url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-another-great-year-of-fighting-and-winning-for-texans,Sen. Cruz: Another Great Year of Fighting and Winning for Texans,2023-12-31,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) led the fight in the Senate this year against the Biden administration’s woke agenda and delivered pro-growth, pro-jobs, and pro-freedom policies to promote jobs, freedom, and security for Texans. Reflecting on the past year, Sen. Cruz said, “As your senator for Texas, I have been proud to lead the fight to defend our values and promote jobs, freedom, and security. This year, I’ve had the privilege of leading my Republican colleagues as ranking member on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. We formed bipartisan coalitions around Biden nominees to stop inexperienced and radical ones while supporting qualified public servants, and we worked in a bipartisan manner to advance policies that will benefit the families and businesses in the Lone Star State. As we look ahead to 2024, I excited to keep fighting for the Lone Star State, and defending your freedoms, strengthening our economy, and creating more jobs for hardworking Texans and their families.” Sen. Cruz’s 2023 Highlights: Delivering for Texas SIGNED INTO LAW: After months of legislative efforts from a bipartisan coalition of Texas lawmakers led by Sen. Cruz, the annual defense authorization bill included language to streamline the presidential permitting process for building key bridges across the Rio Grande in Brownsville, Laredo, and Eagle Pass, Texas. Sen. Cruz also wrote a letter to the Biden administration in support of the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge (PVGTB)presidential permit application. SECURED BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL SUPPORT: Sen. Cruz led the fight for U.S. diplomats and officials of the U.S. Section of the International Boundary Commission to have the necessary resources to ensure Mexico’s compliance with the 1944 Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado, Tijuana, and Rio Grande Rivers. A bipartisan majority of senators supported his efforts. PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz led efforts to formally name the Ports-to-Plains Corridor through Texas and New Mexico asInterstate 27, which will boost economic growth in Texas. Sen. Cruz participated in agriculture roundtables with industry leaders from the coast to the panhandle as he works to ensure our farmers and ranchers have the resources they need for Texas agriculture to thrive. Sen. Cruz sent a letter calling out FEMAfor rejecting the City of Corpus Christi’s appeal for additional funding for the Packery Channel Restoration Project to rebuild after damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden supporting Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s request for an emergency disaster declaration to provide federal assistance to Texans impacted by severe weather, including tornadoes and heavy rain, in Harris, Jefferson, Liberty, and Orange counties. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the Biden administration supporting Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s request for an emergency disasterdeclaration to provide federal assistance to Texans impacted by Winter Storm Mara. Sen. Cruz introduced the Highway Formula Modernization Act, bipartisan legislation that would direct the Department of Transportation to reevaluate the funding formulas used to distribute federal highway dollars to ensure we invest properly in Texas highways and highways across the nation. Sen. Cruz introduced the Improving Access to Our Courts Act to provide an additional court – located in Alpine, Texas – to those served by the Pecos Division of the Western District of Texas. Following reports of mail theft in the Galveston area, Sen. Cruz introduced the Upholding a Secure Postal System (USPS) Act that would require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to Congress on nationwide mail theft trends, and what the Postal Service is doing to combat theft. Boosting Jobs and the Economy Sen. Cruz was awarded the 2022 Club for Growth Defender of Economic Freedom Award for dedication to promoting economic growthand championing issues related to limited government. Sen. Cruz introduced the Cost Recovery and Expensing Acceleration to Transform the Economy and Jumpstart Opportunities for Businesses and Startups (CREATE JOBS) Act to generate much-needed investment in America’s workforce, create jobs, and provide relief for struggling Americans. Sen. Cruz introduced the Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act, and legislation to make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s middle-class tax cuts. Sen. Cruz introduced the Chemical Tax Repeal Act to eliminate the Superfund Tax imposed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Sen. Cruz introduced an amendment to repeal a provision from the 2021 infrastructure package that created new reporting requirements for many cryptocurrency and blockchain companies. The amendment would remove harmful regulations on the cryptocurrency industry that stifle innovation, endanger the privacy of Americans, and would push key aspects of the industry overseas. Sen. Cruz introduced the Adopting Cryptocurrency in Congress as an Exchange of Payment for Transactions Resolution, also known as the ACCEPT Resolution. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation to prohibit the Federal Reserve from developing a direct-to-consumer central bank digital currency, which could be used as a financial surveillance tool by the federal government. Sen. Cruz introduced the Federal Permitting Modernization Act (FAST Act) and the 90-day Review Act aimed at streamlining and expediting federal permitting for major infrastructure projects by putting more stringent timetables on federal agencies and courts to review projects. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation that will prevent companies that manage investment funds held in federal employee retirement accounts from using those holdings to vote in corporate shareholder meetings to force leftist Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies onto private sector businesses. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation to eliminate the Office of Financial Research, a stark example of redundancy and unaccountability within the Treasury Department. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation to eliminate the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Protecting Our Independent Judiciary and Combating the Weaponization of Government Sen. Cruz introduced a proposed constitutional amendment that would ensure only nine justices could serve on the U.S. Supreme Court at a time. Sen. Cruz led a Supreme Court amicus brief in the case Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo arguing that the doctrine of “Chevron deference” violates Articles I, II, and III of the Constitution. Sen. Cruz filed a Supreme Court amicus brief in the case Washington Alliance of Technology Workers v. Department of Homeland Security in support of a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari, seeking Supreme Court review of the unlawful issuance of student visas by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland confronting the Department of Justice for surveilling the personal communications of attorneys advising congressional oversight committees. Sen. Cruz filed an amicus brief in the case Estados Unidos Mexicanos v. Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. with the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to support the Second Amendment and American sovereignty. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Department of Justice requesting an investigation into why radical environmental organizations have been able to accept foreign money without registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Sen. Cruz introduced Eric’s Law, a bill that aims to deliver justice to victims and their families in federal death penalty cases. Sen. Cruz introduced a joint resolution pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to fight a D.C. Council measure that would allow illegal aliens to vote in local D.C. elections. Sen. Cruz introduced a series of bills to stop the lingering authoritarian COVID-19 mandates and protect Americans fromunconstitutional federal mandates around the COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Cruz led a coalition of Senate Republican committee ranking members in sounding the alarm over an attempt by the White House to hijack the rulemaking process to promote left-wing policy goals. Pushing Back on the Left’s Woke Agenda Sen. Cruz introduced bicameral legislation, the Safeguarding Free Speech Act, to prohibit federal agencies from forcing an employee or contractor to use personal pronouns that differ from an individual’s biological sex. Sen. Cruz introduced the Respect for Hispanic Americans Act, which would ban the use of the wholly-invented term “Latinx” in any official government communication by a federal agency or employee. Freeing American Energy and Dismantling Burdensome Environmental Regulations The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) honored Sen. Cruz with the Legislator of the Year Award for championing policies and advocating and leading legislative efforts to promote U.S. energy. Sen. Cruz introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act to counter the Biden administration’s executive overreachbanning gasoline powered vehicles and establishing an electric vehicle mandate. Sen. Cruz introduced the Public Water Supply Invasive Species Compliance Act and the Saving America’s Vulnerable and Endangered Species Act (SAVES Act), which would remove regulatory burdens for ranchers and conservators engaged in captive breeding of exotic wildlife while promoting animal conservation in the United States. Sen. Cruz introduced a resolution pushing back on the implementation of a carbon tax. The resolution addresses the negative impacts of instituting a carbon tax. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) against addingunnecessary bureaucratic barriers to the permitting process for domestic mining. Sen. Cruz introduced the Congressional Oversight of the Antiquities Act to reform the Antiquities Act of 1906 and require congressional approval for national monument designations. Sen. Cruz sent a letter calling on the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to extend the public comment period for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) financial assurance proposed rule. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation to amend the National Trails System Act and designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail without harming Texas and American energy development projects in the areas around Route 66. Sen. Cruz sent a bipartisan letter to the Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm raising concern about a proposed rule by the DOE to change efficiency standards on distribution transformers—critical electric grid components. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of the Treasury Janet Yellen condemning efforts by the Biden administration to use the U.S. tax code to penalize American energy production. Sen. Cruz introduced the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act, which would expedite the federal approval process for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) and increase free trade. Sen. Cruz introduced the Energy Freedom Act, in order to make America energy secure again by accelerating federal permitting for energy projects and pipelines, mandating new onshore and offshore oil and gas lease sales, approving pending liquified natural gas (LNG) export licenses, and generally speeding up solar, wind, and geothermal development. Sen. Cruz introduced the Black Vulture Relief Act, which would alleviate burdensome government regulations and allow farmers to protect their newborn livestock from black vultures without a depredation permit whenever their livestock is threatened. Backing Law Enforcement PASSED THE SENATE: Sen. Cruz sponsored a resolution commemorating the bicentennial of the Texas Ranger Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Sen. Cruz introduced the Back the Blue Act, which would increase penalties for criminals who target law enforcement officers and provide new tools for officers to protect themselves. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation that would protect the brave men and women of law enforcement by criminalizing fleeing from agents or officers in a high-speed chase. The bill is named in honor of Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, Jr., who died in the line of duty while pursuing a group of illegal aliens near Mission, Texas. Combating the Drug Crisis and Increasing Healthcare Access SIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz’s Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act is now law. It will direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to take steps to enhance understanding of the dangerous animal tranquilizer xylazine, or tranq and other novel synthetic drugs, develop new tests for detection, and establish partnerships with front-line entities that are often the first points of contact with new street drugs. Sen. Cruz introduced bipartisan legislation to address the online sale of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. Sen. Cruz introduced the Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act, to expand healthcare innovation and accessibility for Texans and all Americans by increasing access for all Americans to life-saving drugs, devices, and other medical therapies already approved in other trusted countries. Defending the Right to Life Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding answers about allegations that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was secretly surveilling recent meetings of the pro-life group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU). Sen. Cruz led the effort to demand answers from Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, about the reported harassment of a pro-life Catholic school group at the National Air and Space Museum. Sen. Cruz sent a bicameral letter to the National Archives and Records Administration acting archivist Debra Steidel Wall urging a prompt response regarding the treatment of several pro-life Americans at the National Archives Museum on January 20, 2023. Championing Our Military and Veterans SIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz authored the bipartisan, bicameral bill that renamed a Texas post office after Spc. Vanessa Guillén, a 20-year-old soldier of the United States Army stationed at Fort Hood Army Base who was murdered by another soldier on base. SIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz’s Changing Age-Determined Eligibility to Student Incentive Payments (CADETS) Act expanded the age of eligibility for the Student Incentive Payment Program at the Maritime Administration, granting financial assistance to cadets who attend one of six state maritime academies, including Texas A&M Maritime Academy, and who commit to a post-graduation service obligation. SIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz spearheaded a bipartisan amendment to the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)prohibiting the sale of Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) crude oil to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Sen. Cruz introduced an amendment to the FY24 NDAA that build on the NDAA of 2023, to support servicemembers who were wrongly discharged solely based on their COVID-19 vaccine status. Sen. Cruz introduced the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, bicameral, bipartisan legislation to ensure Coast Guardsmen are paid just like other military personnel in the event of a government shutdown. Sen. Cruz sent a bipartisan letter to the United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requesting answers on the backlog of veterans’ service record requests impacting their access to critical government benefits and services. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation that creates an opt-in for military families to establish Military Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to help fund their child’s education and expand access to personalized, high-quality educational experiences. SIGNED INTO LAW: Sen. Cruz introduced the Deterring Egregious State Infiltration of Schools’ Training (DESIST) Act, which would prohibit the Department of Defense from establishing or maintaining a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program at any private school operated or controlled by entities linked to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). This amendment was included in the FY24 NDAA. Advocating for Our Students Sen. Cruz introduced and fought for the immediate passage of his Securing Our Schools Act and the Protect Our Children’s Schools Act, which would improve school security and access to student mental health resources and allow schools to use unspent, previously appropriated federal COVID-19 education-related funding to improve school security. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging the Biden administration to address the growing rates of antisemitism in K-12 schools following Hamas’s war against Israel. Standing Up to America’s Enemies and Adversaries, While Standing with Her Allies PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz spearheaded the passage of his bipartisan legislation to rename the street outside of the Cuban embassy in Washington, D.C. as “Oswaldo Payá Way” after the Cuban dissident leader who was assassinated by Cuba’s communist regime. Sen. Cruz introduced the Protecting America from Spies Act, legislation that would make individuals who have committed acts of espionage or intellectual property theft against the United States ineligible for visas, as well as the family members of such individuals, for a period of five years. Standing with Israel Sen. Cruz sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on him to rescind discriminatory guidance issued by the State Department halting bilateral scientific and technological cooperation in certain Israeli-held territories. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Harvard University President Claudine Gay demanding that the university condemn the antisemitic statementsmade by student organizations on campus. Sen. Cruz introduced the Hamas Sanctions Act, the first piece of legislation to comprehensively target Hamas. The legislation wouldimpose sanctions on Hamas, its members and affiliates, and countries that provide funding and territory for Hamas operations. Countering the Iranian regime Sen. Cruz introduced the Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act, or SEVER Act, to block the Biden administrationfrom allowing Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other sanctioned individuals linked to the Iranian regime to enter the United States. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation to prohibit the Biden administration from waiving Congressional sanctions that prohibit cooperation on Iran’s nuclear program. Countering Communist China PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz gained unanimous support for his resolution calling for the release of wrongfully detained Texan Mark Swidan, who is imprisoned in China. Sen. Cruz introduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, to stop adversaries from acquiring land near military bases, and military areas, which puts our military and national security at risk. Sen. Cruz introduced the Stop Higher Education Espionage and Theft (SHEET) Act to counter Chinese espionage efforts in American universities. Supporting freedom and opposing oppression in Central and South America Sen. Cruz introduced a resolution supporting the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD), a multilateral initiative by American allies in Latin America including Panama, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden calling on his administration to reverse political concessions and increase pressure on the Maduro regime in Venezuela, after the administration eased economic pressure as part of a deal related to the Venezuelan elections in 2024. Sen. Cruz introduced the Corruption in Argentina Stymied by Enforcing Sanctions Act of 2023, or CASES Act, which would require the President to investigate five Argentinian officials for corruption, including Argentina’s Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Fighting to Secure the Southern Border Sen. Cruz introduced the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, which would allow local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and would pull taxpayer-funded grants going to sanctuary cities. Sen. Cruz introduced the FINISH IT Act, which would require the federal government to use previously purchased and unused border wall panels to extend the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border or to transfer them to state governments to be used for wall construction. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden urging the White House to reverse the administration’s decision to end Title 42. Sen. Cruz led Republican Senate colleagues on a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border to Brownsville, Texas on the eve of the end of Title 42 to meet with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Texas National Guard, and other law enforcement officials. Sen. Cruz introduced bicameral legislation to amend federal law and impose a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for any person who has multiple convictions, or a conviction for an aggravated felony, who enters the country illegally. Sen. Cruz traveled to Texas’ maritime border at South Padre Island to visit key Coast Guard stations and hear directly from the men and women of the Coast Guard about what resources they need to keep Texas’ maritime borders safe and secure. Sen. Cruz introduced the Schools Not Shelters Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support, to protect and prioritize students by prohibiting K-12 schools, colleges, and universities that receive federal funding from being used as shelters to house illegal aliens. Sen. Cruz introduced an amendment to add the Secure the Border Act to the continuing resolution to stop the Biden Border Crisis dead in its tracks and halt the invasion at our southern border. Sen. Cruz led Republican Senate colleagues on a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border to witness the impacts of the millions of illegal immigrants who have flooded through the southern border, the rising rates of drug smuggling, and the increasing national security threats due to President Biden’s open border policies. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas calling on the Biden administration to address a text message, discovered by El Paso Sector Intelligence, soliciting personal information of Border Patrol agents and their families. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas demanding that the Biden administration immediately address the influx of “special interest aliens” who have been arrested at the southern border. Leading Republican Legislative Initiatives as the Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce Committee PASSED THE U.S. SENATE: Sen. Cruz advanced legislation that would streamline the CHIPS permitting reform process, removing burdensome hurdles to achieving environmental reviews and permits. The amendment, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support in July, would provide regulatory certainty and accelerate the construction of semiconductor manufacturing plants. Sen. Cruz introduced the bipartisan, bicameral AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to require automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in vehicles. In Texas, over 88,000 jobs are tied to radio. Sen. Cruz introduced bipartisan legislation that passed the Commerce Committee to require all event ticket sellers to display the total ticket price—including all required fees—in any advertisement or marketing materials. Sen. Cruz led bipartisan efforts to stop three Biden administration nominees over lack of experience or radical policy positions. Sen. Cruz introduced legislation to limit children’s access to social media at school by requiring schools receiving federal broadband funding to prohibit access on subsidized services, devices, and networks. Sen. Cruz unveiled a discussion draft of legislation aimed at addressing major issues in college athletics that have wrought a patchwork of pending litigation, inconsistent state laws, and labor complaints. Sen. Cruz and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act, legislation that would block the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from banning gas stoves. Sen. Cruz and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, introduced the Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act, legislation that would require the FTC to create reasonable disclosure guidelines for products that have audio or visual recording components, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers and dishwashers that are not clearly obvious. This legislation passed the Commerce Committee. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) President and CEO Patricia de Stacy Harrison, expressing objections to a CPB mandate that radio and television stations must engage in affirmative action to qualify for grant funding. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Eventbrite President and CEO Julia Hartz requesting details regarding the firm’s seemingly inconsistent enforcement of community guidelines targeting conservatives, which has resulted in the removal of events featuring comments from Riley Gaines, while permitting feature speakers espousing allegiance to Hamas. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the U.S. Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and National Science Foundation (NSF) to turn over information regarding their role in helping facilitate the censorshipof Americans’ constitutionally protected speech online. Sen. Cruz led 27 of his colleagues in calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to rescind its draft order on “Digital Discrimination,” which would give the federal government control over nearly every aspect of the Internet while opening broadband providers to expansive, indeterminate, and crippling liability under a “disparate impact” standard. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey demanding answers regarding the company’s decision to delete references to a donation the company made to the Black Lives Matter Global Network. Sen. Cruz asked the National Science Foundation (NSF) to turn over information regarding its taxpayer-funded censorship, including doling out tens of millions of dollars in grants to universities building online censorship tools and developing “trauma support” therapy for journalists. Sen. Cruz led more than 100 other lawmakers in calling on Congressional leaders to include Sens. Cruz and Kelly’s amendment to streamline the CHIPS permitting reform process in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Sen. Cruz led a bicameral coalition of federal lawmakers calling on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to reverse its suspension of rules allowing liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail. Sen. Cruz led Commerce Committee Republican members in sending a letter to companies X, Meta, TikTok, and Google seeking information on their content moderation policies during the Israel-Hamas war, and asking the companies to commit to fully preserving a documentary history of Hamas’s atrocities. Sen. Cruz led a group of senators in urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to withdraw a proposed rule designating more than 28,270 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico, an area larger than West Virginia, as a “critical habitat” for the newly discovered Rice’s whale—a clear attempt to shut down oil and gas operations in the area over a single sighting of a whale in 2017. Sen. Cruz sent a letter pressing Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about the decision-making behind certain grants to the Amtrak NY-NJ Gateway Program and asked the Department of Transportation (DOT) to commit to giving fair consideration to the whole country for grants, rather than favoring the Northeast Corridor. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) demanding answers on whether the deployment of federal air marshals to assist along the southwest border is risking the safety of the flying public. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the newly sworn-in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner, Anna Gomez, urging her to oppose FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s plan to expand the E-rate program beyond school classrooms and libraries. The proposed expansion of funding, including to fund Wi-Fi hotspots on school buses, is not only unlawful (the statute only allows for connectivity spending for classrooms and libraries) but raises concerns about subsidizing children’s unsupervised internet access to social media sites like TikTok and Instagram on their bus rides to and from school. Sen. Cruz and House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today sent a letter to the law firm Sher Edling LLP demanding information related to the firm’s barrage of lawsuits targeting energy companies, and the role the acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ann Carlson, played in these lawsuits while serving as a professor at UCLA Law School. Sen. Cruz took to the Senate floor requesting unanimous consent to pass the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, bicameral, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). The Pay Our Coast Guard Act would ensure Coast Guardsmen are paid just like other military personnel in the event of a government shutdown. Sen. Cruz led all Committee Republicans in sending a letter to President Biden, blasting the administration for violating the Vacancies Act by allowing Ann Carlson, who was effectively rejected by the Senate to be administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to serve as acting head of the agency. Sen. Cruz joined Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on an amicus brief in a case concerning the Biden administration’s decision to alter the terms of “Lease Sale 261,” an oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico required by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Sen. Cruz released a fact-finding report on the single largest pot of federal money ever allocated for broadband—the $42.45 billion allocation for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan seeking answers regarding her plans to regulate artificial intelligence for “disinformation” and “bias.” The letter explains that the FTC’s review of large language models used to train AI, which comes without any explicit statutory congressional authorization, may also infringe on constitutionally-protected speech. Sen. Cruz sent letters to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan and the head of the European Union’s San Francisco office, demanding answers regarding the degree of coordination between the FTC and the EU to enforce the EU’s Digital Services Act (“DSA”) and Digital Markets Act (“DMA”) on U.S. soil. Sen. Cruz and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (D-W.Va), announced that they had secured a bipartisan amendment to prevent the Biden administration from banning gas stoves in households across America in the Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) funding bill. The amendment largely mirrors the bipartisan Gas Stoves Protection and Freedom Act that they had introduced together in February that would preclude CPSC from using federal funds to ban gas stoves or impose regulations that would substantially increase the costs of gas stoves to make them unaffordable for Americans. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Vice Admiral Joanna Nunan, the superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), demanding answers about the safety of cadets in light of disturbing remarks by the school’s sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR) director. Sen. Cruz and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a bipartisan letter to seven automakers that either removed or planned to remove broadcast AM radio in their current and future vehicle models, including electric vehicles, urging the automakers to make a commitment to keep AM radio in their vehicles. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan regarding the troubling drop in employee morale at the agency. Sen. Cruz led a coalition of Senate Republican committee ranking members in sounding the alarm over an attempt by the White House to hijack the rulemaking process to advance left-wing policy goals that have been rejected by Congress. Sen. Cruz published a 13-page memo to the beer industry’s self-regulatory body detailing how Bud Light’s sponsorship of Dylan Mulvaney violated industry standards that prohibit marketing to underage individuals. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to President Biden, urging him to immediately nominate a “serious and well-qualified person with substantial aviation experience” to serve as Federal Aviation Administration administrator. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg demanding answers about reporting from the Wall Street Journal describing how Instagram’s recommendation systems actively facilitated the production, purchase, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Sen. Cruz and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) opened an investigation into and called on the beer industry’s self-regulatory body—the Beer Institute—to investigate whether Anheuser-Busch’s partnership with influencer Dylan Mulvaney violates the Beer Institute’s guidelines prohibiting marketing to underage individuals. The letter outlines evidence showing that Dylan Mulvaney’s audience skews younger than the legal drinking age and that Mulvaney’s social media content appeals to young viewers. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission Acting Inspector General asking that she open an investigation into whether FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s unprecedented actions against the Standard General-TEGNA transaction, including the decision to have the FCC’s Media Bureau designate the transaction for an Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) hearing, were motivated by a biased desire to block the deal. Sen. Cruz and House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) sent bicameral letters to Consumer Reports, the Climate Imperative Foundation, and Stacey Abrams’ Rewiring America group. Sen. Cruz led his Senate Commerce Republican colleagues in sending a letter highlighting serious concerns regarding President Biden’s nominee to lead the National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA), Ann Carlson, and her past record of promoting green energy mandates for the automobile industry. Sen. Cruz and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) sent a bicameral letter to Mary Daly, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (“SF Fed”), regarding the SF Fed’s failure to properly ensure the safety and soundness of Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”) and to comply with congressional oversight requests about SVB’s collapse. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg requesting information related to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) long-running inability to address congestion and air traffic controller shortages in the New York region. Sen. Cruz and Republican committee members sent a letter expressing concern that President Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg are improperly favoring Northeastern states over the rest of the country with respect to Amtrak Board seats and a large taxpayer-funded rail grant program. Sen. Cruz sent letters to nine Big Tech firms seeking information about coordination with more than 40 government officials who were attempting to flag, censor, and investigate the content and accounts of Americans online. Sen. Cruz led a letter with more than a dozen Senate Republican colleagues to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urging the administration to strike a number of liberal social policy conditions that were attached to grants for domestic chip production. Few of the requirements on the $39 billion in money, such as requiring applicants to develop plans around mass transit use and affordable housing, were found in the CHIPS Act, a bill enacted last year meant to help re-shore semiconductor manufacturing. Sen. Cruz sent a series of letters to Biden regulators and left-wing environmental advocacy groups seeking information and preservation of documents regarding their role in the Biden administration’s recent efforts to ban gas stoves. Sen. Cruz and Rep. Jim Jordan opened a probe into the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation of Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover. Sen. Cruz called on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to rescind its costly, radical proposed rule to require government contractors to provide extensive information about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) seeking information about its lengthy delays in reaching decisions on applications for deepwater ports for exporting oil and natural gas. The letter also urged MARAD to meet its statutory deadlines to make decisions. Currently, four of the seven applications for licenses are for projects located off the coast of Texas. Sen. Cruz sent a letter to social media companies Meta, Google, Twitter, and TikTok launching an oversight investigation into these companies’ use of recommendation algorithms and their reported use of “blacklists,” “de-emphasizing,” and other means of “reduced distribution” of content from users, including many conservatives. Sen. Cruz, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sent a letter to the CEOs of DirectTV and its controlling shareholders, AT&T and TPG, voicing deep concerns about DirecTV’s decision to drop conservative news network Newsmax. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-johnson-announces-mobile-office-hours,Sen. Johnson Announces Mobile Office Hours,2023-12-29,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WI,Ron Johnson,J000293,www.ronjohnson.senate.gov,ronjohnson,https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) announced that his staff will be available for mobile office hours at the times and locations listed below. These office hours give constituents the opportunity to meet with Sen. Johnson’s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or other federal matters. Note: Staff-led mobile office hours are closed to press. Recording devices of any kind are not allowed. These restrictions are put in place for the privacy of our constituents. Milwaukee County Office Hours Tuesday, January 2 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Washington Park Senior Center 4420 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, WI 53208 ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-continues-working-to-ensure-usps-fixes-mail-and-newspaper-delivery-issues-in-north-dakota-receives-commitment-to-address-dickinson-delivery-issue-minot-box-repairs,"Hoeven Continues Working to Ensure USPS Fixes Mail & Newspaper Delivery Issues in North Dakota, Receives Commitment to Address Dickinson Delivery Issue, Minot Box Repairs",2023-12-28,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,hoeven,https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Hoeven Continues Working to Ensure USPS Fixes Mail & Newspaper Delivery Issues in North Dakota, Receives Commitment to Address Dickinson Delivery Issue, Minot Box Repairs Senator Calls on USPS Meet with Communities before Moving Forward with Processing Changes ***Click here for Hoeven’s letter to USPS. Click here and here for USPS’s responses to Hoeven.*** BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven continued his efforts to ensure that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is fixing mail and newspaper delivery issues in North Dakota, and again called on the Postal Service meet with communities in the state before moving forward with mail processing changes. “From receiving the local newspaper to refilling prescriptions, paying bills, and sending packages to family and friends during the holiday season, our residents rely on the essential services provided by USPS,” said Hoeven. “We continue working to ensure that USPS is fixing delivery issues and at the same time have reiterated our concerns with proposed changes to mail processing in the state. USPS must meet with the impacted communities to answer any questions or concerns North Dakotans may have about the proposed change before moving forward with any processing changes.” Hoeven has repeatedly raised concerns regarding delayed delivery of mail, packages and newspapers, as well as concerns about proposed changes to mail processing facilities, to USPS officials including, Director of Midwest Processing Operations Kathy Hand and Minnesota/North Dakota District Manager Angela Bye. In response to Hoeven, the USPS: Committed to ensure that local newspapers are not sent to Fargo for processing but rather remain within their respective communities for prompt delivery. Committed to address delivery issues, particularly with mail and local newspapers, that are concentrated in an area located in downtown Dickinson. Committed to repair all USPS-owned cluster box units (CBUs) in Minot, North Dakota no later than January 5. -###-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/weekly-column/the-christmas-spirit,The Christmas Spirit,2023-12-24,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! As we celebrate Christmas with our loved ones, we remember the true reason for the season: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the promise of a loving God who offered to us His only son. On Christmas Eve, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the idea of the Christmas Spirit. Many may think of the Christmas Spirit as baking cookies or decorating the Christmas tree. While this is true, the Christmas Spirit also manifests in how we treat one another. The true Christmas Spirit reflects the teachings of Jesus: love one another, share our gratitude for all of the good things in our lives and give back to those less fortunate. Showing kindness is the Christmas Spirit. Counting our blessings is the Christmas Spirit. Giving back in our communities is the Christmas Spirit. Thanking others is the Christmas Spirit. Helping our neighbors – strangers, too – is the Christmas Spirit. One of the blessings I’m giving thanks for this Christmas is the service of our brave men and women in uniform overseas. Our service members and their families sacrifice time together on Christmas so the rest of us can celebrate with our families in peace. We owe them a debt we can never truly repay. I’m looking forward to spending this evening the same as I do every Christmas Eve: hosting dinner at my home in Fort Pierre with around 100 of my family members, including my kids and grandkids. I hope that you are able to celebrate your traditions this Christmas with your family, friends and loved ones. Wishing you and your families a blessed Christmas and a joyful holiday season. It is an honor to work for you in the United States Senate. Thank you for all you to do make South Dakota the greatest place in the world to call home.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cruz-demands-answers-about-temporarily-shuttered-international-railway-crossings-in-texas-diverted-cbp-resources-to-process-illegal-aliens,"Cruz Demands Answers About Temporarily Shuttered International Railway Crossings in Texas, Diverted CBP Resources to Process Illegal Aliens",2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) sent a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, demanding answers about U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s decision to temporarily close two international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, and divert CBP resources to help process illegal aliens, who are unlawfully entering the U.S. in record numbers. Sen. Cruz asked for answers about who made these decisions, what led to the decisions, and how CBP plans to prevent this from happening again. Closing these international railway crossings delayed hundreds of thousands of tons of consumer and agriculture goods from traveling between the U.S. and Mexico. This is the second time since September that DHS has closed an international bridge in response to uncontrolled numbers of illegal aliens. In the letter, Sen. Cruz wrote,“…by shutting down legal border crossings to accommodate the surge of illegal aliens flooding the border at Eagle Pass, you have created a national security threat of the highest degree. You are also signaling to the world that the United States government—and certainly your Department—will put the interests of foreign citizens over the needs of American people and businesses. Furthermore, by ceding operational control of our southern border to criminal cartels that are ferrying terrorists, drugs, and dangerous criminals, you have effectively turned Border Patrol into a travel agency rather than a law enforcement organization. It goes without saying that this is an outrage and a total breakdown of law-and-order.” Read the full letter here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-continues-push-for-federal-re-approval-of-the-ambler-access-project,"Alaska Delegation Continues Push for Federal Re-Approval of the Ambler Access Project",2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=15,scraper,"Anchorage, Alaska— U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Representative Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska) today sent a letter to Secretary Deb Haaland expressing their disappointment and frustration with the Department of the Interior’s (Department) politicization and continued delay of the Ambler Access Project (AAP), which is needed to facilitate road access to the world-class Ambler Mining District in northwest Alaska. The delegation’s letter coincides with the closure of the public comment period for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the AAP, which was necessitated by the Department’s decision last year to seek a voluntary court remand of the permits issued to the project. Despite claiming its supplemental analysis would be complete this year, the Department is already months behind schedule. “Both Alaska and the nation need the jobs, revenues, and minerals that the AAP would facilitate access to. ANILCA mandates this project’s approval, and BLM’s extensive analysis indicates that it can be responsibly constructed with reasonable protections. Approving the AAP would deliver significant economic and security benefits for Alaska and the U.S. Rejecting the AAP, or approving it in a non-viable manner, would cost us those benefits, prolong our deep dependence on foreign minerals, and magnify the vulnerabilities and atrocities associated with it.” In their letter, the delegation explained how Congress intended the AAP to receive expeditious approval: “Instead of lifting [Public Land Orders], however, BLM has left them in place. Instead of the one- to two-year process envisioned and required by ANILCA, the AAP is now in its eighth year of federal permitting. Instead of the analysis prescribed by ANILCA, BLM remains involved and is now voluntarily in the midst of an SEIS. Further, despite your testimony earlier this year…assuring Congress that the SEIS was on track, and the schedule the Interior Department provided to the courts when seeking a voluntary remand, BLM has failed to keep the schedule and has fallen months behind, making it impossible to complete this process by the end of calendar year 2023.” The delegation criticized the 1,283-page draft SEIS for exceeding the scope of the court’s remand. Despite telling the court that the agency would primarily focus on two specific considerations, BLM has reopened nearly its entire analysis, seeking to magnify the potential environmental impacts of the project while minimizing discussion of its economic benefits. “We urge BLM to recognize the AAP, which has not yet been constructed, is clearly not responsible for existing fish and wildlife declines. The AAP’s proponents have committed to robust mitigation measures that will help avoid impacts to local resources, and the draft SEIS must recognize that restricted-use haul roads in Alaska can and historically have been carefully constructed and operated to protect the surrounding environment.” The delegation next pointed to the urgent need for domestic sources of the minerals within the Ambler Mining District, which include copper, cobalt, gallium, and germanium. Projects to develop those minerals will be subject to a separate permitting process, but none will be able to proceed without a private haul road to transport ore to the Dalton Highway. “While the U.S. has no apparent strategy to ensure a stable domestic supply of these commodities, the Ambler District conveniently contains deposits with all four of them. The Department should thus regard the AAP as strategic infrastructure that can be safely built while simultaneously boosting Alaska’s economy, strengthening our national security, and preventing the energy transition from being abruptly derailed.” The delegation also knocked BLM for the broader impacts of its interminable permitting process. “When this administration took office in January 2021, the AAP was fully approved, a right-of-way grant had been issued to the project proponent, and regional stakeholders were able to engage in negotiations on a specific, well-defined project. Three years later, BLM’s permitting process is having a deleterious impact on Alaskans’ ability to understand what this project is, where and how it will be constructed, how it will functionally be operated, and how the environment will be protected through mitigation measures and related protocols.” The delegation closed its letter by urging BLM to approve a new Record of Decision (ROD) for the AAP in the second quarter of 2024, to select Alternative A as its preferred alternative, and to ensure the project is approved in an economically viable manner. The delegation’s letter is available here. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980 guarantees a right-of-way (ROW) across federal lands to provide access to the Ambler Mining District. Federal permitting for the AAP began in 2015 and included a rigorous environmental review and environmental and economic analysis (EEA). After holding 18 public meetings and considering over 3,000 unique public comments, in July 2020, the Secretaries of the Interior and Transportation signed a ROD selecting the Northern Alignment as the approved route for the road. That same month, after holding 21 public meetings and reviewing over 21,000 public comments, BLM and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) signed a joint ROD choosing Alternative A as the preferred alternative; subsequently BLM and National Park Service issued a 50-year ROW permit for the AAP. In February 2022, DOI sought a voluntary court remand to conduct an SEIS for the AAP. President Biden held a roundtable on “Securing Critical Minerals for a Future Made in America” on the very same day—failing to recognize that the Ambler Mining District is one of the nation’s best options to produce them, but foreshadowing his administration’s incoherence on this issue. The court agreed to DOI’s remand request in May 2022, but placed conditions on it to ensure it would move forward expeditiously. In June 2023, Secretary Haaland testified to Congress that permitting would be completed by the end of the year, but just days later, the administration filed a court brief announcing a delay for a new ROD until mid-2024. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-welcomes-closure-of-loophole-in-russia-seafood-ban,Murkowski Welcomes Closure of Loophole in Russia Seafood Ban,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=15,scraper,"Anchorage, Alaska – Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today released the following statement after President Joe Biden signed a new Executive Order, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury released new guidance and determinations, clarifying and affirming the U.S. prohibition on Russian-origin seafood imports regardless of where processing occurs. “In the midst of a truly difficult time for Alaska’s fishermen, these are stabilizing steps that will help end Russia’s evasion of sanctions and China’s dumping of overharvested Russian fish onto American markets. That, in turn, will help seafood prices recover, restore balance and basic fairness to markets, and cut off a key source of funding for Putin’s catastrophic war in Ukraine, all at the same time,” Murkowski said. “I want to commend the relentless and dogged advocacy of Senator Dan Sullivan and other Alaskans who have led on this charge to protect Alaska’s fishing industry, and thank the Biden administration for coming around and seeing the wisdom in addressing Russia’s malign behavior.” Russia has maintained a one-sided ban on U.S. seafood imports since 2014. Following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia began to flood the international market with underpriced seafood to help fund its bloody war against an innocent nation. In response, President Biden issued Executive Order 14068 in March 2022, blocking the import of Russia seafood. Russia, however, has largely bypassed those sanctions by reprocessing its seafood harvest in China, making it a product of China for the purposes of U.S. country-of-origin labeling. China then exports those stocks to the United States, undermining the sanctions regime, domestic markets, and the hardworking Alaskan fishermen who sustainably harvest seafood. The Executive Order signed today amends EO 14068 to clarify that Russian-origin seafood import are banned even when that seafood is processed in another country. The Executive Order can be read here. More information about Treasury’s guidance and determinations is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-releases-2023-festivus-report-on-government-waste/,Dr. Rand Paul Releases 2023 ‘Festivus’ Report on Government Waste,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Rand Paul,P000603,www.paul.senate.gov,paul,https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/,scraper,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2023 Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343 Dr. Rand Paul Releases 2023 ‘Festivus’ Report on Government Waste WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released his 2023 “Festivus” Report, totaling ~$900,000,000,000 in government waste. This marks Dr. Paul’s ninth edition of the Festivus Report as he continues working to alert the American people to how their federal government uses their hard-earned money. Some of the highlights include the National Institutes of Health spending a portion of a $2.7 million grant to study Russian cats walking on a treadmill and Barbies used as proof of ID for receiving COVID Paycheck Protection Program funds. The Department of Defense ruined over $169 million worth of military equipment by leaving it outside, the United States Agency for International Development spent $6 million to promote tourism in Egypt, and the Small Business Administration gave ‘struggling’ music artists like Post Malone, Chris Brown, and Lil Wayne over $200 million. You can find Dr. Paul’s 2023 Festivus Report HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-johnson-for-the-washington-examiner-rushed-secret-negotiations-are-not-the-way-to-address-the-border-crisis,"Sen. Johnson for the Washington Examiner: Rushed, Secret Negotiations are Not the Way to Address the Border Crisis",2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WI,Ron Johnson,J000293,www.ronjohnson.senate.gov,ronjohnson,https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – On Thursday, the Washington Examiner published an op-ed written by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), where he emphasized that rushed and secret backroom negotiations by Senate leadership with President Biden are not the way to address the Democrat-caused crisis at the southern border. The senator stated that this effort should be about actually securing the border — not broader immigration reform. The full op-ed can be found here and excerpts are below. “Over the weekend, I joined 14 Republican Senate colleagues in releasing a letter calling for a meeting of the Senate Republican Conference to discuss the negotiations with the White House and Senate Democrats regarding securing our border. The letter appears to have succeeded in letting Senate leadership know that a large group of senators does not want to be jammed with legislation addressing the catastrophe at our border without a thorough review by us and the public. … “The crisis at the southwest border is unlike anything we’ve experienced in history. The massive flood of illegal migration is an order of magnitude larger than the ‘humanitarian crisis’ former President Barack Obama sparked when he abused prosecutorial discretion and granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in 2012. In 2019, Obama’s Homeland Security Secretary, Jeh Johnson, stated that 1,000 apprehensions per day ‘overwhelm[ed] the system.’ We recently experienced more than 14,000 encounters in a single day, and it has become common for encounters to exceed 10,000 per day. … “Unfortunately, Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress want an open border. Biden came into office with the border largely secured and then immediately reversed all the policies that had successfully stemmed the flow of illegal immigrants. The fact that Biden and congressional Democrats are the root cause of the crisis is a major problem in conducting good-faith negotiations with them. “Indeed, because Biden has not faithfully executed existing law, repeatedly lied to the public, ignored and violated Supreme Court rulings, and failed to engage in meaningful negotiations on securing the border until only recently, it is impossible for Republicans to trust him to comply with whatever he agrees to. That’s a real challenge for Republican negotiators. … “Moreover, conducting rushed and secret backroom negotiations is not the way to address the unprecedented border crisis. That’s the kind of business as usual process Washington leadership has relied upon to mortgage our children’s future and weaken our country. Whatever negotiators produce will need to be fully vetted, discussed, and understood — by members and the general public. That will take weeks, not hours or days. … “But this effort should be about securing the border — not broader immigration reform. Addressing DACA recipients is politically impossible until the border is secure, and now, with Biden expanding the population of undocumented immigrants by more than 6 million people, he has made the problem significantly worse. “The essential ingredient will be how to enforce any agreement reached. I have suggested making Ukraine funding contingent on benchmarks being met on a monthly basis. I am open to other foolproof enforcement ideas, but negotiators must realize enforcement is the key to any agreement that can pass the House and Senate.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-2023-year-in-review/,Senator Scott 2023 Year in Review,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) released his 2023 year in review, highlighting his work on behalf of the people of South Carolina and efforts to advance his Opportunity Agenda across the country. This year, Senator Scott introduced 24 bills, 4 resolutions and 10 amendments. 8 pieces of his legislation were partially or fully enacted this year. South Carolina The Senator and his team assisted 7,320 South Carolinians with casework requests, an 80% increase compared to 2022. Strengthening a direct line of communication with constituents remained a priority for the Senator and allowed him to send over 82,000 letters to South Carolinians in 2023. Through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, the Senator championed several legislative accomplishments for South Carolina, such as: $66 million in funding to complete new barracks at Fort Jackson; $20 million in funding for the Aiken County National Guard Readiness Center; $4.37 million in funding to complete the National Guard Readiness Center at Joint Base Charleston; $7.9 million in funding for an automated multipurpose machine gun range at the McCrady Training Center in Columbia, South Carolina; and $2.7 billion in funding to support the Savannah River Site, including $1 billion for plutonium modernization activities and $1.6 billion for operations and maintenance. American Energy Reaffirming his commitment to American energy dominance and independence, Senator Scott championed the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) from China Act, which would strengthen our energy security by prohibiting the sale of American crude oil from the SPR to any company under Chinese Communist Party (CCP) control and bar the exportation of SPR crude oil to China. Senator Scott also championed the Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe (ESCAPE) Act to weaken Russia’s ability to influence our European allies by promoting energy independence. Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Senator Scott took over as the top Republican on the powerful Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in January. As the Ranking Member, he has focused on commonsense policies to create economic opportunity and grow communities across the country, including those that are often left behind. Throughout the year, Ranking Member Scott introduced 11 pieces of legislation and legislative frameworks as the Republican leader of the committee. As the son of a single mother, Ranking Member Scott grew up living with family until they could afford to rent a place of their own and wasn’t able to experience the value of homeownership until later in life. That’s why he’s so dedicated to enhancing policies and programs that help improve housing affordability for Americans— making the American Dream a reality. Ranking Member Scott released the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act, his comprehensive legislative solution to lift families up by taking a holistic view of federal housing policy and making long-needed reforms across all segments of the U.S. housing market. The Biden administration and its regulators have worked overtime to push a progressive policy agenda and regulate every aspect of American life. Agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have issued rules and proposals at a record pace and the federal banking agencies have waded into climate initiatives and other progressive priorities outside its mandate. Throughout the year, Ranking Member Scott has executed principled oversight of the Biden administration’s burdensome regulatory agenda and demanded transparency and fact-based analyses for their proposed rules and regulations. To see a full list of Senator Scott’s accomplishments during his first year as the Republican leader of the Senate Banking Committee, click here. Education Senator Scott has strived to create pathways to give all Americans a quality education. To that end, he hosted the largest ever National School Choice Week Student Rally at the U.S. Capitol, which was attended by more than 300 students from 10 D.C.-area public charter and private schools. As the co-chair of the bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, Senator Scott hosted the 7th Annual HBCU Fly-In to celebrate the historic accomplishments of HBCUs, highlight their immense contributions to the American economy and workforce and discuss ways to strengthen them for years to come. This was the largest HBCU Fly-In to date. With education as a central focus of his Opportunity Agenda, the Senator led two bipartisan Senate resolutions – National Charter School Week and National School Choice Week – both of which unanimously passed, raising attention to critical education issues and priorities. In an effort to protect parental rights and ensure parents remain the lead decision makers in their child’s life, Senator Scott secured House passage of his Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of Their (PROTECT) Kids Act. Far too often, parents are pushed out of their child’s education—and kids are paying the price. Health Care Senator Scott championed 12 pieces of legislation aimed at making American health care more consumer friendly and market-driven. His Initiating Meaningful Patient Review Of Various Existing (IMPROVE) Part D Regulations Act, which ensures the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) listen to the patients who rely on Medicare Part D and make improvements based on their feedback, passed committee. Also passing committee this year was the Senator’s Occupational Therapy Mental Health Parity Act, which ensures occupational therapists can provide care to those suffering with substance abuse and mental health disorders. When the Biden administration pushed radical far-left priorities, Senator Scott back on harmful health care policies to South Carolinians and opposed two radical health care nominees. When Washington bureaucrats threatened American seniors’ coverage access and choices, Senator Scott co-led a bipartisan group of 61 Senators in calling for the protection of Medicare Advantage for the nearly 30 million older adults and individuals with disabilities enrolled in the program. The Senator also worked with Republicans on the Senate Committee on Finance to help prevent drastic cuts proposed by the Biden administration to the Medicare Advantage program. As in everything he does, Senator Scott was focused on ensuring Washington bureaucrats work on behalf of the hardworking American people. In addition to formally launching another investigation into government waste, Senator Scott received a report from an investigation he previously initiated detailing deficiencies within Medicaid’s Recovery Audit Contractor Program—a program created to identify and correct government overpayments and underpayments. Restoring Law & Order Over the course of this year, South Carolinians and Americans alike have witnessed a spike in crime and an increase of illegal border crossings. In an effort to restore law and order, the Senator has supported legislation to tackle immigration, bolster police funding, prevent federal government overreach and combat human trafficking. The Senator introduced the Alan T. Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act and Secure the Border Act of 2023, and supported the Back the Blue Act of 2023, Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act of 2023, Combatting Violent and Dangerous Crime Act, Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, Keep Our Border Agents Paid Act, Securing Our Border Act and Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act. To combat the rising fentanyl crisis in America, Senator Scott, in his capacity as Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, wrote and introduced the FEND Off Fentanyl Act. This bill targets every part of the illicit fentanyl supply chain – from the chemical suppliers in China to the manufacturers in Mexico and the cartels who smuggle the deadly drug across our border – and aims to choke off the income source of synthetic opioid traffickers and stop the flow of deadly fentanyl into the United States. The FEND Off Fentanyl Act was unanimously voted out of the Senate Banking Committee and earned 66 Senate cosponsors. It was included in the Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). National Security & Foreign Affairs This year, Senator Scott joined the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which he serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy. Throughout the year, the Senator championed policies to strengthen U.S. national security, support our allies and push back on our adversaries. After Iranian-proxy Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, Senator Scott stood by our greatest ally in the Middle East, and, in his capacity as Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Revoke Iranian Funding Act, a bill to permanently freeze the $6 billion released by the Biden administration to Iran and direct the Treasury Secretary to provide an accounting of all high-value Iranian assets around the world that are currently blocked by U.S. sanctions. To prevent Iran from funding further attacks on the U.S. and our allies, Senator Scott also pushed for passage of his Solidify Iran Sanctions Act to extend sanctions on funding for Iran’s energy and weapons sectors and curtail the regime’s ability to develop its nuclear program and finance destabilizing activities. Before and after the October 7 attack, the Senator led dozens of his Republican colleagues in holding the administration to account for its dangerous Iran polices. Additionally, to prevent U.S. tax dollars from winding up in the hands of Hamas and combat potential malign influence at our foreign policy institutions, Senator Scott helped author the Stop Support for Hamas Act and the State Department Security Notification Act, a portion of which was signed into law in the FY24 NDAA.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-joins-resolution-to-condemn-iranian-military-proxy-attacks-on-u-s-troops/,Senator Scott Joins Resolution to Condemn Iranian Military Proxy Attacks on U.S. Troops,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and 10 of their bipartisan colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning the increasing attacks by Iranian military proxies against U.S. armed forces in Iraq and Syria and emphasizing the urgency of responding to and deterring such attacks. “We cannot stay silent while American troops and our allies are under attack from Iranian-backed terrorists,” said Senator Scott. “Without a clear and cohesive strategy to counter Iranian aggression, the Biden administration continues to place American service members and our Israeli allies at risk. Substantive action is needed to deter Iran and its proxies.” “Attacks on American troops are reprehensible, and Iranian support for these attacks has rightfully earned a swift and forceful response from the Biden administration,” said Senator Coons. “I join Senator Cruz in introducing this resolution to condemn these attacks, increase pressure on Iran to cease its support for violent militia groups, and support efforts to deter Iranian-backed militia attacks on U.S. troops and the international community. I also commend the resiliency and bravery of American service members across the Middle East and hope this resolution makes clear Congress’ support for U.S. Central Command’s mission of countering terrorism and maintaining stability across the region.” “The Iranian regime is attacking Americans, our allies, and our interests across the Middle East,” said Senator Cruz. “They are not only launching attacks and massacres against our Israeli and Arab allies, but their Houthi proxies are now trying to shut down freedom of navigation that is vital to the American and global economies. It is clear that they are not deterred, and it is long past time for the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to deter and counter these activities. Enough is enough.” BACKGROUND American troops in the region have been targeted by Iranian proxies more than 115 times since mid-October, in the wake of the terror attacks committed by Hamas against Israel. Iran provides financing, training and other support to militia groups throughout the region, including the Houthi rebels in Yemen. In addition to targeting U.S. troops and infrastructure, attacks by Iran-backed militias have forced global shipping companies to stop using the Red Sea as a travel route, slowing down critical supply chains throughout the region. Senators Scott, Coons and Cruz were joined in introducing the resolution by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.). The text of the full resolution is available here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/senator-scott-rips-chicago-mayor-education-board-president-for-anti-school-choice-resolution/,"Senator Scott Rips Chicago Mayor, Education Board President for Anti-School Choice Resolution",2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"Chicago Mayor Previously Promised Not to Close Selective Enrollment Schools WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, slammed Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Board of Education President Jianan Shi for the city’s recently passed resolution that could eliminate school choice for Chicago families, strip minority and low-income students of their preferred high schools and widen the achievement gap. “On December 14th, 2023, the Chicago Board of Education approved a teachers’ union-backed resolution that seeks to eliminate selective enrollment in Chicago Public Schools in the name of promoting ‘equity’. If enacted, this plan would be devastating to the thousands of students and families who currently benefit from attending a school of their choice. Chicago’s 11 selective-enrollment high schools, which emphasize academic rigor, achievement, and excellence, enroll nearly 10,000 Black and Hispanic students. Over 7,500 of students enrolled in these schools are low-income,” Senator Scott wrote. “These schools are not just the best in Chicago – they’re some of the highest performing in the entire country. They have been a lifeline for children from low-income and minority backgrounds whose families are desperate to provide them the best education possible amidst a landscape of failing assigned schools in Chicago.” As a candidate for mayor, Johnson promised not to close the city’s selective enrollment schools. If enacted, this plan will break that promise and result in thousands of low-income students being trapped in failing schools. Read the full letter here and below: Dear Mr. Shi and Mayor Johnson: I write to express strong condemnation of the Chicago Board of Education’s recently passed resolution that could eliminate school choice for Chicago families, strip minority and low-income students of their preferred education options, and widen the achievement gap. As Chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, I believe that every parent in the country has the right to choose the best school for their child, regardless of their zip code, and I urge you to preserve these critical options for families in Chicago. On December 14th, 2023, the Chicago Board of Education approved a teachers’ union-backed resolution that seeks to eliminate selective enrollment in Chicago Public Schools in the name of promoting “equity”. If enacted, this plan would be devastating to the thousands of students and families who currently benefit from attending a school of their choice. Chicago’s 11 selective-enrollment high schools, which emphasize academic rigor, achievement, and excellence, enroll nearly 10,000 Black and Hispanic students. Over 7,500 of students enrolled in these schools are low-income[1]. These schools are not just the best in Chicago – they’re some of the highest performing in the entire country. They have been a lifeline for children from low-income and minority backgrounds whose families are desperate to provide them the best education possible amidst a landscape of failing assigned schools in Chicago. For example, Walter Payton College Prep, one of the schools that could be effectively dismantled by this plan, is ranked in the top 10 high schools in the United States. 96 percent of its students are proficient in math, compared to 11 percent in the district, and 95 percent of students are proficient in reading, compared to 14 percent in the district[2]. It also serves a minority population of nearly 59 percent, doing incredible work to reduce the achievement gap in Chicago. Across the board, data clearly shows that students at selective-enrollment high schools reach academic proficiency at substantially higher rates than CPS students districtwide. Schools like this are providing life changing opportunities for students, and families are clearly crying out for more choice—not less. Six years ago, when Chicago Public Schools set up a new application system that allowed eighth graders to apply for a high school of their choice, rather than enrolling in their assigned neighborhood school, parents jumped at the chance to give their child better options. Since then, a stunning 76 percent of Chicago high school students have chosen to attend a school other than the one assigned to them[3]. Even then-candidate Brandon Johnson recognized the demand for and success of selective enrollment schools, promising not to get rid of them when his name was on the ballot. Now, having secured office on that promise, he’s turning his back on the families who rely on these schools and shutting out the students utilizing them to better their future. Chicago’s leaders should be looking for ways to increase school choice options for families who want them, rather than cutting them off. As Chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, I believe supporting both neighborhood schools and schools of choice is not an either/or proposition. I am gravely concerned that this plan will strip away public school choice for families, destroy one of the city’s best ways of helping minority and low-income children succeed, and force children into failing public schools that do not work for them. As you work to finalize this plan over the next several months, I urge you to preserve these crucial school choice options. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-recognizes-miller-family-and-santa-claus-house-as-alaskans-of-the-week,Sullivan Recognizes Miller Family and Santa Claus House as “Alaskans of the Week”,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16,scraper,"ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) recognized the Miller Family, longtime owners and operators of the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska, on the Senate floor. The Santa Claus House, opened by Con and Nellie Miller more than 70 years ago, is a staple for tourism in Interior Alaska, and attracts thousands of guests every year from across the world to experience the magic of Christmas in the real North Pole. For decades, the Miller family has brought Christmas cheer all year round—all while getting involved in and giving back to the community. The Miller family and Santa Claus House were recognized as part of Sen. Sullivan’s series, “Alaskan of the Week.” Tribute to the Miller Family Madam President, I am going to end my remarks today on a high note and a very important one. It is Wednesday. I like to come down and do what we call the “Alaskan of the Week.” I can see the pages are already kind of excited, right, because, let's face it, this is the most exciting speech of the week and certainly the most interesting. So what I like to do is come down--by the way, I know the press generally likes it because it is normally a signal that it is the end of the week. Everybody is going home. This is usually the last speech of the week. I think this might be the last speech of the year this year. What we do with the Alaskan of the Week, we talk a little bit about what is going on in Alaska--I will get to that--and then I like to highlight someone who is doing something great for my State. It might be, you know, someone local. Our first Alaskan of the Week, I think, was a librarian who had been a librarian for 40 years--amazing woman--and then we have superstar world athletes, gold medalists in swimming, and things like that. So we just cover the whole gamut. Now, usually there is a poster board. I made this a very special Alaskan of the Week poster board. This might be the first time ever it has got Santa on it, and you are going to see why--a Santa-oriented speech. So, of course, right now, I am getting ready to head home in a couple of hours. I was just home over the weekend. There are no worries in Alaska right now about a white Christmas. Anchorage, my hometown, I think we have had close to 100 inches of snow already. Look, for us, that is a lot. I am talking about November, right. So we have a white Christmas coming, for sure. It is magical, of course, in Alaska. We have got reindeer. We have got one that actually lives in downtown Anchorage. We have visitors coming. We have got a great town called North Pole, AK--North Pole, AK--and we have the Santa Claus House in North Pole, where Santa lives. By the way, this is true. This is what my Alaskan of the Week speech is all about. If you write a letter to Santa addressed to the North Pole, your letter will end up at the Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK. Why wouldn't it? By the way, this house is not to be confused with the abode of a North Pole city council member. North Pole, AK, is a city a little bit north of Fairbanks. This city council member, by the way, his name is Santa Claus. His legal name is Santa Claus. He is a member of the city council. I know him well. Look, I am not ripping him. He is a Bernie Sanders Socialist, true. Now, why wouldn't he be? You know, the guy gives out free gifts to everybody. That is true. He is a good guy. So, Santa, if you are watching, hello--Santa Claus, city council member, North Pole. But in all seriousness, Interior Alaska--this is in the interior part of our State--has the greatest, most kind people and generous. And in keeping with the spirit of Christmas, our Alaskan of the Week is the Miller family who is the owner of Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK, which has been a fixture in our State--and really for the country--for over 70 years--70 years. The Miller family founded Santa Claus House and has been running it for 70 years, making North Pole, AK, literally what it is today. They built the whole community. Let me help you get into the holiday spirit by describing just how magical the Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK, really is. If you drive down Saint Nicholas Drive--I am not kidding--by St. Nicholas Catholic Church, by the way, you will see a huge house lined with red trim and murals of a reindeer and Santa's sleigh. Just outside is a barn with a real reindeer, a massive, decked-out Christmas tree, and a 42-foot-tall Santa Claus statue welcoming you to Santa's workshop. The magic does not end there. Inside the house, you are greeted by a Christmas tree decorated with every ornament you can imagine, a live countdown to Christmas Day--of course. Why wouldn't there be one every day of the year--and a professional Santa Claus ready to hear every Christmas wish from the thousands of visitors--and I am not just talking Alaskans but Americans, people from all over the world who visit Santa Claus House in North Pole, AK, every year. And you are also likely to meet and see several members of the extended Miller family working to make the Santa Claus House the winter wonderland it is. They have been doing it for four generations, keeping the spirit of Christmas alive. Let me take you back four generations to the original founder of Santa Claus House. That is Con and Nellie Miller. Born in 1913, Con and his mother just didn't see eye to eye. They decided that it was best that he join the Navy. He joined when he was 15--a little young. This is just in the great Alaska spirit. You know, I have talked about it a lot over the years. We have more veterans per capita than any State in the country, so being in the military and a veteran is very normal in Alaska. It is a great part of our culture. This young guy Con left Colorado and spent 3 years in the Navy, starting at the age of 15. How he got in, I have no idea. He was on a gun boat in China. Then he got out. Then Pearl Harbor happened. And of course he is a patriot so he rejoined the Navy. He fought in the South Pacific during the Second World War--so a great American, “greatest generation” individual, Con Miller. After the war ended, Con and his wife Nellie ended up in Fairbanks with the goal of running a clothing store. To supplement their income, Con sold clothes in the surrounding rural villages, often donning a red Santa suit each Christmas. He quickly earned celebrity status as the local Santa Claus in Interior Alaska--the first that many children had ever seen--ever--in rural Alaska. In 1952, the Millers built a trading post 13 miles south of Fairbanks in the newly named North Pole, AK. So just a little south of Fairbanks, the big city in the interior. One day, while working hard at his new store, a young Alaskan boy recognized Con and asked: Well, hello, Santa. Are you building a new house? The inspiration clicked, and Con thought, Hey, why not? Let's do this. And so the Santa Claus House was born. In addition to purchasing groceries, locals could mingle at the soda fountain and pick up their daily mail at the Santa Claus House under the direction of the post mistress, Nellie Miller--Con's, a.k.a. Santa's, wife. It was a mail contract station that served North Pole's first post office for almost 20 years. So there you have it, North Pole, AK, became a post office for America. The Miller family lived above the store and was essential to its operation. All three kids: Terry, Mike, and Merry--yes, Merry Christmas, spelled M-E-R-R-Y, not M-A-R-Y--worked alongside their parents. Despite their insight behind the scenes as employees, current owner and manager Mike said they believed in Santa as much as anyone else. Of course, they did. Everybody believes in Santa. As North Pole grew--it is growing; it is a great community, like I said, just a few miles outside of Fairbanks--the Santa Claus House grew with it. Inside the store's emphasis on Christmas delights slowly replaced the aisles of canned goods. Meanwhile, the Miller family established themselves as pillars of the North Pole community--not only North Pole but all of Interior Alaska. Con Miller served as the mayor of North Pole for 19 years--the city's longest serving mayor-while Nellie Miller acted as a marriage commissioner for the community. Back then, that was a real job, a marriage commissioner. Eventually, both of their sons, Terry and Mike, also found politics. The late Terry Miller was a State legislator. He was president of the State senate and was elected to be our Lieutenant Governor in 1978. Mike, who was helping around the Santa Claus House, also served in the legislature as senate president from 1983 to 2001. This is a dominating political family in Alaska, two State senate presidents. I knew the Millers. They are a great, great family. Both Miller brothers, very highly respected across the aisle. This is, and was, and has been a great family committed to public service. Begun over 70 years ago by Con and Nellie Miller, the Santa Claus House continues as following generations of Millers keep up that Christmas spirit and keep it thriving in North Pole, AK. It is still a family-run business. Mike Miller is looking forward to the next generation continuing to run the family business with his daughter Carissa and son-in-law Paul and staffed by several grandchildren. Isn't this just a wonderful story? It really warms your heart as we head into the holiday season. We all know Santa's job is a hard one, and it is also no small job running the Santa Claus House for the world. In addition to the family, there are between 40 and 60 employees year-round working there. Besides being a delightful tourist attraction worldwide, the Santa Claus House understands the true meaning of Christmas and uses its name recognition for good works in the community, organizing food drives for the Fairbanks Food Bank that is used throughout Interior Alaska and many other charities. Mike said: I think we have really worked hard to bring the spirit of Santa to our community, “the spirit of giving and family and caring about one another. I hope we have done a small slice [in this service] of helping people to realize that Christmas is about caring about one another, giving, and [about] being good neighbors.'' That is Mike Miller. They have done that in a huge way. They have done more than give a small slice. For the past 70 years, they have given their all toward spreading the magic, the wonder, and the joy of Christmas to Alaskans, to Americans, to people all over the world. So thank you to the Miller family and to the incredible institution of the Santa Claus House in North Pole for making our State a more jolly place, a more generous place, a more caring place, and for keeping the spirit of Christmas alive--not just now during the holidays but year-round in the great State of Alaska. And, of course, to the Millers and Santa Claus House, congratulations on being our Alaskan of the Week. I yield the floor. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/us-treasury-finally-takes-action-on-russian-seafood-imports-following-2-year-sullivan-led-campaign,U.S. Treasury Finally Takes Action on Russian Seafood Imports Following 2-Year Sullivan-Led Campaign,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16,scraper,"Determination Advances Reciprocity in U.S.-Russian Seafood Trading Relationship ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today lauded a new Executive Order and resulting U.S. Department of the Treasury determination that will finally revise current guidance that has allowed all Russian-origin seafood to bypass an earlier Executive Order banning its import into the United States. The new determination states that the current prohibition on Russian imports applies to salmon, pollock, cod and crab products harvested in waters under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation or by Russian-flagged vessels outside of Russian waters, even if this seafood has later been reprocessed and substantially transformed in another country, most frequently in Communist China and sometimes using slave labor. For nearly two years, Sen. Sullivan has been tirelessly advocating for the Treasury Department and other federal agencies to expand the current prohibition of Russian seafood into the U.S. market in dozens of meetings, advocacy and engagement with senior Biden administration officials and his congressional colleagues, and through legislation he’s authored and championed in the Senate. “Russia’s decade-long ban on nearly all American-produced seafood products has created a completely unfair, one-sided trade relationship that has significantly hurt Alaska fishermen. In spite of an Executive Order issued in March of 2022 that I strongly advocated for that sought to level the playing field and correct this injustice, Russia and Communist China—which have some of the worst labor and environmental standards in the world—have aggressively exploited a gaping loophole that has given hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Russian seafood continued access to the U.S. market,” said Sen. Sullivan. “This unfair arrangement was wrong on so many levels: Not only did it drive down seafood prices and hurt hardworking American fishermen, especially in Alaska, it has also provided substantial revenue to support Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and has bolstered human rights abuses in China. Additionally, Russian and Chinese fisheries have some of the worst environmental standards for the sustainability of our oceans and fishing stocks in the world, while we have the highest. “I’ve relentlessly pressed this issue with senior members of the Biden administration, expressing my frustration—and the frustration of Alaskans—that our own government has allowed this damaging injustice to go on for far too long. The administration has finally listened and taken action on this ridiculously unfair notion that ‘reprocessed’ Russian fish, pumped with chemicals in China, could be classified as the product of another country and still sold on the U.S. market almost duty-free. Our advocacy and unyielding determination have finally paid off, delivering a blow to the authoritarian regimes in Russia and China, and their fishing industries, which dramatically undermine the health of our oceans and promote human rights abuses. Most importantly, this is a long overdue win for Alaskan and American fishermen, for sustainable and environmentally-sound fisheries, and for the numerous coastal communities in Alaska that they support.” Background In March 2022, in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and at the strong urging of Sen. Sullivan, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14068, which prohibits the import of seafood originating in Russia. However, Russian and Chinese industry officials quickly exploited a loophole that gave them continued access to the U.S. market by sending Russian seafood to be substantially transformed in another country through reprocessing. Consequently, the Biden administration’s original prohibition was largely ineffective since the vast majority of Russian seafood is shipped to and reprocessed in other countries, such as China, and then shipped to the U.S. for consumption. Today’s executive order will close this loophole and prevent any fish caught in Russian waters, or caught by Russian fishermen, from entering the U.S. market, regardless of where it goes for additional processing. “United Fishermen of Alaska and the commercial fishing industry in Alaska thanks Senator Sullivan for his strong leadership on this issue, and for his years of support for the commercial fishing industry, particularly his support for seafood trade issues we are facing during this challenging time” said Matt Alward, president of the United Fishermen of Alaska. “Senator Sullivan’s work to enact meaningful prohibition of Russian seafood is a welcome step towards stabilizing the Alaska seafood industry.” “Silver Bay Seafoods is owned by more than 550 fishermen, each of which operates an Alaskan small business and complies with stringent sustainability, environmental, and labor standards to ensure our customers get top quality seafood. Russian seafood cannot make the same claims, and although the Biden administration acted to ban imports of Russian seafood after the invasion of Ukraine, imports continued with impunity when routed through other countries. This action rights that wrong and ensures that the American consumer can feel good about the seafood they purchase,” said Cora Campell, CEO of Silver Bay Seafoods. “Senator Sullivan has shown tireless leadership on this issue and an unwavering commitment to Alaska’s fishermen and our coastal economy. He has doggedly pursued a level playing field, sound policy, and solutions that are good for seafood producers and consumers. Senator Sullivan’s work ethic is unmatched, and the Alaska seafood industry is fortunate to have such a stalwart advocate.” “This is an enormous win for the nation’s effort to impose meaningful economic sanctions on Russia. Consumers throughout the United States have been unknowingly purchasing Russian-harvested seafood and indirectly supporting Russia’s war on Ukraine. That’s simply wrong,” said Joe Bundrant, CEO of Trident Seafoods. “We are grateful for the time and effort the administration, Senator Sullivan and other congressional offices have put into strengthening these sanctions and assuring U.S. consumers that their seafood purchases are not fueling the Russian war.” “Members of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association applaud today’s action by the Treasury Department to increase economic sanctions on Russia by closing U.S. markets to Russian seafood,” said Julie Decker, president of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association. “Now, Russian seafood will not be able to enter the U.S. via other countries, fund Russia’s war in Ukraine, unfairly compete with domestic seafood, and depress U.S. seafood markets. We thank Senator Sullivan and our Congressional Delegation for their leadership on this issue, which is vital to U.S. fishermen and processors, and an important step toward ending the unjust war in Ukraine. Today’s action allows the U.S. to lead by example and we encourage other nations to follow suit.” Senator Sullivan has strongly advocated for a fix—through legislative or administrative action—to meaningfully prohibit Russian seafood imports until American fishermen and processors are afforded reciprocal access to the Russian market and until Russia ends its brutal, illegal war against Ukraine. Below is a timeline of the Russian seafood reciprocity issue, and Sen. Sullivan’s work to resolve it: In 2014, Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine. In response, the United States and its allies imposed a suite of sanctions. Russia then enacted retaliatory sanctions that barred the importation of any American fish into the Russian market. This created a very uneven seafood trade relationship: Russia could export as much seafood as it wants into the United States and we couldn’t export any Alaskan fish into Russia. This severely economically damaging injustice between America’s and Russia’s fishing industries continued to exist for almost a decade. Sen. Sullivan pressed the issue of Russian seafood trade reciprocity—encouraging the federal government to ban the importation of Russian seafood into the United States—for years prior to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including in numerous meetings with the Commerce Secretaries and U.S. Trade Representatives under Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden—all to get the United States to level the playing field with regard to seafood trade with Russia. On March 11, 2021, Sen. Sullivan pressed the issue of the lack of reciprocity in the Russian-U.S. seafood trading relationship with Wally Adeyemo, nominee to be deputy secretary of the Treasury. In their conversation, the deputy secretary committed to Sen. Sullivan to address this issue. On February 9. 2022, Sen. Sullivan introduced the U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act, cosponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). This legislation would impose a ban on the import of all Russian seafood products into the United States, regardless of such seafood being reprocessed in another country. On February 15, 2022, Sen. Sullivan included a provision in the Never Yielding Europe’s Territory (NYET) Act that directs the federal government to prohibit Russian seafood imports into the U.S. On February 17, 2022, Sen. Sullivan attempted to pass the U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act by unanimous consent, but the bill was blocked by Senate Democrats. Attempts to pass a revised version of S.2011 later in Spring 2022 were similarly blocked by Senate Democrats. On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated its brutal invasion of Ukraine. In the days following the invasion, Sen. Sullivan relentlessly pressed senior Biden administration National Security Council, Treasury Department, Commerce Department, and White House officials to include the banning of the importation of Russian seafood into the United States as part of the President’s broader sanctions package against the Putin regime. On March 11, 2022, as a result of Sen. Sullivan’s advocacy, the Biden administration announced it would prohibit the importation of Russian seafood into the United States, in addition to banning goods from several other signature sectors of Russia’s economy. President Biden also announced his intention to revoke Russia’s “most-favored nation” status as a member of the World Trade Organization. Despite this success, it became clear that Russian seafood oligarchs began to bypass the Biden administration’s sanctions by shipping their seafood to other countries, especially China, to then have the Russian seafood transformed and shipped into the United States almost duty-free. This loophole allowed hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Russian seafood to escape sanctions and make it into the U.S. market, while significantly harming Alaskan and other American fishermen. On April 7, 2022, Sen. Sullivan pressed Chris Magnus, then-commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB), about closing the existing loophole that gives Russian seafood non-reciprocal access to the U.S. market. On March 3, 2023, Sen. Sullivan pressed Troy Miller, acting commissioner of CPB, about the existing loophole that gives Russian seafood non-reciprocal access to the U.S. market. On March 21, 2023, Sen. Sullivan pressed the Russian seafood loophole issue with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury. Throughout 2023, Sen. Sullivan pressed the Russian seafood loophole issue with high-level, senior Treasury, CPB and White House officials on a very regular basis, including in text messages and phone calls on June 9, June 23, August 6, August 13, October 24, October 25, November 21, December 8, and December 13. On June 15, 2023, Sen. Sullivan again pressed the continued Russian seafood prohibition issue with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury. On June 15, 2023, led by Sen. Sullivan, Sens. Sullivan and Murkowski introduced the updated U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023, legislation that would impose a comprehensive ban on the import of all Russian-origin seafood products into the United States. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Garret Graves (R-La.) and Mary Sattler Peltola (D-Alaska). On June 22, 2023, Sen. Sullivan attempted to pass the U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity by unanimous consent, but the bill was again blocked by Senate Democrats. On August 30, 2023, Sen. Sullivan again pushed the Russian seafood loophole issue with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the treasury, and Troy Miller, CBP acting commissioner. On September 26, 2023, at Sen. Sullivan’s urging, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and CBP personnel convened a seafood industry roundtable in Anchorage to discuss the Russian seafood loophole issue and to get agreement on a detailed plan to close this loophole. This was a result of Sen. Sullivan’s many discussions with both CBP and Treasury pressing them to place a meaningful prohibition on Russian seafood imports. On October 24, 2023, Sen. Sullivan again pressed the Russian seafood prohibition issue in a call with Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the Treasury, and continued to follow-up over the ensuing weeks. On December 19, 2023, Sen. Sullivan spoke on the Senate floor about the Russian seafood prohibition issue and again urged his colleagues to pass his U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-colleagues-applaud-senate-passage-of-legislation-honoring-medal-of-honor-recipients/,"Young, Colleagues Applaud Senate Passage of Legislation Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients",2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) applauded Senate passage of legislation he helped introduce that would designate U.S. Highway 20 – including the 156 miles in Indiana – as the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” “Our Medal of Honor recipients are some of our nation’s bravest heroes,” said Senator Young. “I am proud to support the designation of U.S. Highway 20 as the ‘National Medal of Honor Highway’ and permanently recognize and celebrate each recipient’s selfless devotion and sacrifice to our country. I look forward to this legislation passing the House of Representatives, and eventually becoming law.” The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military award for valor, presented by the president in Congress’ name. U.S. service members who distinguish themselves “through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” can receive the medal. Redesignating U.S. Highway 20— the longest continuous highway in the United States— as the “National Medal of Honor Highway” would honor each state’s current and future Medal of Honor recipients and recipients from any state who travel on it. Legislatures and governors in all 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 have designated their state Medal of Honor Highways covering 100 percent of the 3,365-mile Medal of Honor Highway across America. The 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 accounts for about 62 percent of all 3,516 Medal of Honor awards presented since the Civil War. Designating U.S. Highway 20 as the “National Medal of Honor Highway” would ensure all 3,516 recipients and any future recipients from all 50 states and territories are honored. Following Indiana’s designation, INDOT placed eight commemorative signs along the route through Steuben, LaGrange, Elkhart, St. Joseph, LaPorte, Porter, and Lake counties. In addition to Senator Young, Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) also cosponsored the Senate version of the bill. The legislation is supported by the Bend Heroes Foundation, Military Officers Association of America, The American Legion, Legion of Valor, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0446C366-6747-4D27-B0B0-67660DA4DE02,Boozman Preserves Memories of Arkansas Air Force Veteran,2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AR,John Boozman,B001236,www.boozman.senate.gov,boozman,https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) recognized the service of Harold Beaver in ‘Salute to Veterans,’ a series highlighting the military service of Arkansans. Beaver was born on December 12, 1946 and raised in Searcy, Arkansas. He grew up on a farm and attended Pleasant Plains school with only 15 other classmates. After graduation, he attended the University of Arkansas to pursue a degree in civil engineering. After completing a mandatory two years of ROTC, Beaver chose to pursue advanced ROTC. “Everybody who was looking to have some choices during the Vietnam era rather than being drafted, for the most part, chose to go into the advanced ROTC. That’s part of the reason, I had no idea what my draft number would be. It didn’t make any difference, so I chose to go in that direction.” Just weeks after marrying his wife, he was assigned to March Air Force Base in Riverside, California for a six-week advanced ROTC summer camp. “It was an interesting experience,” he said recalling the extensive schedule that kept him very busy. He graduated in May 1969 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. His first active duty assignment was at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Texas. “The interstate wasn’t completed at the time, so we did a lot of country driving to get there,” he said. He was selected for pilot training and learned to fly the T-41 “to weed out the folks” who weren’t cut out to be a pilot. The next step in training was flying the T-37, which at the time was the first jet an Air Force pilot flew. It was side-by-side training with an instructor for more than four months. “The 37’s got a stick so you had to learn that transition,” he said. “It’s the only plane in the Air Force, at that time, where you practiced spins, so we would go up to 22,500 feet, force it into a stall, create rotation and make it spin. There is only one spin recovery procedure. Nothing else works, other than that one, so you had to do it right once you got into a spin to get out."" One of his fellow students in the program was killed trying to get out of a spin. “It made me do some soul searching whether I wanted to continue with the program or not,” he recalled. Beaver said the hardest part of learning to fly was the motion sickness, but he found ways to overcome the challenge. Following training on the T-38 the pilots in the class were able to select their next flying assignment based on the class ranking. Beaver elected to be an instructor on the T-37 and stay at Webb Air Force Base. He described the relationships he made with fellow students as the best part of pilot training, and how important that was for him to give those same experiences to new pilots as an instructor. Flight classes were typically made of 25-30 students with 9-10 instructors. Beaver and other instructors also trained a lot of foreign pilots. One of his best students was from Norway. While that student spoke English well, others weren't proficient in the language. “It was kind of difficult trying to explain to them what to do in the plane while you’re flying."" There is one experience as an instructor that stands out. “We were spinning,” Beaver said. He recalled the student tried to recover, but the plane ended up in an inverted spin. “Very uncomfortable situation, and his hands were locked on the stick, and I couldn’t get him to turn loose.” Beaver was beating on the student’s hands to no avail. “I grabbed his oxygen hose, squeezed it, and he couldn’t breathe, so he turned loose the stick to grab his mask and that’s when I got the stick and we recovered and came back immediately.” Beaver had a five-year commitment to the Air Force, but he was able to get an early out as the Vietnam War was ending. He and his wife returned to Arkansas where he spent a long career serving as a civil engineer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation. Beaver says he hopes he made a difference and shared knowledge that helped his pilots. He recommends the ROTC program for those who feel called to serve. “It is something of an honor to serve your country, especially as a pilot, especially wearing the uniform of this country,” he said. “Harold Beaver made a tremendous impact on transportation in Arkansas, so I’m especially honored to help preserve these memories of his Air Force service, as well. He is a great example of someone who has found ways to use his talents to serve others throughout his lifetime. His stories are important to our nation’s history and I’m glad future generations will get to learn about the role he and other pilot instructors have had in ensuring the strength of our military,” Boozman said.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-joins-colleagues-in-bipartisan-push-to-lower-prescription-drug-costs,Capito Joins Colleagues in Bipartisan Push to Lower Prescription Drug Costs,2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in a letter – led by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) – urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs by enforcing a rule limiting the use of harmful “copay accumulators.” Copay accumulators prevent copay assistance from counting towards a patient’s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, which makes it harder for patients to afford their medications. “This decision is an important step in the right direction for low-income and other eligible patients who rely on manufacturer and nonprofit copay assistance programs to alleviate affordability and access challenges for their medicines,” the senators said. “Instead of appealing the court’s ruling, we urge you to adopt policies from the 2020 NBPP [Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters] that strike the right balance of preserving a plan’s ability to control costs while also putting the patient first,” the senators continued. In addition to Senators Capito, Kaine and Marshall, the letter is signed by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), John Boozman (R-Ark), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.). Full text of the letter is available here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-capito-wishes-west-virginians-amerry-christmas,"VIDEO: Capito Wishes West Virginians a Merry Christmas",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"**Click here or the image above to watch the video.** **Click here to download the video.** CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued a video message wishing West Virginians a Merry Christmas. Full video transcript included below: “Merry Christmas, West Virginia. As you gather with family and loved ones to enjoy the traditions and festivities, I hope this is a time of great joy, peace, and happiness. “I encourage you to pause and reflect on what's most important during this Christmas season. Whether you are at home or traveling to see those who matter most, let's come together and celebrate the blessings that we have and renew our hope for a bright future and a new year ahead. “Let's also remember the brave men and women serving overseas, first responders and law enforcement officers, and our medical professionals who are unable to spend these special holidays with their loved ones because of their selfless service to all of us. “From my family to yours, Merry Christmas. May your days be merry and bright, and may the year ahead be full of blessings for you and your family.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-nifa-awards-262500-to-ndsu-to-empower-women-leaders-in-agribusiness-education,"Sen. Cramer: NIFA Awards $262,500 to NDSU to Empower Women Leaders in Agribusiness Education",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $262,500 to North Dakota State University to address the shortage of experts in agricultural management and economics. It will also empower women and underrepresented groups in the agriculture and food production sector. These funds are part of a larger investment of $3.2 million in Food and Ag Sciences National Needs Graduate and Post-grad Fellowship Grants. NIFA’s National Needs Fellowship program trains students pursuing masters and doctoral degrees and provides additional education for the next generation of policy makers, researchers, and educators in the food and agricultural sciences.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-scott-demand-biden-admin-delay-red-tape-rule-detrimental-to-small-businesses,"Crapo, Risch, Scott Demand Biden Admin Delay Red-Tape Rule Detrimental to Small Businesses",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ID,Mike Crapo,C000880,www.crapo.senate.gov,crapo,https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Rick Scott (R-Florida) with U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) and 76 of their colleagues wrote U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Andrea Gacki urging the administration to delay the implementation of new reporting requirements for small businesses. “On behalf of the millions of small businesses in our states, we write to you today with significant concerns regarding the implementation of the beneficial ownership reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA),” wrote the elected officials. “ . . . While the goal of this new law is to target shell companies involved in illicit financial transactions, the CTA defines covered entities as those having 20 or fewer employees and under $5 million in revenue. In other words, not just shell companies, but nearly every small business in America.” “Unfortunately, FinCEN is woefully behind in educating small business owners and stakeholders of their new obligations under the CTA that begin in just a few short weeks . . . This lack of awareness and education is alarming and must be addressed before the law is implemented,” continued the leaders. “FinCEN has yet to finalize the two final BOI rulemakings that are critical to protecting small businesses’ personal information. We strongly request that FinCEN delay the January 1, 2024, effective date for all BOI requirements by a minimum of one year and FinCEN has finalized all outstanding rulemakings. We believe a year’s delay will provide FinCEN and the business community with more time to educate owners of their new obligations. It will also give FinCEN time to review the new rules and improve and finalize the statute’s regulatory framework.” The full letter is available here. Joining Senators Crapo, Risch and Scott are U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-North Dakota), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Dan Sullivan (R-Alabama), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Katie Boyd Britt (R-Alabama), Steve Daines (R-Montana), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and John Kennedy (R-Louisiana). The letter is also supported by numerous organizations, including:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cruz-statement-on-americans-including-texans-freed-from-maduro-custody-in-venezuela,"Cruz Statement on Americans, Including Texans, Freed from Maduro Custody in Venezuela",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the announcement that ten Americans, including three Texans, have been freed from captivity in Venezuela, where they were held by the Maduro regime, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said, “I’m pleased these Americans, including Texans Luke Denman, Airan Berry, and Jerrel Kenemore, will finally be reunited with their loved ones here at home. I have long called on the Maduro regime to release them and for the United States to impose pressure on the regime until it did so, and it is heartening that their unjust ordeal is over. Nevertheless, I continue to be concerned that the Biden administration’s hostage diplomacy, in this case the release of criminal and terrorist financier Alex Saab, sends a message to terrorists and other American adversaries abroad that American hostages can be used as bargaining chips. “This news must also deepen our focus and commitment to bring back all Americans who are wrongfully detained overseas. Texan Mark Swidan remains unjustly imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party, and the Biden administration must do everything it can to secure his release.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-britt-introduce-legislation-to-bar-non-citizens-from-voting-in-federal-elections,"Sens. Cruz, Britt Introduce Legislation to Bar Non-Citizens from Voting in Federal Elections",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.), members on the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, joined together with their colleagues on the committee to introduce the Citizen Ballot Protection Act. This bill would ensure states have the authority to verify that only American citizens are voting in federal elections. The bill specifically amends Section 6 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993, to explicitly allow states to put in place a proof of citizenship requirement for both the federal mail voter registration form, and any state mail voter registration forms they might develop. Upon introducing the bill, Sen. Cruz said, “Voting is a privilege and right reserved for American citizens to participate democratically in deciding the leadership of our country. Under Joe Biden’s watch, the integrity of our electoral process has been compromised. Democrat-run jurisdictions have violated our electoral process by granting an open invitation to any non-citizen or illegal alien to unconstitutionally participate in voting in local elections. This presents an unreasonable risk of cross-contamination of ballots and voting by non-citizens in federal elections. We must uphold the integrity of our electoral system by requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship before casting a vote at the ballot box.” Cosigners of the bill include Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Rules Committee Ranking Member Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Sens. Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). Read the full text of the bill here. Background: Sen. Cruz has spearheaded several efforts to block non-citizens from voting in elections including: Introducing legislation to prohibit the Washington D.C. city government from using federal funds to facilitate non-citizen voting in elections in our nation’s capital; Introducing a joint resolution pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to fight a measure passed by the D.C. Council that would allow illegal aliens to vote in local D.C. elections. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-coons-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-urging-steps-to-restore-deterrence-against-iran-proxies-attacking-us-troops,"Sens. Cruz, Coons, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Urging Steps to Restore Deterrence Against Iran Proxies Attacking U.S. Troops",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), joined by 12 additional cosponsors, this week introduced a resolution urging the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to restore deterrence against Iran and Iranian proxies targeting Americans and American interests in the Middle East. American troops in the region have been targeted by Iran and Iranian proxies more than 115 times since mid-October. Iran provides financing, training, and other support to terrorist groups throughout the region, including the Houthis. Sen. Cruz said, “The Iranian regime is attacking Americans, our allies, and our interests across the Middle East. They are not only launching attacks and massacres against our Israeli and Arab allies, but their Houthi proxies are now trying to shut down freedom of navigation that is vital to the American and global economies. It is clear that they are not deterred, and it is long past time for the Biden administration to take all necessary steps to deter and counter these activities. Enough is enough.” Sen. Coons said, “Attacks on American troops are reprehensible, and Iranian support for these attacks has rightfully earned a swift and forceful response from the Biden administration. I join Senator Cruz in introducing this resolution to condemn these attacks, increase pressure on Iran to cease its support for violent militia groups, and support efforts to deter Iranian-backed militia attacks on U.S. troops and the international community. I also commend the resiliency and bravery of American service members across the Middle East and hope this resolution makes clear Congress’ support for U.S. Central Command’s mission of countering terrorism and maintaining stability across the region.” In addition to Sens. Coons and Cruz, the resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). The text of the full resolution is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/senate-passes-tillis-bill-to-equip-law-enforcement-with-trauma-kits,Senate Passes Tillis Bill To Equip Law Enforcement With Trauma Kits,2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate recently passed the American Law Enforcement Sustaining Aid and Vital Emergency Resources(SAVER) Act, legislation co-sponsored by Senator Thom Tillis to equip law enforcement officers with quality trauma kits to immediately respond to civilian or first responder injuries during emergency calls. “As a strong supporter of our brave men and women in law enforcement, I was proud to co-introduce this legislation which would equip law enforcement with the tools they need to keep our communities safe,” said Senator Tillis. “Ensuring law enforcement officers have effective trauma kits will save countless lives. I am proud the American Law Enforcement SAVER Act passed the Senate and look forward to quick passage in the House to ensure our law enforcement agencies have the resources they need.” Background: The effectiveness of a law enforcement trauma kit program depends in part on the contents and the quality of the kits. Medical professionals recommend that a kit include bleeding control supplies like tourniquets, bandages, non-latex gloves, scissors, and instructions. However, there is enormous variation in the products available on the market. The American Law Enforcement SAVER Act would: Establish baseline standards in consultation with law enforcement and medical professionals for trauma kits purchased using grant funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG); Require the development of optional best practices that law enforcement agencies can adapt for training law enforcement officers to use trauma kits and for deployment and maintenance of the kits in vehicles and government facilities. The legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, National Criminal Justice Association, The Wounded Blue, American Trauma Society, Society of Trauma Nurses, American College of Surgeons, and American College of Emergency Physicians. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-colleagues-slam-dhs-decision-to-suspend-rail-commerce-at-border-to-process-more-migrants,"Tillis, Colleagues Slam DHS Decision to Suspend Rail Commerce at Border to Process More Migrants",2023-12-21,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding the BidenAdministration re-open railway commerce at the Southern border. Earlier this week, the Administration closed the railways to process migrants illegally crossing the border. “We write today to express our serious concern with the Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) recent actions to suspend international railway crossings and rail operations in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. On December 18, 2023, CBP pulled personnel from those operations and redirected them to assist with the migrant surges at the southwest border. In recent weeks, CBP has suspended vehicle processing at Eagle Pass International Bridge 1 and operations at California’s San Ysidro Pedestrian West and Arizona’s Lukeville Port of Entry. Without putting real policies in place to cut the increasing flow of illegal immigration, our national security and economy will continue to pay the price,” the senators wrote. “CBP’s decision to suspend rail service and close international crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso directly and immediately impacts our carriers’ ability to move goods across the North American rail network and to the North American consumers who rely on them. The success of our trade partnership with Mexico relies on the successful operation of these international railway crossings. U.S. goods and services trade with Mexico totaled an estimated $855.1 billion in 2022. Eagle Pass and El Paso accounted for a total of $33.95 billion or 35.8% of all cross-border rail traffic to and from Mexico in the last year,” the senators continued. “The crisis at our nation’s southern border is unprecedented and is the worst it has ever been in our country’s history. Only smarter and effective policies will guide us out of it, and without a real plan, this Administration will hardly address the substantial challenges that currently exist. Redirecting a small group of CBP personnel away from these rail entries will not do anything to get us closer to a solution. We urge you to re-open the rail ports of entry at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. Further, we urge you to take this humanitarian, security, and economic crisis seriously and engage with Congress to enact real policy change that stops the flow of illegal migration,” the senators concluded. Read the full letter HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom-news-releases-barrasso-lummis-join-bill-to-hold-the-atf-accountable/,"Barrasso, Lummis Join Bill to Hold the ATF Accountable",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WY,John Barrasso,B001261,www.barrasso.senate.gov,barrasso,https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom/news-releases/,scraper,"CASPER, WY – U.S. Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., joined Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and their Republican colleagues in reintroducing the ATF Accountability Act of 2023 to provide transparency at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for gun owners and manufacturers across America. The ATF engages in a secretive classification review process where the agency makes decisions about whether a particular firearm is regulated by the National Firearms Act. Decisions and justification for decisions are often only made available to manufacturers in private correspondence. This causes uncertainty for both gun-owning Americans and firearm manufacturers, especially in combination with the ATF’s refusal to make public rules regarding classification final. “Every day, people in Wyoming responsibly use their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms,” said Senator Barrasso. “For far too long, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has had regulations that keep responsible gun owners and manufacturers in the dark. Any attempt to stop law-abiding citizens from appealing unfair rulings must be stopped dead in its tracks. I will continue to stand up against any policies that threaten our Second Amendment rights.” “D.C. bureaucrats cannot be allowed to criminalize law-abiding gun owners with the stroke of a pen behind closed doors,” said Senator Lummis. “Protecting the Second Amendment has never been more important after Senate Democrats attempted to jam through an assault-weapons ban just last week. The ATF Accountability Act strengthens the people of Wyoming’s constitutional right to bear arms by creating a pathway to legally challenge any new restrictive regulations.” “American gun owners and manufacturers have been left in the dark for far too long with closed-door rule changes by the ATF,” said Senator Braun. “Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights shouldn’t be the last to know the classification status of firearms, or what licenses or tax stamps they need to avoid running afoul of the law. The ATF needs accountability and transparency, which this bill accomplishes.” The ATF Accountability Act: • Creates an appeals process following a ruling by ATF with specific regular timeframes • Permits gun manufacturers to appeal the legal status or classification of any product by filing with the Director of Industry Operations with jurisdiction. After which, the appeal is directed to an administrative law judge This legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). Full text of the legislation can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=04067563-0C4F-4769-9B7B-2A5FFC065A1C,Boozman Joins Bipartisan Push to Lower Prescription Drug Costs,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AR,John Boozman,B001236,www.boozman.senate.gov,boozman,https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), in sending a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs by enforcing a rule limiting the use of harmful “copay accumulators.” Copay accumulators prevent copay assistance from counting towards a patient’s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum, which makes it harder for patients to afford their medications. Regarding a recent court ruling limiting the use of copay accumulators, the members said “This decision is an important step in the right direction for low-income and other eligible patients who rely on manufacturer and nonprofit copay assistance programs to alleviate affordability and access challenges for their medicines.” The lawmakers wrote, “Instead of appealing the court’s ruling, we urge you to adopt policies from the 2020 NBPP [Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters] that strike the right balance of preserving a plan’s ability to control costs while also putting the patient first.” In the letter, the senators also advocate for their Help Ensure Lower Patient (HELP) Copays Act to permanently prohibit the use of copay accumulators and require health plans and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to count the value of copay assistance towards a patient’s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. In addition to Boozman, Kaine and Marshall, the letter is signed by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ). “More patients than ever are reaching out to us because they’ve been negatively impacted by these programs,” said Anna Hyde, Vice President of Advocacy and Access for the Arthritis Foundation. “They are being caught in a financial bind because they can’t pay the full cost of their medications. Biologic medicines are expensive and there are no generic alternatives, so copay assistance is often a vital life line for them.” ""Far too many of the one million Americans living with multiple sclerosis are unable to afford life-changing medications to reduce the number of relapses, delay the progression of disability, and limit new disease activity. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is disappointed with the Biden administration’s decision to appeal the court’s September 29th ruling and continue the use of copay accumulators that will negatively impact access to care. We urge the withdrawal of their recently filed appeal,” said Bari Talente, EVP, Advocacy & Healthcare Access, National MS Society. “The NPF Patient Navigation Center is constantly fielding calls from people who can’t afford the medicine they have been prescribed because of copay accumulator practices, so we are clearly disappointed in the administration’s move to appeal the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that would limit their use,” said Leah M. Howard, J.D., President and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation. “While serving a million people impacted by cancer each year, we at the Cancer Support Community have witnessed the adverse effects of copay accumulator adjustment programs on patients’ ability to access life-saving medications. CSC strongly opposes the use of AAPs and supports the adoption of the 2020 NBPP policy, protecting affordability and access to care for under-resourced patients who rely on manufacturer copay assistance programs. We are grateful to have leaders that share our commitment to breaking down barriers and improving healthcare for all,” said the Cancer Support Community. Full text of the letter is available here and below: Dear Secretary Becerra, Acting Secretary Su, and Secretary Yellen: We are writing in support of the recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that vacated the 2021 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) Final Rule provision that permitted the use of copay accumulator adjustment programs (AAPs) and remanded to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to interpret the definition of “cost-sharing.” This decision is an important step in the right direction for low-income and other eligible patients who rely on manufacturer and nonprofit copay assistance programs to alleviate affordability and access challenges for their medicines. We are disappointed in HHS’s decision to file a notice of appeal of the decision and HHS’s articulated intention to not take any enforcement action against health insurance issuers or health plans that fail to count copay assistance toward the patient’s maximum annual limitation on cost-sharing. Instead of appealing the court’s ruling, we urge you to adopt policies from the 2020 NBPP that strike the right balance of preserving a plan’s ability to control costs while also putting the patient first. Patient assistance programs (PAPs) help low-income and vulnerable patients with complex conditions access life-saving medicine. Historically, these copay assistance programs counted toward the annual limitation on cost-sharing, and the policy was reaffirmed under the Affordable Care Act. The patient protection on cost-sharing provided patients and families with greater predictability and certainty about their maximum out-of-pocket exposure on an annual basis. It also helped improve patient adherence to their medication and overall health outcomes. For example, one study showed that reduced cost-sharing for cardiovascular medicines increased adherence and had a greater impact on reducing the risk of vascular events and medical costs among non-white patients. In recent years, health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, and third-party administrators have used AAPs to help to control costs. However, like cost utilization management, AAPs can be used as a profit-seeking tactic. When HHS published the 2021 NBPP final rule, it permitted group health plans and health insurance issuers to use AAPs without limitation. The Administration believed this “open door” would not necessarily lead to an increased uptake of AAPs by PBMs, but they were wrong. These programs proliferated in the intervening years. Nearly two-thirds of individual health plans available on the ACA marketplace included AAPs. It was also estimated that of all commercial markets in 2021, 43% of covered lives were in commercial health plans that had implemented AAPs. As a result of this policy change, patients in our home states suffered, facing financial hardship and barriers to their once-accessible life-saving medicine. In many cases, patients or their family members found out about the AAP not counting their assistance at the pharmacy counter. They were left embarrassed, anxious, and without recourse. A recent survey showed that between 25- 36% of respondents discontinued therapy when they received an unexpected high charge of over $1,500 during the plan year as a result of AAPs. For many chronic disease patients, discontinuation of therapy can lead to irreversible and in some cases life-threatening health consequences. Further, six in 10 said they would have extreme difficulty affording their treatments without copay assistance programs being applied to their cost-sharing. Moreover, recent research has shown that non-white patients are 31% more likely to be exposed to an AAP than white patients. It was for these reasons, and more, that patient groups took action against the 2021 NBPP. Patients were not the only stakeholder to respond. State regulators have passed and are in the process of passing legislation. To date, 19 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have banned or limited the use of AAPs. As you consider next steps, we strongly encourage you to support patients by reconsidering your appeal of the court’s ruling and instead adopting the 2020 NBPP policy. It required plans to count manufacturer copay assistance toward the annual limitation on cost-sharing for drugs that do not have a medically appropriate generic equivalent available. In the 2020 rule, HHS reasoned that it would be less likely that the manufacturer’s assistance would disincentivize a lower cost alternative and thereby distort the market. HHS itself acknowledged situations when a patient has been subject to significant out-of-pocket costs because the patient has not progressed through the deductible phase of the health plan due to AAPs not applying the value of the manufacturer-sponsored assistance to the patient’s deductible. HHS further noted that “when this happens, the patient may be forced to stop taking the drug, switch to an alternative offered by the plan, or pay the full bill for the non-formulary drug, none of which are patient-friendly, especially for those patients with rare and life-threatening conditions.” We also strongly believe that federal legislative action is also needed to restore this vital patient protection. In fact, Congress is currently working on a bipartisan, bicameral basis to advance legislation to ensure copay assistance counts toward the patient’s maximum annual limitation on cost-sharing. Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to your reply and your plan to ensure patients receive cost-sharing protections. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=09A499DF-29BE-4489-BDED-1D2295C743C4,Boozman Bill Authorizing Permanent Electronic Duck Stamp Signed into Law,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AR,John Boozman,B001236,www.boozman.senate.gov,boozman,https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Legislation authored by U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) to authorize a permanent electronic duck stamp for the entirety of a waterfowl hunting season was signed into law by President Joe Biden Tuesday. The bipartisan Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023 will make the Federal Duck Stamp more accessible, decrease barriers to compliance and increase revenue for conservation. It will allow hunters access to an electronic duck stamp via their smart phone to meet the requirement that they purchase a Federal Duck Stamp and carry it while in the field. “Arkansans are rightfully proud of the unique environment that makes our state a world-class duck hunting location. Modernizing the Federal Duck Stamp is great news for waterfowlers who want to take part in this time-honored tradition and share their appreciation for this popular outdoor activity. I’m pleased the president has signed the Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023 into law,” said Boozman, a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, which invests federal funds generated by the Duck Stamp in wetland preservation. U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and Angus King (I-ME) championed this legislation. It was also cosponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA). Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Garret Graves (R-LA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA). The legislation is backed by a number of leading conservation and wildlife organizations. ""On behalf of Arkansas's waterfowlers, I would like to thank Senator Boozman for leading the Senate's efforts to modernize the Federal Duck Stamp. This commonsense legislation not only cuts red tape, but makes it easier for Arkansans to enjoy our world class waterfowl opportunity,"" said Director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Austin Booth. “The Duck Stamp Modernization Act is a commonsense effort to simplify the way in which sportsmen and women operate in the 21st century. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is glad to see this legislation signed into law, and thanks the leadership of Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Co-Chair Senator Boozman, CSC Vice-Chair Representative Graves, and the other members of the CSC who spearheaded this effort,” said CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-barrasso-ferc-must-fix-epas-proposed-clean-power-plan-20,"Capito, Barrasso: FERC Must Fix EPA’s Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, sent a letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Willie L. Phillips and Commissioners James Danly, Allison Clements, and Mark C. Christie. The Senators urged the Commissioners to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve the agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 and fix the associated threats to electric reliability the plan presents. “The record developed at the Technical Conference, and the actions taken by the Commission and by EPA after the Technical Conference, clearly show that a majority of Commissioners agreed (and Mr. Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation acknowledged) that more work is necessary to determine how EPA’s proposed rule could impair electric reliability,” the senators write. “We share Commissioner Danly’s hope that EPA will return to the Commission again to discuss how its Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 can avoid harming electric reliability. We urge you to remain engaged with EPA and to keep us apprised of progress on these critically important matters. As we pointed out in our letter of November 2, if Commissioners and FERC staff do not bring to bear your expertise and fact-based analysis to dissuade the EPA from continuing on its current course, you will bear at least partial responsibility for any blackouts and brownouts that occur as result of electric resource shortages that would be attributable to compliance with a final rule resembling the Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0,” the senators also wrote. This follows a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that Senators Capito and Barrasso sent out yesterday. In addition, Senators Barrasso and Capito have sent two other letters to FERC on this topic on June 30 and November 2. Read the full letter here and below: Dear Chairman Phillips and Commissioners: We appreciate that your 2023 Annual Reliability Technical Conference (“Technical Conference”) included testimony concerning the potential impact on electric reliability of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) proposed rule to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil-fueled power plants (“Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0” or “EPA’s proposed rule”). As we have noted in earlier correspondence, it is necessary for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “the Commission”) to develop and formally submit to EPA and for EPA itself to have an adequate record of the potential impact of Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 on electric reliability. Accordingly, the Commission must do more than convene a single panel with EPA during a single Technical Conference. It is a positive sign that the Commission issued “a notice inviting post-technical conference comments addressing the topics and questions that accompanied the agenda.” Also, in a letter dated December 12. 2023, Mr. Ronan Gulstone, Chairman Phillips’s Chief of Staff, has called EPA’s attention to the record of FERC Docket No. AD-23-9-000. Shortly after the Technical Conference on November 15, EPA issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that “specifically requests public comment on reliability needs that may arise during implementation of any final rule.” It is unfortunate that EPA did not seek comment on how EPA’s proposed rule could be modified to prevent negative consequences for electric reliability in the first place. The record developed at the Technical Conference, and the actions taken by the Commission and by EPA after the Technical Conference, clearly show that a majority of Commissioners agreed (and Mr. Joseph Goffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation acknowledged) that more work is necessary to determine how EPA’s proposed rule could impair electric reliability. At the Technical Conference, Commissioner Clements asked Mr. Goffman what the Commission could do to assist EPA. In response, Mr. Goffman testified on behalf of EPA as follows. “I certainly don't think we have quite the expertise that you would hope we have to tell you specifically what quote ‘FERC should be doing.’ The most important thing from EPA’s perspective and given our mutual mission here is answer the phone when we call with the next round of questions that we're going to have. Again, as you know, I kind of see us between now and final as … going through the circuit several different more times, looking at our record, looking at questions that commenters raised. Going to the RTO’s, the ISO’s, the utilities the balancing authorities and then coming back to [FERC] and [FERC] staff to get your insights and feedback in terms of helping us interpret what we’re hearing and how we can then translate that into the provisions of the final rule.” On the basis of Mr. Goffman’s testimony – and thus by its own admission – EPA does not have the expertise to determine the impact of its proposed rule on electric reliability. The Agency is also unable or unwilling to articulate how it or FERC could improve Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 to ensure that the final rule does not threaten reliability. Accordingly, the Commission itself must take the lead to protect reliability in the context of EPA’s development of the final rule. Chairman Phillips said, and Mr. Goffman agreed, “[EPA is] having this discussion [with] ongoing engagement and [EPA is] open to hearing feedback and implementing that in the final rule.” The value of the inter-agency engagement to which Mr. Goffman referred must be measured by the text of the final rule and its effects. To date, the limited engagement between EPA and FERC on electric reliability has been inadequate. At the Technical Conference, Commissioners identified the pace of retirements driven by Clean Power Plan 2.0 as a critical issue that EPA must address. Commissioner Christie asked Mr. Goffman if the EPA had analyzed how Clean Power Plan 2.0 would impact financing for traditional resources. Based on Mr. Goffman’s answer, Commissioner Christie concluded, and we agree, “EPA has not performed any serious and credible analysis of the essential question of how Electric Generating Units (“EGUs”) that will be affected by Clean Power Plan Rule 2.0 will be able to obtain financing for the substantial costs of compliance.” It is unacceptable that EPA has “not done much if any serious, in-depth analysis” considering that “timelines for compliance are utterly irrelevant if the affected EGU cannot obtain financing for the compliance costs.” In response to a question from Commissioner Danly concerning the impact of Clean Power Plan 2.0 on electricity markets broadly and the currently expected pace of retirements in the organized markets, Mr. Goffman told the Commission that he would like to “actually follow up on this discussion” because “[Commissioner Danly] laid out a lot of issues that I think [EPA will] have to address in terms how we account for potential retirements … that are either occurring or are projected.”[1] Commissioner Danly and “a plurality of commenters have raised these issues,” leaving EPA with what Mr. Goffman referred to as “homework” to be undertaken as Clean Power Plan 2.0 remains “very much a work in progress.” At this writing, it is unclear how EPA will treat Mr. Gulstone’s letter calling attention to the record FERC has developed in Docket No. AD23-9-000. Accordingly, we renew our request that the Commission formally file the record in Docket No. AD23-9-000 in EPA Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0072-0007. This filing must include all comments to the Commission, and the 2023 Long Term Reliability Assessment issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (“NERC”) on December 13, 2023. Only then will EPA even begin to have an adequate record on reliability issues relating to Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0. Mr. Goffman testified that EPA’s effort on the proposed rule is “in the fifth inning.” He conceded that EPA’s proposed rule is still nowhere near ready for finalization. Thus, the Technical Conference must represent the beginning, and not the end, of engagement between the Commission and EPA on the subject of electric reliability. Mr. Goffman acknowledged that EPA would benefit from “the record of this proceeding today to be shipped to [EPA].” As Commissioner Danly said at the end of his statements, we must “hope that [EPA and FERC are] going to keep talking.” We share Commissioner Danly’s hope that EPA will return to the Commission again to discuss how its Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 can avoid harming electric reliability. We urge you to remain engaged with EPA and to keep us apprised of progress on these critically important matters. As we pointed out in our letter of November 2, if Commissioners and FERC staff do not bring to bear your expertise and fact-based analysis to dissuade the EPA from continuing on its current course, you will bear at least partial responsibility for any blackouts and brownouts that occur as result of electric resource shortages that would be attributable to compliance with a final rule resembling the Proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0. Sincerely, # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-secures-west-virginia-priorities-in-committee-passed-addiction-response-legislation,"Capito Secures West Virginia Priorities in Committee-Passed Addiction Response Legislation",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) applauded the passage of the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee recently. The comprehensive, bipartisan legislation reauthorizes and adds programs designed to address the nation’s ongoing substance use disorder epidemic. Senator Capito was a cosponsor of the original legislation, which passed in 2018, and worked with her colleagues to ensure a number of key provisions she championed were continued in the bill’s reauthorization. “As far too many in West Virginia and across our nation experience the lasting and devastating consequences of addiction, we must continue to ensure the appropriate resources are available for individuals, families, and communities that are struggling with this epidemic,” Senator Capito said. “The SUPPORT Act provides needed relief by focusing on prevention, treatment and recovery, and addresses new challenges since the original bill was passed like increases of fentanyl overdoses and other emerging threats. I was proud to advocate on behalf of and ultimately secure provisions in this bill that are important to my state, and will continue to work with my colleagues to see this legislation become law.” BACKGROUND: As approved by the committee on December 12, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act includes provisions based on a number of bills Senator Capito has introduced, including: The Safe Response Act, which reauthorizes grants to train first responders on how to safely respond to a known or suspected drug overdose. The Rise From Trauma Act, which reauthorizes resources to identify, prevent, and mitigate the effects of trauma related to the addiction epidemic among infants, children, and their families. This bill ensures the continuation of a task force to identify and disseminate trauma-informed best practices within federal grant programs; reauthorization of a grant program to link educational agencies with mental health systems to increase student access to evidence-based trauma support services; continued funding for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network; and continued support for state efforts to collect and report data on adverse childhood experiences. The Pregnant and Postpartum Women Treatment Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women. The Youth Prevention and Recovery Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes a grant program to prevent, provide recovery support for, and treat substance use disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults. In addition to the approval of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, the HELP Committee also approved the bipartisan Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act. This important legislation, led by Senator Capito, would reauthorize the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), a lifesaving program that provides breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services for women who are low-income, uninsured, and underinsured who do not qualify for Medicaid. Since 1991, NBCCEDP has served more than 6.2 million women, detecting nearly 78,000 breast cancers and over 24,500 premalignant breast lesions. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-colleagues-call-on-dol-to-utilize-schedule-a-shortage-occupation-list-address-workforce-shortages,"Sen. Cramer, Colleagues Call on DOL to Utilize Schedule A Shortage Occupation List, Address Workforce Shortages",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined his colleagues in a letter to Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, encouraging the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to use its Schedule A Shortage Occupation list as a tool to address the workforce shortages our country is facing in critical high-skill industries, including Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math occupations (STEM) and professional healthcare occupations. Established in 1965, the Schedule A Shortage Occupation List was created to simplify the process of hiring international talent. Occupations on the Schedule A list may be filled by immigrants sponsored for employment-based green cards without their sponsor being required to obtain a permanent labor certification. The list has not been updated since 2005 and currently includes only two professions—professional nurses and physical therapists—failing to meet evolving workforce needs. Since its creation, the Schedule A list has included a variety of high-skill occupations, including positions in healthcare, scientific research, advanced manufacturing, and more. The senators explained vacancies in these high-skill industries threaten the U.S. national security and readiness. “While this undoubtedly points to a need for greater investment in our domestic STEM and healthcare workforce, which we look forward to working with your agency to address, there remains a significant need for individuals who can fill these gaps now,” the senators wrote. “Lengthy processing delays at the Department of Labor prevent international professionals from being part of the solution. In September 2023, your agency reported the average processing time for PERM labor certification applications had reached 326 days. If an audit of the application is performed, the average rises to 489 days.” “For too long, unnecessary red tape has prevented skilled immigrants from helping us fill vacancies and maintain U.S. competitiveness in vital industries. The Department of Labor has tools at its disposal to address some of these challenges, but does not seem to have employed them to the fullest extent possible,” the senators continued. “We look forward to better understanding how Congress can work with your agency to combat workforce shortages, attract and hire international talent, and continue growing the economy.” Additional cosigners include U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Mike Rounds (R-SD).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-colleagues-condemn-inaction-of-un-regarding-hamas-sexual-violence-against-women,"Sen. Cramer, Colleagues Condemn Inaction of UN Regarding Hamas’ Sexual Violence Against Women",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined a bipartisan letter led by U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) to Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), condemning the response to Hamas’ widespread sexual violence against women in Israel on October 7, 2023. The senators also called for the immediate launch of an independent investigation into sexual violence committed by Hamas. “As multiple UN Security Council Resolutions affirm, the use of sexual violence is a war crime under international law. Hamas’s premeditated campaign of systematic sexual violence on October 7 clearly meets this standard,” the senators wrote. “Given that the Commission of Inquiry (COI) has a history of bias and unfairly singling out Israel, we urge you to move swiftly to seek the establishment of an independent fact-finding effort through a separate mechanism, tasked with collecting testimonies from survivors and witnesses of Hamas’s sexual violence. An independent investigation is a necessary step to hold perpetrators accountable, support survivors, and provide justice for victims.” “The UN’s delay in denouncing Hamas’s sexual violence and rape on October 7 is a moral failure,” the senators continued. “Tasking the one-sided COI to investigate these atrocities undermines the effort’s credibility, creates the strong potential for biased outcomes, and provides no measure of justice for the victims and survivors. In addition to holding UN Women’s leadership accountable for their weeks-long failure to condemn sexual violence committed by Hamas, we call on you to immediately launch a full and independent investigation into Hamas’ brutal campaign of sexual violence committed against Israeli women. We thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.” The letter was cosigned by Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), James Risch (R-ID), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Joe Manchin (D-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-epa-awards-nearly-100000-to-safetyspect-inc-in-grand-forks,"Sen. Cramer: EPA Awards Nearly $100,000 to SafetySpect, Inc. in Grand Forks",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an award of $99,093 through its Small Business Innovation Research program to SafetySpect, Inc., a biotechnology company located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. This funding will go towards the development of a device which will establish shelf-life for red meat, allowing management of storage, transportation, and dynamic pricing of food close to expiration.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-faa-awards-890535-to-minot-international-airport-for-drainage-improvements,"Sen. Cramer: FAA Awards $890,535 to Minot International Airport for Drainage Improvements",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an award of $890,535 to the Minot International Airport to complete the final phase of 9,000 feet of drainage improvements. This project installs 17,000 feet of drainage upgrades as recommended by a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan to reduce wildlife attractants. These funds will be administered through the FAA’s Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) Program, which was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The AIG program provides funding to airports for modernization and safety projects.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-hhs-awards-more-than-15-million-for-health-care-services,Sen. Cramer: HHS Awards More Than $1.5 Million for Health Care Services,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a total of $1,501,596 to the Northland Health Partners Community in Turtle Lake, North Dakota. This grant is funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Health Center Cluster grant program, which provides funding to community health centers across the United States.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-nifa-awards-200000-to-nueta-hidatsa-sahnish-college,"Sen. Cramer: NIFA Awards $200,000 to Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced the award of $200,000 to Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, a tribal community college in New Town, North Dakota. The award will go towards the advancement of NHS College’s existing extension program objectives by creating capacity to extend services in remote and underserved tribal segments on the Fort Berthold Reservation. This includes offering informal equine education, community equine activities, therapeutic riding, and expanding the capacity and reach of NHS College’s Agriculture Department recruitment efforts for equine education.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-wyden-applaud-senate-passage-of-legislation-honoring-medal-of-honor-recipients,"Crapo, Risch, Wyden Applaud Senate Passage of Legislation Honoring Medal of Honor Recipients",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ID,Mike Crapo,C000880,www.crapo.senate.gov,crapo,https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) applaud Senate passage of bipartisan legislation designating U.S. Highway 20 between Newport, Oregon, and New England as the “National Medal of Honor Highway.” “The Medal of Honor represents the determination and courage of those who acted far beyond the call of duty,” said Crapo. “I look forward to the enactment of law cementing this national designation to honor each of them across these many miles.” “Medal of Honor recipients’ selfless actions deserve more than a medal—they deserve America’s continued gratitude,” said Risch. “To recognize their service to our nation, the Senate today designated U.S. Highway 20, which spans the great state of Idaho, as a 3,000-mile memorial to the recipients of our nation’s highest military designation. The House should quickly pass this legislation, so we can rename the longest continuous highway in America the National Medal of Honor Highway.” ""It's an honor to have worked closely with veterans in Oregon and nationwide in the grassroots movement to designate our country's longest continuous highway, stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, as the ‘National Medal of Honor Highway,’” said Wyden. “I’m proud that my bill to officially recognize U.S. Highway 20 as the ‘National Medal of Honor Highway’ has passed the Senate. This bill is more than a symbolic gesture—it's a timeless tribute to the heroes of America. I am steadfast in my commitment to relentlessly champion this cause alongside our veterans, and I’ll keep fighting tooth and nail to get this bill signed into law.” The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military award for valor, presented by the president in Congress’ name. U.S. servicemembers who distinguish themselves “through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” can receive the medal. Legislatures and governors in all 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 have designated their state Medal of Honor Highways covering 100 percent of the 3,365-mile Medal of Honor Highway across America. The 12 states along U.S. Highway 20 account for about 62 percent of all 3,516 Medal of Honor awards presented since the Civil War. Designating U.S. Highway 20 as the “National Medal of Honor Highway'' would ensure all 3,516 recipients and any future recipients from all 50 states and territories are honored. Senators Jeff Merkley, (D-Oregon), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Chuck Schumer (D-New York), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Jon Tester (D-Montana), and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) cosponsored the Senate version of the bill. U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-Pennsylvania) and Brian Higgins (D-New York) led similar legislation in the House of Representatives. The legislation is supported by the Bend Heroes Foundation, Military Officers Association of America, The American Legion, Legion of Valor, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-marshall-rep-arrington-send-letter-calling-out-the-usdas-misguided-emergency-relief-program-requirements,"Sens. Cruz, Marshall, Rep. Arrington Blast USDA’s Discriminatory Emergency Relief Program Requirements",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) along with Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) calling out the USDA’s discriminatory methodology for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). Under the Biden administration’s 2022 ERP requirements, the purpose of the relief program is not to provide the greatest amount of relief to those farmers who’ve suffered the most from recent natural disasters, but instead to adjust payments based on a farmer or producer’s skin color and sex. Under the new requirements, farmers will receive a fraction of the amount they would previously have received, simply because of their color. This is blatantly discriminatory, and a shocking example of the Biden administration’s radical social agenda, pushed under thecover of “equity.” The USDA’s new methodology undermines the agriculture community and breaks a long-popular, highly praised, and well-functioning program. The new requirements will hurt Texas farmers and Texas agriculture. About the letter, Sen. Cruz said, “Texas and American farmers are vital to our thriving country. The cattle they raise and crops they grow are the very food on our table, and the USDA is actively attacking a huge swath of the Lone Star State’s ranchers and producers because they think people of one race need less help than people of another. This is taxpayer-funded racism, it is anti-American, and it will only increase the amount of foreign agricultural products that we consume. American farmers will suffer for it, and I was proud to call out this action with my colleagues in the House and Senate.” In the letter, the members wrote, “American producers have experienced significant losses, and the Administration has taken an approach that does not reflect Congressional intent. The current program does not provide needed assistance to full-time farm families that suffered the deepest losses, and in short, it misallocates limited but badly needed assistance.” Cosigners of the letter include, Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Representatives Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) , August Pfluger (R-Texas), Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), Scott Franklin (R-Ga.), Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.), Jake Ellzey (R-Texas), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Dan Newhouse, (R-Wash.) Keith Self (R-Texas), Julia Letlow(R-La.), James Baird (R-Ind.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Russell Fry (R-S.C.), Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Brad Finstad (R-Minn.), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), John Carter (R-Texas), W. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Ron Estes (R-Kan.), Kay Granger (R-Texas), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Michael Burgess (R-Texas), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Roger Williams (R-Texas), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), Pat Fallon (R-Texas), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), and Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas). Read the full text of the letter here or below. Dear Secretary Vilsack: We write to share our strong concerns regarding the methodology and implementation of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. As farm and ranch families across the country continue navigating challenges caused by various natural disasters, it is vital that proper assistance be delivered in an effective and timely manner. It is unacceptable that USDA’s announcement comes almost one year after Congress appropriated over $3 billion in funding to address natural disasters that occurred during the 2022 crop year through the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2023 (P.L. 117-328). This is especially true considering USDA had the framework of 2021 ERP Phase 1 available and Congress encouraged USDA to use such framework. American producers have experienced significant losses, and the Administration has taken an approach that does not reflect Congressional intent. The current program does not provide needed assistance to full-time farm families that suffered the deepest losses, and in short, it misallocates limited but badly needed assistance. Additionally, the methodology used for the 2022 ERP will negatively impact many farmers’ ability to receive financing from lenders and plan for the next crop year. Based on your regulation, farmers suffering losses who would have received assistance covering more than 75% of their calculated losses in 2020 or 2021 will now be capped at closer to 10%. For a mid-sized farm of 1,000 acres with calculated losses of $200 per acre ($200,000 in total losses), the vast difference between upward of $150,000 assistance in 2020 vs. $18,750 in 2022 could be the difference between survival and bankruptcy. Earlier this year, Members of Congress sent a bicameral letter to USDA pertaining to the ERP Phase II, requesting that USDA reconsider the fundamental changes under such an approach and utilize EPR Phase 1 framework for the 2022 crop year. Unfortunately, these concerns were not addressed, as evidenced by the two-track payment calculation system utilized in the current program. Furthermore, ERP for 2022 introduces a new payment limit, albeit under a novel name, the progressive payment factor. These factors have resulted in a system of winners and losers that punish the farm families hit hardest by disasters. Additionally, the 2020 and 2021 ERP payments were adjusted for premiums and administrative fees paid by all eligible producers whereas for 2022 payments this only benefits a limited number of producers. This change is also contrary to the statute. While this program is already unnecessarily delayed it is still imperative that USDA depart from its current path because of the major problems raised by producers and Congress. USDA needs to follow the law and Congressional intent to address the crop losses of our farm families without the pay limits and without preferences that are not authorized by the statute. We strongly request the USDA abandon this current program and implement the framework of 2021 ERP Phase 1 as quickly as possible. /x/ ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=13F3D30C-8D2A-4CAB-8A4D-09A2AFC6BFEE,Fischer’s Christmas Message,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NE,Deb Fischer,F000463,www.fischer.senate.gov,fischer,https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following video to celebrate Christmas day. Click the image above to watch video of Sen. Fischer’s remarks Click here to download video",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=E38959C8-0DB0-4838-BF81-A84FD5F6F02C,Fischer Statement on Colorado Supreme Court Ruling,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NE,Deb Fischer,F000463,www.fischer.senate.gov,fischer,https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today in response to the Colorado Supreme Court’s recentruling disqualifying President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot: “Regardless of your political persuasion, denying a candidate even the ability to stand for election is wrong. It’s the right of American voters to support who they wish, but this ruling takes away that right. This election interference is deeply unAmerican. I encourage the Supreme Court to weigh in quickly. Permalink: https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/12/fischer-statement-on-colorado-supreme-court-ruling",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/army-delivers-funding-family-housing-fort-leonard-wood-following-commitment-senator-hawley/,Army Delivers Funding for Family Housing at Fort Leonard Wood Following Commitment to Senator Hawley,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Josh Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,hawley,https://www.hawley.senate.gov/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced that the Army has now delivered $41.49 million for new family housing at Fort Leonard Wood. This follows Senator Hawley’s repeated demands that overdue investment in families’ homes be made and a commitment by the Army to deliver these funds. “Fort Leonard Wood’s military families lead a life of service and deserve homes that meet their basic needs. I’m glad to see the Army finally delivering on their promise to replace all aging homes on the base. I urge the Army to ensure that the additional $50 million in promised funding for FY2024 is delivered on time,” said Senator Hawley. Senator Hawley has long advocated for improved family housing at Fort Leonard Wood and has pressed the Army to deliver on its pledge to replace all military housing on the base.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-holds-nominees-calls-further-evaluation-mcconnell-nominees/,"Hawley Holds Nominees, Calls for Further Evaluation of McConnell Nominees",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Josh Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,hawley,https://www.hawley.senate.gov/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), citing concerns about two of his recommended nominees. Senator Hawley appended questions to his letter for the nominees to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to answer regarding their policy views on several issues, including Big Tech and rail safety. Senator Hawley is currently holding both nominees. Senator Hawley’s letter comes as the Senate looks to pass a negotiated nominations package, likely to include dozens of Democrat-recommended nominees and only a few Republican appointees. “If Republicans are planning to install dozens of Biden nominees for positions across the federal government—without a vote—in exchange for just a handful of our own selections, I want to be sure that we get our nominees right,” wrote Senator Hawley. He continued, “For example, Andrew Ferguson, nominated to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), should answer additional questions on his philosophy concerning Big Tech, given the importance of that issue to our Conference. I also believe that Todd Inman, who is under consideration for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), should be asked to further articulate his views on various transportation policies, including rail safety and autonomous vehicles.” Read the full letter here or below. December 20, 2023 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Minority Leader U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Leader McConnell: I write today regarding the expected year-end nominations package and my specific concerns with two of your own recommended nominees. The expected nominations package will likely include dozens of nominees that have been recommended by Senate Democrats. Many of these Biden nominees will no doubt advance policies and values antithetical to those held by members of the Republican Conference. By agreeing to such a negotiated package in exchange for just a few Republican appointees you have personally deemed a priority, I believe we risk giving away too much. In particular, two of the nominees you have sought to include in this package need more time for careful evaluation by our own Conference, especially by non-Committee members. If Republicans are planning to install dozens of Biden nominees for positions across the federal government—without a vote—in exchange for just a handful of our own selections, I want to be sure that we get our nominees right. For example, Andrew Ferguson, nominated to be a Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), should answer additional questions on his philosophy concerning Big Tech, given the importance of that issue to our Conference. I also believe that Todd Inman, who is under consideration for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), should be asked to further articulate his views on various transportation policies, including rail safety and autonomous vehicles. I have appended written questions below that I have for each of these two nominees. As you are aware, I am currently withholding my consent for these nominees to be confirmed without a floor vote—as is any senator’s right to do—until I and others can evaluate satisfactory responses to these important policy questions. I would like to meet with the nominees to discuss these questions. Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senators-hawley-vance-rubio-urge-cfius-block-sale-us-steel-protect-americas-industrial-base/,"Senators Hawley, Vance, Rubio Urge CFIUS to Block Sale of U.S. Steel & Protect America’s Industrial Base",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,MO,Josh Hawley,H001089,www.hawley.senate.gov,hawley,https://www.hawley.senate.gov/press-releases/page/,scraper,"U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), urging her to block the sale of U.S. Steel to Japan-based Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC). NSC announced plans to acquire U.S. Steel on Monday, a deal that raises national security concerns and threatens to weaken America’s industrial base. “The transaction was not entered into with U.S. national security in mind. When U.S. Steel announced its “review of strategic alternatives” in August, it pledged to adopt a “measured approach.” But the board’s fiduciary duty was to its shareholders, and U.S. Steel has admitted that the very reason for the sale was its desire to “maximiz[e] value for [. . .] stockholders.” The transaction was not the product of careful deliberation over stakeholder interests, but rather the result of an auction to maximize shareholder returns,” wrote the Senators. They continued, “Trade protections can and should induce foreign investment that expands domestic production and creates American jobs. This corporate takeover is out of step with those goals. Allowing foreign companies to buy out American companies and enjoy our trade protections subverts the very purpose for which those protections were put in place.” “The Committee cannot rebalance American trade or reshape its corporate governance, but it can mitigate some of the worst consequences of both. It can and should block the acquisition of U.S. Steel by NSC, a company whose allegiances clearly lie with a foreign state and whose record in the United States is deeply flawed,” the Senators concluded. Read the full letter here or below. December 19, 2023 The Hon. Janet Yellen Secretary U.S. Treasury Department 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20220 Dear Secretary Yellen: We write to you in your capacity as Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to express my concern about the acquisition of the United States Steel Corporation (“U.S. Steel”) by Japan’s Nippon Steel Corporation (“NSC”). The transaction marks a turning point for an icon of American industry and has dire implications for the industrial base of the United States. The transaction was not entered into with U.S. national security in mind. When U.S. Steel announced its “review of strategic alternatives” in August, it pledged to adopt a “measured approach.” But the board’s fiduciary duty was to its shareholders, and U.S. Steel has admitted that the very reason for the sale was its desire to “maximiz[e] value for . . . stockholders.” The transaction was not the product of careful deliberation over stakeholder interests, but rather the result of an auction to maximize shareholder returns. The joint press release announcing the all-cash transaction led off with a declaration about the transaction’s “certain and immediate value to U.S. Steel shareholders.” Despite the absence of any security-focused deliberation on U.S. Steel’s part, domestic steel production is vital to U.S. national security. Democratic and Republican administrations have both acted decisively over the last forty years to bolster the industry. The endurance of President Trump’s Section 232 tariffs on steel imports demonstrates that the preservation of the domestic steel industry remains vital to our national security. Trade protections can and should induce foreign investment that expands domestic production and creates American jobs. This corporate takeover is out of step with those goals. Allowing foreign companies to buy out American companies and enjoy our trade protections subverts the very purpose for which those protections were put in place. The problems with this transaction run even deeper than that, however. NSC does not share U.S. Steel’s storied connection to the United States, and its financial interests are tied into those of Japan. Earlier this year, NSC received more than $3 billion in subsidies from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. And NSC has even flouted American trade law. As recently as August 2021, NSC was found guilty of unlawfully dumping flat-rolled steel products into the U.S. market. This acquisition is not occurring in a vacuum. The United States has run a trade deficit for nearly half a century. Our cumulative trade debt now stands at more than $14 trillion. Over the last five years, we have run an average annual trade deficit of more than $65 billion with Japan alone. One of the promised benefits of such unbalanced trade is that we run a capital account surplus: we import the world’s goods, and they consume our financial assets in return. In theory that may sound fine. But issues become apparent when those financial assets include critical pieces of the American industrial base. The Committee cannot rebalance American trade or reshape its corporate governance, but it can mitigate some of the worst consequences of both. It can and should block the acquisition of U.S. Steel by NSC, a company whose allegiances clearly lie with a foreign state and whose record in the United States is deeply flawed. We urge the Committee to initiate a review of the transaction unilaterally, particularly in light of the fact that U.S. Steel received competitive bids from American companies who would not pose the same risks. Thank you for your efforts to safeguard American national security. Sincerely, Josh Hawley United States Senator J.D. Vance United States Senator",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B62E572D-3D82-4987-AC6B-9B33FD7524E3,Graham Statement On Report That China Will Take Taiwan,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Lindsey Graham,G000359,www.lgraham.senate.gov,graham,https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement on a news report that Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Biden that China will take Taiwan. “This story as reported is beyond unnerving. “I support the One China Policy, but I also support freedom and democracy. “To communist China, if you think you can bully your way into destroying world order without consequences, you will be making Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine look wise. “I will be working with Democratic and Republican Senators to do two things quickly. First, create a robust defense supplemental for Taiwan and second, draft pre-invasion sanctions from hell to impose on China if they take action to seize Taiwan. I believe there is strong bipartisan support to stand up to Chinese communist aggression. “When it comes to communist China, it is a genocidal, thuggish regime that has broken its word in several agreements, particularly Hong Kong. “I believe the United States Congress is firmly united and fed up with communist China’s provocations. “Apparently China sees weakness when it comes to the United States. I can say unequivocally when it comes to communist China, both parties are united in standing up to this anti-democratic regime. “This statement by Chinese Communist Party dictator boss Xi proves the old saying, weakness anywhere provokes aggression everywhere.” ####",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=D0265091-BC21-4772-82C5-1B94F4C05E02,McConnell: America Needs To Show We Haven’t Forgotten How To Lead,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities: “Negotiations on border security continue to make headway. I’m grateful to Senator Lankford for his uninterrupted focus on the task at hand: meaningful policy changes. “Our colleagues at the negotiating table are under no illusions about how difficult it is to fix our nation’s broken asylum and parole system. “They’re working on what would be the first serious repair in more than 30 years. “But there’s no longer any disagreement that the situation at the southern border is unsustainable and requires the Senate to act. “This is the core of America’s national security. It will be an essential part of supplemental legislation to address pressing security challenges. And negotiations will continue in earnest until we get there. “The Senate cannot afford to get this wrong. From south Texas to southeast Asia, and from the Black Sea to the Red Sea, it’s an historically challenging and consequential time to protect America’s interests, our allies, and our own people. “The world is witnessing the first land war in Europe since 1945. Ukraine’s citizen soldiers are in the trenches right now, resisting Russian aggression with Western assistance. “American leadership has strengthened the NATO alliance, prompted our closest allies and trading partners to share more of the burden of collective defense, and driven historic investments in the military strength and industrial capacity we need here at home to compete with our biggest adversaries. “Finishing the job will require more of that leadership. “Meanwhile, Israel is responding to the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. “Our ally needs the time, space, and support required to eliminate the terrorist savages responsible for the horrors of October 7th. “And the entire region needs American leadership to restore deterrence against Iran and its terrorist proxies who attack U.S. personnel with impunity. “From the other side of the world, our friends in the Indo-Pacific are watching closely what goes on in Europe and the Middle East and investing seriously in their own military strength… because they know that China is doing the same. “Our single greatest strategic adversary is growing increasingly aggressive, increasingly advanced, and increasingly keen to seize an edge over a global superpower that fails to act like one. “Mr. President, the stakes are high this holiday season for our allies and partners on the front lines of authoritarian aggression. The challenges are real for brave American servicemembers who are spending this time of year far from home and loved ones to keep us safe. “It’s a dangerous world – one that doesn’t reward weakness. “America needs to show that we haven’t forgotten how to lead, and that we’re committed to restoring the hard power that leadership requires. “So I’m encouraged by our colleagues’ commitment to keep working toward an agreement on national security, beginning with security here at home. “The Senate will not let the challenges we face go unanswered.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=0F230E45-FD2B-49A8-A0B8-41F713F15D7C,Sen. Moran Announces Opening of Hays VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – Ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee – announced the opening of a new U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Hays. The CBOC has been relocated just north of Interstate 70 to increase access to care for veterans in northwest Kansas. The new facility includes three additional exam rooms, increased square footage, up-to-date telecommunication digital security requirements, and a room dedicated to group therapy and mental health needs.” “Access to critical and sufficient healthcare should not be difficult, especially for veterans,” said Sen. Moran. “The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center has put a tremendous amount of effort into creating an accessible and newer CBOC so that veterans across the state can receive the care they need.” “The CBOC in Hays was first opened in September 1999 and has served Veterans continuously since,” said the Dole VA Medical Center. “In the summer of 2022, it was announced the facility would move to its new location to provide more space for additional services as well as easier access to those traveling from outside the area.” # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-calls-on-postal-regulatory-commission-to-reject-unjust-postal-rate-increases-for-alaskans,Alaska Delegation Calls on Postal Regulatory Commission to Reject Unjust Postal Rate Increases for Alaskans,2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16,scraper,"U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) called on the Postal Regulatory Commission to reject consideration of the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) proposal to establish higher postal rates for mail delivered to the non-contiguous United States. In a letter sent today that was signed by the Alaska and Hawaiian Congressional delegations as well as delegates from each of the U.S. territories, the members of Congress warned that the USPS proposal “to single-out select remote and rural communities for disproportionate price increases is inconsistent with the Postal Service’s Constitutional purpose and with its historical approach of a uniform price structure for customers, no matter where in the nation a resident lives.” The USPS’ proposal would establish higher Zone 10 rates for certain “full network” products, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage, impacting packages destined for Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Territories. To read the full letter, click here. “This proposed increase in rates for Alaska and other non-contiguous states and territories is outrageous,” Sen. Sullivan said. “No state, including Alaska, should be punished by our own federal government because of geography. These hikes have the potential to severely negatively impact Alaskans—already reeling from inflation—who are more reliant on the USPS for basic goods and services than other Americans. I will be meeting with the Postmaster General soon to demand answers about the data they’re using to justify this increase, and the potential tax-payer funded monopolistic behavior of the USPS. I, along with my colleagues from impacted states and territories, will also be heavily weighing in with the Postal Regulatory Commission on this proposed rule. We will be insisting that the commission refuse to approve this rate increase, particularly because the USPS has not been transparent with any evidence justifying a change in rates.” “Postal Service price increases on Alaskans living in remote and rural communities are unfair, harmful, and go against the USPS mission of uniform delivery for all Americans,”said Sen. Murkowski. “The Alaska delegation calls on the Postal Regulatory Commission to decline price increases in Zone 10 and avoid harming Alaskans who already face some of the highest costs of living in the country.” “Alaskans rely on the Postal Service for more than just mail—it is a lifeline to the rest of the world,” said Rep. Peltola.“Medication, food, and more travels through our mail system on a regular basis. Urban and rural parts of our state all depend on reliable, predictable service for mail delivery, and these disproportionate cost increases would have a major impact on our daily lives. The costs of living in Alaska are already high. It makes no sense for the federal government to increase costs for Alaskans, without evidence, when postal services are relied on by so many across the state.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-mchenry-lead-77-colleagues-in-requesting-delay-for-unclear-reporting-requirements-for-small-businesses,"Rounds, McHenry Lead 77 Colleagues in Requesting Delay for Unclear Reporting Requirements for Small Businesses",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) partnered with Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) to lead 77 of their colleagues in sending a bicameral letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director Andrea Gacki asking the department to delay implementation of the beneficial ownership reporting requirements for small businesses. The reporting requirements put into place by the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) are set to begin January 1, 2024. The letter requests that FinCEN delay the January 1, 2024, effective date for requirements by a minimum of one year which will give FinCEN adequate time to finalize all outstanding rulemakings. The additional time will enable regulators to finish the necessary regulatory framework and give both FinCEN and the 33.2 million small business owners across the country additional time to prepare for this new reporting regime. “On behalf of the millions of small businesses in our states, we write to you today with significant concerns regarding the implementation of the beneficial ownership reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA),” wrote the members. “The CTA requires most corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities created in or registered to do business in the United States to regularly report information about their beneficial owners—the persons who ultimately own or control the company, to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) beginning on January 1, 2024.” “Unfortunately, FinCEN is woefully behind in educating small business owners and stakeholders of their new obligations under the CTA that begin in just a few short weeks,” the members continued. “In fact, a National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) survey found that 90 percent of respondents were entirely unfamiliar with these reporting requirements. Even more concerning is that the CTA has civil and criminal penalties of up to $10,000 and two years of jail time for failure to comply.” Other signers included Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), JD Vance (R-Ohio), Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). The letter was also signed by Representatives Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Roger Williams (R-Texas), French Hill (R-Ark.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Alexander Mooney (R-W.Va.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Bryan Steil (R-Wisc.), William Timmons (R-S.C.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas), Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Tracey Mann, R-Kan.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Jake La Turner (R-Kan.), Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.), Brad Finstad (R-Minn.), Russell Fry (R-S.C.), John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Ben Cline (R-Va.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.), Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) and Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.). Read the full letter HERE or below. +++ Dear Secretary Yellen and Director Gacki: On behalf of the millions of small businesses in our states, we write to you today with significant concerns regarding the implementation of the beneficial ownership reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). The CTA requires most corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities created in or registered to do business in the United States to regularly report information about their beneficial owners—the persons who ultimately own or control the company, to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) beginning on January 1, 2024. While the goal of this new law is to target shell companies involved in illicit financial transactions, the CTA defines covered entities as those having 20 or fewer employees and under $5 million in revenue. In other words, not just shell companies, but nearly every small business in America. Effective January 1st, small businesses will be required to provide the personal information of their beneficial owners – owners, board members, senior management, legal representation – and continue to monitor and report this information to FinCEN to ensure that it is current and up-to-date or they will face civil and criminal penalties. According to FinCEN estimates, more than 32 million separate reports are expected to be filed in 2024, with an additional five to six million filings each year thereafter. Unfortunately, FinCEN is woefully behind in educating small business owners and stakeholders of their new obligations under the CTA that begin in just a few short weeks. In fact, a National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) survey found that 90 percent of respondents were entirely unfamiliar with these reporting requirements. Even more concerning is that the CTA has civil and criminal penalties of up to $10,000 and two years of jail time for failure to comply. This lack of awareness and education is alarming and must be addressed before the law is implemented. Dozens of organizations, representing millions of small businesses operating in every state and community across the country, have already publicly expressed their strong support for delaying implementation of the beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements by one year. Further, FinCEN has yet to finalize the two final BOI rulemakings that are critical to protecting small businesses’ personal information. These include the “Access Rule,” and the “Customer Due Diligence Rule”. As you know, the Access Rule specifies the parameters around which the database can be accessed, the purposes for which the information can be used, and how the highly sensitive information will be protected. The Customer Due Diligence Rule is critical to make sure BOI would not result in a duplicative reporting regime for small businesses. Therefore, we strongly request that FinCEN delay the January 1, 2024, effective date for all BOI requirements by a minimum of one year which will give FinCEN adequate time to finalize all outstanding rulemakings. Additionally, we believe a year’s delay will provide FinCEN and the business community with more time to educate small business owners of their new reporting obligations. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-sullivan-reiterates-call-to-end-russian-seafood-imports-stand-up-for-alaskan-fishermen,"ICYMI: Sullivan Reiterates Call to End Russian Seafood Imports, Stand Up for Alaskan Fishermen",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today spoke on the Senate floor about the continued import of Russian seafood into the U.S., despite there being a prohibition in place. Sen. Sullivan again urged his colleagues to pass his U.S-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act of 2023, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that would close a loophole allowing Russian harvested seafood that has been reprocessed in other countries to be imported into the U.S. at the same time American fishermen are afforded zero access to the Russian market. Sullivan has been leading the effort for years to correct the injustice and reestablish reciprocity in the U.S.-Russian seafood trade relationship. In his remarks, Sullivan argued that the existing prohibition is failing to meet its objective and undermines American fishermen and seafood processors, enriches Vladimir Putin and Russian oligarchs funding the brutal invasion of Ukraine, and empowers the People’s Republic of China to continue utilizing Uyghur slave labor to process some of this seafood. Sen. Sullivan urged several U.S. based seafood companies who both sell and serve the reprocessed Russian seafood and oppose his legislation to instead buy American-sourced seafood as an input to their seafood supply chain. “The authoritarian regimes of Putin and Xi Jinping are working together to avoid American sanctions. They take the Russian seafood caught in Russian waters, and they send it to China and have slave labor transform it, and then sell it to the United States. They are sneaking around our sanctions. That is happening right now,” said Sen. Sullivan. “American companies importing this reprocessed Russian fish—trust me, it’s not a good business model to be selling Uyghur, slave labor-produced seafood … That's going to catch up with you. It’s not a good business model to be helping fund the Putin war machine … My answer is: Come on, be patriotic. Stand with America. Stand with American fishermen. Let's do legislation that can … help defeat slave labor, help the environment, help strong American fishermen, help workers’ rights, and go after Russian and Chinese abuses in the seafood industry.” Full transcript: I want to talk about two issues today here on the Senate floor. One is a really important one—it’s a policy issue that we have to solve. What I'm trying to do today is just make sure my colleagues—because a lot of them get kind of fed some misinformation on this issue—and then the American people writ large know what's going on, so we can fix this issue. And I'm hoping the White House and the administration, Treasury Department, everybody's watching, because this is an easy one. Imagine this, Madam President, if someone came to you and said, all right, let's see, is there legislation that we could pass that would help end slave labor in China with the Uyghurs, help make sure we had a really strong environment for our oceans and our fisheries, help make sure we weren't funding the Russian war machine to go kill innocent civilians in Ukraine, help make sure we keep strong American coastal communities, and help promote the great American fishermen who work so hard all over this great nation and who’ve been doing it way before the founding of the Republic—if there is legislation that could do all those things, wouldn't you want to support it? And, by the way, (it would) undermine our adversaries, the two big adversaries we have, Russia and China. Is there legislation pending in the U.S. Senate that could do all of these things? The answer is yes. Hell, yes! I would just want to make sure all my colleagues know, because when I bring this to the floor when we come back in the new year, I just want to make sure everyone supports it because it's a no-brainer. It is a no-brainer. So, Madam President, what am I talking about? Well, it's my U.S.-Russian Federation Seafood Reciprocity Act. I've got a bunch of co-sponsors, Democrats and Republicans. Senator Cantwell is a big, big promoter of this, just as one example. Let me just give a little bit of background, because people are saying, you’ve got a piece of legislation can do all that? Yeah, we sure do. And why anyone would not support it? Well, once they get educated, they'll support it. Let's talk about it just very briefly. Madam President, what's the background here? I'm going to go way back, almost ten years. The Russians invade Crimea. You have the aggressive dictator Vladimir Putin trying to invade everybody, right? We have to make sure he doesn't win in Ukraine. The Obama administration smacks them with sanctions. I wasn't here then, but that's what happened. This is in 2014, but I supported that. And then the Russians retaliate. Now, one of the things they did when they retaliated is that they said we're going to ban the importation of all American seafood into Russia. Now, Russia's got a big seafood market. Russia said no American seafood can come into Russia. By the way, my state is the superpower of seafood. The great state of Alaska is responsible for the harvest of over two-thirds of all fish and seafood in America. Two-thirds. 66 percent. We are the superpower of seafood. There’s a lot of other great states that export seafood. I'm not sure the great state of Nevada does, but that's a whole another topic. This is really important to my constituents. Tens of thousands of my great constituents are involved with this. So imagine that Russia was still allowed to import in the United States, almost duty free, and we can't export one fish. That's been the situation since 2014. Right there, that's just unfair. So I tried to work with the Obama administration, the Trump administration, the Biden administration to fix this. Unfair. By the way, the Russian seafood guys were eating into our fishermen's market, in our own home, in our own U.S. market. Not fair. And, by the way, American fishermen, Alaskan fishermen have the highest standards by far in the world on the environment, on sustainable fisheries, on the management of fisheries in our oceans. This is something Senator Whitehouse and I pass a lot of legislation on. On worker rights—highest in the world. It's not even close. So the highest standards on the planet, right in America, right in Alaska. Russia, China? I'm going to get to them. Lowest in the world. So keep that in mind as we talk about this issue. Then it literally takes a war to fix this. Russia brutally invades Ukraine. The Biden administration is putting together a sanctions package. I call the White House and say, “Hey, look, how about including in your sanctions package a way to fix this unfair trade situation where Russia won't allow us to import one fish and they can export into the United States all they want.” No way! So, to his credit, President Biden said or his team, “Hey, I agree with Senator Sullivan. Let's smack them with sanctions on fish.” So the Biden initial executive order hitting Russia after they invaded Ukraine said Russia can't import in the United States. Great. I've been working on that for ten years, and it's only fair. So what happened? These sneaky authoritarians. By the way, the Russian seafood industry is controlled by oligarchs who are literally taking a lot of that money and funding the Putin war machine. Remember that, my colleagues who might want to object to this later—money going to fund the Putin war machine from fisheries. That's a fact. So anyways, the little sneaky authoritarian regimes—Putin, Xi Jinping—they're working together. They're like—Hey, let's avoid those American sanctions. We'll take the Russian seafood caught by Russian fishermen in Russian waters, and we'll send it to China and we'll have slave labor in China transform it, and then we'll send it to the United States. We'll sneak around those sanctions. Big loophole, using slave labor. So that's what they're doing right now. They're doing it every day. Hundreds of millions of dollars, if not in the billions, are avoiding these sanctions by saying, let's take the Russian seafood—worst environmental standards in the world—we'll send it to China. We'll use slave labor by the Uyghurs to transform it, and we'll call it “Chinese” fish and then send it into the American market. That is happening right now. Right now. My legislation is simple. It closes the loophole. And by the way, Madam President, it's a really good idea because word's getting out that the Chinese fishing industry is a disaster. They take these big fleets, they go all over the world, they ravage the high seas, they ravage fisheries wherever they go. They're like—what's a good analogy? I don't know. Rats in the water. Right? They destroy the high seas fisheries. They go off the coasts of smaller countries in South America and Africa that don't have coast guards, can't afford anything. They're literally like the abuser of the oceans of the world, China. And then they use slave labor. How do I know? Because there has been article after article just in the last several weeks. Politico did a great article. I'd like to submit for the record after my remarks. Madam President, this one's called, it's in Politico magazine: “How Uyghur Forced Labor Makes Seafood That Ends Up in American School Lunches.” I'd like to submit that for the record, Madam President. Without objection. The New Yorker's done great work on this. One was titled, “The Crimes Behind the Seafood You Eat.” It's from The New Yorker. “Americans know little about their seafood, how it's sourced—much of it comes from a vast fleet of Chinese ships. Onboard, human rights abuses are rampant.” I’d like to submit that for the record, Madam President. Without objection. And then, another one from The New Yorker: “The Uyghurs Forced to Process the World's Fish.” Slave labor. You know, the Chinese, they try to dominate everything, trying to dominate the fishing industry at the expense of my fishermen. Unfair practices. “The Uyghurs Forced to Process the World's Fish.” This is from The New Yorker in October of this year. The subheading: “As China forces minorities from Xinjiang Province to work in industries around the country, as it turns out, this includes handling much of the seafood sent to America and Europe.” I'd like to submit that for the record, Madam President. So this is what's going on. Now, look. There are always a few companies out there, including in our great nation—and I'm not besmirching them or anything—but, they kind of whine. And, remember, this happened at the beginning of the Ukraine war. You might remember, Madam President, a lot of us Democrats and Republicans are like, “Hey, let's make sure we stop the Russian war machine, because right now America's importing a lot of Russian oil.” And the Europeans and Germans in particular were saying, “We're importing a lot of Russian gas.” So some have said, well, hey, we're going to cut that off. Let's cut it off. Let's nail them. And you might remember the beginning of the war, people were saying, even in this country—the Biden administration folks, “Well, we can't really cut off Russian oil. That'll hurt the American economy.” What about those importers of Russian oil in America, those refineries that use Russian oil? What about those guys and the Germans? Same thing. “Well, we can't really cut off the importation of Russian gas because, well, shoot, we use it now.” Not a lot of people were buying those arguments. I certainly wasn't. And the way we got around those arguments was, well, wait a minute, we know that's going to be a little painful. But here's an idea. Let's not import Russian oil. Let's use American oil! Let's use more oil from Alaska. We have way higher environmental standards, way higher worker standards. And you Germans—don't import Russian gas, don't fund the Putin war machine. We'll send you LNG from America! So the Germans, the Biden administration, everybody was like: That's a good idea. So what did we do? We cut off Russian oil in Europe. They cut off Russian gas. That's hurting those guys. That's good. And what did we do? We said, let's fill it up with American oil and gas. So why am I using that as an analogy? Because we have a couple companies. Look, and I get it. But as I said when I debated Senator Markey a couple of months ago, it's not a good business model. American fish importers, trust me—not a good business model to be using slave labor Uyghur seafood from China. At a certain point, Captain D's, you're one of the companies, that's going to catch up with you. It's going to catch up with you. Not a good business model to be helping fund the Putin war machine. I know there's a few companies out there saying, “We don't like the Sullivan bill.” Shoot. Really? So what's the answer? It's the same answer: We have great American fishermen who can make sure you guys, Captain D's, or whoever else—I guess some in Virginia—you get fish! Don't worry. By the way, it's a much higher standard. I just learned today that a lot of the Russian fish sent to China, it gets injected with 40 percent phosphates and water to plump it up to make it look more plump. That’s disgusting. And then it gets sent to America, maybe to Captain D's. My point here is, we're not out to hurt you. We can say, use American producers, use great American fishermen from all over. Not just Alaska—Maine, Virginia, California, Oregon, Washington State. Use them! Don't block this legislation. Don't be a Putin lackey. Don't help fund the war machine. Don't help Xi Jinping's forced labor, slave labor with the Uyghurs. Buy American, for goodness’ sake! Stand with American fishermen. So when we come back, I'm going to work this hard. And for all of you—and there's not many—but a few importers, I hope NFI is not doing this either. I hear they are, which would be really bad because they're supposed to promote the exporters too. That's the National Fisheries Institute. But what you need to do is not block this. This is a freight train, right? And it's going to pass. You want to get out of the way and you want to help stand with American fishermen. Let us in Alaska supply your company. Don't rely on slave labor Chinese fish. Don't rely on authoritarian aggression, Putin-backed seafood from Russia with low environmental standards. By the way, they're flooding the markets globally because they're worried and they're hurting fishermen in America, for sure. My fishermen, my fishing communities in my state are really hurting right now. This can help them. So, Madam President, we've been working on this hard. A lot of my Republican and Democratic colleagues are 100 percent with me. Like I said, there are a few importers who are kind of working the halls here. And my answer is: Come on, be patriotic. Stand with America. Stand with American fishermen. Let's do legislation that can—what did I say at the beginning of my remarks? Now do you understand? Help defeat slave labor. Help the environment. Help strong American fishermen. Help workers rights and go after Russian and Chinese abuses in the seafood industry. It is all over the place, and it’s only going to grow more widespread in terms of the knowledge of the American people saying: Wait a minute, I won't eat fish if it's slave labor fish, Putin oligarch fish. No! I want to buy fish—by the way with the highest standards in the world by far. We don't inject 40 percent phosphates into this fish. That makes it disgusting. I want to stand with American fishermen and buy seafood from Americans. So that's what we're going to do. We’re going to close that loophole. Madam President, it's a big issue. Thanks for listening. But I sure hope when we get back that my colleagues will fully support it. I think 99.9 percent of them already do. And that's the right answer. It's the right thing for our country and the right thing for America's fishermen. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-incentivize-better-health-care-at-lower-costs,"Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Incentivize Better Health Care at Lower Costs",2023-12-20,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently introduced the Value in Health Care Act, bipartisan legislation that would update the program parameters of Medicare’s Alternative Payment Models (APMs) to incentivize participation in Accountable Care Organizations (ACO). The changes would increase participation in these value-based health programs, which are designed to improve the quality of care and health outcomes for seniors while lowering costs. “Value-based care programs have a successful track record of improving outcomes and reducing costs. The Value in Health Care Act will take an important step to further incentivize participation in these programs by financially rewarding coordination of care and patient outcomes, rather than the number of services provided,”said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation that will increase access to higher quality, lower cost, patient-centered care for the nearly two million seniors in North Carolina.” Background: The Value in Health Care Act would make the following changes to the APM and ACO parameters: Incentivize participation in Advanced APMs by extending the annual lump sum participation bonus for an additional two years. Correct arbitrary thresholds for Advanced APM qualification to better reflect the existing progress of the value-based movement and to encourage bringing more patients into this model of care. Establish guardrails for CMS to ensure that the process to set financial benchmarks is transparent and appropriately accounts for regional variations in spending to prevent arbitrary winners and losers. Remove barriers to ACO participation by eliminating arbitrary program distinctions so all participants are participating on a level playing field. Support fair and accurate benchmarks by modifying performance metrics so participants aren’t competing against their own successes in providing better care. Provide greater technical support to ACO participants to cover the significant startup costs associated with program participation. “The North Carolina Medical Society applauds Senator Tillis’ introduction of the Value in Health Care Act in the Senate,” said Dr. Eileen M. Raynor, President of the North Carolina Medical Society. “Advancement of value-based care is a priority of the Medical Society and we are supportive of state and federal efforts that will expand participation in Alternate Payment Models among all physician specialties and help meet the needs of our state’s Medicare patients."" ""North Carolina's hospitals have been leaders in the value-based care for years,” said Steve Lawler, President and Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Healthcare Association. “Value-based care is best designed and delivered by the healthcare community. When incentives are properly aligned, and patients get the right care at the right time it costs less, and all involved benefit. This bill takes a step forward. We are grateful to Senator Tillis for his leadership and support of innovative approaches that work for patients, families, and those who are charged with their care."" “Duke Connected Care applauds Senator Tillis’ introduction of theValue in Health Care Act which includes incentives to continue the transformational work of improving health care for so many North Carolinians,” said Dr. Craig T. Albanese, Chief Executive Officer of Duke University Health System. “Duke Connected Care has delivered high quality, coordinated care for Medicare beneficiaries in central North Carolina for a decade, and this legislation includes provisions that will allow it to continue to do so.” “Advocate Health, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, affiliated accountable care organizations generated $128.2 million in savings in 2022 and have saved more than three quarters of a billion dollars to date,” said Dr. Gary Stuck, Chief Medical Officer, Advocate Health. “We're grateful for the innovative programs such as MSSP that foster and encourage value-based care models and help push providers like us and the industry at large in that direction. We greatly appreciate Senators’ Tillis, Whitehouse, Barrasso, Welch, Cassidy, Thune and Backburn for introducing the Value in Health Care Act. This bipartisan legislation would make important reforms to maintain and further strengthen Medicare's movement towards high-quality care in which financial performance is linked to the quality of patient care rather than the number of services delivered.” The Value in Health Care Act is endorsed by the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, Accountable for Health, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American College of Physicians, America’s Essential Hospitals, America’s Physician Groups, AMGA, Association of American Medical Colleges, Federation of American Hospitals, Healthcare Leadership Council, Health Care Transformation Task Force, Medical Group Management Association, National Association of ACOs, National Rural Health Association, and Premier Inc. A section-by-section summary of the bill is available HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom-news-releases-barrasso-statement-on-the-nomination-of-judge-kelly-rankin-for-u-s-district-court-of-wyoming/,Barrasso Statement on the Nomination of Judge Kelly Rankin for U.S. District Court of Wyoming,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WY,John Barrasso,B001261,www.barrasso.senate.gov,barrasso,https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/newsroom/news-releases/,scraper,"CASPER, WY – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) released the following statement on the announcement of Judge Kelly H. Rankin as the nominee to serve as the United States District Court Judge for the District of Wyoming. “Judge Kelly Rankin is an outstanding choice to serve as the U.S. District Court Judge for Wyoming. He has dedicated his career to serving the people of Wyoming and upholding the Constitution. Judge Nancy Freudenthal leaves an incredible legacy that is hard to follow, but I’m confident Judge Rankin is up to the challenge. “As Chief Magistrate, Kelly has issued hundreds of opinions and regularly assists the 10th Circuit with their caseload. He is well-versed in the issues that will come before the court. Kelly will bring years of valuable experience to the federal bench on day one. With his impressive record of public service and bipartisan support, the Senate should waste no time in approving his nomination.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=8B824E47-02E3-4748-BC98-475A1E26482E,"Boozman, Cotton Applaud Nomination of Gary Grimes to Serve as U.S. Marshal",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AR,John Boozman,B001236,www.boozman.senate.gov,boozman,https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) applauded the announcement that Gary Grimes has been nominated by the White House to serve as U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas. “Gary Grimes is a devoted public servant with a lifetime of dedication to safety and law enforcement. I am confident he will continue to build on his distinguished record serving Arkansas as a U.S. Marshal. I look forward to supporting him on the Senate floor,” Boozman said. “Gary Grimes has faithfully served the people of Arkansas for decades as a law enforcement officer, a sheriff, and in the Governor’s office. I expect that he will do the same as U.S. Marshal for the state’s Western District. I support his nomination and I look forward to his confirmation in the Senate,” Cotton said. Grimes is the principal owner of Grimes & Associates, LLC, a law enforcement, security and government affairs consultancy, since 2011. Grimes has a served in a number of law enforcement capacities including as Liaison to Law Enforcement and Emergency Management for Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe from 2007 to 2011. Prior to that role Grimes served as a law enforcement officer in Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas including as the Sheriff of Sebastian County from 1989 to 1999.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.budd.senate.gov/2023/12/19/budd-tillis-brown-vance-braun-young-resolution-honoring-wright-brothers-passes-senate/,"Budd, Tillis, Brown, Vance, Braun, Young Resolution Honoring Wright Brothers Passes Senate",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — The Senate has passed S. 513, a resolution recognizing December 17th as “Wright Brothers Day” and commemorating the 120th anniversary of the first powered flight. Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), JD Vance (R-OH), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Todd Young (R-IN) were the original sponsors of the resolution, which reads: Whereas, on December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright (referred to in this preamble as the “Wright Brothers”) of Dayton, Ohio, performed the first powered, controlled, sustained, heavier-than-air flight, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina; Whereas the Wright Brothers continued their experiments and flights in the United States and throughout Europe for people to see the miracle of flight; Whereas the successful first flight by the Wright Brothers launched a new era of exploration, from the solo transatlantic flight by Charles Lindbergh, to the Apollo 11 moon landing by Neil Armstrong, and beyond; Whereas people of the United States achieved the first supersonic flight less than 50 years after the first flight by the Wright Brothers, and achieved manned spaceflight less than 60 years after the first flight by the Wright Brothers; Whereas the modern commercial aviation system that links the world through commerce, trade, and travel owes its existence to the work of the Wright Brothers; Whereas the 3-axis control system devised for the “Wright Flyer” remains the standard for fixed-wing aircraft; Whereas the original “Wright Flyer” remains on display at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall; Whereas the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, welcomes more than 400,000 visitors annually to the location of the first flight by the Wright Brothers; Whereas the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio, welcomes more than 90,000 visitors annually to the locations where the Wright Brothers lived, worked, and conducted many test flights; Whereas the Wright Brothers gave rise to a world of aviation supported and enjoyed by enthusiasts, hobbyists, and aeronautical professionals across the world; Whereas the Wright Brothers finally realized the ancient and universal human aspiration to defy gravity; Whereas, in 1959 and 1961, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, joint resolutions designating December 17 as “Wright Brothers Day”; Whereas, in 1963, Public Law 88–209 (36 U.S.C. 143) permanently designated December 17 each year as “Wright Brothers Day”; and Whereas the inventive, courageous, and perseverant nature of the Wright Brothers exemplifies the spirit of the United States and the people of the United States; Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) recognizes December 17 as “Wright Brothers Day”; (2) commemorates December 17, 2023, as the 120th anniversary of the first flight of Orville and Wilbur Wright; and (3) calls on the people of the United States to observe “Wright Brothers Day” with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-barrasso-to-epa-illegal-proposal-to-close-power-plants-will-jeopardize-americas-grid-raise-costs-for-consumers,"Capito, Barrasso to EPA: Illegal Proposal to Close Power Plants Will Jeopardize America’s Grid, Raise Costs for Consumers",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to again outline significant concerns with the administration’s proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 that aims to close down power plants across the country, threatening America’s electric grid reliability on unjustifiable legal grounds. “We urge the EPA to rescind its Clean Power Plan 2.0 proposal and make affordability, reliability, and the limits of its authorities under the Clean Air Act cornerstones of any future proposal. The more time that has passed since the proposal, the more issues with the Clean Power Plan 2.0 have been uncovered,”the senators write. Read the full letter here and below: Dear Administrator Regan: We write in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA or Agency) latest solicitation of comments regarding the impacts of the proposed “Clean Power Plan 2.0” on small entities and on the reliability of the electric grid. We are deeply concerned that the Agency’s proposal is unachievable, uneconomic, and unreasonable for small and large electric generating units (EGUs) alike given that the emissions control technologies mandated are currently inadequately demonstrated. Further, the proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 fails to sufficiently consider the serious reliability concerns already raised by stakeholders, regulators, and independent experts. Changes by the Agency to the modeling underlying the rule, as well as information and comments furnished by third parties since the initial comment period closed that are discussed further below, clearly demonstrate that the EPA’s proposal is unjustifiable. As proposed, the rule clearly runs afoul of the Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v. EPA, 597 U.S. _ (2022). Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation Joe Goffman acknowledged this constraint to Congress during his nomination hearing: “In West Virginia v. EPA, the Supreme Court held that the EPA did not have the authority to adopt generation-shifting as the best system of emission reduction (BSER) as part of its emission guidelines for power plant greenhouse gas emissions under Clean Air Act section 111(d). The Inflation Reduction Act did not include provisions addressing EPA authority to adopt generation[-]shifting as the BSER under Clean Air Act section 111.” Yet, the EPA has clearly chosen to adopt generation shifting through its co-firing requirements in the proposal. The flaws we have identified both in the Agency’s November request for comments and in the original proposal are so egregious that the EPA must withdraw the Clean Power Plan 2.0 and start over. Correction of these serious, foundational deficiencies would require a wholesale rewrite such that any final rule the EPA finalizes would not be a logical outgrowth of the proposal. The only legally permissible course is to develop a new, legally sound proposal and start the rulemaking again. Additional Information on the Lack of Adequate Demonstration of Carbon Capture and Storage as the BSER Since the Close of the Initial Comment Period The proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0’s compliance mechanisms are infeasible and not adequately demonstrated as applied to covered entities, including small EGUs. For example, the proposal included a list of “successful applications” of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for fossil fuel-fired power plants. However, none of these projects would meet the EPA’s proposed requirement that 90 percent of carbon emissions be captured or show that the technology is adequately demonstrated and commercially available. In fact, SaskPower commented on the proposed rule providing a correction to the EPA’s claim that the SaskPower Boundary Dam Unit 3 CCS facility had successfully demonstrated the feasibility of 90-percent capture rates at commercial scale. The capital and operating costs associated with CCS, including parasitic load, will be unachievable for all entities, especially small EGUs. Additionally, several proposed carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines were listed in a supporting document entitled “Carbon Dioxide Transport and Storage References” to support the Agency’s claim that CCS is adequately demonstrated. These projects faced major setbacks due to permitting and other challenges. One of the projects listed in this supporting document is Summit Carbon Solutions. Summit Carbon Solutions has planned to build 2,000 miles of new CO2 pipeline across the Midwest. On August 4, 2023, North Dakota regulators denied the permit application for Summit Carbon Solutions. Since the proposed rule’s comment period closed on August 8, 2023, South Dakota regulators have denied siting approval to the Summit Carbon Solutions pipelines in the state. Another project cited in the proposal is the Navigator CO2 Ventures’ Heartland Greenway project that would have built 1,300 miles of new CO2 pipeline across several Midwest states. On September 6, 2023, South Dakota regulators denied siting approval for the pipeline. Following this denial, Navigator suspended pipeline permit proceedings in Iowa, and announced cancellation of the entire project on October 20, 2023. On November 20, 2023, another CO2 pipeline project, Wolf Carbon Solutions, announced the withdrawal of its permit application in Illinois after the state’s Commerce Commission recommended denying the permit. While Wolf Carbon Solutions plans to reapply for the permit in 2024, it is far from certain that it will be approved. Significant infrastructure – beyond the fence line of an EGU – is required to support deployment of CCS. An October report from the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) Foundation, founded by former Secretary of Energy under the Obama Administration, Ernest Moniz, determined that 150 large carbon dioxide pipelines transiting 50,000 miles would be needed by 2035 to support the required CCS buildout under the proposed rule. This would be the equivalent of building more than a quarter of the existing petroleum pipelines in a little more than a decade. Given the current permitting environment, it is unreasonable for the EPA to conclude that the necessary infrastructure will be in place within the timelines of the rule to support widespread deployment of CCS at existing or proposed EGUs, including smaller entities. The infeasibility of constructing carbon pipeline infrastructure is exacerbated by the EPA’s failure to approve permanent geologic sequestration wells in a timely manner under its Underground Injection Control Program (Class VI wells) to offtake carbon dioxide from hypothetical, future pipelines. On November 15, 2023, the EPA Office of Inspector General launched an evaluation of the Agency’s Class VI wells permit program to determine whether the EPA has appropriately used authorization and funding to improve the permitting of such wells as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Indeed, there is much ongoing disagreement regarding the adequate demonstration of CCS within the Biden Administration. The Administration’s own Climate Czar, John Kerry, recently told a group at COP28 that the fossil fuel industry needs “to show us they can capture all those emissions, to tell us whether it’s really going to be part of the future.” Kerry was also quoted saying, “No scientist tells me we can capture it all. Can’t do it.” This information and recent developments since release of the proposal further proves that CCS technologies cannot qualify as an adequately demonstrated BSER for power plants under the Clean Air Act for any-sized EGU. Electric Grid Reliability Concerns In the proposed rule, the EPA says that it has “evaluated the reliability implications of the proposal … and consulted with the [Department of Energy] and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the development of these proposals.” Yet comments filed on the proposed rule and a recent FERC technical conference demonstrate that alleged evaluation is far from adequate. For instance, the joint comments from the ISOs/RTOs (includes ERCOT, MISO, PJM, and SPP) noted that the proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 has the potential to “materially and adversely impact electric reliability.” They expressed doubt about the adequate demonstration of the BSER technologies, saying the proposed rule “overstates the commercial viability of CCS and hydrogen co-firing.” Additionally, they cautioned against proceeding with the proposal’s requirements without firm proof of its commercial and operational viability, saying “In short, hope is not an acceptable strategy.” State regulators have raised similar concerns. On October 4, 2023, the EPA received a letter from the West Virginia and Delaware Public Service Commissions (PSCs) cautioning the Agency that the proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 and the rest of EPA’s EGU Strategy will force premature retirements and increase the risk of reliability problems. Their letter further states: We are not advocating against intermittent resources. They can provide valuable energy into the power grid on an intermittent basis when the sun is shining, and the wind is blowing. However, these resources cannot be expected to provide constant and consistent voltage and frequency even when they are generating and online. Batteries or other energy storage devices may be a backup source, frequency provider, or even base-load provider in the future, but that scenario may be very far into the future and is not likely to occur within the short timelines of EPA rules, which will certainly lead to the premature retirement of the resources that can provide backup, frequency control and baseload power when needed. Federal reliability and bulk power systems regulators have also expressed deep concern with the proposal’s effects on reliability across the entire grid. FERC Commissioner James Danly commented on the proposal, rebuking the EPA’s claim that it had consulted with the FERC to evaluate the reliability implications of the proposed rule. Subsequently, the Commission held its Annual Reliability Technical Conference on November 9, 2023. During the FERC technical conference, witness testimony and questioning from the Commissioners exposed fundamental gaps in the EPA’s analysis of the rule’s impacts, and its reliability consequences. The conference included a 60-minute panel discussion with Mr. Goffman. Commissioner Danly highlighted challenges that the rule will present for electric reliability if it is implemented as proposed. He raised questions about the EPA’s faulty assumptions regarding projections of the retirement of fossil fuel-fired power plants and asserted that the assumption that there would be orderly retirements should be re-examined. Finally, he expressed the hope that EPA would step up its interaction with the Commission on these subjects. The Commissioners also raised the point that the EPA neglected to examine whether fossil fuel-fired power plants could access financing to comply with the proposed rule if the market concludes the proposed regulation is designed to make some affected EGUs uneconomic. Commissioner Mark Christie expressed the following concern to Mr. Goffman: “If they can’t get financing, it’s not going to be a ‘glide path.’ It’s going to be a nosedive from 50,000 feet. You can have timelines, you can have alternatives, but if the units can’t get financing, they’re going to shut down.” Mr. Goffman responded that “it would be an overstatement if I said ‘we analyzed whether or not they could get financing…’” On November 2, 2023, we sent a letter to the Commission explaining in detail factors that should be considered at the November 9th technical conference, as well as a list of questions that were requested to be addressed by the Commissioners at the conference. From our review of the responses to these questions, it is clear that the limited discussion between the Commissioners and Mr. Goffman was not nearly enough time to explore or resolve the wide array of impacts from this rule on the power sector. Given Mr. Goffman’s repeated assertion that he is eager for feedback, we suggest the Agency take all of the information from the technical conferences and the feedback provided by the written responses attached hereto and use that information to develop a new proposal. As recognized by Commissioner Danly, “The bulk electric system is complicated—even the smallest addition or loss of generation or transmission can have a profound impact on the system’s stability.” While EPA finally has recognized that the reliability impacts of the proposal bear more comprehensive analysis and consideration, the only way to address these concerns with the attention they deserve is for the EPA to withdraw the current proposal and consult with state, regional, and federal regulators as well as affected stakeholders before developing and proposing a feasible alternative. Conclusion We urge the EPA to rescind its Clean Power Plan 2.0 proposal and make affordability, reliability, and the limits of its authorities under the Clean Air Act cornerstones of any future proposal. The more time that has passed since the proposal, the more issues with the Clean Power Plan 2.0 have been uncovered. The proposal is beyond repair and must be withdrawn. Failing to do so and moving ahead with the proposal would significantly threaten the safety and reliability of the electric grid. The impact of these flaws will ultimately be borne by ratepayers through higher energy costs and the effects of reduced reliability on economic opportunity and public health and safety. Low-income and other vulnerable Americans will be disproportionately affected due to the regressive nature of energy cost increases. We further request that the EPA enter the full docket from the FERC Annual Reliability Technical Conference into the rulemaking record. Sincerely, # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-joins-colleagues-in-bicameral-letter-to-fincen-demanding-delay-of-red-tape-rule-on-small-businesses,Capito Joins Colleagues in Bicameral Letter to FinCEN Demanding Delay of Red-Tape Rule on Small Businesses,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined 79 Senate and House members in sending a bicameral letter to Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury, and Andrea Gacki, Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), requesting a delay in the implementation of new reporting requirements for small businesses. The letter – led by U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and U.S. Representatives Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.-10) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio-08) – follows concerns from constituents and small business groups about the new financial reporting requirement expected to take effect in just a few weeks. The new federal reporting requirements would expand FinCEN to collect and store confidential personal information about small businesses that have fewer than 20 full-time employees. This substantial regulation that impacts nearly every small business in America is expected to take effect January 1 and impact 32.6 million small businesses who are largely unaware of the new requirements that carry significant criminal and civil penalties for non-compliance. “On behalf of the millions of small businesses in our states, we write to you today with significant concerns regarding the implementation of the beneficial ownership reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA),” the members said. “While the goal of this new law is to target shell companies involved in illicit financial transactions, the CTA defines covered entities as those having 20 or fewer employees and under $5 million in revenue. In other words, not just shell companies, but nearly every small business in America,” the members continued. Full text of the letter is available here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/-sen-cramer-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-address-lack-of-accountability-transparency-within-atfs-classification-review-process,"Sen. Cramer, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Address Lack of Accountability, Transparency Within ATF’s Classification Review Process",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Following rising concerns over the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms’ (ATF) classification review process, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined his colleagues in introducing the ATF Accountability Act of 2023. Among other provisions, the legislation will establish an appeals process to classification reviews, allowing gun manufacturers to challenge classification decisions they believe to harm businesses or violate the Second Amendment. The existing classification review determines whether a particular firearm is regulated by the National Firearms Act, shaping the manufacturing, sale, and possession of various firearms and related items. The ATF's approach to this process lacks transparency, often issuing decisions and justifications to manufacturers through private correspondence with little options for recourse. ""Ensuring fair administrative procedures is vital for law-abiding gun owners. The Biden administration's use of crushing regulatory tactics, like the ATF's secretive classification process, has deprived citizens' constitutional right to bear arms and created uncertainty for manufacturers,” said Cramer. “We need to ensure transparency within the ATF, promote timely access to classification decisions, and fix the absence of an appeal process for manufacturers facing classification errors."" The ATF Accountability Act of 2023 is supported by the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition and backed by the National Rifle Association, further highlighting its importance to the firearms community. Senator Cramer has been vocal about the constitutional right to bear arms. In November, he co-led a bicameral amicus brief with U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to uphold the rights of all Americans to keep and bear arms, especially veterans and disabled individuals who need assistance to exercise their rights. In June, he issued a statement after voting for a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to block the ATF from reclassifying pistols with stabilizing braces as short-barreled rifles. In March of 2022, Senator Cramer joined colleagues in demanding answers from ATF on its actions to prevent the creation and possession of suppressors. Previously, he also cosponsored the ATF Accountability Act of 2021 (S.1920) in the 117th Congress. U.S. Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) led the ATF Accountability Act of 2023 in the Senate. Additional cosponsors include U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Steve Daines (R-MT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Lankford (R-OK), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), James Risch (R-ID), and Rick Scott (R-FL).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-braun-introduce-bill-to-hold_atf-accountable-give-certainty-to-gun-owners-and-manufacturers,"Crapo, Risch, Braun Introduce Bill to Hold ATF Accountable, Give Certainty to Gun Owners and Manufacturers",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ID,Mike Crapo,C000880,www.crapo.senate.gov,crapo,https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Mike Braun (R-Indiana) introduced the ATF Accountability Act, which would provide transparency to gun owners across America on rules made by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF engages in a secretive classification review process where the agency decides whether a particular firearm is regulated by the National Firearms Act and refuses to make final public rules regarding classification. The ATF’s lack of transparency creates significant uncertainty for both gun-owning Americans and firearm manufacturers. “Increasing transparent review and an appeals process for rulings and determinations made by the ATF would ensure that firearms manufacturers and lawful gun owners are not subject to unchecked bureaucratic rulings,"" said Crapo. ""Burdening law-abiding citizens of this country with additional gun restrictions is not the answer to safeguarding the public.” “The ATF’s ability to designate firearms behind closed doors puts law abiding gun owners and firearms manufacturers in a difficult and sometimes impossible situation,” said Risch. “The ATF Accountability Act will stop the agency’s secretive classification process, create accountability, and empower gun owners and manufacturers to appeal rulings.” “American gun owners and manufacturers have been left in the dark for far too long with closed-door rule changes by the ATF,” said Braun. “Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights shouldn’t be the last to know the classification status of firearms, or what licenses or tax stamps they need to avoid running afoul of the law. The ATF needs accountability and transparency, which this bill accomplishes.” The ATF Accountability Act: Creates an appeals process following a ruling by ATF with specific regular timeframes; and Permits gun manufacturers to appeal the legal status or classification of any product by filing with the Director of Industry Operations with jurisdiction. After which, the appeal is directed to an administrative law judge. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-South Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) and Rick Scott (R-Florida) cosponsored the legislation.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/us-senate-unanimously-passes-legislation-to-pay-owed-interest-to-shoshone-paiute,U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes Legislation to Pay Owed Interest to Shoshone-Paiute,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ID,Mike Crapo,C000880,www.crapo.senate.gov,crapo,https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.--Legislation backed by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) to allow the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley to receive more than $5 million in interest owed to them from the 2009 Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act unanimously passed the U.S. Senate. “The Senate’s unanimous support for this much-needed fix takes the next step in upholding the federal government’s full interest terms of the 2009 settlement with the Duck Valley Reservation,” said Senator Crapo. “I urge the House of Representatives to quickly take up the measure and send it to the President to be signed into law. This error must be corrected expeditiously.” “The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes’ water rights settlement mistakenly excluded interest payments, which unfairly cut these communities short,” said Senator Risch. “The passage of our legislation is a good step in correcting this error and provides the Tribes the proper interest they are owed.” “On behalf of the Shoshone Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, I want to thank Senators Cortez Masto, Crapo, Rosen and Risch for their work on behalf of the Tribes in securing Senate passage of S. 950,” said Tribal Chairman Brian Mason. “This legislation will restore the value of the trust funds provided to the Tribes to the level intended by Congress in our 2009 congressionally approved water settlement, and is an important step to fulfilling the economic potential of the Duck Valley Reservation.” Interest payments are commonplace in Indian water settlements but were inadvertently left out of this one. The bill, if signed into law, will correct this oversight and allow the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation to collect the full amount they are owed from the federal government. The reservation is split nearly evenly in half along the border of Nevada, with the northern half of the reservation in the southern part of Owyhee County. The bill, S. 950, was introduced by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) on March 22, 2023, with both Crapo and Risch as original co-sponsors. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) also co-sponsored the measure. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-scott-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-crack-down-on-ccp-espionage,"Sens. Cruz, Scott, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on CCP Espionage",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to require more stringent reporting requirements from diplomats of American adversaries. This bill also applies to foreign missions in the U.S. conducted by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. This legislation requires a monthly report of the notification logs from the State Department to the President, Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee to ensure transparency around the business of foreign governments in the United States. The Countering Corrupt Political Influence Act (CCP Influence Act), builds upon the Trump administration policy that required the State Department to mandate that Chinese foreign missions, including its embassy and various consulates around the United States, notify the Department of State in advance of all official meetings with state officials, official meetings with local and municipal officials, official visits to educational institutions, and official visits to research institutions. Cosponsors include Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas). Upon introduction, Senator Cruz said, “The Chinese Communist Party takes a whole of government and indeed often whole of nation approach to advancing its national security interests, including through global influence and espionage operations conducted from within diplomatic facilities. Other American adversaries utilize the same tactics and strategies. This legislation will ensure Congress and the president have a clear picture of what our adversaries are doing in the U.S.” Read the full text of the bill here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=D0DAF740-0B67-4E73-AB95-214A93014A49,"Fischer, Ricketts Applaud Nomination of Susan Bazis to U.S. District Court of Nebraska",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NE,Deb Fischer,F000463,www.fischer.senate.gov,fischer,https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) released the following statements regarding President Biden’s nomination of Susan M. Bazis of Omaha to be a federal judge for the District of Nebraska: “I was honored to recommend Susan Bazis to be a federal judge for the District of Nebraska to the White House earlier this year. A bright legal mind, Judge Bazis is a dedicated public servant who works hard not only to administer justice fairly, but to make our court system more efficient,”said Senator Fischer. “Her broad experience in both criminal and civil affairs will continue to serve our state and its people well. I encourage all of my Senate colleagues to support her nomination—congratulations, Susan!” “I applaud Senator Fischer for working with the president to nominate a qualified and well-respected Nebraskan to the federal bench,” said Senator Ricketts. “Judge Susan Bazis’s varied experience, strong intellect, and temperament will benefit us all. I have every confidence she will receive strong, bipartisan support. Congratulations, Judge Bazis!” Background: Senator Fischer first recommended Susan Bazis as a federal judge to President Biden for the District of Nebraska in January of 2023. Bazis’ nomination now enters the Senate confirmation process. After a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the committee will vote on her nomination. Following approval by the committee, her nomination heads to the Senate floor for a final vote. Permalink: https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/12/fischer-ricketts-applaud-nomination-of-susan-bazis-to-u-s-district-court-of-nebraska",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-joins-introduction-of-atf-accountability-act,Hoeven Joins Introduction of ATF Accountability Act,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,hoeven,https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Hoeven Joins Introduction of ATF Accountability Act Legislation Would Protect 2nd Amendment Against Federal Overreach, Provide Transparency on ATF Rulings WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven joined Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) in introducing legislation to provide transparency on rulings made by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and establish a formal appeals process. Currently: The ATF engages in a secretive classification review process to determine whether a particular firearm is regulated by the National Firearms Act. Justifications for decisions are often only made available to manufacturers in private correspondence, creating uncertainty for both gun-owning Americans and firearm manufacturers. Contrary to regular administrative procedure, gun manufacturers have no way to appeal if they believe that a classification decision was reached in error or is not reflective of a comprehensive review. Accordingly, the ATF Accountability Act: Creates an appeals process for firearm classification or legal status determinations made by the ATF, with specific timeframe requirements. Permits gun manufacturers to make appeals to the Director of Industry Operations with jurisdiction, after which, the appeal is directed to an administrative law judge. “Our legislation would better protect the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans from federal overreach and provide an important check on the ATF’s classification process,” said Senator Hoeven. “American gun owners and manufacturers have been left in the dark for far too long with closed-door rule changes by the ATF,” said Senator Braun. “Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights shouldn’t be the last to know the classification status of firearms, or what licenses or tax stamps they need to avoid running afoul of the law. The ATF needs accountability and transparency, which this bill accomplishes.” In addition to Hoeven and Braun, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.). The full text of the legislation can be found here. -###-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=06A61E17-770D-42FF-ACB7-DAFE340717ED,McConnell: America Cannot Ignore Rising Anti-Semitism,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding anti-Semitism: “On Sunday, Jewish residents of our nation’s capital were subjected to a disturbing episode of anti-Semitic hate. :As a Torah class at a Washington synagogue concluded and attendees began to leave, they were met on the sidewalk by a man who sprayed them with a foul-smelling substance and yelled, ‘gas the Jews’ – all while filming on his cell phone. “This is just one example of the reality facing millions of American Jews. “In the same weekend, hundreds of synagogues across the country received false bomb threats. “And thousands of incidents of anti-Jewish hatred have cropped up on American soil in the months since October 7th – a rise that leading watchdogs say is the worst in more than forty years. “The brazenness of this hateful deluge is horrifying, by itself. “But an even more alarming trend is just how dramatically the moral cancer of identity politics is laying the groundwork for a continued wave of anti-Semitism. “According to one recent poll, a full two-thirds of Americans aged 18-24 agreed with the following statement, ‘Jews as a class are oppressors and should be treated as oppressors.’ That’s the view of two-thirds of Americans between 18-24. “This is the scorched-earth, Marxist nonsense that has quite publicly seized America’s most elite universities. “As our former colleague, the President of the University of Florida, put it in a recent column, ‘In this upside-down system, an oppressor’s speech is violence. Sometimes an oppressor’s silence is violence. But for the oppressed, even violence is just speech.’ “So Mr. President, I’d like to request unanimous consent to submit President Sasse’s full comments for the record. “This is the ideology that is poisoning a new generation. This is the world’s oldest form of hatred. “And we cannot ignore it.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=0F65010A-2DB6-4CB3-87C7-0BA29B6C80F5,McConnell On Responsibility To Stand With Israel,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities: “As the Senate convened this week, our colleagues negotiating on border security were still at the table, making slow and steady progress. “They’re chipping away at years of failure to enact basic, commonsense border security policy. Reaching an agreement that can pass Congress and become law is easier said than done. “But I’m very grateful to Senator Lankford for sticking with it. “Our colleagues’ effort to address the glaring national security challenge here at home is the foundation of our broader responsibility to meet the linked threats we’re facing around the world – from the Indo-Pacific to Europe to the Middle East. “Needless to say, it’s a particularly dangerous time for nations that care about protecting their sovereignty from totalitarian thugs and savage terrorists. The headlines are filled with evidence that America’s most dangerous adversaries are demonstrably not deterred. “And it might have something to do with the Biden Administration’s penchant for deterring itself instead. “America is a global superpower. But far too often, our commander-in-chief has conducted our foreign affairs with hesitation and weakness. “Remember his Administration’s overwrought fears of ‘escalation’ that kept essential capabilities out of Ukrainian hands. Or the feeble half-measures in response to an ongoing surge in attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. “Reports that the Biden Administration now wants to constrain Israel’s efforts to destroy Hamas are disappointing. But not surprising. “Two months ago, the Administration was encouraging Israel to slow down its response before entering Gaza. Now, it’s telling Israel to hasten its operations and wind them down to a close. “America cannot afford to lose sight of reality. We must not blur the bold-face line between a sovereign democracy that takes great pains to avoid civilian casualties and a terrorist organization that steals humanitarian aid from vulnerable Gazans to fuel its war of hate. “Israel did not choose this conflict. It ended the occupation of Gaza nearly two decades ago. But its policy of seeking to lower tensions was rewarded on October 7th, when Hamas unilaterally shattered the cease-fire with rape, torture, terror, and murder. “Hamas – the terrorists who diverted mountains of foreign assistance intended for civilian infrastructure to build miles of elaborate terror tunnels, instead. “Hamas – the cowards who intentionally hide their fighters and weapons in schools and hospitals. “Hamas has repeatedly faced a choice between improving the lives of Palestinians and killing Israelis. “Every time to date, it has chosen violence. And if Hamas survives with its military capabilities and leadership intact, it will make that choice again and again. “This is the reality Israel faces. Its war cabinet knows they must see this fight through. “It’s the same reality that recent American Presidents have confronted in the fight against al-Qaeda and ISIS. “But for Israel, the determined terrorist threat is on its very borders, and its own citizen-soldiers are on the line. “So I’ll repeat what I’ve said so many times before: “Our responsibility as an ally is to provide the time, space, and support Israel needs to finish the job… “To condemn shameful attempts at moral equivalence to excuse the genocidal violence of Hamas terrorists and apply double standards to Israel… “And to offer counsel to our ally in private, not in front-page genuflections to the President’s left-wing base. “Administration officials and world leaders who care about the Palestinians would do well to focus less on constraining Israel in the short-term and more on the challenge of ensuring Palestinian leaders and organizations in Gaza and the West Bank actually care about improving the lives of their fellow citizens in the long-term. “Palestinians deserve better than Hamas’ cult of death in Gaza. They deserve better than the corrupt and sclerotic Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/senators-murkowski-duckworth-moran-and-rosen-lead-bill-to-support-military-spouses-and-families,"Senators Murkowski, Duckworth, Moran, and Rosen Lead Bill to Support Military Spouses and Families",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16,scraper,"Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) introduced READINESS Act – legislation that supports military and foreign service spouses and their families by creating more job flexibility when a servicemember is deployed or transferred. The bill, which was developed by current and former federally employed military spouses, aims to encourage the retainment of military spouses across the federal government and lower high employee turnover. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) introduced the House version of the bill in November. Currently, military spouse unemployment has held over 20% for over 30 years, and is 6 times the national unemployment rate. More than one-third of military families cite spouse employment challenges as a reason for leaving active duty. “Military spouses are critical support systems in their families—and I’m proud to lead the bipartisan READINESS Act to provide job and career support to them when their spouse faces deployment or transfer,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “This legislation creates flexibilities that already exist in the federal government, and can help to retain quality workers while also ensuring that the spouses of servicemembers can support their families. Our military spouses do so much for our country—and we should do what we can to make their service better.” “When the brave members of our military and Foreign Service are relocated or transferred to a new duty station, we should be doing everything we can to support their families who sacrifice so much to go with them—including sometimes having to leave their jobs,” said Senator Tammy Duckworth. “I’m proud to join Senator Murkowski to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure we provide our military and Foreign Service spouses with the flexibility and job support they need as their families make these transitions, reducing unemployment and strengthening military readiness.” “Military service is family service, and too often the spouses of servicemembers have to upend their career when their spouses are deployed or transferred,” said Senator Jerry Moran. “This legislation supports the well-being and the readiness of the family by providing increased flexibilities to federal agencies to maintain military and foreign service spouses, allowing continued work despite interruptions associated with their spouse’s military service.” “Servicemembers and their families make tremendous sacrifices for our country, and their frequent relocation to new duty assignments makes it difficult for military spouses to find steady employment,” said Senator Jacky Rosen. “I’m proud to help introduce this bipartisan legislation to increase job flexibility for military spouses, easing strain on their families and ensuring stable employment. I’ll always work to provide military families with the tools they need to thrive.” Background: Military and foreign service moves are involuntary, a consideration unique to this small group of federal employees. The lack of agency flexibility often results in spouses being forced to resign under threat of termination. The dearth of available jobs around many military bases then results in career breaks or voluntary demotions, negatively impacting the military family’s financial health. The READINESS Act could incentivize military service members to accept hardship orders or orders to locations with a negative availability of civilian jobs. The READINESS Act creates a decision tree when an employee presents their supervisor with military or foreign service orders. 1) Can this employee’s position be performed remotely; 2) can they transfer to an agency position within the commuting area of the new location; or 3) can they transfer to an agency position that can be performed remotely? If not, place them in a nonpay status (i.e., Leave Without Pay) for the greater of their spouse’s orders or 36 months – with the employing agency able to backfill the position, unencumbered. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/permanent-subcommittee-on-investigations-demands-swift-response-to-inquiry-into-sexual-assault-harassment-at-the-coast-guard-academy,Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Demands Swift Response to Inquiry into Sexual Assault & Harassment at the Coast Guard Academy,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WI,Ron Johnson,J000293,www.ronjohnson.senate.gov,ronjohnson,https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) Ranking Member Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent a letter to Admiral Linda Fagan, United States Coast Guard Academy Commandant, demanding the Coast Guard immediately provide all records responsive to PSI’s probe into sexual assault and harassment at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. This followsPSI’s hearing last week with current and former Coast Guard Academy cadets, who experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment, or retaliation at the Academy and in the Coast Guard. “It is clear from this testimony, and the Subcommittee’s inquiry to date, that the Coast Guard’s culture of cover-up has allowed sexual assault and sexual harassment to persist for decades, both at the Academy and in the Coast Guard,”wrote Sens. Johnson and Blumenthal in a letter to Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan. “It is equally apparent that accountability and systematic change at both the Coast Guard and the Academy are necessary to address past failures and to ensure that future cadets are protected. Full compliance with the Subcommittee’s inquiry is a necessary component of these actions.” “You have expressed a commitment to investigate reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment, hold perpetrators accountable, support victims, and be fully transparent with Congress and the American people. It is imperative that you live up to that commitment and ensure that the Coast Guard provides all requested documents and information to the Subcommittee without further delay,”the senators continued. “Should the Coast Guard continue to withhold or redact requested records, PSI will have no choice but to utilize other means to ensure compliance with congressional oversight.” In September 2023, PSI opened a bipartisan inquiry into the Coast Guard Academy’s mishandling of sexual assault investigations and its failure to disclose the results of its sexual assault investigation to Congress or the public. The full text of today’s letter can be foundhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-announces-nominations-to-us-service-academies-for-2024-2025-school-year,Rounds Announces Nominations to U.S. Service Academies for 2024-2025 School Year,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he has nominated students for appointments to the nation’s service academies. Rounds nominated Ryan Fiechtner of Aberdeen as his top nominee to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Nicholas Gray of Fort Pierre as his top nominee to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Maya Lee of Dell Rapids as his top nominee to the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. In addition, Rounds nominated Nicholas Hanson, who received a fully qualified offer of appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. “It’s an honor to nominate our nation’s future military leaders to U.S. service academies,” said Rounds. “The U.S. service academies are among the most elite educational institutions in the world. After receiving a top-notch education, these South Dakotans will courageously serve our country as active-duty military members. We’re proud of Ryan, Nicholas G., Maya and Nicholas H. for their desire to answer the call of duty to serve our nation.” Ryan Fiechtner of Aberdeen– Principal Nominee, U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) Ryan Fiechtner is the son of Brad and Pam Fiechtner of Aberdeen, South Dakota. A senior at Aberdeen Central High School, Ryan is a member of the marching band and symphonic band. Ryan volunteers with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit that builds and delivers beds to children in need. Ryan is a member of the National Honor Society and holds a 3.87 GPA. ""I am deeply grateful to receive Senator Mike Rounds' principal nomination to the United States Naval Academy,” said Fiechtner. “It has been my dream to serve since my freshman year of high school. I'd like to thank my teachers, friends and family for their overwhelming support along the way. This opportunity has strengthened my resolve and commitment to the United States armed forces where I seek to become a representative for myself, my family and my country."" Nicholas Gray of Fort Pierre – Principal Nominee, U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Nicholas is the son of Bob and Cara Gray of Fort Pierre, South Dakota. A senior at O’Gorman High School, Nicholas plays hockey for the Sioux Falls Flyers, coaches younger skaters and teaches at hockey camps and clinics. Nicholas is involved in his church youth group and volunteers with Feeding South Dakota. Nicholas holds a 3.82 GPA. “It's an honor to be nominated to a service academy,” said Gray. “I am extremely thankful for the people who have supported me over the years and will continue to support me - including my family, friends, teachers, and coaches. West Point will help me achieve new heights as a leader and I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve my country.” Maya Lee of Dell Rapids – Principal Nominee, U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) Maya Lee is the daughter of Christy and Gregory Lee of Dell Rapids, South Dakota. Maya is a 2023 graduate of Dell Rapids High School and is currently attending the Georgia Military College under the Falcon Foundation Scholarship. While in high school, Maya was active in boxing, jiu jitsu, cross country and National Honor Society, graduating with a 3.95 GPA. “I’m extremely grateful to receive Senator Rounds’ principal nomination for USAFA,” said Lee. “It’s exciting to have a chance to serve alongside the brave men and women in the United States Air Force. I want to thank Senator Rounds and his team for helping me on this journey and my parents, teachers, friends, and boxing coach, as they continue to inspire me every day.” In addition to principal nominees, Rounds may send up to nine competitive candidates per academy for consideration by that academy. Rounds has selected the students listed below to receive a competitive nomination. Each service academy admission board gives full and fair consideration to these nominees and will determine final appointments. Nicholas Hanson of Dakota Dunes – Competitive Nominee with Fully Qualified Offer of Appointment, U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) Nicholas is the son of Joe and Jesica Hanson of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. A senior at Dakota Valley High School, Nicholas is active in student government and currently serves as Student Body President. He is on the football and track teams, and plays the trumpet in the marching, jazz and concert bands. Nicholas is a National Honor Society member and holds a 4.0 GPA. “I am very thankful to have been selected to receive a nomination from Senator Rounds and his nominating committee,” said Hanson. “It has been my dream to attend the United States Naval Academy. I look forward to representing South Dakota while serving our country as an officer. I am blessed to be able to have this opportunity and appreciate the support from my family and friends.” U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) Ryan Fiechtner of Aberdeen, SD – Principal Aubrey Fraasch of Milbank, SD – Competitive Nicholas Gray of Fort Pierre, SD – Competitive Nicholas Hanson of Dakota Dunes, SD – Competitive (Fully Qualified Offer of Appointment) Dale Kinyon II of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Talan Lunders of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Nicholas Maas of Sioux Falls, SD – Competitive Grant Masek of Sioux Falls, SD – Competitive Jagur Parks of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Keegan Thomas of Sioux Falls, SD – Competitive U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Nicholas Gray of Fort Pierre, SD – Principal Aubrey Fraasch of Milbank, SD – Competitive Dale Kinyon II of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Savanah Hendricks of Vivian, SD – Competitive Jagur Parks of Rapid City, SD – Competitive U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) Maya Lee of Dell Rapids, SD – Principal Trey Dunse of Webster, SD – Competitive Shae Fiala of Baltic, SD – Competitive William Fogarty of Hartford, SD – Competitive Tristan Fosberg of Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD – Competitive Samuel Garrett of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Talan Lunders of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Nicholas Maas of Sioux Falls, SD – Competitive Trey Murray of Gregory, SD – Competitive Caleb Pitsenberger of Flandreau, SD – Competitive U.S. Merchant Marines Academy (Kings Point) Talan Lunders of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Jagur Parks of Rapid City, SD – Competitive Students interested in attending a service academy go through a rigorous application process. Because the academies are highly competitive, students must meet eligibility requirements in leadership, physical fitness, character and academics. The young people joining the military directly from the academies are among the highest caliber our country has to offer, which is a result of the challenging training and education they received at service academies. Students applying for service academies are required to receive a Congressional nomination as part of the application process. Those appointed receive a scholarship and military appointment and are required to serve in the military for at least five years upon graduation. Individuals interested in applying for a service academy nomination beginning in academic year 2025-2026 (Class of 2029) should apply by October 1, 2024. Questions about the academy nomination application process can be directed to Rounds’ Sioux Falls office by calling (605) 336-0486 or by emailing Academy_Nominations@rounds.senate.gov. An informational packet and the application packet can be found on Senator Rounds’ website at https://www.rounds.senate.gov/constituents/academy-nominations. Photos of Rounds’ nominees can be downloaded HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/sens-scott-lee-champion-school-choice-educational-freedom/,"Sens. Scott, Lee Champion School Choice, Educational Freedom",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SC,Tim Scott,S001184,www.scott.senate.gov,timscott,https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in introducing the Accelerating Children’s Education (ACE) Act to bolster educational choices for American families. This legislation builds upon a provision of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and enhances federal tax incentives for the enactment of state-level school choice legislation while addressing growing concerns among parents about the ideological influences in public education and the economic barriers to alternative schooling options. “I’ve always championed educational freedom because of one simple truth – when parents have a choice, kids have a chance,” said Senator Scott. “I’m proud to continue fighting to ensure every child – no matter their zip code – has access to a school that best fits their needs and provides them the opportunity to live out their version of the American dream.” “It is the fundamental right of parents to choose the educational path that is most suitable for their children,” said Senator Lee. “The ACE Act ensures that our tax system reflects this principle and provides real support to those seeking alternatives to public schooling.” “Across the country, and especially in Southwest Missouri, school choice is already benefitting many of our nation’s young children.” said Rep. Burlison. “Through 529 education saving accounts, families are freed from the arbitrary link between where they live and which school their child can attend. School choice makes institutions of education more accountable and responsive to families. This leads to higher graduation rates and increases parental satisfaction and involvement while saving taxpayer dollars.” Representative Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Key provisions of the ACE Act include: Doubling the allowable level of tax-exempt 529 account distributions for qualified educational expenses to $20,000 per taxable year; Gift tax exclusions up to $20,000 per year for contributions to 529 accounts; and Adjusted federal tax exemption on municipal bonds based on state school choice laws, incentivizing states to adopt such measures. Under the ACE Act, states with no qualifying school choice laws will see the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds for local projects, such as new school construction, revoked. States that adopt school choice laws will benefit from a 50% tax exemption on bond interest income, while states fully embracing school choice will enjoy a complete tax exemption.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/alaska-delegation-calls-on-postal-regulatory-commission-to-reject-unjust-postal-rate-increases-for-alaskans,Alaska Delegation Calls on Postal Regulatory Commission to Reject Unjust Postal Rate Increases for Alaskans,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=17,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska), and Representative Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) called on the Postal Regulatory Commission to reject consideration of the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) proposal to establish higher postal rates for mail delivered to the non-contiguous United States. In a letter sent today that was signed by the Alaska and Hawaiian Congressional delegations as well as delegates from each of the U.S. territories, the members of Congress warned that the USPS proposal “to single-out select remote and rural communities for disproportionate price increases is inconsistent with the Postal Service’s Constitutional purpose and with its historical approach of a uniform price structure for customers, no matter where in the nation a resident lives.” The USPS’ proposal would establish higher Zone 10 rates for certain “full network” products, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage, impacting packages destined for Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Territories. To read the full letter, click here. “This proposed increase in rates for Alaska and other non-contiguous states and territories is outrageous,” Sen. Sullivan said. “No state, including Alaska, should be punished by our own federal government because of geography. These hikes have the potential to severely negatively impact Alaskans—already reeling from inflation—who are more reliant on the USPS for basic goods and services than other Americans. I will be meeting with the Postmaster General soon to demand answers about the data they’re using to justify this increase, and the potential tax-payer funded monopolistic behavior of the USPS. I, along with my colleagues from impacted states and territories, will also be heavily weighing in with the Postal Regulatory Commission on this proposed rule. We will be insisting that the commission refuse to approve this rate increase, particularly because the USPS has not been transparent with any evidence justifying a change in rates.” “Postal Service price increases on Alaskans living in remote and rural communities are unfair, harmful, and go against the USPS mission of uniform delivery for all Americans,” said Sen. Murkowski. “The Alaska delegation calls on the Postal Regulatory Commission to decline price increases in Zone 10 and avoid harming Alaskans who already face some of the highest costs of living in the country.” “Alaskans rely on the Postal Service for more than just mail—it is a lifeline to the rest of the world,” said Rep. Peltola. “Medication, food, and more travels through our mail system on a regular basis. Urban and rural parts of our state all depend on reliable, predictable service for mail delivery, and these disproportionate cost increases would have a major impact on our daily lives. The costs of living in Alaska are already high. It makes no sense for the federal government to increase costs for Alaskans, without evidence, when postal services are relied on by so many across the state.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-approves-amendments-to-sullivans-save-our-seas-20-act,Senate Approves Amendments to Sullivan's Save Our Seas 2.0 Act,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=17,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, applauded the Senate’s unanimous passage of his legislation amending the 2020 Save Our Seas (SOS) 2.0 Act and the 2006 Marine Debris Act. The amendments will provide the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) greater flexibility to deliver federal resources and enter into cooperative agreements to conduct marine debris prevention and clean-up. The legislation also clarifies the function and responsibilities of the congressionally-chartered Marine Debris Foundation, which Sullivan has strongly advocated should be established in Alaska. The legislation was introduced by Sens. Sullivan, Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) in the Senate, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-P.R.) in the House. The SOS 2.0 Act—championed by Sen. Sullivan and signed into law in 2020—is the most comprehensive legislation ever passed by Congress to address the marine debris crisis threatening coastal ecosystems and communities, and harming marine life. “Marine debris is a serious threat to so many aspects of life in Alaska—communities along our thousands of miles of coastline, our pristine marine ecosystem, and the health our world-class fisheries. Tackling this challenge has been a consistent focus of mine as Alaska’s senator,” said Sen. Sullivan. “We’ve made a lot of progress since the 2018 Save Our Seas Act and, last week, we had another win: My Senate colleagues unanimously passed amendments to SOS 2.0 that will, among other updates, give NOAA greater flexibility to deploy funds and work with a broader array of partners in the private and public sector to most effectively prevent and address the trash washing up on our shores. I look forward to keeping the momentum going, working with my colleagues, NOAA, and members of the new Marine Debris Foundation on this critically important—and solvable—environmental challenge.” SOS 2.0 is composed of three primary pillars: Strengthening the United States’ domestic marine debris response capability with a Marine Debris Foundation, a genius prize for innovation, and new research to tackle the issue. Enhancing global engagement to combat marine debris, including formalizing U.S. policy on international cooperation, enhancing federal agency outreach to other countries, and exploring the potential for a new international agreement on the challenge. Improving domestic infrastructure to prevent marine debris through new grants for and studies of recycling and waste management and mitigation. SOS 2.0 builds on the success of the Save Our Seas Act, legislation introduced by Sens. Sullivan and Whitehouse in the Senate, and Representatives Bonamici and the late Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska) in the House, and signed into law in October 2018. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A9EF41E1-E65C-4176-BC41-53B9D78F5C52,Thune on Fox News: Biden’s Border Crisis Was a Policy Choice,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Click here to watch the interview. WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Martha MacCallum on Fox News to discuss the need for strong border security provisions in a national security supplemental bill. Thune noted that a supplemental package will not be considered before the end of the year because the White House waited until last week to engage with Republican negotiators, despite Republicans introducing their border proposal during the first week of November. On the White House refusing to engage on border security until last week: “These are policies that [President Biden] changed when he came to office, completely abandoned everything that was working throughout the course of the previous administration. “But to your point, the reason we don’t have a deal right now is because the Democrats didn’t come to the table until literally last week. I told you this, we had a proposal out there, first week in November. We have been waiting for seven weeks for the Democrats to engage.” On the border crisis being a national security threat: “You’ve got to stem the flow. Right now, everything, every policy this administration has, they’re pull factors. They’re pulling people into this country. It’s like we’re putting a big welcome sign out there, and all the signals are, ‘Come, come, come.’ “And right now, it is overwhelming the southern border, and it’s overwhelming our cities in the interior of the country, too. Every state now has become a border state. “But if you just look at the composition of the people coming across the border, in the month of October, 1,569 people had criminal convictions, 93 had warrants out for their arrest, 50 were gang members, and 12 were on the terrorist watchlist. And last year, on the terrorist watchlist, 169 people came into this country across our southern border. “This is a national security crisis, and it needs to be treated that way by this administration.” On the timing of the Senate processing a national security supplemental package: “We are going to get something across the finish line. Now, it’s not going to get done before the holiday for the reasons I just mentioned. “[Democrats] just came to the table, and the administration hasn’t up until recently gotten serious about the policy changes that are going to be required to stem the flow at the border. “We will get this done. It may be early January, but these numbers are out of control. They have completely lost control of the border, and they should be taking steps on their own to address that, but we’re certainly going to do everything we can do to make sure that they do.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F8ACF987-8B0F-4645-AFD9-DA1E4CB86E56,"Thune to Senate Democrats: No Border Security, No Deal",2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor about Democrats’ unwillingness to prioritize border security in a national security package. Thune noted that it is essential for the United States to support its allies, but addressing the national security crisis on the southern border must be the priority. Thune’s remarks below (as prepared for delivery): “Mr. President, President Zelenskyy visited Washington, D.C., last week to ask for the United States’ continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia. “And as someone who strongly believes it is in our national security interest to aid Ukraine as well as our allies Israel and Taiwan, I am disappointed that we have not already passed the aid Ukraine needs. “But let’s be very clear, Mr. President. “The reason the Senate has not already passed a national security supplemental is because Democrats have so far chosen to prioritize an open border over aid for our allies. “Democrats have known for months that border security was going to be part of the national security supplemental – after all, the president himself requested border funding in his supplemental request. “And Republicans have had a border security proposal on the table since the beginning of November. “But Democrats wasted weeks refusing to engage in substantive negotiations, even though they were well aware that border security was going to be a requirement for getting this supplemental through both houses of Congress. “And now the supplemental will be pushed to January because Democrats have run out the clock to the point where getting a substantive border security deal passed before Christmas is impossible. “Mr. President, last week President Biden said that failing to pass the national security supplemental before the holidays would be a Christmas gift to Putin. “Well, Mr. President, I’d like to point out once again that the only reason we haven’t passed the national security supplemental already is because of Democrats and President Biden. “Only one of the two parties has been dragging its feet on negotiations, and it has not been Republicans. “A lot of us Republicans are very eager to get Ukraine the aid it needs. “But we cannot – we cannot – tend to our national security interests abroad while ignoring the national security crisis on our own doorstep. “President Biden wants to talk about a gift to Putin? “Let’s talk about the gift the president has been giving to terrorists and criminals and cartels for three years with the chaos at our southern border. “We have had three successive record-breaking years of illegal immigration at our southern border on President Biden’s watch. “And the president is no closer to getting this crisis under control than when it first started. “During October – the latest month for which we have data – U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered 240,988 migrants at our southern border – the highest October number ever recorded. “The past 24 hours alone saw a record-breaking 12,600-plus migrant encounters at the southern border – the highest daily total ever recorded. “And those numbers don’t count gotaways – individuals the Border Patrol saw but was unable to apprehend. “And, Mr. President, let’s be very clear – while many of these individuals may simply have headed to the United States in search of a better life, there is no question that there are dangerous individuals trying to make their way into our country. “During fiscal year 2023, the Border Patrol arrested 169 individuals on the terrorist watchlist at the southern border. “169. “That was a substantial increase over fiscal year 2022, which was itself a substantial increase over fiscal year 2021. “That’s not a good trajectory, Mr. President. “And, again, these numbers only refer to individuals the Border Patrol actually apprehended. “There were 670,000 known gotaways during fiscal year 2023 – how many of them were terrorists, criminals, or other dangerous individuals? “We don’t know. “But one thing we do know, Mr. President, is that the chaotic situation at our southern border cannot continue. “Our country cannot be secure while we have 10,000 people a day pouring across our southern border – and hundreds of thousands of unknown individuals taking up residence in our country. “The federal government is charged with responsibility for our nation’s security. “And we owe the American people nothing less than a secure border. “And so while I believe it is essential that we get aid to our allies, any supplemental must include measures to address our national security here at home at the border as well as our national security interests abroad. “And I want to thank Senator Lankford for his patience and tenacity in working to bring Democrats to the table. “Mr. President, after weeks of Democrat intransigence, it is encouraging that the White House has finally – finally – stepped up to take on a role in negotiations. “It’s too bad they didn’t do this weeks ago. “But I hope that the president and Democrats understand that the only acceptable outcome of negotiations is a solution that meets the challenge at our southern border. “Cosmetic measures and superficial tweaks are not going to cut it. “So, Mr. President, the ball is in Democrats’ court. “We need to get aid to allies like Ukraine. “But we cannot pass legislation to do that without addressing the situation at our southern border. “I’d like to think that Democrats would see the necessity of addressing our border crisis irrespective of what is needed to get this bill through Congress. “But at the very least I hope that Democrats’ concern for our national security interests abroad will lead them to finally, finally, get serious about working with Republicans to address the national security crisis here at home. “Mr. President, I yield the floor.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/senate-passes-tillis-co-sponsored-legislation-to-provide-back-pay-for-officers-impacted-by-military-promotion-hold,Senate Passes Tillis Co-sponsored Legislation to Provide Back Pay for Officers Impacted by Military Promotion Hold,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation co-sponsored by Senator Thom Tillis that would provide back pay for military officers whose promotions were delayed. The Military Personnel Confirmation Restoration Act of 2023 would also make an adjustment to the affected servicemembers’ time in grade and other administrative fixes. The bipartisan legislation has 52 co-sponsors and now heads to the House of Representatives. “I am grateful for the Senate’s unanimous support to pass this crucial legislation to provide military officers and their families with the pay and benefits they deserve,” said Senator Tillis. “Our brave servicemembers defend our nation every day, and their pay and benefits should be immune from the partisan gridlock and political infighting in our nation’s capital. This legislation ensures delayed pay and benefits are fully restored to those who bravely serve our country.” Full text of the legislation can be found HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-legislation-to-provide-financial-relief-for-members-of-national-guard-and-reserves-to-be-signed-into-law,Tillis Legislation to Provide Financial Relief for Members of National Guard and Reserves To Be Signed Into Law,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bipartisan legislation recently co-sponsored by Senator Thom Tillis to reauthorize an additional four years of relief for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship will be signed into law. The National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act will protect a long-standing bipartisan carveout from means-testing restrictions in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases. “The men and women who serve in the National Guard and Reserves provide an invaluable service to our nation,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud this bipartisan legislation will be signed into law so we can ensure protections for members if they fall on financial hardship.” The National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act of 2023 will reauthorize the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act of 2008, which included a clause exempting qualifying members of reserve components of the Armed Forces and the National Guard from provisions in the Bankruptcy Code, which limit access to Chapter 7 bankruptcy based on recent income. Because National Guard members and reservists often receive higher pay while on active duty than at their civilian jobs, these limits could otherwise prevent them from receiving financial relief in bankruptcy. The National Guard and Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act ensures they are not penalized for their service. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-to-introduce-bill-to-require-scotus-review-of-presidential-candidate-qualifications,Tillis to Introduce Bill to Require SCOTUS Review of Presidential Candidate Qualifications,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced he will soon introduce the Constitutional Election Integrity Act, legislation that would prevent state politicians and state entities like the Colorado Supreme Court from disqualifying presidential candidates from the ballot on Constitutional matters that should be decided by only the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Election Integrity Act clarifies that the Supreme Court of the United States has sole jurisdiction to decide claims arising out of section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The legislation also withholds federal funding for election administration from states that misuse the 14th Amendment for political purposes. “Regardless of whether you support or oppose former President Donald Trump, it is outrageous to see left-wing activists make a mockery of our political system by scheming with partisan state officials and pressuring judges to remove him from the ballot,” said Senator Thom Tillis. “American voters, not partisan activists, should decide who we elect as our President. The Constitutional Election Integrity Act would put any constitutional challenges in the sole place they belong: the U.S. Supreme Court.” The text of the legislation can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-youngs-office-helps-record-number-of-hoosiers-in-2023/,Senator Young’s Office Helps Record Number of Hoosiers in 2023,2023-12-19,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,IN,Todd Young,Y000064,www.young.senate.gov,toddyoung,https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and his staff have helped 3,763 constituents resolve cases before federal agencies this year, a 20 percent increase over the number assisted in 2022. The constituent service work resulted in more than $20 million being returned to Hoosier taxpayers. Since joining the Senate in 2017, Senator Young has helped 14,438 Hoosiers recover approximately $87 million from federal agencies. This year, the Young office saw a surge in passport cases as a result of a large backlog at the Department of State that caused travel worries for hundreds of Hoosier families. In 2023, Senator Young’s office helped process 1,076 passports. The vast majority of the money recovered this year and returned to Hoosiers came from IRS cases. Senator Young helped Hoosiers recover nearly $17.4 million owed to them by the IRS. An additional $2.6 million was recovered from Social Security and VA claims. “Helping Hoosiers navigate federal red tape has always been a top priority for me and our team,” Senator Young said. “We take every call that comes in seriously, and our team is committed to helping Hoosiers resolve issues involving federal agencies.” Senator Young’s office also helped eleven families complete international adoptions and aided 26 family groups still stranded in Afghanistan following U.S. withdrawal in 2021.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-presses-treasury-on-foreign-terrorist-organizations-use-of-crypto-financing,Capito Presses Treasury on Foreign Terrorist Organizations’ use of Crypto Financing,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson regarding reports of designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) financing terrorist activities with crypto assets. Specifically, Senator Capito’s letter asks the Treasury to make relevant information regarding the scope of digital asset financing used by FTOs available to Congress, and what steps the department can make to address this illicit activity. “On October 7, 2023, the world witnessed a shocking and unthinkable terror attack on Israel. As the world, the American people, and Congress began to try and understand how the attacks happened, the focal point has become how FTOs receive funding,” Senator Capito wrote. “While I know that the use of digital assets is only one of many illicit funding sources for FTOs, the ambiguity and lack of regulation regarding how cryptocurrency changes hands raises serious concerns that must be addressed,” Senator Capito continued. Full text of the letter can be found hereor below: Dear Secretary Nelson, I write to join a growing number of Congressional colleagues deeply concerned about reports of designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) financing terrorist activities with crypto assets. On October 7, 2023, the world witnessed a shocking and unthinkable terror attack on Israel. As the world, the American people, and Congress have begun to try and understand how the attacks happened, the focal point has become how FTOs receive funding. The attack on Israel, carried out by U.S.-designated FTOs Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah killed more than 1,200 people, including Americans, and reportedly was funded at least in part by crypto assets raised between August 2021 and June 2023. U.S. financial regulators, including the Commodity Futures Trade Commission (CFTC) and the Department of Justice raised concerns about Hamas’s cryptocurrency-based terrorism financing as early as 2020. Importantly, many providers and end users of illicit digital assets take advantage of foreign Convertible Virtual Currency mixing or “mixers” to conceal identifiable information about transactions. Mixers conceal this information by collecting a fee from owners to mix the “cryptocurrency of several users prior to delivery of the units to their ultimate destination.” On October 19, 2023, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) determined that international mixers are a class of transactions of “primary money laundering concern” and proposed new regulations for enhanced transparency. While I know that the use of digital assets is only one of many illicit funding sources for FTOs, the ambiguity and lack of regulation regarding how cryptocurrency changes hands raises serious concerns that must be addressed. In an effort to; 1) understand the scope of digital asset financing used by FTOs in the attack against Israel and 2) understand what actions may be necessary for Congress to take in order to combat these actions without unduly harming good digital asset actors domestically, I request answers to the following questions: 1. Has Treasury begun an independent and comprehensive investigation into the extent FTOs are reportedly avoiding sanctions through the use of digital assets, particularly actors funding Hamas and affiliated organizations? a. If not, I request that Treasury conduct an investigation and create a report to be made available to Congress. b. If sensitive information is included, I request a classified briefing for Members of Congress on the report and findings. 2. Has Treasury determined an estimate of the extent that FTOs are using mixers? 3. Can Treasury estimate how quickly foreign mixers can be stood up once another might be shut down or subjected to sanctions? 4. Given the evolving threat posed by FTOs as well as state actors utilizing digital assets and mixers to circumvent global sanctions, what steps is Treasury taking to address this illicit activity? Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter and I look forward to your response.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/icymi-capito-announces-54-million-for-i-79-chaplin-hill-gateway-project,ICYMI: Capito Announces $54 Million for I-79 Chaplin Hill Gateway Project,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, announced $54,320,000 for the Chaplin Hill Gateway Project, which includes construction of bridges, interchanges, and pedestrian and bicycle connections. The funding is through the Mega Grant Program, an infrastructure funding program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Ranking Member Capito wrote a letter of support for the project to the U.S. Department of Transportation in August. In March, Ranking Member Capito announced $2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) funding to support repairs and rehabilitation for I-79 Exit 155. “The funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to deliver for West Virginia and announcements like this one are the reason I fought for the final bill. The Chaplin Hill Gateway Project will help improve traffic, increase safety, and upgrade core transportation infrastructure in Monongalia County. For all those who live and work in the area, as well as those traveling through, this funding will make a transformational difference and I’m excited for this project to move forward,” Ranking Member Capito said. PROJECT DETAILS: The project has multiple components including replacing I-79 bridges over Chaplin Hill Road, reconstructing exit 155 interchange, WB I-79 flyover reconstruction, and a pedestrian and bicycle connection between the Star City bridge and the regional rail-to-trail network. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/-sen-cramer-colleagues-raise-concerns-over-the-basel-iii-endgame-proposal,"Sen. Cramer, Colleagues Raise Concerns Over the Basel III Endgame Proposal",2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined his colleagues in a letter to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Vice Chair Michael Barr, and Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, expressing concerns over the impacts of proposed capital requirements for mortgage loans. The mortgage capital requirements in the Basel III Endgame proposal would increase borrowing costs and hinder families from achieving homeownership. The senators called on regulators to adopt the Endgame mortgage capital requirements based on loan-to-value ratio, drop the 20% surcharge imposed by the proposal, restore appropriate credit for private mortgage insurance, and reconsider the impact of the operational risk component on mortgage securitization markets for agency and non-agency borrowers. “The U.S. bank regulators played a central role in the development of these requirements through multiple administrations. The Endgame mortgage capital requirements appropriately provide a more granular treatment of mortgage credit risk exposures that are empirically derived and defensible, whereas, your proposal does the opposite,” the senators wrote. The letter notes the proposal does not adopt the Endgame mortgage capital requirements, and instead contemplates adding a significant surcharge to these requirements. “We strongly encourage you to carefully consider all of these recommendations, along with the various stakeholder comments you receive with an eye to maintaining a deep, liquid, and competitive market for mortgages, in which banks can prudently participate in helping American homeowners achieve the dream of sustainable homeownership,” the senators concluded. The letter was led by U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN). Additional cosigners include U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), JD Vance (R-OH), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Michael Rounds (R-SD), and Mike Crapo (R-ID).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-calls-for-immediate-release-of-jimmy-lai-as-chinese-communist-party-begins-trial,Sen. Cruz Calls for Immediate Release of Jimmy Lai as Chinese Communist Party Begins Trial,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today called for the release of Jimmy Lai, a dissident and the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, who is being unjustly detained by the Chinese Communist Party and subjected to an illegitimate trial without his choice of legal representation. Lai has spent over 1,000 days in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison in Hong Kong. Lai’s trial began today under unprecedented security and coercive measures. Sen. Cruz said, “The Chinese Communist Party should immediately release Jimmy Lai. He should never have been detained and there is no excuse left to extend his time in prison. He should be released, returned to his family, and allowed to travel.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-condemns-biden-administration-closing-eagle-pass-bridge-for-second-time,Sen. Cruz Condemns Biden Administration Closing Eagle Pass Bridge for Second Time,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,TX,Ted Cruz,C001098,www.cruz.senate.gov,cruz,https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released the following statement after the Biden administration’s Customs and Border Protections (CBP) Office of Field Operations closed vehicle processing at Bridge 1 and the international railway crossing bridge in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas in order to accommodate illegal aliens illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border. This is the second time the bridge has been closed for this reason in 2023. “The Biden administration has announced CBP will issue yet another closure of two Texas-Mexico rail bridges, which will stop critical goods like farmers' grain and other consumer goods from flowing between our countries. President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas's failed immigration policies must not stand in the way of commerce. We frankly need to increase the flow of commercial traffic between the U.S. and Mexico, and I have been leading the fight in Congress to remove unnecessary barriers and build new international bridges. Instead, this administration is prioritizing the processing of illegal aliens and won't even staff the bridges we already have. We need legal commerce, not illegal immigration. Time to prioritize American families and keep the bridges open!""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=228CDC6B-2BDE-4CD5-AE13-1A126595C175,Fischer to Mayorkas: Your Border Negligence Caused an Economic Crisis,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NE,Deb Fischer,F000463,www.fischer.senate.gov,fischer,https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Demands Action to Reopen Railways, Protect Commerce WASHINGTON, D.C. ­– Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Armed Services Committee and a member of the Agriculture Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas criticizing the closure of the international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. In her letter, Senator Fischer said the closure would hurt agriculture producers across the United States, and demanded the administration enact policies to curb the record levels of migration at the U.S. southern border. “The border crisis is not new. Since President Biden took office, CBP personnel have encountered over 6.6 million migrants – not counting additional millions of got-aways… Your office had an opportunity to implement policies that would stem the flow of illegal migration to prevent these suspensions from reoccurring. Instead, you failed to act and placed a heavier burden on American businesses and industries,” wrote Senator Fischer.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.lee.senate.gov/2023/12/lee-fires-back-at-biden-gun-export-restrictions-with-new-bill,Lee Fires Back at Biden Gun Export Restrictions with New Bill,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,UT,Mike Lee,L000577,www.lee.senate.gov,mikelee,https://www.lee.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), joined by Sens. John Thune (R-SD), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Rick Scott (R-FL), introduced the Protect American Gun Exporter Act. This bill comes in response to the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) recent 90-day pause on the issuance of new export licenses for firearms, ammunition, and component parts to non-governmental end users in most foreign countries. On October 27, 2023, without prior consultation with industry stakeholders, the BIS enacted a sweeping and unprecedented pause on export licenses—a move that Senator Lee and co-sponsors argue was unnecessary and legally questionable. This legislative action underscores the urgency to address the repercussions of the BIS’s decision, which could potentially cost the industry upwards of $90 million. The extensive economic impact threatens not only the financial stability of gun manufacturers but also the jobs of countless Americans reliant on this sector. “The arbitrary halt of firearm export licenses by the Biden administration lacks both justification and necessity,"" said Sen. Lee. ""The Protect American Gun Exporter Act guards our manufacturers against capricious policy shifts that unfairly target livelihoods simply because of industry affiliation.” “Restricting the lawful export of firearms and related components is just another tactic to hamstring the American firearms industry,” said Sen. Thune. “I’m proud to support this legislation that would protect U.S. jobs and weaken illicit arms dealers.” “This administration has proved it will stop at nothing to erode the rights of people in Wyoming to keep and bear arms,” said Sen. Lummis. “This arbitrary pause is the latest example of the Biden administration’s gun-grabbing policies that seek to undermine the people of Wyoming’s constitutional rights and attack gun manufacturers. As a proud defender of our Second Amendment, I am partnering with Senator Lee to protect law-abiding citizens’ right to bear arms from this administration’s egregious and unfounded overreach.” “The Biden administration continues its assault on the Second Amendment and prefers to put politics above the Constitution,"" said Sen. Scott. ""That’s unacceptable, and we’re here to send a message that this will not stand. I am proud to join my colleagues in sticking up for the gun manufacturers unfairly targeted by this unprecedented and unfounded action by the Biden Commerce Department. The Protect American Gun Exporter Act is commonsense legislation and should be enacted today.” “Congress shouldn’t need a bill to ensure federal agencies do their job, yet here we are,” said Rep. Mark Green. “My Protect American Gun Exporters Act requires the Department of Commerce to do the job laid out for it by Congress, bolstering the American business community, instead of anti-gun power grabs. Law-abiding citizens should be allowed to protect themselves, and law-abiding business owners should be allowed to sell to them. I appreciate Senator Lee’s leadership and support for this in the Senate.” “This unprecedented ‘pause’ on commercial firearm exports is yet another example of the Biden Administration’s attempts to make firearms commerce more difficult, and shows their disdain for the right to self-defense,” said Randy Kozuch, Executive Director of NRA-ILA. “On behalf of our millions of members, the NRA thanks Senator Lee on his efforts to curtail this bureaucratic overreach.” ""This move by the Biden White House is just the latest instance of their weaponization of the federal government against the gun industry,"" said Gun Owners of America. ""It's always a pleasure to collaborate with Senator Lee and his team, and we’re grateful for this bill to mitigate the impact Biden’s rogue bureaucrats have had on firearm manufacturers.” Sen. Lee’s bill seeks to: Prohibit the Secretary of Commerce from imposing blanket pauses on new export licenses for businesses selling firearms, ammunition, and components to non-governmental end users abroad. Prevent the Secretary from unilaterally implementing policy changes following the Commerce Department’s proposed “assessment” of current export controls on these products. Endorsing Organizations: Heritage Action, NRA-ILA, Gun Owners of America, the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Senator Lee believes that arbitrary administrative actions should not compromise the rights and livelihoods of Americans. The Protect American Gun Exporter Act is a move to protect American jobs, support legal business operations, and uphold the principles of due process and economic liberty. For bill text, click HERE. For a one-pager, click HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=45285B95-D9A1-48CE-9C3D-9F152E7836CD,Attacks On Freedom Of Navigation Are Direct Challenge To American Leadership,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Iran-backed terrorism: “The weekend brought even more glaring evidence that Iran and its terrorist proxies feel emboldened to escalate their attacks in the Middle East. In the past two months, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have repeatedly used lethal force in brazen attacks against both military and commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea. “Just two days ago, the destroyer U.S.S. Carney engaged and destroyed at least 14 terrorist drones. U.S. Navy vessels have thus far succeeded in defending against these attacks. “But the risk of American casualties is growing. Air defense is not perfect. And it doesn’t come cheap – the Navy is having to use expensive interceptors to bring down low-cost suicide drones. “Commercial vessels have been less fortunate. Several ships have been hijacked or struck by drones and anti-ship missiles in recent weeks – including two strikes just today. “This violence represents a grave and immediate economic threat. Iran’s network of terrorists is making an artery that carries nearly 12 percent of global trade essentially inoperable. “In recent days, four of the world’s five largest shipping companies have suspended operations in the Red Sea. The carriers who account for more than half of maritime container traffic are opting to add weeks to transit times and untold extra fuel costs to avoid terrorist attack. And supply chains everywhere are bracing for the effects. “Make no mistake: An undeterred adversary is laying down a direct challenge to American leadership. And the world is watching to see if we rise to meet it the way we’ve met it before in countless times. “Protecting the freedom of navigation is an essential American interest because maritime commerce has been central to our nation’s economy from the very beginning. “The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps waged their first successful expeditionary campaign against the Barbary pirates in order to protect American shipping. The ‘shores of Tripoli’ are immortalized in the Marine Corps hymn. And freedom of navigation operations have been an essential part of U.S. power projection ever since. “In recent years, these operations have been especially important in the Indo-Pacific, where China increasingly threatens sea lanes. “But let’s be clear: If America conducts freedom of navigation operations as peace-time exercises but fails to actually protect this freedom from immediate, real-time threats, then we’re just play-acting as a global superpower. “What’s happening right now in the Red Sea isn’t an exercise. It’s a blaring siren that deterrence has failed. “The United States and our allies and partners have a stake in defending the freedom of navigation. If we fail to take more serious action against Iran-backed Houthi terrorists, we’ll embolden other aggressors to challenge this freedom everywhere, and risk major consequences. “Needless to say, our greatest strategic adversary and systemic rival is watching especially closely how we respond to this brazen challenge.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=A4235AD2-19F3-4777-98E2-17B7D7855DAB,McConnell Comments On Border Security Negotiations,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KY,Mitch McConnell,M000355,www.mcconnell.senate.gov,mcconnell,https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding border security negotiations: “Over the weekend, our colleagues continued to make progress toward an agreement on border security. “I’m especially grateful to Senator Lankford for stewarding Senate Republicans’ efforts to produce meaningful policy changes, fix our broken asylum system, and secure the southern border. “Addressing the border crisis at home is a fundamental part of legislation that will help America meet each of the most glaring national security challenges we face around the world. And there are a number of significant issues our colleagues are still working to resolve. “The effects of years of failed border enforcement are compounded. Border security policy is complex. And our colleagues at the negotiating table are clear-eyed about the fact that getting this agreement right – and producing legislative text – is going to require some time. “Senate Republicans will not make up for others showing up late to the table by waiving our responsibility to carefully negotiate and review any agreement before voting on it. “And I am encouraged by our colleagues’ commitment to keep making steady progress in their negotiations over the coming week and beyond. “America is facing a never-before-seen border crisis. An imperialist thug is trying to redraw the map of Europe. A repressive authoritarian state is preparing to put more of the Indo-Pacific under its control. And the world’s largest state sponsor of terror is showing us it’s as determined as ever to kill American servicemembers and disrupt global commerce. “There is simply no room for falling short, here. We cannot afford to get this wrong.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=741BE08A-90E3-495E-8DCE-6A6190797183,Sen. Moran Hosts DOD Leaders in Wichita to Announce Partnership with Novacoast,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,KS,Jerry Moran,M000934,www.moran.senate.gov,moran,https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense – hosted leaders from the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Office of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) at Novacoast Headquarters in Wichita to announce a partnership between DOD and Novacoast. Novacoast will support Browser Security Plugin Research through DOT&E to improve cybersecurity across the DOD. This program was made possible through funding Sen. Moran secured in FY2023 appropriations. “Novacoast’s expertise will be a tremendous asset to the Pentagon as they work to fortify cybersecurity across the military through this partnership,” said Sen. Moran. “A recent newcomer to Wichita, Novacoast is utilizing the talented workforce in Wichita to support our national security while bringing new cybersecurity jobs to the region.” “I would like to personally thank Senator Moran for his support in making the new partnership between Novacoast and DOT&E possible,” said Paul Anderson, CEO of Novacoast. “This partnership will enable Novacoast to bring our expertise and knowledge in cybersecurity to bolster our nation's security posture. This is incredibly valuable to help keep our nation secure and it would not be possible without the tireless efforts of Senator Moran.” Novacoast opened a Security Operations Center in downtown Wichita in 2022 and later moved its headquarters from Santa Barbara, California, to Wichita. Sen. Moran and Novacoast CEO Paul Anderson host DOT&E Program Manager Steve Gates at Novacoast Headquarters in Wichita. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-hickenlooper-legislation-to-expand-peer-to-peer-mental-health-programs-passes-help-committee,"Murkowski, Hickenlooper Legislation to Expand Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Programs Passes HELP Committee",2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Lisa Murkowski,M001153,www.murkowski.senate.gov,murkowski,https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/press-releases?PageNum_rs=16,scraper,"Provisions from senators’ bipartisan bill included in SUPPORT Act Reauthorization A negotiated version of U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and John Hickenlooper’s bipartisan Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support Act passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee as a provision within the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act. More and more studies have highlighted the impact that peer-to-peer programs have in addressing mental health in youth. In Alaska, schools and health organizations have been proactive in creating partnerships to get mental health supports in schools, and this bill provides necessary investments for school districts to incorporate peer-to-peer mental health support programs for middle and high school students. The SUPPORT Act, originally passed in 2018 to help combat the opioid crisis, funds prevention, treatment, and recovery services for Americans with substance use disorders and mental illness. These critical programs need to be reauthorized by Congress this year. “It’s important we look to every option possible as we work to address the youth mental health crisis that impacts young people in Alaska and nationwide, including meeting kids where they are. Incorporating peer-to-peer mental health support programs in schools helps reduce access challenges for students and works to address the mental health crisis currently facing our youth. I’m proud to join Senator Hickenlooper on this effort,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “Colorado’s on the frontline of the youth mental health crisis,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “Peer-to-peer mental health programs help break the stigma around mental health care and connect students to the resources they need.” The senators’ original Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Support Act would help school districts facilitate peer-to-peer mental health programs in middle and high schools. Provisions of the legislation passed as part of the reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act in today’s HELP markup.” The program would be administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in consultation with the Department of Education. Congressman Don Beyer champions the legislation in the House of Representatives and plans to reintroduce a companion this Congress. “The suicide rate is at its highest level since 1941. Student-led peer-to-peer initiatives are a key tool that can help prevent needless death, and I’m glad to see it advance on a bipartisan basis,” said Congressman Beyer. “Congress must do all it can to address suicide and mental illness. I thank Senators Hickenlooper and Murkowski for their leadership on this important bill, will continue working on that important effort with colleagues in both parties.” Full text of the bill available here. View text of the SUPPORT Act here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-thune-and-johnson-urge-interior-secretary-to-address-public-safety-crisis-on-reservations,"Rounds, Thune and Johnson Urge Interior Secretary to Address Public Safety Crisis on Reservations",2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland urging the Department of Interior to immediately address the public safety crisis and lack of law enforcement resources on reservations in South Dakota. This action follows a June 2023 letter requesting additional support for tribal law enforcement agencies. Specifically, the delegation asked Secretary Haaland to coordinate with the Department of Justice and other relevant federal partners to provide additional resources to tribal law enforcement agencies and consult with individual tribal leaders to find immediate solutions. “We write to you to follow up on our June 12, 2023, letter and to again report to you that the shortage of law enforcement personnel in South Dakota tribal communities continues to present a significant threat to public safety,” wrote the delegation. “Since the writing of our last letter, tribal law enforcement leaders have reported an increase in violent and drug-related crime. It is critical the Department of the Interior consider the severity of the current situation.” “The current situation presents a serious threat not only to tribal police officers, but also to all law-abiding citizens in reservation communities,” the delegation continued. “In the last several months, at least three tribal governments in the state of South Dakota have declared a state of emergency in response to public safety threats. The current situation is causing other tribal leaders in the state to consider doing the same. In response to the police shortage, some residents of tribal communities have even resorted to establishing citizen patrols to look out for crime.” Read the full text of the letter HERE or below. +++ Dear Secretary Haaland: We write to you to follow up on our June 12, 2023, letter and to again report to you that the shortage of law enforcement personnel in South Dakota tribal communities continues to present a significant threat to public safety. Since the writing of our last letter, tribal law enforcement leaders have reported an increase in violent and drug-related crime. It is critical the Department of the Interior consider the severity of the current situation. During our recent discussions with tribal leaders, it has become apparent that the public safety crisis is worsening. As discussed in our earlier letter, law enforcement leaders in Indian Country directly attribute the recent uptick in crime to police personnel shortages. On several reservations in South Dakota, only a handful of officers are tasked with patrolling millions of acres. Criminal entities are taking note of the lack of manpower and are directly targeting reservation communities. As a result, tribal law enforcement officers are encountering higher volumes of illegal drugs, including illicit fentanyl. In the Department of the Interior’s September 28 response to our original inquiry, Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland did not share any specific plans to allocate immediate resources. In addition, the response highlighted slight decreases in reported violent crimes from 2021 to 2022. This response seems to suggest the current crime situation is improving, which contradicts the experience of tribal law enforcement officials on the ground. As you are well aware, complex jurisdictional law in Indian Country can skew tribal crime data. The response letter also highlighted the lengthy hiring processes tribal police agencies must deal with when filling open positions. We encourage the BIA to search for any attainable steps to expedite hiring processes for tribal law enforcement officers. The current situation presents a serious threat not only to tribal police officers, but also to all law-abiding citizens in reservation communities. In the last several months, at least three tribal governments in the state of South Dakota have declared a state of emergency in response to public safety threats. The current situation is causing other tribal leaders in the state to consider doing the same. In response to the police shortage, some residents of tribal communities have even resorted to establishing citizen patrols to look out for crime. With the current set of circumstances in mind, we urge the Department of the Interior to coordinate with the Department of Justice and all other relevant federal partners to provide additional resources to tribal law enforcement agencies in South Dakota. We also ask the Department of the Interior consult individual tribal leaders when attempting to find immediate solutions. If tribal law enforcement agencies in South Dakota do not receive immediate assistance, we fear reservation communities will continue to experience a surge in violent crime. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. CC: Attorney General Merrick Garland Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-sullivan-condemns-anti-semitic-takeover-of-harvard-library,ICYMI: Sullivan Condemns Anti-Semitic Takeover of Harvard Library,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,AK,Dan Sullivan,S001198,www.sullivan.senate.gov,sullivan,https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases?PageNum_rs=17,scraper,"WASHINGTON—In an opinion published on Saturday in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) describes his confrontation with anti-Israel protesters during a visit to his alma mater, Harvard University. Sen. Sullivan encountered the hostile protesters while inside Harvard’s Widener reading room. “Imagine if you were an 18-year-old Jewish or Israeli student, or even a pro-Israel Catholic like me, and you wanted to study for your chemistry final in the Widener Reading Room on a Sunday morning,” Sen. Sullivan writes in the Wall Street Journal. “Imagine being confronted by this protest, obviously condoned by Harvard’s leadership and commandeered by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the group behind the notorious statement that holds ‘the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence’ in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack. “Would you feel welcome in Harvard’s most famous library? Would you feel rattled, intimidated, and harassed by the anti-Israel banner screaming ‘Stop the Genocide in Gaza’? As Jason Riley has written, ‘If accusing Israel of genocide isn’t defamation of Jewish people, I don’t know what is.’ If you were that 18-year-old student, would you believe the vacuous statement recently put out by the Harvard Corp., after it decided not to fire Ms. Gay, that ‘disruptions of the classroom experience will not be tolerated’?” Senator Sullivan says he plans to work with a bipartisan group of his colleagues in Congress “to save these important and once-respected institutions from themselves and their weak leaders who have lost their moral compasses.” * * * * * Opinion: An Antisemitic Occupation of Harvard’s Widener Library Claudine Gay promised to prevent ‘disruptions of the classroom experience.’ How’s that working out? By: U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan December 16, 2023 I was in Boston last weekend for the Army-Navy game. The day after the game, five days after Harvard President Claudine Gay’s disastrous testimony before Congress, I decided to walk the campus to reminisce about my time at Harvard, where I earned my undergraduate degree in 1987, and reflect about what had gone wrong at this once-great university. I visited places that held significance to me while I was there: St. Paul’s Catholic Church, my freshman dorm and, of course, Widener Library—a monument to learning, study and contemplation that sits like a temple in the middle of Harvard Yard. As I did during my undergraduate years, I spent several minutes staring up at the powerful mural by John Singer Sargent, “Death and Victory.” It’s one of two Sargent paintings memorializing the men of Harvard who sacrificed their lives for our country in World War I. I’ve thought about the painting often throughout the years—including when I made the decision to join the Marine Corps. When I walked upstairs to the famous Widener Reading Room, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Nearly every student in the packed room was wearing a kaffiyeh. Fliers attached to their individual laptops, as well as affixed to some of the lamps in the reading room, read: “No Normalcy During Genocide—Justice for Palestine.” A young woman handed the fliers to all who entered. A large banner spread across one end of the room stated in blazing blood-red letters, “Stop the Genocide in Gaza.” Curious about what was going on, I was soon in a cordial discussion with two of the organizers of this anti-Israel protest inside of one the world’s great libraries—not outside in Harvard Yard, where such protests belong. They told me they were from Saudi Arabia and the West Bank. I told them I was a U.S. senator who had recently returned from a bipartisan Senate trip to Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. I mentioned the meetings I had. I expressed my condolences when they told me their relatives had been killed by Israeli military action in Gaza. One then asked whether I supported a cease-fire in Gaza. I said I didn’t, because I strongly believe Israel had the right both to defend itself and to destroy Hamas given the horrendous attacks it perpetrated against Israeli civilians on Oct. 7. Their tone immediately changed. “You’re a murderer,” one said. “You support genocide,” said the other. “Excuse me, what did you say?” I asked in disbelief. . . . As a U.S. senator who has been through two election campaigns, I’ve had plenty of iPhones aggressively shoved in my face by members of radical groups. Nevertheless, I was shocked and, again, ashamed of my alma mater. All of this—the anti-Israel protests, the big banner, the fliers, the iPhones, the taunting questions—took place inside the Widener Library, a revered place of quiet study for tens of thousands of Harvard students and alumni. My thoughts then turned to Harvard undergrads. Imagine if you were an 18-year-old Jewish or Israeli student, or even a pro-Israel Catholic like me, and you wanted to study for your chemistry final in the Widener Reading Room on a Sunday morning. Imagine being confronted by this protest, obviously condoned by Harvard’s leadership and commandeered by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the group behind the notorious statement that holds “the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence” in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack. Would you feel welcome in Harvard’s most famous library? Would you feel rattled, intimidated and harassed by the anti-Israel banner screaming “Stop the Genocide in Gaza”? As Jason Riley has written, “If accusing Israel of genocide isn’t defamation of Jewish people, I don’t know what is.” If you were that 18-year-old student, would you believe the vacuous statement recently put out by the Harvard Corp., after it decided not to fire Ms. Gay, that “disruptions of the classroom experience will not be tolerated”? If students were handing out fliers and hanging large banners in the Widener Library Reading Room denouncing, say, affirmative action or NCAA rules allowing men to compete in women’s swim meets, Harvard leaders would shut them down in a minute. But an anti-Israel protest by an antisemitic group, commandeering the entire Widener Reading Room during finals? No problem. Is that what Ms. Gay meant when she testified that “it depends on the context”? Not all university leadership is so craven, morally bankrupt and afraid of the most vocal, radical sects of their own student bodies. I serve on the board of visitors for the U.S. Naval Academy, which is the No. 1 public university in America. The contrast couldn’t be starker between the service academies and the Ivy League on issues like civil discourse, so-called safe spaces, trigger warnings, American history and our unique and, yes, exceptional place in the world. America’s so-called elite universities used to be a positive source of our nation’s power, strength and influence. No longer. I believe over the past several weeks a bipartisan consensus has emerged: It is time for Congress to save these important and once-respected institutions from themselves and their weak leaders who have lost their moral compasses. I intend to work with my colleagues in the Senate to do so. Click here to read the full WSJ opinion article. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2023/12/tillis-colleagues-reignite-effort-to-improve-reporting-attacks-on-law-enforcement,"Tillis, Colleagues Reignite Effort to Improve Reporting Attacks on Law Enforcement",2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently reintroduced bipartisan legislation to enhance information-gathering on attacks targeting law enforcement. The Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act would help fill identified gaps in reporting requirements for ambush-attacks against law enforcement officers by increasing our understanding of these crimes and how they arise. “Attacks on our law enforcement officers are abhorrent and we must get a clear picture on when they occur,” said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud to co-introduce this bipartisan legislation so we can improve reporting and continue supporting the men and women in blue to prevent these disgusting acts.” Background: Tragically, 60 police officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in 2022. Nearly 30 percent of police officer killings were the result of an unprovoked attack or ambush. While the government collects basic information on these attacks, such as when the attack occurred and what types of weapons were used, more information is needed to help law enforcement officers prepare for, identify, and prevent future anti-police activity. The Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act would: Increase the categories of information that can be voluntarily reported regarding anti-police attacks, including the intention and coordination of perpetrators; Direct the Justice Department to explore adding escalatory aggression to its reports; Shed light on the mental health and stress-related impacts of aggressive activity or trauma on law enforcement; and Explore the availability and extent to which mental health resources for officers are used. The bill is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Officers, Sergeants Benevolent Association of the NYPD, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and Major Counties Sheriffs of America. Full text of the bill is available HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2023/12/senator-wicker-statement-on-creation-of-operation-prosperity-guardian,Senator Wicker Statement on Creation of “Operation Prosperity Guardian”,2023-12-18,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,MS,Roger F. Wicker,W000437,www.wicker.senate.gov,wicker,https://www.wicker.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s decision to launch “Operation Prosperity Guardian” in an effort to counter continued Houthi aggression on international commerce and the United States Navy in the Red Sea: “How much longer can we tolerate these attacks without a proper response? What exactly would a task force accomplish? Until the Biden administration takes clear steps toward restoring deterrence, nothing will change in the Red Sea,” Senator Wicker said. “The continuing threat posed to American sailors and freedom of navigation could soon lead to a catastrophe unless the Biden administration acts with the resolve that it has so far sorely lacked. We cannot let terrorists dictate the flow of global trade in the world’s largest shipping lane.” “I call on the Biden administration to give our regional commanders the freedom of action they require to ensure that continued Houthi aggression stops once and for all.” KEY FACTS: Several international shipping firms, including British Petroleum, Maersk, MSC, CMA, CGM Group, and Hapag-Lloyd, have halted all routes through the Red Sea because of recent attacks on commercial vessels. Over the weekend, USS Carney shot down another 14 projectiles launched by the Houthis, bringing the total intercepted by the one guided-missile destroyer to 36.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-johnson-joins-colleagues-in-calling-for-a-meeting-of-the-conference-to-discuss-border-security-negotiations,Sen. Johnson Joins Colleagues in Calling for a Meeting of the Conference to Discuss Border Security Negotiations,2023-12-17,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WI,Ron Johnson,J000293,www.ronjohnson.senate.gov,ronjohnson,https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined 14 of his Senate GOP colleagues in sending a letter to Conference Chair John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.) requesting a meeting of the Conference the week of January 8, 2024 to discuss the negotiations with President Biden and Senate Democrats regarding border security. Sen. Johnson was joined on this letter by Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The full text of the letter can be found here and below. December 17, 2023 The Honorable John Barrasso Chairman Senate Republican Conference Dear Senator Barrasso: We write to request that you call a meeting of the Conference to discuss Senate negotiations on securing the border. Rushed and secret negotiations with Democrats who want an open border and who caused the current crisis will not secure the border. The American public deserves an open and transparent process which cannot occur until the House returns the week of January 8, 2024. Accordingly, we request this Conference be held the week of January 8th, but not before. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/2023/12/sen-johnson-releases-statement-on-letter-calling-for-gop-conference-meeting-to-discuss-border-security-negotiations,Sen. Johnson Releases Statement on Letter Calling for GOP Conference Meeting to Discuss Border Security Negotiations,2023-12-17,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WI,Ron Johnson,J000293,www.ronjohnson.senate.gov,ronjohnson,https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) released the following statement on the letter sent today by 15 Senate Republicans to Conference Chair John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.) requesting a meeting of the Conference the week of January 8, 2024 to discuss the negotiations with President Biden and Senate Democrats regarding border security. “Earlier today, I joined 14 Republican Senate colleagues in releasing our letter calling for a meeting of the Senate Republican Conference to discuss the negotiations with the White House and Senate Democrats regarding securing our border. “The crisis at the southwest border is unlike anything we’ve experienced in American history. The massive flood of illegal migration is an order of magnitude larger than the ‘humanitarian crisis’ President Obama sparked when he abused ‘prosecutorial discretion’ and granted Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in 2012. In 2019, Obama’s Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, stated that 1,000 apprehensions per day ‘overwhelm[ed] the system.’ We recently experienced over 12,000 ‘encounters’ in a single day, and it has become common for encounters to exceed 10,000 per day. “Of the more than 6 million migrants who have entered and stayed since President Biden took office and opened the border, approximately 1.7 million have been what CBP calls ‘known gotaways.’ That’s a misnomer, because we have no idea who these people are or where they went — we just detected them illegally crossing our porous border. With FBI Director Wray confirming that terror threats to our nation are at an all-time high, particularly from Foreign Terrorist Organizations, Biden’s open border represents a clear and present danger to America. “Unfortunately, President Biden and his Democrat allies in Congress WANT an open border. Biden came into office with the border largely secured, and then immediately reversed all the policies that had successfully stemmed the flow of illegal migrants. The fact that President Biden and congressional Democrats ARE the root cause of the current crisis is a major problem in conducting good-faith negotiations with them. “Because President Biden has not faithfully executed existing law, lied repeatedly to the public, ignored and violated Supreme Court rulings, and failed to engage in meaningful negotiations on securing the border until only recently, it is impossible for Republicans to trust him to comply with whatever he agrees to. That’s a real challenge for Republican negotiators. “I appreciate Senator Lankford’s knowledge and tenacity in negotiating the types of policies and legislative language that would provide a president who actually wants to secure the border with the authorities to do so. The essential ingredient will be how to enforce any agreement reached. I have suggested making Ukraine funding contingent on benchmarks being met on a monthly basis. I am open to other foolproof enforcement ideas. ""Conducting rushed and secret backroom negotiations is not the way to address the unprecedented border crisis. That’s the kind of business as usual process that Washington leadership has relied upon to mortgage our children’s future and weaken our country. Whatever negotiators produce will need to be fully vetted, discussed, and understood — by members and the general public. That will take weeks — not hours or days. I look forward to our conference meeting the week of January 8th, where we can begin that vetting and discussion."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sen-cramer-north-dakotas-dapl-lawsuit-against-feds-ordered-to-proceed,Sen. Cramer: North Dakota’s DAPL Lawsuit Against Feds Ordered to Proceed,2023-12-16,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,www.cramer.senate.gov,cramer,https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"BISMARCK – This week, U.S. District Judge Daniel M. Traynor issued an order stating the federal government will have to face North Dakota's claims at trial for $38 million in emergency response costs after protestors attempted to block the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) project in 2016 and 2017. Judge Traynor again ruled the federal government owed a “duty of care” to North Dakota. North Dakota filed a lawsuit in 2019 against the federal government, seeking damages for emergency response costs and argued the Obama administration failed to control protests after allowing protestors to unlawfully “set up shop” on federal land. Additionally, the lawsuit claims the federal government violated a “nondiscretionary duty by failing to follow its mandatory special use permitting process.” ""Judge Traynor’s ruling is further confirmation of what North Dakotans have known all along: the federal government should be held responsible for inviting and harboring DAPL protestors and the millions of dollars of damage they caused,” U.S. Senator Cramer (R-ND) said. “These reckless, uncontrolled protesters have no respect for the rule of law, and there must be accountability. It is only right the government compensate North Dakota for the destruction it caused to our citizens.” According to the order, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicated it issued a permit and sent a letter informing an official from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe it had established a free speech zone which allowed protesters to gather. However, the process was abandoned, and a permit was never issued. In his order, Judge Traynor stated while the Court has determined as a matter of law the governing duty owed by the U.S. to North Dakota, “resolution of the question of duty is wrapped up in the foreseeability of harm question, which is inherently factual in nature to be resolved at trial.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=A13EA98D-F1B9-45A2-9692-12752539547F,Fischer Statement on the Passing of Scott Lautenbaugh,2023-12-16,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,NE,Deb Fischer,F000463,www.fischer.senate.gov,fischer,https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"LINCOLN, Neb. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today after learning of the passing of former Nebraska State Senator Scott Lautenbaugh: “I was saddened to learn of the passing of my former colleague Scott Lautenbaugh this morning. Scott was a valuable member of the Legislature and of the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. I enjoyed working with him on the infrastructure needs of Nebraska. He helped build a stronger Nebraska and was always guided by his conservative values.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-statement-on-judges-order-ensuring-north-dakotas-dapl-protest-damages-lawsuit-can-proceed,Hoeven Statement on Judge’s Order Ensuring North Dakota’s DAPL Protest Damages Lawsuit Can Proceed,2023-12-16,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,hoeven,https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Hoeven Statement on Judge’s Order Ensuring North Dakota’s DAPL Protest Damages Lawsuit Can Proceed BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after U.S. Federal Judge Daniel Traynor issued an order rejecting the federal government’s motion for summary judgement in North Dakota’s lawsuit claiming damages from the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests. The state is seeking $38 million to cover its emergency response costs resulting from the federal government negligence during the protests. This comes in addition to the $10 million that Hoeven secured in 2017 as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to help reimburse the state. “The federal government’s refusal to enforce the law and properly police illegal activity occurring on federal lands during the DAPL protests resulted in significant costs to the state, above and beyond the $10 million that we secured to reimburse these expenses,” said Hoeven. “We appreciate Judge Traynor’s continued insistence that the lawsuit be allowed to proceed, helping to ensure accountability for federal officials who neglected their responsibilities during these protests.” Hoeven has been working to provide certainty for DAPL’s operations, which are critical to North Dakota and the Three Affiliated Tribes’ energy industry. The senator has repeatedly pressed U.S. Army Corps officials to complete the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process as quickly as possible, with the draft EIS having been issued in September. Hoeven also worked to ensure DAPL’s continued operation while the Corps completes the court-ordered review. -###-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-working-to-keep-the-farm-in-the-farm-bill-outlines-key-agriculture-priorities-at-farmers-union-annual-meeting,"Hoeven Working to Keep The Farm in the Farm Bill, Outlines Key Agriculture Priorities at Farmers Union Annual Meeting",2023-12-16,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,hoeven,https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases,scraper,"Hoeven Working to Keep The Farm in the Farm Bill, Outlines Key Agriculture Priorities at Farmers Union Annual Meeting BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today addressed the North Dakota Farmers Union annual meeting, where he outlined key priorities that he is working to include in the next Farm Bill. As a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, Hoeven has been gathering input from North Dakota producers and working to secure enhancements for the nation’s farm policy, including: Maintaining and strengthening crop insurance, the primary risk management tool for many producers. Improving the affordability of higher levels of coverage will better enable producers to weather natural disasters and reduce the need for ad-hoc disaster assistance. Ensuring adequate access to credit by passing his legislation to modernize Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan limits as part of the Farm Bill. Updating and improving the counter-cyclical safety net, including the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. Strengthening livestock disaster programs, including the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP). Hoeven is sponsoring legislation, which he is working to include in the Farm Bill, to better align coverage between LFP and ELAP and make these improvements permanent. Make sure programs are voluntary and farmer-friendly, instead of one-size-fits-all, to reduce the regulatory burden on producers. “As we continue to negotiate our nation’s agriculture policy, my top priority is keeping the farm in the Farm Bill,” said Hoeven. “In the meantime, we’ve provided stability and predictability for our producers by passing a year-long extension of the current Farm Bill. That gives us time to ensure we pass the strongest bill possible, making needed improvements to crop insurance, the counter-cyclical safety net, loan programs and livestock disaster assistance programs, among other priorities. The feedback we receive from local groups, like Farmers Union, are an important part of these efforts, and we appreciate their members’ hard work every day to continue providing the lowest-cost, highest-quality food supply in the world.” Today’s meeting comes as part of Hoeven’s ongoing efforts to provide North Dakota farmers and ranchers with the opportunity to give direct feedback as work continues on the next farm bill. To this end, the senator continues to meet with local producers and has organized meetings between North Dakotans and key officials in recent months, including: Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman. FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Marcia Bunger. U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Deputy Chief Chris French. -###-",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:56:20Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-announces-54-million-for-i-79-chaplin-hill-gateway-project,Capito Announces $54 Million for I-79 Chaplin Hill Gateway Project,2023-12-15,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, announced $54,320,000 for the Chaplin Hill Gateway Project, which includes construction of bridges, interchanges, and pedestrian and bicycle connections. The funding is through the Mega Grant Program, an infrastructure funding program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Capito wrote a letter of support for the project to the U.S. Department of Transportation in August. “The funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to deliver for West Virginia and announcements like this one are the reason I fought for the final bill. The Chaplin Hill Gateway Project will help improve traffic, increase safety, and upgrade core transportation infrastructure in Monongalia County. For all those who live and work in the area, as well as those traveling through, this funding will make a transformational difference and I’m excited for this project to move forward,” Ranking Member Capito said. Project Details: The project has multiple components including replacing I-79 bridges over Chaplin Hill Road, reconstructing exit 155 interchange, WB I-79 flyover reconstruction, and a pedestrian and bicycle connection between the Star City bridge and the regional rail-to-trail network. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-announces-resources-to-help-address-kanawha-county-flood-damage,Capito Announces Resources to Help Address Kanawha County Flood Damage,2023-12-15,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, announced resources from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support roadway construction efforts near Coonskin Park in Charleston, W.Va. and Big Bend Golf Course in Tornado, W.Va. following severe floods in May of 2021. “Flooding across Kanawha County in 2021 seriously damaged roadways West Virginians rely on near Coonskin Park and Big Bend Golf Course. I was proud to work with our state and federal partners at FEMA to secure resources that will support repair and construction efforts to strengthen this infrastructure. This funding is another step to help ensure our roadways are more resilient and I am happy to see these resources reach Kanawha County,” Senator Capito said. Individual award details listed below: $1,255,797 in FEMA funding to Kanawha County, W.Va. – Funding will be used to help repair the roadway and embankment at two sites on Elk River Road near Coonskin Park and two sites near Big Bend Golf Course after the areas were severely damaged by floods in May 2021 under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-colleagues-introduce-resolution-condemning-hamass-use-of-sexual-violence-during-october-7th-terrorist-attack-on-israel,"Capito, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Condemning Hamas’s Use of Sexual Violence During October 7th Terrorist Attack on Israel",2023-12-15,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"CHARLESTON, W.Va. – This week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a bipartisan group of 21 of her colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning Hamas for using sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war against Israel during the October 7th terrorist attack. The resolution was led by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.). “There is absolutely no justification to ever weaponize rape and sexual violence as a legitimate form of war and I condemn these despicable acts committed by Hamas in the strongest possible terms. I am disappointed to see some of the inadequate reactions of women’s rights organizations in the wake of these crimes, but I will always speak out against these appalling events and support women around the world,” Senator Capito said. “These terrorist attacks targeting innocent women were unconscionable in every possible way and I support Israel in its mission to dismantle Hamas and to ensure crimes like these never happen again to any woman or girl.” Full text of the resolution can be found here. Senator Capito has long championed the rights of women and girls to live free of violence. She helped author the Women, Peace and Security Act, which was signed into law in 2017 and ensures women’s leadership roles in conflict resolution and peace negotiations. Additionally, Senator Capito is a strong supporter of Israel, swiftly condemning Hamas on October 7 and calling for enduring support for Israel. She also joined letters calling for the release of the American hostages in Gaza. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-secures-support-for-a-variety-of-west-virginia-projects,Capito Secures Support for a Variety of West Virginia Projects,2023-12-15,2023,2023-12,Republican,Senate,WV,Shelley Moore Capito,C001047,www.capito.senate.gov,capito,https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced funding from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Transportation (DOT), Agriculture (USDA), as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to support economic development, infrastructure improvement, public health, and environmental cleanup initiatives in West Virginia. HHS FUNDING: Senator Capito, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), announced resources from HHS to improve maternal and child health services, enhance health center clusters, and to upgrade public health infrastructure in West Virginia. “I am proud to secure resources that will help mothers and children receive the care they need, bolster our public health infrastructure, and improve our state’s preparation for potential public health emergencies in the future. As Ranking Member of the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, I will always advocate for the health care support that West Virginia needs,” Ranking Member Capito said. EPA FUNDING: Senator Capito, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, also secured funding from the EPA through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to help West Virginia University (WVU) support local Brownfields cleanup projects across the state. “We continue to see success stories in West Virginia communities thanks to the Brownfields program,” Ranking Member Capito said. “The funding announced today from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will support WVU’s efforts in helping assess, clean up, and redevelop former industrial sites across our state.” USDA FUNDING: Senator Capito also secured resources from the USDA’s Rural Development Program to provide low-income housing rehabilitation and to improve healthy food processing and storage in West Virginia. “Making sure our rural communities in West Virginia get the resources they need is critically important,” Senator Capito said. “This support from the USDA will help ensure that West Virginians have greater access to high quality food and affordable housing in our rural areas.” DOT FUNDING: Finally, Senator Capito announced resources from the DOT that she fought to include in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that will support research efforts to potentially increase Amtrak Cardinal Line Service from three times per week to daily service. “I am glad to see that Amtrak is seriously evaluating daily service for the Cardinal line, which has eight stops in West Virginia. Bringing this level of service, as well as improving the railroads in my state are some of the reasons I negotiated the bipartisan infrastructure law,” Senator Capito said. Individual HHS award details listed below: $1,550,586 in HHS funding to the WV DHHR (Charleston, W.Va.) to support upgrades to public health infrastructure. $1,324,524 in HHS funding to the WV DHHR (Charleston, W.Va.) to support maternal and child health services. $1,055,199 in HHS funding to the Monroe County Health Department (Union, W.Va.) to support health center clusters. Individual EPA award details listed below: $3,300,000 in EPA funding to WVU (Morgantown, W.Va.) to help WVU provide specialized knowledge and guide communities through the assessment, cleanup, and revitalization process of Brownsfields-related issues. USDA award details listed below: $763,057 USDA Rural Development Grant to Grow Ohio Valley (Wheeling, W.Va.) to renovate a warehouse which will serve as a processing facility for fresh and value-added food products and to safely process and certify farm products for distribution to wider markets. The facility will provide local food entrepreneurs with tools to expand their production of packaged, shelf-stable products. $105,280 USDA Rural Development Grant to the Southern Appalachian Labor School (Kincaid, W.Va.) to help Southern Appalachian Labor School to rehabilitate 10 homes for low and very low-income individuals in Fayette, Nicholas, Kanawha, Clay, and Raleigh counties. $105,280 USDA Rural Development Grant to Community Action of South Eastern West Virginia, Inc. (Bluefield, W.Va.) to help rehabilitate five homes for low and very low-income individuals in Mercer, Monroe and Summers Counties. USDA Rural Development Grant to the Southern Appalachian Labor School (Kincaid, W.Va.) to help Southern Appalachian Labor School rehabilitate two homes for low and very low-income individuals in Fayette County. DOT award details listed below: $500,000 in funding to Amtrak to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting the Cardinal Line’s service development plan as the first step in possibly increasing the frequency of Amtrak’s service from three days per week to daily. # # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z