{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"MA\" and year = 2025 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-delauro-renew-bill-to-ban-unpredictable-scheduling-practices", "Warren, DeLauro Renew Bill to Ban Unpredictable Scheduling Practices", "2025-12-23", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, DeLauro Renew Bill to Ban Unpredictable Scheduling Practices\n\nLegislation would require many employers to provide work schedules two weeks in advance and compensate workers when their schedules change last minute\n\nBill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) reintroduced the Schedules That Work Act to address unpredictable scheduling practices that may deprive workers of income and require them to work unreasonable hours, like \u201cclopening\u201d shifts that leave little time to commute and rest between shifts.\n\n\u201cUnpredictable scheduling makes it impossible for workers to arrange child care, juggle an education, or even pay the bills. We\u2019re fighting to empower workers and help them regain control over their work schedules and build economic security for themselves and their families,\u201d Senator Warren said.\n\n\u201cWe are in a cost of living crisis that forces too many Americans to live paycheck to paycheck,\u201d said Congresswoman DeLauro. \u201cHardworking Americans deserve economic security and the peace of mind that the hours they work will provide enough to make ends meet so they can provide for themselves or their family. That is why I am proud to join Senator Warren in reintroducing the Schedules that Work Act, so workers are not subject to abusive scheduling practices that can lead to financial insecurity and instability. American workers deserve certainty about their schedules and incomes.\u201d\n\nWorkers experience many unreasonable scheduling practices, like last-minute shift cancellations, being placed \u201con-call\u201d with no guarantee of work hours, scheduled for \u201csplit shifts\u201d of non-consecutive hours, and even being sent home early without pay when demand is low. If they push back or request schedule changes, employers may retaliate.\n\nThis month, Starbucks agreed to pay $38.9 million to settle claims it violated New York law by failing to provide regular schedules to employees, cutting workers' scheduled hours without their consent, and giving shifts to new hires first instead of to existing employees.\n\nA report by the Harvard Kennedy School found that unpredictable schedules lead to higher employee turnover, household economic insecurity, and reductions in workers\u2019 health and wellbeing. It also found that Black and Hispanic women are disproportionately impacted by unpredictable schedules and were more likely to have a shift canceled without appropriate notice than white workers.\n\nThe Schedules That Work Act curbs these harmful practices by giving workers a voice in their schedules and helping people meet their responsibilities at work and at home. The bill protects workers who ask for schedule changes from retaliation, and it requires employers to consider their requests. For workers in retail, food service, and cleaning occupations, it requires employers to provide schedules two weeks in advance. The legislation also provides compensation to these employees when their schedules change abruptly, or they are assigned to particularly difficult shifts, including split shifts and call-in shifts.\n\nThe bill also expands these same protections to hospitality and warehouse workers, and establishes a right to rest between shifts \u2013 protecting workers from being forced to work a closing shift one night and the opening shift the next day \u2013 and compensating them adequately if they voluntarily do so.\n\nIf passed, employers would also be required to compensate employees if schedules are not posted two weeks in advance, or if there are changes to the schedule within the two-week period.\n\nThe bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).\n\nThe bill is cosponsored in the House by Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16), Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-11), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA-18), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12), Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03), Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-35), Jes\u00fas G. \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (D-IL-04), Richie Torres (D-NY-15), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI-14), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Kathleen M. Rice (D-NY-04).\n\nThe Schedules That Work Act is supported by: 9to5, A Better Balance, Action for Children, AFL-CIO, African American Health Alliance, All-Options, American Association of University Women, Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, BreastfeedLA, Catch Fire Movement, CDF, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Center for Popular Democracy, CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, Chicago Foundation for Women, Child Care Aware of America, Citizen Action of New York, Coalition for Social Justice, Coalition of Labor Union Women, Coalition on Human Needs, Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), Economic Policy Institute, Equal Rights Advocates, Every Texan, Faith in Public Life, Family Values @ Work, Healthy Nourishment, Jobs With Justice, Justice for Migrant Women, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, Legal Aid at Work, Legal Momentum, The Women's Legal Defense and Education Fund, MANA - A National Latina Organization, MomsRising, National Black Worker Center, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Center for Law and Economic Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, National Employment Law Project, National Employment Lawyers Association, National Organization for Women, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women's Law Center, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Network of Jewish Human, Service Agencies, North Carolina Justice Center, Oxfam America, Poligon Education Fund, Public Justice Center, ROC United, Service Employees International Union, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Start Early, Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice, TakeAction Minnesota, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, United for Respect, We All Rise, Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest PA, Women Employed, Women's Fund of Rhode Island, Women's Law Project, Women's Media Center, Workplace Fairness, YWCA of the University of Illinois, YWCA USA, ZERO TO THREE.\n\n\u201cUnpredictable and inadequate work hours have long been a problem for part-time and hourly workers in low-paid jobs, which means they have been a problem for women, and especially for women of color,\u201d said NWLC Vice President for Education and Workplace Justice Emily Martin. \u201cBut the harms posed by volatile work hours\u2014and the uncertain paychecks they produce\u2014have intensified during the pandemic, as workers face new risks to their health, inadequate access to paid leave and paid sick days, and additional caregiving challenges posed by school and child care closures and quarantines. Together, the Schedules That Work Act and the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights will help working people meet their responsibilities both on and off the job, bolster economic security for their families, and help close race and gender wage gaps.\u201d\n\n\u201cThrough A Better Balance\u2019s free and confidential legal helpline, we are constantly hearing from workers in industries like retail, food service, and other shift-based roles who have to miss out on hours and pay because their employers\u2019 unpredictable scheduling practices make it impossible to plan around childcare, medical appointments, and other care-related needs. Many of these workers are also denied essential benefits like paid leave and healthcare due to their part-time status \u2013 even if they\u2019re working full-time hours across multiple jobs,\" said A Better Balance President Inimai Chettiar. \"The Schedules That Work Act and Part Time Workers Bill of Rights will together combat these unfair practices and support the health and financial security of these essential workers, advancing gender and racial equity nationwide. We thank Senator Warren for her leadership on this legislation and continued commitment to this country's working families.\u201d\n\nCongresswoman DeLauro and Senator Warren have introduced the Schedules That Work Act every Congress since 2015.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schakowsky-renew-fight-to-pass-part-time-worker-bill-of-rights-act", "Warren, Schakowsky, Renew Fight to Pass Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act", "2025-12-23", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schakowsky, Renew Fight to Pass Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act\n\nBill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), have reintroduced the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act to strengthen protections for part-time workers and allow them to better balance their work schedules with personal and family needs. The legislation will address one of the primary issues that hourly workers face - work schedules that do not provide as many hours as they need to support their families - and provide additional protections and benefits for part-time workers.\n\n\u201cEvery worker deserves a chance at providing for themselves and their families, but greedy giant corporations are using loopholes to exploit part-time workers instead,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI\u2019m fighting hard to pass the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights and ensure companies put their workers over profits.\u201d\n\n\u201cPart-time workers across the country deserve better. More than one in five American workers are part-time and they face volatile work hours, unstable incomes, and low wages. Earlier this week, I reintroduced the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act with my colleagues Representative DeLauro and Senator Warren to ensure equitable workplace treatment and conditions for part-time workers. This legislation requires employers to treat part-time and full-time employees impartially and gives part-time workers access to stable hours and medical leave. We must improve the quality of part-time work for millions of families across the country,\u201d said Congresswoman Schakowsky.\n\nCorporations often attempt to avoid providing workers benefits and higher wages by giving part-time workers fewer hours than they want and spreading work among many part-time employees rather than hiring full-time employees.\n\nThis month, Starbucks agreed to pay $38.9 million to settle claims it violated New York law by failing to provide regular schedules to employees, cutting workers' scheduled hours without their consent, and giving shifts to new hires first instead of to existing employees.\n\nThe Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act would:\n\nRequire employers to offer available hours to current, available, qualified part-time employees before hiring new employees or subcontractors. The legislation requires employers with more than 15 workers to compensate existing employees if they hire new employees instead of assigning new work to available, qualified, existing employees. This provision is based on successful access to hours ordinances in cities across the country, including those in Chicago, Emeryville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle.\n\nMake more part-time employees eligible for family and medical leave. The legislation guarantees any employee who has worked for their employer for at least a year access to federal leave protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act.\n\nAllow part-time workers to participate in their employers\u2019 pension plans. The legislation amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to give part-time workers who have worked at least 500 hours for two consecutive years access to retirement plans if they are offered by their employers to full-time workers.\n\nThe bill is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).\n\nThe Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act is supported by: 9to5, A Better Balance, Action for Children, AFL-CIO, African American Health Alliance, All-Options, American Association of University Women, Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, BreastfeedLA, Catch Fire Movement, CDF, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Center for Popular Democracy, CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, Chicago Foundation for Women, Child Care Aware of America, Citizen Action of New York, Coalition for Social Justice, Coalition of Labor Union Women, Coalition on Human Needs, Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), Economic Policy Institute, Equal Rights Advocates, Every Texan, Faith in Public Life, Family Values @ Work, Healthy Nourishment, Jobs With Justice, Justice for Migrant Women, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, Legal Aid at Work, Legal Momentum, The Women's Legal Defense and Education Fund, MANA - A National Latina Organization, MomsRising, National Black Worker Center, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Center for Law and Economic Justice, National Council of Jewish Women, National Employment Law Project, National Employment Lawyers Association, National Organization for Women, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women's Law Center, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Network of Jewish Human, Service Agencies, North Carolina Justice Center, Oxfam America, Poligon Education Fund, Public Justice Center, ROC United, Service Employees International Union, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Start Early, Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice, TakeAction Minnesota, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, United for Respect, We All Rise, Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest PA, Women Employed, Women's Fund of Rhode Island, Women's Law Project, Women's Media Center, Workplace Fairness, YWCA of the University of Illinois, YWCA USA, ZERO TO THREE.\n\nThe legislators also introduced the Schedules That Work Act, complementary legislation to help ensure that low-wage employees have more certainty about their work schedules and income. The Schedules That Work Act protects workers who ask for schedule changes from retaliation and requires employers to consider their requests. For retail, food service, and cleaning occupations, it requires employers to provide schedules two weeks in advance. The legislation also provides compensation to these employees when their schedules change abruptly or they are assigned to particularly difficult shifts, including split shifts and call-in shifts.\n\nA recent Berkely study found that unpredictable schedules - which often mean lack of access to enough working hours - are associated with financial insecurity, housing insecurity, high stress, poor health outcomes, and, for parents, less time spent with children, which, in turn, leads to worse outcomes for children. One study found that 65% of respondents with part-time jobs had dealt with \"at least one serious material hardship\" in the past year. Workers facing these challenges are disproportionately women and workers of color as exposure to schedule instability is 16% higher among workers of color compared to white workers.\n\nLaws to help workers access more work hours have already been passed as part of fair workweek laws across the country, including in Chicago, Emeryville, California; New York City; Philadelphia; San Francisco; San Jose; Seattle; and SeaTac, Washington.\n\nSenator Warren and Congresswoman Schakowsky first unveiled their plans to introduce the bill in December 2019. Senators Warren and Booker reintroduced the bill in the Senate in 2020.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ahead-of-tax-filing-season-warren-king-15-senators-warn-of-tax-filing-chaos-after-trump-admin-attacks-on-irs", "Ahead of Tax Filing Season, Warren, King, 15 Senators Warn of Tax Filing Chaos After Trump Admin Attacks on IRS", "2025-12-22", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Ahead of Tax Filing Season, Warren, King, 15 Senators Warn of Tax Filing Chaos After Trump Admin Attacks on IRS\n\nBroad coalition of lawmakers call 2026 tax filing season a \u201chuge test for the IRS\u201d\n\nSeptember Inspector General report warned that IRS is woefully unprepared for upcoming filing season, largely due to Trump admin gutting IRS workforce\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Senator Angus King (I-Maine) led 15 Senators in pressing Treasury Secretary and Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent and IRS Chief of Taxpayer Services Ken Corbin, warning that the IRS may not be prepared for the upcoming tax filing season \u2014 and that failure could saddle American taxpayers with filing problems and refund delays.\n\nThe following Senators also joined the letter: Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\n\u201cTaxpayers deserve to have the information and assistance they need to file their taxes and receive their refunds in a timely manner. The Trump Administration\u2019s relentless attacks on the IRS threaten its ability to serve the public and undercut its mission to provide taxpayers with top quality service and ensure that our tax laws are enforced with integrity and fairness,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nA recent report from the independent Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) warned that the IRS is woefully unprepared for the 2026 filing season, in large part due to the Trump administration\u2019s widespread and large-scale staffing reductions at the IRS. The report indicated that these staffing cuts will likely prevent the IRS from adequately addressing fraud, managing and processing tax returns, and providing assistance to taxpayers at Taxpayer Assistance Centers, \u201cputting the 2026 filing season at risk.\u201d\n\nOver the past year, the Trump administration has repeatedly attacked the IRS. Since January, the IRS has lost more than 25 percent of its workforce. The agency has also seen unprecedented turnover \u2014 with a whopping seven different individuals acting as Commissioner over the past year. In addition to preparing for the upcoming tax filing season, the IRS is also tasked with updating dozens of federal tax forms to align with changes made to the tax code by Donald Trump and Republicans\u2019 Big Beautiful Bill.\n\n\u201cThe 2026 tax filing season will present a huge test for the IRS,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe senators pressed for answers to a series of questions about the IRS\u2019s preparation for the upcoming tax filing season and sought a briefing from the agency by January 12, 2026.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-slams-pentagons-failure-to-properly-implement-housing-reforms-for-service-members-and-families", "Warren Slams Pentagon\u2019s Failure to Properly Implement Housing Reforms for Service Members and Families", "2025-12-22", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Slams Pentagon\u2019s Failure to Properly Implement Housing Reforms for Service Members and Families\n\nWarren finds shockingly low use of housing dispute process and complaint database, revealing that Pentagon may be failing to \u201cproperly inform service members of their housing rights\u201d\n\n\u201cDoD must do more to fully and effectively implement these reporting and oversight mechanisms to hold private housing companies accountable for substandard living conditions\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with concerns that the Department of Defense (DoD) is failing to properly implement a housing complaint database and the formal dispute resolution process for service members and families living in privatized housing on military bases around the country.\n\n\u201cMy review has found that few service members are using these tools, which may indicate that DoD is failing to effectuate the tools mandated by Congress to ensure military families are provided with safe and sanitary housing,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nFollowing reporting that military families were subjected to unsafe and unsanitary living conditions, Senator Warren conducted her own investigation, finding that housing contractors systematically failed to provide acceptable housing for servicemembers while earning huge profits and facing little DoD oversight or accountability.\n\nIn response to the findings of this investigation, Senator Warren secured bipartisan reforms in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to address concerns that service members and families were subjected to unsafe and unsanitary conditions with no recourse. These included the creation of a formal dispute resolution process for residents facing inadequate housing conditions and the creation of a public complaint database for residents to hold private military housing companies accountable for their failures.\n\nHowever, DoD did not implement the public complaint database until August 2024, nearly 4 years after the reforms passed Congress. New data released by Sen. Warren shows that in the last year, the database received only 40 complaints. Even that limited number of complaints showed residents continue to face unaddressed concerns from pests like mice. An Army tenant satisfaction survey of the dispute resolution process found that 70% of respondents were not aware of, or did not know how to access the dispute resolution process. Both numbers are shockingly low, considering there are about 700,000 service members and their family members living in privatized military housing.\n\n\u201cThere may be a failure by DoD to properly inform service members of their housing rights and the availability of this feedback system. It is impossible to believe that the sparse list of dispute resolution requests and feedback reports encompass an accurate picture of military families\u2019 housing needs and conditions,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nAn FY 2025 Army survey found that many tenants had a negative experience living in private military housing. For example, at Fort Carson, 32.4% of residents were dissatisfied with their current home/unit, and 34.1% of residents were dissatisfied with the overall level of and quality of services; at Fort Gordon, 36% of residents were dissatisfied with their home/unit, and 20% of residents were dissatisfied with quality of services received. Data also shows that families in private military housing still face problems with mold and other housing problems that cause nosebleeds, hives, swelling, and rashes, and other health problems.\n\n\u201cFamilies deserve a safe, clean home environment \u2013 free of health risks such as mold and pests\u2026DoD must do more to improve and fully effectuate housing reforms mandated by Congress and promote the DHFS to provide accountability and better quality of life to service members and their families,\u201d concluded Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren pressed Secretary Hegseth to explain, by January 5, 2026, why the department took four years to implement the housing database, whether it requires private military housing companies to inform residents of their tenant rights, how the department is holding private military housing companies accountable for housing concerns, and asked for the department\u2019s plan to inform residents of the database and formal dispute resolution process.\n\nSenator Warren has long fought to address unacceptable conditions in military housing:\n\nOn December 17, 2025, Senator Warren announced FY 26 NDAA wins that include improved housing conditions for American troops.\n\nOn September 29, 2025, Senator Warren pressed Secretary Pete Hegseth for answers about the potential privatization of military barracks.\n\nOn April 8, 2025, Senator Warren pressured Trump\u2019s nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Dale Marks, to commit to holding private military landlords accountable for housing violations.\n\nOn February 4, 2025, Senators Warren and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) urged the Department of Defense to investigate whether landlords were utilizing RealPage\u2019s software to artificially raise rents for military families.\n\nOn December 12, 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act that would overhaul our privatized military housing system.\n\nOn September 27, 2024, Senators Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced the Restore Military Families\u2019 Voice Act, which would prevent private military housing companies from forcing non-disclosure agreements on military families.\n\nOn April 19, 2024, Senator Warren questioned Army Secretary Christine Wormuth over military housing availability and the impact of non-disclosure agreements between private military housing companies and military families.\n\nOn May 1, 2019, Senator Warren released the findings of a 3-month investigation into the housing conditions of privatized military residences.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-trahan-statement-on-escalating-violence-between-cambodia-and-thailand", "Warren, Markey, Trahan Statement on Escalating Violence Between Cambodia and Thailand", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, Trahan Statement on Escalating Violence Between Cambodia and Thailand\n\nWashington, D.C. - Today, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) released the following statement on the escalation of violence along the Cambodia-Thailand border:\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned by the escalation of violence along the Cambodia\u2013Thailand border, which has resulted in the needless loss of life, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, and a rapidly growing humanitarian crisis. At a moment of political transition in Thailand, we urge all parties to refrain from actions that could further inflame tensions or place civilians at risk, and to avoid using this conflict for political gain. The protection of civilian life must be paramount. We call on both governments to immediately de-escalate, exercise maximum restraint, and support diplomatic and international efforts aimed at protecting civilians, strengthening regional security, and securing lasting peace.\n\n\u201cThe United States must support efforts to resolve this dispute through dialogue and existing diplomatic mechanisms, including engagement through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other regional partners. Leaders on all sides should prioritize stability, humanitarian protection, and a negotiated path forward that safeguards the lives of Cambodian and Thai people alike.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-warren-wyden-push-doj-ftc-to-closely-scrutinize-massive-compass-anywhere-real-estate-merger-raise-alarm-on-housing-costs", "Senators Warren, Wyden Push DOJ, FTC to Closely Scrutinize Massive Compass-Anywhere Real Estate Merger, Raise Alarm on Housing Costs", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senators Warren, Wyden Push DOJ, FTC to Closely Scrutinize Massive Compass-Anywhere Real Estate Merger, Raise Alarm on Housing Costs\n\nAs Americans face a housing affordability crisis, key Democratic Senators warn that merger could increase costs.\n\n\u201cDOJ and FTC should thoroughly investigate whether this merger threatens competition and undermines transparency, and block it if it is not consistent with antitrust law.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, wrote to Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Chairman Andrew Ferguson of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urging them to closely scrutinize the proposed $1.6 billion merger between real estate brokerage giants Compass, Inc. (\u201cCompass\u201d) and Anywhere Real Estate, Inc. (\u201cAnywhere\u201d).\n\n\"The Compass-Anywhere merger threatens to stifle consumer choice and fair industry competition while entrenching existing antitrust and price manipulation concerns that have been at the center of mounting litigation. These risks demand close scrutiny under federal antitrust laws,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nOn September 22, 2025, Compass and Anywhere (the parent of real estate brands Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Corcoran, Sotheby\u2019s International Realty, and more) announced a merger agreement valued at roughly $1.6 billion. The combined firm would represent the largest agent network in the country, with approximately 340,000 real estate agents operating under Compass and Anywhere\u2019s brands.\n\n\u201cThe combined reach of Compass and Anywhere gives them outsized influence over market practices at a time when the brokerage industry is rapidly consolidating,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThe proposed Compass-Anywhere merger could substantially increase market concentration, possibly in violation of federal antitrust laws, and in a way that DOJ and FTC merger guidelines recognize could lead to anticompetitive harm.\u201d\n\nThe Senators also highlighted housing discrimination concerns. Compass has driven an industry shift towards private listing practices, also known as pocket listings, that are not made available to every agent or consumer. Experts find that pocket listings may perpetuate housing discrimination prohibited under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, and make potential discrimination harder to detect. These practices also hurt homeowners by limiting the pool of potential buyers and diminishing their earnings on home equity.\n\n\u201cAllowing Compass and Anywhere to merge is likely to significantly expand the use of these private exclusives, posing both antitrust and civil rights concerns,\u201d continued the lawmakers. \u201cIt is clear that a Compass-Anywhere merger, which comes on the coattails of the Rocket-Redfin merger announcement, will only perpetuate the industry\u2019s race to the bottom and further consolidate market control that weakens consumers\u2019 fair and open access to real estate listings.\u201d\n\nAdditionally, the merger could weaken smaller firms\u2019 and new entrants\u2019 ability to compete on equal footing, placing pressure on mom-and-pop agents and independent brokerages that play a vital role in serving local communities and offering lower-cost, consumer-friendly alternatives.\n\n\u201cThe Compass-Anywhere merger threatens to stifle consumer choice and fair industry competition while entrenching existing antitrust and price manipulation concerns that have been at the center of mounting litigation,\u201d the senators concluded. \u201cThese risks demand close scrutiny under federal antitrust laws.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-dean-democrats-urge-commerce-department-watchdog-to-investigate-lutnick-familys-conflicts-of-interest-impact-on-ai-data-center-decisions", "Warren, Dean, Democrats Urge Commerce Department Watchdog to Investigate Lutnick Family\u2019s Conflicts of Interest, Impact on AI Data Center Decisions", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Dean, Democrats Urge Commerce Department Watchdog to Investigate Lutnick Family\u2019s Conflicts of Interest, Impact on AI Data Center Decisions\n\nCommerce Secretary Lutnick may be boosting AI data center projects that could enrich his immediate family\n\n\u201cThere is a substantial public interest in ensuring that Secretary Lutnick is not violating federal ethics law to propel data centers that will be profitable for his family while making life more expensive for working Americans.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) led members of Congress in pressing U.S. Department of Commerce Acting Inspector General Duane Townsend to open an investigation into Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his family\u2019s apparent conflicts of interest involving artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.\n\n\u201cBecause the billionaire Lutnick family has significant financial investments in data centers\u2014and the electricity needs of those data centers drive up utility bills for families across the country\u2014there is a substantial public interest in ensuring that Secretary Lutnick is not violating federal ethics law to propel data centers that will be profitable for his family while making life more expensive for working Americans,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe following members also signed on: Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representatives Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-Ind.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).\n\nFor decades, Secretary Lutnick owned and led the financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald. After signing an ethics agreement requiring that he divest his stake in Cantor and months after his deadline for divesting, he transferred much of his stake to his adult sons. They now lead Cantor and have a controlling ownership stake in it, creating an extraordinary situation in which the office of the Commerce Secretary intersects significantly with the financial interests of the Secretary\u2019s own family.\n\nCantor is heavily invested in the AI data center industry, with \u201cunprecedented data center expansion\u201d reportedly helping fuel the company\u2019s most profitable year on record. Recent reports reveal that, as head of the Commerce Department, Secretary Lutnick helped boost AI data centers in ways that may enrich his own family. In addition to public appearances promoting projects \u2014 including at least one his family\u2019s company has worked on \u2014 Lutnick has also reportedly pressured foreign governments to invest in the U.S. data center industry, and money from those deals could flow to a Lutnick-linked firm.\n\n\u201cWhile the rapid growth of data centers is proving to be lucrative for the Lutnick family, it is also making it harder for American families to pay their monthly utility bills,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nData centers are pushing energy costs up to record highs across the country, pulling American households into paying the price. When utility companies spend billions on new electricity infrastructure to support data centers, they may charge more to local households connected to the grid to offset that cost. In some communities, Americans\u2019 bills have skyrocketed by more than 250 percent over just the past five years.\n\n\u201cIn short, we are concerned that Secretary Lutnick\u2019s official actions to boost AI data centers could be influenced by his conflicts of interest \u2014 and that these actions come at the expense of everyday Americans who are forced to bear the higher energy costs of the data centers that are inflating the Lutnick family\u2019s wealth,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nSenator Warren, Representative Dean, and the other members pressed the Acting Inspector General to carefully review the ethics concerns surrounding Secretary Lutnick and his family, including whether Secretary Lutnick has violated his obligations as a public official.\n\nSenator Warren has long raised concerns about Secretary Lutnick\u2019s apparent ethics issues:\n\nIn August, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Brandon Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., about possible conflicts of interest and insider trading stemming from the bets that his firm is reportedly making on the legality of the Trump administration\u2019s sweeping tariffs.\n\nIn March, Senator Warren and Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) sent a letter to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics demanding an investigation into Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for potentially violating federal ethics laws.\n\nIn January, ahead of his nomination hearing, Sen. Warren pressed Howard Lutnick on his serious financial conflicts and personal and professional ties to the scandal-ridden cryptocurrency Tether.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-nadler-blumenthal-push-for-investigation-of-transportation-sec-duffys-conflicts-as-former-airline-lobbyist-amid-passenger-protection-rule-rollbacks", "Warren, Nadler, Blumenthal Push For Investigation of Transportation Sec. Duffy's Conflicts As Former Airline Lobbyist Amid Passenger Protection Rule Rollbacks", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Nadler, Blumenthal Push For Investigation of Transportation Sec. Duffy's Conflicts As Former Airline Lobbyist Amid Passenger Protection Rule Rollbacks\n\n\u201cWe are very concerned that Secretary Duffy may have eliminated protections for American travelers (...) in part, as a result of conflicts of interest.\u201d\n\nAs many Americans struggle to afford travel, these changes will hit them right in the wallet\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) wrote to the Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) urging him to conduct an investigation into whether Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy\u2019s conflicts of interest contributed to his department ending passenger protection rules, and whether he has favored the airline industry that he previously lobbied for.\n\nInstead of working to make air travel more affordable this holiday season, Secretary Duffy has: ended protections that would\u2019ve required airlines to automatically send passengers cash refunds for certain expenses resulting from flight cancellations or delays of more than 3 hours caused by the airline; halted a rule that required airlines to refund travelers when they canceled flights and rebooked passengers with a different flight number; released new guidance informing airlines that they no longer have to compensate passengers for expenses incurred as a result of delays and cancellations caused by aircraft recalls; and more.\n\n\u201cThe impact of these changes will hit travelers right in the wallet: airlines will keep billions of extra dollars that otherwise would have gone toward reimbursing Americans who the industry has left stranded in airports across the country,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThese wins for airlines were delivered by a former industry lobbyist who now leads DOT, Secretary Duffy.\u201d\n\nBefore becoming Secretary of Transportation, Secretary Duffy worked at the lobbying firm BGR Government Affairs, working as an airline industry lobbyist in 2020, and consultant as recently as 2024. He formerly worked for the airline industry coalition Partnership for Open Skies, representing major airlines such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. He also has maintained a relationship with his former firm, previously serving as a member of BGR\u2019s advisory board and a consultant for BGR clients, and even last week attending a sporting event in the suite of BGR\u2019s managing director. The lawmakers laid out their concerns that Secretary Duffy may have ended protections for travelers not based on the good of flying Americans but, at least in part, as a result of conflicts of interest and potential bias related to his former client\u2019s airline members.\n\nGiven the lawmakers\u2019 concerns about bias and conflicts of interest and whether they may have affected the DOT rulemaking process, lawmakers are asking the DOT\u2019s OIG to evaluate the Secretary\u2019s compliance with federal ethics laws and his involvement in regulatory matters that may affect his former clients.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/oversight/letters/warren-casar-warn-doj-fcc-of-potential-competition-cost-issues-involving-atandt-and-spacex-deals-with-echostar", "Warren, Casar Warn DOJ, FCC of Potential Competition, Cost Issues Involving AT&T and SpaceX Deals With EchoStar", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Casar Warn DOJ, FCC of Potential Competition, Cost Issues Involving AT&T and SpaceX Deals With EchoStar\n\nAT&T and SpaceX\u2019s proposed acquisitions of Echostar spectrum raise antitrust concerns, may not meet federal telecommunications law requirements\n\nDeal threatens to raise cell phone costs and worsen service for consumers by further consolidating cellular market\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) wrote to Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division head Abigail Slater and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, raising concerns about AT&T\u2019s and SpaceX\u2019s plans to acquire wireless spectrum licenses from telecommunications company EchoStar. The lawmakers urged the respective agencies to closely scrutinize the proposed deals and block them if they violate antitrust laws or do not serve \u201cthe public interest, convenience, and necessity,\u201d as required by federal telecommunications law.\n\n\u201cThe AT&T deal \u2013 worth $23 billion \u2013 will effectively strengthen the market power of the three major wireless carriers in the U.S., and \u2018close the books\u2019 on the possibility of the emergence of an additional major competitor,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThe SpaceX deal \u2013 worth $17 billion \u2013 would help Musk expand SpaceX\u2019s Starlink capacity and provide an opportunity for the company to gain \u2018firepower\u2019 in the satellite communications industry that competitors will struggle to compete with.\u201d\n\nIn August, AT&T announced a multi-billion-dollar deal to acquire certain wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar and provide wireless service for EchoStar\u2019s Boost Mobile. The deal threatens to slash competition in the network carriers\u2019 market by reducing the number of major network carriers in the U.S., entrenching the dominance of the big three carriers. In addition to raising prices, further concentration will likely worsen services: consumers pay on average two to three times more for their monthly phone bills in markets with only three network operators compared to markets with four network operators, and download speeds are half as fast in markets with three network operators compared to four.\n\n\u201cAT&T\u2019s acquisition of EchoStar\u2019s spectrum will entrench the three main network providers\u2019 dominance and limit choices for almost every home in the U.S., harming both consumers and competition within the wireless industry,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nJust weeks after the AT&T-EchoStar deal was announced, EchoStar announced an additional sale of spectrum to Elon Musk\u2019s SpaceX. SpaceX\u2019s potential acquisition of these spectrum licenses raises fresh competition concerns within the satellite industry, as it could enable SpaceX to embed itself in the mobile carrier market while not directly challenging the dominant mobile carriers.\n\nThe SpaceX-EchoStar deal also raises significant potential corruption concerns related to the influence of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in the Trump administration. In addition to his massive donations to the Trump campaign and his previous role as senior adviser and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the Trump administration, Elon Musk also reportedly \u201cbuilt a public alliance\u201d around his company\u2019s policy goals with Chairman Carr in the year leading up to the 2024 presidential election.\n\n\u201cThe circumstances around the FCC investigation of EchoStar and the close relationship of Mr. Musk to the Trump Administration and to key Trump Administration officials make it particularly important that the FCC and DOJ engage in a robust, independent, and impartial review prior to approving any sale of EchoStar spectrum to SpaceX in order to avoid the appearance of favoritism or impropriety,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe possible anticompetitive effects of these proposed deals and the resulting consumer harms merit close scrutiny by the regulators. The DOJ has a responsibility to enforce federal antitrust laws and should challenge the deals if it finds they could substantially lessen competition in violation of the law. The FCC is required to review telecommunications transactions and approve only transactions that serve \u201cthe public interest, convenience, and necessity\u201d \u2014 a standard these deals may not meet. The lawmakers encouraged the FCC to reject the proposed deals if AT&T and SpaceX are unable to prove that their respective deals would affirmatively benefit the public.\n\nSenator Warren raised similar concerns about a related telecommunications deal in the first Trump Administration. In 2020, T-Mobile merged with Sprint, decreasing the number of major cell carriers in the U.S. and greatly reducing competition. The merger, which needed the first Trump administration\u2019s approval, also raised ethics concerns as T-Mobile executives aggressively courted President Trump. Senator Warren published an investigation revealing that T-Mobile spent nearly $200,000 at the President\u2019s business prior to the approval of the merger, and Senator Warren opposed the merger over competition concerns.\n\nThe Trump administration ultimately approved the deal, and consumers have paid the price: cell phone costs have increased since the merger, and the industry has consolidated even further. T-Mobile\u2019s 2025 acquisition of UScellular prompted DOJ to warn that \u201cwe stand at a pivotal moment for the wireless industry\u201d after \u201ca decades-long trend toward consolidation-by-acquisition\u201d with the industry dominated by an \u201coligopoly.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-demand-bondi-recuse-from-warner-bros-deal-review-amid-apparent-conflicts-of-interest-trump-doj-cloud-of-corruption", "Warren, Blumenthal Demand Bondi Recuse from Warner Bros. Deal Review Amid Apparent Conflicts of Interest, Trump DOJ Cloud of Corruption", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Blumenthal Demand Bondi Recuse from Warner Bros. Deal Review Amid Apparent Conflicts of Interest, Trump DOJ Cloud of Corruption\n\nAttorney General Pam Bondi\u2019s former lobbying firm, Ballard Partners, reportedly representing both Paramount and Netflix; advised Paramount on Skydance merger\n\nAG Bondi\u2019s ethics agreement includes pledge not to participate \u201cin any particular matter involving specific parties in which (she) knows Ballard Partners is a party or represents a party\u201d until February 4\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from the Department of Justice (DOJ)\u2019s review of any Warner Bros. merger due to potential conflicts of interest related to her former employer, lobbying firm Ballard Partners. A DOJ spokesperson has indicated that Bondi will lead the Trump administration\u2019s review of the merger, alongside DOJ Antitrust head Gail Slater.\n\nPrior to her nomination for Attorney General, Bondi spent six years as a lobbyist at Ballard Partners, a favorite firm among companies with business before the Trump administration. Since Bondi\u2019s nomination as Attorney General, Ballard has taken on both Netflix and Paramount as clients. Disclosures from as recently as October confirm that Ballard continues to lobby for both companies, and the lobby shop was reportedly involved in the Paramount-Skydance merger earlier this year. Now, as both Netflix and Paramount vie for Warner Bros., Bondi is set to have significant involvement in the Trump administration\u2019s review of either deal.\n\n\u201cIn line with our anti-corruption oversight and legislative priorities, and given the cloud of corruption surrounding this merger and your former employer Ballard\u2019s potential role in this merger, we ask that you recuse yourself from the review of this purchase,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nGiant corporations appear to be using Ballard Partners as a tool to curry favor with the Trump administration. Reports have revealed that among the clients for whom Ballard reported lobbying DOJ this year, all but one signed with the firm since Trump\u2019s election and Bondi\u2019s nomination for attorney general, and that the company recently had its most lucrative quarter ever reported.\n\nBallard is already enmeshed in the cloud of corruption surrounding the White House. Reports revealed that Ballard lobbyists were instrumental in connecting their corporate clients with fundraisers for President Donald Trump\u2019s ballroom, and nearly half of the corporations known to be funding the ballroom\u201411 out of 26 publicly reported corporate donors\u2014are Ballard\u2019s clients.\n\nThis is not the first time Ballard\u2019s involvement has raised questions of improper influence in DOJ deal reviews. In July, AG Bondi\u2019s DOJ dropped its challenge to the $570 million merger between American Express Global Business Travel and CWT Holdings after Amex GBT paid Ballard Partners to lobby the DOJ on antitrust matters. This followed the DOJ's decision to abruptly settle, just days before trial, its case to block HPE from acquiring Juniper Networks. A senior Trump administration official who was fired in the wake of this scandal raised alarm about \u201ccompanies \u2026 hiring lawyers and influence peddlers to bolster their MAGA credentials and pervert traditional law enforcement\u201d and warned that the DOJ is \u201cnow overwhelmed with lobbyists with little antitrust expertise going above the antitrust division leadership seeking special favors with warm hugs.\u201d\n\nFederal regulations require government employees to maintain a basic public service obligation to avoid any actions that would so much as create the appearance of violating the law. Bondi signed an Ethics Agreement pledging not to participate \u201cin any particular matter involving specific parties in which (she) knows Ballard Partners is a party or represents a party\u201d for one year after confirmation, until February 4, 2026. But even after the February deadline, Bondi\u2019s involvement in the Netflix-Paramount matter would raise the appearance of serious impropriety and threaten to violate her obligations as a public servant.\n\n\u201cDOJ must guarantee that any review of a potential Warner Bros. transaction is decided based upon the law, not perverted by political favoritism and cronyism\u2014particularly given the stakes of this case for consumers. Regardless of which of these two giant media conglomerates wins the bid for Warner Bros., a takeover will further consolidate the media market\u2014risking higher prices and less variety for consumers,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe lawmakers\u2019 call for Bondi\u2019s recusal follows a long pattern of ethics concerns surrounding the potential Warner Bros. deal. Donald Trump recently confirmed he would be \u201cinvolved\u201d in the ongoing Warner Bros. bidding war and suggested CNN should be sold as part of any deal, raising the specter of the President leveraging a possible merger to censor a prominent news network that he has openly criticized. Paramount\u2019s bid reportedly includes funding from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, including Saudi Arabia.\n\nPreviously, Paramount donated $16 million to the Trump Presidential Library to settle a lawsuit by President Trump, and CEO David Ellison reportedly agreed to a secret \u201cside deal\u201d to run millions of dollars of Trump-friendly ads. The Ellison family reportedly has the ear of President Trump and has allegedly engaged in conversations with the White House. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has also reportedly worked to obtain President Trump\u2019s approval, meeting with him at least twice.\n\nSenator Warren has long sounded the alarm on antitrust concerns and apparent political favoritism in the Trump administration\u2019s handling of media mergers:\n\nOn December 16, Senators Warren and Blumenthal raised national security concerns related to potential Middle Eastern funding of the Warner Bros. sale and pushed Treasury Secretary and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) Scott Bessent to conduct a CFIUS review.\n\nOn December 16, Senator Warren pushed the FCC and the DOJ to closely scrutinize Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna and to block the deal if they determine that it violates federal telecommunications or antitrust laws.\n\nOn December 8, Sen. Warren called Paramount\u2019s hostile bid a \u201cfive-alarm antitrust fire.\u201d\n\nOn December 5, Senator Warren responded to news of Netflix\u2019s winning bid for Warner Bros., calling it an \u201canti-monopoly nightmare.\u201d\n\nOn November 21, while on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Senator Warren called out Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison on his own network.\n\nOn November 19, Senator Warren led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in writing to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, warning that a potential Warner Bros. deal could be tainted by political favoritism and corruption.\n\nOn August 1, Senator Warren released a statement in response to Paramount and Skydance\u2019s responses to her letters to each of the companies, describing the responses as \u201cdodgy\u201d and calling for \u201ca full, independent investigation\u201d into whether the companies or their executives engaged in any criminal behavior connected to the approval of the companies\u2019 multi-billion-dollar merger.\n\nOn July 24, Sen. Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount-Skydance merger, saying, \u201cBribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn February 20, Sen. Warren urged the DOJ to closely scrutinize the proposed Disney-Fubo deal and warned of increased costs for TV viewers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-deluzio-pressure-bessent-to-limit-stock-buybacks-by-defense-contractors", "Warren, Deluzio Pressure Bessent to Limit Stock Buybacks By Defense Contractors", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Deluzio Pressure Bessent to Limit Stock Buybacks By Defense Contractors\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve a defense industry that prioritizes innovation and competition to help the U.S. military protect Americans, rather than one focused on shoveling more money out the door for shareholders and executives.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) pressured Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to follow through on his public statements by pushing defense companies to limit stock buybacks and increase research and development spending.\n\nEarlier this fall, Secretary Bessent spoke at CNBC\u2019s \u201cInvest in America Forum\u201d about his plans for American industrial policy amid China\u2019s dominance over the production of technology and minerals, stating, \u201cI do think our defense companies are woefully behind in terms of deliveries. So, we may have to -- as their biggest customer may have to prod them to do a little more research, do a little few [sic] stock buybacks.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe agree with your views that defense companies should spend less on stock buybacks and I look forward to a potential partnership in working together with you and the Trump Administration on these issues,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nIn recent years, stock buybacks in the defense industry have increased while research and development expenditures have declined. Despite raking in billions of dollars in profit and cash flow from 2021 to 2024, the top four defense contractors, Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman, spent a combined total of $89 billion on stock buybacks.\n\n\u201cDoD pays an exorbitant amount of money to defense contractors each year. Contractors should be prioritizing investments in research, development, and their workforce to help strengthen America\u2019s innovation,\u201d continued the lawmakers.\n\nDuring the first Trump Administration, the Department of Defense (DoD) committed to prohibiting progress payments to contractors during the COVID-19 pandemic from going towards buybacks or dividends. The lawmakers note that this helped protect national security and prevented billions of taxpayer dollars from being used on stock buybacks.\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve a defense industry that prioritizes innovation and competition to help the U.S. military protect Americans, rather than one focused on shoveling more money out the door for shareholders and executives,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nSenator Warren has fought to limit stock buybacks by giant companies that received taxpayer money:\n\nIn June 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to defense contractors criticizing lobbying for tax breaks and asked for information on how funds would impact stock buybacks.\n\nIn July 2024, Senator Warren urged Commerce to use its full statutory authority to prevent CHIPS funding from going to stock buybacks.\n\nIn February 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Casten (D-Ill) sent a letter to the President and CEO of BAE Systems, the first CHIPS Act award recipient, expressing concerns over BAE Systems\u2019 history of engaging in massive stock buyback schemes and urging BAE to refrain from engaging in stock buybacks for the duration of its CHIPS Act grant.\n\nIn July 2023, Senator Warren and Representative Deluzio sent a letter to defense contractors on how retroactive tax breaks would impact their stock buyback plans.\n\nIn February 2023, Senators Warren, Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Representatives Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), Jayapal, and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Michael Schmidt, Director of the CHIPS Program Office, calling on Commerce to use its full authority to prevent funds from CHIPS and Science Act from being used to directly or indirectly subsidize corporate stock buybacks.\n\nIn October 2022, Senators Warren, Baldwin, Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Representatives Casten, Bowman, Jayapal, and Foster sent a letter to Secretary Raimondo, urging the Commerce Department to strengthen and enforce critical protections against the abuse of funds provided CHIPS Act for stock buybacks and promising continued Congressional oversight over the Department\u2019s implementation of its commitments.\n\nIn September 2022, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Warren raised concerns about the need to protect CHIPS Act funds from being used by semiconductor companies to line the pockets of corporate executives instead of investing in strengthening supply chains, creating good union jobs, and bringing down prices for consumers.\n\nIn June 2022, Senators Warren and Sanders and Representative Casten sent a letter to congressional conferees stressing the importance of strong guardrails to ensure that funding for the CHIPS Act is invested in workers and communities as intended, instead of enriching corporate executives.\n\nIn May 2020, Senator Warren warned DoD about the profiteering risks of pandemic policies to benefit defense contractors.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lujan-smith-press-trump-trade-representative-to-reveal-whether-giant-corporations-influenced-trade-priorities", "Warren, Luj\u00e1n, Smith Press Trump Trade Representative to Reveal Whether Giant Corporations Influenced Trade Priorities", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Luj\u00e1n, Smith Press Trump Trade Representative to Reveal Whether Giant Corporations Influenced Trade Priorities\n\n\u201cUSTR has engaged in unprecedented secrecy while negotiating trade deals\u2014with the exception of sharing insider information with Wall Street and business executives.\u201d\n\nAmericans deserve to know what the Administration\u2019s negotiating priorities are and how industry perspectives and pressure from big corporations will affect the Administration\u2019s agenda.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer urging him to publish a complete written report outlining the administration\u2019s objectives for U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) renegotiations.\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration should not be hiding its goals and agenda for this renegotiation behind closed doors\u2026Congress and the public should have the opportunity to review the Administration\u2019s goals and understand which interests have influenced [your] approach,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nAs Congress begins a statutorily required review of the USMCA, USTR is required to solicit input from stakeholders and the public through a comment period and public hearings, which it will use to develop its negotiating objectives. USTR is required to, by January 2, 2026, report these objectives to various Congressional committees. During NAFTA renegotiations that led to USMCA, the first Trump administration publicly posted its written negotiating objectives.\n\nFor this review, though, recent reporting suggests USTR plans to conduct an oral, closed door ninety-minute \u201cbriefing\u201d for members of the Senate Finance Committee, instead of publishing a written report. The senators pushed back, arguing this briefing does not provide a thorough report and that the public has a right to know what USTR plans to prioritize in this USMCA renegotiation.\n\n\u201cThis lack of transparency leaves Americans in the dark as to the Administration\u2019s goals in the renegotiation process\u2014and exactly which voices have shaped USTR\u2019s thinking,\u201d said the senators.\n\nIn its public outreach, USTR received extensive input from labor groups on behalf of workers urging for reforms to more effectively address labor abuses under USMCA, and environmental groups advocated for stronger environmental protections and enforcement.\n\nBut corporate lobbyists and industry-aligned groups also advocated for policies that advance their corporate interests\u2014often at the expense of workers and consumers. Big tech-funded groups hoping to advance their \u201cdigital trade agenda\u201d called on USTR to use trade deals to stop common sense regulations promoting competition or consumer protections. While big corporations advocated for policies that enabled them to avoid paying taxes in other countries. This input is in addition to the undisclosed number of behind-closed-door meetings that USTR has taken with corporate lobbyists.\n\n\u201cIn order to see whose interests USTR is prioritizing in its USMCA review, it must provide Congress and [the] public with a written report\u2014enabling the public and Congress to advocate for policies that help Americans and, if necessary, fight back against corporate influence,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve to know what the Administration\u2019s negotiating priorities are and how industry perspectives and pressure from big corporations will affect the Administration\u2019s agenda. We urge you to publish the report as soon as possible and allow for public comment,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe coalition asked USTR Greer to, by December 30, 2025, commit to publicly posting the administration\u2019s negotiating objectives and explain which stakeholders were involved in shaping them.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-sanders-to-labor-secretary-new-unemployment-benefits-pilot-program-may-lead-to-delayed-disrupted-benefits", "Warren, Sanders to Labor Secretary: New Unemployment Benefits Pilot Program May Lead to Delayed, Disrupted Benefits", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Sanders to Labor Secretary: New Unemployment Benefits Pilot Program May Lead to Delayed, Disrupted Benefits\n\nSenators warn Labor Department\u2019s limited capacity could result in improperly denying Americans their benefits or exposing their personal data\n\n\u201cUnemployment benefits are a vital income support for workers as they look for a new job\u2026Mishandling these claims can mean delayed or disrupted payments to Americans who need\u2014and deserve\u2014the unemployment benefits they are entitled to.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote to Secretary of the Department of Labor (DOL), Lori Chavez-DeRemer, with concerns about the Trump administration\u2019s new pilot program to begin intaking state unemployment claims at the federal level.\n\nRecent reporting reveals that DOL plans to launch a new platform called \u201cunemployment.gov\u201d that would give the Trump administration a \u201cmore active role in processing unemployment claims.\u201d This platform would reportedly intake initial unemployment claims for participating states, which includes verifying claimants\u2019 identity and work authorization. DOL announced plans to test this platform with a select number of states by the end of 2025. However, the agency has not yet clarified how it will implement this pilot, who will have access to the data it collects, or how it would use this data. This launch comes just months after DOL proposed a rule requiring states to \u201chand over\u201d their unemployment claims information.\n\nSince the start of the second Trump administration, DOL has cut about 20 percent of its workforce. About 75 percent of the agency\u2019s staff was also furloughed due to Republicans\u2019 government shutdown, raising questions about the department\u2019s ability to roll out this pilot program by the end of the year. The agency also has not announced which states will participate and what criteria was used to determine this list of states.\n\n\u201cDOL appears dangerously unprepared to handle unemployment claims intake, which could have severe financial impacts on claimants in their times of need\u2026This raises concerns about DOL\u2019s capacity to handle its basic statutory functions\u2014let alone take on other responsibilities,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nIf DOL mishandles claims intake as a result of its limited capacity, benefits may be delayed or disrupted to those filing for unemployment, leaving them at risk of food, medical, and housing insecurity. Poorly handling these claims also increases the risk of improper payments and benefit denials.\n\nThe senators also raised concerns about the Trump administration\u2019s record of mishandling personal data, like its\u2019 storing sensitive Social Security data on vulnerable cloud servers and erroneously placing thousands of living Americans on the Social Security Administration\u2019s Death Master File. The pilot program would give DOL and the rest of the administration access to sensitive information that would ostensibly be fed into its national database of unemployment claims, which poses major privacy risks.\n\n\u201c[T]his new pilot\u2026amplifies our concerns that DOL will use this data as part of the Administration\u2019s effort to combine all agencies\u2019 data into a master database, which experts have warned that the Administration could abuse to crack down on political opposition\u2014or simply sell to the highest bidder,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\n\u201c[R]ushing to launch a pilot program while your agency is struggling to keep up with its other duties\u2014and with little to no guardrails for how you will treat the sensitive personal and financial data this pilot would collect\u2014is not the way to modernize [unemployment insurance],\u201d concluded the senators.\n\nThe senators asked Secretary DeRemer to provide, by January 7, 2026, details on the new pilot program, including what states will participate, the cost of the pilot program, what data will be collected, how the agency plans to store and protect that data, and an explanation of why the department is moving forward with the pilot program when the department is at reduced capacity.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-secures-wins-on-service-member-safety-transparency-at-defense-department-in-fy-2026-defense-policy-bill", "Warren Secures Wins on Service Member Safety, Transparency at Defense Department in FY 2026 Defense Policy Bill", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Secures Wins on Service Member Safety, Transparency at Defense Department in FY 2026 Defense Policy Bill\n\nExecutive Summary of Final FY26 NDAA (Website)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 NDAA), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, announced she secured key wins, including on troop health and safety, transparency from Secretary Hegseth on major cuts at the Pentagon, boosting competition among defense contractors, improved housing conditions for American troops, and education.\n\nSenator Warren secured the following provisions in the FY26 NDAA:\n\nService Member Health and Safety\n\nA provision providing an additional $3.5 million for blast overpressure analysis and mitigation beyond the Trump administration\u2019s request;\n\nA provision requiring DoD to provide a Congressional briefing on the feasibility of conducting a study on the long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure in partnership with a non-profit academic medical center specializing in Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and with experience working with Special Operators; and\n\nA provision requiring the Government Accountability Office to study DoD\u2019s compliance with blast overpressure reforms passed in last year\u2019s NDAA, as well as DoD\u2019s efforts to use cognitive assessments to track brain health, to document service member exposure, and to address the potential link between exposure and risks of suicide.\n\n\u201cWe owe it to our service members to do everything we can to stop the devastating effects of blast overpressures. For years, I\u2019ve led the charge on bipartisan reforms to keep our service members safe and will continue to fight to get them the care they deserve,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nFor over seven years, Senator Warren has led efforts to measure blast exposure and develop protocols that protect our military. She\u2019s introduced bipartisan legislation to track service members\u2019 exposure to and mitigate the effects of blast overpressure. She\u2019s also hosted a hearing and a forum to highlight service members\u2019 and veterans\u2019 experiences with getting care for these injuries. In last year\u2019s NDAA, Senator Warren secured historic reforms to improve access to care after exposure to blast overpressure and mitigate exposure risks.\n\nA provision requiring the Joint Safety Council to provide Congress the executive summaries of Safety Investigation Boards (SIBs) conducted for the past three years and any corrective actions that were taken.\n\n\u201cThe best way I can honor Jake\u2019s legacy is by fighting for transparency and accountability from the Pentagon,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI'll keep fighting to make sure the V-22's safety defects are addressed so no more military families lose their loved ones in preventable accidents.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has also highlighted the need for transparency around military accidents, the crash that killed Staff Sergeant Jacob Galliher\u2013 a young father from Pittsfield, Massachusetts.\n\nA provision expanding the statutory authority for the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), as well as mandating oversight of critical programs.\n\n\u201cSecretary Hegseth\u2019s cuts to the independent weapons testing office put service members\u2019 lives in danger and threatens our national security. We need strong oversight to ensure our weapons don\u2019t unnecessarily risk lives and that these programs are not a waste of taxpayer funds,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren has long warned that Secretary Hegseth\u2019s massive cuts to the weapons testing office would have devastating effects on service member safety. She also demanded accountability from the Secretary and asked the incoming Director of the office to commit to more transparency about weapons programs.\n\nPromoting Accountability\n\nA provision requiring DoD to notify Congress no later than five days after the removal of a Judge Advocate General (JAG), top legal officers for the military services, and provide a justification;\n\nA provision recognizing the importance of judge advocates providing independent and candid legal advice;\n\nA provision requiring the President to notify and provide a justification to Congress no later than five days after the removal or transfer of a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and\n\nA provision requiring DoD to submit regular reports to Congress on the number of noncitizens detained at DoD installations and the total cost that could be incurred by DoD for those detentions during the report\u2019s time period.\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration\u2019s politicization of the military undermines our national security and erodes trust in our armed forces. Our service members deserve better. These changes will help ensure transparency and rein in abuse from the Trump administration,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren, along with several of her SASC colleagues, sent a letter to Secretary Hegseth earlier this year raising concerns about how his firings of these top military lawyers would damage public trust and the apolitical foundation of the military legal system. In a March 2025 hearing, Senator Warren also highlighted, and a Trump defense nominee agreed with, the importance of the Judge Advocate General\u2019s Corps, whom American troops rely on for legal advice and Senator Lindsey Graham has praised as \u201cthe conscience of the military.\u201d\n\nIncreasing Competition\n\nProvisions from Senator Warren\u2019s bipartisan Protecting AI and Cloud Competition Act, which requires DoD to produce a report on competition dynamics between AI and commercial cloud providers, the impacts of competition on overall innovation in AI, barriers to entry for small and new performers, and the impact of potential or perceived concentrations of market power or market share on competition;\n\nA provision that will help promote cost-effective acquisitions, reduce vendor-lock, and spur innovation by requiring the Secretary of Defense to ensure that major system interfaces are adequately designated and defined to achieve a modular open system approach (MOSA) and that contractors of a major system interface are delivering documentation necessary to enable third parties to integrate their modules and components;\n\nA study to investigate defense contractor price gouging by directing the Acquisition Innovation Research Center to assess whether the late submission of cost or pricing data, a practice called \u201csweeping\u201d used by contractors to release themselves from liability while potentially hiding data that might give DoD a better price on a deal, is widespread and make recommendations to address it;\n\nA provision requiring the DoD Inspector General to review sole source cloud computing contracts awarded under the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability program, including justifications, approvals, and systemic challenges to competition;\n\nA provision that will help increase supply chain transparency and opportunities for competition by requiring DoD to brief Congress on its supply chain mapping strategy, including its progress on its implementation of the Supply Chain Risk Evaluation Environment (SCREEn) and its ability to use existing tools to determine countries of origin for materials and single points of failure; and\n\nA provision requiring the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (ASD IBP) to report to Congress on the steps it has taken to address shortfalls identified in a GAO report on risks from mergers and acquisitions. IBP must also report on how it will adequately monitor and mitigate the risks from mergers and acquisitions of major defense suppliers, including through ensuring it is adequately staffed.\n\n\u201cAs we modernize our military\u2019s AI and cloud computing programs, we need to protect these programs from Silicon Valley monopolies. I fought hard to ensure we\u2019re implementing strong guardrails that save money and protect our national security,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis provision is going to ensure our military can access cutting-edge tools while keeping our markets strong and our information secure.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has urged the Defense Department to ensure its AI contracting processes will protect government data, save taxpayer funds, and promote competition. She\u2019s also introduced bipartisan legislation to help rein in Big Tech companies and prevent them from cutting out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets when it comes to defense contracting.\n\nDrug Supply Chains\n\nA provision requiring DoD to report on how shortages and supply challenges for drugs and medical countermeasures have affected military readiness and the ability for DoD to obtain the pharmaceuticals it needs for its personnel.\n\n\u201cThe DoD's overreliance on overseas manufacturers gives our adversaries the power to restrict our access to drugs we need to treat our men and women in uniform,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cRequiring the Pentagon to provide this crucial information is a step in the right direction that\u2019ll help Congress develop the tools we need to protect Americans and strengthen our domestic pharmaceutical supply chain.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has long sounded the alarm on the danger of overly relying on foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers, for both the military and civilians. She has led bipartisan oversight and urged the Defense Department to reform acquisition rules to give preference to American-made products. She has also filed legislation to end the country\u2019s dependence on foreign countries for critical drugs and to study the effects of foreign investment on the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.\n\nMilitary Health Care\n\nA provision requiring DoD to provide a confidential briefing to the Armed Services Committee every six months on the differences in reimbursement rates or practices, direct and indirect remuneration fees or other price concessions, and clawbacks between pharmacies that are affiliates of TRICARE\u2019s contracted Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) and pharmacies that are not affiliates of TRICARE\u2019s contracted PBM.\n\n\u201cOne of the nation's biggest drug middlemen may be ripping off our military to boost its profits--and trying to hide this information from Congress. I\u2019m glad my colleagues agree we need to investigate these abuses to prevent price-gouging at the expense of our servicemembers,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren has also called for auditing TRICARE\u2019s pharmacy contractors and raised concerns about practices that may price gouge the military. Military leaders and experts have also testified before Congress on the need for more transparency to improve access and lower health care costs for the military.\n\nMilitary Housing\n\nA provision requiring DoD to provide a report and briefing to SASC on the extent to which privatized military housing companies are using algorithmic software, including RealPage, to set housing rents for service members paid through federal basic allowance for housing (BAH);\n\nA provision increasing the transparency of landlord financial practices by requiring privatized military housing companies to report their liability insurance coverage and the amounts of payments made to tenants to resolve dispute resolutions.\n\n\u201cMilitary families deserve safe, affordable housing. Congress must investigate the potential use of rent-setting algorithms used to price gouge military families and the federal government,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren has led efforts to improve the conditions in privatized military housing and increase protections for military families. She has long led the effort to look into landlords\u2019 use of algorithmic pricing tools like RealPage to illegally inflate rents on servicemembers. She has also introduced legislation to ban the use of NDAs by private military housing landlords and address unsafe housing conditions. At an April 2025 hearing, Senator Warren secured a commitment from a Trump defense nominee to hold military housing contractors accountable.\n\nEducation\n\nA provision requiring DoD to issue a report on the status of a data match to ensure service members can automatically receive Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF); and\n\nA provision directing GAO to issue a report on challenges service members face in student loan repayment, including scams, repayment procedures, and servicer misconduct.\n\n\u201cService members put their lives on the line for this country, so there\u2019s no excuse for our government to fall short of its promises to them. Helping service members afford quality education is how our country recruits and maintains a fighting force,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren has been a leading voice in fighting for strong education benefits for service members and families, fighting to restore benefits to veterans cheated by for-profit colleges, and pushing the Defense Department to release data on the Postsecondary Education Complaint System (PECS), a centralized database to track complaints against schools who participate in tuition assistance programs. At an April 2025 hearing, she pressed military leaders on the impact of the Defense Department\u2019s shortcomings on education benefits.\n\nSupporting Massachusetts\n\nA provision authorizing $55 million for a fire station for Hanscom Air Force Base;\n\nA provision extending a $66 million authorization for a NC3 Acquisitions Management Facility at Hanscom Air Force Base;\n\nA provision authorizing $124 million for energy resilience and conservation investment program projects at Cape Cod Space Force Station;\n\nA provision authorizing $15 million above the Trump administration\u2019s request for the Lincoln Laboratory Research Program; and\n\nA provision authorizing $31 million for dining facilities and Expeditionary MEDical Support (EMEDS) for Otis Air National Guard Base.\n\n\u201cMassachusetts has long led the way in innovative research for national security. I fought hard to ensure our Commonwealth can continue to be a leader in cutting edge research, as well as securing funding for upgrading our bases and facilities,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSince joining the committee, Senator Warren has secured hundreds of millions in funding for family housing, safety upgrades, and other critical military construction at military bases in Massachusetts.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warren-highlights-impact-of-education-departments-dismantling-on-students-calls-on-congress-to-act", "ICYMI: Warren Highlights Impact of Education Department\u2019s Dismantling on Students, Calls on Congress to Act", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Warren Highlights Impact of Education Department\u2019s Dismantling on Students, Calls on Congress to Act\n\nWarren: \u201cNo nation is a great nation if it shortchanges its children.\u201d\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), in a forum held by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) titled \u201cDismantling Education: What the Trump Administration\u2019s Illegal Attacks on Federal Programs Mean for Students, Families, and Educators,\u201d highlighted the impacts of Education Secretary Linda McMahon\u2019s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) on students and pushed for Congress to act.\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration\u2019s attempts to dismantle the Education Department are an attack on public education and public schools,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI\u2019m fighting to ensure every kid, no matter their zip code or how much money their family makes, has a shot at a quality education.\u201d\n\nLast month, Secretary McMahon announced plans to further dismantle ED by moving multiple responsibilities of the agency to four other federal departments\u2014including by moving the administration of Title I funding, which provides $18 billion annually to K-12 schools, to the Department of Labor. Ms. Rachel Gittleman, Local 252 American Federation of Government Employees President, warned of \u201cchaos and harm\u201d if the transfer proceeds. She explained that earlier this year, Career and Technical Education programs were moved to the Department of Labor, leading to significant delays, turmoil for grantees, and uncertainty for students.\n\nSenator Warren also criticized the Trump administration\u2019s attempt to fire nearly every person working in the special education office at the Department of Education. Mr. Chad Rummel, Executive Director of the Council for Exceptional Children, emphasized ongoing \u201cimminent threats\u201d to the Office of Special Education, warning that ED was planning to soon transfer this office as well.\n\nMs. Denise Forte, President and CEO of The Education Trust, stressed that Congress must ensure that upcoming appropriations bills contain provisions blocking programs from being transferred out of ED. Ms. Forte's organization recently led a letter alongside over 80 education and civil rights groups urging Congress to \u201creclaim its authority and prevent this unprecedented and drastic transfer of authority.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren concluded the hearing by encouraging \u201ceverybody who cares about this issue\u201d to push for Congress to block the dismantling of ED through the appropriations process, stating, \u201cNo nation is a great nation if it shortchanges its children.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to make our higher education system more affordable, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable for incompetence and malfeasance. She launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump\u2019s attempts to abolish the Department of Education.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-warren-lawmakers-open-investigation-into-big-tech-data-centers-role-in-driving-up-families-utility-costs", "Senator Warren, Lawmakers Open Investigation into Big Tech Data Centers\u2019 Role in Driving Up Families\u2019 Utility Costs", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senator Warren, Lawmakers Open Investigation into Big Tech Data Centers\u2019 Role in Driving Up Families\u2019 Utility Costs\n\nAs AI and Big Tech firms, including Google, Amazon, and Meta, build energy-guzzling data centers and make opaque agreements with utility companies, consumers are left holding the bill for these trillion-dollar companies.\n\nText of Letters (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) opened an investigation into the extent to which big tech data centers are driving up consumers\u2019 electricity costs. The senators sent letters to Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, CoreWeave, Digital Realty, and Equinix.\n\n\u201cWe write in light of alarming reports that tech companies are passing on the costs of building and operating their data centers to ordinary Americans as AI data centers\u2019 energy usage has caused residential electricity bills to skyrocket in nearby communities,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThrough these utility price increases, American families bankroll the electricity costs of trillion-dollar tech companies.\u201d\n\nAs American AI companies build new models, their AI data centers require more and more energy from the grid. A single data center uses enough electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes, and the U.S. Department of Energy projects that data centers could make up 12% of all U.S. power consumption by 2028.\n\nAs a result, utility companies have spent billions of dollars updating the electrical grid to accommodate the data centers\u2019 unprecedented energy demands, including building expensive new transmission lines and power plants. These infrastructure buildouts cost billions of dollars: the utility Indiana Michigan Power estimates that building new power plants to meet data center demand in the region will cost $17 billion over the next several years. These costs appear to be recouped by raising residential utility bills, meaning American consumers could end up subsidizing the energy demands of Big Tech. Since President Trump took office, household electric bills have gone up 13% nationally.\n\n\u201cRecent increases to consumers\u2019 utility bills are directly linked to the tech industry\u2019s data center buildout,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cWhen utilities expand their grid infrastructure, they incorporate the cost of expansion into their utility rates, passing the extra costs onto their customers.\u201d\n\nThe contracts between data centers and utility companies are almost always confidential, leaving the public in the dark on why their electric bill keeps going up. That\u2019s why the senators are pushing for answers from these companies and asking them what they intend to do to mitigate these cost concerns.\n\n\u201cTech companies have paid lip service in support of covering their data centers\u2019 energy costs, but their actions have shown the opposite\u2026 And on top of failing to pay their fair share of their electricity rates, tech companies regularly hide as much information as possible from the communities in which their data centers will be built,\u201d continued the lawmakers. \u201cTo protect consumers, data centers must pay a greater share of the costs upfront for future energy usage and updates to the electrical grid provided specifically to accommodate data centers\u2019 energy needs.\u201d\n\nThe senators are pushing these companies for answers to their probe by no later than January 12, 2026.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-warren-lawmakers-push-fcc-doj-to-closely-scrutinize-nexstars-acquisition-of-tegna-which-would-create-broadcast-media-giant-reaching-80-of-us-tv-households", "Senator Warren, Lawmakers Push FCC, DOJ to Closely Scrutinize Nexstar's Acquisition of Tegna, Which Would Create Broadcast Media Giant Reaching 80% of US TV Households", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senator Warren, Lawmakers Push FCC, DOJ to Closely Scrutinize Nexstar's Acquisition of Tegna, Which Would Create Broadcast Media Giant Reaching 80% of US TV Households\n\nWarn that deal could raise prices, cost jobs and weaken local TV stations\n\nThe company\u2019s proposed acquisition of Tegna is presumptively illegal because it would allow Nexstar to exceed national caps on station ownership\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), along with Representatives Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), and Summer Lee (D-Pa.), wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr and Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Department of Justice (DOJ), urging them to closely scrutinize Nexstar Media Group, Inc.\u2019s (\u201cNexstar\u201d) proposed acquisition of Tegna Inc. (\u201cTegna\u201d) and to block this deal if they determine that it violates federal telecommunications or antitrust laws.\n\nThe letter comes amid heightened attention to concerns about media consolidation, with lawmakers already sounding the alarm about large-scale media mergers, including the potential sale of Warner Bros. to Netflix or Paramount Skydance.\n\n\u201cRegulatory approval of the conglomerate would likely raise prices for consumers, accelerate job losses, and weaken the independence and news coverage of local TV stations,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nIn August, Nexstar announced its intention to purchase competitor Tegna in a $6.2 billion deal. Nexstar is the largest owner of local broadcast television stations in the United States, controlling 201 stations and serving more than a third of local TV households nationally. Tegna owns 64 TV stations in 51 markets. A merger between Nexstar and Tegna would create a broadcast media giant reaching 80% of U.S. TV households. Currently, federal communications law prohibits an entity from owning TV stations that reach more than 39% of all U.S. TV households. If this deal is allowed, the new merged company would surpass that threshold.\n\n\u201cThe company\u2019s proposed acquisition of Tegna is presumptively illegal because it would allow Nexstar to exceed national caps on station ownership, creating a media giant that would far outstrip its competitors,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThe FCC should abandon its attempt to circumvent Congress to change broadcast ownership rules, and should refrain from issuing a waiver to give Nexstar and Tegna permission to disregard the cap.\u201d\n\nAs a TV market industry expert explains, \u201cownership rules were designed to ensure local voices and limit concentration. Broadcasters were expected to serve their communities because the airwaves are publicly owned.\u201d\n\nAlready, the circumstances around regulatory approvals, potentially including this deal, have been politicized. One month after Nexstar announced its intention to acquire Tegna, FCC Chairman Carr said, with regard to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, that media companies \u201ccan find ways to take action on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.\u201d He added, \u201c[w]e can do this the easy way or the hard way.\u201d Hours later, Nexstar preempted the distribution of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and only returned the show to the airwaves after public pressure.\n\nFor this reason, the lawmakers are pushing for a government process that clearly and transparently enforces laws that protect consumers, free from political influence or backroom deals. Notably, the public is feeling the stakes of media mergers more acutely as this is happening at the same time as the Warner Bros. bidding war, which has garnered a tremendous amount of attention.\n\n\u201cThe industry\u2019s attempt to boost profits for executives through consolidation ultimately comes at the expense of viewers across the country and independent, local TV journalism,\u201d concluded the lawmakers. \u201cWe urge the FCC to carefully review the deal, including by holding public hearings, and block it if Nexstar cannot affirmatively prove that the deal will benefit the public, not just its shareholders.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-raise-national-security-concerns-related-to-potential-middle-eastern-funding-of-warner-bros-sale-push-bessent-to-conduct-foreign-investment-committee-review", "Warren, Blumenthal Raise National Security Concerns Related to Potential Middle Eastern Funding of Warner Bros. Sale; Push Bessent to Conduct Foreign Investment Committee Review", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Blumenthal Raise National Security Concerns Related to Potential Middle Eastern Funding of Warner Bros. Sale; Push Bessent to Conduct Foreign Investment Committee Review\n\nParamount Skydance bid for Warner Bros. reportedly funded by Saudi, Qatari, Abu Dhabi government investment funds and could give foreign entities access to Americans\u2019 sensitive personal data, influence over giant media conglomerate\n\n\u201cThe American public deserves assurances that CFIUS is playing its role in reviewing whether these investments could pose a risk to U.S. national security and how best to address such risks.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) pressed Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), following reports that, if Warner Bros. is sold to Paramount-Skydance, the deal could be funded by foreign government investors, raising potential national security risks. The lawmakers pressed Bessent to carefully examine whether the deal is subject to a CFIUS review, and if so, to conduct it in a comprehensive, thorough, and non-politicized manner.\n\n\u201cThe American public deserves assurances that CFIUS is playing its role in reviewing whether these investments could pose a risk to U.S. national security and how best to address such risks. The public also deserves assurances that any reviews are conducted in an unbiased fashion without regard to political favoritism by President Trump or any other Administration official,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nParamount-Skydance has mounted a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. and is locked in a battle with Netflix over which of these two will gain the upper hand for the company. Sens. Warren and Blumenthal, in their letter that was sent earlier this month, noted that, \"This deal\u2014regardless of which of the three bidders wins\u2014will likely raise significant antitrust concerns and require close scrutiny by the Department of Justice.\"\n\nBut they noted additional concerns because the Paramount-Skydance bid for Warner Bros. is reportedly backed in part by the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. If such a sale were to go through, it could potentially provide foreign entities with access to the sensitive personal data of millions of Americans and significant influence over one of the nation\u2019s largest media and entertainment conglomerates. CFIUS is responsible for mitigating national security risks of specific types of foreign investments in the United States and, in certain circumstances, blocking foreign acquisitions of American companies or technologies.\n\nThe Warner Bros. bidding war is already clouded by corruption concerns. Paramount-Skydance, reportedly the preferred bidder of the Trump administration, has donated $16 million to the Trump Presidential Library and apparently agreed to a secret side deal to run Trump-friendly ads.\n\n\u201cLast month, we wrote to the Department of Justice seeking assurances that, despite the appearance of corruption and favoritism, the Department would conduct a thorough, independent, and fact-based antitrust review of the merger, and would not be swayed by politics. We write to you with similar concerns about the role that CFIUS may play in reviewing any merger,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nSenator Warren has consistently fought back against corrupt corporate media consolidation:\n\nOn December 16, Senator Warren pushed FCC, DOJ to closely scrutinize Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna and to block this deal if they determine that it violates federal telecommunications or antitrust laws.\n\nOn December 8, Senator Warren responded to news of Paramount-Skydance\u2019s hostile bid for Warner Bros., calling it a \u201cfive-alarm antitrust fire.\u201d\n\nOn December 5, Senator Warren responded to news of Netflix\u2019s winning bid for Warner Bros., calling it an \u201canti-monopoly nightmare.\u201d\n\nOn November 21, while on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Senator Warren called out Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison on his own network.\n\nOn November 19, Senators Warren, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) warned that a potential Warner Bros. deal could be tainted by political favoritism and corruption.\n\nOn October 10, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) questioned Skydance\u2019s refusal to address President Donald Trump\u2019s reported secret side deal.\n\nOn August 1, Senator Warren released a statement in response to Paramount\u2019s and Skydance\u2019s responses to her letters to each of the companies, describing the responses as \u201cdodgy\u201d and calling for \u201ca full, independent investigation\u201d into whether the companies or their executives engaged in any criminal behavior connected to the approval of the companies\u2019 multi-billion-dollar merger.\n\nOn July 24, Senator Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount-Skydance megamerger, saying \u201cbribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn July 23, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Variety: \u201cElizabeth Warren on Colbert 'Late Show' Cancellation: Is the Paramount Trump Payoff a Bribe?\u201d\n\nOn July 21, Senators Warren, Sanders (I-Vt.), and Wyden (D-Ore.) pressed David Ellison, CEO of Skydance, about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump\u2014and how it may be related to Paramount\u2019s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump.\n\nOn July 17, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and lawmakers in Congress, unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.\n\nOn July 15, Senator Warren released a new report exposing how companies, special interests, and foreign governments may be pledging donations to President Trump\u2019s future Presidential Library as a corrupt tool to secure favorable outcomes from his administration.\n\nOn July 2, Senator Warren called for an investigation into Paramount\u2019s settlement with Trump.\n\nOn May 19, Senators Warren, Sanders, and Wyden wrote to Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount, with concerns regarding whether Paramount may be engaging in potentially illegal conduct involving the Trump Administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-garamendi-press-energy-secretary-on-mismanagement-and-taxpayer-waste-in-plutonium-pit-production-program", "Warren, Garamendi Press Energy Secretary on Mismanagement and Taxpayer Waste in Plutonium Pit Production Program", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Garamendi Press Energy Secretary on Mismanagement and Taxpayer Waste in Plutonium Pit Production Program\n\nWithout transparency, accountability, and action around the pit program, the Department of Energy may be enabling the waste of billions of taxpayer dollars.\n\n\u201cIn rushing to production, NNSA has developed an excessively risky program structure, with management concerns around fundamental aspects such as the cost and schedule.\"\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 In a new letter, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative John Garamendi (D-Calif.), both members of their respective Armed Services Committees and of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, are urging Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright to review the scope of and the need for the nuclear weapon plutonium pit production program, and pause the program\u2019s Savannah River site until the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has established guardrails to prevent additional waste of taxpayer funds.\n\nIn August, the Department of Energy (DOE) launched a special study into NSSA\u2019s leadership and management of the plutonium pit production mission. The lawmakers believe that, if properly conducted, the study will find that years of mismanagement have put billions of taxpayer dollars at risk with an unrealistic pit production schedule and goals.\n\n\u201cThe Trump administration is blindly spending tens of billions of dollars to produce plutonium pits for nuclear weapons without a real budget or plan,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis program is already years behind schedule and over budget, and Congressman Garamendi and I are urging the Secretary of Energy to conduct a vigorous review to rein in years of waste and mismanagement.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years I have called for Congress to take action to fix the failing plutonium modernization effort. Congress has continued to pour billions of dollars into efforts to restart production with arbitrary targets,\" said Congressman Garamendi. \"This letter cuts to the core of the matter and asks necessary questions of NNSA, including about the questionable management and faulty assumptions underlying the program. I eagerly await their response, along with the results of the Department of Energy\u2019s 120-day special investigation.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers raise concerns about how, years into this program, it is still unclear what the pit production program\u2019s schedule and full cost will be. The Government Accountability Office recommended NNSA create a master schedule to comply with its best practices, but the agency has yet to produce one. Additionally, the lawmakers call out the continued pursuit of the Savannah River pit production site as a big driver of the pit production program\u2019s ballooning cost, even as the site\u2019s benefits remain questionable. They argue that without a comprehensive plan and budget for this massive undertaking, the agency is setting itself up for failure.\n\nThe lawmakers pressed for answers by January 9, 2025, about the DOE\u2019s special study on the program, the budget and timeline of the program, and the necessity of new plutonium pits for the United States\u2019 nuclear deterrence.\n\nSenator Warren has long worked to ensure the accountability of the United States nuclear arsenal:\n\nIn March 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren slammed Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency\u2019s (DOGE) reckless firings of federal employees, including at the NNSA, where workers who ensure the safety and security of the country\u2019s nuclear stockpile were fired and had to be rehired.\n\nIn January 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Elon Musk with recommendations that would cut at least $2 trillion in government waste, including cutting nearly $2 billion in NNSA yearly spending on plutonium pit production at the Savannah River Site.\n\nIn April 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed then-NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby at a Senate Armed Services hearing on how the NNSA had not provided a full cost estimate of the pit production program to Congress and on how the NNSA had admitted previously that its goal to produce 80 pits per year by 2030 would not be feasible.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warren-murray-wyden-gillibrand-lead-democrats-in-new-bill-to-halt-medicares-new-ai-approvals-process", "ICYMI: Warren, Murray, Wyden, Gillibrand Lead Democrats in New Bill to Halt Medicare\u2019s New AI Approvals Process", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Warren, Murray, Wyden, Gillibrand Lead Democrats in New Bill to Halt Medicare\u2019s New AI Approvals Process\n\nAs Republicans double down on health care sabotage, Senators lead effort to protect Medicare benefits from an AI experiment\n\nBill Text (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Senate Aging Committee; and their colleagues in introducing the Seniors Deserve SMARTER (Streamlined Medical Approvals for Timely, Efficient Recovery) Care Act, legislation that would prohibit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from implementing the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model.\n\nThe Trump administration\u2019s WISeR model will introduce prior authorization requirements into Traditional Medicare for the first time ever\u2014allowing private companies to use artificial intelligence (AI) to decide whether to approve or deny certain medical procedures for patients on Traditional Medicare. The model will impose new burdensome requirements on health care providers, especially those working in small or low-resource settings, and create new roadblocks for patients\u2014meaning that AI will get to decide what care patients receive, even after their doctors have recommended a particular procedure or medication.\n\nMost concerningly, the third-party AI companies involved in the program will be compensated based on a share of \u201caverted expenditures\u201d\u2014rewarding companies based on the volume or cost of care they deny to seniors on Medicare. According to CMS, human clinicians will review any denials made by AI\u2014but the Trump administration has failed to provide clear guidance to providers and the public about what this will look like, despite implementation being mere weeks away. The Trump administration has provided little detail on how patients will be notified, supported, or protected if prior authorization requests are denied.\n\nThe Trump administration plans for the WISeR model to run as a pilot program for six years beginning January 1, 2026 in six selected states. The model is described as voluntary, but it is effectively mandatory for health care providers and their patients with Traditional Medicare in the six selected states: Washington, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warren, Murray, Wyden, and Gillibrand, the Seniors Deserve SMARTER Care Act is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).\n\nIn November, U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) introduced companion legislation alongside Reps. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) in the House of Representatives.\n\nThe Seniors Deserve SMARTER Care Act is endorsed by: Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA), Washington State Medical Association (WSMA), Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA), Physicians for a National Health Program, the Center for Health and Democracy, Social Security Works, Just Care USA, Washington Community Action Network, Healthcare is a Human Right Coalition, Health Care for All \u2013 Washington, Social Security Works Washington, National Nurses United, Public Citizen, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, American Osteopathic Association, American Podiatric Medical Association, Mental Health Liaison Group, and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-grills-senior-pentagon-attorneys-involvement-in-national-guard-deployment-dismissing-military-lawyers-concerns", "Warren Grills Senior Pentagon Attorney\u2019s Involvement in National Guard Deployment, Dismissing Military Lawyers' Concerns", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Grills Senior Pentagon Attorney\u2019s Involvement in National Guard Deployment, Dismissing Military Lawyers' Concerns\n\nWarren: \u201cThese deployments are not just legally questionable\u2026 they come at the cost of mounting billions of dollars and reports that it hurts troops' morale.\u201d\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Mr. Charles L. Young III, Principal Deputy General Counsel and pending nominee to be Army General Counsel, on the deployment of the National Guard and reports that senior Judge Advocate General (JAG) officers have been sidelined after raising legal concerns about military operations. Senator Warren also offered her condolences to the family of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and extended her thoughts to Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, victims of a tragic shooting while deployed in D.C.\n\nIn the hearing, Senator Warren questioned Mr. Young about press reports alleging he was directly involved in sidelining a senior Army JAG attorney before his dismissal in February, telling a Lieutenant General to \u201cstop meddling in state affairs\u201d after he raised concern about the plan to use National Guard troops for immigration enforcement. When pressed on the report and whether that is the appropriate response, Mr. Young refused to answer directly and then denied the claims.\n\nSenator Warren highlighted the impact of the National Guard deployments across the country: \u201cThese deployments are not just legally questionable\u2026 they come at the cost of mounting billions of dollars and reports that it hurts troops' morale.\u201d\n\nEarlier this week, Senator Warren released a new report detailing the Trump administration\u2019s diversion of funds and resources from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for immigration enforcement and its impact on readiness and morale. The report found that deployments to the border and American cities, detention facilities on military installations, and the use of military aircraft to deport and transport immigrants totaled over $2 billion. Mr. Young served as the acting DoD general counsel when the decision was made to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles.\n\nSenator Warren concluded the hearing by emphasizing the importance of JAGs being able to communicate their independent legal advice regarding military operations without fear of repercussions. Mr. Young assured Senator Warren that JAGs can voice their views freely, stating that \u201cleadership is very attentive to their concerns when they're raised.\u201d\n\nTranscript: Hearing to examine the Administration's deployment of the National Guard across the United States.\n\nSenate Armed Services Committee\n\nDecember 11, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: I want to start by extending my condolences to the family of Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, who paid the ultimate sacrifice while deployed in DC, and my thoughts are with Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe as he continues to fight for his life. And I want to make it clear, nobody here is impugning the people who are on the streets. No one here is impugning the integrity of our National Guard. We're just asking about how they got put there by people in leadership positions.\n\nIt's been six months since President Trump and Secretary Hegseth deployed the National Guard onto American streets. The investigation that I just released with several senators on this committee found that DoD has footed the bill for more than $2 billion in support of the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration Enforcement. That's money that was meant for military training facilities, crumbling military barracks, schools for military families, and instead, it was spent on deploying our National Guard to pick up trash in Washington, D.C., and deal with civilian protesters in other cities. So, I think we are right to ask the question about how this happened.\n\nMr. Young, you are one of the senior attorneys at DoD. You were the acting DoD General Counsel when the decision was first made to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles. Now, if an attorney raises concerns about the legality of military operations, do you think the appropriate response is to tell them to \u201cShut up and get out of the way\u201d?\n\nMr. Charles L. Young III: I'm sorry, Senator, could you repeat that question?\n\nSenator Warren: If a JAG attorney raises concerns about the legality of a military operation, do you think the appropriate response is to tell them to shut up and get out of the way?\n\nMr. Young: Senator, the law provides that military judge advocates are able to provide independent advice that's right to military commanders, to the Chief of Staff of the Army, and to the Secretary.\n\nSenator Warren: Right. And I'm asking you about the appropriate response. Do you think the appropriate response is to tell them to shut up and get out of the way?\n\nMr. Young: Senator, I'm not aware of a response of that nature.\n\nSenator Warren: I'm asking you if you think that would be an appropriate response. It ought to be an easy yes or no question.\n\nMr. Young: But by whom, Senator?\n\nSenator Warren: By you.\n\nMr. Young: Senator, not that I\u2019m aware of.\n\nSenator Warren: Mr. Young, there are disturbing reports that when the top uniformed attorney in the Army raised concerns about the legality of using National Guard soldiers and other DoD resources for immigration enforcement, you told him to \u201cstop meddling in state affairs.\u201d And then shortly after that, Secretary Hegseth fired the JAG officer with no explanation. Mr. Young, the report does not have a direct quote, but is it true that you said something along those lines?\n\nMr. Young: Senator, the context of that is that the officer was wanting to comment on whether the state, in a state capacity, could provide personnel who were in a state status, not in a federal military status, not part of the Army, to help assist. And so we have many missions, Senator, that are occurring on the border right now. We have 3000, approximately, National Guard personnel.\n\nSenator Warren: So, your answer is to confirm that report, and that is what you said, is that right?\n\nMr. Young: That is not what I said.\n\nSenator Warren: So, you're saying you didn't say that.\n\nMr. Young: I did not say that.\n\nSenator Warren: Well, I'm glad you said you didn't say it, because this is not the only report of JAG being sidelined by this administration, and I'm glad you think it might be inappropriate for JAG to be sidelined. More recently, the senior JAG at SOUTHCOM was reportedly overruled when he objected that the boat strikes near Venezuela are extrajudicial killings.\n\nLook, these deployments are not just legally questionable. They come at an extreme cost, and they come at the cost of mounting billions of dollars, and at reports that it hurts troops' morale. In fact, the first Trump administration discontinued military support to DHS at the border and detention facilities, citing both the cost and the fact that our troops were demoralized by being put in that position. So, I think it's exactly right that we are raising these questions and whether or not JAG is receiving the appropriate opportunity to weigh in on illegal orders.\n\nIf you say you didn't say it, then I trust what that means is you don't intend to say it, and you do not intend to sideline JAG when they raise questions about legality. Do I have that right, Mr. Young?\n\nMr. Young: Senator, it's been my experience, having been a judge advocate in both the Air Force and in the Army with almost 30 years of judge advocate experience, that the judge advocates are able to quickly and clearly communicate their concerns to leadership and that leadership is very attentive to their concerns when they're raised and they have the ability to provide that advice.\n\nSenator Warren: Look, I don't have concerns about the judge advocates. I have concerns about leadership and whether or not they are being sidelined. And I take it that what you're saying is they should not be sidelined. It is important for our troops that they not be. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-report-from-senator-warrens-office-reveals-trump-administration-siphoned-at-least-2-billion-from-military-budget-for-immigration-enforcement", "New Report from Senator Warren\u2019s Office Reveals Trump Administration Siphoned At Least $2 Billion from Military Budget for Immigration Enforcement", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "New Report from Senator Warren\u2019s Office Reveals Trump Administration Siphoned At Least $2 Billion from Military Budget for Immigration Enforcement\n\nPentagon\u2019s requested budget for 2026 indicates the Defense Department plans to spend at least $5 billion more for southern border operations alone\n\nWarren: \u201cIt\u2019s an insult to our service members that Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem are using the defense budget as a slush fund for political stunts. Stripping military resources to promote a wasteful political agenda doesn\u2019t make our military stronger or Americans safer.\u201d\n\nCover Letter to the Pentagon (PDF) | Text of Report (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative John Garamendi (D-Calif.) released a new report detailing the Trump administration\u2019s diversion of funds and resources from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for immigration enforcement, and its impact on readiness and morale.\n\nSenators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), along with Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) co-authored the report.\n\nUnder a second Trump administration, the U.S. military has become heavily involved in immigration enforcement. Senator Warren\u2019s new report, the first detailed review of the Pentagon\u2019s spending on immigration, found that DoD has committed at least $2 billion to support immigration enforcement through mobilizing and deploying troops to American cities and the Southern border, deporting and transporting immigrants on military aircrafts, detaining individuals on U.S. military installations, and more.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s an insult to our service members that Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem are using the defense budget as a slush fund for political stunts. Stripping military resources to promote a wasteful political agenda doesn\u2019t make our military stronger or Americans safer,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cCongress needs to step in and hold the Trump Administration accountable for mishandling billions of taxpayer dollars.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen President Trump recklessly diverts our military to support immigration enforcement, our armed forces pay the price. As this report shows, these disruptions come at a significant cost, in both dollars and readiness,\u201d said Representative Garamendi.\n\nDespite an unprecedented $170 billion budget allocated to DHS, it\u2019s unclear how much DoD has received in reimbursement for any of its spending on immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, the military is funding these efforts in support of DHS with money allocated for other DoD projects including updates to barracks, maintenance hangers, and military construction projects in the Pacific. Concerningly, the Pentagon has requested an additional $5 billion for further immigration support in its budget request for 2026.\n\n\u201cDiverting the military from its existing missions and thrusting it into immigration enforcement does not make Americans safer. This multi-billion-dollar political stunt is an overt waste of taxpayer resources and undermines national security, military readiness, and resources for our servicemembers,\u201d said the members.\n\nThe members\u2019 report found that, in 2025, the Pentagon has committed:\n\nAt least $1.3 billion for the deployment of troops and resources to the border;\n\nAt least $258 million to support Trump\u2019s orders to deploy troops to Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Memphis, along with plans to reassign 600 Judge Advocates (JAGs) as immigration judges;\n\nAt least $420.9 million for detaining immigrants at domestic military installations and overseas bases like Guant\u00e1namo and Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti; and\n\nAt least $40.3 million for military flights to deport and transport noncitizen detainees.\n\nThe report raised concerns that, in addition to the cost of the DoD immigration efforts, it has resulted in \u201cservicemembers\u2026being pulled from their homes, families, and civilian jobs for indefinite periods of time to support legally questionable political stunts,\u201d wrote the members. The deployments also unnecessarily put our servicemembers in harm's way: in November, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, was killed while her West Virginia National Guard unit was deployed to Washington, D.C, and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe was critically injured.\n\nThe deployment of troops for immigration enforcement has also weakened the military\u2019s ability to respond to emergencies. For example, the 101st Airborne Division \u2014 the U.S. Army\u2019s only air assault division \u2014 deployed to the border instead of standing ready for national security missions. Additionally, leading into peak fire season, the California National Guard firefighting unit was \u201cunderstaffed because roughly half its members (were) deployed to Los Angeles.\u201d These deployments may also require units to miss key training exercises necessary to ensure combat readiness, as the Government Accountability Office found occurred during the first Trump administration.\n\nThe diversion of DoD funds is having a devastating effect on the military\u2019s ability to improve services for troops and their families. Among the projects impacted by the prioritization of border operations is a $1 billion renovation of military barracks. Secretary Hegseth also diverted funding from elementary schools at Fort Knox and a U.S. military installation in Germany, an ambulatory care center and dental clinic to service Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, a jet-training facility in Mississippi, and Marine barracks in Japan.\n\nDuring the first Trump administration, the DoD stopped deploying troops to the border after determining the deployments were hurting military readiness and morale. The border mission appeared to contribute to alcohol and drug abuse among service members, and may have even contributed to a number of tragic suicides among Texas National Guardsmen. The members raised concerns about similar issues arising again, particularly given the lack of clarity around how long deployments will last.\n\nThe report also slammed the administration\u2019s failure to adequately inform Congress and the public about the diversion of funds. \u201cThe Trump administration\u2019s secrecy leaves many questions unanswered. The administration has failed to provide clarity on basic questions about DoD\u2019s role in supporting DHS,\u201d said the members.\n\nThe coalition directed follow-up questions to Secretary Hegseth about the number of troops currently supporting immigration enforcement, how long military units will be supporting DHS, and whether DHS will reimburse the military.\n\nOn Thursday, December 11, 2025, the Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on deployment of the National Guard across the United States.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-wyden-sanders-gillibrand-press-social-security-head-on-plan-to-slash-field-office-visits", "Warren, Wyden, Sanders, Gillibrand Press Social Security Head on Plan to Slash Field Office Visits", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Wyden, Sanders, Gillibrand Press Social Security Head on Plan to Slash Field Office Visits\n\nLawmakers raise alarm about whether Trump Administration is seeking to \u201cquietly kill field offices,\u201d implement backdoor benefits cuts\n\n\u201c[Y]ou seem to have adopted a slash-first, think-later approach to \"modernizing\" SSA, and beneficiaries will pay the price.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.); Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee; Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, wrote to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano, pressing him on reports that the agency has a new goal of slashing field office visits by nearly 15 million annually. The agency has not provided details as to how it plans to achieve this goal.\n\n\u201cWe are concerned that these efforts are in fact part of a plan to \u2018quietly kill[] field offices,\u2019 implementing a back-door cut in benefits by making it harder for Americans to access the Social Security customer services they need,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nThe Trump administration has relentlessly attacked Social Security. Under Commissioner Bisignano, the administration has implemented policy changes that make it harder for Americans to get their benefits, including by implementing burdensome in-person and bug-prone identification processes that force millions more beneficiaries to visit field offices each year \u2014 at the same time they are slashing SSA\u2019s workforce by around 7,000 and closing regional offices.\n\nInstead of staffing up to meet these needs, SSA\u2019s field office capacity has significantly declined. Beneficiaries are being forced to wait hours to get help \u2014 only to be told they will need to call to schedule an appointment.\n\nRecent reports now indicate that SSA plans to slash field office visits in half. The lawmakers raised concerns that this drastic plan will force beneficiaries to use SSA\u2019s bug-prone website or push them into customer service phone tree \u201cdoom-loops\u201d \u2014 which will almost certainly force some Americans to suffer from delays in benefits or miss them altogether.\n\n\u201cOnce again, you seem to have adopted a slash-first, think-later approach to \"modernizing\" SSA, and beneficiaries will pay the price,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nThe senators requested critical details on the agency's plans to reduce the number of field office visits, which specific services SSA will deploy for online users and for individuals calling the National 1-800 number, whether beneficiaries will be able to get assistance in field offices without an appointment, the current average wait time to schedule a field office appointment, and more by January 6, 2026.\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room coordinates Democrats\u2019 fight to defend Social Security, encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them, and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans\u2019 agenda and their continued cuts to Americans\u2019 Social Security services and benefits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-goodlander-file-amicus-brief-pushing-for-independent-examiner-in-genesis-nursing-home-bankruptcy-case", "Warren, Blumenthal, Goodlander File Amicus Brief Pushing for Independent Examiner in Genesis Nursing Home Bankruptcy Case", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In November 2025, Senator Warren, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Welch, and Representative Goodlander urged the Acting Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees to investigate whether Genesis is attempting to exploit the bankruptcy system at the expense of victims, workers, and other businesses.\n\nIn October 2025, Senator Warren, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Welch, and Representative Goodlander launched an investigation into Genesis Healthcare\u2019s apparent attempt to abuse the bankruptcy to get out of paying patient victims and their families.\n\nIn May 2025, Senator Warren and Senator Markey wrote to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) seeking accountability for Steward and Medical Properties Trust (MPT) executives who walked away with millions of dollars despite driving the hospital system into bankruptcy.\n\nIn February 2025, Senator Warren questioned private equity executive Stephen Feinberg, President of Cerberus Capital Management and nominee for Deputy Secretary of Defense, on his actions to enrich himself and his investors at the expense of Steward Health Care patients and workers.\n\nIn November 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) sent a letter pushing the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission to hold the Rural Healthcare Group accountable for protecting Steward patients and doctors.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Warren led colleagues in reintroducing 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\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren released a statement following Steward CEO Ralph de la Torre\u2019s refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren and Markey (D-Mass.), alongside Representatives Auchincloss and Lynch, sent a letter to RHG raising concerns over its proposed acquisition of Steward Health Care\u2019s physician group, Stewardship Health.\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren urged the IRS to crack down on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) squeezing the health care industry.\n\nIn August 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, 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\nIn June 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\nIn June 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\nIn June 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\nIn May 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\nIn May 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Warren questioned Michael Topchik, M.A., executive director for the Chartis Center for Rural Health, on the impact of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) newly finalized minimum staffing rule on quality of care and called out private insurers in Medicare Advantage (MA) for their greedy\u2014and often unlawful\u2014payment practices that threaten to shut down rural hospitals nationwide, blocking seniors from getting the care they need.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren and 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\nIn April 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\nIn April 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\nIn April 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\nIn April 2024, 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\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s plan to sell its physician group, Stewardship Health, to UnitedHealth Group\u2019s subsidiary Optum.\n\nIn March 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\nIn March 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\nIn February 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\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 January 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s financial situation and allegations of patient neglect at Steward facilities.\n\nIn January 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\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 May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Senator Warren called out corporate owners of nursing homes, including private equity firms and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), for their failures to protect patient safety and use of complex legal arrangements to avoid regulatory scrutiny.\n\nIn May 2022, Senator Warren and lawmakers sent a letter to private equity giant KKR for the grossly substandard care and unsafe living conditions in group homes it owned for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.\n\nIn February 2022, testifying before the Senate Budget Committee, Senator Warren called out private equity firms\u2019 predatory practices of buying up distressed companies, stripping workers of benefits, fair pay, and safe working conditions, and reaping billions in profits. She noted that research shows that private equity ownership of nursing homes led to a 10% jump in short-term mortality rates.\n\nIn August 2021, Senator Warren and lawmakers launched an investigation into private equity ownership of for-profit hospice companies and subsequent reductions in the quality of care.\n\nIn March 2021, Senator Warren released Genesis\u2019s response to her January 2021 letter and sent a letter to the company, revealing new information that the company CEO - who left the company in near bankruptcy in January 2021 - has been awarded $8 million in salary and bonuses since the start of the pandemic. Senator Warren raised new questions about why the company lavishly rewarded its CEO after more than 2,800 of its residents died of COVID-19 and despite the fact that he left the company in dire financial condition.\n\nIn November 2019, Senators Warren and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Representative Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) wrote to four private equity firms that invested in companies providing nursing home care and other long-term care services, citing reports that show private equity investment has played a role in the declining quality of care in nursing homes and requesting information about each firm's management of this sector.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-raskin-lead-call-for-investigation-of-defense-contractors-ties-to-trump-administration-officials", "Warren, Raskin Lead Call for Investigation of Defense Contractors\u2019 Ties to Trump Administration Officials", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Raskin Lead Call for Investigation of Defense Contractors\u2019 Ties to Trump Administration Officials\n\n\u201cWhen Executive Branch officials determining immigration policy have a personal stake in their decision-making, they may be improperly influenced to enact policies that generate billions for their favored immigration contractors.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) led a new probe calling on the Inspectors General (IG) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DoD) to investigate whether defense and immigration contractors are receiving lucrative contracts because of their ties to high-level Trump administration officials, including Tom Homan, the \u201cBorder Czar.\u201d\n\nSenators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with Representatives Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) joined in signing the letter.\n\n\u201cWhen Executive Branch officials determining immigration policy have a personal stake in their decision-making, they may be improperly influenced to enact policies that generate billions for their favored immigration contractors,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\nBefore the 2024 election, Homan, who previously ran a firm that helped contractors secure DHS contracts, allegedly accepted $50,000 in cash in exchange for helping certain companies win contracts. Since joining the Trump administration, Homan reportedly has participated in meetings with immigration contractors about contracts, potentially in violation of ethics rules. Some of the companies with ties to Homan have been short-listed to compete for lucrative contracts.\n\nOther senior officials, like Stephen Miller, President Trump\u2019s Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Advisor, have financial and professional ties to private contractors who have profited from the administration's immigration agenda, including ties through stock investments, past lobbying and employment backgrounds, and campaign contributions.\n\nFor example, GEO Group, a former client of Mr. Homan, reported that it had entered new contracts worth over $130 million with ICE in 2025 alone. GEO also said it anticipated that increased detention \u201ccould generate between $500 million and $600 million\u201d for the company each year, and increased deportation flights would generate $40 million to $50 million each year.\n\nThe letter asks that the Inspectors General investigate whether this windfall was in part due to the company\u2019s ties to the administration. One of GEO Group\u2019s subsidiaries, BI Incorporated, will benefit from contracts to supply ankle monitors and other electronic surveillance devices. Mr. Homan has also called for expanding ICE\u2019s detention capacity, an area GEO specializes in and therefore is likely to receive contracts for. Additionally, David Venturella, who until recently served as GEO\u2019s Vice President, is now a top ICE official overseeing immigration detention centers like those run by GEO.\n\nPalantir, which offers data services for ICE to identify and target immigrants, and which has also secured contracts during this administration, is another example of these troubling connections. The company is a donor to the White House ballroom and its CEO donated to President Trump\u2019s campaign. In addition, Mr. Miller holds between $100,000 and $250,000 worth of stock in Palantir and his senior policy advisor Kara Frederick owns between $50,000 and $100,000 in Palantir stock. The list of ties between Trump Administration officials and immigration contractors goes on.\n\n\u201cThese apparent conflicts of interest risk the further erosion of public confidence in DoD and DHS at a time when taxpayer dollars are being funneled toward ICE practices that are increasingly regarded as inhumane,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe coalition urged the IGs to open an investigation into the matter, including into whether Homan\u2019s participation in the contracting process violates federal ethics laws, whether other Trump administration officials with financial or personal ties to contractors have helped them secure contracts, and whether any immigration-related contracts have bypassed the standard bidding process.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-on-paramount-skydance-hostile-bid-five-alarm-antitrust-fire", "Warren on Paramount-Skydance Hostile Bid: \u201cFive-Alarm Antitrust Fire\u201d", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren on Paramount-Skydance Hostile Bid: \u201cFive-Alarm Antitrust Fire\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in response to the news that Paramount-Skydance launched a hostile bid for Warner Bros., U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cA Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. merger would be a five-alarm antitrust fire and exactly what our anti-monopoly laws are written to prevent. Paramount Skydance\u2019s new hostile bid is backed by a who's who of Trump buddies, from Jared Kushner\u2019s private equity firm to the Ellison family to money flowing from the Middle East \u2014 raising serious questions about influence-peddling, political favoritism, and national security risks. The Department of Justice and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States must review any Warner Bros. deal based on the law and facts, not who sucked up the most to Donald Trump.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has long sounded the alarm on antitrust concerns and apparent political favoritism in the Trump administration\u2019s handling of media mergers:\n\nOn December 5, Senator Warren responded to news of Netflix\u2019s winning bid for Warner Bros., calling it an \u201canti-monopoly nightmare.\u201d\n\nOn November 21, while on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Senator Warren called out Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison on his own network.\n\nOn November 19, Senator Warren led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in writing to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, warning that a potential Warner Bros. deal could be tainted by political favoritism and corruption.\n\nOn August 1, Senator Warren released a statement in response to Paramount and Skydance\u2019s responses to her letters to each of the companies, describing the responses as \u201cdodgy\u201d and calling for \u201ca full, independent investigation\u201d into whether the companies or their executives engaged in any criminal behavior connected to the approval of the companies\u2019 multi-billion-dollar merger.\n\nOn July 24, Sen. Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount Skydance merger, saying, \u201cBribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn February 20, Sen. Warren urged the DOJ to closely scrutinize the proposed Disney-Fubo deal and warned of increased costs for TV viewers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schatz-senators-launch-investigation-into-trump-administrations-plans-for-gaza-aid", "Warren, Schatz, Senators Launch Investigation into Trump Administration\u2019s Plans for Gaza Aid", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schatz, Senators Launch Investigation into Trump Administration\u2019s Plans for Gaza Aid\n\nSenators concerned that \u201caid distribution system that would be similar to the deadly sites run by the failed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation\u2026 more than 1000 Palestinians were killed near these sites while seeking food.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe public deserves a clear understanding of how US troops and diplomats will facilitate the rapid distribution of aid in Gaza and relieve Palestinians of an ongoing hunger crisis.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) led Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in launching an investigation into the role of the U.S. military in distributing humanitarian assistance to Gaza following the October ceasefire.\n\nOn October 17th, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the opening of a Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Israel as the \u201cmain coordination hub for Gaza assistance.\u201d The center is operated by 200 US troops and diplomatic staff. Despite CENTCOM\u2019s inexperience with addressing humanitarian crises of this scale, the CMCC has been touted as a focal point for NGOs, private sector actors, and international security forces to coordinate the delivery of aid.\n\n\u201cWhile CENTCOM has extensive experience in stabilization and intelligence missions, we are concerned that the addition of this broad humanitarian mandate executed by military units with little experience in addressing the kind of humanitarian catastrophe facing Gaza, as well as the lack of Palestinian officials involved in the CMCC to help develop plans for the peaceful transition of Gaza, will have significant consequences to the CMCC\u2019s success,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nMoreover, reports have emerged that CMCC officials are considering recreating an aid distribution system similar to the deadly model run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). GHF relied on heavily armed contractors to distribute aid at a limited number of sites, where more than 1,000 Palestinians were killed while seeking food. In prior ceasefires the UN operated more than 400 sites.\n\nThe Senators called on officials at State and the Department of Defense (DoD) to reject this proposal, writing, \u201cThis is the wrong approach: hungry people should not be killed trying to feed their families. To ensure reliable food access in Gaza, the US should avoid building a handful of militarized aid distribution sites.\u201d\n\nSince the October ceasefire, the Netanyahu government has blocked $50 million worth of assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, and hundreds of aid trucks with food have been barred from entry. Over the course of the conflict, reported restrictions have included blocking medical supplies like crutches and sleeping bags because they were green or \u201chad zippers.\u201d The Senators urged US officials to reject the Netanyahu government\u2019s aid restrictions, writing, \u201c(f)or the CMCC to succeed in coordinating aid delivery to Gaza, it is essential to eliminate Israel\u2019s arbitrary restrictions on humanitarian assistance.\u201d\n\nWhile Trump\u2019s 20-point peace plan emphasizes the necessity of a pathway to Palestinian statehood, there is no reported involvement of Palestinian officials from a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) in the CMCC or other Palestinian technocrats who could offer key insights on future governance questions of Gaza, its transition away from Hamas\u2019 militant governance, or how Palestinians in Gaza should be included in crafting a prosperous future for themselves.\n\n\u201cThe CMCC presents an opportunity to ensure the full implementation of the ceasefire and transition to a durable, civilian government in Gaza,\u201d the senators concluded. \u201cBut DOD and State Department officials should not replicate the harm of the GHF system and instead facilitate professional humanitarian actors to address the crisis.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has been a strong advocate for humanitarian assistance to Gaza:\n\nOn November 24, 2025 Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Markey, and 98 members of Congress urged the Trump administration to work with both Israeli authorities and international partners to push toward rebuilding accessible hospitals and medical infrastructure in Gaza.\n\nOn November 4, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Austin Dahmer, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities, on her concerns about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need to ensure Palestinians get desperately needed aid without interference.\n\nOn October 9, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Department of State (State Department) requesting an explanation for the department\u2019s failure to provide timely consular services to American citizens who were detained while on the Global Sumud Flotilla.\n\nOn September 25, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to intervene with the Netanyahu government to protect the safety of peaceful civilian members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a group of vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has reportedly been facing multiple attacks.\n\nOn September 3, 2025, Senator Warren, Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) demanded clarity from the Department of State (State) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on its decision to award $30 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).\n\nOn June 20, 2025, Senator Warren sent a new letter to the Secretary of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) raising her concerns about the Department of State\u2019s reported plan to give $500 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).\n\nOn May 22, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led 28 senators in introducing a resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to bring an end to the blockade of food and lifesaving humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza.\n\nOn May 9, 2025, Senator Warren and colleagues urged President Trump to take an active role in pressing for humanitarian aid and a return to ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in order to ensure Israel\u2019s security and end more than 15 months of devastating conflict in Gaza.\n\nOn May 6, 2025, Senators Warren, Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) called on U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro to launch a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into the federal government\u2019s compliance with laws that require the U.S. to ensure recipients of U.S. assistance respect human rights and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.\n\nOn April 23, 2024, Senator Warren released a statement on the passage of the national security supplemental package supporting life-saving humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and criticizing the provision of more aid for Israel without additional conditions and prohibition of funds to UNRWA.\n\nOn March 22, 2024, Senator Warren and colleagues pressed the Biden administration to find that the Netanyahu Government\u2019s assurances regarding the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza do not meet the \u201ccredible and reliable\u201d test required by National Security Memorandum (NSM)-20.\n\nOn March 11, 2024, Senator Warren and colleagues urged the Biden administration to follow the law by halting arms shipments to Israel while humanitarian aid was prevented from entering the Gaza strip.\n\nOn February 2, 2024, Senator Warren and colleagues pressured the Biden administration to encourage Israeli officials to take five specific steps to significantly increase urgently needed humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.\n\nOn December 7, 2023, Senator Warren and lawmakers announced that they are working on an amendment to require that the weapons received by any country under the proposed national security supplemental are used in accordance with U.S. law, international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-senators-press-federal-student-loan-servicers-for-data-on-customer-service-and-performance", "Warren, Senators Press Federal Student Loan Servicers for Data on Customer Service and Performance", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Senators Press Federal Student Loan Servicers for Data on Customer Service and Performance\n\nInvestigation follows months of policy whiplash from Trump Administration on student loan repayment\n\n\u201cBorrowers pay the price for servicers\u2019 neglect and incompetence.\u201d\n\nText of Letters (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in writing to the federal student loan servicers to ensure they are providing borrowers with the customer service they deserve in the wake of the Trump administration\u2019s student loan policy whiplash. The senators sent letters to MOHELA, Nelnet, EdFinancial, Maximus, and CRI.\n\nOver the past year, statutory and regulatory policy changes led by the Trump Administration have caused significant financial damage to student loan borrowers, who now face higher loan payments, potential tax increases, the resumption of forced collections, and renewed interest accrual on loans previously in forbearance. As of April 2025, more than three in every ten student loan borrowers are in delinquency, the highest percentage ever recorded and a 50% increase from February.\n\n\u201cBorrowers need quick and clear assistance from federal student loan servicers amidst the chaos and confusion, but servicers have a well-documented history of providing delayed or incorrect information to borrowers or otherwise failing to meet their responsibilities,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nStudent loan servicers\u2019 history of extensive customer service failures and egregious wait times has compounded the distress of borrowers in need. Administrative errors from student loan servicers have had significant consequences for borrowers, including delayed rent payments, loss of mortgage eligibility, postponed retirement contributions, and even a risk of homelessness.\n\nWith the Department of Education decimated by layoffs and repeatedly obstructing Congressional oversight, the Senators asserted that Congress and the public deserve clarity on how student loan servicers are serving borrowers. The Trump administration\u2019s plans to transfer loan portfolios from low- to high-performing servicers could also lead to extensive administrative errors, exacerbating financial distress.\n\n\"As loan repayment due dates and requirements have changed repeatedly for many borrowers under the Trump Administration, borrowers need clear and timely communication from federal student loan servicers,\" wrote the senators. \u201cThe quality of customer service assistance provided by loan servicers to borrowers is more critical than ever in the wake of the Trump Administration\u2019s catastrophic cuts to ED and FSA.\"\n\nThe senators asked for data on the servicers\u2019 customer service performance and staff, loan reallocations, and borrower communications by December 22, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-sheehy-blast-removal-of-right-to-repair-from-ndaa", "Warren, Sheehy Blast Removal of Right to Repair from NDAA", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Sheehy Blast Removal of Right to Repair from NDAA\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 In response to the release of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26 NDAA) not including bipartisan language from Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tim Sheehy\u2019s (R-Montana) bill to give the military the right to repair their own equipment, Senators Warren and Sheehy released the following statement:\n\n\u201cFor decades, the Pentagon has relied on a broken acquisition system that is routinely defended by career bureaucrats and corporate interests. Military right to repair reforms are supported by the Trump White House, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and our brave servicemembers. The only ones against this common-sense reform are those taking advantage of a broken status quo at the expense of our warfighters and taxpayers.\n\n\u201cWe support the Pentagon using the full extent of its existing authorities to insist on right to repair protections when it purchases equipment from contractors, and we will keep fighting for a common-sense, bipartisan law to address this unnecessary problem.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-on-netflix-warner-bros-proposed-deal-anti-monopoly-nightmare", "Warren on Netflix-Warner Bros. Proposed Deal: \u201cAnti-Monopoly Nightmare\u201d", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren on Netflix-Warner Bros. Proposed Deal: \u201cAnti-Monopoly Nightmare\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in response to the news that Netflix will buy Warner Bros. after a weeks-long bidding war, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cThis deal looks like an anti-monopoly nightmare. A Netflix-Warner Bros. would create one massive media giant with control of close to half of the streaming market \u2014 threatening to force Americans into higher subscription prices and fewer choices over what and how they watch, while putting American workers at risk.\n\n\u201cUnder Donald Trump, the antitrust review process has also become a cesspool of political favoritism and corruption. The Justice Department must enforce our nation\u2019s anti-monopoly laws fairly and transparently \u2014 not use the Warner Bros. deal review to invite influence-peddling and bribery.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has long sounded the alarm on antitrust concerns and apparent political favoritism in the Trump administration\u2019s handling of media mergers:\n\nOn November 21, while on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Senator Warrencalled out Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison on his own network.\n\nOn November 19, Senator Warren led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in writing to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, warning that a potential Warner Bros. deal could be tainted by political favoritism and corruption.\n\nOn August 1, Senator Warren released a statement in response to Paramount\u2019s and Skydance\u2019s responses to her letters to each of the companies, describing the responses as \u201cdodgy\u201d and calling for \u201ca full, independent investigation\u201d into whether the companies or their executives engaged in any criminal behavior connected to the approval of the companies\u2019 multi-billion-dollar merger.\n\nOn July 24, Sen. Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount Skydance merger, saying: \u201cbribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn February 20, Sen. Warren urged the DOJ to closely scrutinize the proposed Disney-Fubo deal and warned of increased costs for TV viewers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-welch-amo-warren-lead-bicameral-bill-to-update-and-expand-social-security-survivor-benefits-provide-financial-relief-to-families", "ICYMI: Welch, Amo, Warren Lead Bicameral Bill to Update and Expand Social Security Survivor Benefits, Provide Financial Relief to Families", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Welch, Amo, Warren Lead Bicameral Bill to Update and Expand Social Security Survivor Benefits, Provide Financial Relief to Families\n\nWarren: \u201cDemocrats are fighting hard to expand benefits and provide relief so families can stay afloat.\u201d\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room is coordinated effort to fight back against Trump admin Social Security attacks\n\nBill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and U.S. Representative Gabe Amo (D-RI-01) introduced the Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act, bicameral legislation to increase the Social Security Administration\u2019s (SSA) lump-sum death benefit, which covers costs associated with cremation or burials for surviving family members, to account for inflation. This legislation would increase survivors\u2019 death benefit\u2014currently amounting to just $255\u2014for the first time in 70 years. Beginning in 2026, beneficiaries\u2019 survivors would receive $2,900.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump\u2019s chaotic tariffs and skyrocketing costs are already squeezing American families\u2014losing a loved one shouldn\u2019t be the reason they go broke,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cDemocrats are fighting hard to expand benefits and provide relief so families can stay afloat.\u201d\n\n\u201cFuneral costs should be the last thing on the minds of grieving families when they lose a loved one. But because benefits designed to help folks afford funeral expenses haven\u2019t kept pace with inflation, the cost of burying a loved one has become top of mind for many mourning families,\u201d said Senator Welch. \u201cThis commonsense bill, inspired by the experiences of Vermonters, will update Social Security death benefits to help alleviate financial burdens for families following the loss of a loved one.\u201d\n\n\u201cFamilies experiencing a loss should not have to struggle to afford a funeral for their loved one,\u201d said Rep. Amo. \u201cI\u2019m proud to introduce the Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act with Senator Peter Welch to raise the amount a family can receive to help cover end of life costs for the first time in 70 years and index the benefit to inflation going forward. I will keep fighting in Washington to lower costs for Rhode Islanders, including at the most difficult moments.\u201d\n\nThe legislation would index the SSA death benefit to the Consumer Price Index to ensure this benefit is aligned with other Social Security benefits, akin to the annual Cost-of-Living Adjustments. The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act was inspired and shaped by a letter Senator Welch received from a Vermont constituent concerned about how the outdated benefit would create financial burdens for their surviving family members.\n\nSenators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) are cosponsors of the legislation.\n\n\u201cThis bill will modernize an important feature of Social Security to give families real financial relief and dignity as they grieve a loved one,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse. \u201cI\u2019m glad to join my good friend Congressman Amo on legislation that further strengthens Social Security for the future.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur legislation eases the burden of funeral expenses for American families by adjusting Social Security benefits associated with burials and cremation to account for rising costs. Families grieving a loved one should receive increased Social Security benefits to alleviate the crushing financial burden and stress of burial expenses,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal.\n\n\u201cDespite Social Security\u2019s lump-sum death benefit remaining stagnant at $255 for over 70 years, the costs of funerals have increased ten-fold, costing thousands of dollars for grieving families,\u201d said Senator Booker. \u201cNo one should have to worry about increasing funeral expenses, especially after losing a loved one. This legislation would make long-overdue updates to our Social Security system to ensure survivor benefits reflect the financial and emotional challenges families face during the loss of a family member.\u201d\n\n\u201cA death in the family is already one of life\u2019s hardest moments. The Social Security death benefit exists to ease stress for survivors making final arrangements for loved ones, but this benefit hasn\u2019t been updated in decades. The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act increases benefits to reflect costs and lowers the burden for families in grief,\u201d said Senator Markey.\n\nThe Social Security Administration provides a lump-sum death benefit to survivors of a beneficiary to help families offset funeral costs. The lump sum payment, which is provided to surviving spouses, dependent children under 18, or children with disabilities, was capped at $255 in 1954.\n\nIn the 1950s, a full memorial and cremation service cost around $700. In Vermont, the average cost for a funeral with a viewing and cremation is $7,023. Nationwide, the median cost of a funeral with a viewing is $8,300, while the average cost for a funeral with cremation is $6,280. Despite this increase in cost, the SSA\u2019s lump-sum death benefit has remained stagnant at $255.\n\nThe Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act is endorsed by the Alliance for Retired Americans; American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE); American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Justice in Aging; National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare; National Organization of Social Security Claimants\u2019 Representatives (NOSSCR); Social Security Works; Strengthen Social Security Coalition; and the Women\u2019s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER).\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s been 70 years since Social Security\u2019s lump-sum death benefit, currently $255, was last increased. This bill raises the benefit to $2,900 and indexes it to inflation, to better reflect the cost associated with burying a loved one,\u201d said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director, Alliance for Retired Americans. \u201cGrieving families deserve more meaningful assistance at a difficult and painful moment in their lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cAFGE is proud to support Senator Welch\u2019s Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act. This long-overdue legislation would raise the Social Security death benefit to help keep family members from being impoverished by basic funeral expenses for a loved one. It is the least we can do as we continue to pursue the modernization of Social Security \u2013 the greatest anti-poverty program the country has ever known,\u201d said Everett B. Kelley, National President, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE).\n\n\u201cWorking families are being squeezed by rising costs on every front, and if tragedy strikes, this financial strain can become overwhelming. The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act will bring meaningful relief to families when they need it most, finally adjusting these benefits for inflation for the first time in more than 70 years. AFSCME members know how easily a family can slip into poverty after losing a loved one, and they see every day how critical this lifeline can be. We thank Sens. Welch, Sanders and Warren for easing the financial burden on families so they can move forward with dignity,\u201d said Lee Saunders, President, AFSCME.\n\n\u201cThe death of a spouse or parent brings profound economic pain for families that only adds to the stress of grieving. The Social Security lump-sum survivor benefit was created to help but remains meager and has completely failed to keep up with the cost of living. Sen. Welch\u2019s Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act would finally increase the lump-sum death benefit from $255 to $2,900 and index it to inflation. It\u2019s a compassionate move that would make a huge difference for people grappling with loss\u2014and it\u2019s simply the right thing to do. We fully support it and urge Congress to pass it,\u201d said Randi Weingarten, President, AFT.\n\n\u201cAmong the lesser known and utilized benefits provided under the Social Security Act is a lump-sum amount payable upon the death of a beneficiary which was intended to help the surviving family pay for a beneficiary\u2019s funeral expenses. The last time the amount was adjusted was seventy years ago, when funerals only cost about $700. The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act would adjust the death benefit to account for inflation, providing some relief to families facing financial and emotional burdens following the death of a loved one. Increasing the level would also provide an incentive for more families to claim the benefit, thus advancing the President\u2019s goal of increased accuracy in timely and accurate reporting of the death of Social Security beneficiaries,\u201d said Max Richtmann, President and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.\n\n\u201cFor decades, the Social Security lump-sum death benefit has remained virtually unchanged, failing to reflect the realities families face when a loved one passes away. By updating and indexing this payment to inflation, Senator Welch\u2019s legislation ensures that Social Security continues to provide meaningful, timely support to surviving spouses and families at one of the most difficult moments in their lives. NOSSCR appreciates Senator Welch\u2019s leadership in modernizing this vital but long-overlooked aspect of the Social Security program,\u201d said Betsy Rosecan, Government Relations Director, NOSSCR.\n\n\u201cWhen families lose a loved one, the last thing they should have to worry about is how they will pay for the funeral. Social Security includes a lump-sum death benefit, which should help to cover those costs. However, the value of that benefit has greatly deteriorated. Shockingly, the last time it was increased was almost three-quarters of a century ago. Social Security Works enthusiastically endorses the Social Security Benefits Equity Act, which restores this important component of Social Security so that it once again provides peace of mind during life\u2019s most difficult moments. The American people owe Senator Welch an enormous debt of gratitude for this important legislation,\u201d Nancy J. Altman, President, Social Security Works.\n\n\u201cThis bill is important for widows who are worried about outliving their savings and ending up without resources at the end of their lives,\u201d said Cindy Hounsel, President, Women\u2019s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER).\n\nIn October 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in introducing the Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act. With America\u2019s seniors facing quickly rising costs in Trump\u2019s economy, her bill will provide rapid relief by expanding Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits by $200 per month for six months. The Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act would provide critical relief to Americans living on a fixed income by providing a $200 per month emergency increase to Social Security checks until July 2026 and supporting all Title II Social Security beneficiaries, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries, Railroad Retirement beneficiaries, veteran disability compensation, and veteran pension benefit annuitants.\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders, encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them, and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans\u2019 agenda and their continued cuts to Americans\u2019 Social Security services and benefits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-beyer-lawmakers-warn-treasury-against-delivering-retroactive-tax-break-to-billionaire-corporations", "Warren, Beyer, Lawmakers Warn Treasury Against Delivering Retroactive Tax Break to Billionaire Corporations", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Beyer, Lawmakers Warn Treasury Against Delivering Retroactive Tax Break to Billionaire Corporations\n\nBillionaire corporations have engaged in lobbying blitz with Treasury to obtain retroactive R&E carveout from Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax\n\n\u201cWe urge Treasury not to further rig the tax code in favor of billionaire corporations.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, along with U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-Va.), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, led Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Representatives Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Linda S\u00e1nchez (D-Calif.), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) in questioning Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy Kenneth Kies on how Treasury will respond to lobbyists\u2019 push to create a loophole in the corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) for billionaire corporations taking massive retroactive research and experimentation (R&E) tax deductions.\n\n\u201cCorporate lobbyists are shamelessly trying to create yet another loophole and undermine this law so that profitable billionaire corporations pay little to no taxes,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThis lobbying push follows a series of regulatory changes and industry-friendly loopholes the Trump administration has implemented to chip away at CAMT, which sets a minimum 15 percent tax rate on the book income of billionaire corporations. These changes, combined with other recent policy changes at Treasury that favor the ultra-wealthy, are set to result in hundreds of billions of dollars in lost tax revenue, according to independent estimates.\n\nCorporations are demanding this additional loophole because of how CAMT interacts with the retroactive R&E expensing tax break in Republicans\u2019 Big Beautiful Bill. Retroactive R&E expensing allows corporations to immediately deduct the full costs of R&E expenses they incurred years ago \u2014 because it is retroactive, it cannot incentivize any economic activity. This tax break is estimated to hand corporations $67 billion in 2026 and would be an even larger windfall in the absence of CAMT.\n\nIf billionaire corporations could subtract these accelerated deductions from CAMT\u2019s measure of income, their tax liability could fall far below 15% \u2014 and, in some cases, to zero. Even the conservative American Enterprise Institute opposes the creation of such a loophole, stating that \u201cit would be contrary to Congressional intent and would have no economic benefit\u201d and that it would \u201cnot encourage additional investment in R&D [research & development].\u201d\n\n\u201cThis policy would clearly undermine the purpose of CAMT: to ensure that no billionaire corporation pays a lower tax rate than 15% on the income it reports to shareholders, known as book income,\u201d the lawmakers concluded. \u201cWe urge Treasury not to further rig the tax code in favor of billionaire corporations by creating a CAMT carveout for retroactive R&E expensing.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers requested answers on the Treasury\u2019s response to corporate demands for a carveout in CAMT for retroactive R&E expensing by December 17, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-calls-for-hegseths-resignation-following-pentagon-ig-signal-report-findings", "Warren Calls for Hegseth\u2019s Resignation Following Pentagon IG Signal Report Findings", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Calls for Hegseth\u2019s Resignation Following Pentagon IG Signal Report Findings\n\n\u201cHow many more times does Secretary Hegseth have to put our military in danger before Republicans say enough is enough?\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in response to the news that a Pentagon watchdog concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked exposing sensitive information that could have endangered U.S. troops when he relayed information about a planned military strike in Yemen using Signal, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cThe watchdog investigation makes clear that Secretary Pete Hegseth put American service members in danger by sharing classified war plans in an unsecure group chat. Secretary Hegseth was reckless with our nation's security, jeopardizing American lives and demonstrating he\u2019s unfit to serve as Secretary of Defense. To be blunt, Hegseth is a walking national security threat.\n\n\u201cHow many more times does Secretary Hegseth have to put our military in danger before Republicans say enough is enough? Secretary Hegseth should resign or be fired immediately.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-min-lawmakers-questions-giant-corporations-on-trump-ballroom-donations-influence-peddling-with-trump-administration-for-favors", "Warren, Min, Lawmakers Question Giant Corporations On Trump Ballroom Donations, Influence-Peddling with Trump Administration For Favors", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Min, Lawmakers Question Giant Corporations On Trump Ballroom Donations, Influence-Peddling with Trump Administration For Favors\n\nDonations from Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nvidia, others with pending antitrust business in front of Trump admin raise bribery concerns\n\n\u201cIf your donation was made with the intent to influence government decision-making, it could run afoul of federal bribery law.\u201d\n\nText of Letters (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Dave Min (D-Calif.) led their colleagues in questioning seven giant corporations on their reported donations to President Trump\u2019s White House ballroom and whether there were any quid-pro-quo arrangements connected to them. The corporations \u2014 Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Comcast, and Union Pacific Railroad \u2014 all have antitrust business pending in front of the Trump administration, raising concerns about influence-peddling and bribery.\n\n\u201cThese interests create the potential for a quid-pro-quo exchange of a contribution to the ballroom for regulatory or other favors from the federal government. That risk appears particularly acute amid allegations of this Administration\u2019s politicized decision-making in antitrust cases, not based on law and the interest of the public but based on political favors,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cIf your donation was made with the intent to influence government decision-making, it could run afoul of federal bribery law.\u201d\n\nThe following lawmakers joined Warren and Min in sending the letters: U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Representatives Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-Ind.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), and Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.).\n\nEach of these seven corporate ballroom donors stands to benefit from favorable treatment from the federal government related to merger reviews or enforcement actions. Comcast could seek the Trump administration\u2019s approval of a potential merger if it were to win its bidding war for Warner Bros. Union Pacific Railroad would benefit from the administration\u2019s approval of its pending merger with Norfolk Southern, which would enable it to control roughly 40% of U.S. freight rail traffic. Meta would benefit from the FTC choosing not to appeal a recent federal district court antitrust ruling favorable to the company.\n\nRecent reports revealed that businesses have admitted donations to Trump\u2019s ballroom fund were a good way to \"curry favor with the administration.\u201d Last month, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon acknowledged the influence-peddling concerns related to ballroom donations, stating that JPMorgan has not donated because of the \u201crisks we bear by doing anything that looks like . . . buying favors.\u201d\n\nIn October, Senator Warren questioned the National Park Service Comptroller and the Trust for the National Mall CEO on how their organizations have seemingly become a vehicle for politicized fundraising, influence-peddling, and donor access to President Trump in his effort to pay for and build the $300 million ballroom.\n\nLast month, Senator Warren and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) introduced the Stop Ballroom Bribery Act to root out apparent bribery and corruption involving President Trump\u2019s ballroom, the first piece of legislation addressing the ballroom that would impose donation restrictions.\n\nThe senators pressed the companies for answers about the discussions surrounding their donations, the amount contributed, whether they expect to claim their donation as a charitable deduction, and more by December 16, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-murray-baldwin-sanders-schumer-colleagues-slam-mcmahons-latest-illegal-efforts-to-dismantle-the-department-of-education", "Warren, Murray, Baldwin, Sanders, Schumer, Colleagues Slam McMahon\u2019s Latest Illegal Efforts to Dismantle the Department of Education", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Murray, Baldwin, Sanders, Schumer, Colleagues Slam McMahon\u2019s Latest Illegal Efforts to Dismantle the Department of Education\n\n\u201cYour brazen attempt to dismantle the Department by transferring to other federal agencies complex and foundational responsibilities that Congress specifically charged to the Department [w]ill undermine public education.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe urge you to immediately reverse course and to focus your time and attention on actions that actually help states, school districts and educational institutions improve educational outcomes and support for students.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.); and their colleagues in a letter slamming Secretary Linda McMahon following the recent announcement that the Department of Education has signed interagency agreements (IAAs) to illegally outsource core functions that students and their families rely on. The senators are demanding Secretary McMahon reverse these latest steps to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be very clear: You are choosing to create even more bureaucracy that states, school districts, and educational institutions across America will have to expend time and resources navigating at the expense of students and families,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nIn the letter, the Senators make clear that, as McMahon has previously acknowledged, dismantling the Department would require an act of Congress, which has not been proposed\u2014or even seriously pursued\u2014by the administration. Appropriations law prohibits the transfer of funds to another federal agency unless expressly authorized in appropriations law.\n\nThe senators detail how the myriad departmental responsibilities McMahon is now seeking to spin off to other agencies that lack the expertise, capacity, and legal mandate to successfully administer key programs will risk support, funding, and oversight that our laws provide to students and families across America. They note, in particular, that there have been negative consequences for states, schools, colleges, and students as these IAAs roll out. The first IAA inked earlier this year between the Department and DOL on career and technical education and adult education has been plagued with serious challenges.\n\n\u201cWe once again demand that you reverse these detrimental plans and refocus your efforts on supporting state and local efforts by properly implementing federal laws intended to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all students, especially those who count on the Department doing its job most,\u201d concluded the senators.\n\nIn addition to Senators Warren, Murray, Baldwin, Sanders, and Schumer, the letter was signed by Senators Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angus King (I-Me.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to make our higher education system more affordable, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable for incompetence and malfeasance. She launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump\u2019s attempts to abolish the Department of Education\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawler-lawmakers-renew-fight-to-honor-wwii-cadet-nurses", "Warren, Lawler, Lawmakers Renew Fight to Honor WWII Cadet Nurses", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Lawler, Lawmakers Renew Fight to Honor WWII Cadet Nurses\n\nBill would recognize the nearly 120,000 women who served as Nurse Cadets during WWII, never received honorary veteran status for their service\n\nBill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Angus King (I-Maine), along with U.S. Representatives Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), reintroduced 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. The bill would recognize former Cadet Nurses' service to the country and provide them with honorary veterans status, honorable discharges, a service medal, a burial plaque or grave marker, and other commendations.\n\nSenator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also joined in co-sponsoring the bill in the Senate.\n\nDuring WWII, a severe shortage of trained nurses threatened the United States\u2019 ability to meet domestic and military medical needs. As a result, Congress established the Cadet Nurse Corps, an integrated, uniformed service of the Public Health Administration, in 1943 to provide women with expedited nursing education in exchange for \"essential military or civilian nursing for the duration of the war.\" In 1944, the Federal Security Agency identified \"national recognition for rendering a vital war service\" as a privilege of service in the Corps.\n\nIn total, nearly 120,000 women completed the Corps' rigorous training and served in military hospitals, VA hospitals, Marine hospitals, private hospitals, public health agencies, and public hospitals until the program ended in 1948.\n\nOne of those women, Cadet Nurse Elizabeth \"Betty\" Beecher, trained to become a Cadet Nurse in Boston, Massachusetts, and then served as a nurse at a Staten Island, N.Y., marine hospital near the end of WWII.\n\n\"We prevented a total collapse of the health care system,\" she said. \"Had we not stepped up and volunteered and enlisted in the Corps, I'm afraid the country would have been demoralized and our boys would have come home to a sick country.\"\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s about time we recognize these women for their service to our country during World War II,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThey stepped up to prevent our nation\u2019s health care system from collapsing and were crucial to our wartime efforts \u2014 that is the definition of patriotism.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe brave women of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps, including Montanan Laura Koch-Natvig, served our nation selflessly during World War II,\u201d said Senator Daines. \u201cI\u2019m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to give the Cadet Nurse Corps the honor and recognition they deserve, so the legacy of these brave women will be forever remembered.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe cadet nurses of World War II are unsung heroes whose bravery and selfless service helped the United States and our Allies win the war,\u201d said Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committees. \u201cAs our nation struggled to meet medical staffing levels and take care of its soldiers, young women across the country stepped up to help make a difference and save lives. It is a privilege to join my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act, which will give long overdue recognition to these remarkable women of the Greatest Generation and further cement their important role in defending freedom and democracy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe women of the Cadet Nurse Corps kept our hospitals going at a moment when our country desperately needed them. Without their service, the outcome of the war, and the world we live in today, would be very different,\u201d said Congressman Mike Lawler.\n\n\u201cThroughout World War II, Cadet Nurses helped sustain the strength and resolve of our nation. They supported a medical system under extraordinary strain and cared for our troops with deep patriotism and devotion. Their contributions have gone understated for generations. Recognizing them with veteran status finally honors their sacrifice and secures their rightful place as heroes in America\u2019s story,\u201d said Congressman Fitzpatrick.\n\n\u201cCadet nurses help the United States and our Allies win World War II,\u201d said Congressman Deluzio. \u201cThey made enormous sacrifices and bravely put themselves in harm\u2019s way in their efforts to save lives. I am proud to join with my colleagues to reintroduce the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act of 2023 to grant these nurses honorary veteran status and other benefits that these cadet nurses earned through their service.\u201d\n\nThe U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act would:\n\nProvide Cadet Nurses with honorary veteran status, with an honorable discharge from service where merited and;\n\nPermit the Secretary of Defense to provide honorably discharged Cadet Nurses with a service medal, a burial plaque or grave marker, and other commendations to honor their service.\n\nThe bill was included in the House version of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act. While the legislation would provide the appropriate military honors, it would not provide still-living Cadet Nurses with Veterans Affairs pensions, healthcare benefits, or other privileges afforded to former active-duty service members, such as burial benefits in Arlington Cemetery.\n\n\u201cThe Military Women's Memorial strongly supports this vital legislation to finally honor the more than 124,000 members of the Cadet Nurse Corps, whose service was indispensable to the success of the World War II effort. Replacing nurses who had joined the military, they served on the home front in military and civilian hospitals across the nation, eventually providing 80% of the nursing care in the U.S. These women personify the commitment and sacrifice of women in service, stepping up to fill a critical nursing shortage. Like their military brothers and sisters, their pledge to serve 'for the duration of the war, plus six months' is a sacred commitment that deserves the highest recognition, and we urge Congress to pass this long-overdue tribute to their legacy,\" said Phyllis Wilson, President of the Military Women\u2019s Memorial.\n\n\u201cAACN applauds the introduction of the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act,\" said Dr. Deborah Trautman, President and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. \u201cWe look forward to working with Congress to honor the members of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps who embodied the bravery of the \u2018greatest generation' and who nobly served our country during World War II.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Cadet Nurses answered the call of duty during a time of great need,\u201d said American Nurses Association President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. \u201cBy addressing a critical shortage of nurses during World War II, the Cadet Nurse Corp ensured that Americans maintained access to health care throughout the yearslong conflict. ANA is proud to support this bill, which honors and recognizes the extraordinary contributions that the women of the United States Cadet Corps made to their country.\n\nThe bill is endorsed by the Military Women\u2019s Memorial, the American Nurses Association, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-ma-delegation-sound-alarm-on-trump-cuts-to-grants-that-provide-funding-for-massachusetts-anti-poverty-programs", "Warren, MA Delegation Sound Alarm on Trump Cuts to Grants that Provide Funding for Massachusetts Anti-Poverty Programs", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, MA Delegation Sound Alarm on Trump Cuts to Grants that Provide Funding for Massachusetts Anti-Poverty Programs\n\nGrant provided a total of $804 million for crucial services low-income families rely on in FY2025 and has bipartisan support in Congress, reflecting the importance of the services it provides.\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led Massachusetts\u2019 Congressional delegation in pressing Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr., raising their concerns about the Trump Administration\u2019s efforts to eliminate the Community Service Block Grant (CSBG), a critical source of funding for anti-poverty programs nationwide.\n\nThe letter was signed by U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), and Bill Keating (D-Mass.).\n\nCommunity action agencies provide crucial services to low-income families across the country, including home energy assistance, child care and early education assistance, food assistance, and help filing taxes. One critical funding source for these agencies is the CSBG, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Office of Community Services (OCS). Nationwide, the CSBG provided a total of $804 million for these programs in FY 2025. CSBG has bipartisan support in Congress, reflecting the importance of the services it provides.\n\n\u201cEliminating [Community Service Block Grant] funding\u2014either directly or by gutting the team responsible for administering it\u2014would have devastating effects on [community action agencies] that low-income families across the country rely on,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nDespite the critical work that CSBG enables, the Trump Administration has attacked the program. After asking Congress to eliminate CSBG funds entirely, the administration sought to hollow out the CSBG program by firing most of the OCS staff, leaving community action agencies reliant on CSBG funds unsure as to how and if they would receive their funds. Community action agencies have not been told who\u2014if anyone\u2014is continuing to work on CSBG or other programs that the OCS administers, like the Low-Income Energy Assistance program. The programs distribute millions of dollars in benefits to American families and communities and cannot be effectively managed by a skeletal staff.\n\nPresident Trump\u2019s government shutdown revealed how the loss of federal funding would impact community action agencies\u2019 programs. Many community action agencies quickly drained the funding they received from other sources, like state governments, and were forced to minimize operations. A permanent loss of federal funding would shutter these programs entirely, leaving some of the country\u2019s most vulnerable without resources and services they need to get by.\n\nThe lawmakers asked Secretary Kennedy to answer their questions by December 17, 2025, including how many staff are currently working at OCS and to provide a list of staff members who were fired from OCS, before or during the government shutdown, along with the reasoning for each firing; if there will be additional RIFs at OCS; how OCS plans to distribute CSBG funds; and whether the Administration plans to impose further cuts in CSBG funds.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-publishes-new-independent-analysis-revealing-republican-bonus-depreciation-tax-break-as-giant-handout-boosting-wealthiest-corporations", "Warren Publishes New Independent Analysis Revealing Republican \u201cBonus Depreciation\u201d Tax Break as Giant Handout Boosting Wealthiest Corporations", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Publishes New Independent Analysis Revealing Republican \u201cBonus Depreciation\u201d Tax Break as Giant Handout Boosting Wealthiest Corporations\n\nTrump\u2019s Big Beautiful Bill permanently extended this corporate tax break\n\nOver 80% of bonus depreciation claimed by corporations from 2018 to 2022 went to those making over $1 billion annually\n\nJoint Committee on Taxation (JCT) shared new data in response to Sen. Warren\u2019s September letter\n\nJCT Response (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, published new data from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) \u2014 a nonpartisan Congressional committee dedicated to analyzing tax legislation \u2014 revealing Republicans\u2019 recent \u201cbonus depreciation\u201d tax break as a giant handout to wealthy corporations.\n\nThe new data came in response to a letter Sen. Warren sent in September seeking information about the Big, Beautiful Bill\u2019s permanent extension of 100% bonus depreciation, which allows corporations to write off the entire cost of purchasing many types of equipment, buildings, vehicles and other assets immediately, instead of over many years. 100% bonus depreciation had previously been in effect from 2018 to 2022 due to the first Trump Administration\u2019s 2017 tax legislation.\n\n\u201cThanks to Donald Trump and Republicans\u2019 Big Beautiful Bill, giant corporations will win big while American families see their costs skyrocket. Next year, the federal government will spend over five times more on these tax handouts for billionaire corporations than it spends each year on child care,\u201d said Senator Warren. \"Time and time again, Donald Trump and Republicans have made clear that they stand with billionaires and billionaire corporations \u2014 not American families.\"\n\nKey conclusions from the new JCT data include:\n\n100% bonus depreciation is disproportionately used by giant corporations. Over 80% of the 100% bonus depreciation claimed by corporations from 2018-2022 went to companies with over $1 billion in yearly income. 99% of bonus depreciation benefits went to corporations making over $1 million annually.\n\n100% bonus depreciation was an enormous corporate giveaway in the past and is projected to continue being an enormous corporate giveaway in the future. Corporations deducted a total of $2.7 trillion through the tax break when it was in place from 2018 to 2022. JCT now projects that corporations will use 100% bonus depreciation to deduct an additional $172 billion in 2025 and an additional $178 billion in 2026.\n\nBig Pharma, Big Tech, Big Oil, and Wall Street will win big from 100% bonus depreciation. From 2018 to 2022, the finance and insurance industry deducted $206 billion through 100% bonus depreciation. In 2022 alone, the pharmaceutical industry deducted $10 billion, the oil & gas industry deducted $30 billion, and tech companies deducted $152 billion.\n\n100% bonus depreciation enables thousands of big corporations to avoid taxes by bringing their income to zero \u2014 or even making it negative. In 2022, 81,000 corporations reported zero or negative taxable income due to their use of 100% bonus depreciation. JCT estimates that if the 2018-2022 trend in the use of 100% bonus depreciation continues, about 59% of corporations will report zero or negative taxable income this year \u2014 in part, due to 100% bonus depreciation.\n\nOBBBA will allow for billions of dollars in retroactive bonus depreciation tax breaks this year. In 2025, the government will spend $16 billion on bonus depreciation tax handouts for purchases that companies made before the passage of OBBBA \u2014 more than the entire federal government spends each year on child care. Since these tax breaks are retroactive, they cannot incentivize any economic activity and are economically unjustifiable.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/bipartisan-warren-cassidy-bill-to-simplify-tax-error-notices-signed-into-law", "Bipartisan Warren, Cassidy Bill to Simplify Tax Error Notices Signed Into Law", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Bipartisan Warren, Cassidy Bill to Simplify Tax Error Notices Signed Into Law\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 The Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help (IRS MATH) Act, bipartisan legislation championed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in the Senate, was signed into law by the President.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s common sense that the IRS should tell Americans where they made mistakes on their taxes,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cI fought hard to fix the law and simplify the tax filing process. Now, Americans will have more money in their pockets, without needing to spend a fortune on lawyers or hours to decipher confusing tax notices.\"\n\nThe IRS MATH Act ensures that when taxpayers make simple math or clerical errors on their taxes, the IRS sends them clear notices indicating where they made an error and laying out a 60-day appeal window.\n\nSpecifically, the bill:\n\nDirects the IRS to improve notices of math or clerical errors, requiring that notices:\n\nIdentify the line item the IRS is changing;\n\nExplain the reason for the change, and\n\nClearly list the taxpayer\u2019s required response date.\n\nRequires that the IRS notify the taxpayer of abatement determinations.\n\nRequires the Treasury Secretary to provide additional procedures for requesting an abatement of a math or clerical error adjustment, including by telephone or in person.\n\nCreates a pilot program coordinated by the IRS and National Taxpayer Advocate to determine the benefit of sending math or clerical error notices by certified or registered mail.\n\nThe U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill by voice vote in March. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) led the bill on the House side.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-calls-for-secretary-mcmahon-to-resign-in-usa-today-op-ed", "Warren Calls For Secretary McMahon to Resign in USA Today Op-Ed", "2025-12-01", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Calls For Secretary McMahon to Resign in USA Today Op-Ed\n\n\u201cLinda McMahon has no business leading the Department of Education. She should resign.\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) published an op-ed in USA Today calling for Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to resign following the recent news that President Trump and Secretary McMahon plan to further dismantle the Department of Education (ED).\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to make the higher education system more affordable, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable for incompetence and malfeasance. She launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump\u2019s attempts to abolish the Department of Education.\n\nLast week, Senator Warren pushed for an expanded investigation into the Trump administration\u2019s attempts to dismantle ED and whether its recent decision to transfer many of ED\u2019s responsibilities to four other agencies violates federal law.\n\nRead the full op-ed here and below.\n\nUSA Today: Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Education Secretary Linda McMahon should resign\n\nDecember 1, 2025\n\nShortly after she was sworn in, I invited Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to my office.\n\nI looked her dead in the eye and asked, \u201cNow, I just want to be clear, do you think you can shut down the Department of Education?\u201d\n\nShe looked straight back at me and said, \u201cNo, I don\u2019t have the legal authority to do that.\u201d\n\nBut here we are.\n\nIt\u2019s official: Donald Trump and Secretary McMahon are dismantling the Department of Education one piece at a time. This is, in Secretary McMahon\u2019s words, the department\u2019s \u201cfinal mission.\u201d\n\nThe assault on the department has come in several directions. On Nov. 18, Secretary McMahon announced that she was transferring major functions of the department to four other federal agencies. This means that programs are being moved into other agencies that have no relevant expertise to be managed by people who know nothing about the issues.\n\nNO PART OF PUBLIC EDUCATION WILL REMAIN UNTOUCHED\n\nHere\u2019s just one example of how this will work: Under this new arrangement, the Department of Labor will be in charge of supporting K-12 literacy, American history and civics, and Title I funding. Drink that in: Labor Department employees will decide which reading readiness programs to support for kindergartners.\n\nIn fact, no part of public education will remain untouched by this move. Title I provides the biggest federal fund for K-12 schools and is used to help pay for good teachers and new textbooks all across America. School administrators are concerned that these changes may result in bigger class sizes, fewer afterschool and tutoring programs, and not enough workbooks for our kids because federal funding isn\u2019t coming through.\n\nThere\u2019s more: Secretary McMahon has been trying to slash the section of the Department of Education that assists students with disabilities and their families. If she\u2019s successful, this could sharply limit access to speech therapy, individual aides and special equipment that are all essential for these children to participate fully in a classroom education.\n\nSecretary McMahon has also fired half the staff at the Department of Education. For the 6 million students taking out loans for college each year and the 43 million wrestling with their outstanding loans, cuts at the Department of Education's student loan division will hit hard. The secretary of Education seems determined to sideline the cop on the beat to stop the scammers who prey on these students.\n\nBoth families and schools will suffer. Because of the changes the secretary has made, schools will no longer be able to turn to the Department of Education when they face problems. Instead, they will now have to navigate four federal agencies and new staff and systems.\n\nTRUMP AND MCMAHON WANT TO DESTROY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FROM WITHIN\n\nAgencies that have no experience will be in charge, risking mistakes, confusion and delays in funding. For all the Trump administration\u2019s talk about government efficiency, this is the opposite. This is no accident.\n\nWhile Donald Trump and Secretary McMahon claim to care about efficiency, the real goal has been clear all along: They want to destroy the Department of Education from within. They want to make the department so dysfunctional that people will want to get rid of it.\n\nBecause here\u2019s the thing: If they can create a system so complicated that it doesn\u2019t work and if they hollow out the Department of Education just enough, there will be nothing left to abolish.\n\nThis isn\u2019t a fight over a national curriculum or putting education back into the hands of states. Federal law already guarantees that states \u2013 not the federal government \u2013 will decide what gets taught. Instead, this assault on public education is exactly that \u2013 an effort to undermine public schools all across America.\n\nI was a special education teacher. I know how much families rely on the Department of Education to ensure that their kids get the resources they need. To me, what\u2019s at stake in this fight is more than the future of a federal agency. It\u2019s about whether our country is truly committed to the idea of public education: the idea that anyone, no matter where they are born or how much money their parents have, can get a first-class education.\n\nPublic education is a foundational block in our democracy, both for informed citizens and to give everyone a chance to build lifelong skills. And that\u2019s what the Trump administration is trying to dismantle by closing down the Department of Education, an agency dedicated to building opportunities for kids all across the country.\n\nPublic service is exactly that \u2013 serving the public. When a secretary of Education is actively dismantling our public education system, it\u2019s time to reconsider her role in government. When the secretary is working to make class sizes bigger, take away aides for kids with special needs, leave college students at the mercy of financial predators, and make the whole department nonfunctional, it\u2019s time for new leadership.\n\nLinda McMahon has no business leading the Department of Education. She should resign.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-pushes-for-expansion-of-investigation-into-trumps-dismantling-of-education-department", "Warren Pushes for Expansion of Investigation into Trump\u2019s Dismantling of Education Department", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Pushes for Expansion of Investigation into Trump\u2019s Dismantling of Education Department\n\n\u201cThe dismantling of ED\u2014including ED\u2019s recent move to transfer a range of statutory duties to other agencies\u2014threatens devastating consequences for students, borrowers, and families. I request the ED OIG expand its investigation\u2026\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 In a new letter to the Department of Education\u2019s (ED) Inspector General, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pushed for an expanded investigation into the Trump administration\u2019s attempts to dismantle ED and whether its recent decision to transfer many of ED\u2019s responsibilities to four other agencies violates federal law.\n\nIn April 2025, at Senator Warren\u2019s request, the ED Inspector General (IG) opened an investigation into whether the Trump administration\u2019s efforts to dismantle the department undermined its legal obligations to students and families across the country. Since then, Senator Warren has conducted her own investigation, sending eight oversight letters, in addition to having a face-to-face meeting with Education Secretary Linda McMahon in June\u2014during which the Secretary admitted she needs Congressional approval to dismantle the department.\n\n\u201c[The department\u2019s responses] largely failed to provide complete and transparent answers\u2026 [and] raised further questions about the extent to which Secretary McMahon has damaged the Department\u2019s ability to carry out its basic functions,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren asked the IG to investigate the following topics given McMahon\u2019s efforts to dismantle ED:\n\nWhen the department would restore the Income-Driven Repayment counter, as Secretary McMahon committed to do, which shows student loan borrowers their progress toward debt relief;\n\nHow the department would hold federal loan servicers like MOHELA accountable if they provide insufficient customer service to borrowers, including by penalizing servicers if they fail to meet their contractual obligations;\n\nThe department\u2019s plan to ensure that \u201cAidan,\u201d the generative AI chatbot that ED created to provide assistance with student aid, does not mislead families and borrowers or compromise their privacy;\n\nA timeline for clearing the 1.1 million application backlog for Income-Driven Repayment plans, and how ED decided to mass-deny hundreds of thousands of applications in this backlog on a contrived technicality;\n\nWhether ED has neglected its responsibility to take enforcement actions against predatory or fraudulent schools and ensure low-quality or fraudulent for-profit programs do not receive public funding, especially given the administration\u2019s decision to fire ED workers tasked with ensuring that federal funds are not used fraudulently;\n\nWhether ED is sufficiently protecting students who have encountered illegal discrimination, especially given the department\u2019s unprecedented rapid dismissal of civil rights complaints and mass firings of Office for Civil Rights staff; and\n\nHow the department determined who to fire when nearly half of ED\u2019s employees were laid off in March;\n\nWhether ED\u2019s recent agreements to transfer critical responsibilities to four other agencies are illegal.\n\n\u201cThe dismantling of ED\u2014including ED\u2019s recent move to transfer a range of statutory duties to other agencies\u2014threatens devastating consequences for students, borrowers, and families,\u201d concluded Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren urged the IG to expand its investigation and provide an update on the status of the ongoing investigation to \u201cshed light on the impact of the dismantling of ED on students and families in Massachusetts and beyond.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-hearing-warren-sounds-alarm-on-rising-health-insurance-premiums-slams-republicans-concepts-of-a-plan-for-lowering-health-care-costs", "At Hearing, Warren Sounds Alarm on Rising Health Insurance Premiums, Slams Republicans\u2019 \u201cConcepts Of A Plan\u201d For Lowering Health Care Costs", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "At Hearing, Warren Sounds Alarm on Rising Health Insurance Premiums, Slams Republicans\u2019 \u201cConcepts Of A Plan\u201d For Lowering Health Care Costs\n\nWarren: \"Donald Trump may be absorbed on having bulldozers tear down the East Wing and put[ting] up a new ballroom, but American families are facing real cost increases.\"\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) slammed Republicans' failure to lower health care costs for American families.\n\nIn July, President Trump and Republicans in Congress passed the \u2018Big, Beautiful Bill,\u2019 which rips away health coverage for 15 million people to pay for tax cuts to billionaires and giant corporations. Now, millions of Americans are learning that their health insurance premiums are going to skyrocket in 2026.\n\nOver 24 million Americans are enrolled in ACA Marketplace coverage in 2025, and 92% receive enhanced premium tax credits (EPTCs). During the hearing, Senator Warren highlighted that failing to extend these tax credits, which expire at the end of 2025, would leave millions of people stuck paying dramatically higher health insurance premiums. Mr. Jason Levitis, Senior Fellow at the Urban Institute, confirmed to Senator Warren that families with ACA coverage will see their premiums double, on average, next year \u2013 and that a 60-year-old couple making $85,000 could see their premiums jump by about $24,000.\n\nWhen Senator Warren asked Mr. Levitis whether premium increases would be limited to those who receive EPTCs, Mr. Levitis clarified that everyone who pays for health insurance will face higher costs. In response to a question from Senator Warren about how much Americans would save next year if Congress extended the ACA tax credits, Mr. Levitis stated, \u201capproximately $25 or $30 billion.\u201d Senator Warren noted that it would cost $23 billion to extend the credits next year \u2013 about half the cost of the $40 billion President Trump sent to bail out the Argentine government.\n\nSenator Warren concluded the hearing by calling on her colleagues to address the immediate crisis at hand by extending the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits: \u201cFamilies are struggling right now, and they need help right now. Donald Trump may be absorbed on having bulldozers tear down the East Wing and put[ting] up a new ballroom, but American families are facing real cost increases, and it is time for Congress to respond.\u201d\n\nTranscript: \u201cThe Rising Cost of Health Care: Considering Meaningful Solutions for All Americans.\u201d\n\nSenate Finance Committee\n\nNovember 19, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Let's face it, healthcare in America is already too expensive. We've got monthly premiums, deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance, and surprise medical bills. Healthcare costs are crushing families and health insurance next year will cost an average of $27,000 for a family of four.\n\nDonald Trump ran for president saying he would lower costs on day one. And what has he done to help get health care costs under control? He worked with the Republicans in Congress to pass the \u2018Big, Beautiful Bill,\u2019 which rips away health coverage for 15 million people so that he could pay for tax cuts for billionaires and giant corporations. And this month, millions of Americans are learning that their premiums are going to skyrocket in January, all because Republicans were happy to extend tax cuts for Amazon and Jeff Bezos but not tax credits for families who are struggling to afford health care.\n\nDemocrats are ready to help solve the health care crisis that Republicans have created, but right now, Donald Trump is evidently too busy trying to coat the Oval Office in gold leaf.\n\nMr. Levitis, you have helped draft and implement a health insurance policy. So tell me, how much more will families with ACA coverage have to pay in premiums next year on average?\n\nMr. Jason Levitis: Premiums, on average, will about double.\n\nSenator Warren: So, premiums are going to double. Can you put a dollar figure, say, for a 60 year old couple making $85,000? I think that's been one of the ones we've talked about a lot.\n\nMr. Levitis: Yeah, I mean, on average, the premiums will increase by about $1,000. For people who are over that cliff, like Mr. Armitage, they will, in many cases, increase much, much more, many thousands of dollars.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay. Thousands of dollars\u2014the number I've seen is $24,000 in additional costs for a 60 year old couple making $85,000 a year. Is that about right?\n\nMr. Levitis: I would believe it.\n\nSenator Warren: Alright, so we've got premiums skyrocketing. Trump is focused on what's really important, and that is a new ballroom for the White House.\n\nMr. Levitis, will everyone with ACA coverage pay higher premiums next year, or is it just a handful of people?\n\nMr. Levitis: It's everyone, because with the reductions to the premium tax credit coming in, some people no longer get it at all, like Mr. Armitage. For everyone else, it goes down. And then even for people who pay for health insurance on their own, it has led to a big spike in the gross premiums.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, and my understanding is it's not just people who have ACA coverage. 154 million Americans with employer-sponsored insurance are going to face the biggest premium increases in 15 years. Does that sound right?\n\nMr. Levitis: Premiums on employer coverage do continue to grow, and they are too high, and there are some new factors in play this year, like in their insurance filings, there's been a lot of talk about the tariffs and how that has increased cost for certain inputs and how that has flowed through to all insurance. So, yes, not just\u2014\n\nSenator Warren: So it's going up for everyone. And Donald Trump says the affordability crisis is, \u201cA complete con job.\u201d Look, these price hikes are obviously real. They're not just falling from the sky. It's a policy choice that the Republicans have made. So, let me just ask one more question.\n\nMr. Levitis, if we permanently extended the ACA tax credits that lower the cost of health insurance, how much money would Americans save just next year alone?\n\nMr. Levitis: I believe it's approximately $25 or $30 billion.\n\nSenator Warren: Geez.\n\nMr. Levitis: But that's in premiums. But you would need to think about also, like, people who now have health insurance, who otherwise are going to have crushing costs. So it's, I think it's even bigger than that.\n\nSenator Warren: So, it's even bigger than that. It will cost us about $23 billion to be able to extend this help to American families. Donald Trump could round up $40 billion for Argentina, but he can't round up about half that much for American families who are struggling to pay for health care.\n\nLook, I think our health care system is broken. I think it's badly broken. And if the Republicans want to get serious about lowering costs and taking on corporate greed, count me in. But Republicans continuing to put forward the concepts of a plan just so they can crush the ACA, which they have tried to do 70 times already, is not going to work. Some kind of savings account that maybe rolls in a year from now. Families are struggling right now and they need help right now. Donald Trump may be absorbed on having bulldozers tear down the East Wing and put up a new ballroom but American families are facing real cost increases and it is time for Congress to respond.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-exposes-trump-health-nominee-flip-flopping-slams-extreme-anti-abortion-views-ahead-of-confirmation-vote", "Warren Exposes Trump Health Nominee Flip-Flopping, Slams Extreme Anti-Abortion Views Ahead of Confirmation Vote", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Exposes Trump Health Nominee Flip-Flopping, Slams Extreme Anti-Abortion Views Ahead of Confirmation Vote\n\n\u201cNominating (Thomas) Bell is the latest in (Donald Trump and Republicans\u2019) dangerous anti-abortion agenda.\u201d\n\nBell Responses to Warren (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Ahead of the Senate Finance Committee\u2019s confirmation vote for Thomas M. Bell, Donald Trump\u2019s nominee for Health and Human Services (HHS) Inspector General (IG), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) exposed Bell\u2019s flip-flopping and slammed his extreme anti-abortion views.\n\nAs chief of staff under former HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Director Roger Severino in Trump\u2019s first term, Bell recused himself from all enforcement matters related to his previous work on the House Select Panel\u2019s \u201ccontroversial and highly partisan\u201d investigation into Planned Parenthood due to concerns about bias. But in newly written responses to Senator Warren, Bell refused to recuse himself from similar abortion-related matters if confirmed as HHS IG and denied that he ever recused himself in the first place.\n\nIn response to questioning from Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) during Bell\u2019s recent confirmation hearing, Bell replied that investigating abortion clinics is \u201cexactly the kind of thing that the inspector general must have the courage to do.\u201d\n\n\u201cThomas Bell has made clear he wants to investigate abortion clinics and even previously recused himself from some Planned Parenthood-related issues because he\u2019s too biased. Donald Trump and Republicans have been hellbent on ripping away abortion access since Day One \u2014 nominating Bell is the latest in their dangerous anti-abortion agenda,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nAhead of Bell\u2019s confirmation hearing last month, Sen. Warren sounded the alarm about his record of extreme partisanship and mismanagement of taxpayer funds.\n\n\u201cYour alleged mismanagement of taxpayer funds and long record of allowing your highly partisan positions to improperly color your policy recommendations raise serious concerns about whether you possess the skills, character, and judgment necessary to credibly serve as HHS IG,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nBell led a \u201ccontroversial and highly partisan\u201d Congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood, reportedly working with anti-abortion activists to weaken the organization. Throughout the investigation, Bell reportedly made \u201clots of calls\u201d to the same anti-abortion advocate who \u201cmisleadingly edited videos\u201d that formed the basis for the investigation and was found by a federal court to have engaged in \u201crepeated instances of fraud, including the manufacture of fake documents\u201d to be used against Planned Parenthood. Despite finding no evidence of wrongdoing, Bell recommended that Planned Parenthood be stripped of government funding.\n\nBell has recently served as Senior Counsel to Republicans on the House Administration Committee, which is spearheading a Congressional investigation into Democratic fundraising site ActBlue \u2014 widely known to be based on unsubstantiated claims and prompted by President Trump\u2019s demands.\n\nBell\u2019s professional record also includes allegations of mishandling taxpayer funds. In 1997, he resigned from his position as deputy director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality after a legislative audit found that he authorized nearly $8,000 in payments and taxpayer funds to a former spokesperson with no documentation. His conduct was found to violate not only internal procedures but also Commonwealth-wide policies designed to protect taxpayer funds.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-releases-new-pentagon-data-on-military-aviation-accidents-pushes-reforms-to-protect-service-member-safety", "Warren Releases New Pentagon Data on Military Aviation Accidents, Pushes Reforms to Protect Service Member Safety", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Releases New Pentagon Data on Military Aviation Accidents, Pushes Reforms to Protect Service Member Safety\n\nNew data shows mishaps killed 90 service members, and cost billions; 55% increase in severe mishaps from 2020-2024\n\nWarren-Sullivan amendment to NDAA would force release of root-causes and safety issues related to accidents\n\n\u201cIn the face of increasing rates of costly and deadly aviation mishaps, it is critical that Congress and DoD take all necessary action to address this problem.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new data from the Department of Defense (DoD) revealing a massive increase in military aviation mishaps between 2020 and 2024. Senator Warren also wrote to DoD with ongoing concerns about the Pentagon\u2019s ability to prevent future accidents and follow-up requests for more updated data through present day.\n\n\u201cThese accident rates are incredibly troubling and demand action. The reforms I\u2019ve secured in the NDAA are desperately needed so Congress can understand the root causes of these accidents to save service member lives,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nThe new data reveals a concerning rise in Class A mishaps, the most serious category of accidents which result in damage of at least $2.5 million, destroyed aircraft, or fatalities or permanent total disabilities. The rate of Class A mishaps rose from 1.30 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours in 2020 to 2.02 mishaps per 100,000 flight hours in 2024, a 55 percent increase.\n\nThese mishaps cost the military $9.4 billion, killed 90 service members and DoD civilian employees, and destroyed 89 aircraft between 2020 to 2024. Among the service branches, the Marine Corps had the highest average Class A mishap rates, with a 194 percent increase from 2020 to 2024.\n\nThe increase in these mishap rates appears to be part of a longer-term trend. In 2018, the Navy found Class C mishap rates in naval aviation had doubled in the past decade. That same year, the Air Force\u2019s overall aviation mishap rate hit a seven-year high. In 2022, 48 Marines died in aviation mishaps, prompting the then-Acting Commandant to order a review of the Marines\u2019 \u201cculture of safety.\u201d In 2024, the Air Force announced it had lost 47 airmen through preventable mishaps in just one year.\n\n\u201cThis loss of life due to mishaps poses an unacceptable risk to service members, their families, and military readiness,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nThese mishaps also cost the military billions of dollars. The new Pentagon data reveals that the cost of Class A mishaps rose significantly from FY2022 to FY2023, costing $1.6 billion in FY2022 and $2.9 billion in FY2023. In just the first half of 2024, Class A mishaps cost the military $1.7 billion. So far this year, the Navy has lost four F/A-18Fs to mishaps, one of which costs approximately $60 million.\n\n\u201cThe waste of taxpayer dollars due to increasing mishap rates also poses a threat to our military\u2019s readiness and budget\u2026it is DoD\u2019s job to ensure that those systems work and that there are plans and measures in place to keep service members safe,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nIn order to study and address safety concerns related to military aviation, Congress created the National Commission on Military Aviation Safety in 2018 to study rising mishaps rates and the Joint Safety Council in 2022 to further address safety challenges.\n\n\u201cI am still concerned that the Joint Safety Council may not have the tools and authorities necessary to prevent future accidents,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nOne key failure, she noted, is the lack of transparency regarding accident investigation reports. After any aviation accident, the military prepares accident investigation boards (AIBs) and safety investigation boards (SIBs) to investigate the accident and write a report that reveals information about the accident. AIB reports are used to identify the fault of an accident while SIB reports identify root factors and safety issues that contributed to the accident. While AIB reports are typically made public, SIB reports are not made available to the public or Congress.\n\nSenators Warren and Dan Sullivan secured language in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires the Joint Safety Council to provide Congress with the executive summaries of SIBs conducted over the past three years and any corrective actions that were taken.\n\n\u201cIn the face of increasing rates of costly and deadly aviation mishaps, it is critical that Congress and DoD take all necessary action to address this problem,\u201d concluded Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren asked the Pentagon to provide updated mishap data from August 2024 to present and the Department\u2019s plan to address aviation safety deficiencies by December 2, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-sanders-blumenthal-warn-that-warner-bros-sale-may-be-tainted-by-political-favoritism-and-corruption", "Warren, Sanders, Blumenthal Warn that Warner Bros. Sale May Be Tainted by Political Favoritism and Corruption", "2025-11-19", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Sanders, Blumenthal Warn that Warner Bros. Sale May Be Tainted by Political Favoritism and Corruption\n\nParamount Skydance made deals with Trump prior to gaining merger approval, now reportedly admin favorites to take over Warner Bros.\n\nSenators warn that botched merger review could raise costs, reduce choices for Americans\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve full confidence that the federal government is enforcing these laws independently, transparently, and free from political pressure or financial influence.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in writing to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater, warning that a potential Warner Bros. deal could be tainted by political favoritism and corruption. Warner Bros., in an upcoming formal auction process, is expected to receive bids from major media companies potentially including Paramount Skydance, Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and Comcast, raising the specter of a new, massive media giant that drives up costs and reduces choices for American families.\n\nRecent reporting revealed that the Trump administration prefers for Paramount Skydance to win the bid, raising questions of political favoritism. The close relationship between the Trump administration and Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison could politicize the merger approval process. In July, the Trump administration approved the merger between Paramount and Skydance, just weeks after Paramount donated $16 million to Trump\u2019s Presidential Library \u2014 and after Ellison reportedly agreed to a secret \u201cside deal\u201d to run millions of dollars\u2019 worth of pro-Trump ads.\n\n\u201cThe Department of Justice (DOJ) must guarantee that any review of a potential Warner Bros. transaction is conducted transparently, independently, and in accordance with federal antitrust and anti-corruption laws \u2014 not politics,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cRegardless of which bidder is selected, the combination of one of these companies with Warner Bros. would further consolidate the media market \u2014 risking higher prices and less variety for consumers.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers demanded that the review of any potential transaction involving Warner Bros. follow the law and avoid the taint of corruption and political favoritism. If the review is botched and a new media giant emerges, the company would have even more market power to raise costs at a time when working- and middle-class Americans are already being squeezed by skyrocketing costs across the board.\n\nTo ensure the DOJ review is fact-based and transparent, the senators are pressing for answers on interactions that might bias the transaction review process. In particular, the senators ask whether DOJ officials have discussed any matters related to a potential Warner Bros. transaction with lawyers, lobbyists, or consultants hired by Warner Bros. or any of the reported bidders. They also seek further clarification on whether conversations have been held with non-DOJ lawyers, as well as White House officials or Donald Trump, relating to transaction review at the DOJ, including a potential transaction involving Warner Bros.\n\n\u201cA transparent and lawful merger review process ensures that antitrust and public interest laws function as intended \u2014 to protect competitive markets, prevent concentration of power, and safeguard American families from higher prices and fewer choices,\u201d the lawmakers concluded. \u201cThe American people deserve full confidence that the federal government is enforcing these laws independently, transparently, and free from political pressure or financial influence.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has consistently fought back against corrupt corporate media consolidation:\n\nOn October 10, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) questioned Skydance\u2019s refusal to address President Donald Trump\u2019s reported secret side deal.\n\nOn August 1, Senator Warren released a statement in response to Paramount\u2019s and Skydance\u2019s responses to her letters to each of the companies, describing the responses as \u201cdodgy\u201d and calling for \u201ca full, independent investigation\u201d into whether the companies or their executives engaged in any criminal behavior connected to the approval of the companies\u2019 multi-billion-dollar merger.\n\nOn July 24, Senator Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount-Skydance megamerger, saying \u201cbribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn July 23, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Variety: \u201cElizabeth Warren on Colbert 'Late Show' Cancellation: Is the Paramount Trump Payoff a Bribe?\u201d\n\nOn July 21, Senators Warren, Sanders (I-Vt.), and Wyden (D-Ore.) pressed David Ellison, CEO of Skydance, about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump\u2014and how it may be related to Paramount\u2019s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump.\n\nOn July 17, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and lawmakers in Congress, unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.\n\nOn July 15, Senator Warren released a new report exposing how companies, special interests, and foreign governments may be pledging donations to President Trump\u2019s future Presidential Library as a corrupt tool to secure favorable outcomes from his administration.\n\nOn July 2, Senator Warren called for an investigation into Paramount\u2019s settlement with Trump.\n\nOn May 19, Senators Warren, Sanders, and Wyden wrote to Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount, with concerns regarding whether Paramount may be engaging in potentially illegal conduct involving the Trump Administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-garcia-introduce-new-bill-to-stop-apparent-bribery-involving-trump-ballroom-donations", "Warren, Garcia Introduce New Bill to Stop Apparent Bribery Involving Trump Ballroom Donations", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Garcia Introduce New Bill to Stop Apparent Bribery Involving Trump Ballroom Donations\n\nWealthy donors with business in front of Trump admin raise bribery concerns\n\nStop Ballroom Bribery Act would root out pay-to-play opportunities involving public property primarily used by President or Vice President\n\nBill Text (PDF) | Bill Two-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, introduced the Stop Ballroom Bribery Act to root out apparent bribery and corruption involving President Trump\u2019s ballroom, the first piece of legislation addressing the ballroom that would impose donation restrictions. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee Committee on Investigations, Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) joined as co-sponsors.\n\nWealthy individuals, corporations, and organizations have lined up to fund President Donald Trump\u2019s new $300 million White House ballroom, many of whom currently need something from the Trump administration \u2014 raising serious concerns of quid-pro-quo arrangements and possible bribery. Ethics experts have argued that the apparent pay-to-play relationship between Trump and business leaders oversteps the norms of presidential behavior and could erode Americans\u2019 trust in government.\n\n\u201cBillionaires and giant corporations with business in front of this administration are lining up to dump millions into Trump\u2019s new ballroom \u2014 and Trump is showing them where to sign on the dotted line. Americans shouldn\u2019t have to wonder whether President Trump is building a ballroom to facilitate a pay-to-play scheme for political favors. My new bill will put an end to what looks like bribery in plain sight,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\"Donald Trump is raising hundreds of millions of dollars to build himself a White House ballroom at a time when millions of American families can barely make ends meet,\" said Ranking Member Robert Garcia. \"It's outrageous that the White House won\u2019t reveal who\u2019s bankrolling Trump\u2019s pet project, and that the people\u2019s house could be funded by shady figures, corrupt money, and bad actors. This bill will ban contributions from anyone with a conflict of interest, prevent bribery, and ensure we can hold any administration accountable for blatant corruption.\"\n\n\u201cPresident Trump has put a \u2018for sale\u2019 sign on the White House\u2014soliciting hundreds of millions of dollars from special interests to fund his $300 million vanity project. Our measure is a direct response to Trump\u2019s ballroom boondoggle. With commonsense reforms to how the federal government can use private donations, our legislation prevents President Trump and future presidents from using construction projects as vehicles for corruption and personal vanity,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal.\n\nKey ballroom donors currently have business interests in front of the Trump administration. For example, Google, which recently donated $22 million to settle President Trump\u2019s censorship lawsuit against YouTube, will benefit if Trump\u2019s DOJ decides not to appeal a recent judicial ruling in a relevant antitrust case. Meanwhile, Union Pacific Railroad is seeking federal approval of a lucrative merger and Palantir is working to get more federal contracts.\n\nThe White House has refused to be fully transparent, publishing only a noncomprehensive donor list missing multiple key donors and offering donors anonymity. Donations for projects like the ballroom are often channeled through the National Park Service (NPS) and philanthropic partners; nonprofits with formal ties to property used by the President and Vice President raise unique conflict-of-interest risks when fundraising from individuals and corporations with interests in front of the federal government.\n\nThe Stop Ballroom Bribery Act would:\n\nImpose pre-donation restrictions. A donation could only be used for applicable projects if the Senate-confirmed directors of the National Park Service (NPS) and Office of Government Ethics (OGE) determine that the donation complies with key restrictions, including:\n\nBan donations from entities and individuals that present a conflict of interest.\n\nMake clear that donations cannot be conditioned on receipt of benefits from the federal government, be coerced, or appear to influence government action.\n\nBan the President, VP, and their families and staff from soliciting donations.\n\nRequire Congress to approve any foreign government donations.\n\nImpose post-donation restrictions, including:\n\nProhibit displaying donors\u2019 names and logos as recognition of the donation.\n\nImpose a two-year cooling-off period before a donor to a covered project can lobby the federal government.\n\nProhibit converting leftover donated funds to anyone\u2019s personal use or using leftover funds to benefit the President, VP, or their family or staff.\n\nRequire transparency, including:\n\nDonors must disclose any meetings with the federal government (including the President and VP and their spouses, children, and agents working on their behalf) that occur within one year of the donation.\n\nNPS must publish on a quarterly basis details of all donations to covered projects (amount, donor name, meetings between the donor and federal government, etc.).\n\nDonations cannot be made anonymously or in someone else\u2019s name.\n\nEnable enforcement, including:\n\nPermit judicial review of the NPS-OGE decision that a donation is permissible.\n\nAllow state attorneys general and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to seek civil penalties and disgorgement of the donation, and the DOJ to seek criminal penalties.\n\nThe bill would cover the construction, improvement, or other alteration of property on the White House grounds, the VP\u2019s residence, or other public property that the President or VP regularly use (such as Camp David or Air Force One); events hosted at such locations; and monuments or other structures that honor a living President or VP.\n\nThe bill is endorsed by Public Citizen, Democracy Defenders Action, People For the American Way, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Common Cause, and Transparency International U.S..\n\n\u201cOver the past year, President Trump has raised millions of dollars for vanity projects at the White House\u2014like paving over the Rose Garden and demolishing the beloved East Wing. These funds have come from private donors without meaningful transparency or accountability,\u201d said Virginia Canter, Chief Counsel and Director for Ethics and Anticorruption at Democracy Defenders Action. \u201cThe highest office in the land should never be for sale, nor should it ever appear to be. The No Auctioning Off the White House Act would restore accountability and ensure that the President\u2019s decisions about 'the People\u2019s House' are guided by integrity, not by private donations.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump's decision to unilaterally destroy the East Wing of the White House to build a ballroom financed by wealthy individuals and corporations not only ignores our country's laws but raises serious ethical concerns - namely, whether individuals and corporations funded this project in the hopes of buying access and influence,\u201d said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). \u201cSenator Warren's Stop Ballroom Bribery Act would block this dangerous line of influence by inserting critical restrictions and guardrails into the donation process to ensure that government officials act in the interest of the American people rather than in the interest of donors to President Trump's personal projects. CREW proudly endorses this legislation and urges the Senate to pass it without delay.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-murphy-investigate-ethics-conflicts-related-to-trumps-envoy-to-the-middle-east", "Warren, Murphy Investigate Ethics Conflicts Related to Trump\u2019s Envoy to the Middle East", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Murphy Investigate Ethics Conflicts Related to Trump\u2019s Envoy to the Middle East\n\nSteve Witkoff reportedly brokered a trade deal with UAE that led to $2 billion dollar investment in World Liberty Fund, which Witkoff co-owns with Trump family\n\nWhite House ethics officials have not approved Witkoff\u2019s ethics forms despite his working since the beginning of this Administration\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced a continuation of Senator Warren\u2019s investigation today and wrote to The White House and Office of Government Ethics (OGE) pushing for answers about inconsistencies in the ethics disclosure forms of Steve Witkoff, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, and concerns related to a deal that gives the United Arab Emirates (UAE) enormous power to acquire U.S.-made A.I. chips.\n\nThe new letter continuing the investigation is vital \u201c[g]iven the sensitive nature of Mr. Witkoff\u2019s role and the scale of his conflicts.\u201d\n\nBefore his appointment to the role of Special Envoy, Witkoff partnered with the Trump family to launch World Liberty Financial (WLF), a cryptocurrency company. Later, as Special Envoy, Witkoff reportedly advocated to advance an export deal to send the world\u2019s most advanced A.I. chips to the UAE \u2014 a deal which was previously stalled due to national security concerns. Around the same time the deal was approved, a UAE government-backed firm \u201ceffectively handed World Liberty a $2 billion bank deposit\u201d by investing $2 billion in WLF\u2019s stablecoin.\n\n\u201c[This deal] appears to have aided a foreign power\u2019s effort to acquire U.S. technology with serious economic and national security implications \u2014 and he potentially did so in exchange for his personal financial benefit,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nWitkoff\u2019s financial disclosure forms raise several issues, including that no agency ethics officials have signed the form or indicated that he is in compliance with ethics laws and regulations. Witkoff\u2019s form also lists June 30, 2025 as the date of his appointment as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Peace Missions and states that he held no other federal positions before filing his disclosure form. However, as early as January and February 2025, he was working in an official capacity, representing the Trump administration in high-level meetings in Saudi Arabia, announcing official travel to Gaza under the President\u2019s orders, and participating in diplomatic negotiations concerning Israel and Gaza.\n\nThe ethics disclosure form also does not make clear how large of an investment Witkoff currently has in the WLF crypto company or whether he has completely divested from the company. In May, WLF stated Witkoff was \u201cfully divesting\u201d and, months later, the White House said he was \u201cstill in the process of divesting.\u201d To date, Witkoff\u2019s ethics forms only make clear he divested $120 million in one of his holdings but does not specify which investment.\n\n\u201cThese issues are not mere technicalities. They obstruct the public\u2019s ability to understand the full scope of Mr. Witkoff\u2019s apparent conflicts of interest, and the extent to which they are ongoing,\u201d said the senators.\n\nSenators Warren and Murphy asked the White House and OGE to, by December 1, 2025, explain why ethics officials have not signed off on Witkoff\u2019s ethics forms, whether Witkoff has fully divested from WLF, whether Witkoff has been issued ethics waivers related to his work in the administration, and any legal analysis the officials conducted about the UAE\u2019s investment in WLF and whether it was tied to the deal giving the country access to AI chips.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-on-education-department-dismantling-trump-is-waging-an-illegal-assault-on-public-school-kids", "Warren on Education Department Dismantling: Trump is Waging an Illegal Assault on Public School Kids", "2025-11-18", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "On November 17, 2025, Senator Warren led over 40 of her colleagues in a letter urging Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to immediately end any plans to sell or transfer the federal student loan portfolio to the private market.\n\nOn November 10, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in a letter urging the Trump administration to use the IRS\u2019s existing legal authorities to stop the looming \u201ctax bomb\u201d facing borrowers who obtain income-driven repayment (IDR) discharges of their student loan debt.\n\nOn October 15, 2025, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 70 members of Congress in a letter calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions of people and could have disastrous effects on the American economy.\n\nOn September 19, 2025, following a push by Senator Warren and nine other senators, the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education agreed to open an investigation into DOGE\u2019s infiltration of internal systems, including the scope of its access to sensitive student loan borrower information and its impact on borrowers\u2019 rights and privacy.\n\nOn August 26, 2025, Senator Warren led colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemning the Department of Education for deliberately hiding the \u201cSubmit a Complaint\u201d button on the Office of Federal Student Aid\u2019s website, firing employees responsible for providing customer service to borrowers and families and misleading Congress about the scope of these firings.\n\nOn August 7, 2025, Senator Warren publicly released Secretary of Education Linda McMahon\u2019s response to the senator\u2019s 60+ questions and pressed for additional information. Senator Warren announced that she would refer certain matters where the Department has proved uncooperative to the Government Accountability Office and the Education Department\u2019s Inspector General.\n\nOn August 4, 2025, Senator Warren led eight Senators in pressing major private student loan lenders on their plans to serve the incoming surge of borrowers who will be pushed to the industry because of Republicans\u2019 recently passed \u201cBig, Beautiful Bill.\u201d\n\nOn July 17, 2025, Senator Warren released a new 23-page report, \u201cEducation At Risk: Frontline Impacts of Trump\u2019s War on Students,\u201d highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump Administration\u2019s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers.\n\nOn July 15, 2025, Senators Warren and Sanders, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging her to reverse the interest hike on student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance.\n\nOn July 14, 2025, Senator Warren joined a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, and Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, demanding that the Department of Education stop blocking nearly $7 billion in funds for K-12 schools, including for afterschool programs.\n\nOn July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump\u2019s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.\n\nOn June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary\u2019s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\nOn June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Education to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office, revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.\n\nOn May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.\n\nOn May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled \u201cStealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,\u201d highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon\u2019s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education and President Trump\u2019s \u201cbig, beautiful bill\u201d for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.\n\nOn May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration\u2019s attacks on education are hurting American families.\n\nOn May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon\u2019s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.\n\nOn April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump\u2019s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration\u2019s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.\n\nOn April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education\u2019s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration\u2019s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\nOn April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency\u2019s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education\u2019s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-sanders-pressley-over-40-lawmakers-urge-trump-administration-to-end-plans-to-sell-federal-student-loan-portfolio", "Warren, Sanders, Pressley, Over 40 Lawmakers Urge Trump Administration to End Plans to Sell Federal Student Loan Portfolio", "2025-11-17", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Sanders, Pressley, Over 40 Lawmakers Urge Trump Administration to End Plans to Sell Federal Student Loan Portfolio\n\nBicameral letter warns that \u201csale would be a giveaway to wealthy insiders at the expense of working-class borrowers and taxpayers.\u201d\n\n\u201cTime and again, the Trump Administration has put the interests of well-connected, wealthy insiders ahead of working families.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, along with Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), led 41 of their colleagues in a letter urging Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent to immediately end any plans to sell or transfer the federal student loan portfolio to the private market.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be clear: This sale would be a giveaway to wealthy insiders at the expense of working-class borrowers and taxpayers,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cIt threatens the loss of borrowers\u2019 legally guaranteed protections, and the sale would likely be illegal if the debt is sold at a loss for taxpayers.\u201d\n\nAccording to a report last month, the Trump Administration is exploring options to sell the federal government\u2019s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to financial firms and other private companies.\n\nThis move could illegally strip student loan borrowers of key protections, including income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), disability and death discharges, and relief for those defrauded by predatory schools.\n\nSuch a sale would likely be illegal as well if the portfolio were sold at a loss. In 2019, the Trump Administration explored selling the student loan portfolio but abandoned the idea after consultants determined that the portfolio was \u201cworth far less than government accountants had projected.\u201d\n\nAdditionally, the sale of federal loans would be a massive giveaway to private lenders that have been shown to exploit private borrowers. Though private loans only account for 8% of student debt, they account for 40% of student loan-related complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration should immediately stop any plans to sell or transfer responsibility of the student debt portfolio to the private, often predatory, market,\u201d the lawmakers concluded. \u201cThe Department of Education\u2019s role in providing financial aid to America\u2019s students is clear, and the Department should not take any action that would enrich the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of working-class borrowers and taxpayers.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers requested more information as to the potential privatization of the federal student loan portfolio by December 1, 2025.\n\nSenator Warren has led the fight to make our higher education system more affordable, cancel student loan debt, and hold student loan servicers accountable for incompetence and malfeasance. She launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump\u2019s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:\n\nOn November 10, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in a letter urging the Trump administration to use the IRS\u2019s existing legal authorities to stop the looming \u201ctax bomb\u201d facing borrowers who obtain income-driven repayment (IDR) discharges of their student loan debt.\n\nOn October 15, 2025, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 70 members of Congress in a letter calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions of people and could have disastrous effects on the American economy.\n\nOn September 19, 2025, following a push by Senator Warren and nine other senators, the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education agreed to open an investigation into DOGE\u2019s infiltration of internal systems, including the scope of its access to sensitive student loan borrower information and its impact on borrowers\u2019 rights and privacy.\n\nOn August 26, 2025, Senator Warren led colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemning the Department of Education for deliberately hiding the \u201cSubmit a Complaint\u201d button on the Office of Federal Student Aid\u2019s website, firing employees responsible for providing customer service to borrowers and families, and misleading Congress about the scope of these firings.\n\nOn August 7, 2025, Senator Warren publicly released Secretary of Education Linda McMahon\u2019s response to the senator\u2019s 60+ questions and pressed for additional information. Senator Warren announced that she would refer certain matters where the Department has proved uncooperative to the Government Accountability Office and the Education Department\u2019s Inspector General.\n\nOn August 4, 2025, Senator Warren led eight Senators in pressing major private student loan lenders on their plans to serve the incoming surge of borrowers who will be pushed to the industry because of Republicans\u2019 recently passed \u201cBig, Beautiful Bill.\u201d\n\nOn July 17, 2025, Senator Warren released a new 23-page report, \u201cEducation At Risk: Frontline Impacts of Trump\u2019s War on Students,\u201d highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump Administration\u2019s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers.\n\nOn July 15, 2025, Senators Warren and Sanders, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging her to reverse the interest hike on student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance.\n\nOn July 14, 2025, Senator Warren joined a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, and Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, demanding that the Department of Education stop blocking nearly $7 billion in funds for K-12 schools, including for afterschool programs.\n\nOn July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump\u2019s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.\n\nOn June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary\u2019s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\nOn June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of the Department of Education to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office, revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.\n\nOn May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.\n\nOn May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled \u201cStealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,\u201d highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon\u2019s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education and President Trump\u2019s \u201cbig, beautiful bill\u201d for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.\n\nOn May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration\u2019s attacks on education are hurting American families.\n\nOn May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon\u2019s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.\n\nOn April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump\u2019s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration\u2019s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.\n\nOn April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education\u2019s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration\u2019s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\nOn April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency\u2019s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education\u2019s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-duckworth-dingell-simon-lead-democrats-in-pressing-labor-secretary-to-explain-elimination-of-key-protections-programs-for-workers-with-disabilities", "Warren, Duckworth, Dingell, Simon Lead Democrats in Pressing Labor Secretary to Explain Elimination of Key Protections, Programs for Workers with Disabilities", "2025-11-12", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Duckworth, Dingell, Simon Lead Democrats in Pressing Labor Secretary to Explain Elimination of Key Protections, Programs for Workers with Disabilities\n\nRollbacks include a rule that would have ensured workers with disabilities are paid competitive wages\n\nTrump admin\u2019s FY26 budget proposes a complete elimination of team that ensures compliance with disability protections\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 In a new letter, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), along with Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Chair of the Bipartisan Disability Caucus, and Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) led 56 members of Congress in pressing Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer about the Department of Labor\u2019s (DOL) dismantling of key disability employment protections. Secretary DeRemer\u2019s rollbacks include regulations that prohibit discrimination by federal contractors, a proposed rule that would have ensured competitive wages for disabled workers, and funding to teams that enforce labor protections.\n\n\u201c(Y)our actions as Secretary of Labor represent the most significant retreat from opportunities for workers with disabilities and federal disability rights enforcement in decades,\u201d wrote the members.\n\nIn July, Secretary DeRemer proposed a rule that would eliminate directives from Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, including hiring goals for federal contractors and data collection requirements to monitor compliance with disability employment objectives.\n\n\u201cThis provision serves as a cornerstone of federal efforts to promote disability employment in the private sector\u2026Without concerted action, a growing number of disabled people would be shut out of the workforce and increasingly reliant on social safety net programs,\u201d said the members.\n\nEliminating data collection and measurable targets means there would be no accountability mechanisms to ensure private companies are complying with the law. This policy reversal would also run counter to the Trump administration\u2019s goal of reducing government dependency and promoting workforce participation, and would likely reduce employment opportunities for disabled workers, increasing their reliance on government benefits.\n\nSecretary DeRemer has also laid off nearly 90 percent of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, leaving only 50 employees to process thousands of federal contractor audits that affect millions of workers. President Trump\u2019s FY26 budget proposes getting rid of the office entirely.\n\nPresident Trump\u2019s FY26 budget also proposes cutting the Office of Disability Employment\u2019s budget by more than 20 percent.\n\n\u201cBy cutting this office\u2019s funding, your administration is decreasing the federal government\u2019s leadership role in promoting competitive integrated employment at a time when such coordination is most needed,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nSecretary DeRemer is also undermining workers with disabilities\u2019 fight for competitive wages. The Biden administration had proposed phasing out 14(c) certificates, which are waivers allowing employers to pay a wage lower than the federal minimum wage to workers with disabilities. In July, Secretary DeRemer abandoned this proposal, and the DOL continues to issue the certificates.\n\n\u201cThis exploitative practice undermines the dignity and economic security of people with disabilities while creating perverse incentives for employers to segregate disabled workers in sheltered workshops, where most employees are people with disabilities,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\nIn July, the DOL also proposed eliminating equal opportunity regulations in registered apprenticeships, which combine paid job training with technical instruction, providing clear pathways to employment. Data shows that workers who completed apprenticeships saw a 49 percent increase in their earnings.\n\n\u201cThe disability community deserves leadership that expands employment opportunities\u2026you have instead continued a systematic dismantling of decades of bipartisan progress that has measurably improved employment opportunities and quality of life for millions of Americans with disabilities,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe coalition asked Secretary De-Remer to provide clarity by December 11, 2025 on her decisions to eliminate the above protections and how the department plans to fulfill its legal obligations to workers with disabilities without those regulations.\n\nSenators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) joined in signing the letter.\n\nRepresentatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Donald Beyer (D-Va.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-Ind.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Cleo Fields (D-La.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), John Mannion (D-N.Y.), Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Emily Randall (D-Wash.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) joined in signing the letter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-lawmakers-urge-us-trustee-to-investigate-whether-genesis-healthcare-is-abusing-the-bankruptcy-system-to-avoid-paying-victims-and-families", "Warren, Lawmakers Urge U.S. Trustee to Investigate Whether Genesis Healthcare Is Abusing the Bankruptcy System to Avoid Paying Victims and Families", "2025-11-12", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "On October 8, Senator Warren, Senator Blumenthal, Senator Welch, and Representative Goodlander launched an investigation into Genesis Healthcare\u2019s apparent attempt to abuse the bankruptcy to get out of paying patient victims and their families.\n\nIn February 2025, Senator Warren questioned private equity executive Stephen Feinberg, President of Cerberus Capital Management and nominee for Deputy Secretary of Defense, on his actions to enrich himself and his investors at the expense of Steward Health Care patients and workers.\n\nIn November 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) sent a letter pushing the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission to hold the Rural Healthcare Group accountable for protecting Steward patients and doctors.\n\nIn October 2024, Senator Warren led colleagues in reintroducing 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\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren released a statement following Steward CEO Ralph de la Torre\u2019s refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena.\n\nIn September 2024, Senators Warren and Markey (D-Mass.), alongside Representatives Auchincloss and Lynch, sent a letter to RHG raising concerns over its proposed acquisition of Steward Health Care\u2019s physician group, Stewardship Health.\n\nIn September 2024, Senator Warren urged the IRS to crack down on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) squeezing the health care industry.\n\nIn August 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, 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\nIn June 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\nIn June 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\nIn June 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\nIn May 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\nIn May 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Warren questioned Michael Topchik, M.A., executive director for the Chartis Center for Rural Health, on the impact of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) newly finalized minimum staffing rule on quality of care and called out private insurers in Medicare Advantage (MA) for their greedy \u2013 and often unlawful \u2013 payment practices that threaten to shut down rural hospitals nationwide, blocking seniors from getting the care they need.\n\nIn April 2024, Senators Warren and 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\nIn April 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\nIn April 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\nIn April 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\nIn April 2024, 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\nIn March 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s plan to sell its physician group, Stewardship Health, to UnitedHealth Group\u2019s subsidiary Optum.\n\nIn March 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\nIn March 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\nIn February 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\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 January 2024, Senator Warren released a statement about Steward\u2019s financial situation and allegations of patient neglect at Steward facilities.\n\nIn January 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\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 May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Senator Warren called out corporate owners of nursing homes, including private equity firms and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), for their failures to protect patient safety and use of complex legal arrangements to avoid regulatory scrutiny.\n\nIn May 2022, Senator Warren and lawmakers sent a letter to private equity giant KKR for the grossly substandard care and unsafe living conditions in group homes it owned for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.\n\nIn February 2022, testifying before the Senate Budget Committee, Senator Warren called out private equity firms\u2019 predatory practices of buying up distressed companies, stripping workers of benefits, fair pay, and safe working conditions, and reaping billions in profits. She noted that research shows that private equity ownership of nursing homes led to a 10% jump in short-term mortality rates.\n\nIn August 2021, Senator Warren and lawmakers launched an investigation into private equity ownership of for-profit hospice companies and subsequent reductions in the quality of care.\n\nIn March 2021, Senator Warren released Genesis\u2019s response to her January 2021 letter and sent a letter to the company, revealing new information that the company CEO - who left the company in near bankruptcy in January 2021 - has been awarded $8 million in salary and bonuses since the start of the pandemic. Senator Warren raised new questions about why the company lavishly rewarded its CEO after more than 2,800 of its residents died of COVID-19 and despite the fact that he left the company in dire financial condition.\n\nIn November 2019, Senators Warren and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Representative Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) wrote to four private equity firms that invested in companies providing nursing home care and other long-term care services, citing reports that show private equity investment has played a role in the declining quality of care in nursing homes and requesting information about each firm's management of this sector.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-exposes-dangerous-and-misguided-effort-by-defense-contractor-lobbyists-to-undermine-right-to-repair-reforms", "Warren Exposes \u201cDangerous and Misguided\u201d Effort By Defense Contractor Lobbyists to Undermine Right to Repair Reforms", "2025-11-10", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Exposes \u201cDangerous and Misguided\u201d Effort By Defense Contractor Lobbyists to Undermine Right to Repair Reforms\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, wrote to the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), the trade association for big DoD contractors, regarding its opposition to the bipartisan right to repair reform in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\n\u201cNDIA\u2019s opposition to these commonsense reforms is a dangerous and misguided attempt to protect an unacceptable status quo of giant contractor profiteering that is expensive for taxpayers and presents a risk to military readiness and national security,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nIn September, NDIA published a set of \u201cPolicy Points\u201d attacking bipartisan reforms with baseless claims, including asserting that they will \u201champer innovation and the military\u2019s access to cutting-edge technologies by deterring companies from contracting\u201d with DoD.\n\nRight to repair reforms, which are included in both the House and the Senate versions of the FY26 NDAA, would give DoD the authority to obtain the necessary technical data for service members to repair their equipment in the field, enhance military readiness, and save taxpayers billions of dollars.\n\nThe reforms have broad bipartisan support, including:\n\nThe Trump administration, which recently announced support in a Statement of Administrative Policy;\n\nMilitary veterans, who know first-hand the dangerous impacts of not being able to repair their equipment in the field;\n\nOver 300 small businesses which have come out in support of the reforms and urged Congress to pass them in the FY26 NDAA;\n\nThe Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), which endorsed these reforms saying it would \u201ccreate more opportunities for [their] members to sell their parts to the U.S. military;\u201d\n\nThe Aeronautical Repair Station Association has also come out in support of the reforms, stating that right to repair legislation would lead to \u201cgreater contracting opportunities for small companies, and a broader, more competitive military industrial base;\u201d\n\nDefense contractors themselves, like Palantir, whose Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Executive Vice President (EVP) Shyam Sankar has noted that \u201c[i]n contested logistics environments, particularly in the heat of battle, service members should be empowered to repair and modify their equipment quickly, efficiently, and, when necessary, independently;\u201d and\n\nPentagon leaders, including Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll, who recently announced that the Army will ensure right to repair provisions are included in future Army contracts and will identify and propose contract modifications for right to repair provisions in current contracts.\n\nAn independent 2023 report also confirmed that when DoD emphasizes competition, DoD receives more offers per contract it bids.\n\n\u201cBig defense contractors, like some of NDIA\u2019s members, are the ones currently deterring new companies from contracting with DoD [b]y restricting the parts that can be used and the personnel that are allowed to perform a repair,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nA recent Government Accountability Office review found that vendor lock for five major weapons programs \u201ccan lead to maintenance delays due to [original equipment manufacturer] availability, inability to obtain spare parts, and increased sustainment costs over time.\u201d The office in charge of DoD acquisition and sustainment reported that even when DoD wants to pay for the needed sustainment rights, \u201ccompanies\u2019 \u2018proposed costs for acquiring technical data, software, or the associated license rights were not deemed fair and reasonable.\u2019\u201d\n\n\u201cEnabling service members to train in repair and maintenance skills helps them during their service, but also following their separation from the military,\u201d argued Senator Warren, noting that after World War II, tens of thousands of service members returned home and created the specialty automotive aftermarket using the skills they acquired during their service.\n\n\u201cNDIA\u2019s last-ditch efforts to oppose commonsense and bipartisan legislation that is a Trump administration priority appears to be a desperate attempt to cling to a status quo that makes big defense contractors billions of dollars a year at taxpayer expense,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nShe asked the organization to provide, by November 19, 2025, information about:\n\nNDIA\u2019s lobbying efforts to defeat the reforms;\n\nHow much its members made on operations and maintenance contracts with the military in the last five years;\n\nHow many small businesses NDIA represents and whether they\u2019ve voiced concerns about the proposed reforms; and\n\nA breakdown of NDIA\u2019s members\u2019 stances on the proposed right to repair reforms.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-senate-dems-press-government-accountability-office-to-investigate-trump-administrations-partisan-government-shutdown-messaging", "Warren, Senate Dems Press Government Accountability Office to Investigate Trump Administration\u2019s Partisan Government Shutdown Messaging", "2025-11-10", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Senate Dems Press Government Accountability Office to Investigate Trump Administration\u2019s Partisan Government Shutdown Messaging\n\nPolitical messages may have violated federal appropriations law\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) pressed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to open an investigation to determine whether the Trump administration violated federal appropriations law by publishing partisan messages on official government websites and directing employees to post political out-of-office messages.\n\nThe Trump administration started to incorporate partisan \u2014 possibly illegal \u2014 messaging into official federal agency websites ahead of and during the government shutdown. Some agencies\u2019 announcements appeared to include nothing more than partisan messaging and lacked a connection to official business. One message on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website, for example, blamed \u201cthe Radical Left\u201d for the shutdown.\n\nHUD was not the only agency to post such messages online; the Department of Agriculture (Ag), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Treasury, the Small Business Association (SBA), and others included similar shutdown language on their websites. The Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began playing videos with partisan messaging about the shutdown for passengers in airport security lines.\n\n\u201c(These) announcements appeared to include nothing more than partisan messaging and lacked a connection to official business,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nSome agencies reportedly also directed furloughed employees to post partisan messages in their out-of-office email responses. The Department of Labor reportedly \u201csent a message to all employees\u2026suggesting a potential out-of-office notification\u201d that accused Democrats of shutting down the government. Some emails were even sent without employees\u2019 knowledge, like at the Department of Education, where some workers \u201chad out of office messages blaming Democrats for the government shutdown\u201d that were \u201cautomatically sent from their email accounts without their consent.\u201d\n\nFederal law prohibits the executive branch from using federal funds \u201cfor publicity or propaganda purposes,\u201d including for purely partisan materials. The law also prohibits agencies from using federal funding directly or indirectly, to generate publicity designed to influence Congress in supporting or opposing legislation or appropriations. When agencies violate restrictions on the use of appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda, GAO usually finds that those actions also violate the Antideficiency Act.\n\n\u201cTo help us better understand recent actions taken at federal agencies leading up to and during the government shutdown\u2026we ask GAO to conduct an investigation,\u201d concluded the senators.\n\nThe senators asked that GAO investigate any and all processes followed to make the determination to issue partisan public communications, as well as directives by federal agency leadership to post partisan messages, and that GAO make a determination about whether these agencies\u2019 communications violated federal law.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-senators-urge-trump-administration-to-stop-imminent-tax-bomb-for-student-loan-borrowers", "Warren, Senators Urge Trump Administration to Stop Imminent \u201cTax Bomb\u201d for Student Loan Borrowers", "2025-11-10", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Senators Urge Trump Administration to Stop Imminent \u201cTax Bomb\u201d for Student Loan Borrowers\n\nBorrowers who earn income-driven repayment cancellation after decades of payments could be hit with tax bills as high as $10,000\n\n\u201cThe Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service should move immediately to avoid this financial disaster for working-class Americans.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, led her colleagues in a letter urging Secretary of the Treasury & Acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent to use the IRS\u2019s existing legal authorities to stop the looming \u201ctax bomb\u201d facing borrowers who obtain income-driven repayment (IDR) discharges of their student loan debt. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate HELP Committee; Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.); Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.); Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.); Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.); Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii); Cory Booker (D-N.J.); and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) joined the letter as well.\n\nIn 2021, Congress passed into law a provision excluding student debt cancellation from taxable income. As a result, borrowers who received student debt relief after years of repayment were not faced with high and unexpected tax bills.\n\nHowever, that provision is set to expire at the end of this year. Absent action from President Trump or Republicans in Congress, this expiration will mean that borrowers on IDR plans who have legally earned debt cancellation after 20 or 25 years of repayment will be hit with significant tax bills.\n\n\u201cIf neither the Trump Administration nor the Republican-controlled Congress act soon, families who earn student debt cancellation after paying their loans for decades will be hit with surprise tax hikes\u2014as high as $10,000 in many cases\u2014starting next tax year,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cThe Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service should move immediately to avoid this financial disaster for working-class Americans.\u201d\n\nNew data from Protect Borrowers reveal that a typical family headed by a borrower receiving IDR cancellation (i.e., a married parent with two children earning $50,000 a year) could see their tax bill spike by $8,789. A similar family making $40,000 a year could shoulder a net tax increase of $10,295. Lower-income borrowers and borrowers with children would likely be forced to pay the most, as they stand to lose access to critical programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit.\n\nIn their letter, the senators laid out the legal case for the Trump administration\u2019s options to defuse the IDR \u201ctax bomb.\u201d In particular, they argued that the insolvency exclusion, scholarship exclusion, and general welfare exclusion were all options to declare IDR discharge as non-taxable income. The senators also noted that, in 2020, the Trump Administration delivered similar relief to recipients of closed school discharge and borrower defense to repayment, excluding those discharges from taxable income using its administrative authorities.\n\n\u201cBy punishing IDR beneficiaries with massive tax bills, the federal government undermines the very purpose of the IDR program and reneges on its promises to borrowers,\u201d the senators concluded. \u201cInstead of compounding this problem by denying legally owed IDR discharge to borrowers, the Administration can and should deliver certainty and relief to these families as soon as possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cPresident Trump and his allies in Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to cut taxes for billionaires while hiking taxes for thousands of student loan borrowers who have earned debt relief after paying for decades,\u201d said Persis Yu, Deputy Executive Director and Managing Counsel for Protect Borrowers. \u201cThis tax bomb will force working families to trade their crushing student loan debt for a crushing tax debt. We applaud Senator Warren for taking the lead and demanding the Trump Administration take immediate action to protect these borrowers from being needlessly pushed further into debt. Policymakers must address this tax bomb before it is too late.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-government-funding-deal-a-mistake", "Warren: Government Funding Deal A \u201cMistake\u201d", "2025-11-09", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren: Government Funding Deal A \u201cMistake\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement on a deal to fund the government without lowering health care costs.\n\n\u201cI will not support a deal that does nothing to make health care more affordable. The fight to lower costs is a righteous fight, and we must not give it up.\n\n\u201cRepublicans in Congress extended tax breaks for billionaires and billionaire corporations, but they refused to extend tax credits to lower health insurance premiums for millions of working people. A simple one-year extension of these tax credits would cost less than Donald Trump\u2019s $40 billion bailout for Argentina.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump has made clear that he is willing to hurt people\u2014hungry children, federal employees, working families\u2014in order to get his way. The wannabe king may declare victory today, but Americans will remember his actions.\n\n\u201cWhile Trump and Republicans inflict more pain on people, Democrats\u2019 most important job is to fight back. We will keep fighting to fix our broken health care system and lower costs for working people, but a vote for this legislation is a mistake.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-response-to-warren-and-democratic-senators-trust-for-the-national-mall-refuses-to-answer-questions-about-possible-corruption-involving-trumps-ballroom", "In Response to Warren and Democratic Senators, Trust for the National Mall Refuses to Answer Questions About Possible Corruption Involving Trump\u2019s Ballroom", "2025-11-07", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In Response to Warren and Democratic Senators, Trust for the National Mall Refuses to Answer Questions About Possible Corruption Involving Trump\u2019s Ballroom\n\n\u201cIf the Trust for the National Mall has become a tool for favor-seeking between billionaires and the President of the United States, the American people deserve to know.\u201d\n\nText of Response Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 In a response to an October letter from U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Markey (D-Mass.), the Trust for the National Mall refused to answer questions about its role in fundraising efforts for President Trump\u2019s new White House Ballroom.\n\nBillionaires and billionaire corporations with business in front of the Trump administration have funneled money to the new ballroom, raising questions about potential corruption. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon this week explained that the bank has not given to the ballroom because \"we're quite conscious of risks we bear by doing anything that looks like buying favors or anything like that.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf the Trust for the National Mall has become a tool for favor-seeking between billionaires and the President of the United States, the American people deserve to know. It\u2019s my job as a United States Senator to uncover possible corruption and get answers for Americans. I\u2019ll keep pushing to find out if the Trust is facilitating wink-and-nod arrangements between Trump and his billionaire ballroom donors \u2014 and what these donors are getting in return,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cThe Trust for the National Mall\u2019s response is insultingly unsatisfactory. It\u2019s an insult to our intelligence and their integrity. The President is abusing this respected nonprofit institution to facilitate special interest access and fund his $300 million vanity boondoggle. Billionaires and big corporations are exploiting this vehicle to cozy up to Trump. It will be diminished in credibility and trust as it becomes entrenched in Trump\u2019s quicksand. The American people deserve to know whether there have been any quid-pro-quos or backroom favors for donating to his gilded ballroom project. I\u2019ll continue to press for answers,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal.\n\n\u201c$300 million in private donations are bankrolling Trump\u2019s vanity project at the White House, with much of it coming from corporate interests with high-stakes matters before the federal government. The Trust\u2019s wholly inadequate response to our letter only deepens our serious concerns that they are enabling a major pay-for-play scheme, allowing the wealthy and megacorporations to curry favor with a lawless president \u2013 all while Trump refuses to negotiate the end of his government shutdown. Given Trump\u2019s clear pattern of shaking down businesses in exchange for sweetheart deals with his Administration, we will keep working to shine a light on these donors and what\u2019s motivating them \u2013 including whether they expect favorable treatment in return for their \u2018generosity,\u2019\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\n\u201cAs Americans struggle to feed their families and federal workers struggle without pay, Trump builds a golden ballroom funded by billionaires and large corporations. We demanded answers about Trump's corruption and pay-to-play politics and got zero answers. Public office is a public trust \u2014 not a VIP suite for the highest bidder,\u201d said Senator Markey.\n\nThe Trust was established as a nonpartisan, nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. But the scale of funds raised for President Trump\u2019s ballroom, President Trump\u2019s personal involvement in fundraising for the project, and the number of corporate donors with business before the Trump Administration raised questions for the lawmakers about whether the organization is facilitating these donors\u2019 corrupt access to and favor-seeking from President Trump and his administration.\n\nOn October 23, the senators pressed President and CEO of the Trust, Catherine Townsend, and National Park Service Comptroller Jessica Bowron, about the exact agreements in place regarding the building of the ballroom, the source and amount of donations, whether the donations are charitable deductions, and more.\n\nIn the Trust\u2019s response, Townsend confirmed the Trust is \u201cmanaging the private donations gifted to support the [ballroom] project,\u201d but refused to answer questions regarding the agreements between President Trump, the White House, and the Trust with regard to funding and building the Trump Ballroom.\n\nTownsend also declined to release details about the donations made to date, along with any terms and conditions related to each of these donations, saying \u201cdonor names and identifying information are not subject to public disclosure under [federal law].\u201d\n\nTownsend directed the senators additional questions about the project to the National Park Service and the White House.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-publishes-new-analysis-comparing-republican-tax-breaks-for-wealthy-to-investments-in-american-families", "Warren Publishes New Analysis Comparing Republican Tax Breaks for Wealthy to Investments in American Families", "2025-11-07", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Publishes New Analysis Comparing Republican Tax Breaks for Wealthy to Investments in American Families\n\nNew comparisons show how Republicans\u2019 giant tax breaks for the wealthy in One Big Beautiful Bill could instead be used to lower the costs of health care and food for millions of American families\n\n\u201cTrump and Republicans are fighting for their billionaire buddies, while Democrats are fighting for American families.\u201d\n\nOne-Pager (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today published a new analysis revealing how Republicans\u2019 giant tax breaks for billionaires and corporations in their One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) could instead fund investments in health care and food assistance for millions of American families. As the Republican government shutdown drags on, the impacts of Republicans\u2019 failure to lower costs for working people become clearer by the day.\n\n\u201cDonald Trump and Republicans in Congress are knocking millions of Americans off their health insurance and ripping away food assistance from families \u2014 all so they can fund giant tax cuts for billionaires and giant corporations. This is a matter of priorities: Trump and Republicans are fighting for their billionaire buddies, while Democrats are fighting for American families,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nKey findings from Sen. Warren\u2019s analysis include:\n\nIn OBBBA, Republicans handed out a tax break that will be worth $132 billion to the richest one percent of Americans in 2027 alone. They could have instead used that money to extend the Affordable Care Act\u2019s (ACA\u2019s) premium tax credits to prevent health insurance premiums from skyrocketing for over 20 million people next year\u2014and still have had $100 billion leftover.\n\nWith the tax break that will be worth an estimated $12.5 billion that Republicans gave to just one company\u2014Microsoft\u2014in 2026, they could have instead provided a full year\u2019s worth of SNAP benefits to 5.2 million Americans.\n\nWith the money Republicans used to hand out a tax break that will be worth $20 billion to individuals inheriting or gifting multi-million-dollar fortunes in 2027, they could have provided Medicaid coverage to over 6 million children\u2014every child in Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio, and Nebraska combined\u2014for one year.\n\nInstead of giving a nearly $16 billion tax break to Amazon this year, Republicans could have lowered ACA premiums for 2.4 million people.\n\nWith the money Republicans used to hand out tax breaks that will be worth $137 billion to corporations in 2026, they could have instead provided Medicaid coverage to over 17 million adults for a full year.\n\nRead Sen. Warren\u2019s new analysis here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-releases-new-data-revealing-rfk-jrs-fluoride-crusade-threatens-military-readiness", "Warren Releases New Data Revealing RFK Jr.\u2019s Fluoride Crusade Threatens Military Readiness", "2025-11-07", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Releases New Data Revealing RFK Jr.\u2019s Fluoride Crusade Threatens Military Readiness\n\nPentagon data shows nearly 10% of service members cannot be deployed due to dental issues\n\nDepartment of Health and Human Services did not consult with the military before announcing intention to direct CDC to stop recommending fluoridation of drinking water\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released new data from the Department of Defense (DoD) revealing the impact of dental emergencies on military readiness. The new data also makes clear that Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s reported plan to direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop recommending water fluoridation may lead to a substantial rise in dental decay for service members and their families. Senator Warren first pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about this concern in May 2025.\n\nThe Pentagon\u2019s responses revealed:\n\nDental emergencies account for 20-30 percent of all Disease Non-Battle Injuries among deployed service members;\n\nDental issues leave nearly 10 percent of service members \u201cnot medically ready to deploy;\u201d\n\nThe military was not consulted by HHS or Secretary Kennedy on the plan to direct the CDC to stop recommending water fluoridation;\n\nFluoridation has contributed to improved dental readiness across the military; and\n\nRemoving fluoridation would likely lead to increased rates of dental decay.\n\n\u201cOur military is already falling short on delivering high quality dental care for our service members, and Secretary Kennedy\u2019s fluoride crusade is threatening to worsen this crisis and hurt our military\u2019s ability to deploy where they\u2019re needed,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cOur government should be focused on improving dental health access for our service members, not pushing anti-science conspiracies. I\u2019m going to continue holding Secretary Kennedy accountable for his disastrous policies.\u201d\n\nIn 2011, the Department of Defense found that \u201cdental decay continues to be a major problem for military personnel and is a significant reason for personnel to be classified as non-deployable.\u201d President Trump\u2019s Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness recently told Senator Warren that, \u201cdental health issues are often the largest cause of non-deployability within a military unit.\u201d Until now, the extent of the burden of dental issues on military readiness was not known.\n\nIn response to the Pentagon\u2019s findings, Air Force Chief of Staff General Kenneth Wilsbach said, \u201c[B]enefits of optimally fluoridated drinking water have been proven repeatedly\u2026The Air Force Surgeon General supports maintaining fluoridated water systems in accordance with the 2013 DoW policy and the AF dental community strongly advocates to continue the policy of optimally fluoridated water on DoW installations.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has led work to improve servicemembers\u2019 access to health care:\n\nIn May 2025, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), ranking member of the Personnel subcommittee for the Senate Armed Services Committee, pressed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the harmful impact that Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy\u2019s work to remove fluoride from drinking water would have on our military readiness.\n\nIn December 2024, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Acting Under Secretary Vazirani raising continued concerns about the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) failure to prevent price gouging and overpayments in the military\u2019s TRICARE health program.\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\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\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\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-takes-to-senate-floor-in-support-of-democratic-counter-offer-to-reopen-government", "Warren Takes to Senate Floor in Support of Democratic Counter Offer to Reopen Government", "2025-11-07", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Takes to Senate Floor in Support of Democratic Counter Offer to Reopen Government\n\nDemocratic proposal would reopen government and extend health care tax credits for one year while paving path to lower health costs over the long-term\n\nVideo of Floor Speech (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Following Minority Leader Schumer\u2019s unveiling of a new Democratic proposal to reopen the government and prevent premiums from rising astronomically next year, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren took to the Senate Floor to support the plan and call on Republicans to stand up for American families.\n\n\u201cDemocrats have asked over and over and over and over to negotiate to help Americans with their health care costs, but Donald Trump and Republicans flatly refused to even talk to Democrats to try to get the government back open. Not even once have the Republicans been willing to negotiate. Not once,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren called out President Trump for being focused on renovating the Lincoln bathroom, holding a Great Gatsby-themed party, and building a brand new ballroom at the same time Americans are being notified that their health care costs are skyrocketing. President Trump is also weighing the idea of etching corporations' names into the new gold-encrusted ballroom.\n\nAt the same time, Republicans in the House of Representatives are now in their seventh straight week of paid vacation. In the Senate, Majority Leader Thune continues to force votes on the same bill over and over but refuses to negotiate any changes to the bill.\n\nDemocrats' proposal would reopen the government with a one-year extension of the Affordable Care Act\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits that would immediately lower health care costs, while establishing a bipartisan committee to continue negotiations on health care affordability. Senator Warren urged Congressional Republicans to take the commonsense deal.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a common-sense plan that helps people across this country\u2014and that gets our government open. The Senate could do its part to reopen government in less than an hour. We could do it right now, this afternoon. We just have to put the interests of the American people ahead of politics,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cPeople are sick of Washington politics. So we ask our Republican colleagues, help us do what is right for the American people\u2014and help us do it right now,\u201d Senator Warren concluded.\n\nTranscript: Senator Warren\u2019s Floor Speech on Democrats\u2019 Alternative Proposal to Reopen the Government\n\nNovember 7, 2025\n\nU.S. Senate Floor\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Mr. President, thank you. You know, millions of Americans are counting on Democrats to stop Donald Trump and the Republicans from raising health care costs. And I am here to say Democrats will not back down. Fighting to lower health care costs is a righteous fight.\n\nFor too many Americans, health care premiums are going up by hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month. Who has that kind of money?\n\nJust this week, I talked to a woman in Florida, practically in Donald Trump\u2019s backyard. She\u2019s a wife and a mother of four lively kids, and she is about to lose her health insurance because of the Trump cuts. So what does that mean for her? She has malignant melanoma, and now she is looking at cancelling her ongoing treatments because, once she loses her insurance, she cannot afford treatment for her cancer. That is deeply, deeply wrong.\n\nDemocrats are in this fight for the right reasons. And Democrats will stay in this fight for the right reasons.\n\nIn July, Congressional Republicans worked hand-in-hand with President Trump on their biggest passion project: jamming through a bill to hand out massive tax cuts to millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations. And then, just to put a little extra whipped cream on top of their Republican ice cream Sundae, they paid for those billionaire tax cuts by slashing health care coverage for millions of Americans.\n\nEvery single Republican voted for it, and every single Democrat voted against it. And when the Republicans voted to cut health care funding last July, Democrats said we cannot sign off on a 2026 budget that cuts health care for millions of Americans. On September 30, the 2025 budget expired, and Democrats were ready to negotiate to get some of those health care cuts reversed in the 2026 budget, but the Republicans didn\u2019t want to negotiate. Nope, the Republicans decided they would rather shut down government than offer a single nickel to help Americans manage health care costs.\n\nThey told Democrats to vote for the Republican spending bill\u2014take it or leave it. And they have repeated their \u201ctake it or leave it\u201d through 15 votes and 38 days.\n\nNow, Democrats have asked over and over and over and over to negotiate to help Americans with their health care costs, but Donald Trump and Republicans flatly refused to even talk to Democrats to try to get the government back open. Not even once have the Republicans been willing to negotiate. Not once.\n\nSo where are we now?\n\nWell, Trump tweeted seven times in one day about his brand new marble bathroom at the White House while Americans turned to crowdfunding to pay their health care and grocery bills.\n\nTrump hosted a Great Gatsby-themed party while he turned off food assistance for millions of Americans. You know, the message to 42 million Americans from Donald Trump: eat dirt.\n\nAnd Trump is weighing the important idea of etching corporations' names into his grand new gold-encrusted ballroom while millions of Americans who lose their health insurance will get sick and be forced to decide whether to give up care altogether or go bankrupt trying to pay for it.\n\nMeanwhile, Republicans in Congress are in disarray. The House is now in its seventh week of paid vacation. They couldn\u2019t reopen the government if they wanted to because they aren\u2019t even in Washington to vote. They have members\u2014Republican and Democratic members\u2014who want a deal on healthcare, but Speaker Johnson just says, \u201cNope. Everyone spend another week on paid vacation.\"\n\nAnd here on the Senate side, Republicans are in chaos. Leader Thune puts the same bill up over and over for the same votes, but he won\u2019t talk about changing a single word. And now, he can\u2019t even organize a vote among Republicans to reopen the government. Instead, Republicans are fighting with Republicans over what to do\u2014and still no one says, \u201cLet\u2019s help families on health care and get the government open.\u201d\n\nSo Democrats have put a proposal on the table: lower costs by extending health tax credits for one year, and reopen the government. Do it all in one vote. And, during this next year, we will continue working to make our health care system work better.\n\nIt\u2019s a common-sense plan that helps people across this country\u2014and that gets our government open. The Senate could do its part to reopen government in less than an hour. We could do it right now, this afternoon. We just have to put the interests of the American people ahead of politics.\n\nAmericans are demanding, urging, begging Congress to do something. Do something before Americans are forced to get sicker and sicker before they can get health care. Do something before health care costs go up and up and up for everyone in this country.\n\nPeople are sick of Washington politics. So we ask our Republican colleagues, help us do what is right for the American people\u2014and help us do it right now.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-wyden-probe-social-security-chief-bisignano-amid-new-questions-about-his-tenure-as-ceo-at-fiserv", "Warren, Wyden Probe Social Security Chief Bisignano Amid New Questions about His Tenure as CEO at Fiserv", "2025-11-07", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Wyden Probe Social Security Chief Bisignano Amid New Questions about His Tenure as CEO at Fiserv\n\n\u201cMr. Bisignano appears to have failed to manage Fiserv effectively, and may have misled investors and the public about the company\u2019s financial status, raising concerns about his ability to serve as a key Social Security and IRS official in the Trump Administration.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), both leading members of the Senate Democrats\u2019 Social Security War Room, launched a probe into Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano\u2019s tenure as chief executive officer at Fiserv.\n\nBisignano was CEO at Fiserv prior to his appointment to lead Social Security. After his confirmation, he divested more than $550 million in Fiserv stocks \u2014 just months before the company\u2019s stock price declined by more than 50%. Last month, Trump appointed Mr. Bisignano to a second administration position, the newly created role of CEO of the Internal Revenue Service.\n\n\u201cAt a minimum, Mr. Bisignano appears to have failed to manage Fiserv effectively, and may have misled investors and the public about the company\u2019s financial status, raising concerns about his ability to serve as a key Social Security and IRS official in the Trump Administration,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cBecause of Mr. Bisignano\u2019s mismanagement, many Fiserv investors, including retirees and members of the public, lost money \u2014 a fate Mr. Bisignano avoided.\u201d\n\nAfter Bisignano left Fiserv, the company faced a series of financial setbacks that raised serious questions about his management of the firm. Investors filed a lawsuit against Fiserv that alleges the company\u2014under Bisignano\u2019s tenure\u2014misled them by artificially inflating growth numbers. And the new Fiserv CEO identified major problems which he inherited from Bisignano, including the company\u2019s over reliance on its ability to do business with Argentina and placing too much of an emphasis on achieving short-term results.\n\nA Fiserv subsidiary also received an important Treasury Department contract in September 2025, raising additional questions. The Senators called for transparency surrounding Fiserv\u2019s bid for this lucrative government contract, which would manage a debit card program distributing Social Security and other government benefits to more than 3.4 million Americans. During Bisignano\u2019s confirmation process, he did not disclose any active contract negotiations between Fiserv or its subsidiaries with the federal government.\n\nTo better understand the events surrounding Bisignano\u2019s management of Fiserv, the lawmakers requested answers to questions on the company\u2019s business with Argentina, internal investigations, negotiations with the American government, and non-disclosure agreements signed by Bisignano.\n\nWyden and Warren have continuously held Bisignano accountable since his nomination to lead Social Security. In October 2025, the senators pressed the Trump administration for giving Bisignano an additional position, \u201cCEO\u201d of the IRS. In March 2025, they pressed Bisignano on his plans to lead SSA, including the disclosure of any ties between Fiserv and the federal government. In July, Senator Warren secured key commitments and admissions from Bisignano, specifically relating to Social Security data and metrics, staffing, paper checks, and more.\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders, encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them, and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans\u2019 agenda and their continued cuts to Americans\u2019 Social Security services and benefits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schumer-wyden-25-senate-dems-slam-trump-administration-for-rising-health-care-costs-affordability-crisis-for-american-families", "Warren, Schumer, Wyden, 25 Senate Dems Slam Trump Administration for Rising Health Care Costs, Affordability Crisis for American Families", "2025-11-05", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schumer, Wyden, 25 Senate Dems Slam Trump Administration for Rising Health Care Costs, Affordability Crisis for American Families\n\n\u201cWe urge the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans to join us to lower Americans\u2019 health care costs and reopen the government.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) led 25 Senate Democrats in slamming the Trump administration for its failure to address rising health care costs for American families. In a new letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the lawmakers highlighted the worsening affordability crisis, especially for health care \u2014 the crux of the fight surrounding Donald Trump and Republicans\u2019 ongoing government shutdown.\n\n\u201cOver 90 percent of American voters say it is important for Congress and the President to lower health care costs,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cWe urge the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans to join us to lower Americans\u2019 health care costs and reopen the government.\u201d\n\nThe letter was also signed by: Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).\n\nThe senators explained that Donald Trump has raised health care costs for Americans in the following ways:\n\nAn estimated 154 million Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance will face the biggest premium increase in over a decade because of Donald Trump\u2019s policies;\n\nOver 24 million Americans who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will see their premiums skyrocket next year, and families receiving enhanced premium tax credits will face the largest price hike in history if the tax credits expire;\n\n15 million Americans will get kicked off of their health insurance because of Trump and Congressional Republicans\u2019 budget law, and millions more with Medicaid will face new, higher out-of-pocket costs;\n\n15 million Americans with $49 billion in medical debt are being denied federal relief, while 15 million more are at higher risk of accruing medical debt;\n\nMillions of Americans will have to pay \u201chundreds of dollars more in out-of-pocket costs\u201d for ACA coverage due to the Trump administration\u2019s final Marketplace rule; and\n\nMillions of Americans will pay more for prescription drugs due to Trump and Congressional Republicans\u2019 nearly $9 billion handout to Big Pharma.\n\nThe letter follows Senate Democrats\u2019 visit to South Florida to highlight the effect of rising health care costs and Republicans\u2019 massive health care cuts on families. On Monday, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) traveled to Miami to hear from Floridians about the real-life consequences of Republicans\u2019 refusal to come to the table and negotiate an end to the government shutdown that lowers health care costs for Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-hearing-warren-presses-defense-nominee-on-ceasefire-and-urges-more-humanitarian-aid-in-gaza", "At Hearing, Warren Presses Defense Nominee on Ceasefire and Urges More Humanitarian Aid in Gaza", "2025-11-04", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "At Hearing, Warren Presses Defense Nominee on Ceasefire and Urges More Humanitarian Aid in Gaza\n\nWarren: \"Half a million people are starving in Gaza right now, and we need to do everything we can to help.\"\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Austin Dahmer, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities, on her concerns about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need to ensure Palestinians get desperately needed aid without interference.\n\nFollowing the declared ceasefire between Hamas and the Israeli government, the Trump administration\u2019s plan called for \u201cfull aid\u201d to be sent to Gaza \u201cwithout interference.\u201d Senator Warren raised concerns about the U.S. government\u2019s partnership with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an inexperienced and militarized organization that lacks experience in food distribution.\n\nMr. Dahmer was questioned about his support for the ceasefire, as he previously tweeted that providing aid to Palestinians makes \u201cU.S. support for Israel look performative.\" He affirmed his support to Senator Warren for the current peace efforts in Gaza. When pressed about his stance on the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) inexperience and limited aid distribution, which led to over 1,000 deaths near aid sites, Mr. Dahmer refused to directly answer the question but acknowledged the need for experienced aid organizations to ensure successful aid delivery in Gaza.\n\nSenator Warren concluded the hearing by calling for more effective aid efforts: \u201cHalf a million people are starving in Gaza right now, and we need to do everything we can to help.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has been a strong advocate of requiring any recipient of U.S. military aid to follow U.S. laws prohibiting the restriction of humanitarian aid, as well as calling for more desperately needed supplies to be delivered to Gaza. She was the first Senator to open up an investigation into the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and has also been a vocal advocate against sending more weapons to the Netanyahu government.\n\nTranscript: Hearings to examine the nominations of Austin Dahmer, of Arizona, and Robert Kadlec, of New York, both to be an Assistant Secretary, and Michael Borders, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, all of the Department of Defense.\n\nSenate Armed Services Committee\n\nNovember 4, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, right now we have a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, and we need to make it last. Following the October 7 terrorist attack, Prime Minister Netanyahu initiated a war that has cost nearly 70,000 Palestinians their lives. About a third of them were women and children. We need the ceasefire to put us on a path to peace. Now, one of the tenets of the ceasefire is that all parties must provide \"full aid into Gaza\" \"without interference.\" This is powerfully important. For months, the Israeli government had a mere total blockade of food, medicine, and other critical humanitarian supplies, leading to half a million Palestinians in Gaza suffering from the first declared famine in the Middle East.\n\nNow, Mr. Dahmer, you've been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities. If confirmed, you will advise the Secretary on how to align DoD resources to our national security strategy, including enforcing the conditions of this ceasefire.\n\nMr. Dahmer, do you support President Trump's ceasefire, including ensuring full aid goes into Gaza without interference?\n\nMr. Dahmer: Yes, Senator, I absolutely support the President's agenda, including his efforts at peace in Gaza.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, I'm glad to hear you believe that now in the past, you have tweeted that providing aid to Palestinians makes the U.S. \"support for Israel look performative.\" But on top of continuing to limit aid, the U.S. government chose to work with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an inexperienced organization with no history in food distribution. It was created by management consultants and run by armed contractors. Previous ceasefires saw more than 400 aid distribution sites, but GHF limited distribution instead of 400 to 4 and on GHF\u2019s watch, over a thousand starving Palestinians desperately seeking food near GHF sites were killed amid multiple reports that the IDF has been opening fire on them.\n\nMr. Dahmer, do you think the GHF has a record of success in delivering aid to Palestinians?\n\nMr. Dahmer: Well, Senator, I think President Trump has been clear not only that he's focused on peace, but that he expects both Israel and Hamas to abide by the ceasefire.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, I appreciate that, but I asked a very specific question. Do you think the GHF has a record of success in delivering aid to Palestinians? It's a yes or no question.\n\nMr. Dahmer: Senator, I don't have enough information about the specific organization.\n\nSenator Warren: Don\u2019t have enough information? Expertise is critical here, and I'm worried DoD's complete indifference to the experience in delivering aid will only cost more Palestinians their lives.\n\nNow, on October 21 U.S. Central Command announced they had opened a civil-military coordination center where U.S. military personnel will help facilitate assistance from international counterparts into Gaza. The Netanyahu government promptly selected one of the architects of the GHF to be their representative at this U.S.-led center. Press reporting indicates DoD is considering replicating the GHF model, including limiting aid distribution to a handful of sites.\n\nMr. Dahmer, this is one of the most complex areas to deliver aid. Would DoD be more successful by partnering with experienced aid organizations that have had some real success in delivering that aid?\n\nMr. Dahmer: Senator, thank you for the important question. I would also note that U.S. Central Command released just a few days ago a video of Hamas actually looting an aid truck as it was being delivered\u2014\n\nSenator Warren: So, I appreciate that but that is not the question I asked. I have very limited time here. The chairman is very strict about our time. I'm asking you\u2014this is a complex part of the world to deliver aid in. Would DoD be more successful if they partnered with somebody who actually had had some success in delivering aid in this region?\n\nMr. Dahmer: Senator, if confirmed, I would commit to always working, not only across the department, on our security cooperation efforts and humanitarian aid\u2014\n\nSenator Warren: Could I just have a yes or no on my question?\n\nMr. Dahmer: Senator, what? I'm sorry, what is this? What is the question?\n\nSenator Warren: The question is, it's a complex area to deliver aid. Would DoD be more successful if it partnered with experienced aid organizations that have had success in delivering aid in this region?\n\nMr. Dahmer: Senator, I would agree that a demonstrated record of success would be a positive indicator of future success.\n\nSenator Warren: Well, I appreciate that. Half a million people are starving in Gaza right now, and we need to do everything we can to help.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-presses-trump-pentagon-nominee-to-explain-record-of-cronyism-and-backroom-dealing-at-the-department-of-health-and-human-services-hhs", "Warren Presses Trump Pentagon Nominee to Explain Record of \u201cCronyism and Backroom Dealing\u201d at the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)", "2025-11-03", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Presses Trump Pentagon Nominee to Explain Record of \u201cCronyism and Backroom Dealing\u201d at the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)\n\nIf confirmed, Dr. Robert Kadlec would lead the office responsible for biological defense programs, despite steering vaccine manufacturing contracts to his former client\n\n\u201cYour willingness to let personal and political biases improperly color your policy recommendations is part of an ongoing string of failures during your previous federal service.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Dr. Robert Kadlec, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs at the Department of Defense (DoD) with concerns over his past management failures and conflicts of interest during his time at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he served as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Those allegations include exercising improper political pressure on career officials to financially benefit his former clients.\n\n\u201c[Your] record\u2026reveals that you lack the skills, character, and judgment necessary to serve effectively in a critical national security position,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nIf confirmed, Dr. Kadlec would be responsible for developing policy, advising on emerging threats, staffing the Nuclear Weapons Council, and managing the U.S. nuclear arsenal and other weapons of mass destruction. Independent investigations, including three audits or investigations by GAO and the HHS Inspector General, raised serious concerns about wrongdoing at ASPR.\n\nDuring his time as ASPR from 2017 to 2021, multiple reports and investigations revealed a pattern of decision-making that either benefitted his former clients or policy decisions that left the country unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes a 2017 $2.8 billion smallpox vaccine deal with Emergent BioSolutions that left HHS paying \u201cmore than double the price per dose\u201d the Department previously had. Dr. Kadlec\u2019s office also awarded Emergent a $261 million deal for anthrax vaccines in 2019.\n\nDr. Kadlec failed to disclose, to both the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the Office of Government Ethics, that he had ties to Emergent\u2019s founder, including receiving $360,000 for biodefense consulting work.\n\nDespite multiple findings of \u201cserious quality control issues\u201d at Emergent\u2019s facilities, Dr. Kadlec pushed for Emergent to receive a \u201cpriority rating.\u201d HHS went on to award Emergent a $628 million contract in May 2020 to expand its manufacturing capabilities and another $30 million contract in July 2020, \u201cto reserve two additional manufacturing suites.\u201d An Emergent factory later \u201cruined millions of doses of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine.\u201d\n\n\u201cI also have significant concerns over your interference in HHS's evidence-based decision-making, which eroded the integrity of scientifically backed policy,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nDuring Dr. Kadlec\u2019s tenure, HHS distributed donated hydroxychloroquine to retail pharmacies to treat COVID-19, despite very weak data on the safety and efficacy of its use. The HHS Inspector General found that these distributions \u201cposed a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety,\u201d given the FDA\u2019s assessment that its use was risky due to the \u201cknown and potential health risks of hydroxychloroquine.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis example of scientific misconduct put millions of lives at risk and is particularly concerning given the need for evidence-based decision-making within our national nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons infrastructure,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nAnother audit released in 2022 by the Government Accountability Office of Dr. Kadlec\u2019s office later found there were no proper procedures in place \u201cthat define political interference in scientific decision-making or describe how it should be reported and addressed.\u201d\n\n\u201cTogether, this series of reports and allegations raises serious concerns about your ability to manage a public health or national security crisis and act impartially when making policy or acquisition determinations,\u201d concluded Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren asked Dr. Kadlec to explain, by November 10, 2025, his failure to disclose conflicts of interest during his tenure at HHS, clarify his role in the 2017 Emergent contract, and lay out his plan to prevent a similar culture of \u201ccronyism and backroom dealing\u201d if confirmed to a role at the Defense Department. Dr. Kadlec\u2019s nomination will be considered by the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-markey-merkley-press-trump-on-failure-to-address-american-families-rising-electricity-costs", "Warren, Markey, Merkley Press Trump on Failure to Address American Families\u2019 Rising Electricity Costs", "2025-10-31", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Markey, Merkley Press Trump on Failure to Address American Families\u2019 Rising Electricity Costs\n\nInvestigation reveals Trump Administration \u201chas no explanations for its failures and no answers for American families that are hit hard by high energy costs.\u201d\n\nLawmakers publish new data showing electricity costs have increased 11% since Trump took office, costing families more than $70 billion in higher utilities bills over next three years\n\nText of Letter (PDF) | Response from USTR (PDF) | Response from HHS (PDF) | Response from Treasury (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in pressing President Donald Trump on rising electricity costs hurting American families. In a new letter, the lawmakers published the Trump Administration\u2019s responses to the Senators\u2019 earlier oversight on the Administration\u2019s failures to lower energy costs. The lawmakers also published new data revealing the impacts of those failures on American families, including the fact that since Trump took office, electricity costs have increased by 11% \u2014 costing American families more than $70 billion in higher utility bills over the next three years.\n\n\u201cYou promised that you would cut energy prices for American families. Instead, they are struggling more than ever under your watch,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cTo lower costs, your Administration should restore funding to thousands of energy projects slated to add much-needed supply to the grid, reverse costly fossil fuel plant mandates, and ensure the public continues to have access to the energy bill assistance they deserve.\u201d\n\nThe Trump administration\u2019s recent actions have exacerbated high energy prices for families, creating a massive cut in energy supply. The lawmakers published new data from the nonprofit Climate Power, revealing that the Trump administration\u2019s cuts to energy funding have cut off the energy supply needed to power more than 12 million homes. Recent data also revealed that Trump\u2019s energy funding cuts may cause the loss of more than 300,000 jobs and the cancellation of half of all energy projects planned in the U.S. this year, impacting the economy and jacking up prices for American families.\n\n\u201cAs a result of these and other actions, energy costs have forced millions of middle-class families into \u2018energy poverty,\u2019\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThis is the wrong approach, and you should reverse course and provide Americans with the help they need to reduce energy costs, instead of making this crisis worse.\u201d\n\nIn July, the lawmakers opened an investigation into the Trump administration\u2019s failure to address rising energy costs. The lawmakers pressed each agency responsible for some aspect of the nation\u2019s energy policy \u2014 the Departments of Energy, Interior, Treasury, Commerce, Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Trade Representative \u2014 asking if the Administration had analyzed the costs that consumers would bear from the Administration\u2019s harmful policies.\n\n\u201cThe results of this investigation reveal that \u2013 even as prices continue to rise \u2013 your Administration has no explanations for its failures and no answers for American families that are hit hard by high energy costs,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nNeither the Department of Energy nor the Department of the Interior responded, evading basic questions about the Administration\u2019s decision-making. Other agencies offered nothing but platitudes, including the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Trade Ambassador Greer admitted that trade policies have \u201cimpacts on industries like energy that affect consumers\u201d but confirmed that his agency had not conducted any \u201cspecific analyses related to energy pricing.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers slammed the responses as \u201cdisappointing,\u201d concluding that the Trump administration has \u201cno explanations for its failures and no answers for American families that are hit hard by high energy costs, and it continues to actively pursue policies to make this cost crisis worse.\u201d\n\nRead the full Climate Power report here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-nominee-to-oversee-us-nuclear-arsenal-agrees-with-warren-cost-transparency-is-crucial-for-national-security", "Trump Nominee to Oversee U.S. Nuclear Arsenal Agrees with Warren: Cost Transparency is Crucial for National Security", "2025-10-30", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Trump Nominee to Oversee U.S. Nuclear Arsenal Agrees with Warren: Cost Transparency is Crucial for National Security\n\nWarren also sounds alarm on Trump call to resume nuclear weapons testing\n\nWarren: \u201cThe President may have launched us on a path of a new arms race when he announced that we should base our testing of nuclear weapons on what other countries, including states like North Korea, do to terrorize the world.\u201d\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pushed Vice Admiral Richard A. Correll, nominee to be admiral and Commander of the United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM), to commit to supporting independent and transparent assessments of nuclear weapons programs. Senator Warren also spoke out against President Trump\u2019s recent call for the United States to resume nuclear weapons testing.\n\nAs STRATCOM Commander, Vice Admiral Correll would be in charge of managing the United States\u2019 current and future nuclear arsenal, the expansion of which is expected to cost nearly $1 trillion over the next decade. However, the military has a history of misleading Congress about the real cost of underestimating the cost of nuclear programs. Systems like Sentinel, the land-based nuclear missile program set to replace Minuteman III, have turned out to cost almost double the estimates the Air Force originally provided to Congress.\n\n\u201cThis should be a flashing red light for this committee and for our constitutional oversight duties. This is billions, even trillions of taxpayer dollars that we are talking about, and the safety and security of the people\u2014and the land\u2014of the United States itself. We need independent assessments for what is happening here,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201c[T]hat doesn\u2019t just cost taxpayers, it jeopardizes national security,\u201d said Senator Warren, pointing out that higher-than-expected costs have forced the Air Force to consider postponing and scaling back its next-generation tanker, airlifter, and Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter programs.\n\nVice Admiral Correll agreed that it is important for the military to have an accurate estimate of the cost and delivery timelines of new nuclear weapons. He committed to providing his best military advice to Congress on nuclear weapons programs but stopped short of committing to not delaying independent studies or independent recommendations on Sentinel or other nuclear programs.\n\nSenator Warren also raised concerns about calls to make the Sentinel program mobile.\n\n\u201cThey claim it\u2019s going to save money, but history and other analysts indicate it is much more likely that it will increase cost and complexity. And what would we get for wasting billions of dollars more? Nuclear weapons being driven through American cities and towns,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nWhen asked to commit to transparency about the cost and complexity of making Sentinel mobile, Vice Admiral Correll agreed to doing so \u201cby, with, and through the Department.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has long pushed for transparency around the Sentinel program, including calling on the Pentagon to consider whether it might be more cost-effective to refurbish and extend the existing Minuteman III program. While one of the previous STRATCOM commanders told Congress that there was \u201cno more margin\u201d to extend Minuteman III, the Government Accountability Office reported last month that the Air Force now believes it can extend the program through 2050.\n\nTranscript: Hearing to Consider the Nomination of Vice Admiral Richard A. Correll, USN to be Admiral and Commander of the United States Strategic Command\n\nSenate Armed Services Committee\n\nOctober 30, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Madam Chairman. And I want to say \u2018thank you\u2019 to Senator Rosen.\n\nI want to follow up but it\u2019s clear you\u2019re not going to answer much here in an open setting. But I\u2019d like to join you when the meeting goes to the SCIF to understand the seriousness of this moment and what it means for our nation. Last night, the President may have launched us on a path of a new arms race when he announced that we should base our testing of nuclear weapons on what other countries, including states like North Korea, do to terrorize the world.\n\nAt the same time, the Trump administration is cracking down on independent oversight and reporting at the Pentagon. This should be a flashing red light for this committee and for our constitutional oversight duties. This is billions, even trillions of taxpayer dollars that we are talking about, and the safety and security of the people\u2014and the land\u2014of the United States itself. We need independent assessments for what is happening here. And we need somebody who will be candid with us about both their assessment and the facts about what\u2019s going on. If I can, I will ask some other questions that I think we can answer appropriately in this setting.\n\nI want to say congratulations on your nomination, Vice Admiral Correll. As the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, it\u2019s going to be your job to manage our current and future nuclear arsenal. The Congressional Budget Office estimates our plans to build new nuclear weapons will cost $946 billion just over the next ten years. That\u2019s almost a trillion dollars, and that\u2019s just an estimate. Systems like Sentinel, the land-based nuclear missile program, have turned out to cost almost double their original estimates given to Congress. And that doesn\u2019t just cost taxpayers, it jeopardizes national security. Ballooning costs have forced the Air Force to consider postponing and scaling back its next-generation tanker, airlifter and next generation air dominance fighter programs.\n\nThe military services are responsible for acquisition programs, but as the STRATCOM commander and member of the Nuclear Weapons Council, you\u2019re responsible for overseeing nuclear weapons programs, and your military advice on these programs is very influential.\n\nVice Admiral Correll, would you agree that it is important for military planning to have an accurate estimate of how much a new nuclear weapon will cost and when it will be delivered?\n\nVice Admiral Richard Correll, nominee to be admiral and Commander of the United States Strategic Command: Yes, senator.\n\nSenator Warren: You agree, we need those basic facts? Look, we need to know how much things cost. But the Air Force provided Congress with a rosy cost estimate for Sentinel, which turned out to cost an extra $60 billion over their estimate. And they did this while declaring \u201cthere was no more margin\u201d to extend Minuteman III, the program that Sentinel is replacing, past 2036. Well, it turns out that wasn\u2019t true either, as the Government Accountability Office revealed last month the military believes we can extend Minuteman III through 2050. So here we have this crucial program. The dollar figure was wrong and the time was wrong on it.\n\nWe need to take an honest look at these programs and not shield them from independent oversight.\n\nVice Admiral Correll, do you commit to ensuring that STRATCOM will not stand in the way of any independent studies or independent recommendations on Sentinel or any other program moving forward?\n\nVice Admiral Correll: Senator, I commit to providing my best military advice in a candid and forthright manner within the Department and to this committee.\n\nSenator Warren: I appreciate that. It is sorely needed. Think tanks influential with the administration want to add to the Sentinel program by making it mobile. They claim it\u2019s going to save money, but history and other analysts indicate it is much more likely that it will increase cost and complexity. And what would we get for wasting billions of dollars more? Nuclear weapons being driven through American cities and towns.\n\nVice Admiral Correll, if you were told to consider a mobile Sentinel option again and your military analysis showed that it would add cost or complexity, would you commit to sharing those results as part of your military advice with Congress?\n\nVice Admiral Correll: I would commit to that and that would be by, with, and through the Department.\n\nSenator Warren: I appreciate that. It is more critical now than ever before to know that we have military leaders who are willing to be honest with Congress about our national security.\n\nThank you, Madam Chair.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-kim-press-surgeon-general-nominee-casey-means-on-wellness-industry-connections-conflicts-of-interest", "Warren, Kim Press Surgeon General Nominee Casey Means on Wellness Industry Connections, Conflicts of Interest", "2025-10-30", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Kim Press Surgeon General Nominee Casey Means on Wellness Industry Connections, Conflicts of Interest\n\nSenators Seek Commitments to Resolve Conflicts, Restrict Future Lobbying\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) pushed for answers from Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means about potential conflicts of interest stemming from her former clients and employers, as well as future lobbying and employment opportunities. The senators highlighted questions about her ability to faithfully execute her duties as Surgeon General, if confirmed.\n\n\u201cJust as we need ethics guardrails to prevent Big Pharma companies from using insider connections to exert undue influence on policies of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), so too should ethical guardrails apply to all conflicts of interest,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nOver the course of her career as an influencer, Dr. Means has received hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote a variety of wellness products and invested in numerous wellness companies. These financial interests raise reasonable suspicion from the American public about her ability to provide impartial advice as Surgeon General. Additionally, should Dr. Means use her position to assist the wellness industry and then work for the industry immediately after leaving office, it could raise questions about whether she acted in the best interest of the American people while in office or instead made decisions that were influenced by the prospect of future compensation.\n\n\u201cYou and other leaders in the \u2018Make America Healthy Again\u2019 movement have been vocal critics of conflicts of interest in the pharmaceutical industry and have championed the need for \u2018unbiased people\u2019 to make health-related guidelines,\u201d the senator continued. \u201cYet the \u2018$1.5 trillion global wellness market\u2019 also presents conflict-of-interest risks for federal decision-makers.\u201d\n\nSenators Warren and Kim are seeking the following commitments from Dr. Means to resolve the ethics concerns:\n\nShe should commit to recusing herself for four years from all particular matters likely to impact the financial interests of her former clients and employers, as multiple former HHS officials agreed to.\n\nShe should commit not to seek compensation from a company that she interacted with while in government for at least four years after leaving office.\n\nShe should commit not to engage in lobbying activities for four years after leaving office, as multiple Biden appointees agreed to.\n\nThe senators concluded, \u201cBy making these commitments, you would increase Americans\u2019 trust in your ability to serve the public interest during your time as Surgeon General, rather than the interests of supplement manufacturers or other industries with which you have financial entanglements.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schumer-wyden-senate-democrats-introduce-bill-to-expand-social-security-veterans-affairs-benefits", "Warren, Schumer, Wyden, Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Expand Social Security, Veterans Affairs Benefits", "2025-10-30", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schumer, Wyden, Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Expand Social Security, Veterans Affairs Benefits\n\nSocial Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act would increase benefits by $200 per month for six months, offering relief while costs rise due to Trump\u2019s chaotic tariffs, Republicans\u2019 health care cuts\n\nBill follows recent cost-of-living adjustment at just $56 per month on average\n\nBill One-Pager (PDF) | Bill Text (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in introducing the Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act. With America\u2019s seniors facing quickly-rising costs in Trump\u2019s economy, the new bill will provide rapid relief by expanding Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits by $200 per month for six months.\n\n\u201cWhile Donald Trump sends $40 billion to Argentina, I\u2019m proposing sending American seniors on Social Security an extra $200 a month to offset higher prices. The cost of everything from coffee to beef to health care is up, in large part due Trump\u2019s chaotic tariffs, and Democrats are fighting to deliver some financial relief and lower costs for Americans,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cThis new legislation to expand Social Security is an emergency lifeline for seniors struggling to afford Trump\u2019s tariffs and rising inflation.\u201d\n\n\u201cTrump campaigned on lowering costs, but all he has done is raise tariffs, slash healthcare benefits, and sabotage energy projects, increasing prices on everything from groceries to electricity,\u201d said Leader Schumer. \u201cSeniors face difficult decisions as they see their bank accounts shrinking and the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is simply not reflective of the current reality. I urge Republicans to join with us to help offset the cost of Trump\u2019s inflationary trade war and give seniors the money they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cSeniors, families and Americans with disabilities can\u2019t keep up with the higher costs Donald Trump is inflicting on the country. Trump has fanned the flames of inflation and passed out tax breaks to billionaires, betraying his promises to lower costs yet again. Democrats are fighting back to help seniors afford basic necessities while Trump refuses to lift a finger,\u201d said Senator Wyden.\n\n\u201cNo one has a harder time dealing with rising costs than seniors who are living on a fixed income. Trump\u2019s tariffs are driving up the price of groceries and almost everything else and Social Security benefits just aren\u2019t keeping up. Putting extra money in seniors' pockets will help them make ends meet while we fight to lower costs for American seniors and families,\u201d said Senator Kelly.\n\n\u201cThis President promised to lower prices. Clearly that was a lie because the truth of the matter is that grocery prices, rent, and health care costs are all skyrocketing. We should be doing everything we can to mitigate the burden his failed economy places on the American people. I\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Warren on getting relief to our seniors,\u201d said Senator Alsobrooks.\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve to retire with dignity, not spend their golden years just trying to get by,\u201d said Senator Gillibrand. \u201cOur seniors have worked hard their entire lives and paid into Social Security, but benefits simply haven\u2019t kept pace with rising costs. This legislation would help ensure that older Americans don\u2019t have to choose between paying for medication and buying groceries by putting more money back into their pockets. As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I\u2019m committed to passing this critical bill and ensuring our seniors can age with comfort and security.\u201d\n\n\u201cMore and more Americans are having difficulty making ends meet in Trump\u2019s economy. While we continue to fight back against this Administration\u2019s policies that increase costs for families, this legislation will provide America\u2019s seniors and veterans a vital lifeline as they face rising costs,\u201d said Senator Van Hollen.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s reckless economic policies are raising costs for seniors left and right\u2014from the grocery store to the pharmacy counter. For seniors living on a fixed income, the President's tariffs and rising inflation have meant that their Social Security benefits don't stretch as far as they used to,\u201d said Senator Welch. \u201cOur bill provides a financial lifeline to seniors to help them weather the disastrous impacts of Trump\u2019s trade war.\u201d\n\nThe Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act would provide critical relief to Americans living on a fixed income by:\n\nProviding a $200 per month emergency increase to Social Security checks until July 2026.\n\nSupport all Title II Social Security beneficiaries, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries, Railroad Retirement beneficiaries, veteran disability compensation, and veteran pension benefit annuitants.\n\nJust last week, the Trump administration announced that the 2026 cost of living adjustment will be 2.8% \u2014 equivalent to just $56 extra a month on average. Meanwhile, thanks to Donald Trump\u2019s chaotic tariffs and the Republicans\u2019 giant health care cuts, prices \u2014 particularly for food and health care \u2014 are rising quickly, leaving families struggling to afford basic necessities. This new bill would provide relief to seniors, veterans, and Americans with disabilities who live on a fixed income and are being flattened by Trump\u2019s economy.\n\nDonald Trump\u2019s failing economy hits American seniors and people with disabilities especially hard. Half of all American seniors rely on Social Security for half of their income, while Social Security is the sole source of income for one in every four seniors. Due to stringent eligibility requirements, SSI and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are even more likely to be the sole source of income for their beneficiaries. Over half of seniors\u2019 monthly spending is on housing, food, and transportation \u2014 all basic necessities that are only becoming less affordable in Trump\u2019s economy.\n\nThe Trump administration has also taken a chainsaw to the Social Security Administration, gutting its workforce and cutting in-person services \u2014 and ultimately making it far more difficult for seniors to claim their benefits at a time when those monthly checks are more critical than ever.\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders, encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them, and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans\u2019 agenda and their continued cuts to Americans\u2019 Social Security services and benefits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-response-to-warren-questioning-trump-administration-nominee-admits-china-is-undercutting-american-farmers-amidst-trump-trade-war-and-argentina-bailout", "In Response to Warren Questioning, Trump Administration Nominee Admits China is Undercutting American Farmers Amidst Trump Trade War and Argentina Bailout", "2025-10-29", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In Response to Warren Questioning, Trump Administration Nominee Admits China is Undercutting American Farmers Amidst Trump Trade War and Argentina Bailout\n\nWarren: \u201cUnder Trump, farm bankruptcies are surging; crop prices are falling; and Trump\u2019s chaotic tariffs are making fertilizer and farming equipment more expensive. But instead of helping American farmers, who clearly need that help, he\u2019s helping the farmers in Argentina.\u201d\n\nWatch Here (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Finance Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, questioned Julie Callahan, President Donald Trump\u2019s nominee to be Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), on how the Trump Administration\u2019s disastrous trade policies\u2014including bailing out Argentina\u2019s financial markets and hedge funds after the country cut a deal with China\u2014are hurting farmers while raising costs for families. In her responses to Ranking Member Warren, Callahan admitted that, for months, China has purchased soybeans \u201cfrom every country except the United States\u201d that exports them.\n\nBelow is the full transcript of Senator Warren\u2019s questioning:\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, President Trump promised that he would lower costs for American families \u201con day one.\u201d Those were his words: \u201cOn day one.\u201d\n\nInstead, he is prioritizing a $40 billion bailout for Argentina and the wealthy hedge fund investors, starting with $20 billion dollars in taxpayer money, and $20 billion more fronted by U.S. banks \u2013 potentially guaranteed by taxpayers \u2013 and who knows \u2013 maybe even more money going to Argentina.\n\nNow, this bailout came after Argentina cut a deal with China that directly undercuts American soybean farmers.\n\nUnder Trump, farm bankruptcies are surging; crop prices are falling; and Trump\u2019s chaotic tariffs are making fertilizer and farming equipment more expensive. But instead of helping American farmers, who clearly need that help, he\u2019s helping the farmers in Argentina.\n\nSo, don\u2019t take my word for it \u2013 listen to the farmers themselves. One soybean farmer said, \u201cI turn on the news and we gave $20 billion of taxpayer money to Argentina \u2013 my competition.\u201d The American Soybean Association said plainly: \u201cThe frustration is overwhelming.\u201d\n\nSo, Dr. Callahan, you are being nominated to serve as America\u2019s chief agricultural negotiator. Do you agree that bailing out Argentina \u2013 while our own farmers are struggling \u2013 is a betrayal of the American soybean farmer?\n\nJulie Callahan: Thank you, Senator Warren. In our negotiations for agreements on reciprocal trade, soy is a top commodity that we are negotiating around the world to ensure that countries around the world have access to high-quality U.S. soybeans\u2013\n\nWarren: So, I appreciate that. I don't mean to interrupt, but we are going to be limited on our time here. It's an easy question. I'm asking you if you agree with American soybean farmers themselves whose interests you are supposed to represent in this job? And they are ringing the alarm about their own economic livelihoods, surging farm bankruptcies, soybean farmers losing access to key markets when we prop up these competitors. So, I just don't understand. If you can't acknowledge that there is a problem here, how do you represent American soybean farmers?\n\nCallahan: Thank you, Senator Warren. And in my role as the Assistant USTR for Agriculture and if confirmed as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator, I will have the interest of U.S. Farmers and ranchers\u2013\n\nWarren: Can you acknowledge that there is a serious problem right now for those soybean farmers?\n\nCan you acknowledge that there is a serious problem right now for those soybean farmers?\n\nCallahan: Our current negotiations are making good on the promise to U.S. farmers and ranchers to reset our trade relationships and to ensure we have reciprocal\u2013\n\nWarren: So, I\u2019m sorry. You can't even acknowledge that our American soybean farmers are having trouble right now? Is that what you're telling me\u2013\n\nCallahan: Absolutely\u2013\n\nWarren: You are going to sit there and say, \u201cNope. We\u2019re working.\u201d\n\nCallahan: China's weaponization of agriculture has absolutely harmed U.S. soybean farmers and if\u2013\n\nWarren: So, farmers are in trouble because China quit buying from them. Because who is China buying from right now? What\u2019s that country?\n\nCallahan: China is purchasing from every country except the United States that exports soybeans\u2013\n\nWarren: What country is China buying soybeans from right now? What\u2019s the name of that country?\n\nCallahan: China purchases many countries, soybeans from Brazil\u2013\n\nWarren: Dr. Callahan, what is the name of the country that China is buying soybeans from right now?\n\nCallahan: China is purchasing Latin American soybeans\u2013\n\nWarren: Latin American soybeans\u2013\n\nCallahan: As of this morning, they are purchasing U.S. soybeans as well\u2013\n\nWarren: What is the name of the particular country they are buying soybeans from? If you can't answer that question, I don't see how you can represent American soybean farmers.\n\nDr. Callahan, let me ask you about another constituency you supposedly would be fighting for, and that\u2019s cattle ranchers. So, Trump bails out Argentina. He undercuts American soybean farmers. What\u2019s next? He announces he\u2019s raising the quota for Argentine beef imports.\n\nNow, importing Argentine beef will devastate small ranchers. But with the big four meatpacking corporations controlling the market, consumers are not going see prices that are any lower.\n\nSo once again, Trump is helping Argentina while American ranchers and American consumers pay the price.\n\nOne Illinois cattle producer called Trump\u2019s plan \u201ca betrayal of the American rancher.\u201d And said Trump is \u201cacting more like president of Argentina than president of the United States.\u201d\n\nSo Dr. Callahan, do you agree with the American cattle ranchers that importing beef from Argentina will harm them \u2013 particularly the small ranchers?\n\nCallahan: Thank you, Senator Warren. I am in close communication with U.S. cattlemen\u2013\n\nWarren: We\u2019re out of time. Can you just give me a yes or no on that? Do you understand that this will harm our small ranchers?\n\nCallahan: Thank you, Senator. I am confident that the cattlemen understand that USTR\u2013\n\nWarren: Could I just have a yes or no? We\u2019re out of time\u2013\n\nCallahan: That we are negotiating for their interests to open markets for U.S. beef.\n\nWarren: Okay. Well, obviously I can\u2019t get an answer.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schumer-health-influencers-sound-alarm-on-government-shutdown", "Warren, Schumer, Health Influencers Sound Alarm on Government Shutdown", "2025-10-29", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schumer, Health Influencers Sound Alarm on Government Shutdown\n\nVideo of Press Conference (Youtube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) hosted a press conference alongside health care creators in the U.S. Capitol to sound the alarm on the government shutdown and health care affordability crisis.\n\nIn a first-of-its-kind format, the senators invited content creators who are also health care professionals to share their stories at the press conference. The creators include Dr. Anita Patel, Dr. Fran Haydanek, Dr. Heather Irobunda, and Nikki Sapiro Vinckier, PA.\n\n\u201cWhile Donald Trump builds a fancy new ballroom for himself and his donors, Americans across the country are getting notices in the mail telling them their health care premiums are going up by thousands of dollars a year,\u201d said Senator Elizabeth Warren. \u201cDemocrats are fighting back because we believe that health care isn\u2019t just for rich people. No one should go bankrupt because they got sick.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery mother deserves to walk into a delivery room without fear of losing everything\u2014her home, her health insurance coverage, or her life\u2014just because she dared to have a baby in America. We need to extend the subsidies that make care affordable,\u201d said Dr. Fran Haydanek, a health care content creator and board-certified OBGYN. \u201cI became an OBGYN to deliver healthy babies. I never imagined I'd have to stand here pleading for my patients\u2019 ability to afford the care that keeps them alive.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have intubated teenagers in diabetic comas because they were rationing insulin their family couldn\u2019t afford. I have battled uncontrolled seizures in the ICU, which can cause permanent brain damage, because parents had to choose between their child\u2019s seizure medications and paying their rent,\u201d said Dr. Anita Patel, a health care content creator and Board-certified pediatric critical care physician. \u201cWhen health care costs become unbearable, lifesaving EpiPens do not get refilled, a child\u2019s sinus infection turns into meningitis, and ruptured appendicitis leads to septic shock from delayed care.\u201d\n\n\u201cA lot of times, my patients can't come to their prenatal appointments because they can't afford the $2.90 to take the bus or the train. Let's not make it harder for them,\u201d said Dr. Heather Irobunda, a health care content creator and board-certified OBGYN. \u201cThese folks are my neighbors. They're my friends. They're our friends, and they're valued members of our communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cHealth care is not a bargaining chip. It's not a luxury. It's the foundation of all of our lives. And it's time for every lawmaker to start acting like it,\u201d said Nikki Sapiro Vinckier, a health care content creator and OBGYN Physician Assistant. \u201cCaring about people shouldn't be radical. It should be part of their job.\u201d\n\nIt doesn't matter if you don't have Medicaid, if you don't have Affordable Care Act, it's going to affect all of us, because hospitals, which depend on Medicaid funding, which depend on insured patients having coverage, are going to go down as well, because they're already running on negative margins, said Dr. Karen Tang, a health care content creator and board-certified OBGYN.\n\nSenator Warren has led the charge collaborating and working with influencers in the Senate. Senator Warren was the first member of the Senate to host a creator briefing on Capitol Hill and has hosted more than half a dozen virtual creator briefings. She was also the first member of Congress to invite a content creator\u2014not a celebrity\u2014to testify before Congress.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-urges-trump-to-continue-food-assistance-end-the-government-shutdown", "Warren Urges Trump to Continue Food Assistance, End the Government Shutdown", "2025-10-29", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Urges Trump to Continue Food Assistance, End the Government Shutdown\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 As President Trump terminates food assistance for millions of Americans, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren released the following statement:\n\n\u201cFor the first time in U.S. history, the President is cutting off food assistance and telling more than 40 million Americans to eat dirt. Due to President Trump\u2019s decision, mommas and babies will go hungry because they cannot afford groceries.\n\n\u201cInstead of breaking the law and attempting to cover up his tracks by deleting parts of the government\u2019s website, the President must immediately reverse course and use the nearly $6 billion emergency fund that Congress approved for this very purpose to keep food on the table. If Trump won\u2019t act, Congress must, and I have co-sponsored bills from both Republican Senator Hawley and Democratic Senator Lujan to keep SNAP benefits going.\n\n\u201cEnough is enough \u2013 it\u2019s long past time for the President to get serious and direct Republicans in Congress to negotiate with Democrats to help lower health care costs and end this government shutdown.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ahead-of-confirmation-hearing-warren-presses-health-department-watchdog-nominee-on-record-of-extreme-partisanship-alleged-mismanagement-of-taxpayer-funds", "Ahead of Confirmation Hearing, Warren Presses Health Department Watchdog Nominee on Record of Extreme Partisanship, Alleged Mismanagement of Taxpayer Funds", "2025-10-28", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Ahead of Confirmation Hearing, Warren Presses Health Department Watchdog Nominee on Record of Extreme Partisanship, Alleged Mismanagement of Taxpayer Funds\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Thomas March Bell, nominee to be Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), ahead of his confirmation hearing, on his record of extreme partisanship and mismanagement of taxpayer funds, among other concerns. Bell\u2019s hearing before the Senate Finance Committee will take place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.\n\n\u201c[Y]our alleged mismanagement of taxpayer funds and long record of allowing your highly partisan positions to improperly color your policy recommendations raise serious concerns about whether you possess the skills, character, and judgment necessary to credibly serve as HHS IG,\u201d wrote Senator Warren.\n\nIf confirmed, Bell would be responsible for ensuring program integrity of HHS\u2019s more than $1 trillion budget, along with conducting audits, investigations, and evaluations to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in federal health programs.\n\nFrom November 2015 to January 2017, Bell led a \u201ccontroversial and highly partisan\u201d Congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood, reportedly working with anti-abortion activists to \u201cweaken Planned Parenthood.\u201d Throughout that investigation, Bell reportedly made \u201clots of calls\u201d to the same anti-abortion advocate who \u201cmisleadingly edited videos\u201d that formed the basis for the investigation and was found by a federal court to have engaged in \u201crepeated instances of fraud, including the manufacture of fake documents\u201d to be used against Planned Parenthood. Despite finding no evidence of wrongdoing, Bell recommended that Planned Parenthood be stripped of U.S. funding.\n\nBell now serves as Senior Counsel to Republicans on the House Administration Committee, which is leading a Congressional investigation into Democratic fundraising site ActBlue \u2014 widely known to be based on unsubstantiated claims, and prompted by President Trump\u2019s demands.\n\nBell\u2019s professional record also includes allegations of mishandling taxpayer funds. In 1997, he resigned from his position as deputy director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality after a legislative audit found that he authorized nearly $8,000 in payments and taxpayer funds to a former spokesperson with no documentation. His conduct was found to violate not only internal procedures, but also Commonwealth-wide policies designed to protect taxpayer funds. Bell provided no public explanation for this behavior.\n\nAs HHS IG, Bell would be responsible for ensuring employees follow the law and investigating crimes or gross misconduct.\n\n\u201c[This is]...especially important given the multiple high-level officials with documented conflicts of interest that President Trump has installed at HHS. Together, these are extraordinary responsibilities and require an individual with a successful and proven track record. You do not appear to meet these standards,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren asked Bell to provide an explanation for his past behavior and commit not to use the HHS IG role, if confirmed, to pursue a partisan agenda by November 5, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-durbin-castro-meeks-lead-50-democrats-in-challenging-trump-administrations-gun-industry-friendly-changes-to-trade-rules", "Warren, Durbin, Castro, Meeks, Lead 50+ Democrats in Challenging Trump Administration\u2019s Gun Industry-Friendly Changes to Trade Rules", "2025-10-28", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Durbin, Castro, Meeks, Lead 50+ Democrats in Challenging Trump Administration\u2019s Gun Industry-Friendly Changes to Trade Rules\n\n\u201cEliminating firearm export rules is a gift to violent cartels and drug traffickers responsible for the deaths of Americans and innocent civilians around the world\u2026 in order to protect \u2018hundreds of millions of dollars per year in export opportunities\u2019 for the gun industry.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Ranking Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee\u2019s Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote to the Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the Department of State (State) pressing for answers about the Trump administration\u2019s elimination of a rule that was stemming the export of dangerous weapons to cartels and criminal organizations around the world.\n\n\u201cThis reversal increases the risk of criminal and terrorist organizations accessing assault weapons, heightening the threat of violence against law enforcement personnel and civilians,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nIn April 2024, the Biden administration issued a rule that strengthened controls on certain commercial exports of firearms, after finding that many exported guns were being \u201cmisused or diverted in a manner that adversely impacted U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.\u201d Last month, Commerce\u2019s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), which issues export licenses to foreign purchasers of American-made firearms, decided to eliminate the rule, largely because it \u201cnegatively affected the U.S. firearms industry.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are concerned that BIS\u2019s decision to prioritize the profits of the U.S. firearms industry will undermine U.S. interests at home and abroad\u2026firearms from the United States have exacerbated homicide rates that drive northward migration,\u201d said the members.\n\nFor example, after a surge of weapons and ammunition into Ecuador from the United States and neighboring Peru, its homicide rate grew exponentially, making Ecuador one of the most violent nations in Latin America. The rise in crime potentially contributed to its status as one of the top countries of origin for individuals crossing the U.S. southern border without documentation.\n\nCommerce\u2019s move also takes away some of the most critical tools BIS had for ensuring that American firearms do not supply international criminal actors with dangerous weapons\u2014including a policy of denying gun exports to private buyers in the most dangerous countries unless they can demonstrate that the export would pose a particularly low risk.\n\nSecretary of State Marco Rubio recently acknowledged to Congress that the U.S. possesses an \u201cinterest\u201d in stopping the flow of \u201cweapons that are bought in the United States and shipped\u201d overseas that end up in the hands of cartels.\n\n\u201cWhile BIS and Republicans in Congress argue that rescission will benefit the firearm industry, doing so will also run directly counter to other core goals of this Administration,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\nThe lawmakers argue that instead of reversing the rule, Commerce should have, if anything, strengthened the rule to ensure adequate oversight of governments buying weapons from the United States. and capped the number of exports to commercial buyers.\n\n\u201cEliminating firearm export rules is a gift to violent cartels and drug traffickers responsible for the deaths of Americans and innocent civilians around the world. [Ending the former rule] sacrifices some of this administration\u2019s top priorities in order to protect \u2018hundreds of millions of dollars per year in export opportunities\u2019 for the gun industry,\u201d the coalition concluded.\n\nThe lawmakers asked the Commerce and State Departments to respond by November 4, 2025 with information about the steps the departments took in the process of eliminating the rule, including whether the agencies met with firearm industry stakeholders regarding export controls, and more.\n\nMinority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined in signing the letter.\n\nRepresentatives Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Jesus Garc\u00eda (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.), George Latimer (D-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), Dave Min (D-Calif.), Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), Suhas Subramanyan (D-Va.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), and Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), joined in signing the letter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-schumer-wyden-question-trumps-creation-of-irs-ceo-role-warn-that-dual-role-for-social-security-commissioner-will-hurt-both-irs-and-social-security", "Warren, Schumer, Wyden Question Trump\u2019s Creation of IRS \u201cCEO\u201d Role, Warn that Dual Role for Social Security Commissioner Will Hurt Both IRS and Social Security", "2025-10-28", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Schumer, Wyden Question Trump\u2019s Creation of IRS \u201cCEO\u201d Role, Warn that Dual Role for Social Security Commissioner Will Hurt Both IRS and Social Security\n\nText of Letter to Secretary Bessent (PDF) | Text of Letter to Commissioner Bisignano (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, wrote to the Trump administration questioning whether Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano\u2019s appointment to lead both the SSA and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was legal, and sounding the alarm that his dual role may threaten Social Security and IRS service for millions of Americans who count on those agencies to run smoothly.\n\nAfter President Trump fired Billy Long, his first IRS Commissioner, he appointed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as acting commissioner of the IRS and announced that Bisignano would oversee day-to-day operations as \u201cChief Executive Officer,\u201d a fake job that sidesteps the Senate\u2019s role in the confirmation of the IRS commissioner.\n\nThe senators noted that Bisignano\u2019s tenure at SSA has been a disaster for beneficiaries, with him forcing out 10% of the agency\u2019s staff, among many issues.\n\n\u201c[Y]ou have spent the majority of your time throwing up bureaucratic roadblocks to make it even harder for Americans to access their earned benefits. As a result, Americans continue to experience long wait times on the phone and weeks to get an appointment in the field office,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nIn their letter to Secretary Bessent, the senators noted that the administration lacks any authority to create an IRS CEO, pointing to federal law that names the head of the IRS a Senate-confirmed \u201cCommissioner.\u201d\n\nSSA is responsible for financially ensuring that millions of Americans receive their earned benefits every month. Meanwhile, the IRS is not only responsible for overseeing major tax relief programs like the Child Tax Credit (CTC) but also collecting nearly $5 trillion in federal revenue every year. SSA and the IRS require Bisignano to be in-person to manage employees in effectively running these vital public institutions.\n\n\u201cThis split role will only exacerbate the customer service crisis at the SSA, and the IRS needs a full-time Commissioner just months before the 2026 filing season. We have serious concerns and questions about the arrangement,\u201d said the senators.\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve a full-time commissioner at each agency who is wholly dedicated to its mission, not someone who is simply mailing it in. Given the vital nature of these agencies, the American people deserve to know how you plan to handle this challenge,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe senators asked Secretary Bessent to justify the creation of the \u201cCEO\u201d role and asked Commissioner Bisignano to explain how he intends to manage the dual appointment.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-wyden-van-hollen-markey-slam-trump-ballroom-vehicle-for-politicized-fundraising-influence-peddling-and-donor-access", "Warren, Blumenthal, Wyden, Van Hollen, Markey Slam Trump Ballroom \u201cVehicle for Politicized Fundraising, Influence Peddling, and Donor Access\u201d", "2025-10-24", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Blumenthal, Wyden, Van Hollen, Markey Slam Trump Ballroom \u201cVehicle for Politicized Fundraising, Influence Peddling, and Donor Access\u201d\n\nLawmakers press National Park Service, Trust for the National Mall, on role in possible corrupt access to, and favor-seeking from, Trump and his administration\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in pressing National Park Service Comptroller Jessica Bowron, and President and Trust for the National Mall Chief Executive Officer Catherine Townsend on how their organizations have seemingly become a vehicle for politicized fundraising, influence peddling, and donor access to President Trump, amid his effort to pay for and build his $300 million ballroom at the White House. The new letter comes shortly after Trump demolished the entire East Wing of the White House to make room for his billionaire-funded ballroom.\n\n\u201cWe are concerned about the risk of quid-pro-quo arrangements in which large corporations get backroom favors from the White House and President Trump gets his multi-million-dollar ballroom \u2014 all while American families face rising prices during a government shutdown,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cThe American public deserves answers about the circumstances surrounding the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, about President Trump\u2019s attempts to build a gold-plated $300 million ballroom, and about whether the Trust is being used to facilitate corruption in the forms of corporate special interests\u2019 insider access to the White House.\u201d\n\nThe Trust was established as a nonpartisan, nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. But the scale of funds raised for President Trump\u2019s ballroom, President Trump\u2019s personal involvement in fundraising for the project, and the number of corporate donors with business before the Trump Administration raise questions about whether the organization is facilitating these donors\u2019 corrupt access to and favor-seeking from President Trump and his Administration.\n\nGiant corporate donors have lined up to fund Trump\u2019s new ballroom, with all contributions reportedly being overseen by the Trust. Many of those corporations have active business interests before the Trump administration, raising serious ethics concerns. Just last month, YouTube settled a lawsuit brought by President Trump by agreeing to provide $22 million to the Trust for the ballroom project. Google is in the midst of active antitrust litigation against President Trump\u2019s Department of Justice (DOJ), and could benefit if DOJ decides not to continue its legal fight with Google. Similar potential conflicts exist with other large corporations that Trump reportedly courted for donations at last week\u2019s glitzy ballroom donor dinner.\n\n\u201cThe circumstances surrounding President Trump\u2019s ballroom raise questions about whether the Trust\u2019s philanthropic structure is being abused to facilitate special interest access to the Trump Administration and influence-peddling by giant corporations,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe senators pressed for answers to key questions about the exact agreements in place regarding the building of the ballroom, the source and amount of donations, whether the donations are charitable deductions, and more.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-at-hearing-experts-agree-with-warren-more-transparency-will-lower-costs-for-military-pharmacy-system", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Experts Agree with Warren: More Transparency Will Lower Costs for Military Pharmacy System", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Experts Agree with Warren: More Transparency Will Lower Costs for Military Pharmacy System\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 At a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked Mark Cuban, founder of Cost Plus Drugs, and Dr. Jeanne Lambrew, Director of Health Care Reform and Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation, about the potential for greater transparency in the pharmaceutical industry to lower costs for taxpayers and military families.\n\nExpress Scripts negotiates contract terms, including reimbursement rates, with pharmacies in the TRICARE network, which is the health care system for the military, retirees, and their families. However, Express Scripts also owns pharmacies that participate in the TRICARE network, creating a conflict of interest that allows Express Scripts to under-reimburse unaffiliated pharmacies and give inflated payments to its own subsidiaries.\n\nDespite this conflict, the Defense Health Agency does not require Express Scripts to report the difference in reimbursement rates between affiliated and unaffiliated pharmacies.\n\n\u201cIt would save a lot of money, and it would keep smaller independent pharmacies in business,\u201d Mr. Cuban said about publishing this information.\n\nHowever, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) claims doing so would raise TRICARE costs, because unaffiliated pharmacies would allegedly respond by demanding higher reimbursements from TRICARE.\n\nAs a result of changes Express Scripts made to the TRICARE pharmacy network, 13,000 pharmacies \u2013 the overwhelming majority of which were independent pharmacies \u2013 were forced to leave the TRICARE network. The Defense Health Agency (DHA) maintains that military families\u2019 pharmacy access has not been affected by these changes \u2013 but this is based on data submitted to the agency by Express Scripts, which the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported contained multiple inconsistencies. GAO recommended that DHA periodically audit the Express Scripts data for accuracy.\n\nWhen asked if regularly auditing the Express Scripts data for accuracy, as GAO recommends, would help save taxpayers money, Dr. Jeanne Lambrew replied that it would.\n\n\u201cI hope to work with all of my colleagues to pass proposals to rein in self-dealing by the PBMs in TRICARE and beyond\u2026we need to stop these giant corporations from ripping off American taxpayers and get a little more competition in the drug market,\u201d Senator Warren concluded.\n\nSenator Warren filed amendments to the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to require greater transparency and auditing of the TRICARE pharmacy contract. The amendments were ruled out of order after CBO determined the amendments would raise TRICARE costs. Senator Warren also has a bipartisan bill with Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) that would prohibit joint ownership of pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies.\n\nTranscript: Hearing on Modernizing Health Care: How Shoppable Services Improve Outcomes and Lower Costs\n\nU.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging\n\nOctober 22, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: So, military families keep us safe, and DoD\u2019s TRICARE program is supposed to keep those military families healthy. Since 2009, TRICARE pharmacy benefit has been administered by Express Scripts, the nation\u2019s largest pharmacy benefit manager, or PBM. Express Scripts decides which pharmacies are in-network or out, so when one of those 9 million military families needs to pick up a prescription, Express Scripts decides where they can go to have it filled and then they pay the pharmacy.\n\nNow, Express Scripts is owned by the multi-billion health insurance company Cigna, and Cigna also owns a mail order pharmacy called Accredo that participates in TRICARE. In other words, Cigna owns the company that pays pharmacies and it also owns the pharmacy chain that is getting paid. The result? Well, Express Scripts can under-reimburse other pharmacies and give inflated payments to its corporate cousin, Accredo.\n\nExpress Scripts has been caught doing exactly that kind of self-dealing in other government programs, but right now, the DoD refuses to check how much it\u2019s costing taxpayers in TRICARE.\n\nMr. Cuban, you understand this business, so let me ask you. Would requiring Express Scripts to disclose the difference between what it pays its affiliated and the unaffiliated pharmacies help save taxpayers money or cost taxpayers money?\n\nMark Cuban, Founder of Cost Plus Drugs: It would save a lot of money, and it would keep smaller independent pharmacies in business.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, you know, that makes sense to me. It seems pretty common sense here: more transparency would save taxpayer money. But the Congressional Budget Office disagrees with you and me on this. According to CBO, price transparency would cost taxpayers money because other pharmacies would allegedly band together to demand higher reimbursements, that\u2019s their argument here.\n\nMr. Cuban, you talk with pharmacists a lot. Do you think that independent pharmacists don\u2019t know that Accredo, right now, is getting a sweetheart deal and that the independents are just waiting for information to be told so they can demand more money?\n\nMr. Cuban: I can't speak for all the independents, but I can speak for costplusdrugs.com, and so, I went to TRICARE, and I have done this in the past many times, and looked up the price of some common, low-cost drugs. So I, you know, just recently, I looked up Tadalafil, right? And our price is lower, whether it's 30 or 90 pills, than the TRICARE price is for anybody who is in-network, but off-base, and if they're out-of-network, we're dramatically lower. So we don't need to band together to know that we can be cheaper. All we have to do is look at some of their prices, and it's obvious that we're cheaper.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, so this information is actually already out there?\n\nMr. Cuban: Yeah, I mean, it's just by looking at, and I'm just talking about the co-pays.\n\nSenator Warren: Yeah.\n\nMr. Cuban: We're not even talking about what Express, what the taxpayers still have to pay to Express Scripts, Accredo, right? Which is more, they're not doing this for nothing. And so, I mean, taxpayers are getting ripped off, period. End of story.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, and this is where I want to see more transparency\u2014\n\nMr. Cuban: Correct.\n\nSenator Warren: You think that's a good thing?\n\nMr. Cuban: That's a great thing.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, that's a great thing. Good. I'll settle for that answer. All right, so, DoD claims that this hasn't affected military families, but that is based on data from\u2014\n\nSenator Rick Scott: They said it hasn\u2019t?\n\nSenator Warren: Has not. This has not affected military families based on data from, you guessed it, Express Scripts.\n\nMr. Cuban: [Laughs]\n\nSenator Warren: So when the Government Accountability Office reviewed just a little slice of this data, they discovered, quote, \u201cpersistent inaccuracies,\u201d including misreporting the number of people who lost access to their local pharmacies because the pharmacies were pushed out of the TRICARE network. They left, for the very reasons you described, but that was just a one time review, so I'm pushing DoD to audit this information every single year. Dr. Lambrew, you served as Commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, so you understand the importance of program integrity. Do you think that auditing this program would help save taxpayers money or cost taxpayers money?\n\nDr. Jeanne Lambrew, Director of Health Care Reform and Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation: Senator, it would save money.\n\nSenator Warren: It would save money. So, you know, I just want to point out here, Mr. Chairman, self-dealing by the pharmacy benefit managers keeps the cost of prescription drugs high, both for the taxpayers and for consumers. I'm going to keep pressing CBO to update their analysis of the PBMs, and I hope to work with all of my colleagues to pass proposals to rein in self-dealing by the PBMs in TRICARE and beyond, including my bill with Senator Hawley that would make the same company, say the same company, cannot own a PBM and an insurance company\u2014and a pharmacy, at the same time. Look, we need to stop these giant corporations from ripping off American taxpayers and get a little more competition in the drug market. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-gillibrand-wyden-push-to-protect-beneficiaries-from-fraud-abuse", "ICYMI: Gillibrand, Wyden Push to Protect Beneficiaries From Fraud, Abuse", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Gillibrand, Wyden Push to Protect Beneficiaries From Fraud, Abuse\n\nCuts at the Social Security Administration have significantly delayed representative payee reviews, putting beneficiaries at risk of fraud and abuse\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against Trump admin Social Security attacks\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - Senate Aging Committee Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are demanding answers about how Trump administration cuts and reorganizations at the Social Security Administration (SSA) have delayed the representative payee review process, putting Social Security beneficiaries at risk of fraud and abuse.\n\nRepresentative payees manage Social Security payments for beneficiaries who are unable to do so on their own, helping some of Social Security\u2019s most vulnerable beneficiaries receive and access their benefits. Recent reports have indicated that Trump administration cuts and reassignments at SSA have significantly delayed the approval process for representative payee reviews, undermining vital efforts to protect beneficiaries from Social Security fraud and putting vulnerable beneficiaries at financial risk.\n\n\u201cRepresentative payees are entrusted with sensitive information so they can help the most vulnerable Social Security beneficiaries manage their benefits. We must make sure that these representatives cannot take advantage of the beneficiaries that they are supposed to protect,\u201d wrote Senator Gillibrand. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m demanding answers about how Trump administration cuts and organizational changes are impacting the ability of P&As to guard against fraud and abuse.\n\nThey can be individuals such as spouses, parents, or relatives, or they can be organizations such as businesses or social services agencies. Because representative payees play an integral and sensitive role, SSA partners with state Protection & Advocacy organizations (P&As) to routinely monitor representative payee performance and guard against fraud and abuse. This week, Senators Gillibrand and Wyden asked the 57 P&As in the United States how the Trump administration\u2019s staff reductions and management changes at SSA are impacting their ability to protect beneficiaries from fraud and abuse by the representative payees designated to assist them.\n\n\u201cState Protection & Advocacy agencies, like Disability Rights Oregon, are the indispensable watchdogs, protecting seniors and people with disabilities from abuse and neglect from those entrusted with their wellbeing, which is why we passed a bipartisan law in 2018 to deputize these agencies to go after bad actors in behalf of SSA,\u201d Senator Wyden continued. \u201cHowever, we have received disturbing reports that Trump and DOGE\u2019s disastrous cuts have left these state agencies paralyzed and ultimately left our most vulnerable unprotected.\u201d\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders, encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them, and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans\u2019 agenda and their continued cuts to Americans\u2019 Social Security services and benefits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warren-colleagues-warn-trumps-dismantling-of-special-education-services-deprives-children-with-disabilities-of-equal-education", "ICYMI: Warren, Colleagues Warn Trump\u2019s Dismantling of Special Education Services Deprives Children with Disabilities of \u201cEqual Education\u201d", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Warren, Colleagues Warn Trump\u2019s Dismantling of Special Education Services Deprives Children with Disabilities of \u201cEqual Education\u201d\n\nCuts to Education Department\u2019s Office of Special Education may violate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act\n\n\u201cWe must do more, not less, to support children with disabilities and their families\u2026We demand you reverse the firing of the staff at these critical offices\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Senate colleagues called out the Trump Administration\u2019s efforts to dismantle U.S. special education with its decision to illegally fire the Department of Education workers who provide education services and resources for people with disabilities and their families. In a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, the Senators stressed that firing nearly all of the employees of the Department of Education\u2019s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will leave the Administration unable to meet its legal obligation to ensure access to a quality education for people with disabilities.\n\n\u201cWe call on you to immediately end your illegal effort to fire these workers and ensure the offices are restored so that the staff can effectively implement statutorily required responsibilities assigned to the Secretary of Education,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\nUnder the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), every student in America is legally entitled to a free, appropriate public education.\n\n\u201cBy effectively closing these offices, you have sent a clear message: the Trump Administration does not believe that children with disabilities deserve an equal education,\u201d said the senators.\n\nThe senators emphasized the Administration\u2019s legal obligation to carry out education programs for Americans with disabilities, noting that the Administration has previously fired staff that oversee the implementation of IDEA and canceled investments in improving accessibility for students.\n\n\u201cWe have already heard from families across the country who are fearful of losing services given the Department\u2019s actions. We demand you reverse the firing of the staff at these critical offices,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nSenator Warren was joined in sending the letter by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.).\n\nAs part of her Save Our Schools campaign, Senator Warren has stood up to the Trump administration\u2019s attacks on the American education system:\n\nOn October 15, 2025, Senator Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 70 members of Congress in a letter calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions of people and could have disastrous effects on the American economy.\n\nOn September 19, 2025, following a push by Senator Warren and nine other senators, the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education agreed to open an investigation into DOGE\u2019s infiltration of internal systems, including the scope of its access to sensitive student loan borrower information and its impact on borrowers\u2019 rights and privacy.\n\nOn August 26, 2025, Senator Warren led colleagues in sending a follow-up letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon condemning the Department of Education for deliberately hiding the \u201cSubmit a Complaint\u201d button on the Office of Federal Student Aid\u2019s website, firing employees responsible for providing customer service to borrowers and families, and misleading Congress about the scope of these firings.\n\nOn August 7, 2025, Senator Warren publicly released Secretary of Education Linda McMahon\u2019s response to the senator\u2019s 60+ questions and pressed for additional information. Senator Warren announced that she would refer certain matters where the Department has proved uncooperative to the Government Accountability Office and the Education Department\u2019s Inspector General.\n\nOn July 24, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren, in a forum held by Senator Mazie Hirono, \u201cRobbing Our Students\u2019 Futures: The Indefensible Attacks on Public Education,\u201d highlighted the consequences of President Donald Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon\u2019s cuts to the Department of Education for students with disabilities and their families.\n\nOn July 17, 2025, Senator Warren released a 23-page report highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump administration\u2019s dismantling of the Department of Education and slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers.\n\nOn July 14, 2025, Senator Warren joined 31 of her colleagues in demanding that Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that is currently being illegally withheld by the Trump administration.\n\nOn June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters from people in all 50 states who are worried about the Secretary\u2019s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\nOn April 2, 2025, Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration\u2019s efforts to gut the Department of Education.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warren-wyden-and-schumer-press-trump-administration-on-weaponization-of-the-irs-against-political-opponents", "ICYMI: Warren, Wyden, and Schumer Press Trump Administration On Weaponization of the IRS Against Political Opponents", "2025-10-23", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Warren, Wyden, and Schumer Press Trump Administration On Weaponization of the IRS Against Political Opponents\n\n\u201cAny effort to weaponize the IRS against President Trump\u2019s perceived enemies is against the law, an abuse of power, and a threat to the integrity of our democratic institutions. [The IRS] cannot be the President\u2019s political attack dog.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) led Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee in demanding answers about the Trump administration\u2019s reported plans to weaponize the IRS criminal-investigative (IRS-CI) division in an attack on the free speech rights of progressive individuals and political opponents.\n\n\u201cFederal law prohibits political interference with the administration of tax laws\u2026You must immediately end all attempts to politicize the agency, including attempts to use the agency to attack Americans with different political views,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\nUnder federal law, the President, Vice President, White House staff, and almost all cabinet-level officials are barred from requesting investigations into specific taxpayers.\n\nThe changes to IRS-CI appear to be part of a broader effort by the Trump Administration to use the powers of the federal government to target the President\u2019s political enemies. For example, Trump administration officials have been trying to revoke Harvard\u2019s tax-exempt status since the President directed the IRS to do so. IRS lawyers have reportedly blocked these efforts, arguing they have no legal basis. Now, it appears the Trump administration is trying to evade these restrictions by proposing changes to how IRS criminal probes are conducted, including changing the Internal Revenue Manual to diminish the role that chief-counsel lawyers play in criminal investigations.\n\n\u201cIRS-CI cannot be used as a weapon to target political enemies, and any attempt to turn it into one is illegal,\u201d the senators concluded. \u201cYou should immediately end all attempts to politicize the IRS, including attempts to use the agency to attack Americans who have different political views.\u201d\n\nThe senators requested more information, including about administration officials that have directed and participated in this IRS weaponization, what changes the Administration intends to make to IRS policy, and what individuals and groups the Administration is targeting.\n\nSenator Warren has fought against the Trump administration\u2019s disturbing efforts to silence free speech and weaponize the federal government against political rivals:\n\nOn September 23, 2025 Senator Warren, Markey (D-Mass.), Merkley (D-Ore.), and Sanders (D-Vt.) wrote to Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair demanding answers on the possibility of a quid pro quo arrangement with the Trump administration in exchange for preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC affiliate stations.\n\nOn September 23, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement after Nexstar Media Group\u2019s and Sinclair\u2019s decisions to continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC affiliate stations.\n\nOn May 20, 2025, Senator Warren questioned the Trump administration\u2019s nominee for IRS Commissioner, Billy Long, as to the potential weaponization of the IRS against political opponents.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-supports-merkley-on-senate-floor-slams-trump-for-refusing-to-protect-health-care", "Warren Supports Merkley on Senate Floor, Slams Trump for Refusing to Protect Health Care", "2025-10-22", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Supports Merkley on Senate Floor, Slams Trump for Refusing to Protect Health Care\n\n\u201cThe American people are begging us to do something about the skyrocketing cost of living. They are crying out for help. But Donald Trump can't hear them over the sound of the bulldozers that are demolishing a chunk of the White House to build his brand new ballroom.\u201d\n\nVideo of Floor Speech (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in holding the Senate Floor to protest the Trump administration\u2019s anti-democratic actions and the looming health care crisis.\n\n\u201cHolding the floor to protest the Trump administration\u2019s lawlessness is patriotic. Standing up for what\u2019s right? That\u2019s patriotic. And I am proud to join my friend Jeff Merkley in saying this part out loud: Donald Trump is not a king. He will never be a king. And America does not bow down to kings,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nSpeaking about the Republican-created health care crisis, Senator Warren highlighted stories from American families across the country warning that they will be priced out of health care coverage entirely if their premiums skyrocket.\n\n\u201cFamilies hanging on by their fingernails cannot afford insurance premiums jumping by hundreds of dollars a month. Those are the families Democrats are fighting for right this minute\u2014and Republicans won\u2019t even come to the table. Republicans are off on vacation,\u201d Senator Warren continued.\n\nShe also called out President Trump\u2019s hypocrisy for refusing to lower health care costs for Americans right now, while preparing to send $40 billion to bail out Argentina\u2019s president.\n\n\u201cThe American people are begging us to do something about the skyrocketing cost of living. They are crying out for help. But Donald Trump can't hear them over the sound of the bulldozers that are demolishing a chunk of the White House to build his brand new ballroom,\u201d Senator Warren said.\n\nShe also listed out 8 alternative investments the U.S. could make domestically instead of sending money to Argentina, including:\n\nStopping health insurance premiums from doubling next year;\n\nRestoring food assistance for families that will be hurt by Trump's cuts;\n\nCancel a chunk of student loan debt for nearly four million borrower;\n\nFund public media;\n\nRestore cuts to humanitarian aid and USAID;\n\nFund child care for military families for almost 20 years; and\n\nFund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for almost 50 years.\n\nShe noted he could even pay for 2 Qatari jets for each governor to match the jet he received from the government of Qatar as president.\n\n\u201cSo my friend Jeff Merkley is exactly right \u2013 we are not in normal times,\u201d Senator Warren concluded. \u201cAll of us need to stand up, speak out, and push back.\u201d\n\nTranscript: Floor Speech with Senator Jeff Merkley\n\nU.S. Senate Floor\n\nOctober 22, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: My friend Senator Jeff Merkley is ringing the alarm bell. He is carrying the momentum of millions of peaceful protestors at No Kings Day directly onto the floor of the United States Senate. For all the spineless Republicans in Congress to see.\n\nI want to be clear here: peaceful protest is patriotic. Holding the floor to protest the Trump administration\u2019s lawlessness is patriotic. Standing up for what is right? That\u2019s patriotic. And I am proud to join my friend Jeff Merkley in saying this part out loud: Donald Trump is not a king. He will never be a king. And America does not bow down to kings.\n\nSo, thank you, Jeff, for reinvigorating that energy and bringing it to the floor of the Senate today and every day. You are a true patriot.\n\nSo, let\u2019s talk for just a minute about what\u2019s going on here.\n\nNew reporting from the Wall Street Journal this morning says that the average cost of a family health insurance plan is now $27,000 a year. Wow\u2014that\u2019s a stunner. $27,000. And that\u2019s after years of rising costs\u2014the cost of health care is rising faster than inflation. Health care is too expensive, and families are barely hanging on.\n\nSo, what do we have to do? We have to protect Americans\u2019 health care and lower costs for families. Seems pretty obvious, right?\n\nNot to Donald Trump! In fact, Donald Trump and Republicans are doing the exact opposite. Their genius plan was to pass legislation that will rip away health care from 15 million Americans. Jack up premiums for millions more. Force rural hospitals and community health centers to close down. And shut down the entire government instead of coming to the table to save health care and lower costs.\n\nNow, Republicans just keep right on bowing down to Donald Trump. They seem to have lost their spines\u2014every one of them needs to go to the doctor to get a spine transplant. But instead, they are willing to make it more expensive for everyone else to go to the doctor.\n\nMake no mistake: our health care system is already broken. But Donald Trump and Republicans are making the problem so much worse.\n\nFamilies in Massachusetts are now starting to get notices this week telling them that their health care premiums are going up next year. We are talking hundreds of dollars a month. Some families are seeing their premiums more than double. Others will get priced out of their plans completely, leaving them with no coverage at all.\n\nAnd it\u2019s not just Massachusetts. Americans across the country are counting on us to lower health care costs. I want to share some of their stories right now:\n\nFrom a family who gets their health care through the Health Care Exchange: \u201cIf (our premium) doubles, we will simply not be able to afford it. Either my husband or I will have to scramble to find a job with benefits in a saturated market, or we will be going without insurance for the time being.\u201d\n\nSo that is the story of a family who could get kicked off of their insurance altogether because their costs will go through the roof. More uninsured people means more costs for everyone else. And that is a lose-lose for the American people.\n\nHere\u2019s another one, from a teacher: \u201cMy health care costs are going up by 39%. How do I even live?!?\u201d\n\nFamilies across this country are asking themselves exactly the same question. Democrats are here right now fighting for every single one of those families.\n\nHere\u2019s a story from someone else: \u201c(If my premiums go up), I\u2019d have to cancel my insurance (be)cause my check would be gone\u2014and I have an autoimmune disease. It would be over for me. How could I raise my two boys and care for my parents? I\u2019m the stronghold of the family.\u201d That is the reminder that this kind of increase that the Republicans are imposing on American families, this increase in health insurance, it has echo effects. It\u2019s not only the person who can\u2019t afford insurance for themselves. It\u2019s what happens to her two children. What happens to her older parents that she\u2019s taking care of?\n\nFamilies hanging on by their fingernails cannot afford insurance premiums jumping by hundreds of dollars a month. Those are the families Democrats are fighting for right this minute\u2014and Republicans won\u2019t even come to the table. Republicans are off on vacation.\n\nHere\u2019s another story I received from a Type 1 diabetic: \u201cI have an ACA plan that makes my insulin affordable. Without it, my insulin would be $1000 a month. Please don\u2019t give up this fight and please continue to stand for people just like me.\u201d\n\nWe will not stop fighting for you.\n\nHere\u2019s another one: \u201cOurs will go from $1300 monthly to $3600 monthly. It is harrowing.\u201d\n\nLook, $1300 monthly\u2014$1300 a month for health care\u2014is already too much. But this family will now have to pay nearly triple. For families already struggling with the rising cost of everything, they cannot afford to shell out an extra thousands of dollars every month for health care.\n\nSo, you\u2019re hearing all of this right. Americans are struggling to get by. Republicans won\u2019t come to the table to fix it and end the government shutdown. And instead of working to lower health care costs for Americans right now, Trump is bending over backwards to dig up $40 billion to bail out his political buddy in Argentina and to help out Wall Street hedge fund investors. $40 billion.\n\nSo, what could $40 billion do for us at home for a whole year instead?\n\nWell, $40 billion could stop health insurance premiums from doubling.\n\nIt could restore food assistance for families that will be hurt by Trump's cuts.\n\nIt would cancel a chunk of student loan debt for nearly four million borrowers.\n\nIt would fund public media.\n\nIt would restore cuts to humanitarian aid and USAID.\n\nAnd to put it even more in perspective, that $40 billion Donald Trump is sending off to Argentina, it could fund child care for military families for almost 20 years.\n\nIt would fund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop big banks and giant corporations from scamming people for almost 50 years.\n\nAnd it could pay for a hundred Qatari jets, meaning one for every governor of all fifty states and a backup plane for each and every one of them.\n\n[Senate Suspends for Prayer by the Senate Chaplain]\n\nSo, there you have it. Remember Trump\u2019s promise to lower costs for Americans on Day One? Well instead, Donald Trump is bailing out his \u201cfavorite president\u201d and bailing out rich Wall Street investors who invested in Argentina debt.\n\nThe American people are begging us to do something about the skyrocketing cost of living. They are crying out for help.\n\nBut Donald Trump can't hear them over the sound of the bulldozers that are demolishing a chunk of the White House to build his brand-new ballroom. A $250 million dollar ballroom\u2014a monument to Donald Trump himself\u2014paid for by big corporations that are trying to suck up to the Administration for special favors.\n\nThe American people told Donald Trump to cut the cost of living. Instead, he\u2019s cutting off part of the White House for his new billionaires\u2019 ballroom.\n\nFamilies are missing car payments, but Donald Trump is too busy building his ballroom to notice.\n\nThe price of coffee is up nearly 30%, but at least Donald Trump will have a fancy new ballroom where the White House is supposed to be.\n\nFarmers are going bankrupt, but Trump is too worried about the construction of his ballroom to help.\n\nThe cost of baby strollers\u2014or as Donald Trump calls them, the things you carry babies around in\u2014is going up, but Trump is too busy building his fancy ballroom to notice.\n\nSo, my friend Jeff Merkley is exactly right\u2014we are not in normal times. All of us need to stand up, speak out, and push back.\n\nMy question for you, Senator Merkley, is how is the fight to lower costs for families all around this country linked to the fight against Donald Trump\u2019s authoritarianism?\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-cassidy-pass-bipartisan-bill-to-simplify-irs-error-notices-for-taxpayers", "Warren, Cassidy Pass Bipartisan Bill to Simplify IRS Error Notices for Taxpayers", "2025-10-21", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Cassidy Pass Bipartisan Bill to Simplify IRS Error Notices for Taxpayers\n\nBipartisan bill now heads to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help (IRS MATH) Act, bipartisan legislation championed by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), to simplify notices informing taxpayers of mistakes on their tax filings.\n\n\u201cNo one should have to spend a fortune on a lawyer or hours trying to figure out what went wrong on their taxes when the IRS already knows the answer,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cOur bill is a common-sense bipartisan solution to protect taxpayers and help put more money in their pockets.\"\n\n\u201cAmericans should have every opportunity to keep their hard-earned income,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cIf the IRS thinks someone made an honest mistake filing their taxes, the IRS should be clear about how to correct it.\u201d\n\nThe IRS MATH Act ensures that when taxpayers make simple math or clerical errors on their taxes, the IRS sends them clear notices indicating where they made an error and laying out a 60-day appeal window.\n\nThe IRS MATH Act:\n\nDirects the IRS to improve notices of math or clerical errors, requiring that notices:\n\nIdentify the line item the IRS is changing;\n\nExplain the reason for the change, and;\n\nClearly list the taxpayer\u2019s required response date.\n\nRequires that the IRS notify the taxpayer of abatement determinations.\n\nRequires the Treasury Secretary to provide additional procedures for requesting an abatement of a math or clerical error adjustment, including by telephone or in person.\n\nCreates a pilot program coordinated by the IRS and National Taxpayer Advocate to determine the benefit of sending math or clerical error notices by certified or registered mail.\n\nThe U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill by voice vote in March. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) led the bill on the House side. The IRS MATH Act now heads to President Trump\u2019s desk for his signature.\n\nThe bill also passed unanimously out of the House Ways and Means Committee during markup in February 2025. Senators Warren and Cassidy initially introduced the bill in 118th Congress.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-warren-rep-norcross-press-pentagon-on-refusal-to-provide-justification-for-cuts-to-independent-weapons-testing-office", "Sen. Warren, Rep. Norcross Press Pentagon on Refusal to Provide Justification for Cuts to Independent Weapons Testing Office", "2025-10-16", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Sen. Warren, Rep. Norcross Press Pentagon on Refusal to Provide Justification for Cuts to Independent Weapons Testing Office\n\nMembers concerned by $74.5 billion in taxpayer dollars at risk of going without oversight, along with threats to national security and service member safety\n\nPentagon appears to have provided Congress with inaccurate information on office\u2019s oversight list\n\n\u201cThere is no evidence that DoD has assessed the operational and financial risks of slashing the (weapons testing) office, and whether this action puts our national security objectives at risk.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Following the Pentagon\u2019s refusal to explain massive cuts to the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), the independent military weapons testing office, and the Pentagon\u2019s decision to remove even more weapons programs from DOT&E\u2019s oversight list, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), members of the Senate and House Armed Services committees, wrote to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegeseth to press for more information and urge the Department of Defense (DoD) to reverse its cuts and restore oversight to the nearly 100 programs cut from the DOT&E oversight list.\n\n\u201cWe remain concerned these reckless decisions undermine readiness and will result in substantial waste of taxpayer dollars while putting servicemembers\u2019 lives at risk,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\nIn June, Senator Warren raised concerns about Secretary Hegseth\u2019s decision to cut DOT&E\u2019s budget by nearly 80% and its staff by about 74%.\n\n\u201cThe cuts and reductions to this office created fears that\u2026they would cut so deep the office would no longer be able to even meet its basic statutory functions,\u201d the lawmakers said.\n\nIn August, the Pentagon responded to Senator Warren, saying the cuts were based on a \u201ccomprehensive internal review,\u201d but failed to provide any study or analysis to justify the cuts or any cost savings associated with the move.\n\nThe Pentagon also responded with a list of the office\u2019s \u201ccurrent oversight\u201d list, listing 251 programs on the list. But two days later, the DOT&E\u2019s quietly updated its website and eliminated 94 programs, a 37% reduction that cuts testing for at least $74.5 billion of weapons systems, while backdating the list to late July. The lawmakers said the move raises concerns that the Pentagon was \u201cpurposely inaccurate\u201d in its response to Congress.\n\nDOT&E plays an important role in helping the military complete vigorous testing for safety, survivability, and suitability for programs like the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program, which would phase in the UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter fleet. The program was cut from DOT&E\u2019s oversight list in the purge, even though the Army is attempting to accelerate the fleet\u2019s implementation.\n\nOther top DoD priorities that have been inexplicably removed from DOT&E\u2019s oversight list are the Enterprise Space-Based Missile Warning and Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, which could enable the Golden Dome architecture.\n\n\u201cIf homeland missile defense is truly a top priority for the Department, rigorous testing and oversight is vital to ensure the systems are integrated and that funding is not being wasted on systems that do not tie into the broader architecture,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cThe decision to further purge the DOT&E office by cutting nearly 100 programs from its oversight list jeopardizes military readiness, puts the safety of our servicemembers at risk, and increases the risk of waste and abuse of hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars. We ask that you reverse these cuts,\u201d concluded Senator Warren and Representative Norcross.\n\nThe lawmakers asked the Defense Department to provide, by October 30, 2025, answers to their questions, including the Pentagon\u2019s plan for ensuring that taxpayer funds are not wasted due to deficiencies in programs removed from the oversight list, a justification for each program removed from DOT&E\u2019s oversight list, and whether the Department consulted with the defense industry on which programs to cut from the list.\n\nSenator Warren has consistently fought to protect the independence of DOT&E:\n\nIn August 2025, Senator Warren questioned Dr. Amy Henninger, nominee for Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), about her commitment to the independence of the weapons testing office.\n\nIn June 2025, Senator Warren criticized Secretary Hegseth\u2019s drastic cuts to DOT&E and requested the Pentagon provide any study or analysis used to justify the cuts.\n\nIn December 2022, Senator Warren secured legislation in the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that reiterates the importance of annual weapon testing reports remaining available to the public.\n\nIn February 2022, Senator Warren wrote to then-Director of DOT&E and then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, III to raise concerns about DOT&E\u2019s lack of transparency, related to its decision to release its annual report on the performance of U.S. weapons as a controlled unclassified version.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-on-funding-bill-i-refuse-to-support-trumps-chaos-and-republicans-inflicting-higher-costs-on-americans", "Warren on Funding Bill: \u201cI Refuse to Support Trump\u2019s Chaos and Republicans Inflicting Higher Costs on Americans\u201d", "2025-10-16", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren on Funding Bill: \u201cI Refuse to Support Trump\u2019s Chaos and Republicans Inflicting Higher Costs on Americans\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Following her vote against proceeding to Republicans\u2019 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement:\n\n\u201cWhile the Republicans shut down the government and refuse to even come to the table to make health care more affordable, I cannot in good conscience sign off on a bloated Pentagon spending bill. Democrats should not send a business-as-usual funding bill to this administration while Donald Trump and Russ Vought play king, illegally revoking funding for programs they don\u2019t like and unlawfully firing thousands of federal workers. All of that is happening while Donald Trump sends our own military troops to occupy American cities.\n\n\u201cI voted no on this Republican funding bill because I refuse to support Trump\u2019s chaos and Republicans inflicting higher costs on Americans.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-on-trumps-ivf-plan-another-one-of-trumps-broken-promises", "Warren on Trump\u2019s IVF \u201cPlan\u201d: \u201cAnother One of Trump\u2019s Broken Promises\u201d", "2025-10-16", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren on Trump\u2019s IVF \u201cPlan\u201d: \u201cAnother One of Trump\u2019s Broken Promises\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement in response to the White House\u2019s new IVF \u201cplan\u201d:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s clear that Donald Trump lied when he told the American people he\u2019d make IVF available to every family for free. Instead, Trump\u2019s new genius plan is to rip away Americans\u2019 health insurance and gut the CDC\u2019s IVF team, then politely ask companies to add IVF coverage out of the goodness of their own hearts \u2014 with zero federal investment and no requirement for them to follow through. It\u2019s insulting, and yet another one of Trump\u2019s broken promises to American families.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-pressley-70-members-of-congress-urge-trump-administration-to-address-student-loan-default-cliff-to-prevent-economic-disaster", "Warren, Pressley, 70 Members of Congress Urge Trump Administration to Address Student Loan \u201cDefault Cliff\u201d to Prevent Economic Disaster", "2025-10-15", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Pressley, 70 Members of Congress Urge Trump Administration to Address Student Loan \u201cDefault Cliff\u201d to Prevent Economic Disaster\n\nRepublican policies have pushed record numbers of borrowers into default and delinquency\n\n\u201c[T]his devastating increase in past due payments threatens not only individual borrowers but the broader economy.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) led 70 members of Congress in a letter calling on the Trump administration to address the ongoing and unprecedented wave of student loan delinquencies and defaults, which threatens the financial stability of millions of people and could have disastrous effects on the American economy.\n\nRecent data suggests that over 5 million student borrowers are likely in default, and almost a third of borrowers are delinquent. This \u201cdefault cliff\u201d threatens the broader economy by suppressing consumer spending and locking families out of housing and other financial opportunities as their credit scores plummet.\n\n\u201cIf the administration fails to act, millions of Americans will be pushed to financial ruin, and Trump and Republicans will own this economic catastrophe. It\u2019s time for Secretary McMahon to focus on commonsense solutions, instead of hiking costs for families at every turn,\u201d commented Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cEvery day this Administration fails to act, more borrowers\u2014especially low-income, Black, and brown borrowers\u2014are pushed closer to financial catastrophe,\u201d commented Congresswoman Pressley. \u201cThis isn\u2019t just a policy failure\u2014it\u2019s a moral one. If Trump and Republicans truly cared about working families and following through on their promises to lower costs, they would act now before it's too late.\"\n\nRather than address this problem, the Trump Administration has used the powers of the federal government to deepen the crisis. For instance, since January, the Trump administration has fired over half of ED\u2019s staff, including workers at Federal Student Aid (FSA) who are responsible for resolving problems with student loan repayment. The administration has also created a backlog of nearly 1.1 million unprocessed income-driven repayment (IDR) applications, taking away borrowers\u2019 access to affordable monthly payments that would significantly drop borrowers\u2019 risks of default.\n\n\u201c[T]his default cliff threatens not only individual financial hardship but also has broader economic implications that warrant immediate intervention and mitigation strategies,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe coalition urged the Trump administration to take the following steps to address the default cliff:\n\nClear the nearly 1.1 million borrower backlog of IDR applications and abandon its plans to mass deny nearly 500,000 IDR applications;\n\nCreate an interest-free temporary default prevention forbearance to protect borrowers who cannot afford their monthly payments;\n\nReverse all recent decisions that have increased costs for borrowers and raised the likelihood that they enter default or delinquency;\n\nBegin a strong outreach campaign, in coordination with members of Congress and key stakeholders, to borrowers who are at risk of entering default or who do enter default; and\n\nPause the forced collections process until the above steps have been implemented and until the Education Department implements robust guardrails against predatory and illegal collections practices.\n\n\u201cThe student loan default crisis is a significant threat to millions of American families and the broader economy. Congress and the Administration have a responsibility to ensure that federal student loan programs support rather than undermine economic opportunity and stability,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe coalition requested that, in order to inform their legislative responsibilities regarding the federal student loan system and the functioning of the Education Department, the Department provide answers to the lawmakers\u2019 questions by October 28, 2025, including what steps it is taking to protect against and address the rise in federal student loan delinquencies and defaults.\n\n\u201cInstead of bringing down costs, President Trump and Secretary McMahon are working double time to push millions of struggling borrowers off of an unprecedented default cliff that will be economically disastrous for families and the broader economy,\u201d said Protect Borrowers Policy Director, Aissa Canchola Ba\u00f1ez. \u201cAmericans with student loan debt deserve an Administration that protects borrower rights and ensures that student loan borrowers get the relief they are entitled to under the law. The last ten months have demonstrated that the Trump Administration cares more about lining the pockets of their wealthy friends rather than shielding working families from economic ruin. We applaud Senator Warren, Representative Pressley, and their colleagues for holding the Trump Administration accountable and calling on them to take action to protect borrowers and their families from the largest mass student loan default events in modern history.\u201d\n\nDemocratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined in signing the letter.\n\nRepresentatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-Ind.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.), Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Cleo Fields (D-La.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Emily Randall (D-Wash.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (D-N.Y.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) also joined in signing the letter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-sanders-wyden-blumenthal-merkley-question-youtube-google-on-potential-quid-pro-quo-settlement-with-trump-administration", "Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Blumenthal, Merkley Question YouTube, Google on Potential Quid-Pro-Quo Settlement With Trump Administration", "2025-10-15", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Blumenthal, Merkley Question YouTube, Google on Potential Quid-Pro-Quo Settlement With Trump Administration\n\nSenators sound alarm after YouTube settled Trump lawsuit in the midst of antitrust lawsuit by DOJ\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) questioned Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan regarding whether Google\u2019s recent $22 million settlement with President Trump represented a quid-pro-quo agreement in exchange for favors from his administration. Donald Trump will reportedly host a fundraising dinner tonight for his new White House ballroom, where the $22 million from Google-owned YouTube\u2019s settlement is set to flow.\n\nPresident Donald Trump, in his capacity as a private citizen, sued YouTube \u2014 alleging that YouTube engaged in unlawful censorship when it banned him from its platform following the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Legal experts have characterized the lawsuit as \u201clikely doomed from the start.\u201d YouTube nevertheless settled the lawsuit for $22 million last month, while its parent company, Google, is in the midst of an antitrust lawsuit brought by President Trump\u2019s Department of Justice \u2014 raising questions about a potential quid-pro-quo agreement involving the settlement.\n\n\u201cIf \u2026YouTube settled President Trump\u2019s legally dubious lawsuit to discourage the President\u2019s Justice Department from appealing a ruling favorable to Google, the company and its executives may have run afoul of the law,\u201d warned the lawmakers.\n\nThe Senators are sounding the alarm following a concerning pattern of events surrounding the settlement and its potential tie to the Trump administration\u2019s antitrust litigation against Google.\n\nOn September 2, a federal judge handed down a favorable antitrust penalties ruling for Google in the online search monopoly case, ordering remedies that have been characterized as \u201calmost a best-case scenario\u201d for the company. The Trump administration\u2019s DOJ will decide whether to appeal after entry of the final judgment. Just two days after the favorable ruling, Trump referenced Google\u2019s case while hosting Google and other Big Tech executives at the White House. In response, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said: \u201cappreciate that your administration had a constructive dialogue, and we were able to get it to some resolution.\u201d And on September 29, YouTube agreed to settle Trump\u2019s dubious lawsuit, with $22 million flowing to Trump\u2019s new luxury White House ballroom.\n\n\u201cThe public deserves to know what \u2018constructive dialogue\u2019 the Trump administration and Google had, given that Google and the Trump administration are opposing parties in the antitrust case, and whether this dialogue was in any way connected to YouTube\u2019s settlement with President Trump,\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cSpecifically, the public deserves to know whether YouTube\u2019s settlement will influence the Trump Justice Department\u2019s decision regarding whether to appeal and seek the stricter remedies DOJ had originally sought against Google.\u201d\n\nIn August, the lawmakers warned that a settlement in exchange for favorable action by the administration in other matters, could be a violation of federal anti-bribery laws and related state laws. Now, the senators are asking Google and YouTube a series of questions in order to inform their legislative activity regarding antitrust matters, government ethics, and anti-corruption laws \u2014 including legislation to crack down on the risk of quid-pro-quo arrangements between the President and private companies that donate to organizations benefitting the President.\n\nIn addition to Big Tech companies, media companies have also agreed to deals to settle lawsuits brought by President Trump, including ABC News\u2019 $15 million deal and Paramount\u2019s agreement to pay $16 million to his future Presidential Library, after which the Trump administration approved Paramount and Skydance\u2019s multi-billion-dollar merger.\n\nSenator Warren has led the charge to determine if companies are attempting to bribe President Trump in exchange for approval of their mergers and has fought relentlessly against President Trump's corruption:\n\nOn October 10, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) questioned Skydance\u2019s refusal to address President Donald Trump\u2019s reported secret side deal.\n\nOn September 30, 2025, Senator Warren joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.) in hosting a spotlight forum about President Trump and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr's abuse of government authority to restrict First Amendment-protected speech and independent, fact-based news reporting.\n\nOn September 23, 2025, Senator Warren, along with Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), pressed broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair for answers as to why Jimmy Kimmel was pulled off the air.\n\nOn September 23, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement after Nexstar Media Group\u2019s and Sinclair\u2019s decisions to continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC affiliate stations.\n\nOn August 1, Senator Warren released a statement in response to Paramount\u2019s and Skydance\u2019s responses to her letters to each of the companies, describing the responses as \u201cdodgy\u201d and calling for \u201ca full, independent investigation\u201d into whether the companies or their executives engaged in any criminal behavior connected to the approval of the companies\u2019 multi-billion-dollar merger.\n\nOn July 24, Senator Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount-Skydance megamerger, saying \u201cbribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn July 23, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Variety: \u201cElizabeth Warren on Colbert 'Late Show' Cancellation: Is the Paramount Trump Payoff a Bribe?\u201d\n\nOn July 21, Senators Warren, Sanders (I-Vt.), and Wyden (D-Ore.) pressed David Ellison, CEO of Skydance, about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump\u2014and how it may be related to Paramount\u2019s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump.\n\nOn July 17, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and lawmakers in Congress, unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.\n\nOn July 15, Senator Warren released a new report exposing how companies, special interests, and foreign governments may be pledging donations to President Trump\u2019s future Presidential Library as a corrupt tool to secure favorable outcomes from his administration.\n\nOn July 2, Senator Warren called for an investigation into Paramount\u2019s settlement with Trump.\n\nOn May 19, Senators Warren, Sanders, and Wyden wrote to Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount, with concerns regarding whether Paramount may be engaging in potentially illegal conduct involving the Trump Administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-at-hearing-warren-pushes-increase-in-us-drug-manufacturing-production", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Pushes Increase in U.S. Drug Manufacturing Production", "2025-10-10", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Pushes Increase in U.S. Drug Manufacturing Production\n\nU.S. drug imports have increased 7x since the year 2000.\n\nOverreliance on foreign pharmaceuticals leaves the U.S. susceptible to drug shortages and safety risks.\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) raised concerns about the vulnerabilities of the U.S. drug supply chain, highlighting the risks of foreign-made pharmaceuticals and advocating for greater investments in U.S. manufacturing.\n\nIn the hearing, Senator Warren highlighted the United States' dependence on foreign countries for drug manufacturing, which leaves the U.S. susceptible to drug shortages and safety risks. Low production costs abroad have also driven drug manufacturers\u2014including around 77 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers\u2014out of the U.S., enabling the country\u2019s dependence on foreign-made drugs.\n\nAndrew Rechenberg, an economist at the Coalition for a Prosperous America, highlighted that other countries heavily subsidize the manufacturing of prescription drugs, allowing them to severely underprice U.S. producers and drive them out of the market. Rechenberg suggested production incentives to support U.S. producers, like federal procurements, can be a \u201chuge part\u201d of incentivizing and prioritizing American-made medicine.\n\nTony Sardella, Founder and Chair of the API Innovation Center, agreed with Senator Warren that it would \u201cabsolutely\u201d help national security to use federal contracts at the Department of Defense (DOD) and other agencies to prioritize domestic-made pharmaceuticals. \"It would be a significant lever to bring back a strong U.S. industrial base for manufacturing,\" he said.\n\nWhen asked whether shifting to more domestic-made pharmaceuticals would cost more money or save more money, Mr. Rechenberg confirmed it would save \u201cfar more\u201d money. \u201cOver the long run, you save much more money than you would otherwise, because you stop these shortages, and you guarantee safer, more effective medicine,\u201d he replied.\n\nSenator Warren concluded the hearing by calling for bipartisan support for herPharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act, which would enhance domestic production of pharmaceuticals, preventing shortages and ensuring safer, more effective medicines.\n\n\u201cAmericans shouldn't have to worry about the quality of their prescriptions, whether they're safe to be able to take, or whether they're effective, [or] what will happen if the supply chain breaks,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cAnd for me, that's reason enough to manufacture right here in the United States and us[e] federal contracts to lower those production costs.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren has worked to end the United States' overreliance on foreign countries for critical drugs and boost the nation's domestic manufacturing capacity. In 2024, she reintroduced the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act and, in 2025, secured provisions in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA) to require DoD to report on pharmaceutical supply chain challenges and their impact on military readiness.\n\nTranscript: Bad Medicine: Closing Loopholes that Kill American Patients.\n\nU.S. Senate Committee on Aging\n\nOctober 8, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Ranking Member, for holding this hearing today.\n\nSo, we're talking about a broken supply chain. And I was looking at the numbers on this. So, the U.S. imports seven times the amount of drugs that we were importing in the year 2000. That's how much this has gone up. And you all are discussing how our reliance on foreign-made pharmaceuticals exposes Americans to drug shortages, to safety risks, and exposes seniors more than anyone.\n\nSo, for years, I've been working with my colleagues to try to advance reforms, establishing stronger transparency rules, closing loopholes in \u201cBuy American\u201d requirements. And I just want to say we've got a lot of pushback from people who make a lot of money by keeping all of this opaque and maximizing their profits and minimizing safety for the American people. So, today I want to hit on something that you all have mentioned, and that is how we get more drugs manufactured domestically. How we move our supply chain here to the United States.\n\nSo, Mr. Rechenberg, you're an expert on drug supply chains. You know that other countries are subsidizing the manufacture of prescription drugs. How does that affect our ability to make these drugs here in the United States?\n\nMr. Andrew Rechenberg: Yes, and this is one of the main problems, that these foreign companies are being subsidized by their own governments, and so they're able to severely underprice U.S. producers and drive them out of the market. And so, we really need a comprehensive approach here, starting with something like a tariff rate quota system, to create a space in the market for U.S. producers, and we need to supplement that with direct production incentives for companies, whether through an act, like the Pills Act, or through federal procurement. Federal procurement can be a huge part of this and incentivizing and prioritizing American-made medicine.\n\nSenator Warren: So, let's talk a little bit about buying here in the United States. The Federal Government could make it easier and less risky for manufacturers to make their products in the U.S. if we would just leverage the power of our federal contracts. That means the government makes a deal with the manufacturer and says, \u201cWe guarantee we will buy a certain volume of drugs over the next several years,\u201d and that makes it better for you to make the investments, you get out there, and you produce the drugs. Now the DoD actually has contracts for essential medicines because, for obvious reasons, it is important to make sure that our service members have the drugs they need as a national security issue. And I have been pushing DOD to make those contracts domestic production advances.\n\nSo, Mr. Sardella, you lead the API Innovation Center, and you've actually looked into how many critical drugs rely on ingredients manufactured exclusively in China. I think you were talking about this earlier.\n\nWould it help national security to expand federal contracting programs at DOD and other agencies and focus them on domestic drug manufacturing?\n\nMr. Tony Sardella: Absolutely, it would be a significant lever to bring back a strong U.S. industrial base for manufacturing. I commend all the incredible work you've done in this area. And then secondly, one of the elements that would be also very effective is shifting the contracting vehicle from what is an IDIQ, indefinite demand-indefinite quantity, in business. And indefinite demand and indefinite quantity does not reduce the risk. There's no certainty. You could lose a contract or volume. Turning that into a certainty of demand and volume and even cost or price so that a manufacturer can make an investment. We have a small business in Missouri where we've placed two medicines for manufacturing for a healthcare system. We've provided them our technology that we developed. They are now making investments to expand their facility because they have certainty that the healthcare system is giving them a long-term agreement. If the U.S. government did the same, we expect the same.\n\nSenator Warren: So, you and I are in the same place on this: that more robust federal contracting can create the kind of sustained demand that manufacturers need so that we can eliminate these supply chain vulnerabilities and protect our national security and for me, that is reason enough to implement them. But some critics have warned that \u201cOh, if you shift to American-made drugs, it will be too expensive.\u201d On the other hand, we're paying a price: A, for vulnerability, and B, if our seniors end up taking drugs that are ineffective and so they are sicker. They stay sick, lower-quality drugs, or if our hospitals are getting price gouged during shortages.\n\nSo, Mr. Rechenberg, do you think that shifting to more domestic manufacturing of pharmaceuticals would, over the long run, cost more money or save more money?\n\nMr. Rechenberg: It would save far more money. We've seen, as I mentioned in my opening statement, 300 to 500% price hikes during a shortage. So that's one way we would save money. But also, we're paying a lot more every time the medicine is not there, and the people have to be in the hospital longer, or you have to have a substandard medicine, or the hospitals have to pay extra staff to take care of people. And so over the long run, you save much more money than you would otherwise, because you stop these shortages, and you guarantee safer, more effective medicine.\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you. You know, Americans shouldn't have to worry about the quality of their prescriptions, whether they're safe to be able to take, or whether they're effective, [or] what will happen if the supply chain breaks. And for me, that's reason enough to manufacture right here in the United States and using federal contracts to lower those production costs. But I think there are a lot more benefits for doing this. That is why I have a bill\u2014the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, Defense, and Enhancement Act\u2014 that would do just that. And I hope we can get some bipartisan support and get that moving. So, thank you very much. And again, thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing today.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-heinrich-murray-34-senators-demand-trump-administration-restore-8-billion-in-funding-for-energy-projects-they-illegally-canceled", "Warren, Heinrich, Murray, 34 Senators Demand Trump Administration Restore $8 Billion in Funding for Energy Projects They Illegally Canceled", "2025-10-10", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Heinrich, Murray, 34 Senators Demand Trump Administration Restore $8 Billion in Funding for Energy Projects They Illegally Canceled\n\n218 out of 223 projects that were terminated are in states with Democratic leadership, while similar projects in \u201cred states\u201d remain.\n\n\u201cThese are impacts that will be felt by Americans, regardless of their political views.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Patty Murray (D-W.A.), Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and 34 senators in demanding the U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought restore the $8 billion in funding for 223 energy projects in Democrat-led states that were unlawfully canceled. The funding for these projects was approved and appropriated by Congress.\n\n\u201cFor the 21 states with impacted projects, your cancellations will mean thousands of lost jobs for Americans, many of whom had every reason to rely on the stability of their jobs before these cancellations and all of whom will face uncertain job markets in our increasingly slowing economy,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nThese cancellations will mean thousands of lost jobs for Americans, lost educational opportunities for countless students in now-cancelled university-led projects, difficulty obtaining private financing for impacted developers and utilities, and less domestic manufacturing and innovation, all while diminishing America\u2019s competitive leadership globally. It will also mean higher energy bills for households and businesses across the country, all of whom are already stretched thin thanks to the affordability crisis instigated by this administration\u2019s tariffs and economic policy.\n\n\u201cFor the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nAll Democratic Senators from states with canceled grants and funding signed the letter: U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Tammy Duckworth (D-I.L.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D-W.A.), Richard Blumenthal (D-C.T.), Ron Wyden (D-O.R.), Richard Durbin (D-I.L.), Ruben Gallego (D-A.Z.), Brian Schatz (D- Hawai\u2018i), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jacky Rosen (D-N.V.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-H.I.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Kelly (A.Z.), Michael Bennett (D-Colo.), Tina Smith (D-M.N.), Amy Klobuchar (D-M.N.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-sanders-wyden-question-skydances-refusal-to-address-trump-secret-side-deal", "Warren, Sanders, Wyden Question Skydance\u2019s Refusal to Address Trump \u201cSecret Side Deal\u201d", "2025-10-10", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Sanders, Wyden Question Skydance\u2019s Refusal to Address Trump \u201cSecret Side Deal\u201d\n\n\u201cYour refusal to answer questions, including your refusal to address reports of a side deal, leaves key unanswered questions\u2026[including] whether the existence of such a side deal may run afoul of federal bribery laws.\u201d\n\nText of Letter to Paramount Skydance (PDF) | July Response from Skydance (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to Paramount Skydance, continuing their investigation into Skydance\u2019s potential side deal with President Trump prior to securing approval of Skydance\u2019s merger with Paramount. In a July response to an earlier letter from the senators, Skydance refused to answer questions about the existence of such a deal, but revealed that \u201cSkydance executives and its representatives have had routine and customary interactions with government officials, including with the Administration, Congress, and federal regulators.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe public deserves to know which White House officials met with Skydance executives, and if Skydance cut a side deal with the President in order to grease the skids for its merger approval,\u201d said the senators.\n\nIn July, Paramount agreed to pay President Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit against its subsidiary, CBS, regarding editing of a \u201c60 Minutes\u201d interview with presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. Under the settlement agreement, Paramount agreed to pay President Trump\u2019s legal fees, with the rest of the settlement going toward his Presidential Library fund. At the time of the lawsuit, Paramount was awaiting approval from President Trump\u2019s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its merger with Skydance. Weeks after Paramount settled the lawsuit, the FCC approved Paramount\u2019s merger with Skydance.\n\nIn July, the senators wrote to Paramount and Skydance asking about a reported \u201csecret side deal\u201d with President Trump and whether the deal was connected to approval of the merger. While Paramount denied the deal was part of their settlement, Skydance\u2019s response provided no clarity on Skydance\u2019s own role in the \u201csecret side deal.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour refusal to answer questions, including your refusal to address reports of a side deal, leaves key unanswered questions\u2026[including] whether the existence of such a side deal may run afoul of federal bribery laws,\u201d said the senators.\n\nThese answers are all the more critical given President Trump\u2019s recent comments regarding media companies. Last month, Trump stated: \u201cI can\u2019t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back\u2026 Last time I went after [ABC], they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.\u201d\n\nIn order to inform them in their legislative responsibilities regarding corruption, government ethics, and the operations of the FCC and other federal agencies, the senators asked the newly merged company, Paramount Skydance, to reply by October 23, 2025, addressing:\n\nWhether there is a formal or unwritten deal for the company or any of its affiliates to provide money, advertising, or promotional activities to President Trump, his family, his Presidential Library, or other administration officials; and\n\nWhether Skydance executives met with Trump administration officials, including President Trump, his Chief of Staff, the FCC Chair, or anyone else, and the nature of those discussions.\n\nSenator Warren continues to fight against corporate media consolidation and the Trump administration\u2019s disturbing efforts to silence free speech:\n\nOn September 30, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.) in hosting a spotlight forum about President Trump and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr's abuse of government authority to restrict First Amendment-protected speech and independent, fact-based news reporting.\n\nOn September 23, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), pressed broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair for answers as to why Jimmy Kimmel was pulled off the air.\n\nOn September 23, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement after Nexstar Media Group\u2019s and Sinclair\u2019s decisions to continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC affiliate stations.\n\nOn August 1, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement following Paramount\u2019s and Skydance\u2019s responses to her recent letters.\n\nOn July 24, 2025, Senator Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount-Skydance megamerger, saying \u201cbribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn July 23, 2025, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Variety: \u201cElizabeth Warren on Colbert\u2019s \u2018Late Show\u2019 Cancellation: Is the Paramount Trump Payoff a Bribe?\u201d\n\nOn July 21, 2025, Senators Warren, Sanders (I-Vt.), and Wyden (D-Ore.) pressed David Ellison, CEO of Skydance, about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump \u2014 and how it may be related to Paramount\u2019s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump.\n\nOn July 17, 2025, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and lawmakers in Congress, unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.\n\nOn July 2, 2025, Senator Warren called for an investigation into Paramount\u2019s settlement with Trump.\n\nOn February 19, 2025, Senator Warren wrote to Omeed Assefi, acting DOJ assistant attorney general, asking the agency to look into, and potentially block, a Jan. 6 deal that would have Disney merge its Hulu+ Live TV business with Fubo.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-wyden-sanders-warnock-probe-medicaid-contractors-on-faulty-eligibility-and-enrollment-systems", "Warren, Wyden, Sanders, Warnock Probe Medicaid Contractors on Faulty Eligibility and Enrollment Systems", "2025-10-10", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Wyden, Sanders, Warnock Probe Medicaid Contractors on Faulty Eligibility and Enrollment Systems\n\n\u201cThousands of eligible Medicaid beneficiaries are erroneously denied coverage each year due to eligibility systems plagued by errors.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee; Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in launching an investigation into four of the largest contractors that build state Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, and information management systems across the country, as reports continue to emerge that these systems are plagued with errors, leading to faulty coverage denial for Medicaid beneficiaries. The stakes are even higher now that the Republican budget bill mandates the creation of even more enrollment checks and verification systems for every state.\n\n\u201cWe believe it is [your company\u2019s] responsibility to build systems that allow people to access the health care benefits they need to be healthy and be able to participate in the workforce, rather than to prioritize their bottom line,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nThe letter, sent to Conduent, Deloitte, General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), and Gainwell Technologies, asks the companies to detail their contracted payment structures, the documentation individuals are required to provide for Medicaid eligibility through their systems, any penalties that states may levy for wrongful terminations, their ability to update systems following the identification of errors, and more data and information related to the companies\u2019 performance in administering these systems across the country.\n\nThe letter comes as the Republican budget bill creates new red tape requirements that every state must meet before the end of next year to verify that enrollees engage in certain so-called \u201ccommunity engagement\u201d activities, like employment, community service, a job search or training program, or education for 80 hours per month. Previous attempts by states to implement similar so-called \u201cwork requirement\u201d programs have resulted in significant coverage losses, low enrollment, and no impact on employment rates, at a significant cost to taxpayers.\n\n\u201cThe addition of paperwork hurdles, layered onto problematic eligibility systems, will cause Americans to lose Medicaid coverage to this bureaucratic maze,\u201d the senators added.\n\nThe senators requested more information from the companies by October 31, 2025.\n\nEarlier this year, Warren and Wyden began investigating another contractor, Maximus, for similar practices.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/icymi-sanders-warns-trump-administration-do-not-make-the-largest-social-security-cut-in-history", "ICYMI: Sanders Warns Trump Administration: Do Not Make the Largest Social Security Cut in History", "2025-10-09", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Sanders Warns Trump Administration: Do Not Make the Largest Social Security Cut in History\n\n\u201cIf implemented, [this proposal] would be a death sentence for older Americans with disabilities who desperately need these Social Security benefits.\u201d\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room is coordinated effort to fight back against Trump admin Social Security attacks\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - Following reporting that the Trump administration is preparing to deny Social Security benefits to hundreds of thousands of older Americans with disabilities, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy, wrote to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano strongly opposing this plan, which would drastically change the way Social Security disability benefits are calculated and reduce payments that Americans rely on to buy their groceries, pay their rent, and age with dignity. Sen. Sanders is a member of the Senate Democrats\u2019 Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration\u2019s attack on Americans\u2019 Social Security.\n\n\u201cThe proposal that President Trump is reportedly considering would either remove age as a factor in eligibility for Social Security disability benefits or increase it from age 50 to 60. If finalized, it has been estimated that this would be the largest cut to Social Security disability benefits in the modern history of our country,\u201d Sanders wrote.\n\n\u201cThis proposal would make a bad situation horrifically worse,\u201d Sanders continued. \u201cWithout these meager benefits, people with disabilities in Vermont and all over this country would be unable to survive. In the richest country in the history of the world, we cannot allow that to happen.\u201d\n\nThe administration\u2019s plan comes at a time when 27% of Americans with disabilities live in poverty and the average Social Security disability benefit is less than $19,000 a year\u2014an already inadequate sum that makes it difficult for Americans with disabilities to make ends meet. Meanwhile, SSA\u2019s chronic understaffing, exacerbated by the Trump Administration\u2019s draconian staffing cuts, means more than 30,000 Americans die every year waiting for the Social Security disability benefits they have earned.\n\n\u201cLet me be clear: Taking away Social Security disability benefits from older Americans would be a massive cut to Social Security. It would break President Trump\u2019s repeated promise not to cut this essential life-saving program. I urge you to immediately reject it and make it easier, not harder, for older Americans to receive the benefits they have earned and that they deserve,\u201d Sanders concluded. \u201cAt a time when nearly half of older workers have no retirement savings and 22 percent of seniors are trying to survive on less than $15,000 a year, our job must not be to cut Social Security. Our job must be to expand Social Security benefits and extend the solvency of this program for generations to come by making sure the wealthiest people in this country pay their fair share of taxes.\u201d\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders, encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them, and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans\u2019 agenda and their continued cuts to Americans\u2019 Social Security services and benefits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-duckworth-van-hollen-markey-merkley-ask-trump-state-department-to-explain-apparent-neglect-of-american-citizens-detained-from-global-sumud-flotilla", "Warren, Duckworth, Van Hollen, Markey, Merkley Ask Trump State Department to Explain Apparent Neglect of American Citizens Detained from Global Sumud Flotilla", "2025-10-09", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Duckworth, Van Hollen, Markey, Merkley Ask Trump State Department to Explain Apparent Neglect of American Citizens Detained from Global Sumud Flotilla\n\nTrump State Department has failed to explain why \u201cit took the U.S. embassy four days \u2013 longer than other governments whose citizens were detained \u2013 to visit and assess the care of American citizens.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat steps will the State Department take to independently evaluate the accusations of mistreatment towards American citizens on the Global Sumud Flotilla?\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Department of State (State Department) requesting an explanation for the department\u2019s failure to provide timely consular services to American citizens who were detained while on the Global Sumud Flotilla.\n\nLast week, Israeli military forces boarded the flotilla boats, which set sail from Spain in September with the goal of delivering food to citizens of Gaza, and began detaining activists, including a number of European lawmakers.\n\nDetained individuals allege that they faced \u201csleep and medication deprivation, beatings, having automatic rifles pointed at their heads, dogs set upon them, [and] having to sleep on the floor.\u201d Others reported a \u201clack of water and food,\u201d and that they were \u201clocked in a cage,\u201d \u201cdragged\u201d on the ground, \u201cblindfolded,\u201d and subjected to \u201crestricted religious practice.\u201d Another individual from the flotilla reported that \u201che had been slapped and had his arm dislocated and head slammed into the ground.\u201d Legal experts have raised concerns that Israel may have violated international law by intercepting the flotilla, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of these detentions.\n\nIt appears it took State Department officials four days \u2014 longer than other governments, including Switzerland and Italy, whose citizens were also detained \u2014 to visit and assess the care of American citizens. To date, the State Department has failed to provide an explanation for the delay and failure to independently assess reports of the treatment of detainees in a timely manner. Most members of the flotilla, including constituents from Massachusetts, Maryland, Oregon, and Illinois, have reportedly been released.\n\n\u201cWe are also disturbed by reports that those detained were pressured to forfeit their due process rights by making their release contingent on admitting guilt for entering Israel illegally,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cWhat steps will the State Department take to independently evaluate the accusations of mistreatment towards American citizens on the Global Sumud Flotilla?\u201d\n\n\u201cWe continue to urge the State Department to do everything in its power to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, force Hamas to release the hostages, and continue to advance a two-state solution to produce a lasting peace,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe lawmakers requested, that to inform their legislative responsibilities related to the State Department generally and to determine whether existing laws and policies to secure the release of detained Americans are sufficient, the State Department provide answers, by October 14, 2025, about the apparent delay in visiting detained American citizens, whether there was a delay in authorization from the Israeli government to visit the American citizens, whether the department was aware of allegations of abuse of American citizens during their detention, and how the department will independently evaluate the accusations of mistreatment of American citizens in Israeli detention.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-blumenthal-welch-goodlander-investigate-genesis-healthcare-private-equity-bankruptcy-and-its-impact-on-nursing-home-assisted-living-residents-across-the-country", "Warren, Blumenthal, Welch, Goodlander Investigate Genesis HealthCare Private Equity Bankruptcy and Its Impact on Nursing Home, Assisted Living Residents Across the Country", "2025-10-08", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Blumenthal, Welch, Goodlander Investigate Genesis HealthCare Private Equity Bankruptcy and Its Impact on Nursing Home, Assisted Living Residents Across the Country\n\nGenesis may owe potential victims and families more than $600 million in litigation costs\n\nOctober 8 hearing will consider whether to protect executives from lawsuits during bankruptcy proceedings\n\nGenesis\u2019 victims and other unsecured creditors \u201cmay get nothing\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), along with Representative Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.) sent a letter to Louis Robichaux IV and Russell Perry, Co-Chief Restructuring Officers of Genesis HealthCare, and Joel Landau, Managing Partner of Genesis\u2019 private equity owner, pushing for information related to Genesis\u2019 private equity-caused bankruptcy and its apparent attempt to use the bankruptcy process to wipe away the company\u2019s debts to victims and businesses by selling the company at a discount to insiders.\n\n\u201cPatients and family members hurt by Genesis, together with taxpayers who have paid hundreds of millions of dollars for patient care at Genesis through the Medicaid and Medicare programs\u2026deserve answers regarding the cause of this bankruptcy,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nIn 2007, private equity firms JER Partners and Formation Capital bought Genesis HealthCare. In 2011, the firms sold Genesis\u2019 180 facilities and nearly 20,000 assisted-living and long-term care beds to a health care real estate investment trust for $2.4 billion. The sale, which mirrors a similar move by the private equity owners of the now-defunct company Steward Health Care, left Genesis with costly leases and long-term debts on real estate it once owned, while securing payouts for the private equity owners and other Genesis investors.\n\nBy March 2021, the sale of its real estate assets had led Genesis to the brink of bankruptcy. As a result, Genesis accepted a $100 million investment over two years from Mr. Landau\u2019s private equity firm ReGen Healthcare LLC in exchange for 93 percent equity and the right to appoint two board members. ReGen acquired the right to appoint an additional board member in 2023 in exchange for an additional $25 million.\n\nReGen\u2019s takeover of Genesis has led to worse outcomes for patients. Since the takeover, the proportion of Genesis facilities rated above average (4-5 stars) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services declined from 38 percent to 15 percent, and the average facility rating fell from 2.98 to 2.29 stars. Even before the ReGen takeover, Genesis had a history of mistreating nursing home patients, including failing to properly monitor, treat, and care for patients, leading to \u201cserious, and sometimes fatal, infections and accidents.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, Genesis, struggling under the weight of its mounting debts, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Prior to filing for bankruptcy, Genesis spent $8 million per month to settle and defend tort claims, and owes $259 million in outstanding litigation costs. The total amount Genesis owes is likely much higher as 165 claims remain pending, with some estimating that Genesis owes potential victims more than $344 million more. Genesis also owes more than $12 million in unfunded liabilities to its employees\u2019 pension fund, and more than $160 million to medical supply, pharmacy, and other vendors. Despite these liabilities, Genesis\u2019 sale plan would dedicate only $15 million to pay administrative claims and unsecured creditor debts, and Genesis\u2019 Chief Restructuring Officer acknowledged that victims \u201cmay get nothing.\u201d\n\n\u201cGenesis appears to be attempting to use the bankruptcy system to escape its liabilities, leaving businesses and victims in the lurch,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nShortly after filing for bankruptcy, Genesis announced it had struck an initial deal to be acquired by affiliates of ReGen. This type of insider bid is called a \u201cstalking horse\u201d bid, which experts have warned often results in a lower recovery for creditors and may allow insiders to shed the company\u2019s debts without having to pay a competitive price for the estate. Parties in the Genesis bankruptcy have testified that the bidding process is designed to favor the insider bid and that it will chill bids from other potentially interested companies.\n\nReGen is owned by Pinta Capital Partners, the private equity group co-founded by Mr. Landau and David Harrington. David Gefner, a Director at Pinta Capital, is also a co-founder of Perigrove, a private equity firm that took over prison health care company Corizon Health, formerly one of the largest providers of prison health care services in the country and also the repeat target of serious claims of malpractice and patient neglect. After filing for bankruptcy in 2023, Corizon attempted to shield itself from victims and families by employing the so-called \u201cTexas Two-Step,\u201d a maneuver through which companies leverage bankruptcy proceedings to attempt to evade liability.\n\n\u201cMr. Landau\u2019s connection to Perigrove through Pinta Partners raises concerns that Genesis could be attempting to repeat Corizon\u2019s playbook \u2013 this time using a stalking horse bid rather than the Texas Two-Step \u2013 in order to avoid claims and liabilities. The hundreds of victims of Genesis\u2019s mismanagement deserve better,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nThe lawmakers asked the executives to provide, by October 21, 2025, information about the structure of Genesis and ReGen, along with information about Genesis\u2019 bankruptcy and potential sale to insiders, including Genesis\u2019 plan to ensure a potential sale does not lead to the same practices that led to the deterioration of the quality of care in Genesis facilities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-fischer-applaud-unanimous-passage-of-bipartisan-resolution-designating-september-2025-as-polycystic-ovary-syndrome-awareness-month", "Warren, Fischer Applaud Unanimous Passage of Bipartisan Resolution Designating September 2025 as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Awareness Month", "2025-10-07", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Fischer Applaud Unanimous Passage of Bipartisan Resolution Designating September 2025 as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Awareness Month\n\nPCOS is a complex hormonal, metabolic, and reproductive disorder that researchers estimate affects 10% of women in the United States and is a leading cause of infertility.\n\nText of Resolution (PDF)\n\nWashington, DC \u2013 Today, United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) applauded the unanimous passage of their bipartisan resolution recognizing the seriousness of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and expressing their support for the designation of September as PCOS Awareness Month. The Senators reintroduced the resolution last month, and it was formally adopted by the Senate on October 6, 2025.\n\n\"Raising awareness for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is the first step in supporting those impacted,\" said Senator Warren. \"PCOS affects the lives of millions of women and girls across the United States, and we must push for further research, improved treatment, and a cure.\"\n\n\"Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is the leading cause of female infertility, affecting millions of women nationwide. By designating September as PCOS Awareness Month, my Senate colleagues and I are working to raise awareness and support better diagnosis, treatment, and research. Together, we can work to ensure fewer American women face the challenges and complications of PCOS,\u201d Senator Fischer said.\n\nPCOS is a complex hormonal, metabolic, and reproductive disorder that affects ten percent of women in the United States. PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder among women and is a leading cause of infertility. People with PCOS also often suffer from psychosocial disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, and have a higher risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease. Some studies have shown that suicide attempts are up to 7 times more common in people with PCOS due to the disorder's anxiety and depression symptoms. There is currently no cure for PCOS, and 70 percent of women living with the syndrome are undiagnosed.\n\nThe resolution highlights the symptoms and prevalence of PCOS and expresses the support of the Senate for increasing awareness of the disorder, improving PCOS diagnosis and treatment, and improving the quality of life of people living with PCOS. The resolution also recognizes the need for further research on PCOS and urges medical researchers and health care professionals to advance their understanding of the disorder.\n\n\"We commend Senator Warren for her leadership in reintroducing the PCOS Awareness Month resolution and thank Senator Fischer for co-leading this bipartisan effort,\" said Sasha Ottey, Executive Director of PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association. \"This resolution highlights the need for structural change in PCOS care, calling on all sectors to close treatment gaps, accelerate new therapies, and strengthen patient support. By elevating PCOS as a national health focus, this resolution and broader policy efforts are advancing patient-centered solutions and bringing us closer to a future where every person affected by PCOS receives the care they need.\"\n\nSenators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) are co-sponsoring the resolution.\n\nSenator Warren and then-Senator David Perdue (R-Ga.) first introduced this bipartisan resolution in November 2017.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-on-day-7-of-republicans-shutdown-democrats-are-fighting-to-lower-costs-for-every-single-american-where-are-their-republican-senators", "Warren on Day 7 of Republicans\u2019 Shutdown: \u201cDemocrats Are Fighting to Lower Costs for Every Single American. Where Are Their Republican Senators?\u201d", "2025-10-07", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren on Day 7 of Republicans\u2019 Shutdown: \u201cDemocrats Are Fighting to Lower Costs for Every Single American. Where Are Their Republican Senators?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile Senate Republicans keep taking orders from their wannabe-king and drag out their government shutdown, Senate Democrats will not stop fighting to save health care and to lower costs for families.\u201d\n\nVideo of Floor Speech (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, one full week into Republicans\u2019 government shutdown, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke on the Senate floor about Congressional Republicans\u2019 ongoing refusal to negotiate an end to the shutdown and made clear that Democrats are fighting to undo dangerous cuts to health care.\n\n\u201cDemocrats are fighting to prevent insurance premiums from doubling. We are fighting to help American families hang onto their health insurance \u2014 because no one should go bankrupt because they got sick and needed to see a doctor,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\nOne week into the government shutdown, Republicans have refused to reverse the health care cuts they approved in their Big, Beautiful Bill. Senator Warren sounded the alarm that the expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits will hike the price of health care for nearly 22 million people. By one estimate, a 60-year-old couple making $85,000/year will have to pay over $22,000 more every year to keep their coverage.\n\n\u201cOur health care system was already broken with high premiums, insurance denials, and huge co-pays \u2014 and that was before Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress decided to make the health care crisis so much worse\u2026An overwhelming majority of Americans want us to extend these tax credits so that insurance premiums don\u2019t go through the roof,\u201d Senator Warren warned.\n\nSenator Warren also read aloud the number of people in 27 states, represented by Republican senators, who would see their insurance premiums skyrocket.\n\n\u201cDemocrats are fighting to lower costs for every single one of those Americans. Where are their own Senators?\u201d asked Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren also called out President Trump\u2019s attempts to use the shutdown to retaliate against federal workers while exempting DOGE staffers.\n\n\u201cIn total, the Trump administration is furloughing over half a million workers who work every day to keep our country running \u2014 but at least Elon Musk\u2019s pals at DOGE are safe. And that tells you everything you need to know about the Republican plans,\u201d said Senator Warren.\n\n\u201cThis is not a partisan issue. This is not a partisan fight. Democrats are in this fight for all Americans. And we urge Senate Republicans to join us to protect health care coverage for millions of Americans and end this painful government shutdown,\u201d Senator Warren concluded.\n\nTranscript: Senator Warren\u2019s Senate Floor Speech on Day Seven of Republicans\u2019 Federal Government Shutdown\n\nU.S. Senate Floor\n\nOctober 7, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Madam President, it has now been one whole week since Republicans shut down the government. So, why did they close the government? Because Republicans decided they would rather shut down the entire government than lower costs and save health care for millions of Americans.\n\nDonald Trump and Republicans in Congress are knocking 15 million people off their health insurance, driving up the cost of health care for everyone else, closing rural hospitals, shutting down community health care centers, and much much more \u2014 all so they can fund giant tax cuts for billionaires. Those are Republican priorities.\n\nDemocrats are fighting to prevent insurance premiums from doubling. We are fighting to help American families hang onto their health insurance \u2014 because no one should go bankrupt because they got sick and needed to see a doctor.\n\nIn the next few days, Americans will begin getting letters in the mail telling them their insurance premiums are going up \u2014 way way up. For some families, those premiums are doubling. Others will get priced out of their plans completely, leaving them with no coverage at all.\n\nAnd here\u2019s what that means: Thanks to Republicans in Congress, a 60-year-old couple making $85,000 a year will have to pay more than $22,000 EVERY YEAR to keep their coverage. $22,000. For families already hanging on by their fingernails, that could be a matter of keeping health care coverage or just giving up. And that could be a matter of life and death.\n\nI know what that\u2019s like. Growing up, there was never a time when my family didn\u2019t worry about money. My daddy ended up as a janitor. When I was 12, my daddy had a heart attack. He lost his job. The family station wagon was repossessed, and we were about to lose our home. My mother had never worked outside the home, but that is when she put on her best dress, got herself a minimum wage job answering phones at Sears, and saved our home and saved our family.\n\nOur health care system was already broken with high premiums, insurance denials, and huge co-pays \u2014 and that was before Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress decided to make the health care crisis so much worse. Democrats are fighting to reverse Republicans\u2019 giant health care cuts and lower costs for Americans. Right now, it is only the Republicans in Congress that stand in the way.\n\nAffordable Care Act tax credits help people afford their health care. And they are set to expire at the end of the year, and insurance companies are re-setting their rates right now. Right now. We are barreling toward a tipping point for American families. If Congress does not act, nearly 22 million Americans will see their health insurance premiums more than DOUBLE on average. Democrats want to lower those costs right now. Republicans are shutting down the entire government instead of coming to the table to help American families.\n\nAn overwhelming majority of Americans want us to extend these tax credits so that insurance premiums don\u2019t go through the roof. Even most Trump supporters agree with us on this. Donald Trump himself just said he wants to make it better. And it is only Senate Republicans who are standing in the way.\n\nSenate Republicans have refused even to sit down and negotiate over healthcare cuts \u2014 even though thousands of their constituents will see their costs go way up.\n\nFor example, in Alabama, about 447,000 Americans will see their insurance premiums skyrocket.\n\nIn Alaska, about 24,000 Americans will see their insurance premiums skyrocket.\n\nIn Arkansas, it\u2019s about 144,000 Americans.\n\nIn Florida, it\u2019s 4.4 MILLION Americans.\n\nIn Idaho, it\u2019s 101,000 Americans.\n\nIn Indiana, it\u2019s 290,000 Americans.\n\nIn Iowa, it\u2019s 118,000 Americans.\n\nIn Kansas, it\u2019s 182,000 Americans.\n\nIn Kentucky, it\u2019s 77,000 Americans.\n\nIn Louisiana, it\u2019s 276,000 Americans.\n\nIn Maine, it\u2019s 54,000 Americans.\n\nIn Mississippi, it\u2019s 320,000 Americans.\n\nIn Missouri, it\u2019s 383,000 Americans.\n\nIn Montana, it\u2019s 67,000 Americans.\n\nIn North Carolina, it\u2019s 888,000 Americans.\n\nIn North Dakota, it\u2019s 38,000 Americans.\n\nIn Ohio, it\u2019s 514,000 Americans.\n\nIn Oklahoma, it\u2019s 290,000 Americans.\n\nIn Pennsylvania, it\u2019s 422,000 Americans.\n\nIn South Carolina, it\u2019s 588,000 Americans.\n\nIn South Dakota, it\u2019s 50,000 Americans.\n\nIn Tennessee, it\u2019s 593,000 Americans.\n\nIn Texas, it is 3.7 million Americans. Nearly four MILLION people who will see their insurance premiums skyrocket.\n\nIn Utah, it\u2019s 395,000 Americans.\n\nIn West Virginia, it\u2019s 63,000 Americans.\n\nIn Wisconsin, it\u2019s 272,000 Americans.\n\nIn Wyoming, it is 43,000 Americans.\n\nLook, Democrats are fighting to lower costs for every single one of those Americans. Where are their Republican senators?\n\nThose were the insurance premiums, which will cause about 5 million people to lose their coverage because they can\u2019t afford those higher costs. But Republicans are also cutting health care for another 10 MILLION Americans \u2014 that\u2019s seniors in nursing homes, mamas with newborn babies and it\u2019s your neighbor who needs a wheelchair or home health aide to live independently.\n\nDemocrats have said time and time again: If Congress is going to pass a budget for the U.S. government, then saving health care for those millions of Americans has to be part of the deal. We will not stop fighting for Americans\u2019 access to their doctors and to their hospitals.\n\nAnd what has been the response of Donald Trump? He doesn\u2019t want to talk about healthcare. Nope. Instead, his plan is to inflict maximum pain on Americans during this Republican shutdown. His right-hand man, Russ Vought, is shutting down important infrastructure projects as political punishment. They\u2019re threatening to fire many more federal workers. And get this: the White House is furloughing hundreds of staffers because of the Republican shutdown, but they are keeping every single DOGE staffer on. In total, the Trump administration is furloughing over half a million workers who work every day to keep our country running \u2014 but at least Elon Musk\u2019s pals at DOGE are safe. And that tells you everything you need to know about the Republican plans.\n\nThis may feel like a surprise to millions of Americans, but the Republican attack on Americans\u2019 health care has been long in the making. It\u2019s exactly the shutdown playbook Donald Trump and his lackeys laid out in their Project 2025.\n\nSince Day One, Trump has tried again and again and again to shut down the parts of government he just doesn\u2019t like. He has tried to illegally wipe away millions of dollars for programs that Congress had already agreed to fund. He has illegally fired tens of thousands of federal workers. He has illegally sent our troops to invade American cities. And the response of Republicans in the Senate has been to bow down and let Donald Trump do all of that and more. And now, during a government shutdown, the President of the United States is saying \u201ca lot of good\u201d can come from a shutdown, and \u201cwe can get rid of a lot of things we didn\u2019t want.\u201d\n\nAnd while all of that is going on, why would Democrats sign off on a Republican budget without ironclad guarantees to make sure that Trump won\u2019t just turn around and go back on the deal and not lower costs for families? The answer is we won\u2019t.\n\nWhile Senate Republicans keep taking orders from their wannabe-king and drag out their government shutdown, Senate Democrats will not stop fighting to save health care and to lower costs for families. We want rollbacks of the Republican cuts that will take away healthcare coverage from 15 million people and drive up insurance premiums for everyone else. This is not a partisan issue. This is not a partisan fight. Democrats are in this fight for all Americans. And we urge Senate Republicans to join us to protect health care coverage for millions of Americans and end this painful government shutdown.\n\nMadam President, I yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-presses-army-general-counsel-nominee-on-trump-administrations-efforts-to-censor-the-press", "Warren Presses Army General Counsel Nominee on Trump Administration\u2019s Efforts to Censor the Press", "2025-10-07", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren Presses Army General Counsel Nominee on Trump Administration\u2019s Efforts to Censor the Press\n\nWarren: \u201cFreedom of the press is a core pillar of our democracy, and the public needs to know if we're sending troops to war under false pretenses or exposing our troops to toxic water.\u201d\n\nVideo of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Mr. Charles L. Young III, nominee to be Army general counsel, about the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) attempts to restrict freedom of the press and his commitment to preserving free speech for military reporters.\n\nThe Trump Administration has repeatedly attempted to restrict journalists, most recently, in September 2025, the Pentagon released a memo mandating that credentialed journalists at the Pentagon sign a pledge to only report information \u201capproved for public release by an appropriate authorizing official before it is released, even if it is unclassified.\u201d The memo threatened to revoke press badges for reporters who disagree with the terms or are found to have attempted to obtain unauthorized access or disclosure of information. On October 6, DoD loosened and clarified those restrictions but still included procedures for DoD to revoke credentials for journalists.\n\nIn the hearing, Senator Warren questioned Mr. Young about the First Amendment's role in DoD press policies. Mr. Young said it was consistent with the First Amendment for DoD to revoke press badges from reporters who publish stories that are not authorized for release by DoD. He walked back his statement under pressure from Senator Warren, affirming that it would not be proper grounds to revoke a reporter\u2019s press credentials if a reporter publishes a story that is critical of the Trump administration. Mr. Young also asserted that he would enforce the court's rule if the DoD's press restrictions are considered unconstitutional, stating he would advise military leaders to \u201ccomply with court orders.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren concluded the hearing by emphasizing the need for independent journalism to hold the military accountable: \u201cThis is a scary moment, but there is power in raising our voices, and that is why Donald Trump and his lackeys at the Pentagon want to shut down reporters and shut down access to the truth.\u201d\n\nTranscript: Hearings to examine the nominations of John Noh, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary; Charles Young III, of West Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Army; and William Lane III, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force, all of the Department of Defense; and David Beck, of Tennessee, to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.\n\nSenate Armed Services Committee\n\nOctober 7, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A free press is right there in the First Amendment of the Constitution. But when Trump\u2019s Federal Communications Commission Chair was unhappy with some of Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s remarks, he said media companies \u201ccan find ways to take action on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC.\u201d\n\nThe next day, Secretary Hegseth announced that journalists at the Pentagon needed to sign a pledge not to report information DoD hasn't approved for release, including unclassified information. DoD reportedly rolled those rules back, but this wasn\u2019t Hegseth's first crackdown on journalists, and I worry it may not be the last.\n\nIt is the job of a free press to uncover problems that DOD doesn't want people to know about, like military families living in mold-infested homes or Secretary Hegseth texting classified war plans.\n\nMr. Young, you were acting general counsel for the DOD for most of 2025, and now you're nominated to be the Army's top lawyer.\n\nSo, let me ask you, Mr. Young, do you consider your oath to the Constitution to include the First Amendment?\n\nMr. Charles L. Young III: Yes, Senator, I do.\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you. We need independent journalists at DOD now more than ever. President Trump has ignored locally elected leaders to deploy military forces to Los Angeles to DC to Chicago, and he's told generals he wants the military to use American cities as \u201ctraining grounds\u201d and handle the \u201cenemy from within\u201d. Now this is extremely dangerous, and we need independent journalists reporting the truth, not just whatever spin Pete Hegseth wants to put on it.\n\nSo, Mr. Young, would it be consistent with the First Amendment for the DOD to revoke the press credentials of a reporter for publishing a story that was critical of the Trump administration?\n\nMr. Young: Senator, we're very cognizant, very conscientious of the First Amendment and the freedom of the press to be able to report as needed. It was my understanding that the policy was designed to inform the members of the press. The ability to access the Pentagon is a bit different than a normal public forum\u2014\n\nSenator Warren: I got to stop you right there, Mr. Young. I asked you a very straightforward question I think you can answer with a yes or no, and that is, is it consistent with the First Amendment for DOD to revoke press credentials of a reporter just because the reporter published a story that was critical of President Trump? That should be an easy one for a lawyer who has served as you have for many years.\n\nMr. Young: Yes, Senator, I would say it would be consistent with the First Amendment if the basis was that the person published information that was not otherwise approved for release by the department.\n\nSenator Warren: Whoa.\n\nMr. Young: They could still be critical. We're not getting into their contents.\n\nSenator Warren: Well, are you telling me that the new regime is that Secretary Hegseth will decide what has been \u201creleased\u201d and that reporters can only talk about what the Secretary \u201creleases\u201d? That\u2019s your view of the First Amendment?\n\nMr. Young: No, Senator, I'm not saying that.\n\nSenator Warren: Well, then let me ask my question one more time. If a reporter publishes a story critical of the Trump administration, is that grounds for revoking that reporter's press credential?\n\nMr. Young: No, Senator, it's not.\n\nSenator Warren: Great, okay, hard to get there, but I'm glad we did. Let me ask you one more question, and that is, if the courts rule any of the DOD's press restrictions unconstitutional, will you stand by your oath to the Constitution and tell the military leadership to comply with court orders, or is your plan to bend the knee to Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth?\n\nMr. Young: Certainly would advise to comply with court orders, Senator.\n\nSenator Warren: Okay, you know, I appreciate this. Freedom of the press is a core pillar of our democracy, and the public needs to know if we're sending troops to war under false pretenses or exposing our troops to toxic water. This is a scary moment, but there is power in raising our voices, and that is why Donald Trump and his lackeys at the Pentagon want to shut down reporters and shut down access to the truth.\n\nThank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-crypto-tax-hearing-warren-questions-witnesses-on-multi-billion-dollar-cost-to-taxpayers-of-crypto-industry-handouts", "At Crypto Tax Hearing, Warren Questions Witnesses on Multi-Billion Dollar Cost to Taxpayers of Crypto Industry Handouts", "2025-10-01", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "At Crypto Tax Hearing, Warren Questions Witnesses on Multi-Billion Dollar Cost to Taxpayers of Crypto Industry Handouts\n\n\u201cIndustry lobbyists want special tax rules for crypto that will make crypto billionaires richer and give crypto an unfair advantage over other kinds of competing financial products.\u201d\n\nWatch Here (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Finance Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, questioned Andrea Kramer, founding member of ASKramer Law LLC, and Annette Nellen, professor at the San Jose University College of Business, at the Senate Finance Committee\u2019s hearing on \u201cExamining the Taxation of Digital Assets.\u201d\n\nRanking Member Warren questioned the witnesses on how proposals to clarify crypto\u2019s tax treatment could ultimately give crypto an unfair advantage over other financial products. She asked Ms. Kramer about the potential effects of creating a de minimis exemption for crypto transactions and allowing crypto miners and stakers to delay paying taxes on crypto until they sell it. She also questioned Professor Nellen on whether exempting crypto businesses from additional IRS and FinCEN reporting requirements could make it more difficult to spot money laundering and criminal tax evasion.\n\nBelow is the full transcript of Senator Warren\u2019s questioning:\n\nSenator Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I\u2019m just going to start by acknowledging how absurd it is that the Senate is convening to discuss other than this Republican shutdown and stopping Donald Trump from throwing 15 million people off their health care and more than doubling health insurance premiums for millions of Americans.\n\nNow, this hearing is supposedly about clarifying crypto\u2019s tax treatment. The context is that crypto holders aren\u2019t paying at least $50 billion per year in taxes that they owe. In theory, reform proposals could plug those crypto tax loopholes, which would be a good thing.\n\nBut the proposals I\u2019m seeing follow a familiar movie script: Industry lobbyists want special tax rules for crypto that will make crypto billionaires richer and give crypto an unfair advantage over other kinds of competing financial products.\n\nSo I want to run through a few of those.\n\nMs. Kramer, you\u2019re an expert on our tax laws, so I\u2019ve got some very simple questions for you. Let\u2019s start with the de minimis exemption, a proposal that would allow crypto investors to avoid reporting income from crypto transactions under $300. If someone bought $300 worth of gold, or $300 worth of Apple stock, would they be required to report any income they made from those transactions?\n\nAndrea Kramer: Yes, they would.\n\nWarren: Alright. If crypto investors get this de minimis exemption would they pay less in taxes than traditional stockholders for precisely the same kinds of transactions?\n\nKramer: They would pay less\n\nWarren: Alright. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that this proposal alone would be a $5.8 billion tax boost for the crypto investors.\n\nSo, let\u2019s do a second one.\n\nAn accountant who runs his own business, gets paid for updating books and records\u2014you know, just standard stuff. In the crypto world, miners and stakers get paid for updating the blockchain, crypto\u2019s financial ledger. The accountant, of course, pays taxes on their income when they receive it. But one crypto industry proposal would allow miners and stakers to delay paying taxes on the crypto they earn as income until they sell it\u2014which could be many years later, if ever. Ms. Kramer, if this provision passed would the miners and stakers effectively pay less in taxes than accountants, even when they are doing almost exactly the same work?\n\nKramer: They would pay less.\n\nWarren: So, that\u2019s right. And the estimate here is that it would be to the tune of about $4.3 billion, according to the JCT.\n\nSo, let\u2019s do a last one: Professor Nellen, you teach tax law. If a business receives over $10,000 in cash, under current law, they have to submit additional reporting to the IRS and to FinCEN, in large part so the government can spot money laundering and criminal tax evasion. I think you were talking about that earlier with Senator Hassan, right?\n\nAnnette Nellen: Right.\n\nWarren: Okay. So, one proposal the crypto lobbyists have been floating would exempt crypto transactions from that requirement. Would that proposal make it more or less difficult for law enforcement to counter crypto money laundering and tax evasion?\n\nNellen: Well, given the purpose of that provision, and it is already part of the law, it was added back in November 2021, but waiting for regs to make that effective, that is the purpose of it is to help identify where there is a particular use of that. Some differences though between cash and crypto is, you know, in a cash transaction, the customer is most likely right in front of you. That would not be the case but\u2013\n\nWarren: I understand. I understand that crypto has put out its reasons why it wants an exception. All I\u2019m trying to get at each time is the crypto lobbyists are crawling all over Capitol Hill. And what are they looking for? They\u2019re looking for special rules for crypto. And not special rules that sometimes make it more expensive to operate crypto and sometimes make it less expensive. Not special rules that sometimes make it easier to track crypto transactions and sometimes make it less, more difficult to track crypto transactions. It\u2019s that every one of these special rules tilts in the same direction\u2013and that is for anyone investing in crypto to pay less than the equivalence elsewhere in the financial system. And in this case, to make it harder to track what\u2019s happening in crypto transactions if they are being used for illegal purposes.\n\nLook, I\u2019m all for getting rules that are appropriately tailored, but I think we should abide by the same principle that we have used for decades in Congress\u2013 and that is same basic transaction, same kind of risks means we need the same kind of rules. And that should be true for crypto just like any other financial product.\n\nThank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-on-republicans-government-shutdown-democrats-want-to-save-health-care-only-republicans-stand-in-the-way", "Warren On Republicans\u2019 Government Shutdown: Democrats Want to Save Health Care, Only Republicans Stand in the Way", "2025-10-01", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren On Republicans\u2019 Government Shutdown: Democrats Want to Save Health Care, Only Republicans Stand in the Way\n\n\u201cDemocrats want to keep the government open AND we want rollbacks of the Republican cuts that will cost 15 million Americans their health care coverage and drive up insurance costs for everyone else.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t partisan. This is a righteous fight on behalf of everyone who needs health care\u2026We\u2019re in this fight for Americans and for American health care. And it is only the Senate Republicans\u2014led by Donald Trump\u2014who stand in the way.\u201d\n\nVideo of Floor Speech (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 On the first day of Republicans\u2019 government shutdown, Senator Warren took to the Senate floor to set the record straight.\n\n\u201cRepublicans control the House, Republicans control the Senate, Republicans control the White House. They are in power. It is their job to keep the government running for the American people \u2014 and they have failed,\u201d she said.\n\nWhile Senate Democrats want to reverse cuts Republicans made to Americans\u2019 health care in their Big, Beautiful Bill, Senate Republicans refuse to even come to the table.\n\n\u201cWe have been asking for months to negotiate this. And the Republicans have said 'no.' What are they doing right now? Are they making counter-offers? Are they saying we can go this far but not this far?\u201d asked Senator Warren.\n\n\u201c[N]ow, when a family is forced to the brink of bankruptcy from one bad medical diagnosis, Trump and Republicans own it. Republicans insist that those health care cuts go through,\u201d Senator Warren continued.\n\nShe also called out Republicans\u2019 refusal to check President Trump\u2019s illegal power grabs.\n\n\u201cTrump is playing king time and time again, and Republicans in Congress are bowing down and letting him do it,\u201d she said.\n\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t partisan. This is a righteous fight on behalf of everyone who needs health care\u2026We\u2019re in this fight for Americans and for American health care. And it is only the Senate Republicans\u2014led by Donald Trump\u2014who stand in the way,\u201d Senator Warren concluded.\n\nTranscript: Senator Warren\u2019s Floor Speech on the Government Shutdown\n\nU.S. Senate Floor\n\nOctober 1, 2025\n\nSenator Elizabeth Warren: Mr. President, in July, when Republicans voted on the first spending bill for 2026 \u2014 with cuts that would knock 15 million people off health care \u2014 I stood right here and asked my Republican colleagues in the Senate to grow a spine and stand up for Americans. We are here today because the Republicans refused. Instead, Republicans bowed down to Trump \u2014 and now people all across this country will suffer.\n\nLet\u2019s be clear: Republicans shut down the government because they\u2019d rather make health care more expensive than keep the government running. That is literally where we are right now.\n\nRepublicans control the House, Republicans control the Senate, Republicans control the White House. They are in power. It is their job to keep the government running for the American people \u2014 and they have failed.\n\nDonald Trump and Republicans own this shutdown.\n\nAnd don\u2019t take it from me. Listen to Donald J. Trump. In 2013, Trump himself said, about a potential government shutdown: \u201cif there is a shutdown, I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He\u2019s the one that has to get people together.\u201d\n\nAt the same time, Trump said \u201cThe president has to lead,\u201d \u201cyou have to get people in a room and you have to just make deals for the good of the country.\u201d\n\nDonald Trump today should listen to Donald Trump from yesterday. Instead, Trump\u2014Mr. Art of the Deal\u2014hasn\u2019t been able to cut a deal for the most basic government functions. Wow. As Trump said, that\u2019s \u201ca tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States.\u201d\n\nLet me say it again: Democrats are fighting to roll back the Republican cuts that will take away health care from millions of people and raise health insurance premiums for millions more. That\u2019s it. That\u2019s what we\u2019re asking for. We have been asking for months to negotiate this. And the Republicans have said \u201cno.\u201d What are they doing right now? Are they making counter-offers? Are they saying we can go this far but not this far?\n\nNope. They are simply saying \u201cno.\u201d\n\nSo now, when a family is forced to the brink of bankruptcy from one bad medical diagnosis, Trump and Republicans own it. Republicans insist that those health care cuts go through.\n\nWhen community hospitals have to shut down, Trump and Republicans own it.\n\nWhen kids with cancer can\u2019t get treatment because potentially life-saving research grants come to a screeching halt, Trump and Republicans own it.\n\nWhen insurance premiums skyrocket, Trump and Republicans own it.\n\nHealth care in America was already broken. But Trump and Republicans are making it much, much worse. They ripped away money that covers mamas giving birth and neighbors who need wheelchairs and home health aides and they handed it right over to giant corporations and billionaire CEOs.\n\nDemocrats believe that no one should go bankrupt because they got sick and needed to see a doctor.\n\nSo Democrats are here to say we are willing to fight for families who need health care. If Congress is going to pass a budget for the United States government, then Democrats want saving health care for millions of Americans just to be part of that deal. Democrats made that clear, and Republicans have refused even to talk about it.\n\nTrump is already doing his best to shut down government\u2014or at least to shut down the parts of government he doesn\u2019t like. Since Day One, Trump has been trying to illegally wipe away millions of dollars for programs that Congress already agreed to fund. Trump and his buddy Elon Musk have fired tens of thousands of federal workers. Trump is declaring American cities as \u201cwar zones\u201d and sending troops to invade communities. Trump is playing king time and time again, and Republicans in Congress are bowing down and letting him do it.\n\nWhile all that is going on, Republicans in Congress want Democrats to sign a blank check over to Trump and let him continue to shut down whatever he doesn\u2019t like and to destroy our democracy. They want us to agree to a budget, knowing full well that Trump will then turn around tomorrow and delete this part or that part or whatever he doesn\u2019t like \u2014 just like he has already done.\n\nWhy would we play along with that farce? Why would we throw our support behind a deal that any time, any day, Trump could just decide he doesn\u2019t feel like honoring \u2014 and why would we do that without getting anything in return to help American families who are struggling with high costs, particularly the health care costs that Republicans are driving up. To do that would be a betrayal of the American people.\n\nSenate Democrats are holding the line for families. Senate Republicans decided they\u2019d rather take orders from a wannabe-king and shut down the entire government instead of helping out families who are getting squeezed on health care costs. It really is that simple.\n\nMake no mistake: this Trump shutdown will hurt people.\n\nBecause of Republicans, children across this country could lose access to childcare through Head Start.\n\nBecause of Republicans, the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center will now stop enrolling patients in clinical trials that could be their only shot at treatment.\n\nBecause of Republicans, air traffic controller hiring will stop \u2014 at a time when we\u2019re already dealing with a dangerous shortage.\n\nBecause of Republicans, park rangers \u2014 and thousands of other civil servants \u2014 won\u2019t get paid.\n\nBecause of Republicans, Donald Trump\u2019s corruption and chaos will continue.\n\nSo what\u2019s next? Democrats want to keep the government open AND we want rollbacks of the Republican cuts that will cost 15 million Americans their health care coverage and drive up insurance costs for everyone else.\n\nThis isn\u2019t partisan. This is a righteous fight on behalf of everyone who needs health care, everyone who might need to go to the hospital, everyone who counts on a community clinic or a home health aide\u2014whether they are a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent or a None-of-the-Above. We\u2019re in this fight for Americans and for American health care. And it is only the Senate Republicans\u2014led by Donald Trump\u2014who stand in the way.\n\nThank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-warren-slams-attack-by-trump-carr-on-kimmel-free-speech-free-press-at-spotlight-forum", "ICYMI: Warren Slams Attack by Trump, Carr on Kimmel, Free Speech, Free Press At Spotlight Forum", "2025-09-30", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "ICYMI: Warren Slams Attack by Trump, Carr on Kimmel, Free Speech, Free Press At Spotlight Forum\n\nWarren: \u201cIf [media giants] are bending the knee so they can get handouts from the government, they need to have a serious conversation with their lawyers.\u201d\n\nOpening Remarks (YouTube) | Video of Exchange (YouTube)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) delivered opening remarks and questioned witnesses at a spotlight forum slamming President Trump and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr's abuse of government authority to restrict First Amendment-protected speech and independent, fact-based news reporting. She also warned giant media corporations against bending to Trump's demands in exchange for government handouts or approval of business deals.\n\nThis spotlight forum follows months of the Trump Administration\u2019s abuse\u2014including threats of FCC regulatory action to restrict free speech. The Administration has attempted to censor Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and others, and the FCC has engaged in sham investigations of media perceived to be opposed to President Trump. Last week, Senator Warren pressed Chairman Carr directly on his undermining of free speech in the media.\n\nIn the forum, Senator Warren also criticized big media companies that appear to be bowing to President Trump and his administration by taking programs off the air, making large donations to Trump's Presidential Library, and making other concessions potentially in exchange for regulatory favors, which give the appearance of quid-pro-quo arrangements. She questioned whether these actions constitute bribery under the law. Bribery is defined as someone intending to corruptly influence \u201cany official act\u201d by giving a public official \u201canything of value.\u201d\n\nFCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, who serves alongside FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, confirmed that the FCC approving a mega-merger qualifies as an \u201cofficial act.\u201d Conor Gaffney, Counsel at Protect Democracy, testified as to the political value for President Trump of taking critics off the air, stating that media companies\u2019 censoring of potential Trump critics \u201cboth removes an important accountability mechanism that may be critical of this administration, and it also closes down civic space that allows political opposition to develop, to organize, and to form\u2026 That's why aspiring authoritarians around the world all go after independent media.\u201d\n\nSenator Warren highlighted the public's role in pressuring companies to reverse harmful actions, noting Disney, Nexstar, and Sinclair\u2019s decision to bring back Kimmel\u2019s show as an example, and emphasizing the need to hold both the Trump administration and media companies accountable for their actions.\n\n\u201cWe need to call out the Trump administration, but we need to call out the media companies that bend a knee and preemptively censor the very people that they provide the platforms for,\u201d concluded Senator Warren.\n\nSenator Warren continues to fight against corporate media consolidation and the Trump administration\u2019s disturbing efforts to silence free speech:\n\nOn September 23, 2025 Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), pressed broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair for answers as to why Jimmy Kimmel was pulled off the air\n\nOn September 23, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement after Nexstar Media Group\u2019s and Sinclair\u2019s decisions to continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC affiliate stations.\n\nOn August 1, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement following Paramount\u2019s and Skydance\u2019s responses to her recent letters.\n\nOn July 24, 2025, Senator Warren responded to the Trump administration\u2019s approval of the Paramount-Skydance megamerger, saying \u201cbribery is illegal no matter who is president.\u201d\n\nOn July 23, 2025, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Variety: \u201cElizabeth Warren on Colbert\u2019s \u2018Late Show\u2019 Cancellation: Is the Paramount Trump Payoff a Bribe?\u201d\n\nOn July 21, 2025, Senators Warren, Sanders (I-Vt.), and Wyden (D-Ore.) pressed David Ellison, CEO of Skydance, about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump \u2014 and how it may be related to Paramount\u2019s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump.\n\nOn July 17, 2025, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and lawmakers in Congress, unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.\n\nOn July 2, 2025, Senator Warren called for an investigation into Paramount\u2019s settlement with Trump.\n\nOn February 19, 2025, Senator Warren wrote to Omeed Assefi, acting DOJ assistant attorney general, asking the agency to look into, and potentially block, a Jan. 6 deal that would have Disney merge its Hulu+ Live TV business with Fubo.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-100-members-of-congress-warn-trump-ripping-away-temporary-protected-status-for-immigrants-will-devastate-health-care-workforce", "Warren, 100+ Members of Congress Warn: Trump Ripping Away Temporary Protected Status for Immigrants Will Devastate Health Care Workforce", "2025-09-30", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, 100+ Members of Congress Warn: Trump Ripping Away Temporary Protected Status for Immigrants Will Devastate Health Care Workforce\n\nSens. Van Hollen, Markey, along with Reps. DeGette, Auchincloss, Kelly, Ross join Warren in leading new letter to Trump administration warning of the dangerous impacts of its immigration policies\n\n\u201cAt a time when President Trump and Republicans in Congress are gutting the health care safety net, prompting hospital and nursing home closures and layoffs across the country, the health care system cannot withstand yet another blow.\u201d\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Ranking Member of the House Health Subcommittee on Energy & Commerce, Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), and Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), led 105 members of Congress in writing to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Labor (DoL) to sound the alarm on the Trump administration\u2019s move to cancel Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which threatens the health care workforce and could lead to rising costs and lower quality of care for Americans.\n\nAn estimated 570,000 TPS holders are in the workforce and contribute approximately $21 billion annually to the U.S. economy, while paying about $5.2 billion in taxes. Yet, since the start of the second Trump administration, DHS has announced plans to terminate TPS protections for nearly one million people from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Syria, and Venezuela.\n\nImmigrants from the countries with TPS terminations are especially likely to work in health care, with one study finding that 15 percent of noncitizen health care workers were from TPS nations. Hospitals have ranked in the top five employment industries for both Honduran and Haitian TPS beneficiaries, and over a fifth of Haitian Americans in the United States work in health care. An estimated 5,000 TPS holders work in nursing homes in Massachusetts alone.\n\n\u201cBy terminating TPS for immigrants from several countries, President Trump is destabilizing immigrant families who are here legally, while threatening to remove thousands of home health aides, nursing assistants, and other essential health care workers who provide essential care for our rapidly aging population,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nAs a result of the TPS terminations, an elder care complex in Virginia reported it would lose 65 staff members, and a senior living facility in Florida reported 8 percent of its workforce was at risk. The Massachusetts Senior Care Association estimates that 2,000 of its members\u2019 workers will be threatened by the administration\u2019s TPS and humanitarian parole actions, while a post-acute care provider operating in Massachusetts has 96 workers on TPS whose employment is now in question.\n\n\u201cRemoving TPS holders from the health care workforce comes at a time when demand for health care workers is at an all-time high,\u201d said the members.\n\nThe health care sector is still recovering from pandemic-era vacancies, when nursing and residential facilities lost more than 400,000 employees. Now, the demand for home health aides, personal care aides, and nursing assistants is expected to increase by 35 to 41 percent from 2022 to 2037 \u2014 as the number of U.S. adults aged 65 or older increases from 58 million in 2022 to a whopping 83 million by 2050.\n\n\u201cHealth care professionals who lose their coworkers on TPS will face higher caseloads and faster burnout. TPS terminations will also sever relationships between patients and caregivers on TPS, many of whom have lived and worked in the United States for more than 20 years,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\nIn addition to these TPS terminations, the massive cuts to Medicaid from Republicans\u2019 One Big Beautiful Bill Act will combine to create a perfect storm for Americans\u2019 health care, potentially forcing states to \u201cscale back services that help older people remain in their homes,\u201d worsening staffing needs at nursing homes.\n\n\u201cWhile the Trump administration claims it wants to \u201cMake America Healthy Again,\u201d its TPS terminations will do the opposite \u2014 further hollowing out an already depleted health care workforce amidst vast cuts to Medicaid that will force millions of Americans to lose their health insurance,\u201d concluded the members.\n\nThe lawmakers asked the agencies to respond by October 13, 2025 with an assessment of the impact of these TPS terminations on the health care workforce and Americans\u2019 access to health care.\n\nSenators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) joined in signing the letter.\n\nRepresentatives Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Nanette Barrag\u00e1n (D-Calif.), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), Donald Beyer (D-Va.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-Ind.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Herbert Conaway (D-N.J.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Lou Correa (D-Calif.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.), Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas), Laura Friedman (D-Calif.), Jesus Garcia (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Ill.), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Henry Johnson (D-Ga.), Julie Johnson (D-Texas), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), George Latimer (D-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Linda S\u00e1nchez (D-Calif.), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Bradley Scheider (D-Ill.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez (D-N.Y.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), joined in signing the letter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"], ["https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-democrats-press-trump-on-possible-plans-to-raise-social-security-retirement-age", "Warren, Democrats Press Trump on Possible Plans to Raise Social Security Retirement Age", "2025-09-30", "2025", "2025-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "MA", "Elizabeth Warren", "W000817", "www.warren.senate.gov", "warren", "https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Warren, Democrats Press Trump on Possible Plans to Raise Social Security Retirement Age\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve to retire with dignity\u2014not spend their retirement struggling to make ends meet.\u201d\n\nTrump\u2019s Social Security head recently said raising retirement age is on the table\n\nText of Letter (PDF)\n\nWashington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) pressed President Donald Trump directly on his administration\u2019s threats to raise the Social Security retirement age, which would amount to a benefit cut for millions of Americans. The letter comes shortly after Trump\u2019s Social Security Commissioner, Frank Bisignano, signaled he would be open to raising the retirement age during a Fox Business appearance.\n\n\u201cIf the Social Security retirement age is increased under your watch, you would be breaking your repeated promises to protect and preserve Americans\u2019 benefits,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\nEven before Bisignano\u2019s latest comments, Republican policymakers, including the authors of Project 2025, have sought to raise the retirement age. Bisignano\u2019s comments raise new concerns about whether the administration will enact these proposals, putting retirement benefits at risk.\n\n\u201cCommissioner Bisignano\u2019s comments\u2014and immediate about-face\u2014left millions of Americans alarmed and confused about the status of their Social Security benefits,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\nThe lawmakers warned that raising the retirement age would put many low and middle-income workers at risk of economic insecurity. If the retirement age is raised to 69, as some proposals have suggested, a median-age retiree turning 62 in 2034 would ultimately lose nearly $100,000 over a decade of receiving benefits.\n\nEven worse, raising the retirement age to 69 would not change the Congressional Budget Office\u2019s projection that Social Security funds would be exhausted around 2034. The lawmakers said that actually making Social Security solvent will require the wealthy paying their fair share.\n\n\u201cAmericans deserve to retire with dignity\u2014not spend their retirement struggling to make ends meet,\u201d added the senators.\n\nThe senators are seeking answers by October 13th on whether the White House is seeking to raise the retirement age.\n\nSenate Dems\u2019 Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration\u2019s attack on Americans\u2019 Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans\u2019 agenda and their continued cuts to Americans\u2019 Social Security services and benefits.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 511, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "MA", "p2": "2025"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=MA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 511, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=MA&year=2025&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=MA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 511, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MA&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=MA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "MA", "label": "MA", "count": 511, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=MA&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "2025", "label": "2025", "count": 511, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=MA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2025-09-30,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarren~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fwarren-democrats-press-trump-on-possible-plans-to-raise-social-security-retirement-age", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=MA&year=2025&_next=2025-09-30%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ewarren~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fwarren-democrats-press-trump-on-possible-plans-to-raise-social-security-retirement-age&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 349.1607657633722, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}