Chair Michael Barr, and Acting Comptroller for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Michael Hsu, slamming the agencies for being \u201casleep at the wheel\u201d in following their mandate to prevent dangerous and anticompetitive bank mergers. The letter comes as Capital One reportedly received state regulatory approval to buy Discover, moving one step closer to completion of the dangerous merger. Senator Warren demanded that the agencies update and strengthen their bank merger policy guidelines and use these new guidelines to scrutinize the deal.\n\nA 2021 Executive Order signed by President Biden directed the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the OCC, and the Fed to \u201cupdate guidelines on banking mergers to provide more robust scrutiny of mergers.\u201d In December 2023, the DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released updated comprehensive merger guidelines. This year, the FDIC followed suit \u2014 but the Fed and the OCC have not taken similarly strong action.\n\n\u201cThe Fed and the OCC\u2019s failures to act to meaningfully strengthen our nation\u2019s bank merger review framework threaten the stability of our economy and the livelihoods of working families,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cIn particular, using a set of weak, decades-old rules to evaluate the massive Capital One-Discover deal, which was announced in February and would combine two of the nation\u2019s largest credit card companies, would amount to regulatory malfeasance.\u201d\n\nIn February, Senator Warren wrote that Capital One\u2019s acquisition of Discover \u201cwill be one of the most important tests of the efforts to prevent harmful bank consolidation since the release of President Biden\u2019s Executive Order.\u201d The deal would create the nation\u2019s sixth-largest bank with approximately $624 billion in assets and make Capital One the nation\u2019s largest credit card issuer, with over $200 billion in outstanding credit card loans.\n\n\u201cApproving a deal this complex and with such serious competition and consolidation risks could lead to catastrophic outcomes for our financial system and consumers and would set a dangerous precedent,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nIn September 2024, the OCC announced a final rule that failed to address the agency\u2019s consideration of the competitive consequences of a merger \u2014 even though the Bank Merger Act specifically prohibits the OCC from approving any mergers that would substantially lessen competition or create a monopoly. The Fed is 3 years behind on President Biden\u2019s Executive Order and, in the meantime, has approved problematic deals such as Silicon Valley Bank\u2019s merger with Boston Private.\n\n\u201cTo protect consumers and our financial stability, I urge the Fed and the OCC to update and strengthen your bank merger policy guidelines and use these new guidelines to closely scrutinize the Capital One-Discover deal. If you apply these principles, it is clear that the merger must be denied,\u201d Senator Warren concluded.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to hold banking regulators accountable to establishing and enforcing guardrails around the banking industry and preventing harmful bank mergers to protect the financial system, economy, and consumers:\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren wrote to the OCC and the Fed with renewed concern that the OCC and the Fed could allow New York Community Bank to escape regulatory oversight despite \u201csystemic failings\u201d in the bank\u2019s operation and management.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren and Blumenthal probed the OCC for its regulatory failures amid NYCB\u2019s financial spiral.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal calling on federal regulators to block Capital One\u2019s merger with Discover.\n\nIn March 2024, a year after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Senator Warren sent a letter to three key banking regulators: Michael Barr, Vice Chair for Supervision of the Federal Reserve, Martin Gruenberg, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Acting Comptroller Hsu, seeking an update on their progress in delivering on their public commitments to strengthen regulatory standards for banks with assets of $100 billion or more.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren led 12 lawmakers urging the OCC and the Federal Reserve to block Capital One\u2019s plan to acquire Discover Financial Services. Their letter also expressed concerns with the OCC\u2019s proposed policy statement regarding merger approvals as essentially codifying a permissive approach.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren led 6 senators in a letter to Acting Comptroller Hsu, calling on OCC to allow states to move forward with their efforts to protect consumers from harmful bank practices. The senators criticized the OCC for overstepping its preemption authority under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which it used to block tough, state-level consumer protections.\n\nIn August 2023, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the need for regulators to implement the strongest version of bank merger review guidelines in order to ensure stability in the financial system.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, Federal Deposit Investment Corporation Chairman Gruenberg, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Hsu, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging regulators to promote greater competition in the banking sector by toughening their stances on bank mergers and strengthening bank merger review guidelines.\n\nIn May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren questioned Acting Comptroller Hsu on his decision to approve JPMorgan Chase\u2019s purchase of First Republic Bank after its collapse. This merger allowed a large, poorly supervised bank to be swallowed by America\u2019s largest bank, making it $200 billion larger than it was before.\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Acting Comptroller Hsu and FDIC Chair Gruenberg, questioning the terms of the sale of First Republic Bank to JP Morgan Chase and the rationale behind the OCC and FDIC\u2019s approval of the deal.\n\nIn December 2022, Senators Warren and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) sent letters to three key banking regulators: the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and the OCC, raising concerns about the ties between the banking industry and crypto firms following FTX\u2019s bankruptcy. The senators asked each regulator how they assessed the banking system\u2019s exposure to crypto risks.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) sent a letter to the heads of all U.S. banking regulators, including Acting Comptroller Hsu, calling on them to improve banking access for immigrant communities and communities of color.\n\nIn August 2022, Senators Warren, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Whitehouse, and Sanders sent a letter to the OCC, calling on it to rescind the previously issued cryptocurrency guidance and replace it with more comprehensive guidance, in coordination with other prudential regulators.\n\nIn September 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Bank Merger Review Modernization Act, which would restrict harmful consolidation in the banking industry and protect consumers and the financial system from \u201cToo Big to Fail\u201d institutions, like those that caused the 2008 financial crisis.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-urges-wellpath-to-commit-to-fair-payouts-and-fair-notice-for-incarcerated-patients-during-bankruptcy-process", "Warren Urges Wellpath to Commit to Fair Payouts and Fair Notice for Incarcerated Patients During Bankruptcy Process", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Urges Wellpath to Commit to Fair Payouts and Fair Notice for Incarcerated Patients During Bankruptcy Process\n\n\u201cIt is critical that Wellpath commit to ensuring fair payout to creditors, particularly incarcerated patients harmed by medical malpractice, as well as local health care providers and contracting partners.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Wellpath \u2014 one of the nation\u2019s largest private providers of prison healthcare \u2014 following its declaration of bankruptcy, urging them to ensure that incarcerated patients with credible, serious tort claims against the company \u2014 as well as staff and other creditors \u2014 receive fair notice and fair compensation in the course of Wellpath\u2019s bankruptcy proceedings.\n\nOn November 11, 2024, Wellpath, the private equity-owned, for-profit company and one of the nation\u2019s largest private providers of health care services in prisons and jails, filed for bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas. Although the company has faced financial stress, Wellpath still earns over $2 billion in revenue per year from state, local, and federal jail and prison contracts.\n\nWellpath\u2019s bankruptcy is part of a growing trend of private equity-backed health care companies \u2014 including in the prison health care market \u2014 filing for bankruptcy when faced with serious claims. For example, in 2023, Wellpath\u2019s peer company Corizon \u2014 another private equity-backed prison health care provider \u2014 filed for bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas and attempted to use the notorious \u201cTexas Two-Step\u201d maneuver to avoid adequately compensating incarcerated tort claimants. In addition to trying to hide assets from creditors, Corizon attempted to coerce victims into accepting lower settlements, obscure its ownership structure, and deprive victims of meaningful justice against third parties, all while providing victims insufficient notice of their rights.\n\nLike Corizon, Wellpath has faced a flood of lawsuits challenging the health care provided. Currently, Wellpath and its affiliates are fighting more than 1,500 lawsuits, primarily alleging deficient medical care. For example, Wellpath staff allegedly refused to provide a schizophrenic man his prescribed medication in a California jail, leading to his attempted suicide, and failed to provide antibiotics to treat a woman\u2019s infection at a Colorado jail, leading to her death nine days after she entered the facility. Senator Warren urged Wellpath to \u201cavoid Corizon\u2019s missteps.\u201d\n\n\u201cMany Wellpath claimants are now concerned that their suits are being stayed during the pendency of the company\u2019s bankruptcy proceedings \u2014 and that they may receive only pennies on the dollar in compensation for viable claims,\u201d wrote Senator Warren. \u201cIt is critical that Wellpath commit to ensuring fair payout to creditors, particularly incarcerated patients harmed by medical malpractice, as well as local health care providers and contracting partners.\u201d\n\nFinally, Senator Warren noted that there have been multiple reported instances of Wellpath personnel destroying evidence in ongoing litigation and pushed Wellpath to take steps to ensure that documents relevant to these proceedings are preserved.\n\n\u201cOur bankruptcy system provides companies with the opportunity for a fresh start,\u201d concluded Senator Warren. \u201cWellpath must not abuse that system to avoid paying what it owes to incarcerated patients with credible claims against it.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has been a leader in fighting for the health of those in custody:\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren and other lawmakers sent a letter to federal health agencies urging key investments to improve the quality of care in prisons, jails, and detention centers.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the DOJ, raising concerns about the abuse of the bankruptcy system by Corizon Health, Inc.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and other lawmakers raised concerns over Wellpath\u2019s inadequate health care services in prisons and jails nationwide.\n\nIn October 2023, Senator Warren and other lawmakers sent a letter to Corizon Health, Inc.-affiliated companies Tehum Care Services, Inc. and YesCare Corporation (together, \u201cCorizon\u201d), expressing concern about poor-quality health services provided to incarcerated people in jails and prisons around the country.\n\nIn March 2021, Senator Warren and lawmakers sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) urging them to conduct a comprehensive review of all COVID-19-related deaths of incarcerated individuals in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and BOP staff since the beginning of the pandemic.\n\nIn November 2020, Senator Warren and lawmakers sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) seeking information about the status of medical copays in correctional facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nIn January 2020, Senator Warren led a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) questioning their anti-corruption policies and practices after a series of high-profile officials responsible for oversight of the private prison and detention industry left to join the biggest companies in the industry.\n\nIn September 2019, Senator Warren and lawmakers sent a letter to DHS and HHS expressing serious concerns over DHS\u2019s announcement that migrant families detained at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) holding centers would not be vaccinated for the flu ahead of that year\u2019s flu season.\n\nIn July 2019, Senator Warren sent a letter to Jennifer Costello, Acting Inspector General (IG) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requesting that the IG conduct an investigation into the use of solitary confinement and other punishments to coerce participation in \u201cvoluntary\u201d work programs at federal and federally-contracted immigration detention facilities, and the role of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies, procedures, and guidance in such practices.\n\nIn April 2018, Senator Warren and other lawmakers sent a letter to Deputy Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Thomas Homan, requesting information about a recent policy change allowing for the increased detention of pregnant women in ICE detention facilities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-van-hollen-jacobs-demand-answers-on-horrific-war-crime-cover-up", "Warren, Van Hollen, Jacobs Demand Answers on Horrific War Crime Cover-Up", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Van Hollen, Jacobs Demand Answers on Horrific War Crime Cover-Up\n\n\u201cDoD has repeatedly misled the public about what has come to be known as the Haditha Massacre.\u201d\n\nNew photos from the scene reveal Iraqi civilians killed in their homes by U.S. Marines; Marine Corps Commandant bragged about keeping photos secret.\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter requesting the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General investigate reports that the DoD mishandled a case involving U.S. Marines killing civilians in Haditha, Iraq, and DoD\u2019s continued efforts to cover up the alleged war crimes.\n\nIn November 2005, as U.S. Marines patrolled the Iraqi town of Haditha, an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded, striking their convoy, killing one Marine and injuring two others. Immediately after the explosion, eight Marines moved through nearby Iraqi homes to pursue what they described as \u201cthe continuing threat\u201d and \u201carmed terrorists who fled the IED site.\u201d Afterwards, the Marine Corps failed to conduct an investigation until three months after the incident, violating then-existing policy and law that required prompt reporting and thorough investigation.\n\nA recent New Yorker story revealed several disturbing photos of Iraqi civilians, including women and children, who appear to have been killed in their homes by U.S. Marines. The graphic photos from that day appear to reveal a much more sinister, deliberate, and cruel execution of civilians, and not the accidental chaos and misidentification of civilians described as armed combatants in previous reports. General Michael Hagee, the Marine Corps Commandant at the time of the Haditha killings, \u201cbragged about keeping the Haditha photos secret.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe seek to understand whether DoD improperly withheld information from the public regarding this incident, and whether current DoD processes can ensure timely and complete investigations in response to reported instances of civilian harm,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nIn 2013, the Defense Legal Policy Board reviewed investigations into civilian deaths and prosecutions of DoD personnel accused of war crimes and published a report on military justice in combat zones, which provided several recommendations on how to improve and increase training at all levels and make other institutional corrections. Specifically, the review called for the appointment of a joint commander to \u201chave a central role in the administration of military justice in a theater of operations\u201d who is \u201cultimately responsible for the conduct of his force,\u201d including \u201call forces, from every service.\u201d\n\nYet, even after that report, senior DoD leadership appeared to continue to cover up evidence of the massacre. Following the Haditha killings, the DoD denied New Yorker reporters\u2019 Freedom of Information Act requests for DoD records of alleged war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11, 2001. The DoD also claimed it would not release the photographs due to concerns about the surviving family members of the Iraqis killed that day, even though those same family members ultimately assisted the New Yorker in obtaining and finally publishing them.\n\n\u201cWe expect and require the U.S. military to uphold the law, rules, and ethics code that service members swear to obey,\u201d continued the lawmakers. \u201cEnsuring fair and swift justice for any violations of the rules of war supports good order and discipline in the armed forces while also building trust with the American people and the international community.\u201d\n\nThe 2013 DoD review included several recommendations for changes to DoD\u2019s policy on military justice for war zone investigations. The lawmakers seek to understand DoD\u2019s implementation of the 2013 recommended policy changes, DoD\u2019s current practices to investigate and report civilian harm, and whether they are equipped to better hold military personnel accountable.\n\nThe lawmakers are requesting answers by December 30, 2024.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-doggett-urge-medicare-administrator-to-crack-down-on-abuse-by-private-insurers-in-medicare-advantage", "Warren, Doggett Urge Medicare Administrator to Crack Down on Abuse by Private Insurers In Medicare Advantage", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Doggett Urge Medicare Administrator to Crack Down on Abuse by Private Insurers In Medicare Advantage\n\n\u201cIt is your duty to protect taxpayer dollars from waste and abuse and the preservation of these funds will protect the promise of Medicare for future generations by stabilizing the Medicare Trust Fund\u201d\n\nLetter comes as Dr. Mehmet Oz, nominee to head Medicare and Medicaid, promotes further expansion of Medicare Advantage and elimination of Traditional Medicare\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) urged the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to finalize rules to curb overpayments to private insurers in Medicare Advantage (MA).\n\nThe nonpartisan Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) estimates that private insurers in MA will overcharge taxpayers $83 billion this year alone. Most of these overpayments are the result of \u201cupcoding,\u201d a tactic in which private insurers deliberately add incorrect diagnosis codes to patients\u2019 medical charts to secure higher payments from the federal government. In total, MedPAC estimates that upcoding by private insurers in MA will cost taxpayers $54 billion in 2024 alone.\n\nIn March 2023, CMS proposed changes to the program\u2019s payment methodology, including eliminating overpayments associated with codes that were subject to widespread manipulation\u201dby private insurers in MA. However, a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign by the health insurance industry led CMS to phase these changes in over three years instead of upfront.\n\nThe letter urges Administrator Brooks-LaSure to propose the 2026 MA payment rule quickly, and to include the third-year of CMS\u2019 proposed changes and more aggressive action to curb overpayments to private insurers in MA. These changes are critical following Dr. Mehmet Oz\u2019s nomination to lead CMS, given his support for making Medicare Advantage the default option for seniors and eliminating Traditional Medicare. Dr. Oz also has millions invested in companies with interests before CMS, a clear conflict of interest.\n\n\u201cWithout your swift action, the situation will only worsen as President-elect Trump and Congressional Republicans prepare multi-trillion-dollar legislation to provide even greater tax cuts to multinational corporations and the very wealthiest few at the expense of social safety net programs, including Medicare,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nAlthough MA insurers and their promoters often mislabel these crackdowns as \"cuts to Medicare,\u201d payments to MA continue to rise each year. Despite these gross overpayments, private insurers in MA routinely violate Medicare coverage guidelines, squeeze independent physician practices, limit networks, and engage in deceptive marketing to lure seniors to their plans. The lawmakers urged CMS to finalize the phase-in the 2026 Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies this month.\n\nSenator Warren is a leading voice on reining in abuses in Medicare Advantage and protecting patients:\n\nIn December 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote to Dr. Mehmet Oz, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), raising stark concerns about his advocacy to eliminate Traditional Medicare and his deep financial ties to the private health insurers that would benefit from that move.\n\nIn May 2024, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), responding to the agency\u2019s request for information (RFI) on Medicare Advantage (MA) data and raising concerns that CMS does not collect adequate data to determine when vertically integrated insurance companies in MA may be using anti-competitive tactics to raise health care costs and pocket extra profits.\n\nIn May 2024, at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Warren called out private insurers in Medicare Advantage for accelerating the rural hospital crisis.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Warren and Brown led their colleagues in a letter to HHS and CMS that urged the agencies to protect seniors by holding insurance companies accountable for abuses in Medicare Advantage.\n\nIn January 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent a letter to CMS, urging the agency to take administrative action to curb billions in overpayments to MA insurers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to the CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, raising concerns about shortfalls in CMS\u2019s data collection and reporting practices for MA plans, and urging CMS to close data gaps to strengthen oversight of MA plans and improve care for Medicare beneficiaries.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Warren, Cortez Masto, Cassidy, and Blackburn introduced bipartisan legislation to improve transparency of MA plans and ensure these plans are best serving the health care needs of America\u2019s seniors. The Encounter Data Enhancement Act would require Medicare Advantage plans to report important information about how much they are actually paying for patient services and how much patients are responsible for paying out-of-pocket.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Warren and Braun urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General to determine if vertically-integrated health care companies are hiking prescription drug costs, evading federal regulations.\n\nIn November 2023, at a Senate Finance Committee markup of the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, Senator Warren highlighted the need to do more to prioritize hearing health for seniors and strengthen transparency in Medicare Advantage, and secured commitments from Senate Finance Committee leadership to prioritize these proposals in future packages.\n\nIn October 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren called out giant MA insurers for using deceptive marketing tactics to lure seniors into the wrong plans and drown out competition from smaller insurers that may offer better coverage. Senator Warren called on CMS to act within the fullest extent of its authority to crack down on MA insurers that game the system to overcharge the government and to ensure insurers publish accurate data on patient care and out-of-pocket costs.\n\nIn May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren highlighted the prevalence of ghost networks in Medicare Advantage plans and called for stronger oversight of the program.\n\nIn March 2023, Senator Warren sounded the alarm on a new analysis by policy experts showing that all Medicare beneficiaries \u2013 including those enrolled in Traditional Medicare \u2013 are paying higher premiums due to overpayments in MA. She sent a letter to CMS and called on the agency to finalize its proposed rule to ensure payments to MA plans accurately reflect the cost of care.\n\nIn March 2023, U.S. Senators Warren and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) sent letters to the top seven MA insurers \u2013 Humana, Centene, UnitedHealthcare, CVS/Aetna, Molina, Elevance Health, and Cigna \u2013 regarding their questionable claims that CMS\u2019s 2024 proposed Medicare Advantage payment rules would hurt beneficiaries.\n\nIn March 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren defended CMS\u2019s proposed adjustments to the Calendar Year 2024 MA payment rates, pushing back against giant insurance companies and their lobbyists who are peddling misinformation to protect their billions in profits and scare beneficiaries into opposing the rule.\n\nIn April 2022, Senator Warren and Representatives Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) led their colleagues in sending a letter to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure highlighting concerns about overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans that line the pockets of big insurance companies.\n\nIn February 2022, chairing a hearing of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth, Senator Warren delivered remarks about strengthening Medicare and cracking down on pharmaceutical and insurance companies\u2019 corporate greed to pay for expanded coverage.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawmakers-introduce-bill-send-letter-urging-study-of-anti-sex-trafficking-legislations-impacts-on-sex-worker-health-safety", "Warren, Lawmakers Introduce Bill, Send Letter Urging Study of Anti-Sex Trafficking Legislation's Impacts on Sex Worker Health, Safety", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lawmakers Introduce Bill, Send Letter Urging Study of Anti-Sex Trafficking Legislation's Impacts on Sex Worker Health, Safety\n\nBill to study impacts of SESTA/FOSTA on sex workers\u2019 health, safety and trafficking investigations; letter pushes agencies to undertake national study\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | Text of Letter (PDF) | One Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), led lawmakers in reintroducing the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act, legislation directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct the first federal study on the impact of a 2018 anti-sex trafficking bill known as SESTA/FOSTA on sex workers and trafficking investigations. The bill was reintroduced on the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.\n\nSenators Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) cosponsored the bill in the Senate. Representatives Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) cosponsored the bill in the House.\n\nThe bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to undertake the first-ever robust national study of the impacts of SESTA/FOSTA. The bill\u2019s landmark study would require consultation, as appropriate, with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and report to Congress on the study within one year of the date of enactment. The bill also adds a new requirement that the Attorney General submit a report on SESTA/FOSTA\u2019s impact on human trafficking investigations and prosecutions.\n\nSenators Warren and Wyden, alongside Representatives Khanna, Lee, Holmes Norton, and Coleman, also sent a letter to HHS and the DOJ, pushing the agencies to undertake this study.\n\n\u201cWhile the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act would require your departments to complete these studies, we encourage HHS and DOJ to pursue this research voluntarily as part of your respective missions to protect the health and safety of all Americans, including sex workers, and to investigate human trafficking,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe bill reintroduction follows a 2021 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) finding that, as of March 2021, SESTA/FOSTA has never been used by federal prosecutors to seek criminal restitution for victims of sex trafficking. In fact, while Congress passed SESTA/FOSTA to crack down on sex trafficking by making websites legally liable for content that helps \u201cfacilitate prostitution,\u201d the GAO study confirmed that the law has only made it more difficult for officials to investigate and prosecute sex trafficking cases.\n\nAnecdotal reporting suggests SESTA/FOSTA and the loss of certain web services have also had profound negative impacts on sex workers. Before SESTA/FOSTA, many sex workers used online platforms to screen clients. Negotiations could happen virtually, instead of on the street. Sex workers were able to share vetting tools, like blacklists of dangerous clients. After SESTA/FOSTA was enacted, these sites and the tools that came with them shuttered overnight.\n\nThe SAFE SEX Workers Study Act would study the impact of SESTA/FOSTA on the health and safety of sex workers, including disparities in these effects on LGBTQ+ individuals, people living in rural areas, racial and ethnic minorities, Tribal communities, people experiencing exploitation and trafficking, and undocumented and documented immigrant communities.\n\n\u201cIf SESTA-FOSTA has negatively impacted sex workers\u2019 health and safety, it\u2019s our responsibility as lawmakers to take those unintended consequences seriously,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cOur bill will shed much-needed light on those impacts so we can better understand how to address them.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is tragic that SESTA/FOSTA has done nothing to help victims of human trafficking, while by all accounts causing sex workers to suffer from increased violence and threats. As I feared, SESTA/FOSTA demonstrated that shutting down online speech inevitably hurts marginalized groups hardest. I applaud Senator Warren and Rep. Khanna for authoring this legislation to comprehensively study SESTA/FOSTA\u2019s impacts on sex workers,\u201d said Senator Wyden.\n\n\"As the Government Accountability Office has highlighted, we know that SESTA/FOSTA has not been successfully used to prevent sex trafficking. Instead, since its enactment, workers are facing increased physical and sexual violence after being pushed off online platforms. Congress needs to listen to the stories of sex workers who are being put in harm\u2019s way. I'm proud to partner with Congresswoman Lee and Senators Warren and Wyden on this legislation,\u201d said Rep. Ro Khanna.\n\n\u201cFor years, SESTA/FOSTA has demonized sex workers and subjected them to an increased risk of violence and abuse. Instead of preventing trafficking, it made it harder for sex workers to access critical health and safety resources. I\u2019m proud to reintroduce this legislation with Rep. Khanna and Senators Warren and Wyden to study the unintended consequences of SESTA/FOSTA and enable Congress to make informed policy decisions to protect the health and safety of sex workers,\u201d said Rep. Barbara Lee.\n\nThe bill was drafted in consultation with sex workers, advocates for LGBTQI+ and sex worker rights, HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy groups, and organizations that provide health, safety and legal services for sex workers and sex-trafficking victims. The bill has received the endorsement of more than 30 diverse national and regional organizations across the country: Reframe Health and Justice, Center for Democracy and Technology, Fight for the Future, Defending Rights & Dissent, Assembly Four, Black and Pink, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, Whitman-Walker Institute, The Center for HIV Law and Policy, The Moore-O'Neal Law Group, LLC, Counter Narrative Project, SWOP Behind Bars, Support Ho(s)e, Free Speech Coalition (FSC), Sex Workers Outreach Project \u2013 Sacramento, Sex Workers Project of the Urban Justice Center, Decriminalize Sex Work, Decrim Sex Work California, Advocating Opportunity, Amara Legal Services, Freedom Network USA, New Frameworks, Center for Constitutional Rights, Womankind, Oasis Legal Services, Win Without War, 18 Million Rising, Public Citizen, Positive Women's Network-USA, DecrimIL, AIDS Foundation Chicago, and Woodhull Freedom Foundation.\n\n\"Congress must consider unintentional impacts while working to prevent online trafficking. Forcing sex workers into less safe working conditions and preventing community harm reduction increases vulnerabilities to trafficking, it does not deter trafficking. It is essential that Congress passes the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act so it can make more informed legislative decisions and fund solutions that work for everyone,\u201d said Jean Bruggeman, Executive Director of Freedom Network USA.\n\n\u201cSex workers warned legislators of the potential harms of SESTA/FOSTA prior to its passage in 2018 and have been at the forefront of researching and documenting the consequences of this legislation over the past six years. Woodhull Freedom Foundation has supported this research including through a survey of 440 sex workers who reported SESTA/FOSTA has increased their exposure to violence, in part by limiting their access to online spaces impacting their ability to earn income, screen clients, and communicate with their peers. On this internationally recognized day to end violence against sex workers, we urge lawmakers to take this opportunity to pass the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act. This legislation is critically needed to supplement current research and provide a comprehensive understanding of SESTA/FOSTA\u2019s impacts to better ensure future legislation meant to address human trafficking does not inadvertently put sex workers and trafficking survivors at-risk,\u201d Mariah Grant, Sex Worker Rights Expert and Woodhull Freedom Foundation Advocacy Consultant.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-nadler-lawmakers-renew-push-to-make-bankruptcy-less-expensive-for-families", "Warren, Nadler, Lawmakers Renew Push to Make Bankruptcy Less Expensive for Families", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Nadler, Lawmakers Renew Push to Make Bankruptcy Less Expensive for Families\n\nBill would simplify the bankruptcy process for individuals and families, address racial and gender disparities in the system, crack down on predatory practices\n\nBill Text | Bill Summary | One-Pager | 2022 Letter of Support from 86 Law Professors\n\nWashington, DC - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), along with Representatives Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), reintroduced the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act, legislation to simplify and modernize the consumer bankruptcy system and make it easier for people forced into bankruptcy to get back on their feet.\n\nOver the last 40 years, consumer credit has skyrocketed as Americans took on more debt to deal with the increasing costs of housing, education, medical care, and child care \u2014 all while wages stayed stagnant. For millions of households, a job loss or a family illness can send them tumbling over a financial cliff, struggling under the weight of medical bills, student loans, mortgages, and car loans.\n\nOriginally introduced in 2020, Senator Warren\u2019s Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act aims to streamline the consumer bankruptcy process with a single, unified system. This reform will simplify the filing process, reduce filing fees, and ensure filers can take care of themselves and their families during the bankruptcy process, including by helping renters avoid eviction and helping safeguard homes and cars. Notably, the bill will allow individuals struggling with student loans to discharge the debt through bankruptcy, reversing a 2005 change that allowed special treatment for private student loan companies and offering significant relief to many who are burdened by educational expenses.\n\n\u201cPeople typically file for bankruptcy for one of three reasons: a job loss, a medical problem, or a family breakup \u2014 and when they do, they\u2019re faced with an expensive and complicated system. My bill would simplify and modernize the consumer bankruptcy system to make it easier and less expensive for people to get relief,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI\u2019ve dedicated my career to fighting for working families, and I\u2019ll keep fighting to make sure people forced into bankruptcy have the tools to get back on their feet.\u201d\n\n\"Bankruptcy is a key tool that allows individuals and families to get back up and keep working and providing for their families,\u201d said Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler. \u201cToday that promise rings hollow for many people because the bankruptcy system has become complex, unfair, and even punitive for ordinary people. The Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act ensures that the bankruptcy system works for the American people and not just big corporate creditors. Senator Warren and I have worked on this issue for many years, and I look forward to continuing our fight for consumers with this new legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cBig corporate debtors continue to reap the rewards of our broken bankruptcy system while everyday Rhode Islanders facing financial hardship struggle to obtain basic relief,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to support this bill that makes the consumer bankruptcy system fairer and easier to access for those facing crushing personal debt.\u201d\n\n\u201cBankruptcy is a critical tool to help people who have fallen into debt get back on their feet, but the United States\u2019 consumer bankruptcy system is broken \u2014 it is overcomplicated, outdated, and often inaccessible for poor and working families. It\u2019s past time that we fix this system and make it work for everyday Americans, not the profits of big corporations,\u201d said Representative Jayapal. \"This legislation would make the process of filing for bankruptcy both easier and less expensive, help Americans take care of themselves by protecting their cars and homes, and close loopholes that allow predatory companies to rip people off and exploit the system. I\u2019m proud to be fighting alongside Senators Warren and Whitehouse and Congressman Nadler to level the playing field for everyday people.\u201d\n\nThe Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act would:\n\nMake it easier and less expensive for financially-strapped families and individuals to get financial relief.\n\nHelp filers care for themselves and their families during the bankruptcy process, and protect individuals\u2019 and families\u2019 dignity.\n\nHelp address racial and gender disparities in the bankruptcy system.\n\nClose loopholes that allow the wealthy to exploit the bankruptcy system.\n\nCrack down on predatory practices and hold corporate wrongdoers accountable.\n\n\"Many families who struggle with debt don\u2019t get help through bankruptcy because they can\u2019t afford the high costs needed to file or because the relief available has not kept up the debt problems families face today. This Act will ensure that those who need bankruptcy are not denied access simply because they cannot afford entry to the system, and it will give them a meaningful opportunity for a fresh start,\u201d said John Rao, Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center.\n\n\"This legislation will repair some of the harms caused by the 2005 Bankruptcy Act, which allowed big businesses to use the bankruptcy rules, but made it far harder and far more expensive for people \u2014 especially Black, Latine, and lower-income families \u2014 to obtain needed bankruptcy relief,\" said Christine Chen Zinner, Senior Policy Counsel for Consumer Financial Justice at Americans for Financial Reform, \"Eliminating many of the burdensome and expensive hurdles from the 2005 Bankruptcy Act will once again allow everyday people \u2014 and not just powerful corporations \u2014 the opportunity to get a fresh financial start.\"\n\n\u201cPublic Citizen is heartened to see Senator Warren\u2019s leadership on the important set of reforms packaged in the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act, and is proud to endorse these measures that would reduce the pain faced by those facing economic hardship and provide a more streamlined path forward for them to get back on their feet,\u201d said Elizabeth Beavers, Congress Watch Director at Public Citizen.\n\n\"The Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act is a lifeline for struggling families, offering a fair shot at financial recovery. It puts an end to predatory loopholes and slams the door on illegal debt collection practices. Most importantly, it wipes out the unjust law that traps Americans under the crushing weight of student loan debt,\" said Adam Rust, Director of Financial Services at Consumer Federation of America.\n\n\u201cYoung people have faced unique financial struggles and grappled with finding stability in the uneven and slow recovery from a series of economic crises,\u201d said Kristin McGuire, Higher Executive Director to Executive Director, Young Invincibles. \u201cSenator Warren is taking a bold stance to help young Americans find a path for economic recovery and Young Invincibles is proud to endorse the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2024. Ensuring student loan debt is dischargeable like other debts and addressing the racial and gender disparities in the bankruptcy system are long overdue and necessary steps toward financial freedom for young adults and borrowers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act is a much-needed step in making sure our bankruptcy system gives individuals a fair shot at a second chance. In addition to simplifying the bankruptcy process, this bill would also ensure that student loan debt is treated equally to other types of debt and make it possible to discharge municipal fees that can be harmful to people's stability and often have collateral consequences. We appreciate Senator Warren\u2019s dedication to economic justice and fairness, and this bill exemplifies that dedication,\u201d said Ariel Levinson-Waldman, Founding President and Director-Counsel at Tzedek DC.\n\nSenator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) cosponsored the legislation in the Senate. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) cosponsored the legislation in the House.\n\nThe Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act has been endorsed by: Action Center on Race and the Economy, Americans for Financial Reform, AFL-CIO, National Association of Consumer Advocates, Consumer Federation of America, Demos, National Consumer Law Center, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, Public Citizen, UnidosUS, Young Invincibles, Tzedek DC, Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement and Research (CLEAR), Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Center for Responsible Lending, U.S. PIRG, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-secures-new-protections-for-servicemembers-from-blast-overpressure-and-safer-drug-supply-chains-in-annual-defense-bill", "Warren Secures New Protections for Servicemembers from Blast Overpressure and Safer Drug Supply Chains in Annual Defense Bill", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Secures New Protections for Servicemembers from Blast Overpressure and Safer Drug Supply Chains in Annual Defense Bill\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), announced key priorities secured in the bill.\n\n\u201cI fought hard to secure provisions that protect our servicemembers from blast overpressure and ensure a reliable supply chain for life-saving drugs,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cWe must do more to crack down on greedy defense contractors, close the revolving door at the Pentagon, and guarantee housing worthy of military families. As we head into a new administration, I\u2019m going to keep conducting oversight and fighting to cut down on wasteful Pentagon spending.\u201d\n\nThe following provisions, which Senator Warren led, are included in the FY25 NDAA:\n\nProtecting servicemembers from blast overpressure: The bill incorporates major reforms from Senator Warren\u2019s bipartisan Blast Overpressure Safety Act, a comprehensive, bicameral bill to help mitigate and protect servicemembers from blast overpressure. The reforms include increasing transparency about blast overpressure safety in the weapons acquisition process, requiring comprehensive updates to exposure safety thresholds, and launching initiatives to treat traumatic brain injuries and other symptoms of exposure.\n\nSafer pharmaceutical supply chains: The FY25 NDAA requires the Pentagon to establish a plan to ensure access to safe, high-quality pharmaceutical products and eliminate or mitigate risks in the pharmacy supply chain, including the feasibility of establishing a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility owned and operated by the Department of Defense (DoD).\n\nCombating civilian medical debt: The Department\u2019s military treatment facilities (MTF) can provide civilians with care under limited circumstances, but the civilians who receive treatment are frequently left to deal with onerous billing, collection, and debt management practices. The Secretary of Defense must suspend civilian medical debt until DoD issues a final rule or interim final rule on providing financial relief to civilians who receive care at Military Treatment Facilities.\n\nChild care for military families: The bill requires DoD to redesign and modernize Child Development Center compensation and staffing models.\n\nResponding to and mitigating civilian harm: Senator Warren secured a provision requiring DoD to provide an annual report on civilian casualties in connection with U.S. military operations until December 31, 2030. DoD is also required to provide a report on its implementation of its instruction implementing the Civilian Harm and Response Action Plan.\n\nSupporting telehealth for mental health services: This bill authorizes DoD to prescribe regulations that would allow mental health providers to provide tele-mental health care services to servicemembers and their dependents regardless of the provider or patient\u2019s location.\n\nReverse engineering: Senator Warren worked with Senator Grassley (R-Iowa) to secure a provision that allows DoD to assess the feasibility and advisability of producing parts through reverse engineering, especially in cases where the Pentagon has only one source for a part or product.\n\nProtecting JROTC students from abuse and forced enrollment: Senator Warren secured $2 million for increased oversight of the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC). This follows several reforms that Senator Warren secured in the FY 2024 NDAA from her JROTC Safety Act to protect JROTC students from sexual abuse by instructors and forced enrollment.\n\nAddressing the recruitment crisis: The bill addresses delays in processing recruits caused by MHS Genesis by requiring an annual report on DoD\u2019s efforts to address recruitment delays associated with medical conditions of applicants. It also creates a 2-year pilot program in which the Reserves can identify pre-existing medical conditions that are considered disqualifying but regularly or automatically receive medical waivers, and delegate the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command with the authority to approve recruits with these otherwise disqualifying conditions.\n\nProtecting our military from climate change: DoD is required to provide a briefing on flood and other natural disaster risks to military installations and surrounding civilian infrastructure, as well as information about how often DoD updates flood maps. The bill also provides $2 million in additional funding to support continued development of renewable electric vehicle charging stations.\n\nAddressing cryptocurrency risks to national security: This bill requires DoD to produce a report on the risks of state-sponsored crypto hacking and crypto crime.\n\nProtecting DoD employee data: This bill prohibits contractors and subcontractors from selling or transferring individually identifiable data of DoD employees.\n\nStrengthening nuclear spending oversight: Senator Warren secured a provision encouraging the National Nuclear Security Administration to release its updated financial integration policy as soon as possible.\n\nHolding colleges and universities accountable: The FY25 NDAA requires DoD to publish and provide Congress with an annual Postsecondary Education Complaint System report through 2029 to afford Congress the ability to conduct oversight and ensure accountability over the Tuition Assistance (TA) and My Career Advancement Account Scholarship programs, which receive hundreds of millions of dollars in DOD funding annually.\n\nSenator Warren also secured the following provisions for Massachusetts:\n\nCape Cod Gun Range: Senator Warren successfully struck funding for a gun range on Cape Cod following an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report that found the range could contaminate drinking water and create a significant threat to public health for Cape Cod residents.\n\nImproved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP): This bill includes $30 million in funding for the ITEP program.\n\nLincoln Lab: The bill includes $76 million for MIT Lincoln Laboratory\u2019s engineering and prototype facility. It also includes full funding for the Lincoln Laboratory Research Program.\n\nDevens: The bill includes $39 million to improve reserve enlisted barracks at Devens Reserve Forces Training Area.\n\nHanscom: The bill includes $66 million for Hanscom Air Force Base\u2019s NC3 Acquisitions Management Facility and $315 million for military construction.\n\nBarnes: There is $12.2 million for the combined engine shop at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield.\n\nRemote sensing of biometric data: This bill requires DoD to brief SASC on how its use of wearable technology and biometric health data for servicemember health, available technologies, the benefits of this data including for mental health treatment, the feasibility of tracking this data, and contract vehicles to use to deploy these tools.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawmakers-probe-real-estate-firm-easyknock-after-abrupt-closure-demand-answers-for-customers", "Warren, Lawmakers Probe Real Estate Firm EasyKnock After Abrupt Closure, Demand Answers for Customers", "2024-12-17", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lawmakers Probe Real Estate Firm EasyKnock After Abrupt Closure, Demand Answers for Customers\n\nEasyKnock bought people\u2019s homes, turned customers into renters on the promise they could buy their homes back, and then often left customers worse off.\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, led a letter to the Founder and CEO of EasyKnock\u2014a real estate company that bought people\u2019s homes and turned them into renters\u2014probing the company\u2019s allegedly deceptive and predatory business practices and their impacts on customers after the company abruptly closed its doors on December 5, 2024. The letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).\n\nBefore its recent closure, EasyKnock purchased homes from financially distressed homeowners through its \u201cSell & Stay\u201d program, promising they would \u201creceive 100% of their home\u2019s value without having to move.\u201d However, consumer lawsuits and multiple state attorneys general have alleged that EasyKnock\u2019s deceptive advertising and business practices often left former homeowners far worse off than they were before the company found them, causing homeowners to lose cherished family homes and much of the equity they originally had in them.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned about EasyKnock\u2019s lasting impact on vulnerable homeowners, including homeowners with pending residential sale-leaseback agreements with your company, and the extent to which the company will be handling these agreements in the wake of its abrupt closure earlier this month,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nAccording to reports, EasyKnock customers rarely received anything close to the full market values of their homes, and the company employed predatory tactics, such as consistent rent increases in spite of a lack of improvements to properties, placing customers in financial positions where they could no longer repurchase their homes.\n\n\u201cAcross America, the allegations against EasyKnock followed a similar pattern: EasyKnock made misleading statements about services to entrap vulnerable homeowners only to break its promises at the expense of working families,\u201d continued the lawmakers.\n\nIn December 2023, the Massachusetts Attorney General\u2019s Office entered into a settlement with EasyKnock in which the company agreed to permanently halt sale-leasebacks in Massachusetts and make changes to its business practices.\n\nThis month, EasyKnock abruptly shut down. According to public reports, customers, shocked and confused by the news, were given little explanation of the closure, with one customer reporting that she was notified that a company called NESE Property Management now manages her home.\n\n\u201cEasyKnock\u2019s decision to 'shut down\u2019 raises even more questions about how it will handle ongoing agreements and properly compensate homeowners who were negatively affected by the company\u2019s actions,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe senators are requesting information about EasyKnock\u2019s past business practices and its abrupt closure by December 30, 2024.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-presses-trump-for-answers-on-elon-musks-glaring-conflicts-of-interest", "Warren Presses Trump for Answers on Elon Musk\u2019s Glaring Conflicts of Interest", "2024-12-17", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Presses Trump for Answers on Elon Musk\u2019s Glaring Conflicts of Interest\n\n\u201cMr. Musk\u2019s substantial private interests present a massive conflict of interest with the role he has taken on as your \u2018unofficial co-president.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cCurrently, the American public has no way of knowing whether the advice that he is whispering to you in secret is good for the country\u2014or merely good for his own bottom line.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to President-Elect Trump with concerns about Elon Musk\u2019s conflicts of interest as he serves as a top advisor for the incoming president.\n\nIn the weeks since the election, Mr. Musk has been named the co-chair of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, and has frequently been by Trump\u2019s side, joining his phone calls with Ukraine\u2019s president, \u201c[met] secretly\" with Iran\u2019s ambassador to the United Nations.\n\n\u201cBut Mr. Musk is no ordinary citizen,\u201d wrote Senator Warren, pointing out that he is the CEO of several companies that have significant interests before the federal government.\n\n\u201cMr. Musk\u2019s substantial private interests present a massive conflict of interest with the role he has taken on as your \u2018unofficial co-president,\u2019\u201d continued Senator Warren. \u201cCurrently, the American public has no way of knowing whether the advice that he is whispering to you in secret is good for the country\u2014or merely good for his own bottom line.\u201d\n\nSpaceX, Tesla, and Mr. Musk\u2019s other companies have an ongoing interest in how the government does or does not enforce labor laws, workplace safety rules, environmental regulations, and other federal laws. Additionally, his companies have been the subject of at least 20 recent investigations or reviews, creating adversarial and significant entanglements with federal regulators.\n\nFor example, Mr. Musk\u2019s automobile company, Tesla, has obtained nearly $42 million in government contracts to provide electric vehicles (EVs) and services to the government. The government indirectly subsidizes the company and its competitors via a $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Similarly, SpaceX, Mr. Musk\u2019s rocket company, has received nearly $20 billion in government contracts, providing crucial rocket launches.\n\nIndeed, Mr. Musk has already benefitted substantially from President-elect Trump\u2019s victory: in the five days after the election, Tesla\u2019s stock surge alone increased Mr. Musk\u2019s fortune by $70 billion.\n\n\u201cFederal law contains ethics rules for government employees that are specifically designed to protect the public from dangerous conflicts of interest and ensure that government employees are working on behalf of the public interest rather than twisting government policy to line their own pockets,\u201d continued the senator. \u201cAs a member of the transition team, Mr. Musk is not a federal employee, but the conflicts he faces are enormous and the need for him to be subject to similar ethics standards is obvious.\u201d\n\nOn November 27, 2024, the Trump transition team released its Transition Team Ethics Plan, which outlines that \u201ctransition team members will avoid both actual and apparent conflicts of interest,\u201d including financial interests of their \u201corganization with which they have a business or close personal relationship.\u201d Mr. Musk appears to be playing an influential role in the transition, especially as a key adviser to Trump and a high-profile policymaker in his role as co-chair of the DOGE Committee.\n\n\u201cHe should be held to the ethics standards that you have established for your transition team and should provide clarity about his role and his activities in order to reassure the American public that he is working solely on their behalf and not using his role in the transition as an opportunity to fatten his own wallet,\u201d concluded Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren is requesting Trump\u2019s transition team provide answers to her questions no later than December 23, 2024.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-senators-question-hegseth-nomination-his-disqualifying-views-on-women-in-the-military-allegations-of-sexual-assault", "Warren, Senators Question Hegseth Nomination, His Disqualifying Views on Women in the Military, Allegations of Sexual Assault", "2024-12-17", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Senators Question Hegseth Nomination, His Disqualifying Views on Women in the Military, Allegations of Sexual Assault\n\n\u201cIf women are treated as second-class citizens and barred from competing for the same opportunities for promotions and leadership as men, the military will lose the talent it has and be unable to recruit the talent it needs, and that will undermine our ability to keep Americans safe.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), all members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to Susan Wiles, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s incoming Chief of Staff, about whether Pete Hegseth\u2019s attitudes toward women, including his opposition to women in combat, and allegations of sexual assault and harassment, disqualify him to be the next Secretary of Defense.\n\n\u201cAs Secretary, Mr. Hegseth will set the tone for how women are treated throughout the military and whether women have enough confidence in him to join or remain in the military,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nMr. Hegseth\u2019s opposition to women in combat roles has begun to cause \u201cmounting concern\u201d among female active duty service members about whether they will continue to serve their country under his leadership. As recently as November 7th, Mr. Hegseth stated: \u201cI\u2019m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn\u2019t made us more effective. Hasn\u2019t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated.\u201d\n\n\u201cExperts tell us that meeting current recruiting goals and building the cutting-edge force we need for the future requires recruiting more women to the force,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cIf women are treated as second-class citizens and barred from competing for the same opportunities for promotions and leadership as men, the military will lose the talent it has and be unable to recruit the talent it needs, and that will undermine our ability to keep Americans safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cMr. Hegseth\u2019s ill-informed views ignore the significant role women have played in combat roles for the United States of America,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cHis dismissal of women as warfighters drives away both potential recruits and women who are already serving in the armed forces.\u201d\n\nMr. Hesgeth has also been under fire for his alleged history of sexual assault and harassment. Last month, according to press reports, the Trump transition team received a memo alleging that Mr. Hegseth \u201craped a then-30-year-old conservative group staffer in his room after drinking at a hotel bar.\u201d Additionally, when he served as president of Concerned Veterans of America CVA, a whistleblower report alleged that Hegseth and his management team \u201csexually pursued the organization\u2019s female staffers\u201d and \u201cignored serious accusations of impropriety, including an allegation made by a female employee that another employee on Hegseth\u2019s staff had attempted to sexually assault her\u201d at a strip club.\n\nAlready, the U.S. military's Defense Department continues to report unacceptably high levels of sexual harassment and assault in the military ranks, and it struggles to meet annual military recruiting goals.\n\n\u201cThe allegation that Mr. Hegseth sexually assaulted a woman and personally contributed to creating a hostile work environment for female employees raises severe concerns about his ability to address the Department of Defense\u2019s problems with sexual assault,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe Senators requested answers to their questions by December 30.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-murkowski-call-for-study-to-support-tribal-child-welfare", "Warren, Murkowski Call for Study to Support Tribal Child Welfare", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Murkowski Call for Study to Support Tribal Child Welfare\n\n\u201cThe U.S. government\u2019s record with AI/AN children has eroded Tribal communities\u2019 trust in the traditional child welfare system.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF) | GAO Acceptance (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study into child abuse and neglect in indigenous communities to help inform Congress\u2019 work to support Tribal child welfare programs.\n\nHistorically, American Indian (AI) and Alaskan Native (AN) communities have been subjected to trauma by the United States government. In the 19th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of children were displaced into over 500 boarding schools, where they experienced physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. Then between the 1950s and 1970s, an estimated 25 to 35 percent of all AI/AN children were removed from their families and placed by child welfare agencies in foster care far from their tribal communities or were adopted, primarily by non-Indian families. Even today, AI/AN children are over-represented in the foster care system.\n\nTribal child welfare programs are systematically underfunded. In August 2016, GAO published a report revealing that over half of the Tribes interviewed lacked adequate resources for their foster care programs. These funding gaps have led to a lack of adequate child welfare infrastructure, including a shortage of trained child welfare professionals, inadequate technology for maintaining child case records, and a lack of emergency intervention services.\n\n\u201cTo best support Tribal child welfare programs, we need to better understand the common barriers Tribes face in accessing federal and state child welfare funding and technical assistance, the best practices that Tribal child welfare programs employ, and the gaps in federal data on AI/AN child abuse,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nThe lawmakers urged GAO to consult with Tribes to examine existing child abuse and neglect prevention programs and resources, and produce a report with recommendations on how to better support Tribes\u2019 child welfare programs.\n\n\u201cThe federal government has a responsibility to invest in Tribal child welfare programs and to not repeat the harms of the past. This research is critical to better understanding those programs\u2019 urgent needs,\u201d concluded the senators.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ahead-of-fiscal-year-fy-2025-ndaa-vote-warren-presses-pentagon-on-strategy-to-prevent-price-gouging-overpayments-to-health-care-companies", "Ahead of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 NDAA Vote, Warren Presses Pentagon on Strategy to Prevent Price Gouging, Overpayments to Health Care Companies", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Ahead of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 NDAA Vote, Warren Presses Pentagon on Strategy to Prevent Price Gouging, Overpayments to Health Care Companies\n\nWarren Reveals List of Nearly 250 Bad Actors that Overcharged DoD by Almost $46 Million\n\n\u201cIt is critically important that DHA properly prevents and mitigates overpayments and price\n\ngouging in TRICARE.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF) | DoD\u2019s January 2024 Response (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter raising continued concerns about the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) failure to prevent price gouging and overpayments in the military\u2019s TRICARE health program. DoD\u2019s response to Senator Warren\u2019s July 2023 letter revealed a list of nearly 250 bad actors who have overcharged our military by nearly $46 million, which the Senator released today. In her new letter, Senator Warren requested further information about the department's plans to prevent overcharging.\n\nDoD relies on \u201cseveral managed care support organizations to deliver health care entitlements\u201d to servicemembers and veterans in a cost-effective manner. In December 2022, DoD awarded the most recent generation of these contracts, including a $70.9 billion contract to Humana and a $65.1 billion contract to TriWest Healthcare Alliance. DoD\u2019s response does not make clear if DoD is receiving any discount on care and whether any rebates or incentive payments have been made to the managed care support contractors.\n\nDoD\u2019s response also highlighted potential conflicts of interest among contractors who provide both claims-processing services and serve TRICARE patients. For example, PGBA, a DoD claims processing subcontractor, owns UCI Medical Affiliates, Inc., a health care service provider that services the TRICARE East Region. This dual ownership means that this claims processor could be more likely to \u201cprocess and accept claims, including potentially improper ones, from [its subsidiaries] because it would benefit their shared parent corporation.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren also pressed DoD to provide more information about ethics concerns regarding former Defense Health Agency (DHA) Director Raquel Bono, a key figure in the failure to address previous overpayments. The DoD Inspector General, after determining that the agency had been overcharged, reported that Bono \u201cdisagreed with the recommendations to seek voluntary refunds from TRICARE providers\u201d that had overcharged the program. Bono left government service shortly after and joined the board of Humana, a military health care provider. DoD did not provide an adequate response on this point and redacted critical information in the post-Government employment opinion letters it provided to Bono.\n\nWhile DoD provided a list of nearly 250 companies or providers who have overcharged the Pentagon over the past five years, it only listed the \u201c[a]mount of recommended recoupment\u201d \u2013 a total of nearly $46 million and failed to provide clarity on the final amounts that DHA recovered. In some of the worst cases, these companies had a history of nefarious behavior, needing to pay to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act for \u201ccrushing up pills and [including] them in creams used topically for pain treatment,\u201d and submitting false claims to TRICARE to boost profits.\n\n\u201cIt is critical that DoD is taking appropriate steps to prevent repeat overpayment offenders, and I request additional information from you regarding whether DoD continued contracts with any of the providers on this list, including whether it did so even after a company overcharged DoD the first time,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren also wrote about her concern with DoD\u2019s \u201cfailure to track what [DoD] deem[s] as \u2018accidental errors\u2019,\u201d which can be duplicate payments, patient coding errors, or incorrect calculations of amounts to be paid.\n\n\u201cIt is unclear how you determine that these are \u201caccidental errors\u201d and not deliberate, and I am also concerned by your decision to not track these errors to begin with,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nIn order to improve transparency around DoD\u2019s efforts to prevent price gouging, Senator Warren requested DoD provide further clarity on their efforts by December 31, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has led work to hold giant corporations accountable for price gouging consumers and the government and has urged DoD to crack down on these efforts:\n\nIn June 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), U.S. Representative Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), and 20 other lawmakers sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez and Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, raising concerns over Express Scripts\u2019 exclusive contract to administer TRICARE\u2019s pharmacy program, the healthcare system for the military, retirees, and their families.\n\nIn July 2023, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren chaired a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel. She called out the Department of Defense (DoD) for wasting billions in taxpayers dollars due to price gouging by defense contractors for services and in health care, and identified opportunities for cost savings when DoD buys personnel-related goods and services.\n\nIn July 2023, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, regarding a series of DoD Inspector General (IG) reports finding that the Department of Defense (DoD) is failing to prevent price gouging and overpayments to contractors in the TRICARE health program.\n\nIn June 2023, Senators Warren and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), alongside Rep. Garamendi, reintroduced the bipartisan Stop Price Gouging the Military Act, which would close loopholes in current acquisition laws, tie financial incentives for contractors to performance, and provide the Department of Defense (DoD) the information necessary to prevent future rip-offs.\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Warren and Representative John Garamendi sent letters to DoD, Boeing, and TransDigm on companies\u2019 refusal to provide cost or pricing data.\n\nIn May 2023, Senators Warren, Sanders, Braun, and Grassley sent a letter to DoD urging an investigation into contractor price gouging.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren obtained a commitment from DoD not to increase contract prices due to inflation.\n\nIn October 2022 Senator Warren sent a letter to DoD urging them to insist on receiving certified cost or pricing data to justify any contract adjustments.\n\nIn June 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Garamendi introduced the bicameral Stop Price Gouging the Military Act, which would enhance DoD\u2019s ability to access certified cost and pricing data. Part of Senator Warren\u2019s legislation was incorporated into the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act reported to the Senate.\n\nOn May 12, 2022, Senators Warren and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) introduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2022, which would prohibit the practice of price gouging during all abnormal market disruptions \u2013 including the current pandemic \u2013 by authorizing the FTC and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against unconscionably excessive price increases, regardless of a seller's position in a supply chain.\n\nOn March 16, 2022, Senator Warren introduced the Prohibiting Anticompetitive Mergers Act to help stomp out rampant industry consolidation that allows companies to raise consumer prices and mistreat workers. The bill would ban the biggest, most anticompetitive mergers and give the Department of Justice and FTC the teeth to reject deals in the first instance without court orders and to break up harmful mergers.\n\nOn March 2, 2022, Senator Warren and her colleagues called out drug manufacturers for squeezing American families with rapid and widespread price hikes on prescription drugs.\n\nIn February 2022, at a hearing, Senator Warren called out corporations for abusing their market power to raise consumer prices and boost profits.\n\nThat same month, Senator Warren requested the Department of Justice to take aggressive action against corporations violating antitrust laws to hike prices for consumers.\n\nIn January 13, 2022, Senator Warren questioned Federal Reserve nominee Lael Brainard about market concentration and price gouging driving inflation.\n\nAt a hearing in January 2022, Senator Warren pressed Fed Chair Jerome Powell on the role of corporate concentration in driving up prices for consumers during his renomination hearing to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.\n\nIn December 2021, Senator Warren slammed Hertz's $2 billion dollar buyback plan, which would line the pockets of company executives and the private equity firm Apollo Global Management, while they raised rental car costs for consumers.\n\nIn November 2021, Senator Warren identified 11 energy companies for inflating natural gas prices for consumers while reaping record profits.\n\nThat same month, she requested the Department of Justice to investigate the poultry industry's anticompetitive behavior as turkey and chicken prices soar.\n\nIn the past year, Senator Warren has urged the Biden administration to closely scrutinize potential anticompetitive mergers that could lead to higher prices for consumers and accelerate industry consolidation. She has led letters about the proposed mergers of Frontier and Spirit airlines, Sanderson-Wayne, WarnerMedia-Discovery, and Amazon-MGM.\n\nIn September 2020, Senator Warren and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) formally requested that the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG) investigate reports that the Pentagon redirected hundreds of millions of dollars of funds meant for COVID-19 response via the Defense Production Act (DPA) to defense contractors for \"jet engine parts, body armor and dress uniforms.\u201d\n\nIn May 2020, Senator Warren wrote to the Department requesting clarification on how the Department would prevent profiteering following a recent change to increase payments to contractors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nIn March 2020, Senator Warren joined her colleagues in urging the FTC to use its full authority to prevent abusive price gouging on consumer health products during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nIn May 2017, Senator Warren sent a letter to the Department of Defense Inspector General asking for an investigation into defense contractor TransDigm\u2019s refusal to provide cost information to the Department of Defense.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-hearing-warren-celebrates-caseys-record-of-fighting-for-families-calls-on-congress-to-build-on-that-legacy-and-reject-trillions-in-tax-giveaways-to-billionaires", "At Hearing, Warren Celebrates Casey\u2019s Record of Fighting for Families, Calls on Congress to Build on that Legacy and Reject Trillions in Tax Giveaways to Billionaires", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "At Hearing, Warren Celebrates Casey\u2019s Record of Fighting for Families, Calls on Congress to Build on that Legacy and Reject Trillions in Tax Giveaways to Billionaires\n\nFor the same amount it would cost to renew the 2017 Trump tax cuts, Congress can invest in family care infrastructure like paid leave, child care, early childhood education\n\n\u201cNext year's tax fight will be an opportunity to show the American people whose side they are on \u2013 the side of billionaires, who are clamoring for more handouts, or on the side of hard-working Americans.\u201d\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Committee On Aging, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called for 2025 legislation to include investments like an expanded Child Tax Credit, affordable home care for sick relatives, paid leave, and affordable child care, so working families have an opportunity to get ahead. Meanwhile, the 2017 Trump tax cuts, which have been largely sucked up by billionaires and large corporations, are up for renewal in 2025.\n\nMs. Ai-Jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, testified that for the same $4.5 trillion it would cost to renew the 2017 Trump tax cuts, our country could \u201censure every child has access to high-quality early childhood education, every worker in the U.S. has paid leave, (and) raise wages for hard-working American families.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren called out Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans for their plan to pay for more tax cuts for billionaires by slashing investments that actually grow our economy and support these good jobs.\n\nSenator Warren also highlighted Senator Bob Casey\u2019s (D-Pa.) leadership as Chair of the Aging Committee, his determination, and his work on behalf of American families.\n\nTranscript: Hearing to Examine Empowering People with Disabilities to Live, Work, Learn, and Thrive\n\nSenate Committee On Aging\n\nDecember 12, 2024\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\nSenator Casey has been a tireless champion for American families. As Chair of the Aging Committee, he has been right at the center of fights for rights for Americans with disabilities, lowering the cost of child care and elder care, and raising wages for workers.\n\nMeghann Luczkowski, a caregiver and disability advocate from Philadelphia, said it best:\n\nSenator Bob Casey opened his eyes to our families and saw the needs of our children. He opened his ears and listened to our lived experience. He opened his heart and genuinely cared about improving our children\u2019s situations. And as Senator of Pennsylvania, time and time again, he opened his mouth to fight for our kids\u2019 access to care and to their community. It will always be scary sending our disabled children out into the world, but with Senator Casey representing us, we could rest assured knowing they had a champion in Washington.\n\nI ask that this statement regarding the Chairman\u2019s work be entered, in its entirety, into the record.\n\nChair Casey: Without objection.\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you.\n\nAmerican families need Congress to continue building on Senator Casey\u2019s legacy. But instead, the big-ticket agenda item for Republicans next year is a $4.5 trillion extension of the Trump tax cuts for billionaires and billionaire corporations.\n\nWhat could $4.5 trillion buy us instead?\n\nWe could restore the expanded Child Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit that Senator Casey helped pass in the American Rescue Plan to put more money into the pockets of working families. We could make home care for seniors and people with disabilities more affordable, as Senator Casey has championed. We could pass paid leave for every worker, so they don\u2019t have to choose between a paycheck or caring for a loved one that needs help. And we could guarantee affordable child care for every family in America.\n\nNow, I listened to Senator Braun and Mr. Orrell talk about how to build a strong economy, so I want to pose that same question, I just want to do it slightly differently.\n\nMs. Poo, you are President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. That means that you represent 2.5 million domestic workers. If we are going to spend $4.5 trillion, I just want to know, which is the better investment in our economy overall? This is not about for individuals, it\u2019s just what\u2019s going to make the economy work better. Is it lowering costs for families and raising wages for care workers, on one hand, or another tax giveaway, largely sucked up by millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations? Which is going to promote our economy?\n\nMs. Ai-Jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance: Senator Warren, thank you so much for that question. I should hope that if we are going to spend $4.5 trillion, that we are going to spend it on the needs of everyday American families.\n\nThe cost of care in this country is astronomical. Child care for two children costs more than rent in every state in America. The lack of paid leave costs Americans $22 billion annually, and the cost of aging and disability care at home costs between $62,000 and $280,000 per year. Instead of more handouts to billionaires and corporations, we can afford to ensure every child has access to high-quality early childhood education, every worker in the U.S. has paid leave, as you said. We can raise wages for hard-working American families. That seems like the better return on investment.\n\nSenator Warren: Yeah, so I very much appreciate your underscoring this point. And the reminder that when we raise wages for caregivers, that means there are more caregivers available. More people will go in, more people will stay in, more people will make this a part of their careers.\n\nAnd what does that mean? There are more people who have other jobs that will be able to go to those jobs. I think of this as a double investment. The investment that is the right investment for those who need the care and the families who are struggling to get it, but also the investment. If we want more workers in our economy, one of the ways we get more workers in our economy is to have care for those who need care at home.\n\nPresident Trump and Republicans in Congress have been clear that their plans to pay for the next tax giveaway to billionaires and billionaire corporations is to slash investments that actually grow our economy and support these good jobs. They plan to cut programs like Social Security. They are planning higher taxes on everyday items that families buy, like groceries and gas.\n\nNext year's tax fight will be an opportunity to show the American people whose side they are on \u2013 the side of billionaires, who are clamoring for more handouts, or on the side of hard-working Americans. Chairman Casey, I know which side you are on. I just want to say, thank you for your leadership, for your determination, and for everything that you have done for American families. It is an honor to fight alongside you.\n\nChair Casey: Senator Warren, thank you so much for your comments and also for the great advocacy that you undertake everyday on behalf of the people of that other Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the American people, and especially American families. I'm so grateful for your work. I will miss working with you.\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/congressional-investigation-reveals-navient-may-be-improperly-denying-borrowers-relief-from-predatory-student-loans", "Congressional Investigation Reveals Navient May Be Improperly Denying Borrowers Relief from Predatory Student Loans", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Congressional Investigation Reveals Navient May Be Improperly Denying Borrowers Relief from Predatory Student Loans\n\nLawmakers Seek Action from Regulators to Protect Borrowers from Navient\u2019s \u201cDisgraceful\u201d Behavior\n\n\u201cWe are concerned that Navient\u2019s cancellation process for borrowers who attended predatory, for-profit schools is flawed and opaque and potentially violates federal consumer protection law.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (D-PA) led 24 lawmakers in sending a bicameral letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, revealing the results of their investigation into Navient regarding its cancellation process for the predatory, for-profit student loans in its portfolio and urging the agencies to hold the student loan servicer accountable for any violations of federal law.\n\nThe investigation revealed that Navient may be improperly denying thousands of borrowers relief from loans that the company pushed onto students that attended fraudulent for-profit colleges. These loans are eligible for cancellation due to Navient\u2019s own misconduct, and thanks to the Holder Rule, which allows borrowers to raise claims and defenses against a loan holder. But, according to the elected officials, the school misconduct discharge process Navient has set up to cancel these debts is flawed and insufficient.\n\n\u201cNavient has admitted it is responsible for canceling \u2018all loans that meet the Holder Rule criteria,\u2019 but the convoluted process the company has set up for defrauded borrowers is flawed and may be improperly denying borrowers relief,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cWe urge the CFPB and FTC to investigate this matter and act to ensure that Navient is complying with federal law and providing relief to the defrauded borrowers harmed by its misconduct.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, Senator Warren launched an investigation into Navient and the set of private, predatory student loans it pushed onto students likely to default \u2014 colluding with fraudulent for-profit colleges in exchange for a steady supply of federal and private loan borrowers. In its response to an initial letter from Senator Warren and other lawmakers, Navient agreed to cancel all loans that meet Holder Rule criteria.\n\nBut the investigation released today revealed that:\n\nOnly a fraction of Navient\u2019s borrowers who attended for-profit colleges have been sent school misconduct discharge applications \u2014 and Navient denies relief to 80% of those who apply.\n\nNavient\u2019s school misconduct discharge application is unnecessarily burdensome and confusing.\n\nNavient\u2019s rationales for denials are opaque and its appeals process is insufficient, making it impossible for borrowers to exercise their rights.\n\nNavient appears to be making incorrect categorical determinations about which school and loan types are eligible for cancellation under the Holder Rule.\n\nNavient\u2019s misconduct alone provides a basis for loan cancellation\u2014a fact which Navient has repeatedly ignored.\n\n\u201cIt is disgraceful that Navient appears to be evading its responsibility to cancel this fraudulent debt by rejecting 80% of applicants, inaccurately determining which loan and school types are eligible for cancellation, providing insufficient information when it does reject borrowers, and neglecting its responsibility to cancel all private fraudulent debts based on the Holder Rule and Navient\u2019s misconduct,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe lawmakers pushed CFPB Director Chopra and FTC Chair Khan to take supervisory and enforcement action as appropriate.\n\n\u201cWe ask your agencies to use their supervisory and enforcement authority to ensure Navient is delivering borrowers the relief they are entitled to under the Holder Rule and due to Navient\u2019s own misconduct,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nThe following Senators signed on in support of this letter: Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\nThe following Representatives signed on in support of this letter: Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).\n\n\u201cNavient's flawed cancellation process has caused confusion and complexity for borrowers who were first cheated by predatory, for-profit schools, and now find their private student loan balances at the mercy of Navient, a company known for its deceptive student loan practices and working hand-in-hand with these fraudulent institutions. The fox is guarding the henhouse, and we can't stand by and watch. Navient must fully recognize borrowers' rights and cancel private student loans where there is evidence of fraud and wrongdoing. We join Senator Warren and all signers in urging supervisory agencies to take immediate action to ensure consumers are protected.\" \u2013 Ashley Harrington, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, PPSL\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to reform our higher education system, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable:\n\nIn November 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) sent a letter blasting MOHELA for abusing borrowers with potentially illegal, exploitative terms of use.\n\nIn October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (ED) commending the agencies on their progress in helping borrowers who are struggling financially to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy and asking them to continue expanding awareness of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new policy.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated new federal student debt relief, bringing the total number of Americans who have had their debt canceled under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program during the Biden-Harris Administration to a historic 1 million people and counting.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Merkley (D-Ore.) released a new report examining the impact of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new Higher Education Act rule, finding that low- and middle-income borrowers, seniors, women, and Black borrowers will receive enormous benefits from the new rule.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren joined Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to launch an investigation into the reported mishandling of student loan transfers by MOHELA, Nelnet and credit reporting agencies.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) led over 30 lawmakers in a letter urging student loan servicer Navient to reform its flawed process to cancel the private student loans of borrowers who attended fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden, Chris Van Hollen, and Bernie Sanders, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, cautioning the Department of Education on Federal Student Aid\u2019s transition to the Unified Servicing and Data Solution system.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, and Sanders released a joint statement on the American Federation of Teachers\u2019 lawsuit against MOHELA for allegedly overcharging and misleading student loan borrowers.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren and King led their colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging them to provide guidance and communication to borrowers as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program transfers from MOHELA to the Department of Education.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren led a growing coalition of senators in urging the Department of Education to hold student loan servicer MOHELA accountable for its failures.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and 24 members of the U.S. Senate sent a letter to Senator Tammy Baldwin, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, encouraging them to provide $2.7 billion in funding to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) in fiscal year (FY) 2025.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Carper, Kaine, and Representative Don Davis (D-N.C.) called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to release data on the Postsecondary Education Complaint System (PECS), a centralized database to track complaints against schools who participate in the Tuition Assistance (TA) and My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA) program.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren led eight of her colleagues in sending a letter to David L. Yowan, President and Chief Executive Officer of student loan servicer Navient, urging the servicer to cancel decades-old private student loans pushed onto borrowers attending fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Markey, and Van Hollen released a new report: Servicing Scandals: Student Loan Servicers\u2019 Failures During Return to Repayment, which reveals a decades-long pattern of student loan servicer incompetence and misconduct that has affected millions of borrowers nationwide.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a hearing on student loan servicer Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) and its failures during borrowers\u2019 return to repayment, including MOHELA\u2019s mismanagement of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, along with U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and John Larson (D-Conn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Social Security Administration (SSA), the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), and the U.S. Department of Education to end the practice of offsetting Social Security benefits to pay off defaulted student loans.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a statement calling for an investigation into student loan mismanagement by MOHELA.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), along with Representative Ayanna Pressley, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Representative Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to host a fourth session of the student debt negotiated rulemaking to consider relief for borrowers experiencing financial hardship.\n\nIn December 2023, U.S. Senators Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey,, and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent follow-up letters to student loan servicers \u2013 MOHELA, EdFinancial, Nelnet, and Maximus \u2013 raising concerns about borrowers\u2019 problems with return to repayment, requesting information about the borrower experience, and pushing back on the servicers\u2019 claim that budget shortfalls limit their ability provide quality customer service to millions of borrowers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging him to leverage his existing and full authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senators Alex Padilla and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Jim Clyburn, and Frederica Wilson led 79 other lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to swiftly deliver on his promise to deliver student debt cancellation to working and middle class families by early 2024.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) visited communities across Massachusetts to celebrate the Biden administration\u2019s student debt cancellation plan and help residents sign up for student loan relief.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senator Brown and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.), urged Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to swiftly discharge the loans of borrowers defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges and universities, including those operated by Corinthian College.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Representatives Jayapal, Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) led more than 80 colleagues in a bicameral letter to the Department of Education calling for it to release the memo outlining the Biden administration\u2019s legal authority to cancel federal student loan debt and immediately cancel up to $50,000 of debt for Federal student loan borrowers.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led a group of colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona urging the Department of Education to take swift action to automatically remove all federally-held student loan borrowers from default.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warren-at-hearing-trump-would-have-a-strong-partner-at-the-cfpb-to-enact-his-proposed-10-cap-on-credit-card-interest-rates", "ICYMI: Warren at Hearing: Trump Would Have a \"Strong Partner at the CFPB\" to Enact His Proposed 10% Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Warren at Hearing: Trump Would Have a \"Strong Partner at the CFPB\" to Enact His Proposed 10% Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates\n\nTrump\u2019s interest rate cap could be enforced by the CFPB to save Americans billions of dollars in interest payments\n\nVideo of Committee Hearing\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) highlighted how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has worked to bring down credit card prices and can help fulfill President-elect Trump\u2019s promise to cap credit card interest rates at 10%.\n\nAccording to the Federal Reserve, Americans are carrying a record $1.17 trillion in credit card debt. Since the Federal Reserve started tracking credit card interest rates in 1994, credit card companies have steadily increased interest rates to record highs. Even as the Federal Reserve has cut rates, credit card interest rates have remained higher than ever, with average interest rates nearly doubling over the last decade.\n\nDuring the hearing, the Honorable Rohit Chopra, Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, highlighted the CFPB\u2019s accomplishments in helping Americans struggling under the weight of credit card debt, like limiting late fees charged by credit card companies and cracking down on bad actors in the credit card market. Director Chopra emphasized that currently, Americans are paying an extra $25 billion a year in interest rates, compared to 10 years ago. If enacted, Direct Chopra confirmed that the CFPB would partner with President-elect Trump to enforce his plan to cap interest rates at 10%.\n\nSenator Warren also thanked Chairman Brown for his years fighting for the dignity of work at the helm of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.\n\nTranscript: Hearing to Examine Consumer Protection, Focusing on Protecting Workers' Money and Fighting for the Dignity of Work\n\nSenate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee\n\nDecember 11, 2024\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, you have led this committee as a fierce fighter for consumers and someone who has pressed all of America to recognize the dignity of work. I speak for myself, and for millions of people across this country, to say we are grateful for your leadership. Thank you.\n\nPresident Trump spoke to the concerns of millions when he said he would put a 10% cap on credit card interest rates. That is the kind of big structural change that will make a big difference to families across America. Over the last decade, giant credit card companies have jacked up interest rates to historic levels. Average interest rates have nearly doubled from 13% back in 2013, to 23% in 2024, now the highest on record. Much of that increase has been driven by credit card companies tacking on just a few extra percentage points of interest to pad their profits, to the tune of an average of about $250 extra, straight out of the pockets of every credit card holder in America, in just last year alone.\n\nDirector Chopra, thank you for being with us today. Just give us a quick summary about what the CFPB has been doing to help Americans struggling under the weight of credit card debt.\n\nThe Honorable Rohit Chopra, Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Well, we put into place some rules that will stop credit card exploitation of loopholes to the tune of billions of dollars a year in penalty fees. We're going to make it easier to switch. We're going to ensure that people can actually get those rewards they were promised, and so much more good.\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: So, Director Chopra, let me ask you, would President-elect Trump's plan to lower interest rates to 10% do more to help unrig the credit card market? And if such a cap were enacted, does the CFPB have the expertise and the capacity to enforce that?\n\nDirector Chopra: Well, we certainly have the capacity to enforce it. We enforce other types of interest rate caps. And by the way, federal law already has an interest rate cap on credit cards offered by credit unions, and that seems to work just fine.\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: All right, and let me just ask, because I had the rest of this, and that is, would a 10% cap on credit card interest rates, as the President-elect has proposed, would that help unrig the credit card system and help consumers across the country?\n\nDirector Chopra: Yes.\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Good, that's a short answer. Do you want to add any more?\n\nDirector Chopra: Well, I think there's room for debate on where to set the number, but certainly we have found that other rate caps have allowed the market to function. But as the market has grown more and more concentrated and that there's even more mega mergers potentially on the horizon, we need to make sure that those credit card companies aren't coordinating, even subtly, to jack up rates even higher.\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Okay, and that concentration means less competition?\n\nDirector Chopra: That's right, and I think that has contributed to these fat margins. We have found that Americans are paying an extra $25 billion a year, compared to 10 years ago, even when controlling for market interest rates.\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Wow, $25 billion. So let me ask, when the President-elect takes on the big credit card companies and lowers credit card interest rates to 10%, will he have a strong partner at the CFPB?\n\nDirector Chopra: Well, the CFPB will enforce the law as written, and that's exactly what we would do.\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Okay? So I understand that some people on Team Trump are trying to undermine the president-elect, billionaires who profit off of cheating people are begging him to \u201cdelete the agency.\u201d They're asking President-elect Trump to go back on his promise of a 10% cap on interest rates, instead of putting billionaires' profits ahead of the needs of working people. The CFPB has been in the trenches fighting for working families for over a decade, and so far, it has forced Wall Street banks to return over $20 billion directly to families they cheated. Now, with a single move, President-elect Trump can smash that record, saving American families tens of billions of dollars in interest payments. And when he does that, he will have a strong partner at the CFPB. So I just want to say thank you, Director Chopra, for your extraordinary record of service to people all across this country. Thank you for all you've done.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-escobar-reintroduce-legislation-to-strengthen-military-readiness-adapt-to-climate-change", "Warren, Escobar Reintroduce Legislation to Strengthen Military Readiness, Adapt to Climate Change", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Escobar Reintroduce Legislation to Strengthen Military Readiness, Adapt to Climate Change\n\nThe Defense Department is the largest consumer of fossil fuels on the planet\n\nBill Text (PDF) | Bill Section-by-Section (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representative Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, reintroduced the Department of Defense (DOD) Climate Resilience and Readiness Act to address the Pentagon\u2019s contributions to climate change and to mitigate climate change\u2019s impact on our military readiness.\n\nThe Department of Defense has long recognized that climate change threatens the nation\u2019s military readiness and coastal infrastructure. Multiple military leaders have testified before Congress to confirm the threat that climate change poses to our national security and strategic interests, as well as confirmed the need to address climate change. To adequately address these risks, serious changes will be required of the Pentagon\u2019s operations and carbon emissions.\n\nThe Department of Defense Climate Resiliency and Readiness Act would require the DoD to take specific actions to adapt to climate change and improve energy efficiency:\n\nCommits the U.S. military to net zero energy in non-operational sources, producing as much renewable energy as total energy consumed, by 2034.\n\nProduce a list of military installations that emit the most carbon and an estimate of total energy consumption.\n\nConsider the effects of climate change and contractors' energy efficiency performance when considering entering into any contract and give preference to contractors that verifiably use green manufacturing technology.\n\nProvide an annual report of the effects of climate change on military readiness, with an estimate of the financial costs of damage to bases and other infrastructure resulting from climate change-related events over the preceding year.\n\nIncorporate climate resilience into existing operational strategies.\n\nInvest in a new, ten-year research, development, and demonstration program on energy storage, hybrid microgrid, and energy resiliency.\n\nConsider current and potential vulnerabilities of military installations to climate change in any future process of base realignment and closure (BRAC).\n\n\u201cOur military readiness and national security depend on how we adapt to climate change,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis bill will update our military\u2019s infrastructure and operations with the urgency needed to protect against the worst effects of climate change.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren and Representative Escobar initially introduced this bill in May 2019 and again in July 2021.\n\nSenators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) co-sponsored the bill. In the House, Representatives John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Military Readiness, along with Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), both members of the House Armed Services Committee, were original co-sponsors.\n\nThe DoD Climate Resilience and Readiness Act has been endorsed by Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Public Citizen, and Earthjustice.\n\nSenator Warren has been a leading voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee calling for actions to combat climate change:\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with Representatives Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) urged the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, composed of the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), urging them to finalize the Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Rule as quickly as possible.\n\nIn December 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) urged the Department of Defense to take proactive steps to ensure the strength and readiness of DoD assets and installations in the face of the climate crisis.\n\nIn April 2019, Senator Warren wrote to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, following up on concerns brought forth by eight military leaders about the rising threat of climate change to the United States military's missions, operational plans, installations, and overall readiness.\n\nIn April 2019, Senator Warren and Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed wrote to the Government Accountability Office calling for a review of potential threats to national security resulting from the impacts of climate change on defense contractors and the defense supply chain, and to review the extent to which the Department of Defense can address climate change and other environmental risks during the contracting process.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-gluesenkamp-perez-take-on-military-contractors-overcharging-us-military-restricting-servicemembers-from-repairing-equipment", "Warren, Gluesenkamp Perez Take on Military Contractors Overcharging U.S. Military, Restricting Servicemembers from Repairing Equipment", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Gluesenkamp Perez Take on Military Contractors Overcharging U.S. Military, Restricting Servicemembers from Repairing Equipment\n\nNew bill would ensure servicemembers have \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d access to repair materials.\n\nBill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) introduced the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act to increase military readiness and cut costs by allowing servicemembers to repair their own equipment.\n\nOur military pays Pentagon contractors hundreds of billions of dollars annually to purchase weapons systems and other equipment. However, the equipment is often subject to contractor-imposed restrictions on how servicemembers can diagnose, repair, and maintain their own weapons, leaving servicemembers unable to conduct necessary fixes and beholden to contractors no matter how austere the environment. These restrictions put military readiness at risk and pose concerns about the Pentagon overspending on basic services and equipment.\n\nThe Navy has been forced to fly contractors to ships at sea to perform simple fixes, Marines in Japan had to send engines back to the U.S. for repairs instead of fixing them on-site, and Marines in a training exercise were forced to choose between voiding their equipment warranty by fixing it or marking the equipment inoperable.\n\nThe Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act ensures our military will be provided with the tools and materials needed to maintain the equipment it has purchased and directs the Pentagon to use those tools to reduce sustainment costs, improve military readiness, and build servicemember skills needed in possible future austere environments. Specifically, this bill:\n\nRequires that each major weapons program\u2019s acquisition strategy includes 3 cost-saving proposals to cut sustainment costs without reducing performance requirements.\n\nMandates a report on cost-saving strategies to enhance transparency.\n\nRequires the Pentagon to assess the cost-effectiveness of access to intellectual property, ensuring it is a priority throughout a program\u2019s lifecycle.\n\nEnsures contractors provide our military with \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d access to repair materials, including parts, tools, and information, so servicemembers are able to repair their own equipment when needed.\n\nDefines \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d as providing similar prices, terms, and conditions as those made available to the contractor\u2019s authorized repair providers to ensure an even playing field.\n\nGives our military additional flexibility to access and use repair data, and ensures access to repair data is a key consideration in regulations governing the rights of the United States in items developed with government funding.\n\nRequires the Pentagon to track and publicly report instances when the military is forced to have a contractor repair equipment because right-to-repair restrictions prevent servicemembers from maintaining or repairing their own DoD equipment.\n\nPromotes accountability through reports from the Government Accountability Office.\n\n\u201cPentagon contractors are taking advantage of our military, forcing them to pay excessive prices and wait weeks for basic equipment repairs. Without the right to repair their own equipment, our servicemembers in the field are at risk,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI\u2019ve long pushed for cutting waste out of the Pentagon budget, and this bill cuts out greedy contractors by empowering servicemembers and creating competition.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaintaining a ready and agile military is dependent on our servicemembers being able to repair their own equipment quickly and effectively. Military technicians want to be working with their hands to fix things \u2013 not getting stuck on the phone on hold with a manufacturer. Shipping equipment out for repair or bringing authorized contractors to sea or the battlefield isn\u2019t just costly, challenging, and time-consuming \u2013 it deprives servicemembers of experience fixing the equipment they rely on to stay safe in hostile situations,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. \u201cBy ensuring our military has the ability to fix critical equipment, we can empower our servicemembers, boost military readiness, save taxpayer dollars, and bring back respect for these skills.\u201d\n\nThe Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act is endorsed by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), the American Economic Liberties Project (AELP), and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG).\n\nSenator Warren has repeatedly sought to bolster competition and fight back against costly right-to-repair restrictions:\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to the Defense Department and to the defense contractor industry regarding the costly restrictions imposed on the Department of Defense that bar the military from repairing its own military equipment and instead force it to pay billions of dollars extra to military contractors.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren included a provision in the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA that would require contractors to provide DoD with \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d access to repair materials with a bipartisan committee vote of 21-4.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), celebrated the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reversing course and allowing enforcement of Massachusetts\u2019 pro-consumer Right to Repair law.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reverse its course after it sent a recent letter to auto manufacturers, advising them not to comply with Massachusetts\u2019 Right to Repair law.\n\nIn February 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King (I-Maine), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) urged the Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with the march-in petition submitted for the prostate cancer drug Xtandi.\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Doggett sent a letter to the Department of Defense requesting information about steps taken to reduce costs of DoD-funded prescription drugs and medical products.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-huffman-renew-push-to-invest-in-clean-energy", "Warren, Huffman Renew Push to Invest in Clean Energy", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Huffman Renew Push to Invest in Clean Energy\n\nBill would make historic investment to help fight the climate crisis, spark green innovation, and boost demand for American-made clean energy products\n\nBill Text | One-Pager\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) reintroduced the BUY GREEN Act, legislation to establish $1.5 trillion in federal procurement commitments for our clean energy future. The funds would be used to purchase American-made clean, renewable, and emission-free energy products for federal, state, and local use and to establish grant funding for U.S. companies to invest in clean energy manufacturing.\n\nThe federal government spends $500 billion annually to purchase goods and services. Many of these products have significant environmental impacts, including transportation equipment, building infrastructure, and electronics.\n\n\u201cAmerica needs to invest in clean energy like our future depends on it,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis bill will help grow our green economy and establish America as a world leader in clean energy.\u201d\n\n\"As we face the urgent challenges of the climate crisis, I'm proud to introduce a bill that represents a transformative step toward a cleaner, more sustainable future,\" said Representative Huffman. \"By investing in supporting American-made clean energy products, we are not only driving the transition to renewable and emission-free energy but also creating opportunities for innovation and good-paying jobs here at home.\"\n\nA 2021 poll showed that 59% of voters support this bill. This strong bipartisan support suggests that our country is ready for us to make big investments to save our planet and build back greener.\n\nSpecifically, the bill would:\n\nEstablish a \"Clean Energy Fund\" at the Department of Energy (DOE) for green procurement by authorizing the DOE to provide funding to federal agencies for clean energy purchases and creating a competitive federal grant program for state, local, and tribal governments to purchase clean energy products.\n\nReduce carbon pollution by providing enough funds to electrify the entire federal fleet, including postal service vehicles; providing enough funds to electrify all public transit and school buses; and providing funds to design, build, and retrofit buildings, including federal, childcare, educational, and manufacturing facilities, to be more energy efficient.\n\nBoost the green economy and clean energy sector by establishing a grant program for U.S. companies to invest in clean energy manufacturing by retrofitting or building facilities that produce covered products and bolstering our ability to create clean energy products that can then be exported globally to make the U.S. a leader in green innovation.\n\nSupport workers and frontline communities by including strong labor provisions to ensure jobs provide strong wages, benefits, and worker protections by and directing 40% of state, local, and tribal grant funding to purchases that benefit frontline, disadvantaged, and vulnerable communities that have been environmentally neglected.\n\nProtect taxpayer funds from fraud, waste, and abuse by forming a Green Procurement Oversight Advisory Board that will ensure the use of funds is compliant with clean energy and labor provisions and by directing the U.S. Comptroller General to conduct oversight of the use of funds and to publicly report on program efficacy each year.\n\nIn the Senate, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) cosponsored this legislation.\n\nThe BUY GREEN Act has been endorsed by Sunrise Movement, MoveOn, GreenLatinos, Sierra Club, Green New Deal Network, Center for Progressive Reform, League of Conservation Voters, Earthjustice, Friends of the Earth, New Consensus, Public Citizen, Climate Hawks Vote, and Zero Hour.\n\nSenator Warren has long worked to protect taxpayer money and ensure strong implementation of climate policy:\n\nIn November 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren reintroduced the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act. The bill proposes streamlining the process for people in communities affected by natural disasters seeking housing assistance.\n\nIn November 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Jared Huffman reintroduced the National Institutes of Clean Energy Act (NICE), legislation that would invest $400 billion over the next decade to establish and operate a new system of clean energy institutes at the Department of Energy (DOE) focused on research and development of advanced clean energy technologies.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King, along with Representatives Ro Khanna, Alma Adams, Pramila Jayapal, and Jan Schakowsky, wrote to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the agencies to develop strong guardrails for the 45Q tax credit, which is designed to encourage carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sean Casten led a letter to the Federal Reserve Board (Fed), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), urging regulators to stop their obstruction of global financial regulators\u2019 work to tackle climate-related financial risks. The lawmakers also called out the weaknesses revealed by the Fed\u2019s 2023 \u201cpilot scenario analysis\u201d exploring six major banks\u2019 resilience to climate-related financial risks.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Robert Garcia reintroduced the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to distribute $500 billion over ten years to electrify and modernize public vehicles and rail and build new electric transportation infrastructure across the country. The bill would also create 1 million new jobs, save $100 billion annually in health damages, and prevent 4,200 deaths per year from air pollution.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Sean Casten and Veronica Escobar, urged the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, composed of the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to finalize the Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Rule as quickly as possible.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren, released a statement describing the Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s (SEC) finalized climate risk disclosure rule as \u201cthe bare minimum.\u201d\n\nIn September 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Martin Heinrich, Ed Markey, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Jeff Merkley called on the Treasury Department to take key actions pertaining to climate and climate-related financial risk to avert the impending environmental and economic crises.\n\nIn September 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren urged Chair Gensler to quickly finalize a strong climate risk disclosure rule, reminding him that he has a mandate to protect investors and strong public support.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Representatives Dan Goldman and Jamie Raskin and 47 of their colleagues sent a letter to SEC Chair Gary Gensler, urging him to protect investors and finalize a strong climate disclosure rule without further delay.\n\nIn September 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren called on SEC Chair Gary Gensler to protect investors and stand up to fossil fuel lobbying by issuing a strong climate risk disclosure rule quickly.\n\nIn June 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a comment letter with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Brian Schatz on the SEC\u2019s mandatory climate disclosure rule, highlighting several areas for improvement and key elements that the SEC should preserve in its final rule, including strong Scope 3 emissions disclosure requirements.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a letter with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Brian Schatz urging the SEC to require disclosure of anti-climate lobbying activities in the Commission\u2019s rule.\n\nIn May 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Congressman Andy Levin introduced the Buy Green Act to use the enormous breadth of U.S. federal procurement to help fight the climate crisis, spur innovation, and boost demand for American-made clean energy products at home and in the rapidly-growing markets for green products abroad.\n\nIn May 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Congressman Andy Levin introduced the National Institutes of Clean Energy Act of 2021, legislation that would invest $400 billion over the next ten years to establish and operate a new system of institutes at the Department of Energy dedicated to research and development (R&D) of advanced clean energy technologies.\n\nIn April 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sean Casten reintroduced the Climate Risk Disclosure Act of 2021 which would reduce the chances of environmental and financial catastrophe by requiring public companies to disclose more information about their exposure to climate-related risks.\n\nIn March 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren unveiled the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act which would invest $500 billion over ten years in state, local, and tribal projects to jumpstart the transition to all electric public vehicles and rail and help modernize the nation's crumbling infrastructure.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-jacobs-lawmakers-reintroduce-legislation-addressing-unsafe-conditions-in-privatized-military-housing", "Warren, Jacobs, Lawmakers Reintroduce Legislation Addressing Unsafe Conditions in Privatized Military Housing", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Jacobs, Lawmakers Reintroduce Legislation Addressing Unsafe Conditions in Privatized Military Housing\n\nPrivate housing companies that serve military families often evade responsibility when they fail to provide adequate housing\n\nBill Text | One-Pager\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, reintroduced the Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act, legislation that would comprehensively reform our privatized military housing system in the wake of disturbing reports revealing unsafe and unsanitary conditions.\n\nIn 1996, Congress established the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), which allowed the Department of Defense (DOD) to partner with private sector developers who would own, operate, and maintain military family housing and, in return, have access to federal direct loans, loan guarantees, and other incentives.\n\nHowever, over the past several years, military families have come forward to expose the terrible conditions of privatized military housing\u2014including toxic mold, rodent infestations, and lead-based paint\u2014 and raised the serious difficulties they have faced trying to get help with these conditions.\n\n\u201cThe Department of Defense owes a responsibility to our servicemembers to provide them and their families with safe and sanitary housing,\" said Senator Warren. \"This bill will fundamentally reform a broken system and hold private housing providers accountable for their shameful failures.\"\n\n\u201cOur military families sacrifice so much for us \u2013 and the least we can do is ensure their housing is clean, safe, affordable, and meets their needs,\u201d said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. \u201cWhile we\u2019ve made progress in addressing inadequate housing across the country, we still have more work ahead to conduct necessary oversight, protect and empower tenants, and demand accountability for unacceptable conditions. Our military families deserve the best \u2013 and that\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to introduce the Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act to deliver comprehensive reform to our privatized military housing system that often overlooks landlords\u2019 negligence and silences military families.\u201d\n\nThe Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act would:\n\nIncrease oversight by requiring the Secretary of Defense to establish formal written guidance for all housing contracts and to rescind contracts if providers do not correct breaches.\n\nDemand transparency from housing providers by requiring an annual financial statement (equivalent to a 10-K) for the entire company and for each contract the provider has with DOD.\n\nEstablish tenant protections by codifying that all federal, state, and local housing protections that apply to those who live in the communities that surround bases also apply to servicemembers and by forbidding landlords from closing maintenance requests in the work order system until an independent inspector has approved the work.\n\nProvide medical care by directing DOD to establish a health registry for all servicemembers and families to screen and track for medical conditions acquired as a result of unsafe housing and by providing healthcare coverage for all dependents who develop environmentally-caused medical conditions associated with residing in privatized military housing.\n\nStrengthen ethics by prohibiting all senior DOD officials and any Member of the House or Senate Armed Services Committees from owning any investments in an entity owned or controlled by a privatized housing provider (mutual funds excluded).\n\nIn the Senate, Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) cosponsored the legislation. House cosponsors include Representatives Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.) and James Moylan (R-Guam).\n\n\u201cThis measure assures that our brave military men and women have safe and healthy homes, which they and their families deeply deserve and need. Many of our nation\u2019s servicemembers and their families have suffered through nightmarish living conditions\u2014including toxic mold, infestations of rodents, and lead-based paint\u2014while in privatized military housing. The Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act will increase transparency, strengthen tenant protections, and guarantee servicemembers and their families access to quality housing,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal.\n\n\"It is well past time to increase, stabilize, and regulate the housing supply available for servicemembers,\" said Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. \"My district alone is home to over 40,000 active-duty service members and their families who deserve to be securely housed.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am happy to announce that our office is co-leading with Rep Jacobs the Military Housing & Service Member Protection Act,\u201d said Delegate James Moylan. \u201cThis act focuses on Increased oversight, Transparency, Tenant Protections, Medical care provisions, and a commitment to ethical practices. Our Warfighters deserve the BEST conditions when away from their appointed places of duty and our office is FULLY committed to ensuring this is realized. I will continue to work with congressional leadership to champion our service members quality of life both now, and always! Lastly\u2026 Go Army, beat Navy, HOOAH!\u201d\n\nThe Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act has been endorsed by the Military Officers Association of America, the National Military Family Association, and the Military Housing Coalition.\n\nSenator Warren has been in a leader in raising concerns about problems with privatized military housing and led the push to protect military families:\n\nIn September 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Representatives Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) and Don Davis (D-N.C.) introduced the Restore Military Families\u2019 Voices Act, which would bar private military housing companies from imposing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) on tenants as a condition for housing services.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) led colleagues in calling out the Department of Defense (DoD) for failing to protect military families living in military housing operated by private companies under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led an annual hearing highlighting personnel priorities for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the military services for the coming year, including military housing and child care.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned Army Secretary Christine Wormuth on the need to increase military housing availability and the damaging impact of non-disclosure agreements between private landlords, servicemembers, and their families on housing safety at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced further enforcement of the Tenant Bill of Rights for military families as one of the key priorities secured in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), as well as creating a working group of DoD officials and military families to ensure ongoing oversight of deficiencies in privatized military housing.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requesting information on the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) plans to address the unhealthy prevalence of mold, lead-based paint, and asbestos in housing for America\u2019s servicemembers.\n\nIn October 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin raising concerns that Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) families had to pay out of pocket to modify their homes to meet their families\u2019 needs and asking for additional information about DoD\u2019s oversight of the program.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with other Senate Armed Services Committee members, announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan Military Housing Readiness Council Act, which would provide a platform for oversight and accountability of privatized military housing to give military families a voice and bring together experts to ensure military families have the safe housing they deserve.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren and other members of the Senate Armed Services Committee sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressing concern over reports that military families are being forced to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with privatized military housing companies in order to receive compensation for poor housing conditions.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced her provisions to require military housing companies to disclose mold and the health effects of mycotoxins before a lease is signed was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.\n\nIn August 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the Military Housing Readiness Council Act, legislation that would ensure oversight and accountability on safe housing conditions for servicemembers and military families. The legislation would create a Military Housing Readiness Council comprised of DoD officials, servicemembers, military families, and military housing experts to ensure ongoing oversight of deficiencies in privatized military housing.\n\nIn June 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced the Military Housing Oversight and Service member Protection Act as one of her key priorities for the FY 2023 NDAA. The proposal would ensure medical care for military families affected by unsafe housing by directing DoD to establish a health registry for all servicemembers and families and establishing a presumption of service-connected disability for servicemembers and lifetime medical care for dependents.\n\nIn February 2022 during a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, Elizabeth Warren pressed Pentagon nominees for tough oversight as they improve military housing conditions.\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced improving military housing as one of her key priorities for FY 2022 NDAA.\n\nIn January 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren requested Defense Secretary Austin for his public commitment to respond and make a priority to her requests about military housing issues during a SASC hearing.\n\nIn March 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) wrote to Defense Secretary Austin, and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge, continuing the lawmakers' investigation into whether the largest military housing providers under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative are complying with federal laws that protect Americans with disabilities.\n\nIn December 2020, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) questioned the five largest private military housing providers about their reported failure to provide adequate housing to families with disabilities.\n\nIn May 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren released the findings from her three-month-long investigation of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative and of five private companies that have contracts with the military services to provide on-base housing under the program. She sent letters to then-SASC Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and then-Ranking Member Jack Reed, and to the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to provide each with the results of her investigation, revealing how and why private military housing developers failed to meet basic housing standards, which in some cases resulted in severe health problems for military families.\n\nIn April 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Representative Deb Haaland introduced the Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act, a comprehensive bill to address a series of disturbing reports revealing unsafe and unsanitary conditions in privatized, on-base housing for military personnel and their families.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-hawley-harshbarger-auchincloss-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-cut-drug-costs-rein-in-pharmacy-benefit-managers-pbms", "Warren, Hawley, Harshbarger, Auchincloss Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Cut Drug Costs, Rein in Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Hawley, Harshbarger, Auchincloss Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Cut Drug Costs, Rein in Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)\n\nPatients Before Monopolies (PBM) Act will untangle health care middlemen\u2019s dual ownership of pharmacies, limiting expensive conflicts of interest\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), alongside Representatives Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), introduced the Patients Before Monopolies (PBM) Act. The bipartisan, bicameral bill will prohibit joint ownership of PBMs and pharmacies, a gross conflict of interest that enables these companies to enrich themselves at the expense of patients and independent pharmacies.\n\nOver the past decade, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) \u2014 the middlemen between pharmacies and insurance companies \u2014 have morphed into large health care conglomerates that exercise control over every link in the prescription drug delivery chain. Today, the largest health care conglomerates each own a PBM \u2014 which pay for pharmacy services \u2014 as well as the pharmacy chains that provide those services. This inherent conflict of interest results in higher drug costs for patients and fewer independent pharmacies, but bigger profits for the corporate health care giants.\n\nThe Patients Before Monopolies (PBM) Act would address this by:\n\nProhibiting a parent company of a PBM or an insurer from owning a pharmacy business;\n\nRequiring that a parent company in violation of the PBM Act divest its pharmacy business within three years;\n\nEnabling the FTC, Department of Health and Human Services, Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, and state attorneys general to issue orders requiring violators of the PBM Act to divest its pharmacy business and disgorge any revenue received during the period of such violation;\n\nDirecting the FTC to distribute any disgorged revenue to harmed communities, including consumers overcharged at vertically integrated pharmacies.\n\nMandating reporting of all divestitures to the FTC, and allowing the FTC to review all divestitures and subsequent acquisitions to protect competition, financial viability, and the public interest.\n\n\u201cPBMs have manipulated the market to enrich themselves \u2014 hiking up drug costs, cheating employers, and driving small pharmacies out of business. My new bipartisan bill will untangle these conflicts of interest by reining in these middlemen,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cThe insurance monopolies are ruining American health care. Patients and independent pharmacies are paying the price. This legislation will stop the insurance companies and PBMs from gobbling up even more of American health care and charging American families more and more for less,\u201d said Senator Hawley.\n\n\u201cAs a life-long pharmacist, I know first-hand how unchecked PBM consolidation and vertical integration have allowed these shadowy middlemen to self-deal and manipulate the system in ways that are driving up drug costs, limiting patient choices, and putting the financial screws to independent community pharmacies,\u201d said Representative Harshbarger. \u201cI\u2019m a proud conservative Republican, but we have antitrust laws for a reason. That\u2019s why I\u2019m joining my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Patients Before Monopolies Act, which will protect consumers and taxpayers, and ensure fair competition by breaking-up these anticompetitive, conflict-of-interest arrangements. Federal regulators should never have let this excessive concentration of our healthcare industry happen in the first place, and so it\u2019s up to Congress to get the job done.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe PBM industry is rife with self-dealing that raises costs for patients and bankrupts independent pharmacists. No PBM should be allowed to own pharmacies, because it poses an unacceptable conflict of interest when it then sets reimbursement rates for its own versus external pharmacies. Independent pharmacies deserve fair play,\u201d said Representative Auchincloss.\n\nThe Patients Before Monopolies (PBM) Act is endorsed by the American Economic Liberties Project (AELP), National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), American Pharmacy Cooperative Inc (APCI), Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency (PUTT), Patients Rising, and AffirmedRx.\n\n\u201cGiant PBMs and insurers owning their own pharmacies has driven independent pharmacies out of business and reduced patient access to quality care. The Patients Before Monopolies Act addresses the root cause of this problem \u2014 consolidated market power \u2014 by eliminating the inherent conflicts of interest within the big three PBM business model,\u201d said Morgan Harper, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project. \u201cWe are thrilled to see Sen. Warren and Sen. Hawley lead this bipartisan effort to lower drug costs, protect independent retail pharmacies, and improve patient access to care.\u201d\n\n\u201cA particularly egregious result of the vertical integration of PBM-insurers with retail and mail-order pharmacies is that the PBM \u2013 which competes with independent pharmacies and others \u2013 decides what their rival pharmacy will be reimbursed and which patients will be allowed to use them. There are also countless examples of PBMs paying their pharmacies much higher reimbursement than non-affiliated pharmacies and using patient data to steer patients to their own pharmacies,\u201d said Anne Cassity, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Community Pharmacists Association. \u201cWe're grateful to Sens. Warren and Hawley and Reps. Harshbarger and Auchincloss for introducing the PBM Act, which will go a long way in eliminating the conflicts of interest that currently exist in this space.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe inherent conflicts of interest between PBMs owning their own retail, mail-order, and specialty pharmacies have resulted in higher drug costs, reduced patient choice and access to care, and unsustainable reimbursements to non-PBM affiliated pharmacies. With retail pharmacies closing at an alarming rate and patients fighting life threatening diseases being steered to PBM owned pharmacies and often overcharged thousands of dollars for medications, Senator Warren\u2019s Patients Before Monopolies Act couldn\u2019t come soon enough,\u201d said Greg Reybold, Vice President of Healthcare Policy and General Counsel at the American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. \u201cThis commonsense legislation strikes at the heart of anti-competitive PBM behavior and roots out conflicts of interest by prohibiting ownership of both a PBM and a pharmacy. American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc, is grateful to Senator Warren for her work and leadership on this issue and looks forward to fighting for this critically important piece of legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile there are a variety of conflicts of interest that can compromise the intended role of PBMs to act as counterweights to inflated drug prices, one of the chief areas of system misalignment arises from PBM ownership of pharmacies. As these large vertically integrated companies serve as both price-setter and price-taker for pharmacy transactions, PBM incentives to reduce drug markups and to manage pharmacy reimbursement and network decisions in an unconflicted manner are significantly undermined,\u201d said Antonio Ciaccia, President of 3 Axis Advisors. \u201cIn our work advising government programs and commercial plan sponsors, we stress that minimizing or eliminating these areas of misalignment are foundationally critical in order to achieve greater balance for medicine accessibility and affordability.\u201d\n\n\"For too long vertically integrated PBMs have put profits over patients, driving up costs, limiting access to essential medications and forcing countless independent pharmacies to close their doors. The Patients Before Monopolies Act is a step toward breaking these monopolies, restoring fairness and competition and, most importantly, ensuring patients get the care they need at a price they can afford,\u201d said Greg Baker, Pharmacist, CEO of AffirmedRx, a transparent PBM. \u201cAt the heart of our mission is the belief that transparency and integrity should be the foundation of health care. I congratulate Senators Warren and Hawley, and Representatives Harshbarger and Auchincloss for putting patients first, and urge Congress to pass this bipartisan bill.\u201d\n\n\"This bill is the next step in urgently-needed legislation to eliminate the profiteering and other conflicts of interest that exist when private health insurers and their pharmacy benefit managers are allowed to design and sell health benefit plans while also owning pharmacies, clinics and other point-of-care entities,\u201d said Monique Whitney, Executive Director of Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency. \u201cVertical integration among the largest healthcare insurers has only served to saddle Americans with the priciest possible premiums for impossibly high-deductible plans that provide fewer options and ultimately result in poorer health outcomes. We applaud Senators Warren and Hawley for recognizing the need to dismantle the current system, which has failed consumers and taxpayers at just about every level.\u201d\n\n\u201cAcross the country, patients feel increasingly disenfranchised by the healthcare system. The culprit: a complex web of powerful health conglomerates including health insurers, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), and their affiliated pharmacies,\u201d said MacKay Jimeson, Executive Director of Patients Rising. \u201cPatients Rising applauds Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley, along with Representatives Diana Harshbarger and Jake Auchincloss for putting forward bi-partisan legislation to put patients before monopolies. It is critical we crack down on health conglomerate conflicts of interest and encourage businesses to operate in the interest of patients' long term health and wellbeing.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to use every tool available to lower drug prices and fight Big Pharma\u2019s anti-competitive business practices:\n\nIn October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced the United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act, legislation to require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in consultation with the Department of Commerce, to produce a report on the impacts of foreign investment in the United States\u2019 pharmaceutical industry.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren and U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent letters to eight pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily de-list over 100 \u201csham\u201d patent listenings, which would create opportunity for more competition and lower drug prices.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, and Under Secretary Laurie Locascio, highlighting the lawmakers\u2019 new review of public comments on the agency\u2019s Draft Interagency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights and urged them to strengthen and finalize the guidance.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Chamber of Commerce expressing concern and demanding an explanation for the organization\u2019s opposition to the Biden administration\u2019s proposal to boost competition and lower drug prices for American families and businesses by allowing agencies to consider price when deciding to exercise their \u201cmarch-in rights\u201d under the Bayh-Dole Act.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren sent the letter in response to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) discontinuing the brand-name version of Flovent HFA, the go-to inhaler for children, blasting the company for its price-gouging strategy that may cause millions of children to lose access to one of the few drugs that is appropriate to treat their asthma and allergies.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) led 75 lawmakers in sending a letter to the Biden administration in support of strengthening and finalizing its draft guidance to protect taxpayers and reduce prescription drug prices. The lawmakers submitted a public comment supporting the \u201cInteragency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights\u201d and calling for changes to ensure increased transparency, oversight, and accessibility of medical products invented through taxpayer-funded research and development.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal announced that three drug manufacturers pulled their sham patents after warnings, and urged the FDA to continue fighting against Big Pharma\u2019s patent abuse.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Newsweek commending the Biden administration\u2019s announcement that price can be considered in the government\u2019s decision to march-in on a drug, effectively lowering drug costs, and calling on Americans to fight back against an industry that has been taking advantage of them for decades.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren issued a statement after the Biden administration announced it would issue guidance to federal agencies that would allow the government to seize patents of certain expensive drugs developed with taxpayer support to create more competition and lower prices.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent letters to the CEOs of 8 pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily remove sham patent claims improperly included in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book and end their unlawful practices that delay competition and drive up costs for patients and taxpayers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, legislation that would radically reduce drug prices through public manufacturing of prescription drugs.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the FTC to issue a policy statement about the improper listing of drug-related patents in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf, urging him to close loopholes that pharmaceutical companies have exploited to block generics from entering the market, keeping drug prices high and maximizing profits.\n\nIn June 2023, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Gina Raimondo and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra asking for information on the membership, process, timeline, and scope of work of the recently announced Interagency Working Group for Bayh-Dole.\n\nIn April 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to Kathi Vidal, Director of the USPTO, calling on USPTO to take immediate action and use its existing administrative authorities to help lower drug prices and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for anti-competitive business practices. The lawmakers outlined six specific actions that the USPTO should take.\n\nIn February 2023, Senators Warren and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representatives Jayapal and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) sent a letter to the USPTO, calling on the agency to give close scrutiny to any of Merck\u2019s requests for new patents for Keytruda, a biological treatment used to treat cancer, citing new reports about Merck\u2019s ongoing abuse of the patent system to protect its monopoly on the drug.\n\nIn January 2023, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett led their colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra that urged the Secretary to exercise his authority to lower the price of cancer treatment Xtandi.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren and Rep. Jayapal sent a letter to Director Kathi Vidal following up on their June 2021 letter about USPTO\u2019s efforts to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for anti-competitive business practices and tackle high drug prices.\n\nIn June 2022, Senators Warren and King and Representatives Doggett, Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), and Porter led a group of 100 members from across the ideological spectrum to urge HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to swiftly act and use his existing authorities to lower prices on critical prescription drugs.\n\nIn April 2022, Senator Warren sent a letter to HHS Secretary Becerra, sharing the findings from a letter that over 25 legal and public health experts sent to her outlining three powerful legal tools the Biden administration could use to lower drug prices.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren and her colleagues called out drug manufacturers for squeezing American families with rapid and widespread price hikes on prescription drugs.\n\nIn February 2022, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett urged HHS to exercise its march-in rights for the life-saving cancer drug Xtandi to dramatically lower its price for millions of Americans.\n\nIn June 2021, Senator Warren led a letter questioning PhRMA's lobbying efforts to block policies that would lower drug costs for millions of Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-op-ed-if-trump-really-wants-to-help-working-people-he-wont-kill-this-federal-agency", "Warren Op-Ed: If Trump Really Wants to Help Working People He Won\u2019t Kill This Federal Agency", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Op-Ed: If Trump Really Wants to Help Working People He Won\u2019t Kill This Federal Agency\n\n\u201cThe election made clear that working people want the government to unrig the economy. The CFPB is doing that work \u2014 and that\u2019s exactly why these billionaire CEOs don\u2019t want the agency around.\u201d\n\nOp-Ed in the Boston Globe\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) published an op-ed in the Boston Globe highlighting how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has protected working Americans from abusive banks and other businesses.\n\nRead the full op-ed here and below:\n\nBoston Globe - Senator Elizabeth Warren: If Trump really wants to help working people he won\u2019t kill this federal agency\n\nDecember 11, 2024\n\nThe Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created to protect regular people from abusive banks and other businesses. Isn\u2019t that what Trump said he wants to do?\n\nWhen a bunch of billionaires tell you they know what\u2019s best for you, hang onto your wallet. Over the past few weeks, Republican politicians and billionaires have come out swinging with lies about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, hoping they can pave the way to \u201cdelete\u201d the agency. But if you have a checking account, credit card, mortgage, or student loan, you might want to know what it could mean for you if the CFPB disappears. That\u2019s the dangerous promise of Project 2025.\n\nSuppose you take out a car loan with Wells Fargo. Month after month you make your payments, but the bank messes up. Maybe they piled on fees you didn\u2019t owe or charged you the wrong interest rate. On their end, it looks like you\u2019ve fallen behind on your payments, so they repossess your car. Now you can\u2019t get to work or take your kids to school. What are your options? You can\u2019t afford to sue. The police won\u2019t help. Before the CFPB, about all you could do was reach out to the bank\u2019s customer service and beg them to solve the problem, get left on hold, transferred from department to department, and end up nowhere. That was it \u2014 until the CFPB.\n\nThat\u2019s not a hypothetical. The CFPB received thousands of complaints that Wells Fargo had unlawfully repossessed cars and wrongfully foreclosed on homes. Wells Fargo illegally injured the owners of more than 16 million accounts \u2014 you may have been one of them. That\u2019s where the CFPB comes in. The agency took on the giant bank, stopped the repos, and ordered the bank to pay back more than $2 billion to those customers who had been wronged. No need to file a lawsuit. No need to spend hours on the phone. That\u2019s the power of having a cop on the beat.\n\nWhile CEOs and right-wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation try to get rid of the CFPB, it\u2019s worth remembering that the agency didn\u2019t appear out of thin air. The CFPB was created in 2010 in the aftermath of a huge cheating scandal that led to the 2008 housing crash. Shady lenders were tricking and trapping people with complicated mortgages that eventually crashed our economy and cost millions of people their homes. In \u201cnever again\u201d mode, Congress created the CFPB as an independent agency with the power to stand up to giant corporations intent on cheating American consumers. Congress even funded the CFPB through the Federal Reserve to insulate it from everyday partisan politics. And it worked: The agency set standards so that people didn\u2019t get fooled, and those rules drove the seedy, fly-by-night companies out of our markets.\n\nIn the years since the mortgage crash, the CFPB has taken on aggressive junk fees that make price comparisons impossible. When servicemembers and veterans were being tricked into paying interest rates that surged up to 200 percent on pawn loans, the CFPB beat back the predators. And when it became clear that some medical debt collector companies were double billing patients or even charging patients for services they never received, the agency stepped up to try to right those wrongs.\n\nNavient, one of the companies that doles out student loans, exploited students, lied to borrowers, overcharged service members, and conspired with fraudulent for-profit schools to trick students into taking on more loans they couldn\u2019t repay. In September, the CFPB delivered over $100 million in relief to Americans and permanently blocked Navient from the federal student loan system. Without the CFPB, Navient would probably still be cheating students.\n\nThe election made clear that working people want the government to unrig the economy. The CFPB is doing that work \u2014 and that\u2019s exactly why these billionaire CEOs don\u2019t want the agency around. When the CFPB stops a big bank from cheating you, that\u2019s one less chunk of change that goes into its pockets. These CEOs have made big political donations hoping to buy a Congress and a president who will \u201cdelete\u201d the agency.\n\nFor years, when big banks would say \u201cjump,\u201d too many politicians would ask, \u201cHow high?\u201d Trump promised change. He pledged to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent \u2014 it will take a strong CFPB to make that happen. He promised to rein in the influence of big tech \u2014 the CFPB is tackling that right now. He promised to make government work better for working people \u2014 the mission the CFPB delivers on every day.\n\nTrump\u2019s first big decision on the CFPB will be to settle on a director \u2014 someone who will help the CEOs try to destroy the agency or someone who will keep the CFPB true to its mission to unrig the system. Will Trump decide to stand up to giant corporations to help the workers who voted for him or will he cower to the corporate billionaires? We should know soon.\n\nElizabeth Warren is a US senator from Massachusetts who helped create the CFPB before she was elected to Congress.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-renews-fight-for-economic-growth-that-benefits-workers", "Warren Renews Fight for Economic Growth That Benefits Workers", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Renews Fight for Economic Growth That Benefits Workers\n\nBill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reintroduced the Accountable Capitalism Act to strengthen employee power and ensure America\u2019s largest corporations pursue growth in a way that helps workers and consumers as well as shareholders. The legislation would help reverse harmful trends from the last 40 years that have encouraged large corporations to focus on short-term gains for a small group CEOs and shareholders over broader stakeholder interests and the long-term health of the workforce and economy.\n\nAround 93% of American-held corporate shares are owned by just 10% of our nation\u2019s richest households, while more than 40% of American households hold no shares at all. This means that corporate America\u2019s commitment to \u201cmaximizing shareholder return\u201d is a commitment to making the rich even richer, while leaving workers and families behind.\n\nThe Accountable Capitalism Act would implement the following requirements:\n\nCorporations with more than $1 billion in annual revenue must obtain a federal charter as a \u201cUnited States corporation,\u201d obligating company directors to consider the interests of all corporate stakeholders, including employees and customers, in addition to shareholders.\n\nAny corporate political spending must be approved by at least 75% of a corporation\u2019s shareholders and 75% of its Board of Directors, ensuring political expenditures benefit all corporate stakeholders.\n\nAt least 40% of a company\u2019s Board of Directors must be selected by the corporation\u2019s employees.\n\nDirectors and officers of United States corporations are prohibited from selling company shares within five years of receiving them or within three years of a company stock buyback.\n\n\u201cWorkers are a major reason corporate profits are surging, but their salaries have barely moved while corporations' shareholders make out like bandits,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cWe need to stand up for working people and hold giant companies responsible for decisions that hurt workers and consumers while lining shareholders\u2019 pockets.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren first introduced the Accountable Capitalism Act in August 2018.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawmakers-blast-dr-oz-for-proposal-to-end-traditional-medicare-call-out-glaring-conflicts-of-interest", "Warren, Lawmakers Blast Dr. Oz for Proposal to End Traditional Medicare, Call Out Glaring Conflicts of Interest", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lawmakers Blast Dr. Oz for Proposal to End Traditional Medicare, Call Out Glaring Conflicts of Interest\n\nTrump Nominee to Run Medicare Would Endanger the Program\n\nOz\u2019s proposals would benefit his own investments into giant private health insurers.\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Dr. Mehmet Oz, President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s pick to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), raising stark concerns about his advocacy to eliminate Traditional Medicare and his deep financial ties to the private health insurers that would benefit from that move.\n\nIn June 2022, ahead of his campaign for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, Dr. Oz outlined his vision for the Medicare program, in which he advocated to eliminate Traditional Medicare and instead lean on private insurers that run Medicare Advantage, a private health care program that drastically overcharges for care. Non-partisan estimates project that these insurers overcharged CMS $88 billion in 2024 alone, especially through the practice of \u201cupcoding,\u201d in which private insurers exaggerate the health conditions of their enrollees on paper to secure higher payments from CMS \u2013 even if enrollees receive no treatment for those conditions.\n\nNotably, Dr. Oz has at least $550,000 invested in UnitedHealth Group, the largest private insurer in Medicare Advantage. Under Dr. Oz\u2019s plan, UnitedHealth Group\u2019s revenue from Medicare Advantage would roughly double to $274 billion annually \u2013 a glaring conflict of interest.\n\n\u201cAs CMS Administrator, you would be tasked with overseeing Medicare and ensuring that the tens of millions of seniors that rely on the program receive the care they deserve, including cracking down on abuses by private insurers in Medicare Advantage,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThe consequences of failure on your part would be grave. Billions of federal health care dollars \u2013 and millions of lives \u2013 are at stake.\u201d\n\n\u201cGiven your financial ties to private insurers, combined with your view that the traditional Medicare program is \u201chighly dysfunctional\u201d and your advocacy for eliminating it entirely, it is not clear that you are qualified for this critical job,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nSenator Warren is a leading voice on reining in abuses in Medicare Advantage and protecting patients:\n\nIn May 2024, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), responding to the agency\u2019s request for information (RFI) on Medicare Advantage (MA) data and raising concerns that CMS does not collect adequate data to determine when vertically integrated insurance companies in MA may be using anti-competitive tactics to raise health care costs and pocket extra profits.\n\nIn May 2024, at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Warren called out private insurers in Medicare Advantage for accelerating the rural hospital crisis.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Warren and Brown led their colleagues in a letter to HHS and CMS that urged the agencies to protect seniors by holding insurance companies accountable for abuses in Medicare Advantage.\n\nIn January 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent a letter to CMS, urging the agency to take administrative action to curb billions in overpayments to MA insurers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to the CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, raising concerns about shortfalls in CMS\u2019s data collection and reporting practices for MA plans, and urging CMS to close data gaps to strengthen oversight of MA plans and improve care for Medicare beneficiaries.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Warren, Cortez Masto, Cassidy, and Blackburn introduced bipartisan legislation to improve transparency of MA plans and ensure these plans are best serving the health care needs of America\u2019s seniors. The Encounter Data Enhancement Act would require Medicare Advantage plans to report important information about how much they are actually paying for patient services and how much patients are responsible for paying out-of-pocket.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Warren and Braun urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General to determine if vertically-integrated health care companies are hiking prescription drug costs, evading federal regulations.\n\nIn November 2023, at a Senate Finance Committee markup of the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act, Senator Warren highlighted the need to do more to prioritize hearing health for seniors and strengthen transparency in Medicare Advantage, and secured commitments from Senate Finance Committee leadership to prioritize these proposals in future packages.\n\nIn October 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren called out giant MA insurers for using deceptive marketing tactics to lure seniors into the wrong plans and drown out competition from smaller insurers that may offer better coverage. Senator Warren called on CMS to act within the fullest extent of its authority to crack down on MA insurers that game the system to overcharge the government and to ensure insurers publish accurate data on patient care and out-of-pocket costs.\n\nIn May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren highlighted the prevalence of ghost networks in Medicare Advantage plans and called for stronger oversight of the program.\n\nIn March 2023, Senator Warren sounded the alarm on a new analysis by policy experts showing that all Medicare beneficiaries \u2013 including those enrolled in Traditional Medicare \u2013 are paying higher premiums due to overpayments in MA. She sent a letter to CMS and called on the agency to finalize its proposed rule to ensure payments to MA plans accurately reflect the cost of care.\n\nIn March 2023, U.S. Senators Warren and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) sent letters to the top seven MA insurers \u2013 Humana, Centene, UnitedHealthcare, CVS/Aetna, Molina, Elevance Health, and Cigna \u2013 regarding their questionable claims that CMS\u2019s 2024 proposed Medicare Advantage payment rules would hurt beneficiaries.\n\nIn March 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren defended CMS\u2019s proposed adjustments to the Calendar Year 2024 MA payment rates, pushing back against giant insurance companies and their lobbyists who are peddling misinformation to protect their billions in profits and scare beneficiaries into opposing the rule.\n\nIn April 2022, Senator Warren and Representatives Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) led their colleagues in sending a letter to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure highlighting concerns about overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans that line the pockets of big insurance companies.\n\nIn February 2022, chairing a hearing of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth, Senator Warren delivered remarks about strengthening Medicare and cracking down on pharmaceutical and insurance companies\u2019 corporate greed to pay for expanded coverage.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-sanders-wyden-whitehouse-renew-push-to-protect-americans-sensitive-data-from-greedy-brokers", "Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Whitehouse Renew Push to Protect Americans\u2019 Sensitive Data From Greedy Brokers", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Whitehouse Renew Push to Protect Americans\u2019 Sensitive Data From Greedy Brokers\n\nLegislation would ban brokers from selling Americans\u2019 location and health data, rein in giant data brokers, and set some long overdue limits on the industry\n\nMillions of Americans' data is collected and sold by data brokers for massive profits\n\nBill Text | One-Pager\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) reintroduced the Health and Location Data Protection Act, legislation banning data brokers from selling Americans\u2019 sensitive personal information. Data gathered by brokers has been used to circumvent the Fourth Amendment, out LGBTQ+ Americans, and stalk and harass individuals. Recently, some brokers have been caught selling the cellphone-based location data of people visiting abortion clinics, risking the safety and security of women seeking basic health care.\n\nThe $200 billion industry is largely unregulated by federal law. Data brokers gather personal data, such as location data from weather or prayer apps, often without consumers\u2019 consent or knowledge. Brokers sell this data in bulk to virtually any willing buyer, reaping massive profits. These predatory and invasive practices pose real dangers to Americans\u2019 privacy and safety.\n\n\u201cData brokers are raking in giant profits from selling Americans\u2019 most private information \u2013 even location tracking data from visits to clinics for reproductive care,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cAs Republicans ramp up efforts to criminalize abortion, it\u2019s more important than ever to crack down on greedy data brokers and protect Americans\u2019 privacy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe ability to buy the information of women who visit abortion clinics and track them back to their homes is everything a repressive right-wing prosecutor could dream of,\u201d Senator Wyden said. \u201cThis isn\u2019t hypothetical either: far-right activists have already paid data brokers to target women who visit abortion clinics on their personal electronic devices with misinformation about their reproductive choices. It\u2019s high time for Congress to put privacy first and crack down on the shady data brokers who are selling sensitive personal data to make a quick buck.\u201d\n\n\u201cData hunters have no business collecting Americans\u2019 most sensitive information without their consent. I\u2019m pleased to join Senator Warren in reintroducing this timely bill safeguarding personal health and location data, particularly when women are looking over their shoulder as Republicans continue their attacks on abortion and other reproductive health care,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse.\n\nThe Health and Location Data Protection Act would:\n\nBan data brokers from selling or transferring health and location data and require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate rules to implement the law within 180 days, while making exceptions for HIPAA-compliant activities, protected First Amendment speech, and validly authorized disclosures.\n\nEnsure robust enforcement of the bill\u2019s provisions by empowering the FTC, state attorneys general, and injured persons to sue to enforce the provisions of the law.\n\nProvide $1 billion in funding to the Federal Trade Commission over the next decade to carry out its work, including the enforcement of this law.\n\nSenator Warren has used oversight and policy tools to protect the sensitive data of American consumers from Big Tech companies and data brokers:\n\nIn October 2024, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden, and Richard Blumenthal, along with Representative Katie Porter wrote to the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging the investigation and prosecution of major tax preparation companies for illegally sharing protected and sensitive taxpayer information with Big Tech firms.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden, and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Representative Katie Porter sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, among others, calling on them to investigate use and disclosures of legally protected and sensitive taxpayer information by tax prep companies.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren, Bill Cassidy, and Richard Blumenthal wrote to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) urging an assessment of the cybersecurity landscape leading up to, and after, the Change Healthcare cyberattack.\n\nIn April 2024, at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren pushed back on Big Tech\u2019s misleading claims that \u201cfree data flows\u201d provisions in trade agreements will help combat China\u2019s digital authoritarianism, when the opposite in fact is true.\n\nIn January 2024. at a hearing of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, on the national security risks posed by digital trade rules that allow tech companies to collect, sell, and store Americans\u2019 data wherever is cheapest, including China.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Warren, Ed Markey, John Kennedy, and Jeff Merkley joined their colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Traveler Privacy Protection Act, which would ban the use of facial recognition technology and the collection of facial biometric data by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in U.S. airports.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Warren and Bill Cassidy, M.D. released statements after Duke University published a report highlighting the detail, ease, and volume at which data brokers are selling the personal data of U.S. service members to web addresses located both in the United States and abroad.\n\nIn September 2023, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, expressing concerns about the implementation of the contract the Department of Defense (DoD) awarded to Leidos Partnership for Defense Health (Leidos) for the Military Health System (MHS) Genesis electronic health record system, after reports that the use of MHS Genesis may be contributing to delays in military recruiting, creating barriers to accessing benefits information, and invading the privacy of service members and military recruits.\n\nIn July 2023, Senators Warren and Lindsey Graham unveiled comprehensive legislation that would rein in Big Tech by establishing a new commission to regulate online platforms. The commission would have concurrent jurisdiction with FTC and DOJ, and would be responsible for overseeing and enforcing the new statutory provisions in the bill and implementing rules to promote competition, protect privacy, protect consumers, and strengthen our national security.\n\nIn July 2023, Senator Warren opened an investigation into a disturbing report on Google\u2019s confidential effort to secure exclusive access to millions of tissue samples held at the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) Joint Pathology Center (JPC).\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Warren, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced the Upholding Protections for Health and Online Location Data (UPHOLD) Privacy Act, legislation that would expand protections for Americans\u2019 personal health data by preventing companies from profiting off of personally identifiable health data for advertising purposes, allow consumers greater access to and ownership over their personal health information, restrict companies\u2019 ability to collect or use information about personal health without user consent, and ban data brokers from selling location data.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Warren, Cassidy, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced the Protecting Military Service Members\u2019 Data Act of 2023, a bipartisan bill that would protect the data of U.S. service members by preventing data brokers from selling lists of military personnel to adversarial nations including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. They first introduced the bill in May 2022.\n\nIn June 2022, Senators Warren, Cory Booker, and Ron Wyden sent letters to two leading mental health apps, expressing deep concerns about the companies\u2019 use of patients\u2019 personal health data.\n\nIn June 2022, Senators Warren, Wyden, Patty Murray, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Bernie Sanders introduced the Health and Location Data Protection Act, sweeping legislation that bans data brokers from selling some of the most sensitive data available about everyday Americans: their health and location data.\n\nIn May 2022, Senators Warren, Bill Cassidy, M.D., and Marco Rubio introduced the Protecting Military Service Members\u2019 Data Act of 2022 to protect the data of U.S. service members by preventing data brokers from selling lists of military personnel to adversarial nations including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.\n\nIn May 2022, Senator Warren led thirteen of her Senate colleagues in letters to two data brokers demanding answers regarding their collection and sale of the cellphone-based location data of people who visit abortion clinics such as Planned Parenthood.\n\nIn December 2021, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth, Senator Warren called on Congress and regulators to pass stronger antitrust laws, ban mergers involving huge companies, and encourage robust enforcement to protect the economy, consumers, workers, and data.\n\nIn March 2020, Senators Warren, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) sent a letter to Ascension, the second largest health systems provider in the United States, regarding the company's information-sharing partnership with Google-also known as Project Nightingale-that provides Google with the health records of tens of millions of Americans.\n\nIn November 2019, following alarming reports of Google\u2019s efforts to obtain the health records of millions of Americans without their awareness or consent, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, and Cassidy sent a bipartisan letter to Google demanding answers to the serious questions and concerns raised by \u201cProject Nightingale.\u201d\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-statement-on-federal-judge-blocking-kroger-albertsons-merger", "Warren Statement on Federal Judge Blocking Kroger-Albertsons Merger", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Statement on Federal Judge Blocking Kroger-Albertsons Merger\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in response to a federal judge blocking the $25 billion Kroger-Albertsons grocery merger, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cIf you shop at Kroger or Albertsons, the FTC just stopped your grocery prices from surging higher. Kroger has been jacking up your grocery bill already, and it would\u2019ve been even worse if it merged with Albertsons in the biggest supermarket merger in U.S. history. FTC Chair Lina Khan is showing what it looks like for the government to work for working people.\u201d\n\nSince Kroger and Albertsons proposed the merger, Senator Warren has expressed concerns about the deal. In October 2022, Senators Warren, Sanders, and Rep. Schakowsky wrote to the FTC urging the agency to reject the proposed merger, and in December 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to oppose the merger, regardless of the companies\u2019 ineffectual proposal to divest a limited number of stores.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-castro-casar-urge-military-to-improve-access-to-medical-debt-relief-for-civilian-patients", "Warren, Castro, Casar Urge Military to Improve Access to Medical Debt Relief for Civilian Patients", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Castro, Casar Urge Military to Improve Access to Medical Debt Relief for Civilian Patients\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned that the proposed rule inappropriately restricts DoD\u2019s authority to waive these fees (debts), as intended by Congress.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Greg Casar (D-Texas) wrote to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) urging it to strengthen the proposed Military Health System Modified Payment and Waiver Program (MHS MPWP) rule to limit costs for non-beneficiary civilians - people not covered by a military health care plan - who cannot afford to pay the high costs of treatment at a military hospital. The MHS MPWP establishes a sliding fee scale and \u201ccatastrophic fee waiver\u201d for patients not covered by military health care. The lawmakers urged DHA to amend the proposed rule to prioritize using DoD\u2019s authority to waive fees for patients and to require that financial relief options be provided to patients across services, including on invoices upon discharge. The lawmakers specifically want the agency to amend the rule to prioritize the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) debt waiver authority, expand debt relief options for civilians, and implement a less bureaucratic process for civilians seeking relief.\n\nCivilians often arrive at Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) incapacitated and in need of emergency, life-saving care. Uninsured or underinsured civilians are often taken to MTFs as the closest available option for emergency care and typically do not have any choice to seek more affordable care, leaving them at high risk of medical debt. Civilians treated at MTFs are routinely left with five figure bills and are stuck navigating a complicated debt relief process with often wrong or deceitful information about their right to seek relief.\n\nUnder a provision secured by Representative Castro in the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress expanded the military\u2019s authority to waive medical costs for any non-beneficiary civilian patients if their care helps train military medical providers, therefore increasing the medical readiness of the military. This came after a report by the Government Accountability Office found that DoD and DHA rarely used its authority to waive civilian medical debt, billing over 60,000 civilian patients between 2016 and 2021 and only reducing 0.1 percent of the debt in eligible cases.\n\nAdditionally, the lawmakers argued simply waiving these fees is more time and cost-effective than pursuing repayment from patients. When patients are unable to pay the exorbitant medical bills for getting treatment at an MTF, DHA is required to send bills delinquent by more than 180 days to collections. However, on average each year, the Treasury Department only recovers 1 percent of the delinquent debts DHA sends it. The lawmakers also pushed the agencies to suspend collections of any debt while any application is pending for the MPWP and to temporarily continue suspending debts while the rule is first implemented.\n\nThe lawmakers pushed for broader relief that aligns with several states that provide medical debt relief to low-income individuals such as Washington, Vermont, and Illinois, by providing free care for patients with income at or below the 300% federal poverty line and reduced fees for patients whose income is up to 600% FPL. Additionally, when it comes to making payments, DHA should move toward a less bureaucratic process, similar to states like Massachusetts, California, and Oregon, which have simpler processes to assess the ability of patients to pay or limit sending bills to collections for certain low-income patients or patients in the process of seeking relief.\n\nLastly, to prevent further debt burden for patients, the lawmakers urged DHA to stop counting patients\u2019 medical debt as taxable income, which could result in patients still having to pay an increase in taxes they cannot afford. DoD should work with the IRS to waive the debt under the \u201cgeneral welfare exclusion\u201d so patients do not have to pay these harmful additional costs.\n\nDHA accepted public comments on this rule until December 2, 2024. Once finalized, the rule will apply to non-beneficiary patients who received medical care provided on or after June 21, 2023.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-slams-inhaler-manufacturer-gsk-for-its-billion-dollar-drug-price-gouging-scheme-harming-millions-of-children", "Warren Slams Inhaler Manufacturer GSK for its Billion Dollar Drug Price-Gouging Scheme, Harming Millions of Children", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Slams Inhaler Manufacturer GSK for its Billion Dollar Drug Price-Gouging Scheme, Harming Millions of Children\n\nGSK withdrew its brand-name inhaler Flovent from the market, replacing it with an \u201cauthorized generic\u201d that is four times more expensive\n\nGSK\u2019s abusive tactics will cost state Medicaid programs nearly $1 billion this year\n\n\u201cPatients, providers, and taxpayers deserve answers for your unconscionable profiteering\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) a follow-up letter on its decision to discontinue Flovent HFA, the go-to inhaler for children, and replace it with an authorized generic version of the drug. This comes after new research from John Hopkins University revealed that GSK\u2019s pricing scheme was costing patients, taxpayers, and state Medicaid programs.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren sent GSK a letter raising concerns about its decision to discontinue Flovent HFA and replace it with a more costly authorized generic version of the drug. The decision appeared to be driven by a loophole that GSK began abusing after Congress lifted the Medicaid rebate cap, forcing manufacturers to increase rebate payments back to the Medicaid program. GSK\u2019s response failed to answer the majority of Senator Warren\u2019s questions regarding pricing decisions for the authorized generic inhaler, which is manufactured by Prasco. Though GSK provided pricing information for Flovent HFA\u2019s net price after rebates and discounts, the company claimed it was impossible for it to provide comparable information for the \u201cauthorized generic.\u201d\n\nIn a new report, researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that GSK\u2019s decision to remove the inhaler will cost state Medicaid programs nearly $1 billion in 2024. By discontinuing Flovent HFA and peddling its own authorized generic, which it claims is cheaper for patients, the company will charge higher prices - and refund less in rebates. GSK will avoid $367.6 million in rebate payments to Medicaid and instead charge Medicaid over $551.8 million in 2024.\n\nIn addition, many health insurers have chosen not to cover the authorized generic version of the drug because of its cost. Doctors have scrambled to shift their patients over to the only other viable alternative for children with asthma, Asmanex, which has experienced shortages as demand surges. This crisis has left millions of children without reliable access to life-saving medication, straining families and healthcare providers.\n\n\u201cCongress passed new laws to make drugs cheaper for patients and taxpayers,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cBut GSK figured out a loophole - and is instead charging four times as much for the same drug. This is outrageous behavior with real public health consequences.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has requested a complete response to the follow-up questions by no later than December 18, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to use every tool available to the government to lower drug prices and fight anticompetitive business practices in the health care industry:\n\nIn October 2024, wrote to Chair Lina Khan of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging the FTC to closely scrutinize two proposed deals in the oncology market and block them if they violate antitrust law.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the FTC to closely scrutinize the Novo Nordisk-Catalent merger and to block it if it violated antitrust law.\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra asking him to lower the cost of vital weight-loss drugs by using the agency\u2019s existing legal authority to issue generic licenses for semaglutide, a prescription drug sold under the names Ozempic and Wegovy.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo reiterating their agencies\u2019 clear legal authority to use \u201cmarch-in\u201d rights under the Bayh-Dole Act to lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent letters to eight pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily de-list over 100 patents that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined may be improperly or inaccurately listed in the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA\u2019s) Orange Book, which would open opportunity for more competition and lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, and Under Secretary Laurie Locascio, highlighting the lawmakers\u2019 new review of public comments on the agency\u2019s Draft Interagency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights and urged them to strengthen and finalize the guidance.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Chamber of Commerce expressing concern and demanding an explanation for the organization\u2019s opposition to the Biden administration\u2019s proposal to boost competition and lower drug prices for American families and businesses by allowing agencies to consider price when deciding to exercise their \u201cmarch-in rights\u201d under the Bayh-Dole Act.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the leadership of Novo Nordisk (Novo), slamming the company for its decision to discontinue production of Levemir (detemir) insulin, one of only three long-acting insulins on the market, and asked the company to commit to continue producing Levemir until a biosimilar is made available.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter in response to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) discontinuing the brand-name version of Flovent HFA, the go-to inhaler for children, blasting the company for its price-gouging strategy that may cause millions of children to lose access to one of the few drugs that is appropriate to treat their asthma and allergies.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) led 75 lawmakers in sending a letter to the Biden administration in support of strengthening and finalizing its draft guidance to protect taxpayers and reduce prescription drug prices. The lawmakers submitted a public comment supporting the \u201cInteragency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights\u201d and calling for changes to ensure increased transparency, oversight, and accessibility of medical products invented through taxpayer-funded research and development.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal announced that three drug manufacturers pulled their sham patents after warnings and urged the FDA to continue fighting against Big Pharma\u2019s patent abuse.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Newsweek commending the Biden administration\u2019s announcement that price can be considered in the government\u2019s decision to march-in on a drug, effectively lowering drug costs, and calling on Americans to fight back against an industry that has been taking advantage of them for decades.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren issued a statement after the Biden administration announced it would issue guidance to federal agencies that would allow the government to seize patents of certain expensive drugs developed with taxpayer support to create more competition and lower prices.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent letters to the CEOs of 8 pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily remove sham patent claims improperly included in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book and end their unlawful practices that delay competition and drive-up costs for patients and taxpayers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, legislation that would radically reduce drug prices through public manufacturing of prescription drugs.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the FTC to issue a policy statement about the improper listing of drug-related patents in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf, urging him to close loopholes that pharmaceutical companies have exploited to block generics from entering the market, keeping drug prices high and maximizing profits.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawmakers-seek-to-protect-victims-from-billionaires-exploiting-the-bankruptcy-system", "Warren, Lawmakers Seek to Protect Victims from Billionaires Exploiting the Bankruptcy System", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lawmakers Seek to Protect Victims from Billionaires Exploiting the Bankruptcy System\n\nFollowing the Supreme Court\u2019s decision clearing the way for opioid victims to hold Sackler family accountable, lawmakers reintroduce bill to stop companies from using bankruptcy to escape accountability for hurting consumers, workers, and families\n\nBill Text (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) reintroduced the Nondebtor Release Prohibition Act to explicitly prohibit the use of non-consensual, non-debtor releases in bankruptcy. This legislation would protect consumers, workers, and families from companies and individuals attempting to exploit the bankruptcy system to evade accountability to victims.\n\nThe bankruptcy system is designed to give debtors, or individuals or corporations struggling financially, a fresh start. In exchange for receiving the protections of bankruptcy, debtors must disclose details about their finances to the bankruptcy court. But in some cases, non-debtor, or third-party, billionaires and corporations who have not themselves filed for bankruptcy attempt to obtain the protections of bankruptcy, including releases from future liability, even without the consent of victims who would be bound by the releases. This behavior can leave victims of bankrupt corporations, including victims of the opioid epidemic or widespread sexual assault scandals, without a pathway to justice. The Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, attempted to use this mechanism to protect themselves from lawsuits related to the opioid crisis. The Nondebtor Release Prohibition Act would curb that abuse of our bankruptcy system by prohibiting liability releases for non-debtors unless victims affirmatively consent.\n\nIn June 2024, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma that the use of non-debtor releases without the consent of claimants is illegal under bankruptcy law. This bill would codify that decision, and goes further by:\n\nDefining what constitutes consent by claimants to prevent companies from using deceptive or extortionary tactics to extract consent;\n\nForcing the dismissal of any Chapter 11 bankruptcy where a company has split their assets and liabilities into separate companies, known as the Texas Two-Step, in the 10 years leading up to the bankruptcy filing; and\n\nSeverely restricting bankruptcy courts\u2019 ability to slow or limit lawsuits against a non-debtor even if that litigation impairs a corporate debtor\u2019s ability to reorganize.\n\n\u201cBillionaires and corporations should not be able to use our bankruptcy system to escape accountability for serious allegations, including medical malpractice, sexual abuse, or national public health crises like the opioid epidemic,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cOur bankruptcy system is meant to grant struggling individuals and companies a fresh start, and this bill will protect our bankruptcy system and victims from abuse.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years, bad actors exploited the bankruptcy system to evade accountability for egregious wrongdoing\u2014like igniting America\u2019s opioid crisis. While the Supreme Court narrowed this loophole earlier this year, it\u2019s up to Congress to close it once and for all,\u201d Senator Durbin said. \u201cThe Nondebtor Release Prohibition Act will ensure that non-debtor releases are not weaponized against victims seeking accountability.\u201d\n\n\u201cCurrent bankruptcy law is unjust and unacceptable\u2014allowing individuals and entities to use bankruptcy proceedings as a means to evade justice. For too long, bad actors\u2014including the Sackler family, USA Gymnastics, and Boy Scouts of America\u2014 have taken advantage of this glaring loophole to escape accountability for serious wrongdoings. Commonsense legislation, like the Non-Debtor Release Prohibition Act, is desperately needed to put an end to special treatment and stop this abuse of justice,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal.\n\nSenator Warren and Representative Nadler first introduced this bill in July 2021.\n\nRepresentative Nadler reintroduced this bill in the 118th Congress in July 2024 with the following Representatives as co-sponsors: Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Henry \u201cHank\u201d Johnson (D-Ga.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schmitt-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-encourage-resiliency-competition-in-dod-procurement-of-ai-cloud-computing-tools", "Warren, Schmitt Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Encourage Resiliency, Competition in DoD Procurement of AI, Cloud Computing Tools", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schmitt Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Encourage Resiliency, Competition in DoD Procurement of AI, Cloud Computing Tools\n\nNew bill offers meaningful guardrails to promote competition, protect national security\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) introduced the bipartisan Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD)\u2019s procurement of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing tools prioritizes resiliency and competition. The bill offers meaningful regulation to limit Big Tech monopolies from elbowing out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets.\n\nGovernment contracts play a powerful role in shaping markets. DoD has already awarded $9 billion in contracts to Google, Oracle, Microsoft, and Amazon to build its cloud computing network, and has requested an additional $1.8 billion for AI programs for fiscal year 2025. The Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act will ensure that DoD\u2019s new contracts protect competition in the AI and cloud computing markets, instead of giving an unfair advantage to a few big players. The bill also encourages DoD to consider cloud computing services from multiple providers so the agency isn\u2019t locked in by a single tech company, which also limits national security risk.\n\nSpecifically, the bill would:\n\nRequire DoD \u2014 when contracting with cloud, foundation model, or data infrastructure providers that enter into contracts of $50 million or more with DoD annually \u2014 to administer a competitive award process, ensure that the government maintains exclusive rights to access and use of all government data, and consider multi-cloud technology where feasible and advantageous.\n\nRequire DoD\u2019s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) to ensure that government data provided for the purpose of development and operation of AI products to DoD will not be disclosed or used without DoD authorization, and such government data, if stored on vendor systems, is appropriately protected from other data.\n\nRequire DoD to publish a report every four years on competition, innovation, barriers to entry, and market power concentration in the AI sector, with recommendations for legislative and administrative action.\n\n\u201cRight now, all of our eggs are in one giant Silicon Valley basket. That doesn\u2019t only stifle innovation, but it\u2019s more expensive and it seriously increases our security risks,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cOur new bill will make sure that as the Department of Defense keeps expanding its use of AI and cloud computing tools, it\u2019s making good deals that will keep our information secure and our government resilient.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to work with Senator Warren on the \u2018Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act of 2024\u2019, which will encourage resiliency, interoperability, and innovation,\u201d said Senator Schmitt. \u201cCompetition and innovation are critical drivers of the Department of Defense\u2019s ability to maintain its strategic advantage, ensuring that defense contractors, technology developers, and internal DoD teams are constantly striving to deliver cutting-edge solutions in an increasingly complex and dynamic global security environment.\u201d\n\nThe Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act is endorsed by the American Association of People with Disabilities, Economic Securities Project Action, Encode Justice, and the Open Markets Institute.\n\n\u201cIt is imperative that we act swiftly to harness the potential of AI to spur innovation, rather than allowing the industry to entrench their narrow interests. Senator Warren\u2019s Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act is common-sense legislation that encourages dynamism and resiliency in our country\u2019s cloud computing infrastructure. The Department of Defense has itself identified that consolidation in parts of the private defense industry poses a threat to national security; this legislation would leverage the government\u2019s procurement power to mitigate consolidation and encourage competition in the broader digital economy,\u201d said Taylor Jo Isenberg, Executive Director of Economic Security Project Action.\n\n\u201cThe Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act will strengthen America's resilient defense technology ecosystem through rigorous procurement standards. This legislation establishes essential safeguards for government data while ensuring the Department of Defense can leverage competitive markets to advance our national security capabilities,\u201d said Sunny Gandhi, VP of Political Affairs at Encode Justice.\n\n\"Without reform to the federal tech procurement process, the Department of Defense is likely to fall victim to and further entrench the concentrated power of the tech industry,\" said Ramsay Eyre, a senior policy analyst at the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator. \"Policies like the ones in this bill will promote competition in AI and cloud computing through DoD's procurement power.\"\n\nSenator Warren has been a leader in the fight to rein in Big Tech and strengthen antitrust enforcement to boost competition in the tech industry:\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren wrote to Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Jonathan Kanter in support of the DOJ\u2019s ongoing probe into Nvidia\u2019s potentially anticompetitive behavior.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren wrote to Tesla\u2019s Board of Directors with concerns over CEO Elon Musk\u2019s continued conflicts of interest and misappropriation of company resources, and the Board\u2019s failure to hold him accountable.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) wrote a letter to OpenAI, seeking answers about how the company handles whistleblowers and safety reviews after former employees complained that internal criticism is often stifled.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren delivered the keynote address at RemedyFest, where she called out Big Tech for their anti-competitive tactics that have led to market consolidation and record profits.\n\nIn January 2024, at a hearing of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Senator Warren questioned Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, on the national security risks posed by digital trade rules that allow tech companies to collect, sell, and store Americans\u2019 data wherever is cheapest, including China.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), along with U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to continue to reject any trade or policy proposals from Big Tech that would deem the European Union\u2019s Digital Markets Act (DMA) to be discriminatory or an illegal trade barrier, in order to protect the administration\u2019s shared pro-competition priorities with its European allies.\n\nIn November 2023, Senator Warren and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), led 10 lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, commending his administration\u2019s actions countering Big Tech\u2019s influence in trade negotiations, and asking him to replace \u201cdigital trade\u201d provisions lobbied for by Big Tech in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) negotiations with new language to ensure regulatory agencies and Congress are able to counter Big Tech abuses and develop a new model for digital rules in trade agreements that promotes competition and protects workers, consumers, and small businesses.\n\nIn July 2023, Senators Warren and Graham introduced the Bipartisan Digital Consumer Protection Commission Act which would rein in Big Tech by establishing a new commission to regulate online platforms. The commission would have concurrent jurisdiction with FTC and DOJ, and would be responsible for enforcing the new statutory provisions in the bill and implementing rules to promote competition, protect privacy, protect consumers, and strengthen our national security.\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Warren released a 22-page investigative report: Big Tech\u2019s Big Con: Rigging Digital Trade Rules to Block Antitrust Regulation. The investigation, based on a review of previously undisclosed emails, reveals that Big Tech is using its revolving door hires to gain backdoor access to key United States Trade Representative and Commerce Department officials, undermining the Biden Administration\u2019s promises to end rigged trade deals and protect workers, consumers, and the environment.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo underscoring the dangers of Big Tech\u2019s digital trade agenda, following up on a letter the lawmakers sent to Secretary Raimondo in July 2022 requesting additional information about the revolving door between Commerce and Big Tech and its potential impact on global digital trade rules.\n\nIn July 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo raising questions about the revolving door between the Department of Commerce and Big Tech companies, and its potential impact on global digital trade rules.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-warner-shaheen-renew-push-to-hold-equifax-other-credit-reporting-companies-accountable-for-data-breaches", "Warren, Warner, Shaheen Renew Push to Hold Equifax, Other Credit Reporting Companies Accountable for Data Breaches", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Warner, Shaheen Renew Push to Hold Equifax, Other Credit Reporting Companies Accountable for Data Breaches\n\nUnder this legislation, Equifax would have paid at least $1.5 billion in penalties for 2017 data breach\n\nBill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mark Warner (D-Conn.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), along with Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), reintroduced the Data Breach Prevention and Compensation Act, to hold credit reporting agencies accountable for data breaches involving consumer data.\n\nThe 2017 Equifax hack revealed that Credit Reporting Companies (CRCs) collect enormous amounts of sensitive data\u2014including Social Security numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers, and driver\u2019s license numbers\u2014from over 145 million Americans. They collect this data in order to profit off of its aggregation, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Cybersecurity experts found that this consumer data lacked proper safeguards against hackers. Seven years after that massive data breach, in 2024, consumers are still inadequately protected.\n\nThe Data Breach Prevention and Compensation Act gives the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stronger authority over data security at CRCs, imposes strict financial penalties for failing to protect consumer data, and automatically compensates customers for stolen data. This bill would:\n\nImpose strict penalties for breaches involving consumer data at credit reporting agencies. Penalties begin at $100 for each customer who had one piece of personal identifying information compromised, with an additional $50 for each additional piece of information compromised per consumer.\n\nEnsure robust recovery for affected consumers by requiring the FTC to use 50% of penalties collected to compensate consumers.\n\nEstablish an Office of Cybersecurity at the FTC that is tasked with annual inspections and supervision of cybersecurity at CRCs. The FTC will report to Congress on areas where it needs to enhance the agency\u2019s authorities to fully address cyber-theft.\n\nIncreases penalties for cases of inadequate cybersecurity or failure to notify an agency of a breach. Doubles the automatic per-consumer penalties and increases the maximum penalty for cases where a CRC fails to follow the data security standards or fails to notify the FTC of a data security breach.\n\n\u201cCredit reporting companies like Equifax shouldn\u2019t be able to put millions of Americans at risk of identity theft and avoid real accountability,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis bill ensures credit reporting companies take the proper precautions with consumer data.\u201d\n\n\u201cMore than half of American adults have had to grapple with the consequences of data breaches resulting from credit reporting agencies mishandling and failing to protect consumer data. By imposing strict penalties to hold companies accountable while facilitating compensation for affected Americans, our bicameral legislation will help prevent the abuses and negligence which could allow the next consumer data breach,\u201d said Congressman Krishnamoorthi.\n\n\u201cI have been sounding the alarm for years about the importance of protecting individuals' private and sensitive information, but all too often, our data gets into the wrong hands \u2013 without our knowledge or consent. I\u2019m proud to introduce this legislation to hold companies like Equifax accountable for securing data that's central to Americans' identity management and access to credit,\" said Senator Warner.\n\nThe following organizations co-sponsored the bill: National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), Americans for Financial Reform, U.S. PIRG, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).\n\n\"This bill improves data security for the credit bureaus, to prevent breaches like the terrible one at Equifax in 2017. It also imposes real and meaningful penalties when credit bureaus, entrusted with our most sensitive financial information, break that trust. I commend Senator Warren for introducing it, and for her persistence on this important issue.\" - Chi Chi Wu, Senior Attorney, National Consumer Law Center\n\n\"Credit reporting agencies hold people's most sensitive information and we've already seen terrible examples of what can go wrong. This legislation provides powerful tools to incentivize robust data protection and hold companies accountable for data breaches and identity theft.\" - Christine Chen Zinner, Senior Policy Counsel, Americans for Financial Reform\n\n\u201cThe steady increase in data breaches in recent years has made clear the need for stricter oversight of businesses\u2019 data security practices, and Senator Warren\u2019s bill does just that. Companies handling Americans\u2019 most sensitive personal data must do all they can to protect it, and there should be penalties if they fail to do so. The Data Breach Prevention and Compensation Act is a common-sense measure that will protect consumers from harmful data breaches.\u201d - Caitriona Fitzgerald, Deputy Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)\n\n\u201cGiven the sensitive information credit reporting agencies have collected about us without our consent, they should do everything possible to properly safeguard our data from breaches, identity theft, and scams. The Data Breach Prevention and Compensation Act would provide the necessary oversight and financial penalties to ensure that credit bureaus take data protection seriously.\u201d - Mike Litt, U.S. PIRG Consumer Campaign Director.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-warren-statement-on-trump-nominating-billy-long-as-irs-commissioner", "Senator Warren Statement on Trump Nominating Billy Long as IRS Commissioner", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senator Warren Statement on Trump Nominating Billy Long as IRS Commissioner\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in response to the news that President-elect Donald Trump has named Billy Long to serve as Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) Commissioner, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the incoming top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement:\n\n\u201cBilly Long\u2019s nomination to lead the I.R.S is bad news for middle-class taxpayers and a win for ultra-wealthy tax cheats. He has zero relevant experience for this critical management role and this pick \u2014 along with the unprecedented firing of the current commissioner \u2014 should set off alarm bells about the weaponization of the tax agency. If he\u2019s confirmed, taxpayers can expect longer wait times for customer service, a more complicated process to file taxes, and free rein for the rich and powerful to continue rigging the system at the expense of everyone else.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-warren-statement-on-trump-nominating-paul-atkins-as-sec-chair", "Senator Warren Statement on Trump Nominating Paul Atkins as SEC Chair", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senator Warren Statement on Trump Nominating Paul Atkins as SEC Chair\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in response to the news that President-elect Donald Trump has named Paul Atkins to serve as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the incoming top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement:\n\n\u201cThe U.S. stock market is the envy of the world precisely because the SEC promotes safe and transparent markets that protect investors from getting cheated, so I\u2019m concerned about putting at the helm of the SEC a Wall Street lobbyist whose main contribution during the last financial crisis was to protest fines against the giant corporations that defrauded investors. I look forward to meeting with Paul Atkins to ask about his potential conflicts of interest and his commitment to serving the American people.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-bennet-khanna-jayapal-reintroduce-cbo-fair-scoring-act", "Warren, Bennet, Khanna, Jayapal Reintroduce CBO FAIR Scoring Act", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Bennet, Khanna, Jayapal Reintroduce CBO FAIR Scoring Act\n\nWould allow legislators to formally consider the impacts of bills on people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and design policies that more effectively advance racial and economic equity.\n\nBill Text | One-Pager\n\nWashington, D.C. - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) along with Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) reintroduced the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Fiscal Analysis by Income and Race (FAIR) Scoring Act. This legislation seeks to provide policymakers with standardized data about the real-world effects of their policies across race and income groups.\n\nThe CBO is required by law to produce a formal cost estimate \u2013 describing how a legislative proposal would affect the federal budget over a 10-year window \u2013 for nearly every bill that is approved by a full committee in the House or Senate. While these cost estimates provide insight into the fiscal impact of proposed legislation, lawmakers have limited information about the distributional impacts across racial and income groups. The lack of reliable information about the potential socioeconomic effects of legislation inhibits the understanding of how policies are impacting income gaps and racial disparities, including if the policies are making the disparities worse or improving them. It also undermines lawmakers\u2019 ability to design effective policies that address racial and income inequality and support vulnerable communities.\n\n\u201cWe must do more to close the wealth gap in America that continues to widen across race and income,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis bill is a first step towards that end by providing lawmakers with the data they need to make informed decisions to advance racial and economic justice in future legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur country suffers from enormous income and wealth inequality, and too often legislation fails to account for how policy changes affect all Americans,\u201d said Senator Bennet. \u201cThe FAIR Scoring Act will ensure there is objective, non-partisan information on how the effects of legislation will be distributed by income and race to better inform lawmakers and the American people.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs wealth inequality becomes one of the greatest challenges facing the US today, I am proud to partner with Sen. Warren (D-MA) on the FAIR Scoring Act. Our bill standardizes the legislative scoring system and ensures that legislators consider a bill\u2019s impact on various socioeconomic groups. It is an important step to promoting strong, equitable, growth in the 21st century economy,\u201d said Rep. Ro Khanna\n\n\u201cWhen legislation is proposed, it is critical that we know all of the impacts of it, including on people who have been disadvantaged as a result of years of damaging policies,\u201d said Representative Jayapal. \u201cWhile the CBO currently scores the financial impacts, that leaves major question marks around what communities are affected. I\u2019m proud to co-lead this legislation that will help to ensure racial, gender, and economic justice is considered in introduced bills before they become law.\u201d\n\nThe CBO FAIR Scoring Act would:\n\nRequire the CBO to estimate the distributional impacts by race and income \u2013 in dollar terms and as a percent change in after-tax-and-transfer-income \u2013 for bills that have a gross budgetary effect of at least 0.1% of GDP in any fiscal year within the 10-year budget window;\n\nRequire the CBO to provide such scores to relevant congressional committees before the bills are reported to the floor, to the extent possible;\n\nRequire the CBO to prepare a report describing possible methods for conducting distributional analyses by gender to strengthen CBO\u2019s capacity to conduct analyses of the interaction between race and gender.\n\nThe CBO FAIR Scoring Act has been endorsed by The Washington Center for Equitable Growth, Our Revolution, Indivisible, Coalition on Human Needs.\n\nSenator Warren has long been an advocate for advancing racial and economic equity:\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Maxine Waters reintroduced the Federal Reserve Racial and Economic Equity Act to require the Federal Reserve to use its existing authorities to close racial employment and wage gaps and report on how the gaps change over time.\n\nIn August 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bennet and Representatives Ro Khanna and Dean Phillips announced that they will introduce the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Fiscal Analysis by Income and Race (FAIR) Scoring Act.\n\nIn February 2021, Senator Warren questioned Xavier Becerra, the nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), on his commitment to address structural racism in our health systems and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Attorney General Becerra committed to improve data collection for COVID-19 vaccine distribution.\n\nIn February 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Ayanna Pressley, Barbara Lee, Robin Kelly, and Karen Bass reintroduced the bicameral Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act.\n\nIn January 2021, Senators Warren, Cory Booker and Ron Wyden sent a letter to Janet Woodcock, Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urging the FDA to quickly conduct a review of the accuracy of pulse oximeters -- devices used to monitor blood oxygen levels -- across racially diverse patients and consumers.\n\nIn December 2020, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley sent a letter to Gene L. Dodaro, U.S. Comptroller General, requesting a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on how COVID-19 relief funds have been distributed to disproportionately affected communities.\n\nIn April 2020, Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the bicameral Equitable Data Collection and Disclosure on COVID-19 Act, which would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collect and report racial and other demographic data on COVID-19 testing, treatment, and fatality rates.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-if-labor-nominee-chavez-deremer-commits-to-strengthening-unions-shes-a-strong-candidate-for-the-job", "Warren: If Labor Nominee Chavez-DeRemer Commits to Strengthening Unions, She\u2019s a \u201cStrong Candidate For The Job\u201d", "2024-12-03", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren: If Labor Nominee Chavez-DeRemer Commits to Strengthening Unions, She\u2019s a \u201cStrong Candidate For The Job\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in response to the news that President-elect Donald Trump has named Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cI plan to hold President-elect Trump\u2019s feet to the fire for working people, and I look forward to hearing more from Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer. It\u2019s a big deal that one of the few Republican lawmakers who have endorsed the PRO Act could lead the Department of Labor.\"\n\n\u201cIf Chavez-DeRemer commits as labor secretary to strengthen labor unions and promote worker power, she\u2019s a strong candidate for the job. But this nomination is an early test: will Trump stand strong with workers or bow down to his corporate donors and the Republican establishment\u2019s opposition? And if Republican Senators block Trump\u2019s labor nominee for standing with unions, it will show that the party\u2019s support for workers is all talk.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-urge-biden-administration-to-prevent-military-use-against-americans", "Warren, Blumenthal Urge Biden Administration to Prevent Military Use Against Americans", "2024-12-02", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Blumenthal Urge Biden Administration to Prevent Military Use Against Americans\n\n\u201cIt is antithetical to what those in uniform have sworn to protect and defend, and a serious threat to our democratic system\u2019 to weaponize the military to advance the president\u2019s political interests\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, urging them to issue a policy directive prohibiting the mobilization of active duty military or federalizing National Guard personnel to be deployed against Americans unless specifically authorized.\n\nThis comes after President-elect Trump recently indicated that he could invoke the Insurrection Act \u201con his first day in office.\u201d He has called his political opponents \u201cthe enemy from within\u201d and said they \u201cshould be very easily handled by \u2014 if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.\u201d When asked to clarify these remarks in late October, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance reiterated that President-elect Trump would use force against Americans.\n\nThe senators asked for the directive to state the Insurrection Act should be narrowly applied and that the President must consult with Congress to the maximum extent practicable. The senators also point out the urgent need for this policy directive given questions raised by the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s Trump v. United States decision, which significantly expanded presidential immunity for official acts.\n\n\u201cGiven the disagreement amongst scholars on the serious implications of the recent Supreme Court decision, it is reasonable to assume that service members, other DoD personnel, and the broader military community may not be aware of or fully understand their rights and responsibilities,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cIf unaddressed, any ambiguity on the lawful use of military force, coupled with President-elect Trump\u2019s demonstrated intent to utilize the military in such dangerous and unprecedented ways, may prove to be devastating.\u201d\n\nSpecifically, the senators are urging President Biden to issue a policy directive that includes that:\n\nThe narrow application of the Insurrection Act should be limited to instances when State or local authorities are so overwhelmed and that the chief executive of the State requests assistance or attacks against the U.S. government overwhelm State or local authorities;\n\nIn instances when federal forces are necessary to protect or prevent violations of individuals\u2019 civil liberties, federal forces should only be authorized when state, local, or federal civilian law enforcement personnel are unable, fail, or refuse to protect their rights;\n\nAny armed forces employed must operate under the Standing Rules for the Use of Force and cannot violate the writ of habeas corpus, federal law, or where applicable, federal or state law;\n\nThe President must consult with Congress to the maximum extent practicable before exercising this authority, as well as transmit to the Federal Register the legal authorities.\n\n\u201cAs many of us wrote previously, \u2018it is antithetical to what those in uniform have sworn to protect and defend, and a serious threat to our democratic system\u2019 to weaponize the military to advance the president\u2019s political interests,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-op-ed-in-time-the-plan-to-fight-back", "Warren Op-Ed in TIME: The Plan to Fight Back", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Op-Ed in TIME: The Plan to Fight Back\n\n\u201cAmericans do not want a country where political parties each field their own team of billionaires who then squabble over how to divvy up the spoils of government.\u201d\n\n\u201c(I)f Democrats want to earn back the trust of working people and govern again, we need to convince voters we can\u2014and will\u2014unrig the economy.\u201d\n\nOp-Ed in TIME Magazine\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) published an op-ed in TIME Magazine laying out what Democrats must learn from President-elect Trump\u2019s win and how we can fight back to earn the trust of Americans.\n\nRead the full op-ed here and below:\n\nTIME Magazine \u2013 Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Here's the Plan to Fight Back\n\nNovember 7, 2024\n\nTo everyone who feels like their heart has been ripped out of their chest, I feel the same. To everyone who is afraid of what happens next, I share your fears. But what we do next is important, and I need you in this fight with me.\n\nAs we confront a second Donald Trump presidency, we have two tasks ahead. First, try to learn from what happened. And then, make a plan.\n\nMany political experts and D.C. insiders are already blaming President Joe Biden\u2019s economic agenda for Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019 loss. This does not stand up to scrutiny. Even though the Biden economy produced strong economic growth while reining in inflation, incumbent parties across the globe have been tossed out by voters after the pandemic. American voters also showed support for Democratic economic policies, for example, approving ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage in Alaska and to guarantee paid sick leave in Missouri.\n\nBut good economic policies do not erase painful underlying truths about our country. For my entire career, I\u2019ve studied how the system is rigged against working-class families. On paper, the U.S. economy is the strongest in the world. But working families are struggling with big expenses like the cost of housing, health care, and childcare. Giant corporations get tax breaks and favorable rules while workers are gouged by higher prices. Billionaires pay paltry taxes on their wealth while families can\u2019t afford to buy their first homes.\n\nAmericans do not want a country where political parties each field their own team of billionaires who then squabble over how to divvy up the spoils of government. Vice President Harris deserves credit for running an inspiring campaign under unprecedented circumstances. But if Democrats want to earn back the trust of working people and govern again, we need to convince voters we can\u2014and will\u2014unrig the economy.\n\nWhat comes next? Trump won the election, but more than 67 million people voted for Democrats and they don\u2019t expect us to roll over and play dead. We will have a peaceful transition of power, followed by a vigorous challenge from the party out of power, because that\u2019s how democracy works. Here\u2019s a path forward.\n\nFirst, fight every fight in Congress.\n\nWe won\u2019t always win, but we can slow or sometimes limit Trump\u2019s destruction. With every fight, we can build political power to put more checks on his administration and build the foundation for future wins. Remember that during the first Trump term, mass mobilization\u2014including some of the largest peaceful protests in world history\u2014was the battery that charged the resistance. There is power in solidarity, and we can\u2019t win if we don\u2019t get in the fight.\n\nDuring the Trump years, Congress stepped up its oversight of his unprecedented corruption and abuses of power. In the Senate, Democrats gave no quarter to radical Trump nominees; we asked tough questions and held the Senate floor for hours to slow down confirmation and expose Republican extremism. These tactics doomed some nominations entirely, laid the groundwork for other cabinet officials to later resign in disgrace, and brought scrutiny that somewhat constrained Trump\u2019s efforts.\n\nWhen all this work came together, we won some of the toughest fights. Remember Republicans\u2019 attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act? Democrats did not have the votes to stop the repeal. Nevertheless, we fought on. Patients kept up a relentless rotation of meetings in Congress, activists in wheelchairs performed civil disobedience, and lawmakers used every tactic possible\u2014late night speeches, forums highlighting patient stories, committee reports, and procedural tactics\u2014to draw attention to the Republican repeal effort. This sustained resistance ultimately shifted the politics of health care repeal. The final vote was a squeaker, but Republicans lost and the ACA survived.\n\nDemocrats should also acknowledge that seeking a middle ground with a man who calls immigrants \u201canimals\u201d and says he will \u201cprotect\u201d women \u201cwhether the women like it or not\u201d is unlikely to land in a good place. Uniting against Trump\u2019s legislative agenda is good politics because it is good policy. It was Democratic opposition to Trump\u2019s tax bill that drove Trump\u2019s approval ratings to what was then the lowest levels of his administration, forcing Republicans to scrap all mention of the law ahead of the 2018 midterm election and helping spark one of the largest blue waves in recent history.\n\nSecond, fight Trump in the courts.\n\nYes, extremist courts, including a Supreme Court stocked with MAGA loyalists, are poised to rubber-stamp Trump\u2019s lawlessness. But litigation can slow Trump down, give us time to prepare and help the vulnerable, and deliver some victories.\n\nThird, focus on what each of us can do.\n\nI understand my assignment in the Senate, but we all have a part to play. During the first Trump administration, Democrats vigorously contested every special election and laid the groundwork to take back the House in the 2018 midterms, creating a powerful check on Trump and breaking the Republican trifecta. Whether it\u2019s stepping up to run for office, supporting a neighbor\u2019s campaign, or getting involved in an organization taking action, we all have to continue to make investments in our democracy\u2014including in states that are passed over as \u201ctoo red.\u201d The political position we\u2019re in is not permanent, and we have the power to make change if we fight for it.\n\nFinally, Democrats currently in office must work with urgency.\n\nWhile still in charge of the Senate and the White House, we must do all we can to safeguard our democracy. To resist Trump\u2019s threats to abuse state power against what he calls \u201cthe enemy within,\u201d Pentagon leaders should issue a directive now reiterating that the military\u2019s oath is to the Constitution. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer must use every minute of the end-of-year legislative session to confirm federal judges and key regulators\u2014none of whom can be removed by the next President.\n\nTo those feeling despair: I understand. But remember, every step toward progress in American history came after the darkness of defeat. Abolitionists, suffragettes, Dreamers, and marchers for civil rights and marriage equality all faced impossible odds, but they persisted. Now it is our turn to pull up our socks and get back in the fight.\n\nElizabeth Warren is a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-hickenlooper-call-on-fed-to-deliver-bigger-rate-cut-to-protect-the-economy-and-provide-relief-for-american-families", "Warren, Hickenlooper Call on Fed to Deliver Bigger Rate Cut to Protect the Economy and Provide Relief for American Families", "2024-11-04", "2024", "2024-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Hickenlooper Call on Fed to Deliver Bigger Rate Cut to Protect the Economy and Provide Relief for American Families\n\nWith new inflation data showing inflation nearly at Fed\u2019s target, Senators call for .5% cut\n\n\u201cIf the Fed moves forward with more rate cuts, housing prices and mortgage rates would thus also likely drop, allowing more families to achieve the American dream.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Ahead of the Federal Reserve\u2019s (Fed; the Board) November Federal Open Market Committee meeting, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) urged Fed to deliver a 50 basis point (.50%; each basis point is one hundredth of a percent) cut to the federal funds rate.\n\nAfter months of calling on the Fed to cut the federal funds rate, the Board finally lowered it by 50 basis points in September, the first cut since 2020. The Fed explained: \u201c[t]he Committee has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent, and judges that the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals are roughly in balance.\u201d\n\nRecent economic data shows that inflation has fallen to 2.1 percent, the lowest since February of 2021. There is no need for restrictive interest rates given this inflation data.\n\nEven as the economy remains strong, the demand for workers may be waning due to the Fed\u2019s restrictive monetary policy. New statistics from the Department of Labor indicate that unemployment claims fell while the number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose, suggesting unemployed people are having a more difficult time landing jobs.\n\nThe Senators noted that borrowing costs, and in turn housing costs, are still too high. Lowering interest rates is key to unlocking more supply: rate cuts will lower the cost of capital, which would help tackle inflation by spurring more housing construction and consequently lowering housing prices. However, the Fed\u2019s high interest rates have suppressed housing construction for years.\n\n\u201cIf the Fed moves forward with more rate cuts, housing prices and mortgage rates would thus also likely drop, allowing more families to achieve the American dream,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nSenator Warren has been ringing the alarm bells about the serious dangers of Chair Powell\u2019s failure to lower interest rates:\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) called on the Fed to cut the federal funds rate, currently at a two decade-high of 5.3 percent, by 75 basis points at the September Federal Open Market Committee meeting.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) urged Fed Chair Jerome Powell, cut to interest rates at the Fed\u2019s July Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, in light of economic data showing that inflation was decreasing and very close to the Fed\u2019s target.\n\nIn June 2024, Senators Warren, Rosen (D-Nev.), and Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) wrote to the Federal Reserve (the Fed), urging Chair Jerome Powell to cut the federal funds interest rates from the two-decade-high of 5.5 percent.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Warren and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sent a letter to Chair Powell, expressing concerns about the damaging impact of the Fed\u2019s extreme 2022 and 2023 interest rate hikes, which have halted deployment of clean energy technologies and have undermined the Inflation Reduction Act\u2019s climate and consumer benefits. The senators called on the Fed to cut interest rates to allow for continued progress on clean energy projects and the climate and economic benefits they provide.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Warren, John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Whitehouse sent a letter to Chair Powell, calling on the Fed to reverse its troubling interest rate hikes that have driven mortgage rates to 20-year highs and have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Americans.\n\nIn July 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Chair Powell, raising concerns about the disproportionate impact of the Fed\u2019s monetary policy amid rising unemployment for Black workers.\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Warren led lawmakers in a letter to Chair Powell, calling on the Fed to pause interest rate hikes and respect its dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability, particularly in the wake of recent turmoil in the banking system following the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank. The lawmakers expressed serious concerns that the Fed\u2019s monetary policy strategy of more rate hikes could trigger a recession, throw millions out of work, and crush small businesses.\n\nIn March 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren questioned Chair Powell on the Fed\u2019s monetary policy plan and its projection that the unemployment rate will rise sharply to 4.6% by the end of the year if the Fed continues to raise interest rates. Senator Warren highlighted that the Fed\u2019s projections suggest that nearly 2 million people will lose their jobs, and that history shows that the Fed has a poor track record of containing moderate increases in unemployment.\n\nIn November 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) led their colleagues in sending a letter to Chair Powell, expressing concern and seeking answers about the Fed\u2019s most recent economic projections, its intentions to continue to raise interest rates at a rapid pace, and its disturbing warning to American families that they should expect \u201cpain\u201d in the coming months.\n\nIn July 2022, Senator Warren published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal warning that the Fed\u2019s decision to aggressively raise interest rates risks triggering a devastating recession.\n\nIn June 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren called out Chair Powell for the Fed\u2019s announced interest rate increases that wouldn\u2019t address the key drivers of inflation. Chair Powell confirmed that the Fed\u2019s interest rate increases will not bring down gas and food prices, two of the biggest drivers of inflation.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schiff-lawmakers-call-for-probe-of-albertsons-and-other-giant-grocery-chains-for-false-advertising", "Warren, Schiff, Lawmakers Call for Probe of Albertsons and Other Giant Grocery Chains for False Advertising", "2024-11-04", "2024", "2024-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schiff, Lawmakers Call for Probe of Albertsons and Other Giant Grocery Chains for False Advertising\n\nGrocery giants ripped off customers with inaccurate labels, charged higher prices than advertised.\n\n\u201cAll U.S. customers should be protected from predatory pricing,\u201d write lawmakers\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) led their colleagues in writing to Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Lina Khan, and Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Thomas Vilsack, urging them to investigate Albertsons and other major grocery chains for predatory practices that could have violated federal laws.\n\nIn October 2024, California District Attorneys reached a nearly $4 million settlement with grocery chain Albertsons and its subsidiaries Safeway and Vons to resolve allegations that the companies engaged in \u201cfalse advertising and unfair competition.\u201d Specifically, the grocers \u201cunlawfully charged customers prices higher than their lowest advertised or posted price\u201d and overcharged customers by placing \u201cinaccurate weights on the labels of their products.\u201d For example, while their products were supposed to be sold based on an item\u2019s net weight, they would wrongfully overcharge customers by including the weight of the packaging in the cost.\n\n\u201cAlbertsons is one of the largest food retailers in the United States, boasting over 2,200 stores across the country. This settlement covers the 589 Albertsons stores in California, but all U.S. customers should be protected from predatory pricing,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cTo ensure that no Albertsons stores are overcharging customers for essential groceries, we urge the FTC and U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate whether any other Albertsons stores or other major grocery chains have committed similar wrongdoing and, if necessary, hold the responsible parties accountable.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers request comes as large grocery companies have doubled down on using their significant market power to hike prices for essential goods and take advantage of customers.\n\nFor example, Stop & Shop charged higher prices at a largely minority, working-class, urban location in Boston, Massachusetts than it did at a suburban store location, placing a significant burden on already-struggling consumers. Grocery giant Kroger Company (Kroger) has adopted digital price tags in its stores, which may allow the company to surge grocery prices and exploit consumers. And the proposed $24.6 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons is poised to further drive up grocery prices and harm grocery store workers and consumers.\n\nAs a champion for American consumers and a secure and healthy economy, Senator Warren has engaged in oversight of corporations that unfairly exploit consumers. She has also been calling for more competition and stronger enforcement of antitrust laws to bring down prices for families:\n\nIn October 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bob Casey, and Ron Wyden slammed McDonald\u2019s for squeezing customers with excessive price increases.\n\nIn October 2024, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with Senator Bernie Sanders and Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Hank Johnson, Matt Cartwright, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Rosa DeLauro, Maxwell Frost, Pramila Jayapal, Darren Soto, Mark Takano, Paul Tonko, and Frederica Wilson wrote to Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, on reports of widespread price gouging in states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and on the need for a federal price gouging ban to complement state-level efforts.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Madeleine Dean wrote to the CEOs of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and General Mills, pressing their executives on the companies\u2019 pattern of profiteering off consumers, both through \u201cshrinkflation\u201d and dodging taxes on the profits they made from that price gouging.\n\nIn September 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, and Representative Seth Moulton demanded answers from 13 corporate landlords operating in Massachusetts as to whether they are using RealPage\u2019s algorithm to raise rents for families.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bob Casey sent a letter to Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of Kroger, raising concerns about Kroger\u2019s use of Electronic Shelving Labels (ESLs) to potentially surge grocery prices and exploit consumers.\n\nIn May 2024, while chairing a Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy hearing, Senator Warren called out giant corporations for hiking up food prices while raking in record profits, and urged action to promote competition and bring down costs.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Rep. Jim McGovern led a group of lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the Biden administration to use its executive authority to take action to lower food prices.\n\nIn May 2024, during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs, Senator Warren called out food industry price gouging and urged action to combat unfair pricing practices.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren, Bob Casey, and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n wrote to DoorDash and UberEats, the two largest delivery platforms, calling out their use of hidden junk fees.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon led a group of 14 lawmakers in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the agency to revive enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a critical tool to promote fair competition in the food industry.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren joined Senator Bob Casey in introducing the Shrinkflation Prevention Act to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering prices.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren, Baldwin, Casey, and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky reintroduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024, which would protect consumers and prohibit corporate price gouging by authorizing the FTC and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases.\n\nIn February 2022, at a hearing, Senator Warren called out corporations for abusing their market power to raise consumer prices and boost profits.\n\nAt a January 2022 hearing, Senator Warren pressed Fed Chair Jerome Powell on the role of corporate concentration in driving up prices for consumers during his renomination hearing to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.\n\nIn a New York Times op-ed published in April 2020, Senator Warren urged Congress to focus on cracking down on price gouging in its ongoing effort to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-senators-blast-mohela-for-abusing-borrowers-with-potentially-illegal-exploitative-terms-of-use", "Warren, Senators Blast MOHELA for Abusing Borrowers with Potentially Illegal, Exploitative Terms of Use", "2024-11-04", "2024", "2024-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Senators Blast MOHELA for Abusing Borrowers with Potentially Illegal, Exploitative Terms of Use\n\nMOHELA Forces Borrowers to Accept Terms to Use Website, Depriving Them of Their Rights\n\nLetter follows U.S. Department of Education\u2019s recent notice to MOHELA about servicing failures and potential contract violations\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) wrote to the Executive Director and CEO of Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA), laying into the company for locking over eight million student loan borrowers into an abusive \u201cterms of use\u201d agreement that attempts to restrict their legal rights and absolves MOHELA of liability for outrageous misbehavior.\n\n\u201cUnder its website\u2019s Terms of Use, MOHELA disclaims its responsibility to provide borrowers with accurate information on their student loans, forces borrowers to waive their right to hold MOHELA accountable for harm created by MOHELA\u2019s errors, and imposes troubling restrictions on borrowers\u2019 ability to share basic information about their student loans,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nMOHELA requires all borrowers that sign up for account access through their website to acknowledge that they agree with the Terms of Use. But these terms state that MOHELA \u201cmakes no warranty or guaranty that the website or the content of [the] website\u2026will be accurate or reliable,\u201d directly undermining MOHELA\u2019s core responsibility as a federal student loan servicer to provide accurate information to borrowers about their student loans. Other provisions attempt to deprive borrowers of the means to hold MOHELA legally accountable for its failures, no matter what harms borrowers actually experience, and even prohibit borrowers from sharing website content \u2013 something borrowers often must do to get advice on their student loans.\n\n\u201cThe exploitative nature of MOHELA\u2019s Terms of Use is particularly insidious because borrowers do not have the choice to simply opt out,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cDeclining the website\u2019s Terms of Use would deprive a MOHELA borrower of critical financial information on their own loans.\u201d\n\nIn addition to their predatory nature, MOHELA\u2019s Terms of Use may be unlawful under the the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) and other consumer financial laws prohibiting financial firms from requiring consumers to waive rights guaranteed under federal law.\n\n\u201cWe are alarmed by the exploitative nature of these new Terms of Use \u2014 particularly given MOHELA\u2019s poor record supporting borrowers \u2014 and are concerned that they could potentially violate federal law,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nMOHELA has consistently fallen short in providing basic servicing functions to borrowers. MOHELA has failed to send timely billing statements or sent the wrong bills to millions of borrowers during the return to repayment and is currently the subject of two separate lawsuits about its repeated failures to properly service borrowers. Last month, the U.S. Department of Education issued a contract violation notice to MOHELA, demanded a corrective action plan within 10 days, and stopped the assignment of new borrower accounts to MOHELA in response to the servicer\u2019s failures.\n\nThe senators requested responses to their questions about MOHELA\u2019s website\u2019s Terms of Use by Sunday, November 17.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to reform our higher education system, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable:\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (ED) commending the agencies on their progress in helping borrowers who are struggling financially to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy and asking them to continue expanding awareness of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new policy.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated new federal student debt relief, bringing the total number of Americans who have had their debt canceled under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program during the Biden-Harris Administration to a historic 1 million people and counting.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Merkley (D-Ore.) released a new report examining the impact of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new Higher Education Act rule, finding that low- and middle-income borrowers, seniors, women, and Black borrowers will receive enormous benefits from the new rule.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren joined Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to launch an investigation into the reported mishandling of student loan transfers by MOHELA, Nelnet and credit reporting agencies.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) led over 30 lawmakers in a letter urging student loan servicer Navient to reform its flawed process to cancel the private student loans of borrowers who attended fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden, Chris Van Hollen, and Bernie Sanders, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, cautioning the Department of Education on Federal Student Aid\u2019s transition to the Unified Servicing and Data Solution system.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, and Sanders released a joint statement on the American Federation of Teachers\u2019 lawsuit against MOHELA for allegedly overcharging and misleading student loan borrowers.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren and King led their colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging them to provide guidance and communication to borrowers as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program transfers from MOHELA to the Department of Education.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren led a growing coalition of senators in urging the Department of Education to hold student loan servicer MOHELA accountable for its failures.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and 24 members of the U.S. Senate sent a letter to Senator Tammy Baldwin, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, encouraging them to provide $2.7 billion in funding to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) in fiscal year (FY) 2025.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Carper, Kaine, and Representative Don Davis (D-N.C.) called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to release data on the Postsecondary Education Complaint System (PECS), a centralized database to track complaints against schools who participate in the Tuition Assistance (TA) and My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA) program.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren led eight of her colleagues in sending a letter to David L. Yowan, President and Chief Executive Officer of student loan servicer Navient, urging the servicer to cancel decades-old private student loans pushed onto borrowers attending fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Markey, and Van Hollen released a new report: Servicing Scandals: Student Loan Servicers\u2019 Failures During Return to Repayment, which reveals a decades-long pattern of student loan servicer incompetence and misconduct that has affected millions of borrowers nationwide.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a hearing on student loan servicer Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) and its failures during borrowers\u2019 return to repayment, including MOHELA\u2019s mismanagement of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, along with U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and John Larson (D-Conn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Social Security Administration (SSA), the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), and the U.S. Department of Education to end the practice of offsetting Social Security benefits to pay off defaulted student loans.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a statement calling for an investigation into student loan mismanagement by MOHELA.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), along with Representative Ayanna Pressley, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Representative Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to host a fourth session of the student debt negotiated rulemaking to consider relief for borrowers experiencing financial hardship.\n\nIn December 2023, U.S. Senators Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey,, and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent follow-up letters to student loan servicers \u2013 MOHELA, EdFinancial, Nelnet, and Maximus \u2013 raising concerns about borrowers\u2019 problems with return to repayment, requesting information about the borrower experience, and pushing back on the servicers\u2019 claim that budget shortfalls limit their ability provide quality customer service to millions of borrowers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging him to leverage his existing and full authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senators Alex Padilla and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Jim Clyburn, and Frederica Wilson led 79 other lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to swiftly deliver on his promise to deliver student debt cancellation to working and middle class families by early 2024.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) visited communities across Massachusetts to celebrate the Biden administration\u2019s student debt cancellation plan and help residents sign up for student loan relief.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senator Brown and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.), urged Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to swiftly discharge the loans of borrowers defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges and universities, including those operated by Corinthian College.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Representatives Jayapal, Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) led more than 80 colleagues in a bicameral letter to the Department of Education calling for it to release the memo outlining the Biden administration\u2019s legal authority to cancel federal student loan debt and immediately cancel up to $50,000 of debt for Federal student loan borrowers.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led a group of colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona urging the Department of Education to take swift action to automatically remove all federally-held student loan borrowers from default.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/11/25/2024/warren-drops-new-report-on-how-biden-harris-admin-and-congressional-democrats-saved-over-12-million-teamsters-and-other-union-pensions", "Warren Drops New Report on How Biden-Harris Admin and Congressional Democrats Saved Over 1.2 Million Teamsters\u2019 and Other Union Pensions", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Drops New Report on How Biden-Harris Admin and Congressional Democrats Saved Over 1.2 Million Teamsters\u2019 and Other Union Pensions\n\nNew data from White House reveals that in Massachusetts alone, 35,000 union workers' pensions were saved.\n\n\u201cDemocrats will continue to fight to ensure all Americans can count on a secure retirement, including the benefits they have earned, from pensions to Social Security.\u201d\n\nReport - Promises Made, Promises Kept: How Congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris Administration Saved Over 1.2 Million Workers\u2019 Pensions from Cuts (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a report detailing how the Biden-Harris administration, along with Congressional Democrats, saved the pensions of over 1.2 million Teamsters and other union members.\n\nIn Massachusetts alone, 35,000 workers and retirees have benefited from the pension protections championed by Senator Warren and included in ARPA.\n\nIn 2017, it became clear that union multiemployer pension plans (MPPs) for over a million workers were at risk of becoming insolvent due to problems stemming from the 2008 financial crisis and later exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, pension benefits could have been slashed by up to 98%.\n\nThe Trump administration, with a Republican Congress, took no action to save the pensions. Instead, Senators Warren and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act to save these pension funds without cutting benefits.\n\nIn 2021, the Biden-Harris administration and Congressional Democrats passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), a relief package created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the Butch Lewis Act, securing the retirement benefits of union workers and retirees in MPP funds for 30 years without cutting the earned benefits of participants and beneficiaries\n\nARPA provided a $68 billion investment to save the pensions of over 1.2 million union workers and retirees across America through 2051, with no cuts to earned benefits. Following the enactment of ARPA, severe pension cuts were reversed for over 80,000 union workers and retirees across 18 multiemployer plans.\n\n\u201cAfter giant hedge funds and big banks took down our economy and put pension funds at risk, Democrats stepped up to protect our union workers, \u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI fought hard alongside the Biden-Harris administration to ensure Massachusetts Teamsters and other union workers could continue to count on the retirement funds they earned.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-ma-lawmakers-defend-restored-chandra-funding-and-request-information-on-the-potential-scientific-damage-caused-by-future-funding-cuts-for-the-sole-us-x-ray-telescope", "Warren, MA Lawmakers Defend Restored Chandra Funding and Request Information on the Potential Scientific Damage Caused by Future Funding Cuts for the Sole U.S. X-Ray Telescope", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, MA Lawmakers Defend Restored Chandra Funding and Request Information on the Potential Scientific Damage Caused by Future Funding Cuts for the Sole U.S. X-Ray Telescope\n\nFollowing concerns by MA lawmakers, NASA restored funding for the telescope\n\nFuture funding cuts could cede telescope leadership to Europe, Japan, or China\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) wrote to the Chandra X-Ray Center (Chandra), funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), with concerns over the telescope\u2019s long-term funding plans.\n\nNASA\u2019s FY 2025 budget proposal slashed funding for the Chandra telescope project by tens of millions of dollars, effectively shutting the project down and leaving the U.S. without an X-ray telescope. Following concerns raised by Senators Warren, Markey, and Whitehouse, as well as Representatives Moulton, McGovern, Trahan, Lynch, DelBene, and Auchincloss, NASA restored funding for the program.\n\nThe Chandra telescope was launched in 1999 and continues to provide essential, rare data that helps maintain the United States\u2019 lead in astronomy and astrophysics. Chandra provides insight into the universe that would not be possible with Earth-based telescopes. The program supports around 200 jobs, including 130 telescope staff and 60 support staff, postdocs, and students with X-ray-specific skills.\n\nIn a conference survey, 60 percent of the U.S. X-ray experts report they would leave the United States if Chandra was eliminated, which could risk ceding U.S. leadership in X-ray astronomy to Europe, Japan, or China.\n\nIn the last few months, NASA officials assured Congress and Chandra staff that the agency would restore Chandra\u2019s fiscal year 2025 funding, keeping the telescope fully operational for an additional year. However, NASA has not released plans to keep Chandra funded until a replacement is ready.\n\n\u201cWe are glad NASA looked at the evidence we presented and decided to restore Chandra\u2019s funding for another year, but Congress and NASA need to continue their support for X-ray astronomy,\u201d wrote the Massachusetts lawmakers.\n\nThe lawmakers asked Chandra to explain the full impact of the potential loss of the telescope and evaluate the justification NASA provided to cut the project by November 15, 2024.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-presses-department-of-justice-on-failure-to-hold-td-bank-executives-accountable-legal-gymnastics-that-allowed-bank-to-escape-death-penalty", "Warren Presses Department of Justice on Failure to Hold TD Bank Executives Accountable, \u201cLegal Gymnastics\u201d That Allowed Bank to Escape \u201cDeath Penalty\u201d", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Presses Department of Justice on Failure to Hold TD Bank Executives Accountable, \u201cLegal Gymnastics\u201d That Allowed Bank to Escape \u201cDeath Penalty\u201d\n\n$670 million laundered through TD Bank\n\n\u201cThese charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, questioning them on the Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) \u201clegal gymnastics\u201d that allowed TD Bank to escape the bank death penalty \u2014 and DOJ\u2019s failure thus far to hold any top executives accountable for egregious crimes. DOJ\u2019s recent settlement with TD Bank over money laundering and other charges did not include any of the bank\u2019s high-level executives, and appears to be intentionally structured so that the bank can escape the full scope of penalties for its failures.\n\n\u201cThe way that DOJ structured the plea agreement ensures that TD Bank will not face the full range of penalties that Congress has enacted for banks that engage in criminal money laundering,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren noted that TD Bank\u2019s crimes hurt hundreds of thousands of people. Top executives allowed the bank to act as a criminal slush fund, knowingly presiding over a criminally deficient anti-money laundering program while growing the bank such that its \u201crisk profile increas(ed) significantly.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese shocking failures enabled three separate money laundering syndicates to launder more than $670 million through the bank between 2019 and 2023. The magnitude of the dollar value of these illicit transactions is dwarfed only by the obviousness of the criminal activity,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nThe letter highlights past comments from Deputy Attorney General Monaco which emphasized the importance of \u201cindividual accountability\u201d and the need to \u201cidentify the most serious wrongdoers, whether individuals or companies\u201d and hold them accountable. Senator Warren noted that the TD Bank settlement does not meet DOJ\u2019s own apparent standards.\n\nThough the penalties against TD Bank appropriately include an asset cap and a $3 billion fine, \u201c(u)ntil and unless those executives who presided over TD Bank\u2019s institutionalized money laundering are held accountable, banks will continue to factor enforcement fines into the cost of doing business, rather than approaching compliance with our money laundering laws with the seriousness it requires,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nThe structure of DOJ\u2019s settlement also enables TD Bank to evade the full scope of bank regulators\u2019 consequences for its misdeeds. Specifically, the charges shift responsibility for the hundreds of millions of dollars in money laundering from TD Bank to its holding company, which precludes the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) from invoking the bank \u201cdeath penalty\u201d provision.\n\n\u201cThese charging decisions represent absurd legal gymnastics by DOJ that ultimately have allowed the bank and its top executives to avoid full responsibility for their actions. This is not an acceptable outcome,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren has fought to hold corporations and their executives accountable for lawbreaking:\n\nIn October 2024, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging DOJ to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profits over passenger safety.\n\nIn October 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, calling on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled \u201csafe harbor\u201d policy that would provide a get-out-of-jail-free card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals.\n\nIn August 2022, Senators Warren and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco urging DOJ to use its authority to ban corporations that commit misconduct from government contracting.\n\nIn May 2019, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) released a new report: Rigged Justice 2.0: Government of the Billionaires, by the Billionaires, and for the Billionaires. The report is the second in a series on the failure of the federal government to hold corporate and white-collar criminals accountable and highlights how enforcement hit a 20-year low under the Trump administration.\n\nIn April 2019, Senator Warren introduced the Corporate Executive Accountability Act, which holds executives of large corporations criminally responsible when their companies commit crimes, harm large numbers of Americans through civil violations, or repeatedly violate federal law.\n\nIn March 2018, Senator Warren introduced the Ending Too Big to Jail Act to hold big bank executives accountable when the banks they lead break the law.\n\nIn January 2016, Senator Warren released a report: Rigged Justice: How Weak Enforcement Lets Corporate Offenders Off Easy. The report highlights 20 of the most egregious civil and criminal cases during the past year in which federal settlements failed to require meaningful accountability to deter future wrongdoing and to protect taxpayers and families.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-brown-whitehouse-blumenthal-press-treasury-dhs-to-eliminate-trade-loophole-enabling-illegal-drug-trade-protect-americans-from-opioid-epidemic", "Warren, Brown, Whitehouse, Blumenthal Press Treasury, DHS to Eliminate Trade Loophole Enabling Illegal Drug Trade, Protect Americans from Opioid Epidemic", "2024-10-29", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Brown, Whitehouse, Blumenthal Press Treasury, DHS to Eliminate Trade Loophole Enabling Illegal Drug Trade, Protect Americans from Opioid Epidemic\n\nLawmakers push agencies to use statutory authority to fully eliminate \u201cde minimis exemption\u201d for e-commerce shipments\n\n\u201cWe urge you to act quickly and use your authority to protect Americans from drug dealers and predatory online vendors who use this loophole to send dangerous substances over the United States border.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) wrote to Department of the Treasury (Treasury) Secretary Janet Yellen and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, urging the agencies to use their statutory authority to fully eliminate a trade loophole facilitating the illegal drug trade and allowing billions of dollars\u2019 worth of imports to enter the United States with little oversight. Specifically, the lawmakers pressed the officials to abolish the de minimis exemption for e-commerce shipments, a loophole that drug traffickers are abusing to smuggle illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals into the United States.\n\n\u201cThe opioid epidemic is a serious threat in the United States that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. We must use every tool to combat it and protect American families \u2014 including the statutory authority Congress provided to the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to limit abuse of the de minimis provision,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nDe minimis enables the import of goods worth less than $800 without tariffs or taxes, and bypassing the U.S. Customs and Border Protection\u2019s (CBP) standard information reporting forms. As a result of this lack of oversight, the provision has been abused to facilitate the illegal drug trade \u2014 avoiding critical inspections, tariffs, and trade enforcement that protect consumers \u2014 and fuel the opioid epidemic.\n\nLast month, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new rulemaking to crack down on abuse of the de minimis exemption. In their letter, the lawmakers welcomed this action as a necessary step toward progress, but pushed Treasury and DHS to use their statutory authority to go further by closing the loophole entirely.\n\n\u201cFurther action is needed to fully address the flood of uninspected packages entering into the United States, especially in the e-commerce sector. (Key) schemes to traffic fentanyl components via e-commerce would not be thwarted by the proposed regulation and underscore the need for more scrutiny on e-commerce shipments,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cDHS should reconsider whether e-commerce shipments should be categorically excluded from de minimis eligibility, and take action immediately.\u201d\n\nA recent Reuters investigation detailed how a single smuggler was able to receive over 15,000 pounds of fentanyl precursors in small packages shipped to his home in Tucson. In July, the Department of Justice uncovered a vast conspiracy to import and distribute over 2,000 kilograms of fentanyl precursors across 100 separate shipments \u2014 skirting law enforcement oversight by abusing the de minimis loophole.\n\n\u201cIllicit fentanyl is the leading killer of Americans aged 18 to 49, and the recent DOJ indictment is only the latest evidence of the role de minimis plays in these tragic deaths,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe lawmakers detail the specific authority the agencies have to eliminate the de minimis exception for e-commerce \u2014 and encourage them to use it immediately to stem the flow of illicit drugs through the exemption. The lawmakers also pose a series of questions to get more information on the impact of potential regulations, as well as additional efforts to reduce abuse of the loophole.\n\n\u201cWe urge you to act quickly and use your authority to protect Americans from drug dealers and predatory online vendors who use this loophole to send dangerous substances over the United States border,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nSenator Warren has also led the charge in calling for the closing of crypto loopholes fueling fentanyl trade. Senator Warren\u2019s bipartisanDigital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act would close loopholes in anti-money laundering rules, cutting off drug suppliers and cartels from using crypto to facilitate their illegal business. In May, Senator Warren partnered with Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to pen a letter to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking an update on the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s actions to crack down on drug traffickers\u2019 exploitation of crypto to grow their business and launder money.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-urges-ftc-to-protect-cancer-patients-closely-scrutinize-acquisitions-of-oncology-practices-for-anticompetitive-effects", "Warren Urges FTC to Protect Cancer Patients, Closely Scrutinize Acquisitions of Oncology Practices for Anticompetitive Effects", "2024-10-29", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Urges FTC to Protect Cancer Patients, Closely Scrutinize Acquisitions of Oncology Practices for Anticompetitive Effects\n\n\u201c[B]y allowing wholesalers to assume control over the few remaining community oncology practices, \u2026 these deals could stifle competition and lead to even higher costs for patients.\u201d\n\nProposed deals could threaten the price of lifesaving cancer drugs.\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Chair Lina Khan of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging the FTC to closely scrutinize two proposed deals in the oncology market and block them if they violate antitrust law. The deals include McKesson Corporation\u2019s (McKesson\u2019s) $2.49 billion proposed acquisition of a controlling stake in Core Ventures and Cardinal Health\u2019s (Cardinal\u2019s) $1.1 billion proposed acquisition of a controlling stake in Integrated Oncology, two management services organizations (MSOs) that oversee 150 oncology practices spanning 11 states.\n\nThree companies \u2013 Cardinal, McKesson, and Cencora \u2013 control over 90 percent of the drug wholesale market. Wholesalers were originally founded to distribute drug products from pharmaceutical manufacturers to places like hospitals, pharmacies, and doctors\u2019 practices. But over the years, major wholesalers \u2013 including Cardinal and McKesson \u2013 have leveraged their market power to lock existing customers into restrictive contracts, block out competing wholesalers, and squeeze generic drug manufacturers, leading to more frequent drug shortages and higher drug costs.\n\nIn the letter, Senator Warren points out that the deals proposed by Cardinal and McKesson would further consolidate the market for oncology care, which is already \u201cthe most vertically integrated specialty\u201d in the nation. As industries become more consolidated, there is less competition in the market, often driving up prices.\n\n\u201cI am concerned that, by allowing wholesalers to assume control over the few remaining community oncology practices, which have historically provided an affordable alternative to hospital-based cancer care, these deals could stifle competition and lead to even higher costs for patients,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nThe scheme these wholesalers are running is simple: since they cannot legally own oncology practices outright in most states, they are buying up entities that oversee oncology practices. While these arrangements allow wholesalers to appear to be in compliance with existing law, they still leave wholesalers with the power to force oncology practices in their control to use their vertically-integrated wholesale services and disadvantage competitors, raising prices for patients.\n\n\u201cBy controlling oncology practices, Cardinal and McKesson can require affiliated practices to enter into sole-source or prime vendor agreements with their wholesale businesses, \u2018lock[ing] them in as customers\u2019 and effectively blocking competing wholesalers from offering their services,\u201d Senator Warren continued.\n\nCommon ownership of wholesalers and oncology practices also introduces incentives to employ tactics that will drive greater profits to the parent company \u2013 such as increasing drug dosages, drug prices, and the number of patients doctors see at affiliated oncology practices \u2013 even if they are not in the best interest of patients or providers.\n\n\u201cThese deals threaten to limit competition by opening the door for Cardinal and McKesson to expand their control of the already highly-concentrated oncology market by restricting affiliated oncology practices from contracting with rival drug wholesalers,\u201d wrote Senator Warren. \u201cAccordingly, I urge the Federal Trade Commission \u2026 to closely scrutinize these proposed deals and block them if they violate antitrust law.\u201d\n\nThis letter follows outside pressure from organizations like the American Economic Liberties Project, who have raised similar concerns to the FTC.\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to use every tool available to the government to lower drug prices and fight anticompetitive business practices in the health care industry:\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the FTC to closely scrutinize the Novo Nordisk-Catalent merger and to block it if it violated antitrust law.\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra asking him to lower the cost of vital weight-loss drugs by using the agency\u2019s existing legal authority to issue generic licenses for semaglutide, a prescription drug sold under the names Ozempic and Wegovy.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo reiterating their agencies\u2019 clear legal authority to use \u201cmarch-in\u201d rights under the Bayh-Dole Act to lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent letters to eight pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily de-list over 100 patents that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined may be improperly or inaccurately listed in the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA\u2019s) Orange Book, which would open opportunity for more competition and lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, and Under Secretary Laurie Locascio, highlighting the lawmakers\u2019 new review of public comments on the agency\u2019s Draft Interagency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights and urged them to strengthen and finalize the guidance.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Chamber of Commerce expressing concern and demanding an explanation for the organization\u2019s opposition to the Biden administration\u2019s proposal to boost competition and lower drug prices for American families and businesses by allowing agencies to consider price when deciding to exercise their \u201cmarch-in rights\u201d under the Bayh-Dole Act.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the leadership of Novo Nordisk (Novo), slamming the company for its decision to discontinue production of Levemir (detemir) insulin, one of only three long-acting insulins on the market, and asked the company to commit to continue producing Levemir until a biosimilar is made available.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter in response to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) discontinuing the brand-name version of Flovent HFA, the go-to inhaler for children, blasting the company for its price-gouging strategy that may cause millions of children to lose access to one of the few drugs that is appropriate to treat their asthma and allergies.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) led 75 lawmakers in sending a letter to the Biden administration in support of strengthening and finalizing its draft guidance to protect taxpayers and reduce prescription drug prices. The lawmakers submitted a public comment supporting the \u201cInteragency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights\u201d and calling for changes to ensure increased transparency, oversight, and accessibility of medical products invented through taxpayer-funded research and development.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal announced that three drug manufacturers pulled their sham patents after warnings, and urged the FDA to continue fighting against Big Pharma\u2019s patent abuse.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Newsweek commending the Biden administration\u2019s announcement that price can be considered in the government\u2019s decision to march-in on a drug, effectively lowering drug costs, and calling on Americans to fight back against an industry that has been taking advantage of them for decades.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren issued a statement after the Biden administration announced it would issue guidance to federal agencies that would allow the government to seize patents of certain expensive drugs developed with taxpayer support to create more competition and lower prices.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent letters to the CEOs of 8 pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily remove sham patent claims improperly included in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book and end their unlawful practices that delay competition and drive up costs for patients and taxpayers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, legislation that would radically reduce drug prices through public manufacturing of prescription drugs.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the FTC to issue a policy statement about the improper listing of drug-related patents in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf, urging him to close loopholes that pharmaceutical companies have exploited to block generics from entering the market, keeping drug prices high and maximizing profits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-durbin-whitehouse-warnock-push-doj-ed-for-expanded-outreach-on-discharging-student-loan-debt-in-bankruptcy", "Warren, Durbin, Whitehouse, Warnock Push DOJ, ED For Expanded Outreach on Discharging Student Loan Debt in Bankruptcy", "2024-10-28", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Durbin, Whitehouse, Warnock Push DOJ, ED For Expanded Outreach on Discharging Student Loan Debt in Bankruptcy\n\nNew data show that vast majority of borrowers using the new guidance received recommendations for either full or partial debt discharge\n\n\u201cWe encourage your agencies to continue to expand awareness of the guidance so that the 43 million borrowers in the United States... may be able to access relief if they need to file for bankruptcy\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (ED) commending the agencies on their progress in helping borrowers who are struggling financially to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy and asking them to continue expanding awareness of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new policy.\n\nIn November 2022, at the urging of Senator Warren, Senator Durbin, and others, the DOJ and ED issued guidance to DOJ attorneys that sought to streamline the process of discharging student loans in bankruptcy. Prior to this change, borrowers had to undergo a confusing, invasive, and time-consuming process in bankruptcy court to prove repayment would constitute an \u201cundue hardship.\u201d\n\n99.9% of borrowers who filed bankruptcy from 2011 to 2019 did not have their student loans discharged \u2014 borrowers came to believe that there was no way out of the crushing weight of student loans, even through bankruptcy.\n\n\u201cThe \u2018undue hardship\u2019 standard historically set an unnecessarily high bar that essentially required borrowers to demonstrate a certainty of hopelessness to obtain relief,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nSince DOJ and ED\u2019s new process was announced, more and more borrowers have received relief. New data obtained by Senator Warren\u2019s office show that, under the Biden administration\u2019s new guidance, 85% of borrowers who sought relief received recommendations for either full or partial debt discharge.\n\nThe high rates of total or partial discharge for those who have applied through the new guidance suggest that many other borrowers could also qualify if they applied. The senators are pushing to expand awareness on the more transparent, fair, and accessible process.\n\n\u201cWe thank you for your agencies\u2019 ongoing commitment to helping borrowers struggling with student debt and urge continued outreach to expand awareness of the streamlined process for qualified borrowers,\u201d concluded the senators.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to reform our higher education system, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable:\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated new federal student debt relief, bringing the total number of Americans who have had their debt canceled under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program during the Biden-Harris Administration to a historic 1 million people and counting.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Merkley (D-Ore.) released a new report examining the impact of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new Higher Education Act rule, finding that low- and middle-income borrowers, seniors, women, and Black borrowers will receive enormous benefits from the new rule.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren joined Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to launch an investigation into the reported mishandling of student loan transfers by MOHELA, Nelnet and credit reporting agencies.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) led over 30 lawmakers in a letter urging student loan servicer Navient to reform its flawed process to cancel the private student loans of borrowers who attended fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden, Chris Van Hollen, and Bernie Sanders, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, cautioning the Department of Education on Federal Student Aid\u2019s transition to the Unified Servicing and Data Solution system.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, and Sanders released a joint statement on the American Federation of Teachers\u2019 lawsuit against MOHELA for allegedly overcharging and misleading student loan borrowers.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren and King led their colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging them to provide guidance and communication to borrowers as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program transfers from MOHELA to the Department of Education.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren led a growing coalition of senators in urging the Department of Education to hold student loan servicer MOHELA accountable for its failures.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and 24 members of the U.S. Senate sent a letter to Senator Tammy Baldwin, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, encouraging them to provide $2.7 billion in funding to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) in fiscal year (FY) 2025.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Carper, Kaine, and Representative Don Davis (D-N.C.) called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to release data on the Postsecondary Education Complaint System (PECS), a centralized database to track complaints against schools who participate in the Tuition Assistance (TA) and My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA) program.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren led eight of her colleagues in sending a letter to David L. Yowan, President and Chief Executive Officer of student loan servicer Navient, urging the servicer to cancel decades-old private student loans pushed onto borrowers attending fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Markey, and Van Hollen released a new report: Servicing Scandals: Student Loan Servicers\u2019 Failures During Return to Repayment, which reveals a decades-long pattern of student loan servicer incompetence and misconduct that has affected millions of borrowers nationwide.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a hearing on student loan servicer Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) and its failures during borrowers\u2019 return to repayment, including MOHELA\u2019s mismanagement of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, along with U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and John Larson (D-Conn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Social Security Administration (SSA), the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), and the U.S. Department of Education to end the practice of offsetting Social Security benefits to pay off defaulted student loans.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a statement calling for an investigation into student loan mismanagement by MOHELA.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), along with Representative Ayanna Pressley, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Representative Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to host a fourth session of the student debt negotiated rulemaking to consider relief for borrowers experiencing financial hardship.\n\nIn December 2023, U.S. Senators Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey,, and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent follow-up letters to student loan servicers \u2013 MOHELA, EdFinancial, Nelnet, and Maximus \u2013 raising concerns about borrowers\u2019 problems with return to repayment, requesting information about the borrower experience, and pushing back on the servicers\u2019 claim that budget shortfalls limit their ability provide quality customer service to millions of borrowers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging him to leverage his existing and full authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senators Alex Padilla and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Jim Clyburn, and Frederica Wilson led 79 other lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to swiftly deliver on his promise to deliver student debt cancellation to working and middle class families by early 2024.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) visited communities across Massachusetts to celebrate the Biden administration\u2019s student debt cancellation plan and help residents sign up for student loan relief.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senator Brown and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.), urged Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to swiftly discharge the loans of borrowers defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges and universities, including those operated by Corinthian College.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Representatives Jayapal, Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) led more than 80 colleagues in a bicameral letter to the Department of Education calling for it to release the memo outlining the Biden administration\u2019s legal authority to cancel federal student loan debt and immediately cancel up to $50,000 of debt for Federal student loan borrowers.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led a group of colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona urging the Department of Education to take swift action to automatically remove all federally-held student loan borrowers from default.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-ma-lawmakers-urge-doj-atf-to-crack-down-on-interstate-gun-trafficking-as-gun-violence-surges", "Warren, Markey, MA Lawmakers Urge DOJ, ATF To Crack Down on Interstate Gun Trafficking As Gun Violence Surges", "2024-10-24", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, MA Lawmakers Urge DOJ, ATF To Crack Down on Interstate Gun Trafficking As Gun Violence Surges\n\nAccording to ATF\u2019s 2024 firearm trafficking report, Massachusetts is among the top-five destination states for guns trafficked across state lines.\n\nText of Letter (PDF) | Response from ATF (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the Department of Justice and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) requesting that ATF ramp up its work to mitigate the influx of illegal firearms from other states to Massachusetts.\n\nThe majority of guns recovered from crimes in Massachusetts are trafficked from other states with weaker gun laws. Straw purchasers, people who buy guns on behalf of people who cannot legally purchase guns, and unlicensed individuals often purchase guns in states with weaker gun laws and transport them via highways that have become popular gun trafficking corridors, including the notorious \u201cIron Pipeline\u201d along Interstate 95. The guns are then resold for profit in states with tighter restrictions on gun purchases, undermining the efficacy of those states\u2019 strong gun laws.\n\n\u201cWhile Massachusetts suffers one of the highest rates of interstate gun trafficking, this problem is not unique to the Commonwealth. Nationwide, almost one-third of guns recovered in crimes were trafficked from other states,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe lawmakers made five key recommendations to the ATF:\n\nStrong implementation of a newly finalized rule that will require more sellers to obtain federal licenses and comply with federal safety requirements that help identify potential traffickers. These requirements include conducting background checks, maintaining inventory records, and reporting when customers purchase two or more handguns within five consecutive business days.\n\nImprove inspections of high-risk and noncompliant dealers. The ATF should conduct more frequent follow-up inspections of dealers that sell guns to straw purchasers and those that ignore other indications of trafficking.\n\nExpand reporting requirements for multiple sales of rifles, in addition to revolvers and pistols, and require ATF to keep those reports for at least five years, up from the current requirement of two years.\n\nIncrease public access to gun trafficking data to allow researchers, journalists, and policymakers to have access to vital data on interstate gun trafficking and the sources of crime guns.\n\nEnsure more consistent crime gun tracing and increase technical assistance to train local law enforcement on how to do so.\n\nThe lawmakers requested an update of ATF\u2019s efforts to stem the flow of weapons across state lines by November 7, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to combat the flood of high-powered assault weapons into communities at home and abroad:\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led a letter to the Departments of State (State), Homeland Security (DHS), Commerce (Commerce), and Justice (DOJ), urging them to strengthen steps to prevent the flow of illegal firearms from the United States into Haiti.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with Representatives Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) introduced the Stop Militarizing Our Streets Act of 2024 to stop military-grade assault weapons and ammunition from finding their way onto our streets.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) sent a letter to the Department of Defense calling on them to stop subsidizing the sale of military-grade weapons to civilians.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) sent a letter to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai writing in support of USTR\u2019s decision to remove the designation of import license requirements for explosives, firearms, and ammunition as trade barriers in the annual National Trade Estimate (NTE) report, while also criticizing the Department of Commerce\u2019s inadequate steps to address assault weapons exports.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, calling on the Department of Commerce to incorporate a set of recommendations from the lawmakers to strengthen export controls and end-use checks for firearm exports to crack down on the unnecessary export of lethal weapons used in brutal killings abroad.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) reintroduced the Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act, a comprehensive bill that would implement bold and robust measures including creating a federal gun licensing system, strengthening background checks, banning military-style assault weapons and other lethal accessories, holding the gun industry accountable for wrongdoing, and investing in research and community-based gun violence prevention.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo, calling on Commerce to publicly release data on its approvals of assault weapons exports and provide a response to questions laid out in their September 2022 letter about Commerce\u2019s troubling increase of assault weapons export approvals.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.) led 68 lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to take further executive action to combat gun violence and limit the sale of assault weapons, including to leverage the federal government\u2019s purchasing power to improve public safety.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in a letter to President Biden calling for the Administration to return oversight of the export of firearms to the Department of State.\n\nIn September 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo, calling out Commerce for its increased approvals of export licenses for assault weapons and high-capacity magazine exports, and for putting the gun industry profits before national security and human lives. The lawmakers called on Commerce to revise its approach to assault weapons exports and to answer questions about its export license approvals.\n\nIn July 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned Alan Estevez, Under Secretary for Industry and Security at the Department of Commerce, about the agency\u2019s lax approach to export controls of military-style assault weapons and called on the Biden administration to fulfill its campaign promise to return assault weapons exports oversight to the State Department.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-warnock-wyden-welch-press-private-equity-firm-kkr-on-21-billion-housing-acquisition-and-its-effects-on-renters", "Warren, Warnock, Wyden, Welch Press Private Equity Firm KKR On $2.1 Billion Housing Acquisition and Its Effects on Renters", "2024-10-24", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In October 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) led a letter with over 30 lawmakers to President Biden praising him for his actions to confront the housing crisis and proposing additional executive actions to lower the cost of housing.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), demanded answers from 13 corporate landlords operating in Massachusetts, asking whether they are using RealPage\u2019s algorithm to raise rents for families.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), sent letters to each of the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) urging them to contribute at least 20% of their net income to affordable housing and other critical community grant programs.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, the landmark legislation to tackle the housing crisis, bring down costs for renters and buyers, and help working families everywhere find a decent place to live at a decent price.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs led Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Jon Ossoff, Representative Ro Khanna, and Representative James Moylan in calling out the Department of Defense (DoD) for failing to protect military families living in military housing operated by private companies under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) urging the agency to address our country\u2019s affordable housing crisis by reforming the broken Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren reintroduced the Public Housing Emergency Response Act to address the estimated $70 billion backlog of maintenance and repairs in our nation\u2019s public housing, which would allow tenants to live in safe conditions and ensure that, as we fight to end the housing crisis by expanding the supply of affordable housing, we are not losing existing units to disrepair.\n\nIn April 2024, At a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Warren called out the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) for failing to deliver on their mission to provide affordable housing as the country faces a housing crisis.\n\nIn January 2024, Senator Warren, John Hickenlooper, Jacky Rosen, and Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter to Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell, calling on the Fed to reverse its troubling interest rate hikes that have driven mortgage rates to 20-year highs and have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Americans.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Tina Smith, and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling for the DOJ to investigate YieldStar following new findings from their investigation of RealPage\u2019s YieldStar product.\n\nIn January 2023, Senator Warren, and Representative Jamaal Bowman led a letter with 48 lawmakers, urging President Biden to use every tool he has to address rent inflation, end corporate price gouging in the rental market, and ensure that renters and people experiencing homelessness across this country are stably housed this winter.\n\nIn November 2022, Senators Warren, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to RealPage CEO Dana Jones, expressing concern about RealPage\u2019s algorithmic pricing software, YieldStar, and its role in driving rising rents and exacerbating inflation.\n\nIn August 2022, at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (BHUA) Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out corporate landlords\u2019 growing role in the rental market and emphasized the need for a Tenant Protection Bureau to hold corporate landlords accountable and protect renters from extreme rent hikes, illegal eviction, and other predatory practices.\n\nIn May 2022, Senators Warren and Reed sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Marcia Fudge, calling on HUD to preserve homeownership affordability for American families as Wall Street firms expand their activity in the housing market.\n\nIn March 2022, at a BHUA Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out Wall Street\u2019s role in worsening the housing affordability crisis for seniors by buying up manufactured home communities\n\nIn February 2022, Senator Warren called out private equity firms and other big investors for exacerbating inflation and locking families out of affordable housing opportunities.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren sent letters to the CEOs of three private equity-backed firms\u2014Progress Residential, American Homes 4 Rent, and Invitation Homes \u2014calling out their growing activity in the housing market that has resulted in rent hikes and unaffordable homes for first-time buyers.\n\nIn August 2021, during a hearing exchange with Senator Warren, a Department of Housing and Urban Development nominee committed to consider changes that facilitate sales of distressed homes to homeowners, not private equity firms.\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Warren called on large corporate landlords to avoid needless evictions as the CDC eviction moratorium neared expiration.\n\nIn May 2021, at a hearing, Senator Warren made the case for her American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which would create a new housing innovation grant program to reduce exclusionary local zoning laws.\n\nOn April 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act to bring down the costs for renters and buyers, level the playing field so working families can find a decent place to live at a decent price, reduce exclusionary zoning laws, and take a step towards addressing the effects of decades of housing discrimination on communities of color.\n\nIn May 2019, Senator Warren and then-Representative Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) wrote to the private equity firms behind some of the country's largest manufactured housing communities to request information about their use of predatory practices to boost profits in the communities they own.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-gillibrand-frost-espaillatleadcoalition-of-70-lawmakers-in-pushing-for-dhs-uscis-to-clear-work-permit-backlog-for-migrants-by-end-of-year", "Warren, Gillibrand, Frost, Espaillat\u00a0Lead\u00a0Coalition of 70 Lawmakers in Pushing for DHS, USCIS to Clear Work Permit Backlog for Migrants By End of Year", "2024-10-23", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Gillibrand, Frost, Espaillat Lead Coalition of 70 Lawmakers in Pushing for DHS, USCIS to Clear Work Permit Backlog for Migrants By End of Year\n\n1.4 million EAD applications are currently in backlog, including roughly 900,000 first-time applicants; 500,000 seeking renewals\n\n\u201cWe know that the faster that immigrant families receive work permits, the sooner they can support themselves and better integrate into host communities across the United States.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, DC \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), along with Representatives Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) and Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), led a bicameral letter signed by 70 lawmakers to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou, urging the elimination of the lengthy application backlog for work permits (or \u201cemployment authorization documents,\u201d EADs) before the end of the year. 1.4 million EAD applications currently await processing, including roughly 900,000 first-time applicants and 500,000 people seeking renewals.\n\n\u201cAs Members of Congress who represent diverse and vibrant immigrant communities, we know that the faster that immigrant families receive work permits, the sooner they can support themselves and better integrate into host communities across the United States,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nDespite historic progress made under the Biden-Harris Administration \u2014 such as extending the validity periods of expiring EADs and introducing online application options \u2014 the backlog remains a substantial obstacle, impeding immigrants\u2019 ability to legally work and integrate into their communities.\n\n\u201cMany of those families are at the mercy of USCIS\u2019s bureaucratic processing delays and remain unable to legally work and support themselves financially for weeks, months, or longer,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nAs such, the lawmakers urged the Administration to ramp up efforts to eliminate the significant backlog before the end of the year. Specifically, the lawmakers pushed DHS to surge additional technological and staffing resources to EAD processing and streamline the process for individuals seeking parole or re-parole to obtain permission to work. The lawmakers also urged USCIS to promptly finalize its rule lengthening the automatic extension period for expiring permits, and advised the agency to permit the receipt provided after submission of an application to temporarily serve as a provisional permit until the full application is processed. The lawmakers then posed a series of questions about USCIS\u2019s current efforts to expedite EAD processing.\n\n\u201cWe once again thank DHS for its ongoing commitment and engagement on this issue, and we urge USCIS to implement the actions above,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cDoing so will help ensure that immigrant families are not left for months or years with no way to legally support themselves, mutually benefiting the families and their host communities.\u201d\n\nThe following Senators also signed on in support of the letter: Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\nThe following Representatives also signed on in support of the letter: Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (D-Calif.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Sheila Cherfilus McCormick (D-Fla.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas.), Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Tex.), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (D-N.Y.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.).\n\n\"Immigrants who are working in local communities throughout the United States are in danger of falling out of the workforce as a result of processing backlogs,\" said Conchita Cruz, Co-Executive Director at the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), a membership organization of over 600,000 asylum seekers. \u201cOur members want to work to provide for themselves and their families, and want to give back to the communities that have given them a safe place to live and work. We must prioritize getting work permits into the hands of asylum seekers and other immigrants who play integral roles in contributing to communities across the United States.\"\n\nSenator Warren has led ongoing efforts to protect the rights of asylum seekers and other new arrivals, and to hold the United States accountable to its humanitarian obligations:\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and USCIS Director Jaddou, urging DHS to swiftly finalize a rule to lengthen the automatic extension period for EADs from 180 days to a minimum of 540 days.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Warren, Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and USCIS Director Jaddou, commending DHS for the steps it has taken to expand access to EADs for eligible noncitizens, and laying out several policy proposals to help address issues with EADs.\n\nIn September 2023, Senators Warren and Markey applauded the Biden administration\u2019s redesignation of TPS for Venezuelan migrants.\n\nIn August 2023, Senators Warren and Markey and Representatives Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Bill Keating (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas and Director Jaddou, urging them to expedite the processing of EADs for individuals paroled into the United States, which would lessen the strain on available humanitarian and housing resources.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Warren, Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and 9 other senators submitted a public comment against the Biden administration\u2019s proposed rule to restrict asylum at the southern border. The senators called on the Biden administration to withdraw the rule in its entirety.\n\nIn January 2023, Senator Warren and nearly 70 other lawmakers sent a letter urging President Biden to reverse his Administration\u2019s expansion of the inhumane Trump-era border policy known as Title 42 and to abandon the proposed asylum \u201ctransit ban\u201d rule. The lawmakers also encouraged the President and his Administration to work with Congress to develop safe, humane, and orderly border policies that enforce our immigration laws and uphold the right to asylum under domestic and international law.\n\nIn September 2022, Senator Warren led members of the Massachusetts delegation in a letter to DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency calling for funding from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to be allocated swiftly to organizations assisting newly arrived migrants in Massachusetts.\n\nIn September 2022, Senator Warren released a statement condemning efforts to use asylum seekers as political pawns and committing to assisting communities in need.\n\nIn November 2021, Senator Warren stated her opposition to the continued use of Title 42 to expel asylum seekers and called for the Biden administration to rescind this policy.\n\nIn October 2021, Senator Warren joined Senator Menendez in criticizing the inhumane treatment of Haitian migrants and called on the Administration to support long-term stability in Haiti.\n\nIn October 2021, Senator Warren called on Chris Magnus to commit to transparency regarding the investigation into the events in Del Rio, Texas during his confirmation hearing to be CBP Commissioner.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-urge-hhs-to-take-action-to-protect-wheelchair-users-from-private-equity-abuses", "Warren, Blumenthal Urge HHS To Take Action To Protect Wheelchair Users From Private Equity Abuses", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "On October 10, 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren reintroduced the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, comprehensive legislation to fundamentally reform the private equity industry and level the playing field by forcing private investment firms to take responsibility for the outcomes of companies they take over, empowering workers and protecting investors.\n\nOn October 3, 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to John Deere accusing the company of undermining its own \u201cright-to-repair\u201d agreements and evading its responsibilities under the Clean Air Act by failing to grant its customers the right to repair their own agricultural equipment.\n\nOn September 30, 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, along with Representative Jake Auchincloss and Representative Stephen Lynch, sent a letter to the CEO of Rural Healthcare Group raising concerns over its proposed acquisition of Steward Health Care\u2019s physician group, Stewardship Health.\n\nOn September 26, 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent two letters regarding the costly restrictions imposed on the Department of Defense that bar the military from repairing its own military equipment and instead force it to pay billions of dollars extra to military contractors.\n\nOn September 4, 2024, Senator Warren urged the IRS to crack down on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) squeezing the health care industry.\n\nOn August 8, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey requested information from private equity firm Apollo Global Management (Apollo) on the company\u2019s role in Steward\u2019s bankruptcy, and urged Apollo to work in good faith to facilitate the sale of Steward\u2019s Massachusetts hospitals.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren included a provision in the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA that would require contractors to provide DoD with \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d access to repair materials.\n\nOn July 3, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey wrote to Medical Properties Trust and Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, owners of Steward\u2019s eight Massachusetts hospitals, urging them to offer lease concessions to keep the hospitals open and viable.\n\nOn June 11, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey introduced the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2024 to root out corporate greed and private equity abuse in the health care system, specifically preventing what happened with Steward from happening again.\n\nOn June 5, 2024, Senator Warren wrote to the DOJ, FTC, and HHS calling out high health care costs due to vertically-integrated insurers, private equity companies, and pharmaceutical companies that are driving health care consolidation.\n\nOn June 3, 2024, Senators Warren, Brown (D-Ohio), and Markey wrote to the Director of the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), calling for USTP to move to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee to run the company in place of Steward\u2019s current management, and to monitor the hospitals\u2019 bankruptcy proceedings to protect patients and local communities.\n\nOn May 24, 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, urging them to support communities and health care providers affected by the crisis caused by Steward\u2019s financial mismanagement.\n\nOn April 19, 2024, Senators Warren and Senator Markey sent a letter to six private credit funds that are holders of Steward\u2019s debt, asking them a series of questions about their loans and calling on them to offer loan modifications that could potentially help keep the hospitals afloat.\n\nOn April 16, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey called out Medical Properties Trust and Macquarie Infrastructure Partners for exploiting Steward Hospitals, and urged them to help keep the hospitals open.\n\nOn April 8, 2024, Senators Warren, Markey, and the rest of the MA delegation urged the FTC and DOJ to closely scrutinize UnitedHealth Group\u2019s proposed acquisition of Steward Health Care\u2019s physician group, Stewardship Health.\n\nOn April 3, 2024, Senator Warren delivered remarks at a Senate hearing in Boston titled, \u201cWhen Health Care Becomes Wealth Care: How Corporate Greed Puts Patient Care and Health Workers at Risk,\u201d which centered on Steward Health Care\u2019s Massachusetts hospitals.\n\nOn April 2 Senators Warren and Ed Markey called out private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management (Cerberus) for its role in creating Steward Health Care\u2019s financial challenges, following Cerberus\u2019s reply to the Massachusetts congressional delegation\u2019s February 2024 probe.\n\nOn February 9, 2024, Senator Warren slammed UnitedHealth Group for leveraging NaviHealth\u2019s unregulated artificial intelligence algorithm to unlawfully deny health care to seniors with severe injuries.\n\nOn March 26, 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s plan to sell its physician group Stewardship Health to UnitedHealth Group\u2019s subsidiary Optum.\n\nOn March 26, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey sent a letter to Steward CEO and Chairman Dr. Ralph de la Torre, calling on him to testify at a congressional hearing in Boston.\n\nOn March 8, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey sent a letter to Dr. de la Torre, blasting him for years of financial mismanagement, private equity schemes, and executive profiteering that have led to Steward Health Care\u2019s financial crisis.\n\nOn February 15, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey, along with all nine members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, sent a letter to Cerberus seeking answers from the private equity firm for its role in creating the current financial challenges at Steward hospitals.\n\nOn January 29, 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s financial situation and allegations of patient neglect at Steward facilities.\n\nOn January 23, 2024, Senator Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation in a letter to the CEO of Steward Health Care pressing the company to brief them on Steward\u2019s financial position, the status of their Massachusetts facilities, and their plans to ensure the communities they serve are not abandoned.\n\nOn August 22, 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), celebrated the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reversing course and allowing enforcement of Massachusetts\u2019 pro-consumer Right-to-Repair law.\n\nOn June 16, 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reverse its course after it sent a recent letter to auto manufacturers, advising them not to comply with Massachusetts\u2019 Right to Repair law.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-casey-wyden-slam-mcdonalds-for-squeezing-customers-with-excessive-price-increases", "Warren, Casey, Wyden Slam McDonald\u2019s for Squeezing Customers with Excessive Price Increases", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Casey, Wyden Slam McDonald\u2019s for Squeezing Customers with Excessive Price Increases\n\n\u201cCorporate profits must not come at the expense of people\u2019s ability to put food on the table.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), wrote to President and Chief Executive Officer of McDonald\u2019s, Chris Kempczinski, pushing for more information on McDonald\u2019s pricing decisions as fast food prices continue to increase, outpacing inflation and squeezing customers.\n\n\u201cWhile McDonald\u2019s is not the only fast food restaurant that has increased prices significantly in recent years, its dominant market position as the largest fast food chain in the United States has an outsize impact on American consumers. While working families are trying to make ends meet, McDonald\u2019s and its corporate counterparts have continued to grow their profits,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nEarlier this year, McDonald\u2019s USA President Joe Erlinger attempted to blame the company\u2019s menu price increases on inflationary pressures and input costs, but the data tells another story. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, fast food prices have consistently outpaced inflation, and since 2020, overall inflation has increased by 20 percent, while McDonald\u2019s has increased its menu prices for several items substantially more. McDonalds net annual income rose by over 79 percent \u2013 nearly $8.5 billion, from 2020 to 2023.\n\nWhile McDonald\u2019s was raising prices, the company also spent nearly $4 billion on stock buybacks in 2022 and $3 billion in 2023. The company also benefits from a tax loophole that favors buybacks. This prioritizes Wall Street shareholders over investments in McDonald\u2019s own business and workers.\n\nAs American consumers have begun taking their business elsewhere, the company has promised to take a \u201cforensic approach\u201d to evaluating high prices.\n\n\u201cCorporate profits must not come at the expense of people\u2019s ability to put food on the table,\u201d concluded the senators. \u201cAs we seek to investigate and understand the increased consumer costs in the economy, we hope McDonald\u2019s will help us to understand why its prices have risen so high.\u201d\n\nAs a champion for American consumers and a secure and healthy economy, Senator Warren has engaged in oversight of corporations that unfairly exploit consumers. She has also been calling for more competition and stronger enforcement of antitrust laws to bring down prices for families:\n\nIn October 2024, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) wrote to Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, on reports of widespread price gouging in states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and on the need for a federal price gouging ban to complement state-level efforts.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) wrote to the CEOs of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and General Mills, pressing their executives on the companies\u2019 pattern of profiteering off consumers, both through \u201cshrinkflation\u201d and dodging taxes on the profits they made from that price gouging.\n\nIn September 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) demanded answers from 13 corporate landlords operating in Massachusetts as to whether they are using RealPage\u2019s algorithm to raise rents for families.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) sent a letter to Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of Kroger, raising concerns about Kroger\u2019s use of Electronic Shelving Labels (ESLs) to potentially surge grocery prices and exploit consumers.\n\nIn May 2024, while chairing a Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy hearing, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) called out giant corporations for hiking up food prices while raking in record profits, and urged action to promote competition and bring down costs.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Rep. Jim McGovern led a group of lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the Biden administration to use its executive authority to take action to lower food prices.\n\nIn May 2024, during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs, Senator Warren called out food industry price gouging and urged action to combat unfair pricing practices.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) wrote to DoorDash and UberEats, the two largest delivery platforms, calling out their use of hidden junk fees.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.) led a group of 14 lawmakers in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the agency to revive enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a critical tool to promote fair competition in the food industry.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren joined Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in introducing the Shrinkflation Prevention Act to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering prices.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren, Baldwin, Casey, and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024, which would protect consumers and prohibit corporate price gouging by authorizing the FTC and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases.\n\nIn February 2022, at a hearing, Senator Warren called out corporations for abusing their market power to raise consumer prices and boost profits.\n\nAt a January 2022 hearing, Senator Warren pressed Fed Chair Jerome Powell on the role of corporate concentration in driving up prices for consumers during his renomination hearing to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.\n\nIn a New York Times op-ed published in April 2020, Senator Warren urged Congress to focus on cracking down on price gouging in its ongoing effort to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-celebrates-5-new-zero-emission-school-buses-for-worcester-public-schools", "Warren Celebrates 5 New Zero-Emission School Buses for Worcester Public Schools", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Celebrates 5 New Zero-Emission School Buses for Worcester Public Schools\n\nWarren Celebrates 5 New Zero-Emission School Buses for Worcester Public Schools\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated the announcement that the Worcester Public Schools will replace 5 school buses with zero-emission, clean school buses through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2023 Clean School Bus Rebate program.\n\nThe Clean School Bus Program has awarded funding to replace nearly 9,000 natural gas and diesel buses across the country. Funding for the Clean School Bus Program comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided $5 billion to transform the country\u2019s fleet of school buses.\n\n\u201cOur children shouldn\u2019t have to breathe in dangerous exhaust while getting to and from school,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI\u2019ve fought hard for clean energy investments for our Commonwealth. Now, Central Massachusetts\u2019 families will have cleaner air, even more buses that are cheaper to repair and don\u2019t guzzle up gas, and savings for the Worcester Public Schools.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has advocated for federal funding to jumpstart the transition to all-electric public vehicles and rail and to help tackle the climate crisis:\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren and Markey and Representatives Lynch, Pressley, and Keating announced nearly $60 million in funding for Massachusetts communities to transition to low- or zero-emission buses. This upgrade is improving bus fleets, reducing transit systems\u2019 reliance on fossil fuels, and curbing diesel-related air pollution along major transit corridors for Black, Brown, and low-income communities who are disproportionately harmed by the impacts of the climate crisis.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) reintroduced the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to distribute $500 billion over ten years to electrify and modernize public vehicles and build new electric transportation infrastructure across the country.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced that the Environmental Protection Agency awarded Massachusetts funding for 85 electric school buses under the Clean Bus Grant Program to help school districts replace polluting diesel school buses with electric or low-emission school buses.\n\nIn July 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and 33 Commonwealth municipalities, highlighting the benefits of electrifying the Commonwealth\u2019s school bus fleets and encouraging the Associations and their members to take full advantage of the newly-announced EPA Clean School Bus Grants Program Notice of Funding Opportunity.\n\nIn August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $1 billion for states, municipalities, tribes, and nonprofit school transportation associations to use for clean heavy duty vehicles, like school and transit buses and garbage trucks, all in part funded by Senator Elizabeth Warren\u2019s Corporate Profits Minimum Tax to ensure America\u2019s largest corporations pay at least 15% of their massive profits in federal taxes.\n\nIn May 2021, Senator Warren and Congressman Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the Buy Green Act of 2021. First announced in March 2021, the bill would establish $1.5 trillion in federal procurement commitments over the next ten years to purchase American-made clean, renewable, and emission-free energy products for federal, state, and local use. The bill also establishes a grant program for U.S. companies to invest in clean energy manufacturing.\n\nIn May 2021, in a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Warren made the case for large-scale federal investments in green infrastructure, as well as her Wealth Tax and other tax proposals as a way to pay for these investments.\n\nIn April 2021, in a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Warren made the case for the need to tackle climate change by investing in our nation's clean energy infrastructure, including the replacement of buses powered by diesel with electric buses.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-wyden-blumenthal-porter-call-on-doj-to-prosecute-tax-prep-companies-for-illegally-sharing-sensitive-personal-and-financial-taxpayer-data", "Warren, Wyden, Blumenthal, Porter Call on DOJ to Prosecute Tax Prep Companies for Illegally Sharing Sensitive Personal and Financial Taxpayer Data", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Wyden, Blumenthal, Porter Call on DOJ to Prosecute Tax Prep Companies for Illegally Sharing Sensitive Personal and Financial Taxpayer Data\n\nTreasury, IRS assessment confirm 2023 Congressional investigation finding that companies broke the law by sharing sensitive data with Big Tech firms.\n\nTax prep companies potentially face billions of dollars in criminal liability.\n\n\u201cDOJ has the sole authority to enforce the criminal statute on behalf of the millions of taxpayers harmed by this unauthorized disclosure of their sensitive personal and financial data.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representative Katie Porter (D-Calif.) wrote to the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging the investigation and prosecution of major tax preparation companies for illegally sharing protected and sensitive taxpayer information with Big Tech firms.\n\nLast month, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) released an audit report confirming that four online tax preparation companies broke the law by sharing legally protected and sensitive taxpayer information with Big Tech firms without taxpayer consent. Specifically, the report found that consent statements being used by the tax prep companies did not clearly identify the intended use of taxpayer data, a violation of Treasury regulations. The IRS agreed with TIGTA\u2019s assessment. The report confirms November 2022 investigative reporting by the Markup and the results of a July 2023 Congressional investigation, led by Senator Warren, which found that the improper sharing of sensitive taxpayer personal and financial information by TaxSlayer, H&R Block, TaxAct, and Ramsey Solutions with Meta and Google appeared to be illegal.\n\nTax prep companies used pixels, computer code that tracks a user\u2019s website activity, to obtain sensitive personal and financial information, including approximate income and refund amounts, for millions of taxpayers who filed their taxes online with these companies. Meta then used that information for advertising and to train its AI algorithm.\n\nTIGTA conducted a detailed review of four tax preparation companies, and found that the companies did not obtain proper taxpayer consent for the release of their information.\n\n\u201cWe write to urge you to investigate and prosecute the criminal behavior of major tax preparation companies identified in our investigation and confirmed by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Internal Revenue Service,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. The penalties for these violations can include $1,000 per violation and up to 1 year in prison. TIGTA itself notes that it \u201creports potential criminal violations directly to the Department of Justice when TIGTA deems that it is appropriate to do so.\u201d\n\nThe IRS recently announced the expansion of the highly successful Direct File program to 24 total states, making 30 million taxpayers eligible to file for free, securely, and directly with the IRS. However, many taxpayers still rely on private tax prep companies.\n\n\u201cAccountability for these tax preparation companies \u2013 who disclosed millions of taxpayers\u2019 tax return data\u2026is essential for protecting the rule of law and the privacy of taxpayers,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nSenator Warren has been at the forefront of holding tax prep firms and Big Tech accountable for their behavior, and pushed for an easy and free IRS Drect File program:\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tom Carper (D-Del.), along with Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) led over 130 lawmakers in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, applauding the successful pilot of the Direct File program, and urging them to make it permanent and expand its functionality and scope.\n\nIn June 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tom Carper (D-Del.), along with Representatives Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), and Don Beyer (D-Va.) led a coalition of 99 Democratic lawmakers in sending a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, applauding the IRS\u2019 announcement of a pilot of a free tax filing tool next year.\n\nIn April 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tom Carper (D-Del.) led their colleagues in sending a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel urging the agency to simplify the tax process and broaden access to free e-filing options.\n\nIn April 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel about the IRS\u2019s failed Free-File partnership with private tax preparation software companies and called on the agency to implement a direct E-File program that will be truly free and easy for millions of Americans.\n\nCommission Werfel agreed with Senator Warren that the gap between the 70% of taxpayers that Free File is supposed to serve and the 2% it actually does is \u201cmassive.\u201d When Senator Warren pointed out that tax prep companies are instead pushing alternative services that should be free, are marketed as free, but are not, Commissioner Werfel also agreed that \u201cthe whole process needs to be improved,\u201d that taxpayer rights have been violated, and the IRS has an obligation to make \u201cthe tax system easier for taxpayers to navigate.\u201d\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine) wrote a letter with 19 other senators to the Internal Revenue Service and Secretary Yellen expressing strong support for Secretary Yellen\u2019s directive for the IRS not to raise audit rates for small businesses or households making under $400,000 annually.\n\nIn December 2022, Senators Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), along with Representatives Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) sent letters to tax preparation companies H&R Block, TaxAct, and TaxSlayer, plus big tech firms Meta, and Google, amid reports that the tax preparation companies have been secretly transmitting individual taxpayers\u2019 sensitive financial information to Meta and Google.\n\nIn July 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led 22 of her colleagues in introducing the Tax Filing Simplification Act of 2022 to simplify the tax filing process for millions of Americans by lowering costs, eliminating red tape for all taxpayers, and saving them hours and hundreds of dollars.\n\nDuring an exchange of the United States Senate Finance Committee in June 2022, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen agreed with Senator Elizabeth Warren on the need to create a free tax filing system that actually works for Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-welch-schakowsky-push-to-increase-funding-for-medical-research-require-law-breaking-drug-companies-to-reinvest-in-nih-and-fda", "Warren, Welch, Schakowsky Push to Increase Funding for Medical Research, Require Law-Breaking Drug Companies to Reinvest in NIH and FDA", "2024-10-18", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Welch, Schakowsky Push to Increase Funding for Medical Research, Require Law-Breaking Drug Companies to Reinvest in NIH and FDA\n\nBill applies to pharmaceutical companies who are found guilty or are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government.\n\nBill Text (PDF) | One Pager (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), along with Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) introduced the Medical Innovation Act of 2024 to increase funding for medical innovation by requiring large pharmaceutical companies that are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government to reinvest a small percentage of their profits into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).\n\nIn 2023, the NIH only had funds for 23% of the applications it received, contributing to a huge medical innovation gap. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies have been accused of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, marketing drugs for unapproved uses, illegally incentivizing doctors to prescribe drugs, lying about the safety of their drugs, and violating other criminal and civil laws. The companies have settled many of these claims with the federal government, treating the fines as a cost of doing business. Most recently, Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay the Justice Department $450 million to settle a set of lawsuits alleging that the company defrauded Medicare and conspired with other drug-makers to illegally inflate the prices of two generic drugs.\n\nBetween 2019 and October 2024, the Department of Justice pursued new actions against or settled cases with at least 40 pharmaceutical companies.\n\nThe Medical Innovation Act would:\n\nRequire pharmaceutical companies accused of breaking the law to reinvest a small percentage of their profits in NIH and FDA. These payments would increase with the severity of the settlement penalty, and would only be required of companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop billion-dollar, \u201cblockbuster\u201d drugs.\n\nInvest in life-saving medical innovation through the NIH and FDA. Payments collected through this bill would be used to develop treatments and diagnostics to address unmet medical needs; support research grants for early career scientists; research diseases that disproportionately contribute to federal health care spending; and advance basic biomedical research, among other uses.\n\nPromote sustained investments in biomedical research. To ensure that the Act results in a net increase in funding for medical research, money from the supplemental settlement fees would only be available in years that annual appropriations for NIH and FDA are equal to or greater than appropriations for the agencies in the prior fiscal year.\n\n\u201cBig Pharma shouldn\u2019t be able to defraud the federal government and get away with just a slap on the wrist,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis bill will help us save lives by ensuring giant drug companies that enter into settlement agreements with the federal government chip in to fund the next generation of medical research.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Medical Innovation Act is a commonsense way to advance more medical research by holding shady pharmaceutical companies accountable when they break the law,\u201d said Senator Welch. \u201cI led this bill as a member of the House and am fighting today with my colleagues Senator Warren and Representative Schakowsky to maintain America\u2019s leadership in biomedical science.\u201d\n\n\"For too long, drug companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop their blockbuster drugs have gotten away with defrauding consumers and taxpayers,\" said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. \"The Medical Innovation Act would make it more difficult for these drug companies to game the system by requiring them to provide a share of their profits to increase investments in biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. We can continue to be a leading force in medical innovation and this legislation will help ensure that we have the means to cure diseases and save lives.\"\n\nSenator Warren first introduced the Medical Innovation Act in the 114th Congress and has pushed for its passage in every Congress since.\n\nThe following Senators also co-sponsored the bill: Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).\n\nThis bill is endorsed by the following organizations: National Women's Health Network, AIDS United, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Families USA, Public Citizen, and Massachusetts Medical Society.\n\n\u201cThe Medical Innovation Act reinvests in vital research. This legislation is a crucial step toward holding the pharmaceutical industry accountable while ensuring that taxpayer-funded research leads to tangible advancements in health. With women historically underrepresented in clinical trials, it\u2019s imperative that we close the innovation gap. The Network thanks Senator Elizabeth Warren for her leadership on this issue and we are hopeful that together, we can create a healthier future for all women,\u201d said Denise Hyater-Lindenmuth, Executive Director, National Women's Health Network.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-bowman-30-lawmakers-urge-biden-to-continue-bold-executive-action-to-lower-housing-costs", "Warren, Bowman, 30+ Lawmakers Urge Biden to Continue Bold Executive Action to Lower Housing Costs", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Bowman, 30+ Lawmakers Urge Biden to Continue Bold Executive Action to Lower Housing Costs\n\n\u201cWe strongly encourage you to cement your legacy by addressing one of the most pressing economic issues of our time.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) led a letter with over 30 lawmakers to President Joe Biden praising him for his actions to confront the housing crisis and proposing additional executive actions to lower the cost of housing.\n\n\u201cUnder your leadership, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken important steps to protect renters from predatory corporate landlords and to make home purchases and refinancing more affordable,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cBut there is even more that can be done using executive agencies\u2019 existing statutory authority.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers recommend the Administration and federal agencies take the following actions:\n\nPrice Gouging Protections: In order to safeguard tenants from rising rents at the hands of corporate landlord who have been caught price gouging their tenants, FHFA can condition all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans on a set of price gouging protections, source of income protections, anti-eviction regulations, and habitability and accessibility improvements.\n\nTackling Junk Fees: To address the hidden junk fees that can create thousands of dollars in additional costs for renters and homeowners, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should finalize its proposed rule to ban junk fees and continue to investigate unfair and deceptive practices by corporate landlords. Additionally, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) should address anticompetitive closing costs and junk fees, lowering closing costs for home mortgages and making homeownership more accessible.\n\nLowering Credit Report Costs: As the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) enjoys a near monopoly in the credit scoring market, the Department of Justice (DOJ) should investigate whether the company is violating antitrust law, and the CFPB should explore potential remedies to exploding credit reporting costs, including a cap on fees that credit reporting agencies can charge and interoperability requirements that would allow consumers to move their credit scores without new fees.\n\nPromoting Housing Development on Federal Property: Federal agencies can work to reform Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance program, so that federal property can more easily be leased by affordable housing providers who are serving people experiencing homelessness.\n\nRight now, the United States is facing a severe affordable housing crisis, with an estimated gap of 7.3 million housing units affordable and available to the lowest-income households.\n\nAlready, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken bold steps to protect tenants from predatory corporate landlords, including the Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, rent-hike protections in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties, and support for anti-price-gouging measures in properties owned by corporate landlords. The Administration has also worked to increase housing supply, including through grants to incentivize the production of affordable housing and more.\n\n\u201cWe strongly encourage you to cement your legacy by addressing one of the most pressing economic issues of our time and take swift action to create more housing and lower housing costs for Americans everywhere,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe letter is also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-Ind.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Jes\u00fas G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-Texas), Ra\u00fal M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (D-N.Y.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.).\n\nThis letter was endorsed by the Tenant Union Federation, National Housing Law Project, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Homelessness Law Center, and Americans for Financial Reform.\n\nSenator Warren has long led the fight to make housing more affordable for families and has held companies accountable for their role in exacerbating housing costs:\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers demanded answers from corporate landlords in Massachusetts allegedly using rent-hiking algorithms.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), sent letters to each of the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) urging them to contribute at least 20% of their net income to affordable housing and other critical community grant programs.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, the landmark legislation to tackle the housing crisis, bring down costs for renters and buyers, and help working families everywhere find a decent place to live at a decent price.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs led Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Jon Ossoff, Representative Ro Khanna, and Representative James Moylan in calling out the Department of Defense (DoD) for failing to protect military families living in military housing operated by private companies under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) urging the agency to address our country\u2019s affordable housing crisis by reforming the broken Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren reintroduced the Public Housing Emergency Response Act to address the estimated $70 billion backlog of maintenance and repairs in our nation\u2019s public housing, which would allow tenants to live in safe conditions and ensure that, as we fight to end the housing crisis by expanding the supply of affordable housing, we are not losing existing units to disrepair.\n\nIn April 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Warren called out the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) for failing to deliver on their mission to provide affordable housing as the country faces a housing crisis.\n\nIn January 2024, Senator Warren, John Hickenlooper, Jacky Rosen, and Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter to Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell, calling on the Fed to reverse its troubling interest rate hikes that have driven mortgage rates to 20-year highs and have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Americans.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Tina Smith, and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling for the DOJ to investigate YieldStar following new findings from their investigation of RealPage\u2019s YieldStar product.\n\nIn January 2023, Senator Warren, and Representative Jamaal Bowman led a letter with 48 lawmakers, urging President Biden to use every tool he has to address rent inflation, end corporate price gouging in the rental market, and ensure that renters and people experiencing homelessness across this country are stably housed this winter.\n\nIn November 2022, Senators Warren, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to RealPage CEO Dana Jones, expressing concern about RealPage\u2019s algorithmic pricing software, YieldStar, and its role in driving rising rents and exacerbating inflation.\n\nIn August 2022, at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (BHUA) Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out corporate landlords\u2019 growing role in the rental market and emphasized the need for a Tenant Protection Bureau to hold corporate landlords accountable and protect renters from extreme rent hikes, illegal eviction, and other predatory practices.\n\nIn May 2022, Senators Warren and Reed sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Marcia Fudge, calling on HUD to preserve homeownership affordability for American families as Wall Street firms expand their activity in the housing market.\n\nIn March 2022, at a BHUA Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out Wall Street\u2019s role in worsening the housing affordability crisis for seniors by buying up manufactured home communities\n\nIn February 2022, Senator Warren called out private equity firms and other big investors for exacerbating inflation and locking families out of affordable housing opportunities.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren sent letters to the CEOs of three private equity-backed firms\u2014Progress Residential, American Homes 4 Rent, and Invitation Homes \u2014calling out their growing activity in the housing market that has resulted in rent hikes and unaffordable homes for first-time buyers.\n\nIn August 2021, during a hearing exchange with Senator Warren, a Department of Housing and Urban Development nominee committed to consider changes that facilitate sales of distressed homes to homeowners, not private equity firms.\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Warren called on large corporate landlords to avoid needless evictions as the CDC eviction moratorium neared expiration.\n\nIn May 2021, at a hearing, Senator Warren made the case for her American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which would create a new housing innovation grant program to reduce exclusionary local zoning laws.\n\nOn April 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act to bring down the costs for renters and buyers, level the playing field so working families can find a decent place to live at a decent price, reduce exclusionary zoning laws, and take a step towards addressing the effects of decades of housing discrimination on communities of color.\n\nIn May 2019, Senator Warren and then-Representative Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) wrote to the private equity firms behind some of the country's largest manufactured housing communities to request information about their use of predatory practices to boost profits in the communities they own.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-celebrates-milestone-of-over-one-million-public-service-workers-receiving-student-debt-cancellation", "Warren Celebrates Milestone of Over One Million Public Service Workers Receiving Student Debt Cancellation", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Celebrates Milestone of Over One Million Public Service Workers Receiving Student Debt Cancellation\n\nPublic Service Loan Forgiveness program has canceled debt for more than 22,210 borrowers in Massachusetts\n\nSen. Warren leads charge to deliver student debt relief for borrowers in Massachusetts and across the country\n\nBoston, MA \u2014 Today, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) celebrated new federal student debt relief, bringing the total number of Americans who have had their debt canceled under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program during the Biden-Harris Administration to a historic 1 million people and counting. The Biden-Harris Administration has canceled student loan debt for 22,210 borrowers in Massachusetts under PSLF. Senator Warren has led the charge to deliver student debt relief for a record number of people in Massachusetts and across the country, including by introducing bills to cancel debt and improve the PSLF program.\n\n\u201cPresident Biden and Vice President Harris fixed this broken program. Thanks to this new relief, over one million public servants will have the weight of crushing student debt lifted off of their shoulders \u2014 when this same program delivered relief to only 7,000 workers before President Biden took office. We promised dedicated public servants that they wouldn\u2019t be saddled by decades of debt, and we\u2019re making good on that promise,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI worked hard every day in office to fix this broken program, and now more than 20,000 Massachusetts public service workers are done with student debt forever.\u201d\n\n\u201cBefore President Biden and Vice President Harris entered the White House, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program was so riddled by dysfunction that just 7,000 Americans ever qualified and countless public servants were trapped making payments on debts that should have been forgiven,\u201d said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. \u201cFrom Day One, the Biden-Harris administration made fixing this broken program a top priority, and today, I\u2019m tremendously proud that over one million teachers, nurses, social workers, veterans, and other public servants have received lifechanging loan forgiveness. As Secretary of Education, I want to send a message to college students across America that pursuing a career in public service is not only a noble calling but a reliable pathway to becoming debt-free within a decade.\u201d\n\nThe Public Service Loan Forgiveness program supports public servants \u2014 including teachers, nurses, social workers, first responders, and servicemembers \u2014 by forgiving the remaining student loan balance for those who make the required 120 qualifying monthly payments. This relief includes both borrowers who benefitted from the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s limited PSLF waiver, a temporary opportunity that ended in October 2022, as well as from regulatory improvements made to the program during this Administration.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to reform our higher education system, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable:\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Merkley (D-Ore.) released a new report examining the impact of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s new Higher Education Act rule, finding that low- and middle-income borrowers, seniors, women, and Black borrowers will receive enormous benefits from the new rule.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren joined Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to launch an investigation into the reported mishandling of student loan transfers by MOHELA, Nelnet and credit reporting agencies.\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) led over 30 lawmakers in a letter urging student loan servicer Navient to reform its flawed process to cancel the private student loans of borrowers who attended fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Ron Wyden, Chris Van Hollen, and Bernie Sanders, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, cautioning the Department of Education on Federal Student Aid\u2019s transition to the Unified Servicing and Data Solution system.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, and Sanders released a joint statement on the American Federation of Teachers\u2019 lawsuit against MOHELA for allegedly overcharging and misleading student loan borrowers.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren and King led their colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging them to provide guidance and communication to borrowers as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program transfers from MOHELA to the Department of Education.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren led a growing coalition of senators in urging the Department of Education to hold student loan servicer MOHELA accountable for its failures.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and 24 members of the U.S. Senate sent a letter to Senator Tammy Baldwin, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, encouraging them to provide $2.7 billion in funding to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) in fiscal year (FY) 2025.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Carper, Kaine, and Representative Don Davis (D-N.C.) called on the Department of Defense (DoD) to release data on the Postsecondary Education Complaint System (PECS), a centralized database to track complaints against schools who participate in the Tuition Assistance (TA) and My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA) program.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren led eight of her colleagues in sending a letter to David L. Yowan, President and Chief Executive Officer of student loan servicer Navient, urging the servicer to cancel decades-old private student loans pushed onto borrowers attending fraudulent, for-profit colleges.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Markey, and Van Hollen released a new report: Servicing Scandals: Student Loan Servicers\u2019 Failures During Return to Repayment, which reveals a decades-long pattern of student loan servicer incompetence and misconduct that has affected millions of borrowers nationwide.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a hearing on student loan servicer Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) and its failures during borrowers\u2019 return to repayment, including MOHELA\u2019s mismanagement of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, along with U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and John Larson (D-Conn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Social Security Administration (SSA), the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), and the U.S. Department of Education to end the practice of offsetting Social Security benefits to pay off defaulted student loans.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a statement calling for an investigation into student loan mismanagement by MOHELA.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), along with Representative Ayanna Pressley, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Representative Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), led their colleagues in calling on the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to host a fourth session of the student debt negotiated rulemaking to consider relief for borrowers experiencing financial hardship.\n\nIn December 2023, U.S. Senators Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey,, and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) sent follow-up letters to student loan servicers \u2013 MOHELA, EdFinancial, Nelnet, and Maximus \u2013 raising concerns about borrowers\u2019 problems with return to repayment, requesting information about the borrower experience, and pushing back on the servicers\u2019 claim that budget shortfalls limit their ability provide quality customer service to millions of borrowers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging him to leverage his existing and full authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senators Alex Padilla and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and U.S. Representatives Ilhan Omar, Jim Clyburn, and Frederica Wilson led 79 other lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to swiftly deliver on his promise to deliver student debt cancellation to working and middle class families by early 2024.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) visited communities across Massachusetts to celebrate the Biden administration\u2019s student debt cancellation plan and help residents sign up for student loan relief.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Warren called on the Department of Education to hold for-profit colleges executives accountable for scamming students out of a quality education and loading them up with student debt.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Senator Brown and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.), urged Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to swiftly discharge the loans of borrowers defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges and universities, including those operated by Corinthian College.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Representatives Jayapal, Pressley, Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) led more than 80 colleagues in a bicameral letter to the Department of Education calling for it to release the memo outlining the Biden administration\u2019s legal authority to cancel federal student loan debt and immediately cancel up to $50,000 of debt for Federal student loan borrowers.\n\nIn October 2021, Senator Warren, along with Senator Markey and Representative Pressley, released a report that detailed the ongoing failures of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program for public servants in Massachusetts.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led a group of colleagues in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona urging the Department of Education to take swift action to automatically remove all federally-held student loan borrowers from default.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-renew-push-to-tackle-air-traffic-noise-and-pollution-in-boston-communities", "Warren, Markey Renew Push to Tackle Air Traffic Noise and Pollution in Boston Communities", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey Renew Push to Tackle Air Traffic Noise and Pollution in Boston Communities\n\nBill Text (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) reintroduced the Air Traffic Noise and Pollution Expert Consensus Act directing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study the various health impacts of air traffic noise and pollution.\n\nIn 2013, the FAA implemented more concentrated and efficient flight paths, which resulted in a surge of noise and pollution for communities near Boston Logan International Airport. In 2022, Massachusetts residents submitted more than 15 times the number of noise disturbance complaints than were filed in 2013. This bill directs the FAA and National Academies to convene a committee of experts to issue a report on the health impacts of air traffic noise and pollution.\n\nSenators Warren and Markey initially introduced the Air Traffic Noise and Pollution Expert Consensus Act in 2019. Representative Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives earlier this year.\n\n\u201cLiving near a major airport shouldn\u2019t mean higher risk to your health,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis bill will help us understand the potential dangers of long-term exposure to air traffic noise and pollution so we can protect Massachusetts residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommunities across our nation are affected by noise and pollution from air traffic. Industry and advocates alike need more information about the health impacts of this pollution to help us take action to address it. The Air Traffic Noise and Pollution Expert Consensus Act will highlight the critical information needed to understand and tackle the concerns of affected communities in Massachusetts and beyond,\u201d said Senator Markey.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to have Massachusetts residents\u2019 voices heard on the FAA\u2019s flight path decisions:\n\nIn 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced the Air Traffic Noise and Pollution Expert Consensus Act to examine and report on the various health impacts of air traffic noise and pollution.\n\nIn July 2016, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Michael Capuano, Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.), and Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), sent a letter calling on the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study about the effects of air traffic noise and pollution on human health. The letter noted the recent significant spikes in the number of noise complaints logged by the Massachusetts Port Authority, as well at airports around the country.\n\nIn April 2016, Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the FAA Community Accountability Act to give local communities a voice in the FAA\u2019s decision-making process for flight paths.\n\nIn 2016, Senator Elizabeth Warren filed an amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act requiring the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System's impact on the human environment in densely populated areas.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warrens-jrotc-reforms-in-action-defense-department-puts-key-protections-in-place-to-protect-students", "Warren's JROTC Reforms in Action: Defense Department Puts Key Protections in Place to Protect Students", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren's JROTC Reforms in Action: Defense Department Puts Key Protections in Place to Protect Students\n\nKey reforms Sen. Warren secured in FY 2024 NDAA to protect JROTC students from sexual misconduct by instructors are now being implemented by DoD\n\n\u201cI fought hard to get these provisions into the NDAA because it\u2019s critical that we protect JROTC students from harm.\u201d\n\nBoston, MA \u2014 In its response to a July letter led by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, the Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed that it is implementing key reforms that Senator Warren secured in the fiscal year (FY) FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to protect Junior Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps (JROTC) students from sexual misconduct by instructors and forced enrollment. The reforms include a standardized memorandum of agreement (MOA) to hold schools and instructors accountable, a student code of conduct and parent/guardian consent form to provide resources and support for students and families, and prohibitions on forced enrollment, requirements for schools to quickly report allegations of instructor misconduct to DoD.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s unthinkable that students who have joined JROTC to develop leadership skills and learn about military service have been abused by their instructors \u2014 adults they\u2019re supposed to be able to trust,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI fought hard to get these provisions into the NDAA because it\u2019s critical that we protect JROTC students from harm. I'm glad to see the Department of Defense taking important steps to implement these reforms, and I\u2019ll keep working to make sure they\u2019re put into action as effectively as possible.\u201d\n\nIn July, Senator Warren led Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, in urging the Department of Defense to fully implement FY 2024 NDAA provisions from the Junior Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps (JROTC) Safety Act of 2023. The letter followed a Warren-led Senate investigation revealing that between 2012 and 2022, DoD had received 114 allegations of violence, including sexual abuse and sexual harassment of JROTC students by instructors. The investigation was conducted after a 2022 New York Times report that exposed an alarming pattern of sexual assault and harassment in the program. In many cases, reports of sexual harassment or assault went nowhere and instructors who were reported would escape without consequence.\n\nKey provisions being implemented as a direct result of Senator Warren\u2019s provisions from the JROTC Safety Act in the FY 2024 NDAA and her ongoing advocacy include:\n\nHolding schools and instructors accountable: DoD has standardized a MOA to use with institutions with JROTC programs. The addendums specific to each military service are being finalized and expect to be fully used this academic year. DoD developed the JROTC Instructor Prohibited Activities Acknowledgement form, which JROTC Instructors must review and acknowledge annually. DoD is also requiring a 1:30 ratio of oversight personnel to JROTC units for annual in-person inspections.\n\nSupporting students and families: DoD has established a JROTC student code of conduct and parent/guardian consent form to provide resources for students to report instructor misconduct. Parents, guardians and students will need to acknowledge it annually, and it has been \u201ctranslated into Spanish to minimize language barriers.\u201d In addition to identifying the school\u2019s Title IX coordinator, it provides them military service points of contact so that parents and guardians and students can reach out to DoD directly with concerns about instructor conduct.\n\nProhibiting forced enrollment: Under the new JROTC student code of conduct and parent/guardian consent form, the student and their parent or guardian must explicitly acknowledge that the program is voluntary. The new standardized MOAs also require the school district or local education activity to also acknowledge that JROTC is a voluntary program.\n\nTimely reporting requirements for schools and DoD: Under the new MOA, schools must \u201creport to the Military Service point of contact, within 1 business day, any disciplinary or administrative action levied upon a JROTC instructor\u2026the initiation of any investigation into alleged JROTC instructor misconduct\u2026and any changes in the employment status of a JROTC instructor.\u201d DoD has also created procedures to \u201censure that such reports are quickly communicated\u201d to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and has implemented a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Education (ED) to share information about possible Title IX violations.\n\nImproving communication between DoD and ED: DoD and ED have established an MOU to formalize and improve information sharing on possible Title IX violations.\n\nNew data on JROTC Title IX violations in academic year 2022-2023: In response to a reporting requirement from Congress, DoD reported 21 alleged Title IX violations in the 2022-2023 academic year, including for sexual misconduct, harassment, and discrimination. The report also provides a list of actions DoD took during the 2022-2023 academic year to mitigate sexual misconduct and harassment in JROTC.\n\nAs Chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, Senator Warren has led efforts to hold the Department of Defense and the Department of Education accountable for their management of the JROTC program:\n\nIn May 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), and Chrissy M. Houlahan (D-Pa.), applauded the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for launching a review of the JROTC program following a letter from the lawmakers requesting such a review.\n\nIn March 2023, chairing her first hearing of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, Senator Warren highlighted the importance of addressing existing failures in the Junior Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps (JROTC).\n\nIn February 2023, Senators Warren, Hirono, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), sent a letter to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Education (ED) amid reports of students being forced to join the JROTC program.\n\nIn September 2022, during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Warrenquestioned top DoD personnel officials on disturbing reports of widespread patterns of sexual misconduct by instructors in the JROTC program, where they admitted DoD\u2019s lack of adequate oversight to prevent sexual misconduct by instructors and ensure the safety of students.\n\nIn September 2022, Senator Warren, along with Senators Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Hirono (D-Hawaii), opened an investigation into the JROTC program, following reports of widespread patterns of sexual misconduct by instructors in the program.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/as-medicare-open-enrollment-period-begins-warren-highlights-more-than-170-million-in-prescription-drug-savings-for-massachusettsseniors", "As Medicare Open Enrollment Period Begins, Warren Highlights More Than $170 Million in Prescription Drug Savings for Massachusetts\u00a0Seniors", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "As Medicare Open Enrollment Period Begins, Warren Highlights More Than $170 Million in Prescription Drug Savings for Massachusetts Seniors\n\nNew report from Warren\u2019s office, A Prescription For Savings, shows how the Inflation Reduction Act is saving seniors millions of dollars, while holding Big Pharma price-gougers accountable.\n\nA Prescription for Savings - How the Inflation Reduction Act Will Cut Drug Costs for Massachusetts Medicare Enrollees in 2025 (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 On the first day of the Medicare open enrollment period for Plan Year 2025, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new report, A Prescription for Savings, outlining six key reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that are helping Massachusetts seniors save on prescription drugs.\n\n\u201cThe IRA will save Bay Staters enrolled in Medicare a total of over $170 million on prescription drug costs in 2025 alone,\u201d according to the report. \u201cThe IRA has created more accessible, more equitable, and more affordable prescription drug coverage for seniors and individuals with disabilities in Massachusetts.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis new report provides critical information to seniors and others in Massachusetts about how they will save money when selecting a Medicare prescription drug plan for next year,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI\u2019ve worked hard to rein in Big Pharma's price-gouging and lower health care costs through the Inflation Reduction Act, and Medicare enrollees will see significant savings as a result.\u201d\n\nThanks to the Biden-Harris Administration and Democrats in Congress, the IRA will save Medicare enrollees billions of dollars on prescription drugs costs nationwide. The report highlights six ways Massachusetts Medicare enrollees will save in 2025 and beyond:\n\n$35 monthly insulin: Out-of-pocket costs for insulin are now capped at $35 per month for Medicare enrollees. More than 26,000 Massachusetts Medicare enrollees who use insulin can expect about $500 in annual savings in 2025 \u2013 an estimated total savings of nearly $13 million.\n\n$2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs: New out-of-pocket caps in Medicare Part D will help 83,000 enrollees in Massachusetts save an average of $1,500 on their out-of-pocket prescription drug costs \u2013 an estimated savings of over $124 million annually.\n\nFree vaccines: For more than 1.1 million Massachusetts Medicare enrollees, recommended vaccines are now covered pre-deductible and without cost-sharing. This will save Massachusetts Medicare enrollees about $5 million per year.\n\nPenalties for drug manufacturers that jack up prices faster than inflation: The IRA, for the first time, penalizes drug manufacturers that raise prices faster than inflation, helping an estimated 17,000 Massachusetts residents save on their prescription drugs.\n\nExpanded support for low-income enrollees: Approximately 5,000 low-income Medicare enrollees in Massachusetts will save around $30 million per year due to the IRA\u2019s expansion of the Medicare Part D \u201cExtra Help\u201d program.\n\nNegotiations to lower drug prices: For the first time, Medicare can directly negotiate prices with drug manufacturers for a select number of high-priced drugs. Nearly 200,000 Part D enrollees in Massachusetts use at least one prescription drug that will see price reductions when the new negotiated prices take effect in 2026.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to hold drug manufacturers accountable for high drug costs:\n\nIn March 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren called out drug manufacturers for price-gouging Americans on prescription drugs. As Americans deal with high prices across the economy, Senator Warren is pushing for reforms that will lower drug prices and stop Big Pharma from taking advantage of consumers.\n\nIn February 2022, during a hearing of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned witnesses about how corporate profiteering in the pharmaceutical, insurance, and financial industries is contributing to excessive costs for Medicare.\n\nIn February 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Angus King (I-Maine), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) urged HHS to exercise march-in rights for life-saving cancer drug Xtandi to dramatically lower its price for millions of Americans. She also called out big pharma and insurance companies\u2019 tricks to squeeze taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries. And she called for passage of the Build Back Better Act, which includes provisions that could generate billions in savings and give the Department of Health and Human Services the authority to negotiate prices on some high-price drugs.\n\nIn June 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a letter questioning PhRMA's lobbying efforts to block policies that would lower drug costs for millions of Americans.\n\nIn May 2021, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren called for trade negotiations that put patients over big pharma profits.\n\nIn December 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act with Congresswoman Schakowsky, to radically reduce drug prices through public manufacturing of prescription drugs, including the .\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawmakers-renew-push-for-national-price-gouging-ban-as-companies-reportedly-take-advantage-of-consumers-during-hurricanes-helene-and-milton", "Warren, Lawmakers Renew Push for National Price Gouging Ban As Companies Reportedly Take Advantage of Consumers During Hurricanes Helene and Milton", "2024-10-11", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lawmakers Renew Push for National Price Gouging Ban As Companies Reportedly Take Advantage of Consumers During Hurricanes Helene and Milton\n\n\u201cA federal price gouging law, enforced by the FTC, would help consumers, particularly during disasters like Hurricane Helene.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.),Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) wrote to Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, on reports of widespread price gouging in states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and on the need for a federal price gouging ban to complement state-level efforts.\n\nOn September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Florida Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm. The hurricane caused significant damage across the Southeast United States, particularly in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and the death toll is now over 200. Since Hurricane Helene made landfall, hundreds of people have filed complaints regarding price gouging as a result of the storm. This could include skyrocketing costs for airline tickets, gas, or hotel rooms for families fleeing their homes.\n\nOver the past two weeks, offices of attorneys general in each of these states have reiterated that their state-specific price gouging laws are in effect to protect consumers during what has become \u201cone of the deadliest storms in American history.\u201d The Department of Transportation, FTC, DOJ, and CFPB have also warned companies against price gouging.\n\nNearly 40 states have price gouging laws. However, price gouging laws differ across states with regard to the scope of prohibited activities, the time period when the restriction goes into effect, and the time periods for which price gougers can be investigated and held accountable. As a result, some consumers may be less protected based on which state they live in.\n\n\u201cA federal price gouging law would strengthen and standardize state-level efforts to combat price gouging,\u201dwrote the lawmakers. \u201cFurthermore, a federal price gouging law would help tackle difficulties that might arise if price gouging occurs by a supplier higher up in the supply chain or by a business operating in multiple states.\u201d\n\nDespite the widespread existence of state price gouging laws, limits on the jurisdiction of state attorneys general may allow larger distributors or companies further up the supply chain to escape liability.\n\n\u201cThe current regulatory system forces state attorneys general to focus on smaller retailers operating within their state, who often are themselves victims of price gouging from larger suppliers,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cConsumers would benefit from a federal price gouging ban that would allow the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to help state attorneys general target large, multi-state entities that may be engaged in price gouging.\n\nThe lawmakers are asking the FTC to respond to questions on the potential benefits of a federal ban on price gouging by October 23rd.\n\nAs a champion for American consumers and a secure and healthy economy, Senator Warren has engaged in oversight of corporations that unfairly exploit consumers. She has also been calling for more competition and stronger enforcement of antitrust laws to bring down prices for families:\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) wroteto the CEOs of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and General Mills, pressing their executives on the companies\u2019 pattern of profiteering off consumers, both through \u201cshrinkflation\u201d and dodging taxes on the profits they made from that price gouging.\n\nIn September 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) demanded answers from 13 corporate landlords operating in Massachusetts as to whether they are using RealPage\u2019s algorithm to raise rents for families.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) sent a letter to Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of Kroger, raising concerns about Kroger\u2019s use of Electronic Shelving Labels (ESLs) to potentially surge grocery prices and exploit consumers.\n\nIn May 2024, while chairing a Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy hearing, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) called out giant corporations for hiking up food prices while raking in record profits, and urged action to promote competition and bring down costs.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Rep. Jim McGovern led a group of lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the Biden administration to use its executive authority to take action to lower food prices.\n\nIn May 2024, during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs, Senator Warren called out food industry price gouging and urged action to combat unfair pricing practices.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) wrote to DoorDash and UberEats, the two largest delivery platforms, calling out their use of hidden junk fees.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.) led a group of 14 lawmakers in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the agency to revive enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a critical tool to promote fair competition in the food industry.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren joined Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in introducing the Shrinkflation Prevention Act to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering prices.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren, Baldwin, Casey, and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)reintroduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024, which would protect consumers and prohibit corporate price gouging by authorizing the FTC and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren urged the FTC to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger, which would give the five largest food retail companies control of 55 percent of all grocery sales, allowing them to further control and ultimately raise consumer prices, while also reducing job competition, decreasing wages, and decreasing the bargaining power of organized labor.\n\nIn November 2023, Senator Warren called out TransDigm for its refusal to provide cost and pricing information needed to prevent price gouging of taxpayers and the Department of Defense.\n\nIn the past few years, Senator Warren has urged the Biden administration to closely scrutinize other potentially anticompetitive mergers that could lead to higher prices for consumers and accelerate industry consolidation. She has led letters about the proposed mergers of Frontier and Spirit airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, Sanderson-Wayne, WarnerMedia-Discovery, and Amazon-MGM.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren introduced the Prohibiting Anticompetitive Mergers Act to help stomp out rampant industry consolidation that allows companies to raise consumer prices and mistreat workers. The bill would ban the biggest, most anticompetitive mergers and give the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission the authority to reject deals in the first instance without court orders and to break up harmful mergers.\n\nIn February 2022, at a hearing, Senator Warren called out corporations for abusing their market power to raise consumer prices and boost profits.\n\nThat same month, Senator Warren requested the Department of Justice to take aggressive action against corporations violating antitrust laws to hike prices for consumers.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren questioned Federal Reserve nominee Lael Brainard about market concentration and price gouging driving inflation.\n\nAt a January 2022 hearing, Senator Warren pressed Fed Chair Jerome Powell on the role of corporate concentration in driving up prices for consumers during his renomination hearing to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.\n\nIn a New York Times op-ed published in April 2020, Senator Warren urged Congress to focus on cracking down on price gouging in its ongoing effort to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.\n\nIn March 2020, Senator Warren joined her colleagues in urging the FTC to use its full authority to prevent abusive price gouging on consumer health products during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawmakers-renew-legislative-push-to-stop-private-equity-looting", "Warren, Lawmakers Renew Legislative Push to Stop Private Equity Looting", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lawmakers Renew Legislative Push to Stop Private Equity Looting\n\nWarren, Lawmakers Renew Legislative Push to Stop Private Equity Looting\n\nThe bill would close loopholes and end incentives for private equity pillaging.\n\nUpdated text responds to private equity\u2019s ruinous takeover of now-bankrupt Steward Health Care, preventing a similar collapse from ever happening again.\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | Text of One-Pager (PDF) | Text of Section-by-Section (PDF) | Text of Economic Analysis (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.),Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), reintroduced the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, comprehensive legislation to fundamentally reform the private equity industry and level the playing field by forcing private investment firms to take responsibility for the outcomes of companies they take over, empowering workers and protecting investors. This reintroduction comes after private equity firm Cerberus looted Steward Health Care, leaving hospitals, patients, and workers hanging out to dry.\n\n\u201cPrivate equity takeovers are legal looting that make a handful of Wall Street executives very rich while costing thousands of people their jobs, putting valuable companies out of \u00adbusiness, and in the case of health care, is literally a matter of life and death,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cOur bill is designed to close loopholes and end incentives for private equity pillaging \u2013 and it will make sure what happened at Steward never happens again.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen out-of-state investors buy Wisconsin companies only to turn a quick profit and shutter their doors, it\u2019s Wisconsin workers and communities that suffer. I\u2019m committed to ensuring that when Wisconsin businesses are purchased, Wisconsin families are protected and not left high and dry like we\u2019ve seen in places like Janesville, Green Bay, and Waukesha,\u201d said Senator Baldwin. \u201cOur legislation will help put workers and our community first \u2013 protecting them from predatory practices that too often result in devastating job losses for Wisconsin\u2019s working families.\u201d\n\n\u201cMore and more Americans are feeling the presence of private equity in our economy, including in critical sectors like housing and health care,\u201d said Senator Smith. \u201cThey arrive promising to revitalize communities and turn around struggling hospitals and companies, but far too often, they extract value for themselves at the expense of workers and ordinary people. This bill will help put an end to their most egregious practices and provide accountability.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe greed of private equity robs too many Americans of stability, security, and prosperity. In Massachusetts, the Steward Health Care crisis is just one example of private equity sacrificing the long-term prosperity of workers, customers, and communities for their short-term profits. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act would finally prevent private equity firms from monetizing productive sectors of the economy and hollowing them out by laying off workers and closing businesses. We need to put in guardrails for private equity to ensure they cannot sacrifice people for profits,\u201d said Senator Markey.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s long past time for billionaires and big corporations to stop gambling with hardworking Americans\u2019 and their communities\u2019 assets in service of corporate greed,\u201d Representative Pocan said. \u201cIn Wisconsin, we've seen what happens when private equity firms like Sun Capital raid companies for their wealth and leave workers and communities to pick up the pieces. When Sun Capital took over Shopko \u2013 a Wisconsin-based retail chain that had stood strong for more than 50 years \u2013 they drained it dry, buried it in debt, pushed it into bankruptcy, and abandoned roughly 14,000 workers. This bill will finally hold these predatory firms accountable and protect workers from being plundered by corporate greed.\"\n\nSince 2020, private equity fund assets have grown exponentially, reaching nearly $8 trillion in 2023 compared to $4.5 trillion in 2020. Private equity funds have purchased companies in nearly every sector of the economy \u2014 from nursing homes, to newspapers, to grocery stores \u2014 laying off hundreds of thousands of workers and ruining thousands of companies in the process.\n\nThe private equity industry claims to invest in companies while also earning high returns for investors by using their management expertise to make the companies\u2019 operations more efficient, and then selling the companies at a profit. In reality, private equity funds often load mountains of debt on the companies they buy, strip them of their assets, and extract exorbitant fees and dividends, guaranteeing payouts for themselves regardless of how the investment performs. When their debt-ridden investments go belly-up, private equity funds walk away with no responsibility for the mess they create, leaving workers in the lurch and forcing communities to clean up their mess.\n\nIt\u2019s time to level the playing field, protect workers, consumers, and investors, and force private equity firms to take responsibility for the companies they control. This bill does so by closing the loopholes that allow private equity to capture all the rewards of their investments while insulating themselves from risk and liability. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act will:\n\nRequire Private Investment Funds to Have Skin in the Game: Private equity firms, the firm\u2019s general partners, and their insiders will all be on the hook for the liabilities of companies under their control\u2014including debt, legal judgments, and pension-related obligations\u2014to better align the incentives of private equity firms and the companies they own. Liability would not extend to the fund\u2019s limited partners, ensuring that only those that control portfolio firms are on the hook. In order to encourage more responsible use of debt, the bill ends the tax subsidy for excessive leverage and closes the carried interest loophole.\n\nEnd Looting of Portfolio Companies. To give portfolio companies a shot at success, the bill limits how much money private equity firms can extract from companies and closes the loophole that private equity firms have used to hide certain assets from bankruptcy courts. Every transaction since Steward Health Care was bought by private equity would be subject to review as part of Steward\u2019s bankruptcy to determine whether it can be clawed back as a fraudulent transfer.\n\nProtect Workers, Customers and Communities. This proposal prevents private equity firms from walking away when a company fails and protects workers and communities by:\n\nPrioritizing workers\u2019 pay in the bankruptcy process and amending the laws to increase the priority claims for unpaid earnings and other benefits from $10,000 to $20,000 per worker.\n\nCreating incentives for job retention so that workers can benefit from a company\u2019s second chance.\n\nEnding the immunity of private equity firms from legal liability when their portfolio companies break the law, including the WARN Act. When workers at a plant are shortchanged or residents at a nursing home are hurt because private equity firms force portfolio companies to cut corners, the firm should be liable.\n\nExpanding protections for striking workers by clarifying unfair labor practices and the employer duty to bargain.\n\nEmpower Investors by Increasing Transparency. Private equity managers will be required to disclose fees, returns, and other information about their funds and the corporate loans they make so that investors can monitor their investments. This would have required Cerberus to disclose the terms of its investments in Steward Health Care, which Cerberus continues to withhold from Congress.\n\nPut Guardrails Around Accessing Public Funds. Firms receiving any funds from a federal or state agency must publicly disclose how the funds are used and will be prohibited from acquiring any company or making a distribution to investors for two years after receipt.\n\nDrive REITS out of Health Care. Prohibits payments from federal health programs to entities that sell assets or use assets for a loan collateral made to a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) d; repeals a rule in the Tax Code that allows taxable REIT subsidiaries to exert influence on the operations of health care entities; and removes the 20 percent pass-through deduction, passed in the 2017 Trump tax cuts, for all REIT investors. Ralph de la Torre executed a sale-leaseback transaction of the Steward properties in exchange for a $1.25B payout from a REIT; this would have banned the hospitals from continuing to receive federal dollars upon executing the property sale\u2014thus likely preventing the sale.\n\nThe bill is supported by Action Center on Race and the Economy, AFL-CIO, American Economic Liberties Project, American Federation of Teachers, Americans for Financial Reform, Center for Popular Democracy, Coalition for Patient-Centered Care, Communications Workers of America, Community Catalyst, Economic Policy Institute, Indivisible, Massachusetts Nurses Association, National Employment Law Project, National Nurses United, National Women\u2019s Law Center, Private Equity Stakeholder Project, People\u2019s Action, Public Citizen, SEIU, Strong for All, Student Borrower Protection Center, Take Medicine Back, Take on Wall Street, UNITE HERE, United for Respect, Working Families Party, and Worth Rises.\n\n\u201cPrivate equity has an immense impact on the U.S. economy, touching virtually every aspect of life from healthcare to housing to technology to retail and more. Private equity\u2019s extractive playbook harms workers and communities, diminishes access to quality affordable health care, worsens the housing crisis and the climate crisis, and perpetuates systemic racism. Without major changes, a handful of ultra wealthy Wall Street executives will continue getting richer at everyone else\u2019s expense. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act takes important, much needed steps to reign in Wall Street predatory practices and promote a just and sustainable economy,\u201d said Lisa Donner, Executive Director, Americans for Financial Reform.\n\n\u201cUnion busting, pollution, and bankruptcy aren\u2019t side effects of the private equity model: they are the model,\u201d said Porter McConnell, Take on Wall Street. \u201cIt\u2019s a smash-and-grab, plain and simple. That\u2019s why we are so pleased to see comprehensive legislation like the Stop Wall Street Looting Act introduced in Congress today. We created the loopholes in the law that allowed the private equity industry to thrive, and we can end them. Our communities, our economy, and our democracy are depending on it.\"\n\n\u201cAs we fight for more public investment in the child care sector, we must also rein in private equity\u2019s ability to enrich themselves at the expense of the public. Building guardrails \u2013 such as those in the Stop Wall Street Looting Act \u2013 will help put the wellbeing of children and families ahead of private equity\u2019s profits,\u201d said Melissa Boteach, Vice President, Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning, National Women\u2019s Law Center.\n\n\u201cPrivate equity firms, which control nearly $15 trillion in assets, routinely prioritize quick, outsized profits, at the expense of workers, patients, renters, and local economies as part of their business model,\u201d said Chris Noble, Policy Director for the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. \u201cThe Stop Wall Street Looting Act provides an essential check on this opaque industry. By addressing the systemic risks tied to debt-laden private equity buyouts, this legislation prioritizes the long-term health of businesses and communities over short-term profits for wealthy private equity executives.\u201d\n\n\u201cPrivate equity should have no influence over medical treatment decisions made jointly by independent physicians and their patients. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act goes a long way towards ensuring physicians, in consultation with their patients, are able to deliver quality, patient-centered, cost-efficient care without corporate interference,\u201d said Dr. Stephen M. McCollam, Chair, Coalition for Patient-Centered Care.\n\n\u201cWall Street private equity firms have proven themselves to be a parasite on workers, our economy, and American retailers by gutting companies for profit and driving mass layoffs. Holding billionaire profiteers accountable for the damage they do to our working families and communities is imperative to addressing growing economic inequality,\u201d said United for Respect Co-Executive Directors Bianca Agustin and Terrysa Guerra in a joint statement. \u201cThe Stop Wall Street Looting Act will help close loopholes in our laws that for too long have allowed private equity to pillage companies and amass huge profits while workers lose their jobs and are left with nothing. United For Respect is proud to support this bill \u2014 and we need all legislators to join us in protecting workers and putting Wall Street on the hook for the havoc they reap.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-releases-report-highlighting-senate-record-of-plans-passed-into-laws-fights-won-for-massachusetts", "Warren Releases Report Highlighting Senate Record of Plans Passed Into Laws, Fights Won for Massachusetts", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Releases Report Highlighting Senate Record of Plans Passed Into Laws, Fights Won for Massachusetts\n\nSenator Warren has beaten special interests, fought for workers and consumers, and worked across the aisle to lift up the middle class in Massachusetts and beyond\n\nSenator Warren has passed 44 bills into law; 60% of passed bills are bipartisan\n\nText of Report (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new report detailing her record of fighting \u2014 and winning \u2014 for consumers and working families in Massachusetts and across the country. The report, titled \u201cFrom Plans to Law: Senator Elizabeth Warren\u2019s Record of Accomplishments from 2013 - 2024,\u201d provides a comprehensive overview of Senator Warren\u2019s record of success in the Senate, from taking on special interests, to fighting for workers and consumers, to working across the aisle to lift up the middle class.\n\nSenator Warren has passed 44 bills into law by both Democratic and Republican administrations. Over 60% of these bills passed into law were bipartisan. In addition to standalone legislation, Senator Warren secured 110 provisions in the annual National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs) signed into law by Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden. Senator Warren has also secured more than $50 billion in federal investments for Massachusetts, including more than $20 billion during the Biden-Harris Administration.\n\nSenator Warren has attended hundreds of hearings and served as the chair of three subcommittees: the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee\u2019s Economic Policy subcommittee, the Senate Armed Services Committee\u2019s Personnel subcommittee, and the Senate Finance Committee\u2019s Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth subcommittee. She has chaired 28 subcommittee hearings over the last three and a half years \u2014 including three held in Massachusetts.\n\nSenator Warren has also aggressively used the power of congressional oversight to fight for working families, writing thousands of oversight letters to government officials and private sector CEOs, and using the information she obtains to effect change by the private sector and by the executive branch, and to inform her legislative work. She has released over 40 investigative reports exposing issues from broken policies in U.S. trade agreements to the failure of big banks to rein in scams to the failure of the pharmaceutical industry to meet its promises to provide lower-cost insulin for patients.\n\nKey accomplishments include:\n\nSenator Warren made corporations pay a fairer share \u2014 and used the revenue to combat the climate crisis. Senator Warren introduced legislative proposals to make big corporations pay their fair share, and published a report showing how multi-billion-dollar corporations exploit loopholes to pay pennies on the dollar of what they should owe. Congress enacted Senator Warren\u2019s 15 percent corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, meaning the CAMT helped pay for the largest climate package in U.S. history. It was the first corporate tax increase in three decades.\n\nThis year, Senator Warren worked across the aisle to guarantee automatic cash refunds for canceled flights. Senator Warren worked with Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) to pass a bipartisan amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act, requiring airlines to guarantee automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights \u2014 defeating airline lobbyists\u2019 efforts to block the provision.\n\nSenator Warren pushed to get rid of junk pharma patents, paving the way for more generics to come to market. In response to Big Pharma\u2019s abuse of the patent system, which keeps generic competitors from entering the market and lowering costs for consumers, Senator Warren pushed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and FDA to strengthen their oversight of pharmaceutical companies and close regulatory loopholes that these companies exploit to limit competition. She also pushed the FTC to crack down on junk patents. The FTC\u2019s subsequent enforcement caused multiple companies to remove junk patents from the FDA\u2019s Orange Book and contributed to the overwhelming public pressure on inhaler manufacturers that led them to slash costs for patients from hundreds of dollars to just $35.\n\nRead the full report here.\n\nSenator Warren has used her legislative power to score major wins for working people, including:\n\nSecuring $50 billion in federal investment for Massachusetts through the American Rescue Plan Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Chips and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act.\n\nPreventing a collapse in child care infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic by rapidly developing a plan to inject $50 billion in emergency funding into the child care system and leading the Child Care is Essential Act.\n\nBreaking the hearing aid monopoly in partnership with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), lowering costs for people with hearing loss.\n\nSecuring $100 million to fight the opioid crisis and passing her slate of five bipartisan bills, as part of the SUPPORT Act.\n\nSafeguarding abortion care for military veterans and servicemembers.\n\nProtecting servicemembers from blast overpressure with a bipartisan bill (co-led with Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)), many elements of which the Department of Defense later incorporated into its updated blast overpressure policies.\n\nDefending servicemembers\u2019 rights by requiring the Department of Defense to create the first-ever military housing complaint database and investigate sexual assault and harassment of students in the Junior Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corp (JROTC).\n\nSecuring investments in scientific research and development, and passed her bipartisan proposal to increase the inclusion of women participants in medical research, which was adopted as part of the 21st Century Cures Act.\n\nPassing a bipartisan bill (co-led with Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.)) to help workers and retirees keep track of their retirement accounts across jobs.\n\nCracking down on wealthy tax cheats by introducing a bill to increase funding for the IRS \u2014 a priority which was later included in the Inflation Reduction Act, which appropriated a historic $80 billion increase in IRS funding over ten years.\n\nLowering prescription drug costs by championing key provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that directly reduced the cost of insulin, limited out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs for seniors, and allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers for the first time.\n\nSenator Warren\u2019s oversight work has reined in corporate abuse, including:\n\nPressuring Wells Fargo CEOs John Stumpf and Tim Sloan, as well as members of the Wells Fargo Board of Directors, to resign after cheating consumers..\n\nPressuring Zelle to reimburse defrauded customers and change policies to protect consumers.\n\nHelping to block powerful mergers that would have raised costs, including Jet Blue / Spirit, Choice Hotels / Wyndham Hotels, Aetna / Humana, and Lockheed Martin / Aerojet.\n\nSecuring relief for victims of Corinthian College and other predatory for-profit schools.\n\nHolding student loan servicers accountable, leading to Navient exiting the federal student loan system.\n\nProtecting renters by opening an investigation into RealPage, a software that helped corporate landlords engage in apparent price fixing.\n\nPrompting the delisting of key sham patents in FDA\u2019s Orange Book, paving the way for more generic competition for critical drugs.\n\nHelping return $16.1 million of taxpayer money to the Department of Defense from military contractor TransDigm.\n\nSecuring ethics commitments from high-level nominees to avoid conflicts of interest and shut the revolving door.\n\nSenator Warren has influenced executive actions and policy-making to advance key priorities, including:\n\nLaying the groundwork for regulators to put money back in Americans\u2019 pockets by curbing overdraft fees and credit card late fees.\n\nSuccessfully encouraging the FDA to follow the science and reduce barriers to accessing mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortion, including by allowing the medication to be dispensed at certified pharmacies and by mail.\n\nHelping to ban non-competes, making wages and benefits more competitive for workers.\n\nHelping establish a program for millions of Americans to file their taxes directly with the IRS, for free.\n\nProtecting seniors by securing a minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes, which will save over 13,000 lives each year.\n\nProtecting retirees from bad advice from investment brokers by leading an investigation into conflicts of interest.\n\nFighting against the FDA\u2019s discriminatory blood donation ban for men who have sex with men, leading FDA to replace the policy with one that better reflects the most up-to-date science.\n\nWorking to stop Big Tech\u2019s attempt to sneak unfair practices into digital trade agreements.\n\nLeading the charge to cancel student loan debt for almost 5 million Americans.\n\nSounding the alarm about bank consolidation for years, contributing to President Biden\u2019s action to strengthen DOJ bank merger guidelines.\n\nRead the full report here.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-urges-ftc-to-closely-scrutinize-novo-nordisk-catalent-merger-block-if-illegal-under-antitrust-law", "Warren Urges FTC To Closely Scrutinize Novo Nordisk-Catalent Merger, Block if Illegal Under Antitrust Law", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Urges FTC To Closely Scrutinize Novo Nordisk-Catalent Merger, Block if Illegal Under Antitrust Law\n\nDeal could reduce competition, increase prices of vital medications like Ozempic and Wegovy\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, urging the FTC to closely scrutinize a proposed merger between Novo Nordisk and contract development and manufacturing organization Catalent, and block the deal if it is found to be illegal under antitrust law. In the letter, Senator Warren raises concerns that the merger could hurt Americans by limiting competition and leading to higher cost for prescription drugs.\n\n\u201cGiven the proposed merger\u2019s potential to further limit competition in the weight loss and diabetes drug markets, making it harder for patients to access these drugs, I urge FTC to closely scrutinize this acquisition and block any activity found to be illegal under antitrust law,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nNovo Nordisk controls 55% of the exploding market for GLP-1 inhibitor drugs used to treat obesity and Type 2 diabetes, primarily through its sales of Ozempic and Wegovy. Catalent fills and packages GLP-1 syringes and injection pens for Novo Nordisk and other drug manufacturers like Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk\u2019s biggest competitor in the GLP-1 market. The deal has already received heightened attention from the FTC, which issued a Second Request to the merging parties for additional information.\n\n\u201cI am concerned that Novo Nordisk\u2019s merger with Catalent will give Novo Nordisk unprecedented visibility into and control over its competitor\u2019s production capacity, costs, and business practices, and the ability to preference its own products and obstruct its competitors\u2019 use of Catalent to produce GLP-1 drugs,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren also noted Novo Nordisk\u2019s past efforts to restrict competition and maximize profits, including the company\u2019s improper listing of patents for Ozempic and two other drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes in the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s Orange Book, which resulted in a warning letter from the FTC and oversight from Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cWhile Novo Nordisk claims to \u2018provide access to the medicines . . . to the greatest number of people living with diabetes . . . while addressing varying levels of affordability,\u2019 the company\u2019s actions suggest otherwise,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nAmericans already pay exceedingly high prices for prescription drugs. Ozempic is 10 times more expensive in the U.S. at $936 per month compared to the United Kingdom, where the drug costs just $93 per month. Wegovy carries a monthly cost of $1,349 in the U.S., compared to just $296 per month in the Netherlands. Reducing competition will make the affordability crisis worse, potentially rendering GLP-1s \u2014 which help control blood sugar levels \u2014 unaffordable for a large number of Americans.\n\n\u201cAs diabetes and obesity rates continue to rise \u2014 38 percent of Americans were estimated to be prediabetic in 2021, while more than 40 percent of adults in the U.S. experience obesity \u2014 it is all the more crucial that Americans can access life-changing drugs to treat these conditions at a fair price,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to use every tool available to the government to lower drug prices and fight Big Pharma\u2019s anti-competitive business practices:\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra asking him to lower the cost of vital weight-loss drugs by using the agency\u2019s existing legal authority to issue generic licenses for semaglutide, a prescription drug sold under the names Ozempic and Wegovy.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo reiterating their agencies\u2019 clear legal authority to use \u201cmarch-in\u201d rights under the Bayh-Dole Act to lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent letters to eight pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily de-list over 100 patents that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined may be improperly or inaccurately listed in the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA\u2019s) Orange Book, which would open opportunity for more competition and lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, and Under Secretary Laurie Locascio, highlighting the lawmakers\u2019 new review of public comments on the agency\u2019s Draft Interagency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights and urged them to strengthen and finalize the guidance.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Chamber of Commerce expressing concern and demanding an explanation for the organization\u2019s opposition to the Biden administration\u2019s proposal to boost competition and lower drug prices for American families and businesses by allowing agencies to consider price when deciding to exercise their \u201cmarch-in rights\u201d under the Bayh-Dole Act.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the leadership of Novo Nordisk (Novo), slamming the company for its decision to discontinue production of Levemir (detemir) insulin, one of only three long-acting insulins on the market, and asked the company to commit to continue producing Levemir until a biosimilar is made available.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter in response to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) discontinuing the brand-name version of Flovent HFA, the go-to inhaler for children, blasting the company for its price-gouging strategy that may cause millions of children to lose access to one of the few drugs that is appropriate to treat their asthma and allergies.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) led 75 lawmakers in sending a letter to the Biden administration in support of strengthening and finalizing its draft guidance to protect taxpayers and reduce prescription drug prices. The lawmakers submitted a public comment supporting the \u201cInteragency Guidance Framework for Considering the Exercise of March-In Rights\u201d and calling for changes to ensure increased transparency, oversight, and accessibility of medical products invented through taxpayer-funded research and development.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal announced that three drug manufacturers pulled their sham patents after warnings, and urged the FDA to continue fighting against Big Pharma\u2019s patent abuse.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Newsweek commending the Biden administration\u2019s announcement that price can be considered in the government\u2019s decision to march-in on a drug, effectively lowering drug costs, and calling on Americans to fight back against an industry that has been taking advantage of them for decades.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren issued a statement after the Biden administration announced it would issue guidance to federal agencies that would allow the government to seize patents of certain expensive drugs developed with taxpayer support to create more competition and lower prices.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent letters to the CEOs of 8 pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily remove sham patent claims improperly included in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book and end their unlawful practices that delay competition and drive up costs for patients and taxpayers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, legislation that would radically reduce drug prices through public manufacturing of prescription drugs.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the FTC to issue a policy statement about the improper listing of drug-related patents in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf, urging him to close loopholes that pharmaceutical companies have exploited to block generics from entering the market, keeping drug prices high and maximizing profits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-whitehouse-call-out-accounting-regulator-for-profoundly-troubling-failures-unacceptable-error-rates-in-public-company-audits", "Warren, Whitehouse Call Out Accounting Regulator for \u201cProfoundly Troubling\u201d Failures, \u201cUnacceptable\u201d Error Rates in Public Company Audits", "2024-10-10", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Whitehouse Call Out Accounting Regulator for \u201cProfoundly Troubling\u201d Failures, \u201cUnacceptable\u201d Error Rates in Public Company Audits\n\nNearly half of 2023 audits had significant deficiencies.\n\n\u201cThis is an astonishing finding that calls for immediate action by the PCAOB\u2014and careful review by regulators\u2026.(I)nvestors and the public essentially face a coin flip when it comes to whether they should believe and trust the results of public companies\u2019 audits.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), members of the Senate Committee on Finance, called on the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to establish stricter accountability for accounting firms with \u201cunacceptable\u201d deficiency rates. The PCAOB is charged with overseeing the audits of public companies to protect investors and provide the public with \u201cinformative, accurate, and independent audit reports.\" But the agency is not doing its job.\n\nLast year, the PCAOB\u2019s review of over 200 accounting firms\u2019 audits found that 46% had errors so significant that that auditor \u201chad not obtained sufficient appropriate audit evidence to support its opinion\u201d about a public company\u2019s financial statements and financial reporting. The findings of this review reveal a nearly complete failure by the agency and cast doubts on the auditing process that plays a crucial role for investors in publicly traded companies.\n\n\u201c[T]he findings of this new analysis reveal a nearly complete failure [by PCAOB], indicating that investors and the public essentially face a coin flip when it comes to whether they should believe and trust the results of public companies\u2019 audits,\u201d wrote Senators Warren and Whitehouse.\n\nYet, the PCAOB does not appear to recognize the seriousness of the problem. In fact, Chair Erica Williams said the report showed \u201csmall signs of movement in the right direction.\u201d And Board Member Christina Ho downplayed the findings, asserting that \u201cthere is another side to the story.\u201d\n\n\u2018[T]his is the wrong conclusion to draw from an embarrassing and intolerable set of findings,\u201d wrote Sens. Waren and Whitehouse.\n\n\u201cThe PCAOB must do better. \u2026Either [auditing] standards are inadequate\u2014or the PCAOB is failing to establish accountability for firms that do not meet them. These are unacceptable failures by the PCAOB,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe senators request clarification about how the PCAOB plans to hold auditors accountable for ongoing problems by October 23, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has led the charge to ensure the PCAOB is effective and accountable to the public:\n\nIn January 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to the PCAOB raising concerns about crypto accounting firms\u2019 independence and methodology following reports of whitewashed audits of crypto firms with histories of malfeasance.\n\nIn May 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sent a letter to Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler requesting the SEC use its authority to immediately remove and replace the members of the PCAOB, which sets standards for audits of public company financial statements required under Sarbanes-Oxley.\n\nIn April 2017, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) wrote to PCAOB, raising questions and releasing new information about KPMG's role as the independent auditor of Wells Fargo during the time period in which thousands of Wells Fargo staff engaged in fraudulent behavior affecting millions of accounts.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-wyden-porter-call-on-treasury-irs-to-improve-direct-file-by-ending-reliance-on-idme-making-identity-verification-secure-and-accessible", "Warren, Wyden, Porter Call on Treasury, IRS to Improve Direct File by Ending Reliance on ID.me, Making Identity Verification Secure and Accessible", "2024-10-09", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Wyden, Porter Call on Treasury, IRS to Improve Direct File by Ending Reliance on ID.me, Making Identity Verification Secure and Accessible\n\n\u201c[Taxpayers] should not be forced to jump through extra, onerous, hoops that private tax prep companies are not required to meet.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and Representative Katie Porter (D-Calif.) wrote to the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) urging the agencies to make the Direct File tax filing program more accessible by ending reliance on ID.me, which uses a flawed facial recognition software.\n\nWhen Direct File, the first free, public, electronic federal tax filing tool in U.S. history, launched, the IRS announced that taxpayers would need to submit to identity verification through ID.me because it met the IRS\u2019 desired level of strictness, \u201cIdentity Assurance Level 2\u201d (IAL 2). IAL 2 is the middle of three \u201clevels\u201d of national identity verification standards, and requires an applicant\u2019s face to be compared to a government ID using facial recognition software or by a human. But the facial recognition technology used by ID.me has been shown to be less accurate when dealing with vulnerable groups, including individuals of color, and has been linked to wrongful arrests of black men. This heightened identity verification is required for the Direct File service and not for commercial tax preparation services.\n\n\u201cRequiring them to use ID.me is creating yet another needless barrier to exactly these taxpayers who need Direct File most to claim tax benefits, as it has been with other government benefits,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nPrivate tax preparation companies are not judged against IAL standards but operate at the equivalent of a level 1 by just having users simply assert their identity. The private tax preparation companies have also egregiously misused private taxpayer information, and Direct File allows taxpayers the option to not give their money and personal information to private companies when filing their taxes. Login.gov, a government-run identity verification alternative, is expected to be compliant with existing IAL 2 standards, making it available for the 2025 tax season.\n\nThe IRS\u2019 current approach to security does not make sense.\n\n\u201cIf the threat posed by identity thieves and fraudsters is severe enough to warrant requiring taxpayers to submit to identity verification\u2026then the IRS should require such security protections, across the board, regardless of whether taxpayers use Direct File, commercial services like TurboTax and H&R Block\u2026,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cAlternatively, if the threat posed by identity thieves is not serious enough for the IRS to require commercial tax prep companies to implement burdensome identity verification, then taxpayers using Direct File should not be required to do so either.\u201d\n\nThe 2024 Direct File pilot was a clear and resounding success, helping taxpayers claim over $90 million in tax refunds and saving taxpayers $5.6 million in estimated filing fees. The IRS recently announced that it will expand service to 24 states and over 30 million taxpayers for the 2025 tax season. In order to keep Direct File serving taxpayers effectively, the lawmakers requested answers from the Treasury and the IRS about the impact of ID.me on taxpayers\u2019 access to Direct File and potential alternatives to ID.me by October 21, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has been at the forefront of holding tax prep firms and Big Tech accountable for their behavior, and pushed for an effective IRS direct free file program:\n\nIn June 2023, Senators Warren and Carper and Representatives Sherman, Porter, and Beyer led a coalition of 99 Democratic lawmakers in sending a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, applauding the IRS\u2019 announcement of a pilot of a free tax filing tool next year.\n\nIn April 2023, Senators Warren and Carper led their colleagues in sending a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel urging the agency to simplify the tax process and broaden access to free e-filing options.\n\nIn April 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren questioned Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel about the IRS\u2019s failed Free-File partnership with private tax preparation software companies and called on the agency to implement a direct E-File program that will be truly free and easy for millions of Americans.\n\nCommission Werfel agreed with Senator Warren that the gap between the 70% of taxpayers that Free File is supposed to serve and the 2% it actually does is \u201cmassive.\u201d When Senator Warren pointed out that tax prep companies are instead pushing alternative services that should be free, are marketed as free, but are not, Commissioner Werfel also agreed that \u201cthe whole process needs to be improved,\u201d that taxpayer rights have been violated, and the IRS has an obligation to make \u201cthe tax system easier for taxpayers to navigate.\u201d\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Warren and King wrote a letter with 19 other senators to the Internal Revenue Service and Secretary Yellen expressing strong support for Secretary Yellen\u2019s directive for the IRS not to raise audit rates for small businesses or households making under $400,000 annually.\n\nIn December 2022, Senators Warren and Wyden, along with Representatives Porter and Sherman sent letters to tax preparation companies H&R Block, TaxAct, and TaxSlayer, plus big tech firms Meta, and Google, amid reports that the tax preparation companies have been secretly transmitting individual taxpayers\u2019 sensitive financial information to Meta and Google.\n\nIn July 2022, Senator Warren led 22 of her colleagues in introducing the Tax Filing Simplification Act of 2022 to simplify the tax filing process for millions of Americans by lowering costs, eliminating red tape for all taxpayers, and saving them hours and hundreds of dollars.\n\nDuring an exchange of the United States Senate Finance Committee in June 2022, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen agreed with Senator Warren on the need to create a free tax filing system that actually works for Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-warren-statement-on-october-7th-anniversary", "Senator Warren Statement on October 7th Anniversary", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senator Warren Statement on October 7th Anniversary\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) issued the following statement today to mark one year since the October 7th attack:\n\n\u201cOctober 7th was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. I\u2019ve met with Israelis and Americans whose loved ones were brutally killed by Hamas, and I\u2019ve held parents whose children were violently taken as hostages. People are experiencing deep pain. Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorist attacks, and we must bring these hostages home.\n\nInstead of securing the release of the hostages, however, Prime Minister Netanyahu has unleashed unthinkable violence on innocent civilians in Gaza. More than a million Palestinians are facing starvation. We see videos of dead children held in the arms of their parents. Violence is escalating throughout the region, including most recently in Lebanon, threatening even more human suffering.\n\nThis cycle of violence won't make anyone safer. The United States must commit to upholding human rights, international law, and accountability for the use of U.S. weapons. We urgently need a ceasefire, release of the hostages, massive humanitarian relief in Gaza, and diplomatic efforts towards a two-state solution.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-dean-press-cocacola-pepsico-and-general-mills-on-shrinkflation-price-gouging-and-tax-dodging", "Warren, Dean Press CocaCola, PepsiCo, and General Mills on \u201cShrinkflation\u201d Price Gouging and Tax Dodging", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Dean Press CocaCola, PepsiCo, and General Mills on \u201cShrinkflation\u201d Price Gouging and Tax Dodging\n\nText of Letters (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) wrote to the CEOs of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and General Mills, pressing their executives on the companies\u2019 pattern of profiteering off consumers, both through \u201cshrinkflation\u201d and dodging taxes on the profits they made from that price gouging.\n\nAll three of these companies have shrunk the size of their packaging to squeeze profits out of their customers, and then paid a very slim federal income tax on their billions of dollars in profits. In other words, the companies are sticking the American people with the bill twice over, with American families (1) paying higher prices for smaller packages of food, and (2) paying their taxes while big corporations like PepsiCo avoid chipping in their fair share to run our country.\n\nIt is clear that these big companies are engaging in shrinkflation. In fact, reporting indicates that one of the key reasons that General Mills\u2019 profits continue to grow is because they\u2019ve shrunk some of their packaging. For example, the \u201cFamily Size\u201d box of Cocoa Puffs went from 19.3 ounces to 18.1 ounces while charging the same price, at least initially. Similarly, PepsiCo replaced its 32 oz Gatorade bottle with a 28 oz bottle for the same price. And Coca-Cola has openly told its shareholders that it had \u201cearn[ed] the right\u201d to hike prices for consumers because of their company\u2019s market power.\n\n\u201cShrinking the size of a product in order to gouge consumers on the price per ounce is not innovation, it is exploitation,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cUnfortunately, this price gouging is a widespread problem, with corporate profits driving over half of inflation.\u201d\n\nWhile these companies continue to profit off consumers, the company is also turning around and paying less of those profits in taxes than the families it price gouges.\n\nAccording to a recent report by the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, from 2018 to 2022, Coca-Cola made $13.4 billion but paid an average effective tax rate of just 13.5 percent, General Mills made $12 billion but paid an average effective tax rate of just 14.8 percent, and PepsiCo made $22.4 billion but paid an average effective tax rate of just 15 percent. These tax rates are even lower than the corporate tax rate that was reduced from 35 to 21 percent by President Trump and Congressional Republicans in 2017.\n\n\u201cWe strongly oppose these corporate tax giveaways, and have fought to pass tax increases on big corporations, including the 15 percent minimum tax on billion-dollar corporations,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cNo corporation should pay a lower tax rate than working Americans \u2013 especially when that same corporation turns around and gouges consumers on the other end through shrinkflation.\u201d\n\nAs a champion for American consumers and a secure and healthy economy, Senator Warren has engaged in oversight of corporations for unfairly increasing prices for consumers. She has also been calling for more competition and stronger enforcement of antitrust laws to bring down prices for families:\n\nOn February 15, 2024, Senators Warren, Baldwin, Casey, and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024, which would protect consumers and prohibit corporate price gouging by authorizing the FTC and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren urged the FTC to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger, which would give the five largest food retail companies control of 55 percent of all grocery sales, allowing them to further control and ultimately raise consumer prices, while also reducing job competition, decreasing wages, and decreasing the bargaining power of organized labor.\n\nIn November 2023, Senator Warren called out TransDigm for its refusal to provide cost and pricing information needed to prevent price gouging of taxpayers and the Department of Defense.\n\nIn November 2023, Senator Warren expressed disappointment at the FTC\u2019s decision to allow pharmaceutical giant Amgen to move forward with its acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics (Horizon) given the potential impacts on the price of medicine.\n\nIn the past few years, Senator Warren has urged the Biden administration to closely scrutinize other potentially anticompetitive mergers that could lead to higher prices for consumers and accelerate industry consolidation. She has led letters about the proposed mergers of Frontier and Spirit airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, Sanderson-Wayne, WarnerMedia-Discovery, and Amazon-MGM.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren introduced the Prohibiting Anticompetitive Mergers Act to help stomp out rampant industry consolidation that allows companies to raise consumer prices and mistreat workers. The bill would ban the biggest, most anticompetitive mergers and give the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission the teeth to reject deals in the first instance without court orders and to break up harmful mergers.\n\nIn February 2022, at a hearing, Senator Warren called out corporations for abusing their market power to raise consumer prices and boost profits.\n\nThat same month, Senator Warren requested the Department of Justice to take aggressive action against corporations violating antitrust laws to hike prices for consumers.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren questioned Federal Reserve nominee Lael Brainard about market concentration and price gouging driving inflation.\n\nAt a January 2022 hearing, Senator Warren pressed Fed Chair Jerome Powell on the role of corporate concentration in driving up prices for consumers during his renomination hearing to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.\n\nIn a New York Times op-ed published in April 2020, Senator Warren urged Congress to focus on cracking down on price gouging in its ongoing effort to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.\n\nIn March 2020, Senator Warren joined her colleagues in urging the FTC to use its full authority to prevent abusive price gouging on consumer health products during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-healey-massachusetts-leaders-move-forward-on350-million-forcape-cod-bridges-construction", "Warren, Healey, Massachusetts Leaders Move Forward on\u00a0$350 million for\u00a0Cape Cod Bridges Construction", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Healey, Massachusetts Leaders Move Forward on $350 million for Cape Cod Bridges Construction\n\nTransfer of $350 million in federal funding secured by lawmakers to FHWA moves MassDOT further toward replacing the Sagamore Bridge\n\nBoston, MA - Continuing the momentum on replacing the Cape Cod Bridges, the Healey-Driscoll Administration signed a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Department of the Army and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to move forward on rebuilding the Sagamore Bridge. Senator Warren has led efforts to secure these funds for the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges, pressing the federal government to take action to replace these crucial pieces of infrastructure.\n\nUnder the agreement, the USACE will transfer $350 million in federal funding secured through the 2024 appropriations bills to the Federal Highway Administration. The FHWA Eastern Federal Lands Division will use the funds to construct a portion of the new Sagamore Bridge as part of MassDOT\u2019s overall replacement project.\n\nThe Sagamore Bridge is vital infrastructure supporting the economy of Cape Cod and surrounding communities and ensuring safe and reliable travel for residents, workers, and millions of annual visitors. The new MOA will help to further the current plan to begin construction on the Cape. The Sagamore Project is Phase 1 of the Cape Cod Bridges Program, rebuilding both the Sagamore and the Bourne Bridges while also making investments in other transportation infrastructure along the Cape Cod Canal and expanding travel options.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re one step closer to replacing the Cape Cod Bridges\u2014a decades-overdue project that will lift up the entire region,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cAn investment this big is made possible only by teamwork, and it\u2019s thanks to our strong federal, state, and local partnership that we were able to secure over $2 billion for the bridges. I\u2019ll keep working closely with Senator Markey, Representative Keating, Governor Healey, and the delegation to get this crucial project to the next stage.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe continue to make important progress in our efforts to rebuild both Cape Cod Bridges. After securing $1.72 billion in federal funding, we\u2019re now moving forward with an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Army and the Federal Highway Administration that will allocate a crucial piece of that funding and allow us to begin construction on the Sagamore Bridge,\u201d said Governor Maura Healey. \u201cWe\u2019re grateful to our MassDOT team, as well as our Congressional delegation and federal partnerships for their continued partnership and commitment to delivering this project for the people of Massachusetts.\u201d\n\nThe project will help to spur economic growth and development, improving safety and quality of life for both the region and state. This project is critical to the Cape Cod economy, and the bridge will be a connector to other assets on a local, state, and national level.\n\nSenator Warren, Senator Markey, Congressman Keating, and the Massachusetts delegation secured a total of $1.72 billion in federal funding for the bridge replacement project. In July, MassDOT won $1 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law\u2019s (BIL) Bridge Investment Program, and in December 2023, MassDOT won $372 million from the BIL\u2019s Federal Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program. Senator Warren, along with the Massachusetts Delegation, secured $350 million for the bridges in the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, which was signed by President Biden. Governor Healey has also pledged $700 million in state support.\n\n\u201cThis project has always been about partnership, and we thank the Healey Administration, the Congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration for their unwavering support and funding. We look forward to working with partners and stakeholders in the region to begin the next steps to making this project a reality,\u201d said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary & CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.\n\nSenator Warren has long advocated for federal investments in the Cape Cod Bridges project and other critical infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth:\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Warren, along with Senator Ed Markey, Rep. Bill Keating, and Governor Maura Healey, announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) had awarded the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and Army Corps of Engineers a billion-dollar grant to replace the Cape Cod Bridges under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law\u2019s Bridge Investment Program.\n\nIn March 2024, the entire Massachusetts congressional delegation sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, reaffirming their support for Massachusetts\u2019 billion-dollar Bridge Investment Program (BIP) grant application to replace the Cape Cod Bridges, in light of the $350 million in funding from the FY 2024 funding package signed by President Biden and the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s $372 million Mega grant.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Markey and Warren and Congressman Keatingsecured $350 million for the Cape Cod Bridges in the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act.\n\nIn December 2023, following the advocacy of the delegation, the Department of Transportation awarded Massachusetts a $372 million grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law\u2019s National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program toward the replacement of the Sagamore bridge.\n\nIn May 2023, Senators Warren and Markey and Representatives Keating and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, urging him to exercise his authority to support installation resilience in order to provide funding for the replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Warren and Markey announced and applauded the inclusion of $350 million, toward a commitment of $600 million, in President Biden\u2019s budget for the Bourne and Sagamore bridges.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-massachusetts-delegation-secure-nearly-60-million-in-federal-funding-to-fight-the-opioid-crisis", "Warren, Markey, Massachusetts Delegation Secure Nearly $60 Million in Federal Funding to Fight the Opioid Crisis", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, Massachusetts Delegation Secure Nearly $60 Million in Federal Funding to Fight the Opioid Crisis\n\nFunding will support efforts to mitigate the overdose crisis in Massachusetts, which has one of the highest overdose mortality rates in the country\n\nBoston, MA - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), announced the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will receive nearly $60 million in federal grants for state and tribal opioid response and prevention from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.\n\nThe Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration\u2019s 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that over 48 million people experienced substance use disorder in the past year, but only a quarter of those in need of substance use disorder treatment services actually received them.\n\n\u201cThe opioid crisis is something we feel deeply across this country, especially in Massachusetts,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThanks to the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s leadership, we can provide vital resources to hard-hit communities in Massachusetts, and I\u2019ll keep fighting for more resources that allow us to address this crisis like the public health crisis it is.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe opioid crisis is indiscriminate in the impact it has on communities across Massachusetts, but the most effective solutions are driven by the communities on the frontline, living through the devastation that addiction and overdose can cause. The funding that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will receive will fuel strategies for prevention, expanding access to treatment, and providing holistic care that puts people\u2019s health and dignity first. In short, this funding can help save lives,\u201d said Senator Markey.\n\n\u201cThe opioid epidemic has devastated families and entire communities in Massachusetts and across America,\u201d said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. \u201cUnder the steadfast leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, we are expanding access to treatment options for Americans struggling with substance use disorder and ensuring they receive the care they deserve. This award builds upon that progress, and I am proud to have partnered with local and state champions to bring these critical dollars back home.\"\n\n\u201cEvery community here in Massachusetts and across our nation has been impacted by the immense grief and hardship caused by the opioid crisis. The disease of addiction is a battle that no family should have to bear alone,\" said Congresswoman Lori Trahan. \"Critical investments like these that support prevention and treatment programs are instrumental in expanding access to treatment, supporting recovery, and preventing tragic overdose deaths.\"\n\nThe funds will be used to address the overdose crisis in Massachusetts and in tribal communities through prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. This includes opioid reversal drugs such as naloxone, as well as medications for opioid use disorder.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren led 86 lawmakers in reintroducing the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, the most ambitious legislation in Congress to confront the substance use epidemic. Supported by tribal nations, 29 organizations, and 28 Massachusetts state elected officials, the CARE Act would provide state and local governments with $125 billion in federal funding over ten years, including nearly $1 billion per year directly to tribal governments and organizations.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-push-department-of-justice-to-hold-boeing-executives-accountable-for-deadly-safety-failures", "Warren, Blumenthal Push Department of Justice to Hold Boeing Executives Accountable for Deadly Safety Failures", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Blumenthal Push Department of Justice to Hold Boeing Executives Accountable for Deadly Safety Failures\n\nLawmakers urge DOJ to investigate Boeing executives\u2019 behavior, criminally prosecute those responsible for crashes\n\n\u201cFor too long, corporate executives have routinely escaped prosecution for criminal misconduct... This coddling comes at the expense of customer and worker safety.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Boeing executives following years of promoting short-term profit over passenger safety. In the letter, the lawmakers urge the DOJ to review the behavior and potential culpability of Boeing\u2019s executives, and criminally prosecute those responsible.\n\nThe letter comes as years of safety issues involving Boeing planes \u2013 including the fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 \u2013 have continued to raise alarm about Boeing\u2019s corporate culture. As recently as last week, the National Transportation Safety Board was forced to issue \u201curgent safety recommendations\u201d for Boeing\u2019s 737 aircraft line due to mechanical issues. Even amidst these continued failures, the Department of Justice has not criminally prosecuted those individuals responsible for harms to deliver justice and hold Boeing accountable. In July 2024, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to defraud the federal government, but DOJ did not take the company to trial or charge individual executives. The deal included an additional fine, commitments to update compliance and safety processes, and oversight by a safety monitor for three years.\n\n\u201cFor years, the federal government has accused Boeing of putting profits over passenger safety, without pursuing full accountability from the company or the company\u2019s executives directly responsible for compromising passenger safety,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201c[T]he combination of a relatively small fine coupled with a toothless commitment to improve aircraft safety has proven insufficient to effect real change at the company.\u201d\n\nIn October 2023, Senator Warren called on the DOJ to immediately reverse its newly unveiled \u201csafe harbor\u201d policy, which would offer a \u201cget-out-of-jail-free\u201d card for mergers involving corporate white-collar criminals. Deputy Attorney General Monaco justified the policy, later noting that \u201c[t]he rule of law demands that those most culpable for a company\u2019s misconduct are the ones being charged, prosecuted, and convicted.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor too long, corporate executives have routinely escaped prosecution for criminal misconduct. This coddling comes at the expense of customer and worker safety, and it must end,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nAfter 346 people died in two Boeing 737 MAX plane crashes due to apparent failures in the MCAS flight stabilization system, the DOJ deferred prosecution, instead negotiating a deal to resolve criminal charges. This year, after the DOJ found that Boeing violated the terms of the deal, Boeing entered a plea agreement. Again, the DOJ failed to hold any Boeing executives accountable for the serious failures \u2014 and since the fatal 737 MAX crashes, countless more safety concerns have surfaced.\n\n\u201cThe deadly crashes and reporting on safety issues since 2018 have shined a spotlight on Boeing\u2019s corporate culture of prioritizing profits at the expense of safety\u2026DOJ must do its part to bring the individuals responsible for Boeing\u2019s safety failures to justice,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-brown-slam-us-steel-executives-for-corporate-greed-in-nippon-steel-deal", "Warren, Brown Slam U.S. Steel Executives for Corporate Greed in Nippon Steel Deal", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Brown Slam U.S. Steel Executives for Corporate Greed in Nippon Steel Deal\n\nSteel executives could make over $156 million from the deal, while selling out American steelworkers.\n\n\u201cIf these reports are accurate, they demonstrate a repulsive conflict of interest in which U.S. Steel executives can enrich themselves at the expense of U.S. Steel workers.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), backed the United Steelworkers (USW) and called out the executives of the United States Steel Corporation for selling out American steelworkers in order to get a fat payout if acquired by Nippon Steel.\n\nFor the past year, U.S. Steel, a storied American steel manufacturing company, has been subject to an increasingly controversial potential acquisition by Nippon Steel, a Japanese steel producer that has agreed to acquire U.S. Steel in an all-cash bid valued at $14.1 billion. Since then, the United Steelworkers (USW) union, along with President Biden and other elected officials have voiced opposition to the deal, arguing that the company should remain American operated.\n\nRecent reports indicate that U.S. Steel executives may be incentivized by personal profit \u2013 $72 million in additional cash and benefits \u2013 to complete the deal. Indeed, according to the Company\u2019s March 12, 2024 proxy statement, U.S. Steel\u2019s named executive officers would receive in connection with the merger, change in control payments totaling over $156 million \u2013 not including $40.8 million in payments to non-employee members of the Board of Directors for previously non-vested stock-based awards.\n\n\u201cIf these reports are accurate, they demonstrate a repulsive conflict of interest in which U.S. Steel executives can enrich themselves at the expense of U.S. Steel workers,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\n\u201cU.S. Steel was not in distress when it first received an unsolicited bid, and it is not in distress today,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cBut if a merger is desired, there is no need for you to sell the company to a foreign-owned entity, as U.S. Steel has also received an alternative offer from a domestic steelmaker.\u201d\n\nHowever, just this month, U.S. Steel threatened to move the company\u2019s headquarters out of Pittsburgh and take thousands of jobs with it if the deal with Nippon fails.\n\n\u201cYou claimed that these would be \u201cunavoidable consequences\u201d if the deal is not completed,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cFar from being \u2018unavoidable\u2019, your threats are unjustified and unfair to U.S. Steel\u2019s workers who have strengthened the company\u2019s performance and helped mark U.S. Steel\u2019s \u2018second-best financial performance in the (c)ompany\u2019s history\u2019 only two years ago.\u201d\n\nUSW has raised concerns about the secretive nature of the transaction: U.S Steel did not consult USW about the deal, even though the union\u2019s members and retirees would be the population most at risk from the uncertainties caused by the merger of the company with a foreign steelmaker. Additionally, USW has raised concerns that Nippon will not commit to supporting steelmaking in the United States over the long term.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-demands-john-deere-explain-disgraceful-attempts-to-prevent-farmers-from-repairing-their-own-equipment", "Warren Demands John Deere Explain \u201cDisgraceful\u201d Attempts to Prevent Farmers from Repairing Their Own Equipment", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Demands John Deere Explain \u201cDisgraceful\u201d Attempts to Prevent Farmers from Repairing Their Own Equipment\n\nRaises Concern about Company Undermining Right-to-Repair Agreements, Violating Clean Air Act\n\nRepair restrictions like John Deere\u2019s hurt farmers and consumers across the country; cost American farmers $4.2 billion per year\n\n\u201cJohn Deere has repeatedly interfered with farmers\u2019 ability to repair the equipment they own, including by blocking independent repairs to maximize profit, negotiating an MOU in bad faith, and failing to inform farmers of their rights in potential violation of the Clean Air Act.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Deere & Company (John Deere) accusing the company of undermining its own \u201cright-to-repair\u201d agreements and evading its responsibilities under the Clean Air Act by failing to grant its customers the right to repair their own agricultural equipment.\n\nJohn Deere restricts farmers from repairing broken equipment themselves, even when they have the knowledge and tools to do so, instead forcing them to wait for weeks until a John Deere technician is available, and risking missed crop windows on which farmers\u2019 livelihoods rely. In Massachusetts, there are just three John Deere dealerships for 470,000 acres of farm operations, or 2,400 farms per dealership. Farmers nationwide lose an average of $3,348 per year \u201cdirectly tied to downtime and repair restrictions imposed by equipment manufacturers.\u201d Repair restrictions cost U.S. farmers $4.2 billion per year.\n\n\u201cWhile John Deere\u2019s profits spike thanks to this strategy, farmers suffer,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nIn fact, by overcharging for repair services, John Deere has seen its profits streaming in. Since 2020 the company has seen a 270% increase in profits, despite labor strikes, supply disruptions, a drop in sales, and a global pandemic.\n\nAfter years of legal battles, in January 2023, John Deere signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) promising to provide farmers and independent repair shops with the diagnostic tools and information they need to make repairs to their machines. But the MOU appeared to be a veiled attempt to hold off the passage of \u201cright-to-repair\u201d legislation. In exchange for pledges to provide the information and tools needed for farmers to make repairs, John Deere secured a politically valuable promise from the American Farm Bureau Federation to encourage American farmers not to introduce, promote, or support federal or state right-to-repair legislation that imposed obligations beyond the MOU\u2019s commitments.\n\nJohn Deere is not upholding its side of the bargain, and appears to have negotiated the MOU in bad faith. Rather than allow farmers meaningful opportunity to repair their equipment, John Deere has provided inadequate tools and disclosures.\n\nThe software tool offered to farmers redacts or obfuscates functions and information required to complete repairs. Further, earlier this year, John Deere admitted to omitting a legally required addendum about repair rights from its manuals.\n\nThe exclusion of this information may violate the Clean Air Act, which requires manufacturers to \u201cprovide in boldface type on the first page of the written maintenance instructions notice that maintenance, replacement, or repair \u2026 may be performed by any automotive repair establishment or individual.\u201d The EPA warned John Deere that its manuals were not in compliance with EPA regulations.\n\n\u201cJohn Deere has repeatedly interfered with farmers\u2019 ability to repair the equipment they own, including by blocking independent repairs to maximize profit, negotiating an MOU in bad faith, and failing to inform farmers of their rights in potential violation of the Clean Air Act,\u201d wrote Senator Warren. \u201cDeere\u2019s attempts to stave off right-to-repair reforms that would save American farmers $4.2 billion per year are disgraceful.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren asked John Deere to respond to questions related to the company\u2019s repair restrictions and apparent failure to comply with the law by October 17, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has repeatedly sought to bolster competition and fight back against costly restrictions on repairs for cars, military equipment, and other goods:\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent two letters regarding the costly restrictions imposed on the Department of Defense that bar the military from repairing its own military equipment and instead force it to pay billions of dollars extra to military contractors.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren included a provision in the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA that would require contractors to provide DoD with \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d access to repair materials.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), celebrated the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reversing course and allowing enforcement of Massachusetts\u2019 pro-consumer Right to Repair law.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reverse its course after it sent a recent letter to auto manufacturers, advising them not to comply with Massachusetts\u2019 Right to Repair law.\n\nIn February 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King (I-Maine), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) urged the Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with the march-in petition submitted for the prostate cancer drug Xtandi.\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to the Department of Defense requesting information about steps taken to reduce costs of DoD-funded prescription drugs and medical products.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-urges-banking-regulator-to-address-citibanks-failures-consider-breaking-up-the-bank", "Warren Urges Banking Regulator to Address Citibank\u2019s Failures, Consider Breaking Up the Bank", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Urges Banking Regulator to Address Citibank\u2019s Failures, Consider Breaking Up the Bank\n\nSenator Warns Michael Hsu, Head of Office of the Comptroller of Currency, that Citibank Has Become \u201cToo Big to Manage\u201d; OCC Has Not Taken Effective Action Despite Long List of Citi Problems\n\n\u201cThe evidence is clear: Citi has failed to make sufficient progress (in addressing its failures), despite being provided four years to do so. Following your own escalation framework, it may be time to break up Citi.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nBoston, MA \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Michael Hsu, Acting Comptroller of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), urging stronger regulation of Citibank (Citi), which has become \u201ctoo-big-to-manage\u201d and committed a number of massive blunders in recent years.\n\nCiti, the fourth largest bank in the United States, has failed to reform and modernize its operations despite being the subject of multiple enforcement actions by the OCC and the Federal Reserve. Citi has twice failed the Federal Reserve\u2019s \u201cstress test,\u201d which measures a bank\u2019s ability to make accurate projections during stressful scenarios. Citi was at the center of a 2014 $400 million fraud scandal, during which the bank failed to properly oversee its many units. This summer alone, Citi faced two crises. First, in June, regulators rejected Citi\u2019s \u201cliving will,\u201d a document that outlines how the bank will safely manage bankruptcy in the event that it fails. Then, Citi came under fire for repeated violations of a Federal Reserve rule meant to protect customer deposits.\n\nDespite Citibank's errors, including mistakenly wiring nearly $1 billion to one of its borrowers, Mr. Hsu has failed to take meaningful action to rein in the bank.\n\nIn a speech last year, Mr. Hsu outlined a four-step framework to address large banks' \u201ctoo-big-to-manage\u201d problem. Hsu\u2019s four steps, (1) private warnings; (2) public enforcement and fines; (3) growth restrictions; and (4) the breaking up of recidivist banks, must now be applied to Citi, which has repeatedly failed to protect its customers and meet bank regulators\u2019 standards. Mr. Hsu has also argued that after three strikes, repeat offenders are \u201cout.\u201d\n\nDespite hundreds of millions of dollars in civil penalties and repeat enforcement orders since 2020, Citi has been unable or unwilling to address its repeat and serious failures.\n\n\u201cThe evidence is clear: Citi has failed to make sufficient progress, despite being provided four years to do so. Following your own escalation framework, it may be time to break up Citi,\u201d Senator Warren wrote.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to hold banking regulators accountable to establishing and enforcing guardrails around the banking industry and preventing harmful bank mergers to protect the financial system, economy, and consumers:\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren wrote to the OCC and the Fed with renewed concern that the OCC and the Fed could allow New York Community Bank to escape regulatory oversight despite \u201csystemic failings\u201d in the bank\u2019s operation and management.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren and Blumenthal probed the OCC for its regulatory failures amid NYCB\u2019s financial spiral.\n\nIn March 2024, a year after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Senator Warren sent a letter to three key banking regulators: Michael Barr, Vice Chair for Supervision of the Federal Reserve, Martin Gruenberg, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Acting Comptroller Hsu, seeking an update on their progress in delivering on their public commitments to strengthen regulatory standards for banks with assets of $100 billion or more.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren led 12 lawmakers urging the OCC and the Federal Reserve to block Capital One\u2019s plan to acquire Discover Financial Services. Their letter also expressed concerns with the OCC\u2019s proposed policy statement regarding merger approvals as essentially codifying a permissive approach.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren led 6 senators in a letter to Acting Comptroller Hsu, calling on OCC to allow states to move forward with their efforts to protect consumers from harmful bank practices. The senators criticized the OCC for overstepping its preemption authority under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which it used to block tough, state-level consumer protections.\n\nIn August 2023, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the need for regulators to implement the strongest version of bank merger review guidelines in order to ensure stability in the financial system.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, Federal Deposit Investment Corporation Chairman Gruenberg, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Hsu, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging regulators to promote greater competition in the banking sector by toughening their stances on bank mergers and strengthening bank merger review guidelines.\n\nIn May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren questioned Acting Comptroller Hsu on his decision to approve JPMorgan Chase\u2019s purchase of First Republic Bank after its collapse. This merger allowed a large, poorly supervised bank to be swallowed by America\u2019s largest bank, making it $200 billion larger than it was before.\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Acting Comptroller Hsu and FDIC Chair Gruenberg, questioning the terms of the sale of First Republic Bank to JP Morgan Chase and the rationale behind the OCC and FDIC\u2019s approval of the deal.\n\nIn December 2022, Senators Warren and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) sent letters to three key banking regulators: the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and the OCC, raising concerns about the ties between the banking industry and crypto firms following FTX\u2019s bankruptcy. The senators asked each regulator how they assessed the banking system\u2019s exposure to crypto risks.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) sent a letter to the heads of all U.S. banking regulators, including Acting Comptroller Hsu, calling on them to improve banking access for immigrant communities and communities of color.\n\nIn August 2022, Senators Warren, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Whitehouse, and Sanders sent a letter to the OCC, calling on it to rescind the previously issued cryptocurrency guidance and replace it with more comprehensive guidance, in coordination with other prudential regulators.\n\nIn September 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Bank Merger Review Modernization Act, which would restrict harmful consolidation in the banking industry and protect consumers and the financial system from \u201cToo Big to Fail\u201d institutions, like those that caused the 2008 financial crisis.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-rubio-renew-push-to-investigate-the-effects-of-foreign-investment-on-us-pharmaceutical-supply-chains", "Warren, Rubio Renew Push to Investigate the Effects of Foreign Investment on U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chains", "2024-10-02", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Rubio Renew Push to Investigate the Effects of Foreign Investment on U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chains\n\nU.S. risks extreme vulnerability to supply chain disruptions for critical drugs.\n\nBill Text (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced the United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act, legislation to require the Federal Trade Commission, in consultation with the Department of Commerce, to produce a report on the impacts of foreign investment in the United States\u2019 pharmaceutical industry. The senators first introduced this bipartisan legislation in June 2020, just months after Senator Warren introduced broader legislation addressing U.S. pharmaceutical supply chains\u2019 overreliance on China.\n\nThe United States relies heavily on foreign nations for its supply of drugs and pharmaceutical products. For example, up to 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredients, required components of generic drugs, are imported from abroad. This dependence makes the supply chain vulnerable to disruptions and other slow-downs, threatening care for millions of Americans.\n\n\u201cAs we experienced firsthand during the pandemic, lives are at risk when the U.S. is over-reliant on foreign countries for pharmaceuticals -- and unfettered foreign investment in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry could put our national security at risk. The United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act will provide crucial information to help us prevent supply chain crises and protect people\u2019s lives,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cThe last few years have made it clear that we must pass meaningful legislation to reduce our dependence on China for pharmaceuticals. I'm proud to reintroduce this bipartisan bill, which will shed more light on the impact that foreign investment and offshoring have on our supply chain\u2019s vulnerabilities,\u201d said Senator Rubio (R-Fla.).\n\nThe FTC\u2019s report, as outlined in the legislation, would include information on:\n\nThe U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain and the effect of concentration and reliance on foreign manufacturing;\n\nThe effect of foreign investment on domestic capability to produce drugs and active and inactive ingredients of drugs;\n\nThe effect of foreign investment in technology for sequencing and storing DNA; and\n\nThe effect of relocating U.S.-based manufacturing facilities to foreign countries on the domestic capability to produce drugs and active and inactive ingredients of drugs.\n\nSenator Warren has worked to end the United States\u2019 overreliance on foreign-made pharmaceuticals and to boost the nation's domestic manufacturing capacity:\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) wrote to the Department of Defense (DoD) seeking an update on its pharmaceutical acquisition strategy following the decision in Acetris Health, LLC v. United States, which loosened requirements on federal agencies to preference American-made products in purchasing decisions.\n\nIn April 2024, while chairing a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned officials from the Department of Defense and other experts on efforts to ensure service members are receiving safe, effective medicines.\n\nIn March 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) led a letter to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd Austin requesting an update on the Department\u2019s efforts to address risks to the military pharmaceutical supply chain.\n\nIn December 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the need for the public manufacturing of generic drugs to address critical drug shortages and ensure access and affordability of prescription drugs for consumers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, to address the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs and increase competition in the generic pharmaceutical market.\n\nIn June 2022, during the NDAA negotiations, Senator Elizabeth Warren prioritized her bills to help prevent civilian harm, electrify the military's vehicle fleet, prevent conflicts of interests and corruption at the Department of Defense, prohibit price gouging by defense contractors, expand medical care for military families, lower the costs of prescription drugs, and reduce America's reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs.\n\nIn December 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Gregory Kausner, who was performing the duties of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment at the Department of Defense (DoD), urging him to address DoD\u2019s overreliance on pharmaceuticals produced abroad.\n\nIn November 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced the Strengthening Supply Chains for Servicemembers and Security Act to address the national security risk posed by the United States\u2019 reliance on foreign entities for pharmaceuticals.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced the U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act to direct the Federal Trade Commission and the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study on the United States' overreliance on foreign countries and the impact of foreign direct investment on the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith (D-Minn.)reintroduced the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act \u2013 comprehensive legislation that takes bold steps to reinvigorate the United States' manufacturing capacity and end the nation's reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs used by millions of Americans.\n\nIn September 2020, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote to President Donald Trump raising questions about the failure of his recent Executive Order to address the nation's overreliance on foreign nations for key drug products, and asking that he support their legislation, which would address this serious problem.\n\nIn March 2020, Senators Elizbaeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced bipartisan legislation to combat America's supply chain risk and dependence on China for pharmaceuticals, to address the loopholes left by the Acetris decision.\n\nIn June 2020, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced the United States Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act to direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct a study on the United States' overreliance on foreign countries and the impact of foreign direct investment on the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.\n\nIn December 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper raising concerns about the national security risks posed by U.S. reliance on foreign-manufactured pharmaceutical products.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-mcgovern-pressley-push-stop-and-shop-parent-company-on-price-gouging-concerns-in-massachusetts-communities", "Warren, Markey, McGovern, Pressley Push Stop & Shop Parent Company on Price Gouging Concerns in Massachusetts Communities", "2024-10-01", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, McGovern, Pressley Push Stop & Shop Parent Company on Price Gouging Concerns in Massachusetts Communities\n\nStudy found significant price differences between different communities in the Commonwealth, indicating Stop & Shop may be price-gouging working-class neighborhoods\n\n\u201cIt is shameful that Stop & Shop appears to be engaging in corporate profiteering schemes that squeeze residents and families in Massachusetts\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), sent a letter to Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize\u2014parent company of Stop & Shop\u2014demanding information on reports of price disparities at store locations in Massachusetts. Specifically, the lawmakers are concerned that Stop & Shop\u2019s potential use of pricing algorithms is leading to price gouging, resulting in higher prices in minority and working class communities in Massachusetts.\n\nA group of Boston youth volunteers at the Hyde Square Task Force led a 2023 investigation that revealed pricing discrepancies between Stop & Shop locations in Massachusetts. The study found that Stop & Shop was charging 18% more for groceries in a largely minority and working-class area of Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood, compared to the store location in Dedham, a more affluent suburb.\n\n\u201cThese types of price discrepancies place significant burdens on already-struggling consumers,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe median household income for the census tract of the area surrounding the Jamaica Plain Stop & Shop is $35,900 per year. Due to the high prices at the Jamaica Plain location, some families from Jamaica Plain could be forced to spend thousands of dollars extra annually on groceries.\n\nThis is just one example of a larger trend of price gouging that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n\u201cStop & Shop\u2019s actions appear to reflect a problem of opportunistic and sometimes-predatory pricing practices by major food and grocery corporations in the United States,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, large corporations across the economy took advantage of supply chain disruptions to prey on consumers by raising prices by even more than necessary to cover increases in costs. Nearly two years later, corporations\u2019 production costs are down and their profits are ballooning, yet prices continue to climb\u2013suggesting a pattern of corporate profiteering.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers are requesting information from Stop & Shop on the pricing algorithms used by the company, the reasons for price differences at different stores, and any steps taken to lower prices and improve consistency across all 124 Massachusetts locations.\n\nIn February, Senator Warren, along with other lawmakers, reintroduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024, which would protect consumers and crack down on major companies that exploit American consumers or exercise unfair leverage while jacking up prices. It would also protect small businesses that raise prices in good faith.\n\nAs a champion for American consumers and a secure and healthy economy, Senator Warren has engaged in oversight of corporations for unfairly increasing prices for consumers. She has also long called for more competition and stronger enforcement of antitrust laws to bring down prices for families:\n\nIn September 2024, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) demanded answers from 13 corporate landlords operating in Massachusetts as to whether they are using RealPage\u2019s algorithm to raise rents for families.\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) sent a letter to Rodney McMullen, chairman and CEO of Kroger, raising concerns about Kroger\u2019s use of Electronic Shelving Labels (ESLs) to potentially surge grocery prices and exploit consumers.\n\nIn May 2024, while chairing a Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy hearing, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) called out giant corporations for hiking up food prices while raking in record profits, and urged action to promote competition and bring down costs.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren and Rep. Jim McGovern led a group of lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging the Biden administration to use its executive authority to take action to lower food prices.\n\nIn May 2024, during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs, Senator Warren called out food industry price gouging and urged action to combat unfair pricing practices.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren (D-Mass.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) wrote to DoorDash and UberEats, the two largest delivery platforms, calling out their use of hidden junk fees.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Penn.) led a group of 14 lawmakers in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the agency to revive enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA), a critical tool to promote fair competition in the food industry.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren joined Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in introducing the Shrinkflation Prevention Act to crack down on corporations that deceive consumers by selling smaller sizes of their products without lowering prices.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren, Baldwin, Casey, and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024, which would protect consumers and prohibit corporate price gouging by authorizing the FTC and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren urged the FTC to block the Kroger-Albertsons merger, which would give the five largest food retail companies control of 55 percent of all grocery sales, allowing them to further control and ultimately raise consumer prices, while also reducing job competition, decreasing wages, and decreasing the bargaining power of organized labor.\n\nIn November 2023, Senator Warren called out TransDigm for its refusal to provide cost and pricing information needed to prevent price gouging of taxpayers and the Department of Defense.\n\nIn the past few years, Senator Warren has urged the Biden administration to closely scrutinize other potentially anticompetitive mergers that could lead to higher prices for consumers and accelerate industry consolidation. She has led letters about the proposed mergers of Frontier and Spirit airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, Sanderson-Wayne, WarnerMedia-Discovery, and Amazon-MGM.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren introduced the Prohibiting Anticompetitive Mergers Act to help stomp out rampant industry consolidation that allows companies to raise consumer prices and mistreat workers. The bill would ban the biggest, most anticompetitive mergers and give the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission the teeth to reject deals in the first instance without court orders and to break up harmful mergers.\n\nIn February 2022, at a hearing, Senator Warren called out corporations for abusing their market power to raise consumer prices and boost profits.\n\nThat same month, Senator Warren requested the Department of Justice to take aggressive action against corporations violating antitrust laws to hike prices for consumers.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren questioned Federal Reserve nominee Lael Brainard about market concentration and price gouging driving inflation.\n\nAt a January 2022 hearing, Senator Warren pressed Fed Chair Jerome Powell on the role of corporate concentration in driving up prices for consumers during his renomination hearing to be Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.\n\nIn a New York Times op-ed published in April 2020, Senator Warren urged Congress to focus on cracking down on price gouging in its ongoing effort to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.\n\nIn March 2020, Senator Warren joined her colleagues in urging the FTC to use its full authority to prevent abusive price gouging on consumer health products during the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-braun-lee-grassley-lead-effort-to-end-wasteful-pentagon-spending", "Warren, Braun, Lee, Grassley Lead Effort to End Wasteful Pentagon Spending", "2024-09-30", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Braun, Lee, Grassley Lead Effort to End Wasteful Pentagon Spending\n\nSenator Warren has repeatedly criticized Congress\u2019 statutory requirement for unfunded priorities lists\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | Text of One Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, along with Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), reintroduced the Streamline Pentagon Spending Act, bipartisan legislation to repeal statutory requirements to provide unfunded priorities lists, reduce wasteful reporting burdens, and enhance civilian oversight over the budgetary process.\n\nFor decades, the military services have submitted wish lists, referred to as \u201cunfunded priorities lists,\u201d to Congress on top of their annual budget submissions. In 2016, it became a statutory requirement for the chiefs of staff of the military services to provide these lists annually. These lists often do not come with long-term cost estimates, harming oversight and making it difficult for taxpayers to know if their dollars are being used responsibly.\n\nThe Streamline Pentagon Budgeting Act would repeal requirements for top military officers, combatant commanders, the Missile Defense Agency, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to provide unfunded priorities lists. Last year, Department of Defense (DoD) Comptroller Mike McCord confirmed the ineffectiveness of combatant commands and military services submitting unfunded priorities lists on top of their annual budget requests and endorsed a proposal to repeal the statutory requirement.\n\n\u201cThe budget process is all about making tough decisions and setting clear priorities \u2013 requesting billions of dollars in vague \u2018unfunded priorities\u2019 undermines that process. We need to get rid of the requirement to provide these wishlists in order to cut down on wasteful spending,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cStrengthening national security ought to be our strict focus, and I\u2019m always working to support robust military capabilities. But my longtime oversight shows the Pentagon can\u2019t even balance its books, so why do our laws demand the Defense Department seek even more taxpayer dollars?\u201d Senator Grassley said. \u201cOur bill strikes down the unfunded priorities mandate to help cut back on paperwork and wasteful spending.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur crushing national debt is a national security threat. Defense is the most important thing we do, and if we\u2019re going to get our servicemembers the best equipment, we need a stable budgeting process. Unfunded priority lists may have started with good intentions, but as Congress\u2019s budget dysfunction has gotten worse it has morphed into another budgeting gimmick with negative results such as non-necessities being included in the budget and critical necessities ended up on a wish list. The nation and our military deserve a stable budgeting process, which this legislation will be a step toward,\u201d said Senator Mike Braun\n\nSenator Warren initially introduced the bill as a bipartisan and bicameral piece of legislation in 2022. In January 2023, Senator Warren, King, Lee, and Braun wrote to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, pushing the agency to rein in its use of unfunded priorities lists. Senator Warren also wrote to DoD in December 2022, criticizing the \u201cunfunded priorities list,\u201d which asked for an additional $25 billion, including $19.3 billion for inflation.\n\nSenator Warren has led vigilant, bipartisan oversight of Pentagon spending in the Senate:\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren led a bipartisan letter demanding the Department of Defense (DoD) provide answers about military contractors\u2019 price gouging tactics that cost the Pentagon billions of dollars every year in overpayments.\n\nIn March 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senator Warren questioned Secretary Robert F. Hale, former Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chair of the PPBE Commission, about how the Pentagon allocates budgetary resources and their requested increase in allocation flexibility.\n\nIn July 2023, chairing a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, Senator Warren called out the Department of Defense (DoD) for wasting billions in taxpayers dollars due to price gouging by defense contractors for services and in health care, and identified opportunities for cost savings when DoD buys personnel-related goods and services.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren sent a letter to DOD, criticizing its most recent \u201cunfunded priorities list,\u201d which asked for an additional $25 billion, including $19.3 billion for inflation. The DoD\u2019s budget contradicts assurances Senator Warren received in October that DoD would not need blanket inflation-based policy changes.\n\nIn September 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senator Warren questioned General Anthony Cotton, nominee for STRATCOM commander, about how he would handle so-called \u201cunfunded priorities\u201d that become wish lists to boost the Pentagon\u2019s budget.\n\nIn June 2022, Senator Warren introduced the bicameral Stop Price Gouging the Military Act, which would enhance DoD\u2019s ability to access certified cost and pricing data. Part of Senator Warren\u2019s legislation was incorporated into the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act reported to the Senate.\n\nIn May 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Senator Warren criticized Army leaders for reducing its military housing budget request and instead asking for those funds in their unfunded priorities list.\n\nIn April 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, DoD Secretary Lloyd Austin III agreed with Senator Warren that the proposed DoD budget should not increase by $90 to $400 billion, stating that the additional billions in funding was not necessary.\n\nIn July 2020, in response to questioning from Senator Warren in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said big defense contractors cannot divert the increased progress payments towards share buybacks, dividends, or executive salaries.\n\nIn May 2020, Senator Warren wrote to the Department requesting clarification on how the Department would prevent profiteering following a recent change to increase payments to contractors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-auchincloss-lynch-raise-concerns-over-private-equity-owned-rural-healthcare-groups-acquisition-of-stewards-physician-network", "Warren, Markey, Auchincloss, Lynch Raise Concerns Over Private Equity-Owned Rural HealthCare Group\u2019s Acquisition of Steward\u2019s Physician Network", "2024-09-30", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, Auchincloss, Lynch Raise Concerns Over Private Equity-Owned Rural HealthCare Group\u2019s Acquisition of Steward\u2019s Physician Network\n\n\u201c(W)e remain deeply concerned that this proposed transaction, if allowed to proceed, would empower yet another private equity firm to prey on Massachusetts patients and providers, sucking taxpayer dollars out of the system for the profit of a few corporate executives and shareholders.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) and Representative Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), sent a letter to the CEO of Rural Healthcare Group (RHG) raising concerns over its proposed acquisition of Steward Health Care\u2019s (Steward\u2019s) physician group, Stewardship Health (Stewardship). Specifically, the lawmakers warned that RHG executives \u2013 who have a troubling history of putting profits over patient health \u2013 may structure the deal to evade state laws designed to insulate medical professionals from corporate influence.\n\nSteward filed for bankruptcy on May 6, 2024, after corporate executives, private equity investors, and predatory landlords looted the company, putting patients and communities at risk and ultimately resulting in the closure of two Massachusetts hospitals. On August 12, 2024, Steward announced it had entered into an agreement to sell Stewardship to RHG, which is owned by Kinderhook, another private equity firm with a history of predatory practices.\n\n\u201c(W)e remain deeply concerned that this proposed transaction, if allowed to proceed, would empower yet another private equity firm to prey on Massachusetts patients and providers, sucking taxpayer dollars out of the system for the profit of a few corporate executives and shareholders,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nOf particular concern is RHG\u2019s ties to health software company, NaviHealth, which is owned by UnitedHealth Group and the subject of a class action lawsuit stemming from its work to develop algorithms used by insurers to improperly deny health care for patients with severe injuries.\n\n\u201cWe are particularly alarmed that allowing the same executives that ran NaviHealth when these dangerous tools were developed and sold to control physicians in the Commonwealth will put Stewardship\u2019s patients and clinicians in harm\u2019s way,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nAdditionally, the members of Congress raised concerns that RHG may structure its acquisition of Stewardship in a manner that shields it from state laws designed to protect patients and physicians. While most states, including Massachusetts, have laws banning the corporate practice of medicine \u2013 preventing corporate entities from owning physicians and interfering with their clinical judgment \u2013 private equity firms and large insurers have developed ways to circumvent these laws. One common tactic involves entering into \u201cmanagement service agreements,\u201d which allow the corporate entity to manage and operate the practice, while keeping physicians in place as nominal owners. Indeed, it appears that RHG has structured past acquisitions in this manner, raising questions about its plans to comply with state law and the clinical autonomy of Stewardship\u2019s physicians should this deal proceed.\n\n\u201c(W)e are troubled that RHG\u2019s pending acquisition may follow the same playbook that private equity firms and large insurers have deployed to aggressively acquire physician practices across the country and squeeze profits out of federal health programs,\u201d continued the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cUltimately, RHG\u2019s executives\u2019 ties to NaviHealth and the potential for the transaction to evade state corporate practice of medicine laws raise serious concerns that the proposed acquisition may negatively impact the standard of care and clinical autonomy of Stewardship\u2019s patients and providers,\u201d concluded the lawmakers. \u201cThis comes at a particularly difficult time because all of these patients and providers have already suffered greatly at the hands of private equity.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers have asked RHG to answer a series of questions by no later than October 15, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren is one of the nation\u2019s leading bankruptcy experts, and has been leading congressional oversight of Steward\u2019s failures. Warren has repeatedly called out the harms of private equity ownership on health care costs and quality of care and has fought to prevent companies from taking advantage of the bankruptcy system:\n\nOn September 4, 2024, Senator Warren urged the IRS to crack down on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) squeezing the health care industry.\n\nOn August 8, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey requested information from private equity firm Apollo Global Management (Apollo) on the company\u2019s role in Steward\u2019s bankruptcy, and urged Apollo to work in good faith to facilitate the sale of Steward\u2019s Massachusetts hospitals.\n\nOn July 3, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey wrote to Medical Properties Trust and Macquarie Infrastructure Partners, owners of Steward\u2019s eight Massachusetts hospitals, urging them to offer lease concessions to keep the hospitals open and viable.\n\nOn June 25, 2024, Senator Warren, Representative Chu, and Representative Nadler urged CMS to increase oversight of artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic software tools used to guide coverage decisions in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, citing the NaviHealth scandal as cause for concern.\n\nOn June 11, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey introduced the Corporate Crimes Against Health Care Act of 2024 to root out corporate greed and private equity abuse in the health care system, specifically preventing what happened with Steward from happening again.\n\nOn June 5, Senator Warren wrote to the DOJ, FTC, and HHS calling out high health care costs due to vertically-integrated insurers, private equity companies, and pharmaceutical companies that are driving health care consolidation.\n\nOn June 3, 2024, Senators Warren, Brown (D-Ohio), and Markey wrote to the Director of the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), calling for USTP to move to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee to run the company in place of Steward\u2019s current management, and to monitor the hospitals\u2019 bankruptcy proceedings to protect patients and local communities.\n\nOn May 24, 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, urging them to support communities and health care providers affected by the crisis caused by Steward\u2019s financial mismanagement.\n\nOn April 19, 2024, Senators Warren and Senator Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to six private credit funds that are holders of Steward\u2019s debt, asking them a series of questions about their loans and calling on them to offer loan modifications that could potentially help keep the hospitals afloat.\n\nOn April 16, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey called out Medical Properties Trust and Macquarie Infrastructure Partners for exploiting Steward Hospitals, and urged them to help keep the hospitals open.\n\nOn April 8, 2024, Senators Warren, Markey, and the rest of the MA delegation urged the FTC and DOJ to closely scrutinize UnitedHealth Group\u2019s proposed acquisition of Steward Health Care\u2019s physician group, Stewardship Health.\n\nOn April 3, 2024, Senator Warren delivered remarks at a Senate hearing in Boston titled, \u201cWhen Health Care Becomes Wealth Care: How Corporate Greed Puts Patient Care and Health Workers at Risk,\u201d which centered on Steward Health Care\u2019s Massachusetts hospitals.\n\nOn April 2 Senators Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called out private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management (Cerberus) for its role in creating Steward Health Care\u2019s financial challenges, following Cerberus\u2019s reply to the Massachusetts congressional delegation\u2019s February 2024 probe.\n\nOn February 9, 2024, Senator Warren slammed UnitedHealth Group for leveraging NaviHealth\u2019s unregulated artificial intelligence algorithm to unlawfully deny health care to seniors with severe injuries.\n\nOn March 26, 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s plan to sell its physician group Stewardship Health to UnitedHealth Group\u2019s subsidiary Optum.\n\nOn March 26, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey sent a letter to Steward CEO and Chairman Dr. Ralph de la Torre, calling on him to testify at a congressional hearing in Boston.\n\nOn March 8, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey sent a letter to Dr. de la Torre, blasting him for years of financial mismanagement, private equity schemes, and executive profiteering that have led to Steward Health Care\u2019s financial crisis.\n\nOn February 15, 2024, Senators Warren and Markey, along with all nine members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, sent a letter to Cerberus seeking answers from the private equity firm for its role in creating the current financial challenges at Steward hospitals.\n\nOn January 29, 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s financial situation and allegations of patient neglect at Steward facilities.\n\nOn January 23, 2024, Senator Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation in a letter to the CEO of Steward Health Care pressing the company to brief them on Steward\u2019s financial position, the status of their Massachusetts facilities, and their plans to ensure the communities they serve are not abandoned.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blackburn-renew-bipartisan-push-to-honor-women-that-volunteered-in-world-war-ii", "Warren, Blackburn Renew Bipartisan Push to Honor Women that Volunteered in World War II", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Blackburn Renew Bipartisan Push to Honor Women that Volunteered in World War II\n\nDespite social stigmas and adverse public opinion, hundreds of thousands of women enlisted in volunteer services to contribute to war efforts\n\nText of Resolution (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), along with Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reintroduced the Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) resolution to honor the women who served in the Navy during World War II.\n\nAfter World War I, laws limited women to the role of nurses during war. The Navy Women\u2019s Reserve Act, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1942, reversed this law and established WAVES, allowing women to volunteer in support of war efforts. Women were then recruited to perform military assignments, including training thousands of aspiring male naval aviators, gunners, and navigators.\n\nMore than 400,000 women served our country in military capacities in World War II. In fact, women accounted for about 2.5% of the Navy, including almost 80,000 officers and enlisted personnel during the program\u2019s peak.\n\n\u201cHundreds of thousands of women helped us win World War II through their service,\u201d said Senator Warren, \u201cTheir contributions should not be forgotten, and we should honor their legacy and perseverance.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has long been a leader in efforts to honor and fight for women servicemembers and veterans:\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren led colleagues in reintroducing the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act, a bill honoring women who served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII with honorary veteran status.\n\nIn July 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) led 23 of their colleagues in a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), calling on the VA to take immediate administrative action to offer abortions and all abortion-related services to veterans and eligible dependents.\n\nIn October 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) announced a bipartisan resolution to honor and commend the women who served the United States in the Navy\u2019s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) during World War II.\n\nIn April 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Susan Collins, Angus King, and Steve Daines today re-introduced the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act, a bill to honor women who served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII with honorary veteran status.\n\nIn April 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a bipartisan group of 7 senators to introduce a resolution designating April 18, 2021 as Military Retiree Appreciation Day to commemorate the life-long service of military retirees.\n\nIn November 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren led colleagues in introducing the Senate companion to a House resolution urging the U.S. Postal Service to issue a commemorative postage stamp series honoring women veterans of the Armed Forces and calling for the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp series be issued.\n\nIn April 2019, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Susan Collins, Angus King, and Steve Daines re-introduced the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act, a bill to honor women who served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII with honorary veteran status. The bill would recognize former Cadet Nurses' service to our country and provide them with honorable discharges, ribbon and medal privileges, and certain burial privileges.\n\nIn December 2018,Senators Elizabeth Warren, Susan Collins (R-Maine), Angus King (I-Maine), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the U.S Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act, a bill to honor women who served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII with honorary veteran status.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-cardin-cherfilus-mccormick-meeks-lead-nearly-60-lawmakers-in-urging-departments-of-justice-state-homeland-security-and-commerce-to-stop-arms-trafficking-to-haiti", "Warren, Cardin, Cherfilus-McCormick, Meeks Lead Over 60 Lawmakers in Urging Departments of Justice, State, Homeland Security, and Commerce to Stop Arms Trafficking to Haiti", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Cardin, Cherfilus-McCormick, Meeks Lead Over 60 Lawmakers in Urging Departments of Justice, State, Homeland Security, and Commerce to Stop Arms Trafficking to Haiti\n\nWhile exporting arms to Haiti is illegal under an international arms embargo, an underground market for firearms has thrived\n\nU.S.-manufactured firearms are contributing to political instability and gang violence in the country\n\nText of Letter (PDF) | Response from Biden Commerce Department (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led a letter to the Departments of State (State), Homeland Security (DHS), Commerce (Commerce), and Justice (DOJ), urging them to strengthen steps to prevent the flow of illegal firearms from the United States into Haiti.\n\nSince the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Mo\u00efse in 2021, armed gangs have consolidated power in Haiti. As violence rose, there was an influx of gun trafficking into Haiti. Though the country itself does not manufacture guns, there are an estimated 500,000 firearms in the country, and the United States is the number one source of these guns, often making their way through Florida.\n\nAs a result, gangs have outgunned and overpowered the Haitian National Police and other security forces, leading to the displacement of over 300,000 Haitians over the past year alone.\n\n\u201cThe escalation of firepower contributes to gangs\u2019 capacity to terrorize civilians (including through systematic sexual violence), contributes to internal displacement, and directly impedes efforts by security forces working to regain control of the country,\u201d the lawmakers say.\n\nThe lawmakers are pushing five recommendations to strengthen the administration\u2019s current efforts, including increased staffing and stricter screening of packages going to Haiti and other parts of the Caribbean. The lawmakers also recommend the DOJ\u2019s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) implement a strategy to increase the number of firearms recovered in Haiti that are submitted for tracing in order to identify gun traffickers and dealers who sell to them.\n\nThe lawmakers are also calling for an expansion of the \u201cDemand Letter 3\u201d program, which requires federal firearms licensees in certain states to notify ATF if they sell someone multiple semi-automatic rifles in a five-day period. This letter calls for expanding the program to include key states where Haiti\u2019s trafficked assault weapons originate \u2014 including Florida.\n\n\u201cCracking down on the flow of illegal weapons that are facilitating rampant gang violence in Haiti advances U.S. security. It is also a moral imperative,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\n\nThe following senators joined in signing: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).\n\nThe following Representatives joined in signing: Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alma Adams, Ph.D. (D-N.C.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Debbie Wassmerman Schultz (D-Fla.), Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Frederica Wilson, (D-Fla.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-Texas), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Jes\u00fas Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-Ind.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), and Seth Magaziner (D-Mass.).Barbara Lee (D-Calif), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).\n\n\"The Haitian people are enduring one of the worst humanitarian and security crises in their history, fueled in part by the failure of the United States to stop the flow of illegal guns into Haiti,\" said Chair Cardin. \u201cThis effort, supported by colleagues in both the Senate and House, puts forward commonsense measures the Biden administration can take now to help end our complicity in this tragedy. It\u2019s a decisive and practical step toward fulfilling our responsibility to help bring peace and stability to the Haitian people.\u201d\n\n\u201cWeapons produced in the US and trafficked to Haiti and our Caribbean neighbors has undermined regional stability and threatened US national security. It is critical that we strengthen our efforts to disrupt the illegal flow of arms, bolster interagency coordination, and fully utilize the tools at our disposal, including enhanced firearm tracing and increased monitoring of cargo leaving our ports. We produced and allowed these weapons to flow past our borders. We have a responsibility to act,\u201d said Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks.\n\n\u201cThe influx of illegal arms into Haiti is contributing to unprecedented levels of violence and political instability, putting innocent lives at risk,\u201d said Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick. \u201cDespite international laws prohibiting the export of weapons to Haiti, the black market for firearms continues to thrive, with guns manufactured in the U.S. and smuggled from Florida playing a significant role in the turmoil. This illicit arms trade is undermining Haiti\u2019s security and economic stability, making it extremely challenging for the country to rebuild its institutions and economy. Haiti is in our backyard, and instability in Haiti poses significant risks to the United States and the region. I look forward to the Biden-Harris administration fully utilizing all the tools at their disposal to stop the illicit arms flow to Haiti.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to combat the flood of high-powered assault weapons into communities at home and abroad, and to support families fleeing dangerous conditions in Haiti:\n\nIn August 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with Representatives Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) introduced the Stop Militarizing Our Streets Act of 2024 to stop military-grade assault weapons and ammunition from finding their way onto our streets.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) sent a letter to the Department of Defense calling on them to stop subsidizing the sale of military-grade weapons to civilians.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) sent a letter to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai writing in support of USTR\u2019s decision to remove the designation of import license requirements for explosives, firearms, and ammunition as trade barriers in the annual National Trade Estimate (NTE) report, while also criticizing the Department of Commerce\u2019s inadequate steps to address assault weapons exports.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine), urging them to increase funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program (SSP) to $5 billion in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill for fiscal year 2024.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and colleagues submitted an amendment to the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 that would provide $5 billion for the FEMA\u2019s Shelter and Services Program without requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ramp up its detention and deportation efforts. Senator Warren worked with Senator Padilla and others to submit a similar amendment to the Fiscal Year 2024 Spending Package in March 2024.\n\nIn January 2024, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, calling on the Department of Commerce to incorporate a set of recommendations from the lawmakers to strengthen export controls and end-use checks for firearm exports to crack down on the unnecessary export of lethal weapons used in brutal killings abroad.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) reintroduced the Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act, a comprehensive bill that would implement bold and robust measures including creating a federal gun licensing system, strengthening background checks, banning military-style assault weapons and other lethal accessories, holding the gun industry accountable for wrongdoing, and investing in research and community-based gun violence prevention.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with the entire Massachusetts delegation, wrote to FEMA raising concerns about a lack of federal funding for non-border states like Massachusetts experiencing a significant influx of migrants and requesting additional federal SSP funding for the Commonwealth.\n\nIn November 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou, about several policy proposals to help address delays in issuing employment authorization documents.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo, calling on Commerce to publicly release data on its approvals of assault weapons exports and provide a response to questions laid out in their September 2022 letter about Commerce\u2019s troubling increase of assault weapons export approvals.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.) led 68 lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to take further executive action to combat gun violence and limit the sale of assault weapons, including to leverage the federal government\u2019s purchasing power to improve public safety.\n\nIn September 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) applauded the Biden administration\u2019s redesignation of TPS for Venezuelan migrants.\n\nIn August 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Representatives Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Bill Keating (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas and Director Jaddou, urging them to expedite the processing of EADs for individuals paroled into the United States, which would lessen the strain on available humanitarian and housing resources.\n\nIn March 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and lawmakers submitted a public comment against the Biden administration\u2019s proposed rule to restrict asylum at the southern border. The senators called on the Biden administration to withdraw the rule in its entirety.\n\nIn January 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and nearly 70 other lawmakers sent a letter urging President Biden to reverse the administration\u2019s expansion of the inhumane Trump-era border policy known as Title 42 and to abandon the proposed asylum \u201ctransit ban\u201d rule. The lawmakers also encouraged the President and his administration to work with Congress to develop safe, humane, and orderly border policies that enforce our immigration laws and uphold the right to asylum under domestic and international law.\n\nIn October 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in a letter to President Biden calling for the Administration to return oversight of the export of firearms to the Department of State.\n\nIn September 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo, calling out Commerce for its increased approvals of export licenses for assault weapons and high-capacity magazine exports, and for putting the gun industry profits before national security and human lives. The lawmakers called on Commerce to revise its approach to assault weapons exports and to answer questions about its export license approvals.\n\nIn September 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Norma Torres (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo, calling out Commerce for its increased approvals of export licenses for assault weapons and high-capacity magazine exports, and for putting the gun industry profits before national security and human lives. The lawmakers called on Commerce to revise its approach to assault weapons exports and to answer questions about its export license approvals.\n\nIn September 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led members of the Massachusetts delegation in a letter to DHS and FEMA calling for funding from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to be allocated swiftly to organizations assisting newly arrived migrants in Massachusetts.\n\nIn September 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren released a statement condemning efforts to use asylum seekers as political pawns and committing to assisting communities in need.\n\nIn July 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned Alan Estevez, Under Secretary for Industry and Security at the Department of Commerce, about the agency\u2019s lax approach to export controls of military-style assault weapons and called on the Biden administration to fulfill its campaign promise to return assault weapons exports oversight to the State Department.\n\nIn November 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren stated her opposition to the continued use of Title 42 to expel asylum seekers and called for the Biden administration to rescind this policy.\n\nIn October 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined then-Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) in criticizing the inhumane treatment of Haitian migrants and called on the administration to support long-term stability in Haiti.\n\nIn October 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren called on Chris Magnus to commit to transparency regarding the investigation into the events in Del Rio, Texas during his confirmation hearing to be CBP Commissioner.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-jacobs-lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-protect-military-families-from-abusive-non-disclosure-agreements", "Warren, Jacobs, Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Protect Military Families from Abusive Non-Disclosure Agreements", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Jacobs, Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Protect Military Families from Abusive Non-Disclosure Agreements\n\nPrivatized military housing companies continue to use NDAs to silence military families\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Representatives Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) and Don Davis (D-N.C.) introduced the Restore Military Families\u2019 Voices Act, which would bar private military housing companies from imposing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) on tenants as a condition for housing services. The Restore Military Families\u2019 Voices Act was included in the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 on a bipartisan vote.\n\nMany military families living in private housing, both on and off-base, are forced to live in unsafe and unsanitary conditions with little-to-no recourse to hold companies accountable. These companies may require tenants to sign NDAs when asking for repairs or requesting reimbursement for financial burdens that the families face due to poor housing conditions. This practice allows companies to silence military families when they attempt to reveal poor housing conditions and avoid accountability for providing military families subpar housing.\n\nThis bill protects military families by banning landlords from requesting NDAs from tenants or prospective tenants. Notably, this bill does not affect the rights of servicemembers or their families to request NDAs.\n\nThe Restore Military Families\u2019 Voices Act makes three changes to existing law:\n\nBars landlords from requesting that tenants sign NDAs. Requiring NDAs is already banned under current law, but this bill bans requesting NDAs as well given the power imbalance between landlords and tenants.\n\nExpands NDA protections to cover all housing services. Current protections only extend to the start of a lease, renewal of a lease, or end of a lease.\n\nEnds the loophole that allows landlords to require NDAs for legal settlements. A loophole under existing law means landlords are allowed to require NDAs in connection with legal settlements.\n\nThis bill is endorsed by the National Military Families Association and the Military Housing Coalition.\n\n\u201cOur servicemembers and military families shouldn\u2019t have to put up with mold, lead paint, and infestations,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cMy bill will put an end to private military landlords\u2019 abuse of non-disclosure agreements and empower our servicemembers and military families to hold bad landlords accountable.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s unconscionable that landlords can hide behind Non-Disclosure Agreements to avoid responsibility for substandard privatized military housing and take advantage of their tenants,\u201d said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. \u201cI\u2019ve visited privatized military housing units in San Diego and across the country, and I\u2019ve seen firsthand the impacts of living with black mold, leaky roofs, loose electrical wiring, and other unsanitary conditions. Our service members and their families sacrifice so much for us, and the least we can do is ensure they have safe, sanitary housing in return instead of protecting negligent landlords. That\u2019s why we need to pass the Restore Military Families\u2019 Voices Act to prevent landlords from abusing NDAs and providing unsafe conditions to our military families.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has been in a leader in raising concerns about problems with privatized military housing and led the push to protect military families:\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) led colleagues in calling out the Department of Defense (DoD) for failing to protect military families living in military housing operated by private companies under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren led an annual hearing highlighting personnel priorities for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the military services for the coming year, including military housing and child care.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned Army Secretary Christine Wormuth on the need to increase military housing availability and the damaging impact of non-disclosure agreements between private landlords, servicemembers, and their families on housing safety at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced further enforcement of the Tenant Bill of Rights for military families as one of the key priorities secured in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), as well as creating a working group of DoD officials and military families to ensure ongoing oversight of deficiencies in privatized military housing.\n\nIn December 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requesting information on the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) plans to address the unhealthy prevalence of mold, lead-based paint, and asbestos in housing for America\u2019s servicemembers.\n\nIn October 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin raising concerns that Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) families had to pay out of pocket to modify their homes to meet their families\u2019 needs and asking for additional information about DoD\u2019s oversight of the program.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with other Senate Armed Services Committee members, announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan Military Housing Readiness Council Act, which would provide a platform for oversight and accountability of privatized military housing to give military families a voice and bring together experts to ensure military families have the safe housing they deserve.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren and other members of the Senate Armed Services Committee sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressing concern over reports that military families are being forced to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with privatized military housing companies in order to receive compensation for poor housing conditions.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced her provisions to require military housing companies to disclose mold and the health effects of mycotoxins before a lease is signed was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.\n\nIn August 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the Military Housing Readiness Council Act, legislation that would ensure oversight and accountability on safe housing conditions for servicemembers and military families. The legislation would create a Military Housing Readiness Council comprised of DoD officials, servicemembers, military families, and military housing experts to ensure ongoing oversight of deficiencies in privatized military housing.\n\nIn June 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced the Military Housing Oversight and Service member Protection Act as one of her key priorities for the FY 2023 NDAA. The proposal would ensure medical care for military families affected by unsafe housing by directing DoD to establish a health registry for all servicemembers and families and establishing a presumption of service-connected disability for servicemembers and lifetime medical care for dependents.\n\nIn February 2022 during a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, Elizabeth Warren pressed Pentagon nominees for tough oversight as they improve military housing conditions\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced improving military housing as one of her key priorities for FY 2022 NDAA\n\nIn January 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren requested Defense Secretary Austin for his public commitment to respond and make a priority to her requests about military housing issues during a SASC hearing\n\nIn March 2021, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) wrote to Defense Secretary Austin, and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge, continuing the lawmakers' investigation into whether the largest military housing providers under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative are complying with federal laws that protect Americans with disabilities.\n\nIn December 2020, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) questioned the five largest private military housing providers about their reported failure to provide adequate housing to families with disabilities.\n\nIn May 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren released the findings from her three-month-long investigation of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative and of five private companies that have contracts with the military services to provide on-base housing under the program. She sent letters to then-SASC Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and then-Ranking Member Jack Reed, and to the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to provide each with the results of her investigation, revealing how and why private military housing developers failed to meet basic housing standards, which in some cases resulted in severe health problems for military families.\n\nIn April 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Representative Deb Haaland introduced the Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act, a comprehensive bill to address a series of disturbing reports revealing unsafe and unsanitary conditions in privatized, on-base housing for military personnel and their families.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-call-on-ocean-management-agency-to-protect-native-land-when-issuing-offshore-wind-leases", "Warren, Markey Call On Ocean Management and Safety Agencies to Protect Native Land When Issuing Offshore Wind Leases", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey Call On Ocean Management and Safety Agencies to Protect Native Land When Issuing Offshore Wind Leases\n\n\u201cAs offshore wind projects have grown, some Tribes have raised environmental, cultural, and sovereignty concerns about the projects and noted the lack of meaningful Tribal consultation.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) urged the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to ensure close consultation with Native American Tribes throughout the process of developing offshore wind projects. The Biden Administration has made historic commitments to more robustly consult Tribes, seek consensus with Tribal Nations, and more intentionally incorporate Indigenous Knowledge in federal decision-making. However, Tribes have raised concerns that BOEM is not fulfilling the Biden Administration\u2019s commitment to meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations during offshore wind projects.\n\n\u201cIt is imperative that Tribal Nations\u2019 concerns are heard and effectively addressed during the development of federal decisions that have Tribal implications,\u201d the senators said. They have asked BOEM to consult with Tribal governments throughout the development of offshore wind projects.\n\nThe senators called on BOEM to ensure dedicated government-to-government meetings with Tribes, financial and technical assistance to support Tribes to engage in resource-intensive consultation processes, and more.\n\n\u201cWe are supportive of increased assistance to better meet Tribal needs and encourage BOEM to help address the technical and staff capacity issues faced by Tribes, to ensure that they can adequately engage in and keep pace with project consultations,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nSenator Warren has supported efforts in Congress to protect Tribal culture, autonomy, and lands:\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren announced new legislation to expand housing access for rural Tribal communities: the Tribal Rural Housing Access Act.\n\nIn May 2023, Elizabeth Warren led 26 senators to reintroduce the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act, legislation that seeks healing for stolen Native children and their communities.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Derek Kilmer unveiled the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, historic legislation to address chronic underfunding and barriers to sovereignty faced by Indian Country as a result of the federal government\u2019s failures to meet its trust and treaty responsibilities.\n\nIn August 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman Brian Schatz and Vice Chair Lisa Murkowski, and U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids and Tom Cole, co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus, along with a bipartisan, bicameral group of 82 additional members of Congress, in filing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court defending the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in the pending case, Haaland v. Brackeen.\n\nIn October 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n and Representative Norma Torres in introducing legislation to replace the official holiday recognized on the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day.\n\nIn February 2022, Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey released a joint statement, celebrating the Biden Administration\u2019s withdrawal of its appeal in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in the case Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe v. Bernhardt.\n\nIn October 2020, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswoman Deb Haaland introduced the Extending Broadband Tribal Priority Act to allow Tribal Nations and Native Hawaiian organizations the time they need to apply for spectrum licenses for unassigned spectrum over their own lands\u2014a critical step to expanding broadband access in their communities.\n\nIn May 2020, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Congresswoman Deb Haaland in filing a bicameral, bipartisan amicus brief opposing the U.S. Department of the Interior's unprecedented action to remove the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe's reservation land from trust status.\n\nIn November 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Senator Jon Tester, member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA), in introducing S.2808, companion legislation to Congressman Tom Cole\u2019s bill that would provide a fix to the 2009 Supreme Court case Carcieri v. Salazar, so that Tribal nations\u2019 lands can be taken into trust and protected. A Carcieri fix would advance Tribal sovereignty and benefit Tribal economies.\n\nIn August 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswoman Deb Haaland, Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus and the first Native woman to preside over the House floor during the 116th Congress released a proposal for a forthcoming bill, the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act, which will address chronic underfunding and barriers to sovereignty in Indian Country and hold the federal government accountable for honoring America\u2019s legal promises to Native peoples.\n\nIn October 2018, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Vice Chairman Tom Udall in introducing the Native American Voting Rights Act of 2018, landmark legislation to provide the necessary resources and oversight to ensure Native Americans have equal access to the electoral process.\n\nIn May 2018, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Senator Martin Heinrich and ten other senators in calling on Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to improve its program that assists Native American veterans find a home in Indian Country and allow them to live near their families with access to culturally appropriate and traditional healing practices.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-whitehouse-casar-lawmakers-slam-35-companies-for-paying-their-executives-more-than-they-pay-in-federal-income-taxes", "Warren, Whitehouse, Casar, Lawmakers Slam 35 Companies for Paying Their Executives More Than They Pay in Federal Income Taxes", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Whitehouse, Casar, Lawmakers Slam 35 Companies for Paying Their Executives More Than They Pay in Federal Income Taxes\n\nText of Letters (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Representative Greg Casar (D-Texas) led their colleagues in slamming 35 major companies that have been paying their executives more than they pay in federal income taxes. The lawmakers point to this as an additional reason why Congress must reform the tax code in 2025 to ensure that big corporations are paying what they owe.\n\n\u201cFor decades, big businesses and the wealthy have skirted their responsibility to pay federal income taxes, leaving hardworking Americans to foot the bill,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cAs Congress considers what to do when some provisions of the 2017 law expire next year, it is critical that we ensure that large, profitable businesses are paying their fair share.\u201d\n\nIn the first five years following the $2 trillion Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed by Republicans and signed by President Trump in 2017, 35 companies raked in $277 billion in domestic profits. These companies then paid an average effective income tax rate of just 14.1 percent, almost a third less than the 21 percent statutory rate. Instead of these gains \u201ctrickling down\u201d to workers, the corporations paid their executives $9.5 billion \u2013 more than they paid in federal income taxes. While executives were making $989,000 per year or more, an average raise of $50,000 per executive, 90 percent of workers saw no earnings increase.\n\nThe most egregious examples of these companies \u2013 and the ones the lawmakers wrote to \u2013 include: Tesla, TMobile, Netflix, AIG, Ford, NextEra, Darden, MetLife, Duke Energy, First Energy, DISH, Principal Financial, American Electrical Power, Kinder Morgan, Dominion, Oneok, Williams, Xcel Energy, NRG Energy, Salesforce, DTE Energy, Ameren, Sempra Energy, US Steel, Entergy, AmerisourceBergen, PPL, CMS Energy, Evergy, Voya Financial, Atmos Energy, Alliant Energy, Match Group, UGI, and Agilent Tech.\n\n\u201cNext year, Congress has an opportunity to take bigger strides in reforming our tax code \u2013 to raise the corporate rate, close loopholes, and hold big businesses to the same standards as everyday working Americans who pay their fair share,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warren and Whitehouse, and Representative Casar, the letters were also signed by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont), as well as Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Eleanor Norton (D-D.C.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to close tax loopholes for the wealthy and giant corporations to ensure a more fair tax system:\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Warren called on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to fully implement the 15% Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax signed into law by President Biden in the Inflation Reduction Act two years ago to preemptively stop corporate attempts to avoid paying their fair share.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren delivered remarks at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth to set the agenda on taxes ahead of the 2025 tax fight and urge Democrats to back President Biden\u2019s agenda to tax the rich. Senator Warren\u2019s call came as Congress prepared for major tax policy changes as a large portion of the 2017 Republican tax cuts for the wealthy were set to expire.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren, along with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), reintroduced the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act, popular, comprehensive legislation that would bring in at least $3 trillion in revenue over 10 years by requiring that the top 0.05 percent of American households chip in 2 cents for every dollar of wealth over $50 million. The newly introduced version of the bill included stronger rules on trusts, a common method the ultra-wealthy utilize to avoid paying taxes that cost the federal government between $5 and $7 billion annually.\n\nIn November 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Warren called out efforts by lobbyists for giant corporations trying to extend three of the biggest corporate giveaways in the Trump tax cuts: bonus depreciation, R&D expensing, and looser limits on net interest deduction.\n\nIn October 2023, Senators Warren, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sent a letter to Secretary Janet Yellen and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel, urging them to proactively use the Treasury Department\u2019s rulemaking authority to close tax loopholes that create inconsistency and unfairness in the tax system and threaten the government\u2019s ability to raise important revenue.\n\nIn August 2023, Senators Warren, Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sanders sent a letter to the Treasury and IRS, urging them to quickly propose and implement strong rules that close loopholes exploited by crypto tax evaders.\n\nIn April 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Secretary Yellen and Commissioner Werfel, urging them to follow through on the commitments of the Biden administration by examining and taking concrete steps to address racial inequities in tax benefits and enforcement.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Warren, Van Hollen, Sanders, and Whitehouse sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging her to use the full extent of the Treasury Department\u2019s regulatory authority to crack down on the ultra-wealthy\u2019s use of trusts to dodge paying their fair share in taxes.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-criticizes-banking-regulators-inaction-on-nycbs-systemic-failings-and-threats-to-banking-and-financial-stability", "Warren Criticizes Banking Regulators\u2019 Inaction on NYCB\u2019s \u201cSystemic Failings\u201d and Threats to Banking and Financial Stability", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Criticizes Banking Regulators\u2019 Inaction on NYCB\u2019s \u201cSystemic Failings\u201d and Threats to Banking and Financial Stability\n\nQuestions Heads of OCC, Federal Reserve on \u201cDereliction of Duty\u201d Amid Pattern of Oversight Failures\n\n\u201cGiven the ongoing threats from regional bank failures, I am deeply troubled by your \u2026failure to answer our previous questions\u2014and your inability or unwillingness to rein in unruly banks \u2026If the OCC has indeed identified \u2018systemic failings\u2019 at NYCB, the agency must impose stronger controls on the bank.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent letters to Michael Hsu, Acting Comptroller of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve (Fed), with renewed concern that the OCC and the Fed could allow New York Community Bank (NYCB) to escape regulatory oversight despite identifying \u201csystemic failings\u201d in the bank\u2019s operation and management. She also calls for the OCC to consider implementing an Individual Minimum Capital Ratio (IMCR) given NYCB\u2019s history and the risks it poses to the U.S. financial system.\n\n\u201cAllowing NYCB to evade penalties under these circumstances would be a dereliction of duty and would represent a failure by the OCC and the Fed to ensure the safety and soundness of the banking system,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nThe OCC\u2019s record of failure with NYCB is now over three years old. The current threats to NYCB\u2019s viability reflect a pattern of oversight failures by the OCC, which rubber-stamped two risky mergers with Flagstar Bank and Signature Bank in a six month period. Following those mergers, NYCB teetered near failure as the OCC neglected to address the risks associated with the bank\u2019s rapid growth until it was too late.\n\n\u201cThe OCC, as NYCB\u2019s regulator, is tasked with overseeing NYCB\u2019s risk management and yet did not raise flags related to NYCB\u2019s internal struggles,\u201d Senator Warren wrote. \u201cOn the brink of failure, NYCB accepted a capital infusion from private equity firms spearheaded by former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who tapped fellow Trump-era financial regulator Joseph Otting as NYCB\u2019s new CEO.\u201d\n\nSteven Mnuchin and Joseph Otting worked together for years, at OneWest bank, where they ran an operation that was deemed a \u201cforeclosure machine,\u201d which repossessed the homes of tens of thousands of American families between 2009 and 2015 and intensified the economic pain of the Great Recession. Under Mr. Mnuchin and Mr. Otting\u2019s leadership, OneWest employed illegal tactics like \u201crobo-signing\u201d\u2014falsifying key documents\u2014to kick more than 36,000 families out of their homes. When they took the helm ofNYCB, the Fed and OCC were required to review Mr. Otting\u2019s and Mr. Mnuchin\u2019s character and fitness, which would have included their behavior at OneWest.\n\nThe OCC and the Fed failures to appropriately supervise NYCB are becoming more clear with the new reports of \u201csystemic failings\u201d at the bank.\n\n\u201cGiven the ongoing threats from regional bank failures, I am deeply troubled by your \u2026 inability or unwillingness to rein in unruly banks,\u201d wrote Senator Warren. \u201cIf the OCC has indeed identified \u2018systemic failings\u2019 at NYCB, the agency must impose stronger controls on the bank.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren is calling on the OCC to use its existing authority under Title 12, which allows the OCC to establish a higher minimum capital requirement for banks under its jurisdiction that present heightened risks to the financial system, by considering an Individual Minimum Capital Ratio for NYCB.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to hold banking regulators accountable to establishing and enforcing guardrails around the banking industry and preventing harmful bank mergers to protect the financial system, economy, and consumers:\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren and Blumenthal probed the OCC for its regulatory failures amid NYCB\u2019s financial spiral.\n\nIn March 2024, a year after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Senator Warren sent a letter to three key banking regulators: Michael Barr, Vice Chair for Supervision of the Federal Reserve, Martin Gruenberg, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Acting Comptroller Hsu, seeking an update on their progress in delivering on their public commitments to strengthen regulatory standards for banks with assets of $100 billion or more.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren led 12 lawmakers urging the OCC and the Federal Reserve to block Capital One\u2019s plan to acquire Discover Financial Services. Their letter also expressed concerns with the OCC\u2019s proposed policy statement regarding merger approvals as essentially codifying a permissive approach.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren led 6 senators in a letter to Acting Comptroller Hsu, calling on OCC to allow states to move forward with their efforts to protect consumers from harmful bank practices. The senators criticized the OCC for overstepping its preemption authority under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which it used to block tough, state-level consumer protections.\n\nIn August 2023, chairing a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Senator Warren highlighted the need for regulators to implement the strongest version of bank merger review guidelines in order to ensure stability in the financial system.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, Federal Deposit Investment Corporation Chairman Gruenberg, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Hsu, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging regulators to promote greater competition in the banking sector by toughening their stances on bank mergers and strengthening bank merger review guidelines.\n\nIn May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren questioned Acting Comptroller Hsu on his decision to approve JPMorgan Chase\u2019s purchase of First Republic Bank after its collapse. This merger allowed a large, poorly supervised bank to be swallowed by America\u2019s largest bank, making it $200 billion larger than it was before.\n\nIn May 2023, Senator Warren sent a letter to Acting Comptroller Hsu and FDIC Chair Gruenberg, questioning the terms of the sale of First Republic Bank to JP Morgan Chase and the rationale behind the OCC and FDIC\u2019s approval of the deal.\n\nIn December 2022, Senators Warren and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) sent letters to three key banking regulators: the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and the OCC, raising concerns about the ties between the banking industry and crypto firms following FTX\u2019s bankruptcy. The senators asked each regulator how they assessed the banking system\u2019s exposure to crypto risks.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) sent a letter to the heads of all U.S. banking regulators, including Acting Comptroller Hsu, calling on them to improve banking access for immigrant communities and communities of color.\n\nIn August 2022, Senators Warren, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Whitehouse, and Sanders sent a letter to the OCC, calling on it to rescind the previously issued cryptocurrency guidance and replace it with more comprehensive guidance, in coordination with other prudential regulators.\n\nIn September 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Bank Merger Review Modernization Act, which would restrict harmful consolidation in the banking industry and protect consumers and the financial system from \u201cToo Big to Fail\u201d institutions, like those that caused the 2008 financial crisis.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-doggett-lead-bicameral-charge-to-lower-price-of-popular-weight-loss-drugs", "Warren, Doggett Lead Bicameral Charge to Lower Price of Popular Weight-Loss Drugs", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Doggett Lead Bicameral Charge to Lower Price of Popular Weight-Loss Drugs\n\nMembers urge HHS to use existing legal authority to lower prices for the manufacturer\u2019s blockbusters Ozempic and Wegovy\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra asking him to lower the cost of vital weight-loss drugs by using the agency\u2019s existing legal authority to issue generic licenses for semaglutide, a prescription drug sold under the names Ozempic and Wegovy. The drug is commonly used to treat obesity and diabetes and is known for improving health and well-being.\n\nHHS can lower prices using Section 1498, a more than a century-old statutory authority that permits generic competitors to license patented inventions in exchange for reasonable compensation to the brand-name manufacturer. By exercising this existing authority, the agency would help stabilize the health care market while meeting high consumer demands at more affordable prices.\n\n\u201cWith a sticker price of up to $1,400 per month, patients can rarely afford Wegovy or Ozempic out-of-pocket and few insurance plans offer complete coverage due to the prohibitive cost,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cA recent report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the cost to cover these drugs would outweigh any savings from reduced utilization of associated health services and treatments.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe do not need to waste taxpayer dollars, bankrupt health systems, or deny patients access to effective treatments. We can save consumers\u2019 health and be fiscally responsible by stopping Big Pharma monopoly abuse,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cThere is no reason for Americans to pay the world\u2019s highest prices, substantially more than other wealthy nations, for the exact same medicines.\u201d\n\nAdditional signers include Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Greg Casar (D-Tex.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).\n\nA coalition of more than 20 organizations also called on Secretary Becerra to take such action.\n\nSenator Warren has long led efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans:\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo reiterating their agencies\u2019 clear legal authority to use \u201cmarch-in\u201d rights under the Bayh-Dole Act to lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) sent letters to eight pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily de-list over 100 patents that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined may be improperly or inaccurately listed in the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA\u2019s) Orange Book, which would open opportunity for more competition and lower drug prices for Americans.\n\nIn May 2024, Senators Warren, Sanders, Merkley slammed the Chamber of Commerce for opposition to the Biden administration\u2019s proposal to boost competition and lower drug prices.\n\nIn February 2024, Senators Warren and King, and Representative Doggett led 75 lawmakers to urge the Biden administration to strengthen and finalize its guidance to protect taxpayers and lower prescription drug prices.\n\nIn December 2023, in the wake of the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s (FTC) warnings about drug manufacturers\u2019 patent abuse, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent letters to the CEOs of 8 pharmaceutical companies urging them to voluntarily remove sham patent claims improperly included in the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) \u201cOrange Book\u201d and end their unlawful practices that delay competition and drive up costs for patients and taxpayers.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Newsweek commending the Biden administration\u2019s announcement that price can be considered in the government\u2019s decision to march-in on a drug, effectively lowering drug costs, and calling on Americans to fight back against an industry that has been taking advantage of them for decades.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Warren issued a statement after the Biden administration announced it would issue guidance to federal agencies that would allow the government to seize patents of certain expensive drugs developed with taxpayer support to create more competition and lower prices.\n\nIn December 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, bicameral legislation to address the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs and increase competition in the generic pharmaceutical market by establishing an Office of Drug Manufacturing within the Department of Health and Human Services tasked with manufacturing select generic drugs and offering them to consumers at a fair price that guarantees affordable patient access.\n\nIn September 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan urging the FTC to issue a policy statement about the improper listing of drug-related patents in the FDA\u2019s Orange Book.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf, urging him to close loopholes that pharmaceutical companies have exploited to block generics from entering the market, keeping drug prices high and maximizing profits.\n\nIn June 2023, Senators Warren and Angus King (I-Maine), and Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra asking for information on the membership, process, timeline, and scope of work of the recently announced Interagency Working Group for Bayh-Dole.\n\nIn April 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to Kathi Vidal, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), calling on USPTO to take immediate action and use its existing administrative authorities to help lower drug prices and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for anti-competitive business practices.\n\nIn February 2023, Senators Warren and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representatives Jayapal and Katie Porter (D-Calif.) sent a letter to the USPTO, calling on the agency to give close scrutiny to any of Merck\u2019s requests for new patents for Keytruda, a biological treatment used to treat cancer, citing new reports about Merck\u2019s ongoing abuse of the patent system to protect its monopoly on the drug.\n\nIn January 2023, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett led their colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to HHS, urging Secretary Becerra to exercise his authority to lower the price of cancer treatment drug Xtandi.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to Director Kathi Vidal following up on their June 2021 letter about USPTO\u2019s efforts to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for anti-competitive business practices and tackle high drug prices.\n\nIn June 2022, Senators Warren and King and Representatives Doggett, Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), and Porter led a group of 100 members from across the ideological spectrum to urge HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to swiftly act and use his existing authorities to lower prices on critical prescription drugs.\n\nIn April 2022, Senator Warren sent a letter to Secretary Becerra, sharing the findings from a letter that over 25 legal and public health experts sent to her outlining three powerful legal tools the Biden administration could use to lower drug prices.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Warren and her colleagues called out drug manufacturers for squeezing American families with rapid and widespread price hikes on prescription drugs.\n\nIn February 2022, Senators Warren and King and Representative Doggett urged HHS to exercise its march-in rights for the life-saving cancer drug Xtandi to dramatically lower its price for millions of Americans.\n\nIn June 2021, Senator Warren led a letter questioning PhRMA's lobbying efforts to block policies that would lower drug costs for millions of Americans.\n\n###\n\nNext Article Previous Article", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-leads-charge-to-protect-military-readiness-takes-on-defense-contractors-seeking-to-block-the-militarys-right-to-repair-its-weapons-and-equipment", "Warren Leads Charge to Protect Military Readiness, Takes on Defense Contractors Seeking to Block the Military\u2019s Right to Repair Its Weapons and Equipment", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Leads Charge to Protect Military Readiness, Takes on Defense Contractors Seeking to Block the Military\u2019s Right to Repair Its Weapons and Equipment\n\nDefense industry effort to \u201cblock DoD\u2019s right-to-repair has no national security rationale: instead, it appears to be based on simple corporate greed.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen service members are stationed across the world, including in a combat situation, and need to repair a piece of equipment in a contested logistics environment, they should not have to rely on a company thousands of miles away to fix it on the contractor\u2019s timeline.\u201d\n\nText of Letter to DoD (PDF) | Text of Letter to Defense Contractor Associations (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today sent two letters regarding the costly restrictions imposed on the Department of Defense that bar the military from repairing its own military equipment and instead force it to pay billions of dollars extra to military contractors. Senator Warren\u2019s first letter was sent to DoD, urging the Department to take action to address these restrictions. Her second letter blasted profit-driven attacks from the defense industry for its opposition to a commonsense provision in the Senate fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA) that received broad bipartisan support and would make it easier for the military to repair its own equipment.\n\nDoD pays hundreds of billions of dollars annually to purchase weapons systems and other equipment for use by the U.S. military from contractors. However, the equipment is often subject to contractor-imposed restrictions on diagnosis, repair, and maintenance, leaving servicemembers unable to conduct necessary fixes over the life of the equipment. If servicemembers do attempt their own repairs, they risk contractors not providing access to crucial tools or data, or voiding the equipment\u2019s warranty.\n\nThese restrictions give contractors tremendous power over maintenance and repair of equipment, which can make up as much as 70 percent of the overall cost of a program. Contractors are incentivized to continue to keep a tight grip on maintenance and repair operations, which boost their profits.\n\nSenator Warren\u2019s provision in the Senate FY25 NDAA (Section 828) would make it easier for the military to repair its own equipment by requiring contractors to provide DoD with \u201cfair and reasonable access\u201d to repair materials, including necessary parts, tools, and information, potentially saving DoD billions and strengthening military readiness. The provision was included after a robustly bipartisan vote.\n\nBut certain dominant defense contractors, seeing their profits threatened, have fought to block the bipartisan language, leading a letter to Committee leaders asking that this provision be stripped from the final bill.\n\n\u201cCongress, DoD, and the public deserve transparency about why your associations oppose DoD\u2019s fair and reasonable access to repair materials,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren requested answers from contractors about their opposition to ensuring DoD has fair and reasonable access to repair materials by October 11, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren\u2019s letter to DoD highlights powerful examples of situations in which service members were unable to repair critical equipment, such as Marines stationed in Japan who were forced to ship engines back to contractors in the U.S. for repairs even though they had the tools to fix them themselves, and military personnel who had to fly General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin contractors to a Littoral Combat Ship at sea and escort them while on board because the companies considered certain repair data \u201cproprietary.\u201d The letter expresses the need for DoD to resolve these right-to-repair issues, and requests answers about their efforts to address repair restrictions by October 11, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has repeatedly sought to bolster competition and fight back against costly right-to-repair restrictions:\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren included a provision in the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA that would require contractors to provide DoD with \u201cfair and reasonable\u201d access to repair materials.\n\nIn August 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), celebrated the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reversing course and allowing enforcement of Massachusetts\u2019 pro-consumer Right to Repair law.\n\nIn June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reverse its course after it sent a recent letter to auto manufacturers, advising them not to comply with Massachusetts\u2019 Right to Repair law.\n\nIn February 2022, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King (I-Maine), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) urged the Department of Health and Human Services to move forward with the march-in petition submitted for the prostate cancer drug Xtandi.\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Doggett sent a letter to the Department of Defense requesting information about steps taken to reduce costs of DoD-funded prescription drugs and medical products.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-releases-findings-of-investigation-into-insurance-industry-kickbacks-costing-americans-billions-of-dollars", "Warren Releases Findings of Investigation Into Insurance Industry Kickbacks Costing Americans Billions of Dollars", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Releases Findings of Investigation Into Insurance Industry Kickbacks Costing Americans Billions of Dollars\n\nNew report reveals insurers\u2019 ongoing abuse of luxurious travel incentives to pay off conflicted financial advisers: trips to Cancun, lavish cruises, and more\n\nDepartment of Labor rule to end kickbacks set to go into effect this week, but delayed by industry groups and extremist court\n\nText of Report (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today released a new 22-page report detailing the findings of her investigation into insurance industry kickbacks. The new report revealed trips to Cancun, luxury cruises on the Danube, a five-star resort in Mexico, and more extravagant incentives offered by insurance companies to employees in exchange for promoting plans that may not be in the best interest of their clients.\n\nA Department of Labor rule issued to end the kickbacks was set to go into effect this week, but has been delayed by industry groups and an extremist 5th Circuit Court ruling that put retirement and annuity industry profits over American families.\n\nIn April, the Department of Labor issued its \u201cRetirement Security Rule,\u201d which requires financial advisors to always make recommendations in their client\u2019s best interest. Shortly after the rule was issued, Senator Warren launched an investigation into the prevalence of perks and kickbacks in the annuity and insurance industry, requesting information from the country\u2019s 15 largest annuity companies regarding their use of the harmful tactic. This week, in conjunction with what should have been the first week of the DOL rule\u2019s implementation, Senator Warren published the findings of her investigation in a new report.\n\nThe report\u2019s key findings include:\n\nKickbacks are still used by at least 29 companies to pay off conflicted advisors, including: a week-long escape to \u201cone of the most privileged locations on the white sands of Punta Cancun,\u201d a \u201cluxury Danube river cruise,\u201d and an extra $4,500 bonus for issuing three \u201ccases\u201d of a given product.\n\nInsurance companies are using third party \u201cSales and Marketing Organizations\u201d (SMOs) and \u201cField Marketing Organizations\u201d (FMOs) to dodge responsibility for these unethical practices.\n\nCurrent National Association of Insurance Commissioners\u2019 (NAIC) and SEC standards are not sufficiently protecting consumers.\n\nCompanies hide behind inadequate disclosures to deflect accusations of conflicts of interest.\n\nThe bad advice incentivized by industry kickbacks causes Americans to lose billions of dollars yearly on low-quality or high-cost investment products pushed onto them by conflicted advisers. As the new report notes, \u201cconflicts of interest among advice providers cost retirement savers as much as 20 percent of their retirement income over a lifetime, and conflicted advice on fixed-index annuities alone cost savers as much as $5 billion every year. As a result, retirement plan participants would save $55 billion over the next decade in fees with the implementation of the DOL\u2019s new rule, and \u201cinvestors rolling over into annuity products could save another $32.5 billion over the same period.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese secret kickbacks hurt consumers by incentivizing agents to sell certain products because they will earn a bigger cash bonus or fancier vacation, not because they are in the best interests of their customers,\u201d the report notes. Clients are not aware of these illicit incentives, meaning they believe their insurance agent is working for them when, in reality, the agent is working to score their own rewards.\n\nSenator Warren is a longtime proponent of strong conflict of interest standards:\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Warren wrote to the country\u2019s 15 largest annuity companies, criticizing their opposition to the Department of Labor\u2019s (DOL) Retirement Security Rule and revealing their use of secretive incentives and perks to agents in return for steering consumers toward their products.\n\nIn March 2023, Senator Warren released a report, which uncovered the pervasive, secret rewards of lavish vacations, cash bonuses, and other incentives that giant insurance companies participating in the Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) market offer health insurance agents and brokers.\n\nIn April 2022, Senator Warren sent a letter to CMS, highlighting concerns about overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans that line the pockets of big insurance companies and urging CMS to mitigate the announced payment increases so they are on par with payments to Traditional Medicare.\n\nIn January 2017, Senator Warren asked 33 financial institutions whether they supported a roll back of the financial advisor conflict of interest rules, and in September 2017 invoked statements from CEOs that the rule was in the best interest of their customers, while urging then Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta to avoid further delay and implement the new rules.\n\nIn September 2016, Senator Warren and then-Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee Congressman Bobby Scott (D-V.A.) released a Government Accountability Office study that underscored the importance of working people having sound investment advice that is in their best interest.\n\nIn April 2016, Senator Warren publicly advocated for the tougher fiduciary rule in a Huffington post op-ed with Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to argue the urgent need for the reforms.\n\nIn October 2015, Senator Warren released the findings from an investigation into how perks and kickbacks create conflicts of interest in the annuities industry that showed 13 of the 15 leading annuity providers offered their agents lavish, secretive kickbacks for sales to often-unwitting purchasers, including all-expenses-paid vacations, iPads, professional sports tickets, and more, creating perverse incentives for broker-dealers to sell whatever products reap them the greatest personal reward, even if it comes at the expense of peoples\u2019 savings.\n\nIn September 2015, Senator Warren called out Brookings Non-Resident Fellow Robert Litan for his work backed \u2013 financially and editorially \u2013 by those same special interests opposing the reforms. Litan had testified before Congress in 2015 about a study he authored asserting that the DOL Fiduciary Rule could cost consumers $80 billion, a figure the financial industry amplified in their own arguments against the rule.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-at-hearing-warren-slams-trump-for-role-in-criminalizing-abortion-pushes-back-on-misinformation", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Slams Trump for Role in Criminalizing Abortion, Pushes Back on Misinformation", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Slams Trump for Role in Criminalizing Abortion, Pushes Back on Misinformation\n\nWarren: \u201cThe consequences (of overturning Roe v. Wade) have been disastrous. Women hemorrhaging in parking lots until they are closer to death, women airlifted to another state for an emergency abortion, women traveling from emergency room to emergency room, desperate for help, only to be turned away and left to miscarry at home.\u201d\n\nWarren: \u201cThanks to Donald Trump, doctors in nearly half the country now have to wonder if they will face criminal penalties for providing medically necessary care.\u201d\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) highlighted the dangerous consequences women have faced two years after Donald Trump\u2019s Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Senator Warren recounted recent tragedies in states with abortion bans and warned that doctors\u2019 ability to perform life-saving care in emergency situations is under attack. Just last week, ProPublica reported on the untimely deaths of two Georgia mothers, Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, who were denied timely care following rare, but treatable, complications from medication abortion.\n\nSenator Warren pushed back on Republican efforts to use these womens\u2019 deaths to spread misinformation about the safety of medication abortion, which Dr. Amelia Huntsberger, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, confirmed is \u201cextremely safe.\u201d When asked what is to blame for the unnecessary suffering women are facing when attempting to receive emergency medical care in states with abortion bans, Dr. Huntsberger clarified that \u201clawmakers, who may or may not have bothered to understand the complexity of pregnancy and medical care, made laws that are impacting physicians\u2019 ability to act and to take care of their patients.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren also highlighted the stakes of the Supreme Court\u2019s decision to dismiss a case related to the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals that accept Medicare to provide stabilizing care to individuals with an emergency medical condition. Professor Michele Goodwin, JD, Georgetown University School of Law, described the Court\u2019s failure to affirm the 200-year-old principle that federal law preempts state law as \u201cincredibly dangerous.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren called for restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade to protect women's lives and bodily autonomy.\n\nTranscript: Hearing on Chaos and Control: How Trump Criminalized Women\u2019s Health Care\n\nSenate Finance Committee\n\nSeptember 24, 2024\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: So it has been two years since Donald Trump's Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade. The consequences have been disastrous. Women hemorrhaging in parking lots until they are closer to death, women airlifted to another state for an emergency abortion, women traveling from emergency room to emergency room, desperate for help, only to be turned away and left to miscarry at home.\n\nMs. Joshua, I am deeply sorry for what happened to you. It should not have happened to anyone. Trump's abortion bans aren't just causing unnecessary suffering, they're killing women.\n\nLast week, we learned about Amber Nicole Thurman. Amber lived in Georgia. She was mother to a six year old boy. She hoped to become a nurse. After learning she was pregnant, she fled to another state, where she got a medication abortion back in Georgia, Amber experienced a rare complication. She waited 20 hours before doctors performed the life saving surgery that she needed, but 20 hours made it too late. Anti-abortion extremists want to twist Amber's story to spread misinformation about the safety of medication abortion.\n\nDoctor Huntsberger, you are an OBGYN. How safe is medication abortion?\n\nDr. Amelia Huntsberger, Obstetrician and Gynecologist: Extremely safe. We have decades of research on mifepristone demonstrating its safety. Risk of complications are always present with any medication, but are quite low. It's also important to note that the same both medications and treatment with surgical procedures are identical for the management of early pregnancy loss or miscarriage and abortion,\n\nSenator Warren: All right, so extremely safe, is what I heard you say. And in the rare case where there is a complication, is it treatable?\n\nDr. Huntsberger: Yes.\n\nSenator Warren: Eminently treatable. But anti-abortion extremists want to misdirect and cast blame on the providers, arguing that doctors are willfully misapplying the law.\n\nDr Huntsberger, tell us, what's really going on here?\n\nDr. Huntsberger: I think it's important that instead of trying to shift blame to physicians who are practicing in a really hostile and challenging environment, for us to look at why they are in that circumstance in the first place, and that is because lawmakers, who may or may not have bothered to understand the complexity of pregnancy and medical care made laws that are impacting physicians\u2019 ability to act and to safely take care of their patients.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, so the problem is not here with the physicians, it's with the lawmakers who are passing these laws. I think what we're seeing is Republican politicians who pass these medically unsound and dangerous laws that end up intimidating and confusing physicians who are just trying to provide care.\n\nTragically, another Georgia mother, Candy Miller, died at home because Georgia's abortion ban made her afraid to seek the medical care that she needed. Amber and Candy should be alive today.\n\nNow we have a federal law that is designed to prevent tragedies like this from occurring, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, EMTALA, as it's known, requires hospitals to provide stabilizing care to individuals in an emergency situation. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether Idaho's near total ban on abortion conflicts with EMTALA.\n\nProfessor Goodwin. You're a constitutional law expert. The Supreme Court did not actually resolve this. They sent it back to the lower court. What should we take away from this? Does this mean we are now safe and we'll have the protection in emergency circumstances? Go ahead, Professor Goodwin.\n\nProfessor Michele Goodwin: No, we should all be deeply alarmed by the Supreme Court's procedural move, rather than substantively answering the question that federal law trumps states\u2019 laws. It's been a principle in American law for over 200 years, and the Supreme Court's failure to be clear on that, that a state law does not preempt federal law is something that is incredibly dangerous.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay. Dangerous. I hear alarm bills going off. The stakes couldn't be higher. Thanks to Donald Trump, doctors in nearly half the country now have to wonder if they will face criminal penalties for providing medically necessary care.\n\n44% of women of reproductive age now live in states where they don't get to make decisions about their own bodies, and two women, undoubtedly more, have now died because they were not able to access the timely care they needed. We must restore the protection of Roe to make sure this never happens again.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-khanna-lawmakers-urge-biden-administration-to-develop-strong-guardrails-for-carbon-sequestration-tax-credit", "Warren, Khanna, Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Develop Strong Guardrails for Carbon Sequestration Tax Credit", "2024-09-23", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Khanna, Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Develop Strong Guardrails for Carbon Sequestration Tax Credit\n\n\u201cThe absence of robust requirements has severely hindered the effectiveness of 45Q.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Angus King (I-Maine), along with Representatives Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), wrote to the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging the agencies to develop strong guardrails for the 45Q tax credit, which is designed to encourage carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects.\n\nThe 45Q credit was initially designed to incentivize investment in CCS and emission reductions. However, the credit has been primarily used to \u201cincrease oil production from aging wells, canceling out most of the emissions reduction benefit.\u201d In 2022, Congress expanded the tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), allowing more companies to claim the credit and receive more money per ton of carbon captured. The IRS is expected to release updated guidelines about the tax credit later this year, and the Department of Treasury has estimated that the 45Q tax credit could cost taxpayers up to $30.3 billion over the next ten years.\n\nIn 2020, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) found that between 2010 and 2019, 87% of tax credit claims, worth almost $900 million dollars, were awarded to taxpayers who did not meet the EPA\u2019s verification requirements. Currently, IRS examiners are not required to coordinate with EPA personnel to confirm the amount of carbon sequestered by companies claiming the credit, even allowing self-certification in some instances.\n\nThe lawmakers make three recommendations for the tax credit to be effective. First, the IRS should require independent, third-party verification of carbon sequestration. Second, the IRS and the EPA must coordinate effectively through a memorandum of understanding to more effectively share basic data about the credit\u2019s implementation. Third, the IRS should require stricter record-keeping requirements and establish a 12-year recapture period, during which every company receiving the tax credit needs to maintain detailed records of their carbon sequestration amounts.\n\nThe following organizations endorsed the letter: Taxpayers for Common Sense, Evergreen Action, the Vessel Project, Port Arthur Community Action Network, Better Bayou, Healthy Gulf, Eco-Justice Collaborative, Science Roundtable on Carbon Capture and Storage, Food and Water Watch, Ohio River Valley Institute, Better Path Coalition, No False Solutions PA, Save Our Illinois Land, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action, Center for Coalfield Justice, Watchdogs of Beaver County, Clean Air Council and Environmental Health Project.\n\n\u201cWe need an end to weak oversight and poor safeguards that could allow some of the richest companies in the world to take public money without delivering the real, measurable climate benefits the policy intended. The IRS must act decisively to ensure this tax credit is used only as a genuine tool for carbon reduction by implementing robust, enforceable guardrails. This is the administration\u2019s chance to stop subsidizing climate pollution and ensure the credit has real oversight,\u201d said Craig Segall, Senior Vice President, Evergreen Action.\n\n\u201cSenator Warren, Representative Khanna, and their Congressional colleagues are asking for what every taxpayer deserves \u2013 guardrails and transparency measures that ensure the 45Q tax credit is being used appropriately and effectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,\u201d said Autumn Hanna, Vice President of Taxpayers for Common Sense. \u201cTo date the vast majority of the carbon capture tax credit has gone to companies pumping carbon into wells to get more oil. But the country can\u2019t afford to give more unchecked subsidies to the oil and gas industry. With an estimated cost of more than $30 billion by 2033, we must take strong steps to avoid any chance of fraud or abuse.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers requested a briefing from the three agencies by October 4, 2024.\n\nSenator Warren has long worked to protect taxpayer money and ensure strong implementation of climate policy:\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.) led a letter to the Federal Reserve Board (Fed), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), urging regulators to stop their obstruction of global financial regulators\u2019 work to tackle climate-related financial risks. The lawmakers also called out the weaknesses revealed by the Fed\u2019s 2023 \u201cpilot scenario analysis\u201d exploring six major banks\u2019 resilience to climate-related financial risks.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) reintroduced the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to distribute $500 billion over ten years to electrify and modernize public vehicles and rail and build new electric transportation infrastructure across the country. The bill would also create 1 million new jobs, save $100 billion annually in health damages, and prevent 4,200 deaths per year from air pollution.\n\nIn April 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representatives Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), urged the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, composed of the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to finalize the Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Rule as quickly as possible.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), released a statement describing the Securities and Exchange Commission\u2019s (SEC) finalized climate risk disclosure rule as \u201cthe bare minimum.\u201d\n\nIn September 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) called on the Treasury Department to take key actions pertaining to climate and climate-related financial risk to avert the impending environmental and economic crises.\n\nIn September 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren urged Chair Gensler to quickly finalize a strong climate risk disclosure rule, reminding him that he has a mandate to protect investors and strong public support.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Representatives Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jamie Raskin (D-M.D.) and 47 of their colleagues sent a letter to SEC Chair Gary Gensler, urging him to protect investors and finalize a strong climate disclosure rule without further delay.\n\nIn September 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren called on SEC Chair Gary Gensler to protect investors and stand up to fossil fuel lobbying by issuing a strong climate risk disclosure rule quickly.\n\nIn June 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a comment letter with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) on the SEC\u2019s mandatory climate disclosure rule, highlighting several areas for improvement and key elements that the SEC should preserve in its final rule, including strong Scope 3 emissions disclosure requirements.\n\nIn March 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren led a letter with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) urging the SEC to require disclosure of anti-climate lobbying activities in the Commission\u2019s rule.\n\nIn May 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Congressman Andy Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the Buy Green Act to use the enormous breadth of U.S. federal procurement to help fight the climate crisis, spur innovation, and boost demand for American-made clean energy products at home and in the rapidly-growing markets for green products abroad.\n\nIn May 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and then-Congressman Andy Levin (D-Mich.) introduced the National Institutes of Clean Energy Act of 2021, legislation that would invest $400 billion over the next ten years to establish and operate a new system of institutes at the Department of Energy dedicated to research and development (R&D) of advanced clean energy technologies.\n\nIn April 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Climate Risk Disclosure Act of 2021 which would reduce the chances of environmental and financial catastrophe by requiring public companies to disclose more information about their exposure to climate-related risks.\n\nIn March 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren unveiled the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act which would invest $500 billion over ten years in state, local, and tribal projects to jumpstart the transition to all electric public vehicles and rail and help modernize the nation's crumbling infrastructure.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-healey-wu-massachusetts-leaders-secure-472-million-in-federal-funding-to-replace-draw-one-bridge-renovate-north-station-t-stop", "Warren, Markey, Healey, Wu, Massachusetts Leaders Secure $472 Million in Federal Funding to Replace Draw One Bridge, Renovate North Station T Stop", "2024-09-23", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, Healey, Wu, Massachusetts Leaders Secure $472 Million in Federal Funding to Replace Draw One Bridge, Renovate North Station T Stop\n\nLargest federal award MBTA has won to date\n\nFunding will increase ridership, streamline operations, and improve resiliency along Amtrak\u2019s Downeaster route and regional rail lines\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Katherine Clark (D-MA-05), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng announced a grant of $472 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to fully replace the North Station Draw One Bridge and renovate Platform F at North Station. The grant is the largest federal award the MBTA has won to date.\n\nThe nearly half a billion dollar grant will provide critical support for one of MBTA\u2019s top priority projects and a vital transportation asset to MBTA\u2019s north-side operations. It will also support more than 14,500 jobs, make the bridge more climate resilient by bringing it above projected sea-level rise, and lower emissions. In April 2024, Senator Warren led a letter of support for the MBTA\u2019s funding request to the Department of Transportation.\n\nSpecifically, the new funding for MBTA\u2019s North Station Renovation and the Draw One Bridge Replacement Project will support the full replacement of the existing drawbridge, the extension and activation of a platform with two tracks at North Station, and the replacement of track, signals, and switches to modernize and improve station infrastructure.\n\n\u201cThis $472 million investment is a game-changer for the thousands of passengers who pass through North Station every day \u2014 and will build a safer, more reliable public transit system for the Commonwealth. Massachusetts leaders worked together to secure the largest ever federal award for the T, and I won\u2019t stop fighting to bring home even more investment to improve transit across the Commonwealth,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cWith $472 million to replace the North Station drawbridge, we\u2019re drawing up a new future for rail transit north of Boston. I\u2019m grateful to the Biden-Harris administration, Governor Healey, General Manager Eng, Senator Warren, and our whole federal delegation for securing this funding. Together, we are delivering critical federal dollars to the T and building a modern, safe, and reliable public transit system for all,\u201d said Senator Markey.\n\n\u201cWe know that improving our transportation infrastructure is critical for improving quality of life and making sure Massachusetts remains the best place to live, work, raise a family and build a future,\u201d said Governor Maura Healey. \u201cThat\u2019s why our administration is competing so aggressively to win federal funding that can be put toward our roads, bridges and public transportation. Congratulations to General Manager Eng and the MBTA team for this award that will improve train service for millions of riders. We\u2019re grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation for their continued investment in Massachusetts\u2019 transportation infrastructure.\u201d\n\nThe Draw One railbridge carries the MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains, serving approximately 11,250,000 passengers per year. It is particularly critical for Amtrak\u2019s Downeaster, an intercity passenger rail service that travels from Maine and New Hampshire into Boston, which is projected to have some of the highest ridership in New England. Draw One is also a vital connection for all of MBTA\u2019s north-side regional rail lines, including Fitchburg, Lowell, Haverhill, and Newburyport/Rockport. The new federal investment will improve service reliability and operations, reduce congestion along a known bottleneck, and increase capacity across the bridge. Additionally, the funding will allow for upgraded signaling and expanded track capabilities, further improving traffic flow.\n\n\u201cI am pleased to join my colleagues in government to announce the State of Massachusetts was awarded over $472 million in federal funding that will help improve MBTA and Amtrak services,\u201d said Rep. Lynch. \u201cThis funding is the result of our hard work and partnership with the Biden-Harris administration to ensure we invest into our nation\u2019s transportation and infrastructure. People all over the Commonwealth rely on public transportation every day, and this DOT grant is critical to make the necessary repairs and replacements that will make train service more safe and reliable.\u201d\n\n\"This bridge is a critical connection point for the communities north of Boston. This federal investment will improve the quality of life for commuters, reduce traffic for everyone, and bring opportunity to the Commonwealth. We will have a faster, more modern, and more user-friendly public transportation system, and that's exactly the direction we need to move in,\u201d said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark.\n\n\u201cTransit justice is a racial and economic justice issue, and a matter of public safety \u2013 and this massive federal investment helps make the Commonwealth more connected and our transportation system safer and more reliable for commuters,\u201d said Congresswoman Pressley. \"I\u2019m glad that families in the Massachusetts 7th who depend on the commuter rail will be better able to access jobs, healthcare, education, and essential services in other parts of the state, and we won\u2019t stop fighting to build the more just, equitable, and accessible transit system our communities deserve. I thank my delegation colleagues and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their partnership, and the Biden-Harris Administration for continuing to invest in Massachusetts.\"\n\n\u201cThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver unprecedented federal investments to make our transit systems safer and more efficient,\u201d said Congresswoman Trahan. \u201cThis massive award is proof that, thanks to the strong partnership between our federal delegation and the Healey-Driscoll administration, Massachusetts continues to punch above our weight when competing for federal funding.\u201d\n\n\u201cNorth Station Draw One is a connection point between Boston and Cambridge, and the many cities and towns north who rely on this train bridge to visit and work in our city. Thanks to the leadership of the MA federal delegation and the Healey-Driscoll administration in securing this funding, the Greater Boston area will see benefits from updated infrastructure and more reliable transportation. This funding for a bridge replacement represents our region\u2019s commitment to our local economy and green transit,\u201d said Mayor Michelle Wu.\n\n\"I\u2019m proud of the MBTA team that worked diligently to put this project in a strong position to win this highly competitive federal award. I thank the USDOT Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg, and our partners at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool, FTA Region 1 Administrator Pete Butler, and their entire team, for this incredible award allowing us to deliver the North Station Draw 1 project, freeing up state capital dollars for other essential needs,\u201d said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. \u201cThis award continues to demonstrate our aggressive approach to pursuing all funding opportunities under the lead of the Healey-Driscoll Administration as we pursue every available federal grant. Our Grants and North Station Drawbridge teams deserve all the credit for their exceptional work to secure this funding which allows us to ensure the efficient and reliable movement of all North Station train lines while greatly improving our ability to provide more frequent, regional rail-style service across the entire northside corridor to serve future generations to come.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has worked hard to secure federal funding for Massachusetts transportation projects, including $1.7 billion to replace the Cape Cod Bridges, $335 million to reconnect communities and increase mobility through the Allston I-90 Multimodal Project, $108 million for West-East Rail, $75 million for schools to electrify their bus fleets, $60 million for transit agencies to acquire zero- and low-emission buses, and $24 million to rehabilitate Leonard\u2019s Wharf in New Bedford.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lujan-lawmakers-push-social-media-platforms-to-combat-2024-election-disinformation", "Warren, Lujan, Lawmakers Push Social Media Platforms to Combat 2024 Election Disinformation", "2024-09-20", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lujan, Lawmakers Push Social Media Platforms to Combat 2024 Election Disinformation\n\nForeign and domestic bad actors are actively targeting Americans with election disinformation to mislead voters and suppress turnout\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Senior Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) along with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), in urging 11 of the biggest social media and encrypted chat companies in the United States to increase resources to combat rampant disinformation online.\n\nDuring the 2020 and 2022 U.S. federal elections, foreign adversaries supported the creation and targeting of election disinformation to undermine our democracy. This disinformation included false information on voter eligibility requirements, the timing and location of voting, the ballot counting process, and the certification process.\n\nA recent 2024 report noted that China, Iran, and Russia have started ramping up election influence operations using tactics including AI, use of trusted labels or logos atop false information, digital manipulations, and mischaracterization of content.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned that the dissemination of election disinformation via your products and/or platforms\u2014if left unmitigated\u2014will suppress voter participation, sow doubt in U.S. democracy and incite political violence,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201cConsidering the increase in election disinformation on digital platforms during recent elections, there is ample cause for concern.\u201d\n\nThe Senators urged Meta, Google (YouTube), TikTok, X (Twitter), Reddit, Snapchat, Amazon (Twitch), Discord, Signal, Telegram, and Apple (Messages) to:\n\nProvide information, broken down by language, about the size and capacity of their 2024 U.S. elections safety resources, including personnel and technologies;\n\nCommit to increasing their 2024 U.S. election safety team and technology resourcing for the 10 most commonly spoken languages on their platform(s);\n\nShare information about how they plan to de-amplify and/or remove election disinformation (whether created using AI or not) and/or user accounts who spread this disinformation when in violation of their policies;\n\nFor encrypted chat providers, explain whether they have a reporting system for their users to flag unwanted election disinformation and what enforcement measures are in place;\n\nShare their plans for amplifying official election information before, during, and after the 2024 U.S. elections.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-at-hearing-warren-sets-up-2025-tax-fight-calls-for-a-tax-code-that-reflects-american-values-investing-in-middle-class-and-working-people", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Sets up 2025 Tax Fight, Calls for a Tax Code that Reflects American Values, Investing in Middle Class and Working People", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Sets up 2025 Tax Fight, Calls for a Tax Code that Reflects American Values, Investing in Middle Class and Working People\n\nWarren: \u201c(A fair tax code) means making billionaires and big businesses their fair share. And it means rejecting bad deals that throw pennies to ordinary Americans, while showering the ultra-wealthy with more tax giveaways.\u201d\n\nHearing Recording (Senate BHUA Committee Website)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) made the case for strong reform to the U.S. tax code in 2025, when many of the 2017 Republican tax cuts expire. Senator Warren called for raising the corporate tax rate, raising taxes on billionaires, and investing the revenue in lowering costs for ordinary Americans.\n\nMs. Ai-Jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations, explained that domestic workers received next to nothing from former President Donald Trump\u2019s $2 trillion tax giveaway. Ms. Kitty Richards, a Senior Fellow at the Groundwork Collaborative, confirmed that the impact of Donald Trump and Project 2025 proposals would lead to higher inflation, higher interest rates, weaker economic growth, and the recession becoming a serious threat again. Under the Project 2025 playbook, taxes would increase by $3,000 per year for the average family of four. Meanwhile, the wealthiest households (all worth more than $10 million) would receive between $1.5 million and $2.4 million in tax cuts annually.\n\nMs. Poo argued that our country\u2019s child care system is broken because of a lack of proper investment. The lack of investment in child care has created an unsustainable system where child care workers earn poverty wages while fees are still too high for families, some forced to pay up to 30% of their income for child care. Ms. Richards highlighted that the return on investment in child care can be as high as 12-1, and that billionaires hoarding wealth for tax purposes is bad for the economy and stifles innovation.\n\nSenator Warren called for reforming the tax code in 2025 to invest in working people by making billionaires and big businesses pay their fair share and by rejecting bad deals that shower the ultra-wealthy with more tax giveaways.\n\nTranscript: Hearing on the Macroeconomic Impact of Potential Tax Reform in 2025\n\nSenate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy\n\nSeptember 18, 2024\n\nRound 1: The 2025 Tax Fight\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: So let\u2019s talk more about the tax bill that passed in 2017. Donald Trump signed into law in 2017 his only big legislative accomplishment\u2014a $2 trillion tax giveaway for the wealthy and well-connected. Now he\u2019s out there promising to shovel even more tax breaks to quote, these are his words, \u201crich as hell\u201d donors. But the American people want to move forward, not backwards. 80% of voters want to raise taxes on the rich, and Democrats have proposals to do exactly that. Those higher taxes on the rich would give our nation revenue. Money to build 3 million new homes and lower rents by 10%. Money to cut the cost of child care to just $10 a day for most families. Money to build a better future for everyone.\n\nSo let\u2019s talk about the 2017 tax law and the choice that the next President and next Congress will face as a big chunk of it starts to expire.\n\nMs. Poo, you work on behalf of the 2.5 million nannies, house cleaners, and homecare workers who keep American families going. Keep them in the workplace. What was the impact of the 2017 Trump tax cuts on the domestic workers that you represent? How big a slice of that $2 trillion did they get?\n\nMs. Ai-Jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations: Madame Chair, the short answer is next to nothing. If the Trump era tax cuts were allowed to continue, the average care worker like our members would receive $70 per year in benefit. In contrast to the richest 1%, who would receive $60,000 per. And by the way, the majority of American workers in this country earn less than $60,000 per year.\n\nSo talk about exacerbating what is already a brutal inequality in our economy and feeding the epidemic of low-wage work that we have to address. We cannot allow for our tax policy to leave essential workers like care workers and other low-wage workers behind.\n\nSenator Warren: Alright, so that\u2019s the calculation based on what we\u2019ve seen. But Donald Trump is doubling down. He\u2019s proposing $7 trillion in further tax cuts, including slashing the corporate rate down to just 15%.\n\nThat\u2019s not all. In their Project 2025 playbook, Republicans in Washington have laid out a scheme to further shift the tax burden from the wealthy to the middle class and working class. In order to fund a $1.5 to $2.4 million tax cut for households making more than $10 million a year, the Republicans have laid out their Project 2025 Plan to raise taxes by an average of $3,000 for the median family of four.\n\nNow, Ms. Richards, you\u2019re a former White House and Treasury Department official. You are an expert in tax and economic policy. So tell us, what impact would these proposals that Donald Trump and Project 2025 have already put on the table, what impact would these proposals have overall on our economy?\n\nMs. Kitty Richards, Senior Fellow at the Groundwork Collaborative: The impact would be higher inflation, higher interest rates, weaker economic growth, and recession becomes a serious threat again. Those are direct quotes from an analysis put out last month by Moody's Analytics after reviewing GOP plans to extend the expiring 2017 provisions for wealthy individuals, further cut the corporate tax rate, and impose tariffs that would drive up the cost for low and middle-income families.\n\nBut as you noted in your remarks, many of former President Trump's closest allies are envisioning an even more extreme tax agenda. Project 2025 would get rid of our current progressive income tax system along with nearly all of the deductions and credits that lower taxes for low and middle-income families and significantly increase the income tax rate that those families pay. Then those savings would get funneled into cutting taxes for the wealthiest households at the very top.\n\nExperts ran the numbers and found this would increase taxes by $3000 for the typical family of four. While giving between $1.5 million and $2.4 million in annual tax cuts for the wealthiest households with more than $10 million.\n\nSenator Warren: So we are really talking about an income redistribution scheme here, right, from the wealthiest 10,000 families in America, that they get an average of how much more?\n\nMs. Richards: $1.5 million to 2.4 million dollars. It\u2019s hard to nail down.\n\nSenator Warren: Per family?\n\nMs. Richards: Per family.\n\nSenator Warren: For the wealthiest 10,000. And middle-class, working-class America, they lay out how much more?\n\nMs. Richards: $3,000 for the typical family of four.\n\nSenator Warren: This is amazing. I listen to the Republicans railing about wealth distribution. Let's face it, wealth redistribution is happening.\n\nWhat Donald Trump wants to see, along with his Republican friends, is let's redistribute even more wealth from a tiny fraction of the very richest Americans, and let's make working families, let\u2019s make middle-class families pay more.\n\nSo this is gonna be\u2014did I say that as wealth leaves them? It is more wealth for middle-class America up to the richest among us.\n\nAs you rightly say, this is what economists at Moody's are telling us. They've already taken a look at this, you can exactly track-and Project 2025 has actually laid out the numbers. We don't even have to sit here and do the math ourselves.\n\nThey are so extremist that they think they can tell America what they plan to do, and somehow the United States is still going to go along with it, that voters are going to go along with it. I understand why Donald Trump is trying to back off from Project 2025. But these are his advisors, this is his Republican party who is advancing this, and we are heading into a big tax fight in which the Republicans are proposing to take wealth away from working families and give more wealth through rich families and to do it all through the tax code.\n\nSo look, it is pretty outrageous, it is better to walk away and let the Trump tax cuts expire, then to sign our names to that kind of a wealth transfer to help multimillionaires and billionaires at the expense of working families.\n\nBut that does not have to be where the 2025 tax fight ends. I believe we can do better than that. We can raise taxes on the rich, and invest in lowering costs for American families. That is exactly what Vice President Harris has proposed. Raising revenue by taking the corporate tax rate, she's just saying take it back up to 28%. And impose a 25% minimum tax on these mega-millionaires and billionaires and use that money to help families with the cost of housing and childcare.\n\nMs. Richards, let's do the comparison. We talked about Donald Trump's plan to take money away from middle-class working families and give it to the very wealthy. Vice President Harris' plan is to take some of the money away from the wealthy and give it back to middle-class and working families in the form of providing infrastructure for childcare and housing.\n\nSo can you describe overall what impact Vice President Harris' proposals would have on our economy?\n\nMs. Richards: I think it is worth coming back to the same Moody's analysis I spoke of earlier. Their economists conclude enacting Vice President Harris' policies would be strong economic growth.\n\nSenator Warren: Strong growth\n\nMs. Richards: Lower inflation, full employment, and critically, Harris' policies would boost the finances of lower and middle-income Americans. Direct quotes. For the record Moody's also concludes debt as a share of GDP would be better under Vice President Harris' proposals because of how costly the GOP tax cuts are and because of the revenue-raising proposals you just mentioned.\n\nYou can also think of that as an indication of how much more we could have to invest in the care economy and the workers that power economic growth in this county.\n\nSenator Warren: Very interesting point because you are really saying that the effect overall on the economy of the Trump tax cuts would be a disaster: higher inflation, lower GDP growth, lower job growth.\n\nBut as a side benefit, the other consequence would be to drive up the deficit. And we see exactly the inverse in the way the vice president Harris wants to do this. By saying \u201chigher taxes on those at the top and more investment in bringing down costs for those in the middle.\n\nThe next president and Congress face huge decisions on tax policy. Donald Trump wants to make an America that works even better for those at the top. Kamala Harris and congressional Democrats want to tax the rich so that we can build a stronger, fairer America.\n\nAn America where Jeff Bezos doesn\u2019t pay a lower tax rate than public school teachers. That is the America we are working for. An America where everyone can get ahead, where childcare costs and health care bills are not crushing families. An America where every family can afford a home. That\u2019s an America worth fighting for, and that is the battle we will be in in 2025.\n\nRound 2: Child Care\n\nSenator Warren: If you\u2019ll bear with me, I\u2019ve got another round of questions I\u2019d like to be able to ask. For too long, Republicans have raced to cut taxes for the wealthy, and then turn around and slash funding for critical programs that many Americans rely on. The tax fight next year will determine how much money we have to help lower costs for families by making the investments in child care and housing \u2013 and whether the millionaires and billionaires chip in like everyone else.\n\nSo, let\u2019s focus for a minute on child care. While other nations have invested in universal, affordable, quality care for their children, we stayed stuck in a debate over how much to cut taxes. The result? The United States now ranks 31st out of 38 developed countries in terms of tax revenue as a share of GDP, and 33rd out of 37 \u2013 of the richest nations \u2013 for their spending on child care. Child care, as you noted in your testimony, is more expensive than rent for the average family in America. And I just want to add a footnote to that \u2013 if they can find it at all. Because part of what never goes into that calculation are all the people who just give up, all the people who can\u2019t find it at all, or who are using under-the-table ways of having their children taken care of, that never show up in these statistics.\n\nMs. Poo, why is it so difficult for families to find affordable, high-quality child care? Why doesn\u2019t this market work? Why don\u2019t we just put a little more money into people\u2019s hands and suddenly we will have a functioning child care market?\n\nMs. Poo: The system is broken because we have never invested in building it. We don't have a functioning child care system in the United States. Right now \u2013 there are fixed costs associated with delivering safe, quality childcare. And childcare currently relies on a patchwork system of federal and state dollars that is anemic and inconsistent at best. And in that context, the cost gets passed on to individual families who are struggling and also the care workforce. So you have families paying enormous amounts \u2013 up to 30% of their income \u2013 and workers earning poverty wages to stay in this work, to keep the doors open of these facilities. And it is unsustainable for everyone involved. The average child care worker earns less than $30,000 per year.\n\nSenator Warren: You know, you caught me with a line, \u201cWhy is the child care system broken? Because we never built it.\" I\u2019m reminded as you say this, I nearly got derailed from the lack of available, affordable child care, not once, but twice. Just almost got knocked completely off and was saved because I had an elderly Aunt Bee who came to live with me for 16 years in order to see me through all of my child care needs for all those years.\n\nWhat is so frustrating to me is it was hard for me when there were fewer women in the workforce, when we kind of felt like the first wave of mamas going into the workforce. It was just as hard for my daughter. And now it appears it is going to be just as hard for my granddaughters, because we continue not to make this investment. The idea that a family can take out of its own income to pay for an entire childcare infrastructure is just nuts.\n\nWe don't ask families to go pay for all the costs of second grade. We say that we all pitch in so that we can afford to build an education system K through 12 and make that available for all our kids. But we are not doing it on childcare, and families, babies, and childcare workers are the ones who are paying the price for this. But it takes money to make the system work, and look at the billionaires right now. They\u2019re just not paying taxes. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos want to keep sitting on their growing piles of wealth protected by armies of lawyers and accountants and wealth managers and lobbyists who ensure that the money they make doesn't count as taxable income.\n\nMs. Poo, tell me, is that option of just deciding not to pay taxes and build your wealth out and to live on it knowing you would be protected by an army of accountants and lawyers and lobbyists available for our child care workers? Are they doing the same thing there?\n\nMs. Poo: No, Madam Senator. If they were, I would not be here testifying today.\n\nSenator Warren: You know, is it available to middle-class families, people who\u2019ve got two folks in the workforce, earning median wages? Is it available to them?\n\nMs. Poo: It is not.\n\nSenator Warren: This is the part we have to remember, the extraordinary inequality not just in outcome, but inequality in opportunity to build something in this country. The top 1% in this country just hit a record $44.6 trillion in wealth. That is almost as much as the bottom 90% of Americans have scraped together. But that top 1% is barely paying taxes.\n\nAnd every year that goes by with the wealthiest Americans paying so little is another year in which their grip over our economy grows stronger while everyone else struggles to get by. Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans understand this dynamic. And instead of working to reverse it, they are tripping over themselves to promise their wealthy donors even more tax giveaways next year.\n\nBut President Biden and Vice President Harris have a much better idea. They have a plan to ensure that anyone who has more than $100 million in assets \u2013 just so you know, this is the top 10,000 richest mega millionaires and billionaires \u2013 that they pay at least 25% of all the income they make in taxes. That is still far less than the top individual tax rate. But for the first time, it would force the 10,000 richest Americans in America to stop hoarding their wealth and hiding it from the IRS.\n\nMs. Richards, if we passed the Biden-Harris billionaires minimum income tax, affecting the top one-tenth of 1% of all Americans, and then invest that money in affordable childcare for all Americans, what kind of return on our investment would we get?\n\nMs. Richards: Investments in childcare have undeniable payoffs. The return on investment can be as high as 12-1. Meanwhile, billionaires sitting on stock for years and years for tax purposes is actually bad for the economy. It makes it less dynamic, it makes us less able to grow and innovate. The return on investment would be huge.\n\nSenator Warren: I think this is a really important point to make. You know, you could be somebody who just doesn't care about kids, doesn't care about care. But just making a hard-nosed investment decision, investing in billionaires \u2013 which is what a system does when it says you can sit on those piles of wealth and not pay taxes on them \u2013 doing that has the effect of actually making the economy work less vigorously.\n\nThey hold on even when they should sell. They don't make good investment decisions day-to-day, they make tax-driven decisions, because we are privileged one form of wealth and holding onto that well. The difference, of course, is that if we tax that wealth and particularly decided to invest it in a care economy, I think you described it as the consequence would be: more mamas and daddies can go to work and be able to work more productively. More care workers would be paid a wage that makes them support themselves, their families, and their economies, and the next generation payoff. And more children would get a better start in life. This is the reason to say pay taxes here so we can make this investment there is a payoff of about 12-1. It makes no sense to pass that up, and that\u2019s what\u2019s going to be in front of us in this tax fight in 2025.\n\nTaxing the ultra-wealthy is good for the economy, it\u2019s fair, and it's popular. 4 out of 5 Americans support raising taxes on the richest Americans \u2013 Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Next year Congress needs to listen to them, not to the billionaires that are trying to fund political campaigns right now. 2025 is an opportunity to reshape the tax code, and we need to do more beyond defense about the Trump tax extensions for billionaires. We need to be on offense by looking at the whole tax system and saying, \u201cwe can make better investments with our federal dollars.\u201d Thank you all for being here. I really appreciate this.\n\nClosing Remarks\n\nSenator Warren: You know, thanks to decades of lobbying, the U.S. tax code is stuck in a doom loop. It is rigged to benefit the richest corporations and the richest people instead of designed to help working families. We have a chance to change that in 2025, and a chance to fight for a tax code that reflects our values.\n\nThat means investing in middle-class and working people. It means making billionaires and big businesses pay their fair share. And it means rejecting bad deals that throw pennies to ordinary Americans, while showering the ultra-wealthy with more tax giveaways.\n\nThank you to both of our witnesses for being here today and for providing this testimony.\n\nFor Senators who wish to submit questions for the record, those questions are due one week from today. That\u2019s Wednesday, September 25.\n\nFor our witnesses: you will then have 45 days to respond to any question. Thank you again. Thank you for being here.\n\nAnd with that, this hearing is adjourned.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-cruz-lawmakers-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-federal-response-for-major-disasters", "Warren, Cruz, Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Federal Response for Major Disasters", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Cruz, Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Federal Response for Major Disasters\n\nEnsures funds are distributed regardless of state, county lines; expands definition of \u201cmajor disaster\u201d to account for cumulative damage\n\nText of Bill (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), alongside Representatives Brian Babin (R-Texas) and John Garamendi (D-Calif.), introduced the Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief (RIDER) Act to improve the delivery of federal relief to disaster-struck communities. With the threat of natural disasters and emergencies growing in recent years, the bipartisan, bicameral bill would amend existing law to better address the on-the-ground experiences of communities affected by major disasters.\n\nSpecifically, the RIDER Act will:\n\nImprove the distribution of disaster relief funds by allowing all communities directly affected by a major disaster to receive federal relief, regardless of county or state lines.\n\nEnable the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare major disasters based on cumulative damage to a community over a 12-month period, addressing concerns that existing federal regulations do not sufficiently account for the impact of cumulative disasters on a region.\n\nThe RIDER Act would help communities in Massachusetts and across the country recover from major disasters and emergencies\u2014especially as climate change increases the rate and scale of such crises. Representatives Babin and Garamendi first introduced a version of the bill last Congress.\n\n\u201cThe growing climate crisis means natural disasters and emergencies are only going to become more common. Part of tackling the crisis head on is making sure we\u2019re ready to deliver critical relief to impacted communities when they need it most \u2014 the RIDER Act does exactly that,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cTexas is no stranger to natural disasters, and we must do more to ensure our communities can rebuild in times of need. That\u2019s why I\u2019m focused on enhancing the disaster declaration process, ensuring Texans\u2014from small towns and rural areas\u2014can access the resources needed to restore our homes, businesses, and livelihoods. I am proud to partner with Senator Warren and Congressman Babin to introduce bipartisan legislation to ensure no community is left behind in the wake of catastrophe,\u201d said Senator Cruz.\n\n\"Natural disasters don\u2019t care about county lines, and neither should FEMA\u2019s disaster recovery efforts. Our bipartisan bill ensures communities recovering from natural disasters get the federal support they deserve, just like their neighbors in a declared disaster area. Congressman Babin and I introduced this commonsense reform in 2021, and I\u2019m pleased to partner with Senators Warren and Cruz this year. As California continues to face devastating climate-fueled disasters, we need all the help we can get,\u201d said Representative Garamendi.\n\n\u201cToo often after a natural disaster, we have seen impacted communities excluded from financial help because of technicalities or subjective standards,\u201d said Congressman Babin. \u201cIn recent years, several communities in Southeast Texas were hit by major disasters but were excluded from any public or individual assistance \u2013 even though their property lines were mere yards away from where the federally declared disaster was issued. My goal with the RIDER Act is to ensure that whenever the government steps in after a major disaster declaration, impacted businesses and homes are not left out. Instead, we need to make sure they receive the relief and resources necessary to recover fully. This legislation is a much-needed solution to a problem we encounter nearly every year. Commonsense reforms like this, aimed at making it easier for people stuck in the challenge of navigating natural disasters, are crucial. I appreciate Rep. Garamendi and our partners in the Senate for joining us in pushing this important bill forward.\u201d\n\nState and local officials across Massachusetts expressed their support for the RIDER Act:\n\n\"The best time to prepare for a disaster is before one strikes,\" said State Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton). \"I was proud to join Representative Natalie Blais to help lead Massachusetts to establish a state disaster relief fund to support communities across the Commonwealth as they respond to and rebuild from extreme weather events and other disasters. I am grateful to Senator Warren for leading on this important effort at the federal level.\"\n\n\u201cThe Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief Act would be very beneficial to Massachusetts, and especially to western Massachusetts, if passed into law. The unique position of our state being so close to several other states combined with the worsening weather-related events we have experienced in recent times leaves our area susceptible to damage crossing state lines. I applaud Senator Warren for the initiative to continue to fight for more resources coming into our Commonwealth,\u201d said State Representative Daniel R. Carey, Second Hampshire District.\n\n\u201cThe RIDER Act represents a vital modernization of our federal emergency assistance framework. Here in New England, we are all too familiar with the impacts of flooding after the devastating floods in Vermont and Massachusetts in 2023. As global temperatures continue to rise, we must prepare for severe weather events to occur with greater frequency. The RIDER Act will allow federal funds to be utilized across state lines, which is critical for a state like Massachusetts\u2014small in size but densely populated and surrounded by five neighboring states. Importantly, it also empowers FEMA to address the cumulative impact of repeated, smaller disasters, such as recurring floods and storms, ensuring that our communities receive the support they need when hit by multiple smaller-scale disasters in a row. I\u2019m incredibly grateful to Senator Warren for leading on this important piece of legislation that underscores her commitment to our communities,\u201d said State Representative Lindsay N. Sabadosa, First Hampshire District.\n\n\"This legislation is a game changer and will provide a new pathway to getting FEMA funding to those communities who have been impacted by serious weather events, including Northern Berkshire County,\" said State Representative John Barrett III, First Berkshire District.\n\n\"With the increasing frequency of severe weather events and the subsequent strain on our aging infrastructure, it is imperative that we act decisively to support communities across the Commonwealth. The Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief Act will provide essential financial relief to help both large cities and small towns recover and rebuild. By investing in natural disaster resilience now, we ensure that our state is better prepared for the challenges ahead and that no community is left behind,\" said State Representative Smitty Pignatelli, Third Berkshire District.\n\n\"With the unique struggles that rural districts like ours have faced as natural disasters have been increasing in both severity and frequency, it is promising to see a bipartisan effort to make support from FEMA more accessible,\" said State Senator Paul W. Mark (D-Becket). \"This bill will truly help constituencies like ours all across the country who so often feel unseen and unheard, and will allow for the federal government to meet their respective communities where they are.\"\n\n\u201cClimate change is impacting the intensity of storms for Pittsfield and communities across the Commonwealth changing the way we have to respond as a municipality,\u201d said Mayor Peter M. Marchetti. \u201cThis legislation will help communities effectively manage weather related disasters with additional support from the federal government,\u201d said Pittsfield Mayor Peter M. Marchetti.\n\n\u201cThe Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief Act is important federal legislation that would eliminate red tape that can hinder local disaster recovery efforts and help communities recover more quickly. The legislation recognizes that major disasters do not recognize state or county lines, and federal assistance must be provided to the affected areas regardless of borders. With natural disasters on the rise and causing more damage than ever before, the legislation also would recognize that some areas experience debilitating cumulative effects from multiple events over the course of a year. The MMA is strongly supportive of the RIDER Act,\u201d said Adam Chapdelaine, Executive Director & CEO, Massachusetts Municipal Association.\n\n\u201cAs Mayors, we understand that disasters impact entire regions, not just individual cities. This bill is a vital advancement, enabling FEMA to deliver timely relief across county and state lines and recognizing cumulative damage. It ensures that all affected communities receive the support they need and strengthens our overall response and resilience,\u201d said Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle.\n\n\u201cAs the Mayor of Newburyport, we know well that natural disasters do not stop at state lines, and that recurring weather can be just as dangerous as one-time storms. This bill makes much needed changes to federal law that will help coastal communities like Newburyport as we continue to face increasing risks of natural disasters into the future,\u201d said Newburyport Mayor Sean Reardon.\n\n\u201cI am very appreciative of Senator Elizabeth Warren advocating for cities like our Springfield with this federal disaster relief bill, the RIDER Act. We just went through applying for FEMA relief following a major storm/flooding that severely impacted our water main system, and we were unfortunately denied. This bill would enable a city like Springfield more flexibility in advocating for our needs following a disaster. We here in Springfield have unfortunately had our fair share of them, including the June 1, 2011 EF-3 tornado, the freak Nor\u2019easter in October 2011, the natural gas explosion, the worldwide with the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, and last year\u2019s water main break due to storms. I will continue to go after any and all federal and state funding opportunities to support our resilient residents and business community in the wake of any disaster,\u201d said Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.\n\n\u201cWhen disaster strikes, the last thing we want is for red tape to get in the way of providing relief. We\u2019re grateful to Senator Warren for putting forth common sense legislation that makes it easier to get help to those in need,\u201d said Woburn Mayor Michael Concannon.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the City of Attleboro, I am grateful for Senator Warren\u2019s support of the Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief (RIDER) Act. Increasingly unpredictable and severe weather patterns are causing millions of dollars in infrastructure and other damages in communities across the country. The RIDER Act will provide needed funds to help Attleboro be more resilient, better prepared, and more responsive to flooding and other extreme weather events,\u201d said Attleboro Mayor Cathleen DeSimone.\n\n\u201cThe Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief Act introduced by Senator Warren and her Congressional colleagues is a refreshing example of common sense. Hurricanes, high water, and high winds don\u2019t acknowledge city, county, or state lines. Emergency assistance should be provided according to need, not zip code,\u201d said Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia.\n\n\u201cWith municipal budgets tighter than ever, small cities like Melrose need to know that the federal government will have our back. We\u2019re grateful to Senator Warren for her consistent and effective leadership on behalf of the cities and towns of Massachusetts,\u201d said Melrose Mayor Jen Grigoraitis.\n\n\u201cI applaud Senator Warren\u2019s leadership in recognizing that because extreme disasters do not recognize municipal, county or state boundaries, nor should financial relief to affected communities be restrained by those borders,\u201d said Methuen Mayor Neil Perry.\n\n\u201cIn today's world, natural disasters don't stop at borders, and our relief efforts shouldn't either. The Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief Act recognizes the broader impact of these events and provides communities like Chicopee with the support they need to rebuild, even when they fall just outside of a declared disaster zones. This is a forward-thinking step in ensuring no community is left without the resources to recover,\u201d said Chicopee Mayor John Vieau.\n\nSenator Warren has long led fights to ensure FEMA funding and support is equitably distributed and to ensure emergency relief programs meet the needs of Massachusetts communities:\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren and Markey, Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), and state and local officials announced $6 million for a flooding mitigation project in Leominster following damaging floods in September 2023.\n\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren and other Massachusetts lawmakers urged President Biden and FEMA to issue a major disaster declaration after catastrophic flooding impacted Bristol, Hampden, and Worcester counties.\n\nIn January 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Warren called for the Biden administration to swiftly finalize its data call about the effects of climate change on the insurance market\u2014and to collect all the data necessary to understand our gaps in insurance coverage and the right regulatory response.\n\nIn October 2023, Senator Warren and Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Federal Emergency Management Advancement of Equity Act to address systemic inequities in the federal government\u2019s response to disasters and how it distributes assistance. The legislation follows a growing body of evidence and reporting that low-income disaster survivors and communities of color are less likely to receive crucial federal emergency assistance compared to higher-income counterparts.\n\nIn August 2023, following flooding in New England in July 2023, Senators Warren, Markey, Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sent a letter to President Joe Biden, thanking his administration for its support for New England communities that suffered catastrophic flooding and requesting that President Biden continue to address the ongoing needs of these communities in any upcoming disaster supplemental appropriations request to Congress.\n\nIn May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Warren highlighted the need for FEMA to fix inequities and injustices in disaster management programs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-fetterman-senators-push-usda-to-eliminate-school-lunch-junk-fees", "Warren, Fetterman, Senators Push USDA to Eliminate School Lunch Junk Fees", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Fetterman, Senators Push USDA to Eliminate School Lunch Junk Fees\n\nJuly 2024 report by the CFPB found that payment processors are collecting more than $100 million in fees annually from families buying school lunches\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics and Research, Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Bernie Sanders, Chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), former chair of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms, Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) wrote to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging the agency to act quickly to address exorbitant school lunch fees charged by payment processors.\n\n\u201cEvery day, greedy payment processing companies are ripping off working families, snatching dollars meant to pay for kids\u2019 school lunches in order to pad their profits,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cIt is unacceptable that parents face exorbitant fees just so their children can eat school lunch.\u201d\n\nA July 2024 report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) found that payment processors were collecting more than $100 million in fees annually from families buying school lunches. In most school districts, families must pay a flat fee each time they deposit money into their child\u2019s school lunch account, and as a result, \u201clower-income families making frequent small payments\u201d shoulder this burden disproportionately.\n\nFor years, USDA maintained that students participating in federal nutrition programs \u201cshall not be charged any additional fees;\u201d however, in 2014, USDA created an exemption for online payment processors. Since then, cashless payment methods have become much more common, which has allowed payment processors to funnel ever more money into their own pockets, instead of the school lunch accounts parents are trying to replenish. In fact, CFPB found that, \u201cover the course of a school year, families with children eligible for means-tested reduced price lunch programs may send $0.60 to payment processors for each $1 they spend on school lunch.\u201d\n\nThe senators are urging USDA to stand up to greedy payment processors by withdrawing USDA\u2019s 2014 guidance permitting payment processing fees on school lunch purchases and to work with state departments of education to empower individual school districts to secure fair payment processing contracts.\n\n\u201cTogether, these steps will lower costs for families who are already facing higher costs at the checkout counter due to corporate price-gouging and ensure that greedy payment processors cannot continue to rip off American families,\u201d concluded the senators.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-moulton-demand-answers-from-corporate-landlords-in-massachusetts-allegedly-using-rent-hiking-algorithm", "Warren, Markey, Moulton Demand Answers From Corporate Landlords in Massachusetts Allegedly Using Rent-Hiking Algorithm", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, Moulton Demand Answers From Corporate Landlords in Massachusetts Allegedly Using Rent-Hiking Algorithm\n\nLawmakers push landlords to cut ties with RealPage, company behind software allegedly used to share proprietary data and hike rents\n\nText of Letters (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), today demanded answers from 13 corporate landlords operating in Massachusetts, asking these companies whether they are using RealPage\u2019s algorithm to raise rents for Massachusetts families.\n\nLast month, the Department of Justice and attorneys general in eight states filed a major antitrust lawsuit alleging that RealPage\u2019s software enabled landlords to collude to raise rents and accusing RealPage of monopolizing the market with its rent-setting software.\n\nThe lawmakers sent the letters to the following companies: Greystar, Bozzuto Group, Avalon Bay, Equity Residential, UDR, Bell Partners, AIR Communities, Related Companies, Gables Residential, Cushman and Wakefield, Brookfield Properties, WinnResidential, and Lincoln Property.\n\n\u201cMassachusetts is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis; rents in the Commonwealth are currently the highest in the country. In the midst of this crisis, we are extraordinarily concerned that corporate landlords are taking advantage of renters in Massachusetts, gouging them with illegal price-fixing schemes,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nA 2022 investigation into RealPage led by Senator Warren found evidence that some of the largest corporate landlords were sharing proprietary information with RealPage, whose software appeared to be \u201cfacilitating de-facto price setting and driving rapid [rent] inflation.\u201d The recent Justice Department lawsuit revealed even more information about RealPage\u2019s alleged price-fixing scheme.\n\nIn the new letter, the lawmakers pushed the companies to cut ties with RealPage and stop using the company\u2019s software. The lawmakers also highlighted the real-life impacts of RealPage\u2019s harmful tactics on renters in Massachusetts and beyond.\n\n\u201cIn 2022, a vice president of RealPage touted that apartment rents had increased by over 14.5%, stating \u2018I think [the software is] driving it, quite honestly.\u2019 In Seattle, rents rose by 33% in a RealPage-priced building over the course of 2021, while they rose by 3.9% in a comparable building that didn\u2019t use the algorithm. For renters across the country and in the Commonwealth, RealPage\u2019s tools are alleged to have enabled landlords to hike rents well above fair market value in the midst of a statewide and national affordable housing crisis,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nSenator Warren has long led the fight to make housing more affordable for families and has held companies accountable for their role in exacerbating housing costs:\n\nIn August 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), sent letters to each of the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) urging them to contribute at least 20% of their net income to affordable housing and other critical community grant programs.\n\nIn July 2024, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, the landmark legislation to tackle the housing crisis, bring down costs for renters and buyers, and help working families everywhere find a decent place to live at a decent price.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs led Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Jon Ossoff, Representative Ro Khanna, and Representative James Moylan in calling out the Department of Defense (DoD) for failing to protect military families living in military housing operated by private companies under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).\n\nIn June 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) urging the agency to address our country\u2019s affordable housing crisis by reforming the broken Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System.\n\nIn May 2024, Senator Warren reintroduced the Public Housing Emergency Response Act to address the estimated $70 billion backlog of maintenance and repairs in our nation\u2019s public housing, which would allow tenants to live in safe conditions and ensure that, as we fight to end the housing crisis by expanding the supply of affordable housing, we are not losing existing units to disrepair.\n\nIn April 2024, At a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Warren called out the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) for failing to deliver on their mission to provide affordable housing as the country faces a housing crisis.\n\nIn January 2024, Senator Warren, John Hickenlooper, Jacky Rosen, and Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter to Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell, calling on the Fed to reverse its troubling interest rate hikes that have driven mortgage rates to 20-year highs and have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Americans.\n\nIn March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Tina Smith, and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling for the DOJ to investigate YieldStar following new findings from their investigation of RealPage\u2019s YieldStar product.\n\nIn January 2023, Senator Warren, and Representative Jamaal Bowman led a letter with 48 lawmakers, urging President Biden to use every tool he has to address rent inflation, end corporate price gouging in the rental market, and ensure that renters and people experiencing homelessness across this country are stably housed this winter.\n\nIn November 2022, Senators Warren, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to RealPage CEO Dana Jones, expressing concern about RealPage\u2019s algorithmic pricing software, YieldStar, and its role in driving rising rents and exacerbating inflation.\n\nIn August 2022, at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (BHUA) Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out corporate landlords\u2019 growing role in the rental market and emphasized the need for a Tenant Protection Bureau to hold corporate landlords accountable and protect renters from extreme rent hikes, illegal eviction, and other predatory practices.\n\nIn May 2022, Senators Warren and Reed sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Marcia Fudge, calling on HUD to preserve homeownership affordability for American families as Wall Street firms expand their activity in the housing market.\n\nIn March 2022, at a BHUA Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out Wall Street\u2019s role in worsening the housing affordability crisis for seniors by buying up manufactured home communities\n\nIn February 2022, Senator Warren called out private equity firms and other big investors for exacerbating inflation and locking families out of affordable housing opportunities.\n\nIn January 2022, Senator Warren sent letters to the CEOs of three private equity-backed firms\u2014Progress Residential, American Homes 4 Rent, and Invitation Homes \u2014calling out their growing activity in the housing market that has resulted in rent hikes and unaffordable homes for first-time buyers.\n\nIn August 2021, during a hearing exchange with Senator Warren, a Department of Housing and Urban Development nominee committed to consider changes that facilitate sales of distressed homes to homeowners, not private equity firms.\n\nIn July 2021, Senator Warren called on large corporate landlords to avoid needless evictions as the CDC eviction moratorium neared expiration.\n\nIn May 2021, at a hearing, Senator Warren made the case for her American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which would create a new housing innovation grant program to reduce exclusionary local zoning laws.\n\nOn April 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act to bring down the costs for renters and buyers, level the playing field so working families can find a decent place to live at a decent price, reduce exclusionary zoning laws, and take a step towards addressing the effects of decades of housing discrimination on communities of color.\n\nIn May 2019, Senator Warren and then-Representative Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) wrote to the private equity firms behind some of the country's largest manufactured housing communities to request information about their use of predatory practices to boost profits in the communities they own.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 353, "expanded_columns": [], 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