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.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/29/senator-budd-issues-statement-after-cms-announces-213m-in-funding-for-north-carolinas-rural-hospitals/,Senator Budd Issues Statement After CMS Announces $213M+ in Funding for North Carolina’s Rural Hospitals,2025-12-29,2025,2025-12,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. — Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined members of the North Carolina congressional delegation in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Mehmet Oz, expressing strong support for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service’s (DHHS) Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) application. Today, CMS allocated $213,008,356 in funding for North Carolina’s rural hospitals, which was previously approved in the Working Families Tax Cut Act signed into law earlier this year.

In a statement following the announcement, Senator Budd said:

“North Carolina has the second-largest rural population in America, home to 7.6% of our nation’s rural residents. Today’s announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of $213 million from the Rural Health Transformation Program will greatly benefit patients across our state. While I was proud to support the inclusion of this funding in the Working Families Tax Cut Act, it is unfortunate that the State’s application was not appropriately coordinated with federal officials and did not request funding levels that more accurately correlate with our significant rural population.”

Read the full text of the letter HERE and below.

Dear Administrator Oz:

As members of the North Carolina congressional delegation, we express our strong support for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) application. We respectfully request that you approve the application in full before the December 31 deadline. Approval will allow our state, which has three million rural residents across 85 counties—the second-largest rural population in the nation—to expand proven innovative models, foster sustainable innovation, and strengthen our rural workforce.

While our state’s application requested a funding amount equal to 2 percent of total RHTP dollars available, North Carolina accounts for 7.6 percent of the rural population nationwide, so we are requesting that CMS allocate additional dollars so that the total funding amount is proportional to the disproportionately large rural population in our state. Per existing Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance, North Carolina applied the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) definition of rural, which excludes counties like Burke, Moore and Pitt, with respective populations of 88,000, 108,000 and 180,000, yet includes counties like Wake, which is a primarily urban county home to over 1.2 million residents. Moore, Pitt, and similar jurisdictions serve some of the most isolated patients living in the most rural and even remote areas, and we look forward to ensuring all our rural providers and patients receive funding commensurate with their level of need.

After applying on November 3, DHHS plans to allocate awarded funds through its Office of Rural Health (NCRHTP). A statewide steering committee, including Medicaid, Public Health, and Behavioral Health divisions, would guide implementation. The program allows sufficient flexibility for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to assign recipients. As population declines continue and rural hospitals increasingly rely on Medicaid, rural communities face ongoing healthcare and economic challenges, with gaps in access to care and quality. At least 24 counties lack adequate primary care, and 90 counties are designated mental health shortage areas. Since 2006, 12 rural hospitals have closed, with seven closures in eastern North Carolina.

An RHTP investment will improve health outcomes and access for nearly three million rural North Carolinians, advancing innovative care models, transforming the rural care experience, and creating a sustainable rural delivery system. By FY2031, NCRHTP aims to increase rural provider-to-population ratios, reduce preventable hospital readmissions and emergency visits, lower chronic disease risk factors, and expand access to integrated behavioral, mental health, and substance use services. Locally governed, community-tailored networks will connect medical, behavioral, and social services, making it easier for rural residents to access comprehensive care in one place.

Each hub is tailored to its region, offering in-person services, care coordination, and direct family support, while also leveraging virtual care and advanced AI to improve access and data sharing. These efforts will provide an opportunity to accelerate technological innovation, access, and interoperability through expanded health information exchange participation, digital literacy programs to ensure rural residents can access modern, connected care, and the broad implementation of state-of-the-art AI-based technology to support documentation and real-time expert clinical decision support to drive down business costs for rural providers and improve sustainability.

Approving North Carolina’s application for the RHTP will improve health outcomes and our economy, which relies on healthy communities to thrive. We are grateful for your full and fair consideration of this crucial award ahead of the December 31 deadline.

Sincerely,

/X/

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/18/senator-budd-releases-statement-opposing-marijuana-rescheduling/,Senator Budd Releases Statement Opposing Marijuana Rescheduling,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"“We should not be handing tax breaks to bad actors and foreign drug cartels to advertise a drug that will harm Americans.”

Washington, D.C. — Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order that would reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a lower classification, easing federal restrictions on the substance:

“Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III substance and putting more money in the pockets of marijuana companies is a shortsighted policy decision that will have detrimental effects on the health and safety of Americans, especially our nation’s youth. The negative health impacts of marijuana are numerous and well-documented—increased risk of heart attack, stroke, psychotic disorders, addiction, and hospitalization. Marijuana use contributes significantly to deadly traffic and workplace accidents, and with this action, our Department of Transportation will be unable to conduct testing for marijuana—even for America’s pilots and truck drivers. We should not be handing tax breaks to bad actors and foreign drug cartels to advertise a drug that will harm Americans.”

BUDD LEADS SENATE LETTER OPPOSING MARIJUANA RESCHEDULING

Yesterday, Senator Budd led 21 of his Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to reconsider rescheduling marijuana. The full text of that letter is available HERE and below:

“We write to ask you to uphold marijuana’s status as a Schedule I drug. Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to Make America Great Again and to usher in America’s next economic Golden Age. The only winners from rescheduling will be bad actors such as Communist China, while Americans will be left paying the bill.

“Marijuana continues to fit the definition of a Schedule I drug due to its high potential for abuse and its lack of an FDA-approved use. The evidence shows that marijuana is harmful to its users, especially to young people and women who are pregnant and nursing. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, studies show that marijuana is linked to “depression, anxiety, suicide planning, and psychotic episodes.” Tragically, mass shootings have a link to marijuana use, including school shootings; in fact, the shooter who attacked a Catholic school in Minneapolis blamed his actions on “gender and weed” and wrote, “I wish I never tried experimenting with either.” Additionally, marijuana has long-term effects on brain health, including “permanent IQ loss” when a person starts using marijuana at a young age. Lastly, babies are also at risk from marijuana, as marijuana use during pregnancy may result in “fetal growth restriction, premature birth, stillbirth, and problems with brain development, resulting in hyperactivity and poor cognitive function.”

“We cannot reindustrialize America if we encourage marijuana use. America’s workplace and America’s roads are endangered by marijuana use. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified studies linking marijuana use to “impaired judgment” and “lack of concentration,” as well as research finding increases in industrial accidents, injuries, and absenteeism among employees who tested positive for marijuana versus those who tested negative. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns that marijuana users are more likely to be involved with car crashes and studies show that marijuana impacts motor skills, cognitive functions, and user’s ability to multitask, which is a “critical skill” for drivers.

“Rescheduling would also give a massive tax break to marijuana companies. These companies are currently prohibited from taking business tax deductions under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code due to their involvement with marijuana, given its status as a Schedule I drug. According to the marijuana industry’s own researchers, marijuana companies would obtain a $2.3 billion tax break if marijuana were to be rescheduled. Marijuana business leaders have said they will use this infusion of funds to increase their marketing and to expand their businesses into additional states. While supporters of rescheduling argue that extending tax benefits to marijuana businesses will create economic growth, the costs of workplace and vehicular accidents caused by increased marijuana usage far exceeds any perceived benefits—not to mention the moral costs of marijuana advertising that could reach kids.

“In light of the documented dangers of marijuana, facilitating the growth of the marijuana industry is at odds with growing our economy and encouraging healthy lifestyles for Americans. We urge you to continue your strong leadership of our country and our economy, and to turn away from marijuana rescheduling.”

Joining Senator Budd in sending this letter were Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R- W.Va.), James Lankford (R- Okla.), Roger Marshall (R- Kan.), Pete Ricketts (R- Neb.), Tommy Tuberville (R- Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R- Tenn.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Crapo (R-S.D.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/lumbee-recognition-legislation-signed-into-law,Lumbee Recognition Legislation Signed into Law,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Budd (R-NC), along with Representatives David Rouzer (R-NC), Mark Harris (R-NC), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Tim Moore (R-NC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Addison McDowell (R-NC), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Don Davis (D-NC), and Alma Adams (D-NC), applauded the signing of the Lumbee Fairness Act into law.

“For 137 years, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina fought for the full federal recognition they were promised, and today that promise has finally been fulfilled,” said Senator Tillis. “President Donald Trump pledged to get this done, and he kept that promise. By signing the Lumbee Fairness Act into law, a historic injustice has been corrected, and the Lumbee people can finally access the full federal benefits they have long earned and deserve. This achievement was a true team effort, and I am grateful to Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery, Senator Ted Budd, Michael Whatley, and members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation, including Representatives Rouzer, Hudson, Harris, McDowell, and Moore, for working together to deliver this long overdue recognition for the Lumbee people.”

“For nearly fifty years, the Lumbee Tribe has fought for the same rights and benefits that every other federally recognized tribe receives,” said Senator Budd. “Today, this long fight is over, and the more than 60,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe will begin the process of receiving the benefits they deserve. I want to thank Senator Tillis for his strong leadership of the North Carolina delegation as we fought for this provision, and his unyielding dedication to the recognition of the Lumbee people throughout his time in the U.S. Senate. Under the leadership of Chairman John Lowery, the Lumbee Tribe has had strong advocates in President Trump and his administration and in Representatives Rouzer and Harris who introduced the Lumbee Fairness Act in the House. I am grateful to have played a role in securing this major victory for such an important group of North Carolinians.”

“It is truly a great and monumental day for the Lumbee Tribe — the effects of which will transcend generations for the Lumbee people and all of North Carolina,” said Representative Rouzer, who offered the House amendment to the NDAA to provide federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe. “Passage of my legislation, the Lumbee Fairness Act, will finally grant the Tribe full federal recognition and long-deserved benefits. This historic moment reflects the perseverance of Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery, the tenacity of the Lumbee people, strong support from President Trump, and years of advocacy by Senators Tillis, Budd, Dole, Burr, and many other North Carolina colleagues. Thank you all for your dedication to make this victory possible.”

“As the first bill I co-introduced in Congress, the Lumbee Fairness Act brings to fruition the decades-long fight on Capitol Hill for full federal recognition,” said Representative Mark Harris. “Federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe is about much more than just words on paper; it signifies they are seen. The Lumbee Tribe is now officially the 575th federally recognized tribe. What a historic moment this is for the Lumbee Tribe and an honor as their representative—God is so good!”

“For generations, the Lumbee people have fought for fairness and full recognition,” said Representative Hudson. “We delivered. This long-overdue win finally honors the Lumbee Tribe’s heritage and ensures they receive the federal support and opportunities they deserve.”

“This is a historic moment generations of Lumbee families have hoped for, and I’m honored to have played a part in helping make it happen,” said Representative Moore. “I’m especially grateful to President Trump, Chairman Lowery, Senator Tillis, and our North Carolina delegation for their leadership in delivering long-overdue recognition to the Lumbee Tribe.”

“Finally, the Lumbee Tribe will get the recognition they deserve and worked towards for 137 years,” said Representative Ross. “Generations of Lumbee strived and advocated for this hard-fought milestone. I appreciate the work of my colleagues across North Carolina who came together on a bipartisan basis to make recognition possible.”

“The Lumbee Fairness Act corrects a clear historical mistake and brings long-overdue clarity to the Lumbee Tribe’s federal status,” said Representative McDowell. “For more than a century, the People of the Dark Water have sought the fair and equal recognition they deserve. Through this legislation, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will have the same rights as every other federally recognized tribe. And with the signature of President Donald Trump, we are closing a chapter of federal inconsistency and delivering an outcome that should have been resolved generations ago.”

“I am overjoyed to see the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina at long last receive federal tribal recognition,” said Representative Foushee. “This is an effort that I have been working on closely with colleagues across the political spectrum for over a decade, but it pales in comparison to the over 100 years the Lumbee have spent seeking reprieve. The federal government owes a great debt to Native Americans and tribal communities across the country. This isn't a political issue—this recognition is important for the state of North Carolina and efforts to work with, support, and uplift tribal communities cannot stop here.”

“Since 1885, the Lumbee Tribe was recognized in North Carolina and began its long quest to seek full federal recognition thereafter,” said Representative Murphy, M.D. “The community faced egregious oppression and violence, and while Congress acknowledged the Lumbee people in 1956, they did not receive the same benefits and recognition as other tribes. After many decades, justice has been achieved and with great bipartisan backing. I’m very proud to have supported this effort from the beginning. Congratulations to the Lumbee Tribe!”

“Today, our nation fulfills a generations-long promise we made to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, correcting a historic injustice and allowing the Lumbee people to finally get the federal recognition and support they deserve,” said Representative Adams. “After 137 years, I’m proud to see that the Lumbee Tribe has finally won their fight and that justice has finally prevailed.”

Background:

The Lumbee Fairness Act grants long-overdue federal benefits to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina that every other federally recognized tribe receives. The Lumbee Tribe is the largest American-Indian tribe in the Eastern United States. In 1885, North Carolina formally recognized the Lumbee Tribe. Three years later, the Tribe began to seek federal recognition. On June 7, 1956, Congress enacted the Lumbee Act at the height of the Indian termination policy era, which provided the Lumbee with federal recognition but included an unfair caveat that terminated their recognition.

The Lumbee Tribe received support from over 230 federally recognized tribes, President Trump, Vice President Vance, President Biden, Vice President Harris, the North Carolina General Assembly, and various Native American scholars and organizations.

###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-statement-on-the-passing-of-governor-jim-hunt,Tillis Statement on the Passing of Governor Jim Hunt,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,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) released the following statement on the passing of former North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt:

“Susan and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Governor Jim Hunt, who was one of the most consequential public servants in North Carolina's history. His commitment to public education and economic development made a profound impact on our state that continues to this day. We send our deepest condolences to his loving family.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/17/budd-issues-statement-after-senate-grants-lumbee-tribe-full-federal-benefits/,Budd Issues Statement After Senate Grants Lumbee Tribe Full Federal Benefits,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"“More than 60,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe will begin the process of receiving the benefits they deserve.”

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed legislation that puts the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina on the path to receive the full federal benefits they have long been unfairly denied. In January, Senator Budd joined Senator Tillis and other members of the North Carolina congressional delegation in reintroducing the Lumbee Fairness Act. The bill was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, which the Senate passed today. The legislative package is now headed to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“For nearly fifty years, the Lumbee Tribe has fought for the same rights and benefits that every other federally recognized tribe receives,” said Senator Budd. “Today, with the passage of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, this long fight is over, and the more than 60,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe will begin the process of receiving the benefits they deserve. I want to thank Senator Tillis for his strong leadership of the North Carolina delegation as we fought for this provision, and his unyielding dedication to the recognition of the Lumbee people throughout his time in the U.S. Senate. Under the leadership of Chairman John Lowery, the Lumbee Tribe has had strong advocates in President Trump and his administration and in Representatives Rouzer and Harris who introduced the Lumbee Fairness Act in the House. I am grateful to have played a role in securing this major victory for such an important group of North Carolinians.”

BACKGROUND

The Lumbee Tribe is the largest American Indian tribe in the Eastern United States. In 1885, North Carolina formally recognized the Lumbee Tribe. Three years later, the Tribe began to seek federal recognition. In 1956, Congress finally passed legislation recognizing the tribe, but the bill included an unfair caveat that denied the Lumbee benefits that every other federally recognized tribe receives.

Upon the signing of the FY26 NDAA, the Lumbee tribe will be on the path to eligibility for all federal benefits provided to federally recognized tribes.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/17/senator-budd-releases-statement-following-senate-passage-of-historic-ndaa-investing-in-u-s-national-defense/,Senator Budd Releases Statement Following Senate Passage of Historic NDAA Investing in U.S. National Defense,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"“America’s security rests on the readiness and unmatched lethality of our military.”

Washington, D.C. — Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), voted in favor of passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today. The bill includes numerous provisions to improve readiness and quality of life for our troops, increase funding for North Carolina military installations, deter China, and strengthen alliances abroad. The defense package is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

Senator Budd issued the following statement upon final passage:

“America’s security rests on the readiness and unmatched lethality of our military. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to deliver a historic investment in our national defense that prioritizes peace through strength. This year’s NDAA puts our warfighters first by prioritizing new weapons and platforms, eliminates regulations and DEI initiatives that detract from combat training, and enacts new policies that remove enemy capabilities off the battlefield. The United States will continue to aid Taiwan in deterring the threat of Communist China and stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally Israel in bringing about a safer and more stable Middle East. Above all, this landmark legislation authorizes a generational investment in servicemember quality of life, ensuring our troops and their families in North Carolina have the necessary resources to accomplish their mission—at home and abroad.”

Below is a summary of provisions Senator Budd championed that were included as amendments to the FY26 NDAA and passed by Congress:

Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization (SEIZE) Act streamlines the process for taking ownership over confiscated Iranian weapons seized in transit to terror proxies like the Houthis in Yemen. Senator Budd’s amendment bypasses a potential year-long legal process for the distribution of captured Iranian weapons and equipment held by U.S. Central Command, allowing them to be sent to U.S. military partners around the globe.

Streamlining Advanced Manufacturing Strategy Act brings greater alignment and increases efficiency to advanced manufacturing initiatives. Senator Budd’s amendment keeps American manufacturers ahead in the technological race and driving our economy forward.

Lumbee Fairness Act puts the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina on the path to receiving full federal benefits they have long been unfairly denied.

Comprehensive Operations for Unmanned-System Neutralization and Threat Elimination Response (COUNTER) Act enhances airspace security at military installations. Senator Budd is an original co-sponsor of the standalone legislation that was included as an amendment to neutralize unauthorized drones.

Boosting America’s Military Readiness & Supporting Military Families

This year’s NDAA represents an investment in America’s military personnel, a refocusing of the Pentagon’s priorities to boost troop readiness, and a needed reduction of bureaucratic red tape. Senator Budd championed several key priorities to improve the quality of life and the effectiveness of our troops by:

Providing a 3.8% raise for all service members.

Codifying President Trump’s efforts to end left-wing ideology, wokeism, and DEI in the military and restore focus on lethality, meritocracy, and accountability.

Reducing barriers for fighter aircraft to use the Link-16 data network in training, which will increase readiness for potential high-end conflict.

Delivering for North Carolina Military Installations & Manufacturers

The FY 2026 NDAA authorizes more than $765 million for military construction projects and planning and design funding at facilities across North Carolina. Senator Budd successfully worked to include provisions to support the following facilities, programs, and units:

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Authorizing $40M in funding to boost the F-35 Aircraft Sustainment Center

Authorizing $15M in funding to design the next phase of the Flightline Utilities Modernization project

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Authorizing $51.4M in funding for the expansion of the Special Operations Forces Combat Service Support/Motor Transport

Authorizing $90M in funding to boost the Special Operations Forces Marine Raider Battalion Operations Facility

Authorizing $48.28M in funding to improve Amphibious Combat Vehicle Shelters

Fort Bragg

Authorizing $19M in funding to boost the Automated Infantry Platoon Battle Course

Authorizing $24M in funding to complete the construction of the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar

Authorizing $80M in funding to improve the Fort’s power generation and microgrid

Authorizing $80M in funding for the Special Operations Forces Mission Command Center

Authorizing $145M in funding for the Special Operations Forces Operational Ammunition Supply Point

Authorizing $8M in funding for Special Operations Forces Joint Intelligence Center

Authorizing $5M in funding for the Pathfinder Airborne Program to improve soldier readiness

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

Authorizing $54M in funding to improve the Child Development Center

Authorizing $41M in funding to expand the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Complex

North Carolina National Guard

Authorizing $69M in funding for the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar Addition/Alteration project at Salisbury Training Center

North Carolina Manufacturers & Projects

Authorizing $308M in funding to procure Infantry Squad Vehicles manufactured in Concord, which will support the Army Transformation Initiative

Authorizing $4M in funding to procure rare earth magnets manufactured in Durham

Authorizing $8M in funding to procure Army Load-Carrying Technology Advancements built in Concord

Authorizing $5M in funding to expand the Defense Innovation Unit OnRamp Hub, which Senator Budd has advocated for bringing to North Carolina

Deterring China & Standing with Our Allies

The core mission of America’s Armed Forces is to protect the United States and its citizens from threats and to defend our interests both at home and abroad. Senator Budd led the inclusion of several key priorities that will help our troops and our allies carry out this vital mission by:

Deterring Threats from China:

Cutting bureaucratic red tape to permit fighter aircraft to use tactical datalinks needed for advanced air combat training, enhancing the preparation and readiness of 45 combat-coded fighter squadrons for high-end conflict

Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025 provides the U.S. Government with additional tools to deter state and non-state actors from wrongfully detaining U.S. nationals for political leverage.

Supporting the U.S.-Israel Bilateral Relationship:

Authorizing $80M in funding for U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunnel Cooperation and extending the program through December 2028

Authorizing $70M in funding for U.S.-Israel Counter-UAS Cooperation and extending the program through December 2028

Authorizing $100M in funding for the Arrow 3 Upper Tier Interceptor Program Co-Production

Authorizing $40M in funding for Israel’s David’s Sling Short Range Rocket Defense System

Authorizing $60M in funding for Iron Dome Short Range Rocket Defense System

Directing a semi-annual assessment of Israel’s defense capabilities and the impact of current arms embargoes, sanctions, and restrictions by foreign countries and international organizations on Israel

Directing a U.S.-Israel Defense Industrial Base Working Group to increase integration and interoperability of between the two national technology bases

Stabilizing the Middle East:

Extending the authorization to provide assistance to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)

Repealing the 1991 & 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force Relating to Iraq

Standing with Taiwan:

Enhancing the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative

Directing a joint program with Taiwan to enable fielding of uncrewed systems and counter-uncrewed system capabilities

Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2025 requires the Department of the Treasury to support Taiwan’s admission to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or participation in activities of the Fund before it becomes a member.

Streamlining Foreign Military Sales (FMS):

AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025 increases flexibility in defense transfers between U.S., Australia, and the U.K.

Requiring the Pentagon to establish a framework to improve processes and procedures for technology transfer and foreign disclosure policies

Requiring the Pentagon to establish an office to facilitate foreign partners’ acquisition of equipment that is not a program of record for U.S. forces

Expediting and improving transparency of international arms transfers by streamlining bureaucracy

Requiring a bi-annual review of the FMS-only list with the intent to expand defense articles available for Direct Commercial Sales

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/17/senators-budd-hassan-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-lower-prescription-drug-prices-for-american-families/,"Senators Budd, Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Prices for American Families",2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced the bipartisan Biosimilar Inspection Modernization Act, legislation that would make prescription drugs more accessible and affordable by updating and improving the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) inspection processes for facilities manufacturing biosimilar medicines. Addressing these regulatory barriers would ultimately speed up the number of biosimilars brought to market, in turn increasing competition and lowering costs for patients.

“As prescription drug prices continue to climb, Americans with chronic illnesses are being forced to choose between the medications they need and paying their bills. By reducing regulatory bottlenecks on the inspections of facilities manufacturing low-cost biosimilars, we can help reduce the amount of time it takes for patients to gain access to these more affordable, safe, proven therapies. I am grateful to Senator Hassan for working with me on a solution that will make prescriptions more affordable for American families by removing regulatory barriers and increasing competition to brand name biologic drugs,” said Senator Budd.

“A key part of reducing prescription drug costs for families is helping more biosimilar and generic medications enter the market. The FDA should use every available resource to get biosimilar medications to patients more quickly. This bipartisan bill will cut red tape at the FDA, increase competition, and, in turn, lower prescription drug costs for Granite Staters and all Americans.” said Senator Hassan.

“The Biosimilars Forum strongly supports the Biosimilar Inspector Modernization Act, a critical piece of legislation that will ensure equity and uniformity to biosimilar reviews, creating consistency with other drug classes under FDA review and eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy. This legislation would not be possible without the leadership of Senator Budd and Senator Hassan. The Forum and our members thank the Senators and their staffs for spearheading this effort,” said Julie Reed, Executive Director, Biosimilars Forum.

The Biosimilar Inspection Modernization Act is endorsed by the Biosimilars Forum.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Biosimilars, the alternatives to brand-name biologics, offer a unique opportunity for reducing prescription drug costs for patients by bringing competition to brand name biologic drugs. Biosimilars are FDA approved and lower cost than their brand name competitors, but their market share remains below 20% in the United States.

Biosimilar Inspection Modernization Act of 2025:

Requires the FDA to develop a strategic plan for American biosimilars manufacturing, addressing FDA staffing challenges and improving internal and external communication.

Directs the improved use of Mutual Recognition Agreements, ensuring that unnecessary red tape is removed to bring these drugs to patients faster.

Updates the FDA’s inspection authorities to better utilize new tools and technologies in the oversight of biosimilar manufacturing facilities, so that the FDA more efficiently oversees these facilities.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-lumbee-recognition-legislation-set-to-become-law,Tillis’ Lumbee Recognition Legislation Set to Become Law,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,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) released the following statement on the passage of the Lumbee Fairness Act in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

“For 137 years, the Lumbee Tribe have been fighting for federal recognition, and today the federal government has finally honored that promise. President Trump traveled to Robeson County and pledged to get federal recognition done. He kept that promise and showed extraordinary leadership. With the Senate passage of the NDAA, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will now achieve full federal recognition and access to every federal benefit they have earned and deserve.

“This was a team effort on the part of North Carolina leaders. I am grateful to Chairman John Lowery, Senator Ted Budd, Michael Whatley, and Members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation – including Representatives Rouzer, Hudson, Harris, McDowell, and Moore – for working together to achieve this historic success.

“I want to thank my staff, especially Cirilo Perez, whose tireless and dedicated work behind the scenes played an instrumental role in breaking a decades-old legislative stalemate and making this historic moment a reality.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/16/senators-budd-fetterman-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-create-first-national-network-of-ai-enabled-automated-labs/,"Senators Budd, Fetterman Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Create First National Network of AI-Enabled, Automated Labs",2025-12-16,2025,2025-12,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.) introduced the National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act to create a national network of six remotely accessible programmable cloud laboratories (PCLs) for academic research, led by the National Science Foundation (NSF). By joining existing laboratory data processing power together, this bill would help researchers use their time and financial resources more effectively through automation and integration of large data sets.

“Integrating our nation’s world class laboratories will increase the rate of breakthroughs, streamline and better automate the research process, and reduce the barriers and costs that throttle experimentation. North Carolina is at the cutting edge of innovation, and I am glad to work with Senator Fetterman to help our great institutions push the boundaries of discovery even further,” said Senator Budd.

“Pennsylvania is home to thousands of academic and industry researchers that are expanding the boundaries of human knowledge and developing the products of the future. We can help cut barriers researchers face and supercharge America’s innovation engine with a national network of PCLs. This has never been built before, and I’m proud to partner with Senator Budd to make this a reality,” said Senator Fetterman.

The National Programmable Cloud Laboratories Network Act is endorsed by SeedAI, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The high cost of building and maintaining laboratory infrastructure creates barriers for smaller, less endowed academic institutions and small businesses to conduct cutting-edge scientific research or develop innovative products. A national PCL network would allow fee-paying users to remotely access laboratory space to conduct experiments, instead of building and operating their own lab equipment or traveling to another institution to conduct experiments in-person.

This legislation would codify existing NSF proposals to create a network of up to six PCL nodes through a competitive selection process open to academic, private sector, non-profit research institutions, or partnerships between any of the three prior types of institutions. Applicants for PCL node designation would be evaluated on:

The level of existing laboratory infrastructure with automated capabilities and data integration;

Capacity to support cloud-enabled workflows for multiple users;

Ability to sustain long-term operations without continuous federal funding;

Ability to collaborate with partners in academia, industry, or federal research entities;

Protocols for research security, cybersecurity, and responsible access;

Demonstration of user interest and research needs.

Following the designation of the nodes, standards for interoperability, data sharing, cybersecurity, and technical requirements would be developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NSF, and selected PCL node participants. Reports to Congress on non-designated laboratories would also be required to map out developing PCL research infrastructure, assess the capabilities of non-designated laboratories, and identify opportunities for collaboration with the selected nodes.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-blumenthal-luttrell-mcgarvey-usaa-and-vsos-urge-congress-to-pass-bipartisan-legislation-to-provide-service-dogs-to-eligible-veterans,"Tillis, Blumenthal, Luttrell, McGarvey, USAA, and VSOs Urge Congress to Pass Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Service Dogs to Eligible Veterans",2025-12-15,2025,2025-12,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), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Representative Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), and Representative Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), continued their push to pass theService Dogs Assisting Veterans (SAVES)Act, bipartisan legislation that would establish a program to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist them in carrying out programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans.

Additionally, USAA and a coalition of 22 Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, urging them to bring up theSAVES Act for a vote in Congress.

“Long after the fighting on the battlefield ends, too many of the courageous servicemembers come home and continue to battle against enemies that many consider just as insidious as those with guns, grenades, and rockets. That is why in 2021, I introduced thePAWS Act that created a pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans, but it is clear we must continue to build on that effort to ensure this program is expanded to veterans in need,”said Senator Tillis. “TheSAVES Actwill allow more veterans who are struggling with the invisible wounds of war to receive service dogs that could ultimately save their lives. We must repay the debt to the men and women who served our country, I hope Congress quickly passes this legislation to provide them with his important resource.”

“OurSAVES Act to improve access to service dogs for nation’s veterans is long overdue,”said Senator Blumenthal. “When military men and women return home from service, they are often fighting invisible battles. These canine companions can offer our veterans comfort, ease their transition back into civilian life, and support their mental and physical health. I’ll keep fighting for Congress to pass our bipartisan measure to ensure our veterans can access the essential and even life-saving assistance of service dogs.”

“TheSAVES Act establishes a pathway allowing VA to provide service dogs to veterans in need,”said Representative Luttrell. “These animals help ease the suffering and give lifesaving and lifechanging support during the transition from the battlefield to the homefront — and beyond.”

“Our veterans are willing to put on the uniform and sacrifice everything to keep us safe and free, but that service comes at a cost,” said Representative McGarvey. “That brave service oftentimes takes a toll on veterans' physical and mental health, and we've got to do everything we can to support them with tangible, proven solutions like the availability of life-saving service animals. I'm grateful to my colleagues for this bipartisan effort to prioritize the resources our veterans deserve and urge swift passage of this commonsense legislation.”

The VSOs who signed the letter include the American Legion, K9s for Warriors, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Student Veterans of America, Operation Freedom Paws, Paws Assisting Veterans (PAVE), The Independence Fund, Canines for Service, Warrior Canine Connection, Hero Dogs, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), paws4people, Hawaii Fi-Do, VFW,DAV, PVA, Soldier's Best Friend, Paws for Purple Hearts, Air Force Sergeant Association, Fleet Reserve Association, Non Commissioned Officers Association, and Paws and Stripes.

“Service Dogs have a proven track record of providing life-saving assistance to Veterans in critical need,”said Daniel Bean, CEO at K9s For Warriors. “As the nation's leading provider of Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma, K9s For Warriors has seen firsthand how these service animals restore hope, stability, and purpose. The SAVES Act will ultimately put more Service Dogs in the hands of Veterans with visible and invisible wounds, allowing them to regain their independence and reintegrate into civilian life. We applaud Senator Tillis, Senator Blumenthal, Congressman Luttrell, and Congressman McGarvey for their unwavering support and urge Congress to pass this important legislation without delay — so even more Veterans can join the 1,200+ Warriors whose lives have already been saved and transformed through our program.”

“The VFW supports theService Dogs Assisting Veterans Act of 2025 (S. 1441/H.R. 2605), which allows veterans to receive support companions without having to endure long waitlists,”said Meggan Coleman, National Legislative Associate Director at VFW. “Service dogs can assist veterans with various physical, auditory, and trauma-related disabilities, which can empower veterans to regain their independence, pride, and hope. The VFW commends Senator Tillis and Representative Luttrell for introducing this important legislation and looks forward to its swift passage.”

“The American Legion strongly supports theSAVES Act, and we are proud to stand with our fellow Veterans Service Organizations in leading a joint letter urging congressional leadership to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor,”said Dan K. Wiley, National Commander at American Legion. “For veterans living with PTSD or traumatic brain injury, service dogs provide proven, life-changing support that restores independence, stability, and hope. Expanding access to these programs is a meaningful step toward ensuring every veteran has the tools they need to heal. Congress should act without delay.”

Background:

It is estimated that upwards of20% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have PTSD andmore than 485,000 service members have been diagnosed with at least one traumatic brain injury over the past two decades. As a result, these veterans suffer from alarmingly high rates of depression, anxiety, joblessness, homelessness, substance use disorder and other negative behaviors. Far too often, they resort to taking their own lives – roughly 20 veterans die by suicide each day, nearly one an hour.

Under theSAVES Act, nonprofit organizations would be required to submit an application to the Secretary that includes a description of the training that will be provided by the organization to eligible veterans; the training of dogs that will serve as service dogs; the aftercare services that the organization will provide for the service dogs and eligible Veteran; the plan for publicizing the availability of service dogs through a marketing campaign; the committee of the organization to have humane standards or animals.

Full text of the letter is availableHERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-statement-on-the-european-union-s-loan-to-ukraine,Tillis Statement on the European Union’s Loan to Ukraine,2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,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 released the following statement praising the European Union’s decisive support for Ukraine:

“Today’s decision by European leaders to provide a €90 billion interest-free loan to Ukraine, backed by the strategic use of revenues from immobilized Russian state assets, sends an unmistakable message and demonstrate the kind of strategic clarity and resolve necessary to confront ongoing Russian aggression.

“Vladimir Putin is a thug and a war criminal. It is only fitting that Russia be held financially responsible for the death and destruction he unleashed. This decision to keep Russian assets frozen until Ukraine is fully compensated is not just about economics; it is about accountability. This is a policy reflects the kind of transatlantic leadership we need at a time when some are still looking for ‘off-ramps’ instead of results.

“Predictably, Putin has reacted to this news with his usual brand of propaganda, calling these actions ‘robbery.’ Coming from a man who invades sovereign neighbors, targets innocent civilians, and steals children, these claims are hollow. More importantly, his rhetoric serves as a reminder that he views any hint of Western hesitation as an invitation to go further.

“The lesson here is simple: appeasement never works. Putin only understands strength. Europe understands that, and America must, too. The world is watching—our allies are looking for resolve, and our adversaries are looking for weakness. We must continue to lead with the strength and clarity that this challenge demands.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/11/senators-budd-and-cruz-introduce-common-sense-legislation-to-increase-affordable-healthcare-coverage-options-for-americans/,Senators Budd and Cruz Introduce Common-Sense Legislation to Increase Affordable Healthcare Coverage Options for Americans,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Competition and Openness in Markets to Promote Efficiency, Transparency, and Enhanced Affordability (COMPETE) Act today. The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to extend the maximum duration of short-term, limited-duration insurance (STLDI), and includes a renewal guarantee provision that allows consumers to purchase STLDI plans for an extended period of time.

“Americans overwhelmingly agree that we need access to high-quality healthcare at a reasonable price. Healthcare costs have climbed to unsustainable rates because of bad policies, like Obamacare, that have propped up insurance companies at the cost of eliminating consumer choice. I am proud to be working with Senator Cruz to provide a common-sense solution for short-term health plans by enhancing access to lower premiums and transparently making healthcare more affordable and flexible for individuals and their families,” said Senator Budd.

“Obamacare reduced health insurance options and caused premiums to skyrocket. This legislation will promote more competition, provide consumers with more choices, and allow Americans to choose the healthcare coverage that fits their needs and budgets. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation expeditiously,” said Senator Cruz.

The COMPETE Act is endorsed by Americans for Prosperity, Foundation for Government Accountability, and Heritage Action.

“The Biden administration stripped away affordable short-term plans that gave families real health coverage at a fraction of the cost. Senator Cruz’s bill restores the freedom President Trump gave Americans to choose plans that actually work for them, not force them into ObamaCare’s one-size-fits-all mess. Instead of continuing to prop up a failing government system with heavy subsidies, this bill unleashes free markets and real competition to give families better, cheaper coverage options,” said Tarren Bragdon, President and CEO, Foundation for Government Accountability.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Since the law took effect in 2014, premiums for Affordable Care Act (ACA) benchmark plans increased 129 percent for a typical 50-year-old enrollee—nearly double the rate of employer-sponsored insurance (68 percent) and more than three times the increase in the consumer price index (39 percent).

As a result, in 2018, President Trump issued a rule to allow STLDI to cover longer time periods to shield consumers in the individual market from soaring premiums and restricted care options.

In 2024, the Biden administration imposed limits on the use of STLDI plans, effectively rolling back the 2018 regulation that expanded the duration of such plans during the first Trump administration.

STLDI is a type of health insurance coverage that was primarily designed to fill gaps in coverage that may occur when an individual is transitioning from one plan or coverage to another plan or coverage.

Short Term Limited Duration Insurance

Promotes Greater Freedom:

Individuals are free to select the optimal amount of health coverage for their needs without being coerced into paying for additional coverage they’d never use.

Makes Healthcare More Affordable:

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), following the Trump administration’s expansion of short-term plans in 2018, these policies were priced at approximately 54% less than comparable ACA-compliant plans.

Helps Uninsured:

STLDI plans can provide affordable, flexible coverage that expands access to insurance. STLDI gives individuals a realistic path to coverage at a smaller cost—helping ensure that more people are protected from soaring healthcare costs.

Faster Coverage:

Unlike most individual market plans, which limit enrollment to specific periods or qualifying life events, short-term plans can be purchased at any time. Coverage typically begins within just a few days, compared to the several weeks it may take for other health plans to start.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/10/senators-budd-and-wyden-lead-bipartisan-push-to-streamline-federal-resources-and-grow-agritourism-nationwide/,Senators Budd and Wyden Lead Bipartisan Push to Streamline Federal Resources and Grow Agritourism Nationwide,2025-12-10,2025,2025-12,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) this week introduced the bipartisan Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innovation and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces (AGRITOURISM) Act to support economic development and the growth of agritourism nationwide by increasing access to federal resources such as loans, grants, broadband, and educational programs to small family farmers.

“Agritourism is essential to keeping working farms afloat, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters. Without it, many of North Carolina’s farms would have been forced to cease operations following Hurricane Helene. I’m proud to lead this legislation alongside Senator Wyden to streamline federal resources for North Carolina’s booming agritourism industry,” said Senator Budd.

“Small family farmers are the backbone of our country’s agricultural sector. There’s no question that the federal government needs to step up and support family farmers at a time when most are operating on a shoestring budget and barely making ends meet. Our bipartisan legislation would give family farmers much-needed resources to not only survive, but grow and thrive,” said Senator Wyden.

Senators Budd and Wyden were joined by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in introducing the legislation.

U.S. Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-Wash-04) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

The AGRITOURISM Act is endorsed by the Brewers Association, American Craft Spirits Association, and WineAmerica.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The AGRITOURISM Act would support local, family-owned businesses by designating a senior official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the federal agritourism advisor. This role would coordinate with stakeholders and other federal agencies to promote the growth of family-owned farms and advise the Secretary of Agriculture on this essential industry.

Agritourism is one of the fastest growing industries that serves as a critical lifeline for rural economies nationwide by allowing family farms to offer outdoor recreational services like beer tasting, berry picking, seasonal festivities, bed-and-breakfast accommodations, and event venues.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/09/budd-joins-cotton-colleagues-in-urging-rubio-to-review-failed-biden-administration-vetting-process-of-afghan-nationals/,"Budd Joins Cotton, Colleagues in Urging Rubio to Review Failed Biden Administration Vetting Process of Afghan Nationals",2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, joined Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and several other Committee Members in sending a letter to National Security Advisor Marco Rubio last week, urging him to review the Biden administration’s vetting process of Afghan nationals. The failed vetting process of Afghan nationals following the disastrous August 2021 withdrawal resulted in egregious security threats toward American servicemen and citizens.

In the letter, the Senators wrote, “The horrific terror attack in Washington, D.C. the past week that resulted in the shooting of two brave National Guard members demonstrates that it is past time for the United States to revisit the deficiencies of the Biden administration’s vetting process for Afghan nationals and remedy the resulting egregious security threats such a process created in the United States after the disastrous August 2021 withdrawal. We urge you to take immediate action to prevent future attacks on American servicemen and citizens.”

Read the full letter text HERE or below:

Dear Secretary Rubio:

The horrific terror attack in Washington, D.C. the past week that resulted in the shooting of two brave National Guard members demonstrates that it is past time for the United States to revisit the deficiencies of the Biden administration’s vetting process for Afghan nationals and remedy the resulting egregious security threats such a process created in the United States after the disastrous August 2021 withdrawal. We urge you to take immediate action to prevent future attacks on American servicemen and citizens.

Contrary to the previous administration’s assertion that all Afghan nationals were subject to “enhanced vetting,” repeated reports by various Offices of Inspectors General (OIGs) presented to Congress reveal a different story. A February 2022 Department of War (DoW) OIG report found that Operation Allies Refuge and Operation Allies Welcome did not use all available DoW data to vet Afghan evacuees, including the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS). This database, compiled over the past 20 years, contains tactical data collected on the battlefield in Afghanistan. After an initial review of Afghan Evacuee data with the ABIS database, the National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC) found that at least 50 individuals had “potentially significant security concerns.” These range from the benign, such as a petty theft from a military base, to the serious, such as fingerprints found on improvised explosive devices. A September 2022 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) OIG report agreed with the DoW report and further found that approximately 31,000 Afghan evacuees were allowed into the country before DHS could form a task force to vet and support their resettlement. Congress is further aware of potentially hundreds of evacuees that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has found to have potential links to terrorism after their arrival in the United States.

Repeated requests from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to multiple agencies during the previous administration, including DoW, the National Counterterrorism Center, NGIC, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and FBI for more information about these individuals and what risks – if any – their presence inside this country poses to public security have gone largely unanswered. Four years after the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, it is still unclear to what extent the Intelligence Community (IC) or law enforcement authorities are monitoring or tracking these individuals. Therefore, we respectfully request that you instruct DHS, DoW, and the IC to:

• Implement the vetting procedures recommended by the 2022 DoW OIG report in their entirety for all Afghan evacuees currently in the United States;

• Identify and locate those evacuees discovered to have significant security concerns; and

• Seek immediate removal of such evacuees from the United States back to Afghanistan or other third countries, as appropriate.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this request, and we look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

/X/

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-budd-applaud-senate-confirmation-of-two-nc-judges/eb600cea-d197-4430-9970-4d89428f3779,"Tillis, Budd Applaud Senate Confirmation of Two NC Judges",2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Budd (R-NC) applauded the Senate’s recent confirmation of Susan Rodriguez and Matthew Orso to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Both nominees were recommended by Senators Tillis and Budd.

“I’m glad to see Susan Rodriguez and Matthew Orso confirmed by the Senate to serve the Western District of North Carolina,” said Senator Tillis. “Throughout this process, my focus has been on advancing judges who demonstrate sound judgment, a strong respect for the Constitution, and an unwavering commitment to fairness. I appreciate the White House’s partnership in identifying strong candidates, and I look forward to seeing both Judge Rodriguez and Judge Orso bring their experience and dedication to the federal bench.”

“I am glad that the federal bench in North Carolina now includes highly qualified & exemplary jurists Susan Rodriguez and Matthew Orso,” said Senator Budd. “I have no doubt that they will serve the Western District with distinction, and I appreciate their commitment to public service and the rule of law. I am grateful for President Trump’s leadership and partnership in appointing them to these critical roles.”

Background:

Susan C. Rodriguez currently serves as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Rodriguez was previously a partner at the law firm, McGuireWoods LLP, where she was the co-leader of the firm’s financial institutions industry team.

Matthew Orso currently serves as a partner at the law firm, Troutman Pepper Locke LLP. Mr. Orso previously clerked for Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-slotkin-issue-joint-statement-in-support-of-taiwan-s-special-defense-budget,"Tillis, Slotkin Issue Joint Statement in Support of Taiwan’s Special Defense Budget",2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Senate Taiwan Caucus, released the following joint statement applauding progress on Taiwan’s special defense budget now under consideration in the Legislative Yuan:

“As Co-Chairs of the Senate Taiwan Caucus, we strongly support Taiwan’s historic $40 billion special defense budget and the legislative steps underway to advance it. This package represents a vital investment in Taiwan’s self-defense and a clear demonstration of Taipei’s commitment to deterrence, resilience, and responsibility-sharing at a moment of growing threat from the PRC. It also offers opportunities to work with Taiwan to advance American defense technology.

“Members of both parties in the U.S. Senate—including leaders on the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Appropriations Committees—have spoken with one voice in support of Taiwan’s efforts to accelerate critical defense capabilities. The message is clear: strengthening Taiwan’s defenses strengthens stability across the Indo-Pacific and reduces the risk of conflict.

“We commend Taiwan’s leaders for continuing to take difficult but necessary steps to modernize its military, harden critical infrastructure, and build the stockpiles and systems required to deter aggression. As the Legislative Yuan considers this special budget, the United States will continue to stand with Taiwan as a trusted partner, a vibrant democracy, and a key contributor to regional security.

“We encourage all parties in Taiwan to move forward with this package in a timely, unified, and forward-looking manner. Taiwan’s continued investment in its own security is central to ensuring stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/05/budd-joins-cornyn-and-gop-senators-to-introduce-back-the-blue-act/,Budd Joins Cornyn and GOP Senators to Introduce Back the Blue Act,2025-12-05,2025,2025-12,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and several of their Senate Republican colleagues in introducing 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.

“Every day, the brave men and women of law enforcement work around the clock to keep our communities safe. Any criminal that puts a target on the backs of our police officers must be held firmly accountable for their actions to the fullest extent of the law,” said Senator Budd.

“Our law enforcement officers bravely risk their lives daily to protect our communities, and anyone who targets them should be met with the full force of the law, including the death penalty. America was built on the principles of law and order, and this legislation sends a clear message that targeted attacks on law enforcement will not be tolerated, dangerous criminals will be held accountable, and our men and women in blue have our full and unwavering support,” said Senator Cornyn.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Strengthens Laws to Protect Police Officers

• Creates a new federal crime for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a federal judge, federal law enforcement officer, or federally funded public safety officer. The offender would be subject to the death penalty and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years if death results; the offender would otherwise face a minimum sentence of 10 years.

• Creates a new federal crime for assaulting a federally funded law enforcement officer with escalating penalties, including mandatory minimums, based on the extent of any injury and the use of a dangerous weapon. However, no prosecution can be commenced absent certification by the Attorney General that prosecution is appropriate.

• Creates a new federal crime for interstate flight from justice to avoid prosecution for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a federal judge, federal law enforcement officer, or federally funded public safety officer. The offender would be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for this offense.

Creates a Specific Aggravating Factor for Federal Death Penalty Prosecutions

• Clarifies that the murder or attempted murder of a law enforcement officer or first responder is a statutory aggravating factor for purposes of the federal death penalty.

Limits Federal Habeas Relief for Murders of Law Enforcement Officers

• Imposes time limits and substantive limits on federal courts’ review of challenges to state-court convictions for crimes involving the murder of a public safety officer, when the public safety officer was engaged in the performance of official duties or on account of the performance of official duties. These changes are consistent with the fast-track procedures created in 1996, which are applied to federal death penalty cases.

Limits Recovery of Certain Damages and Fees for Individuals Engaged in Felonies

• Limits the type of civil damages and attorney’s fees recoverable by a criminal as a result of purported injuries incurred during the commission of a felony or crime of violence.

Expands Self-Defense and Second Amendment Rights for Law Enforcement Officers

• Allows law enforcement officers, subject to limited regulation, to carry firearms into federal facilities and other jurisdictions where such possession is otherwise prohibited.

The Back the Blue Act is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC), Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), and the Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/05/senator-ted-budd-applauds-fema-announcement-of-29-million-in-public-assistance-grants-for-helene-recovery/,Senator Ted Budd Applauds FEMA Announcement of $29 Million in Public Assistance Grants for Helene Recovery,2025-12-05,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Senator Budd Lifts Existing Holds on DHS Nominees After Funds Approved

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem today announced more than $29 million in public assistance reimbursements for Hurricane Helene recovery projects in Western North Carolina.

“I am grateful for Secretary Noem working with me to more regularly approve reimbursements for Helene and past disaster recovery projects. While I have released my holds on DHS nominees, I will continue to engage all relevant federal agencies to make sure Western North Carolina receives the focus and attention it deserves, particularly the final distribution of funds to the municipalities and state agencies in desperate need of financial relief. There is still more work to be done to make the people of Western North Carolina whole in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, and the federal government must continue to do its part,” said Senator Budd.

Today’s announcement of the $29+ million in public assistance reimbursements follows an announcement last month when the agency released $155 million in funding for Western North Carolina projects.

BACKGROUND

Below is a chart detailing the funds that will be disbursed in the coming days.

*PA denotes public assistance program

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/12/03/senator-budd-announces-senior-staff-changes/,Senator Budd Announces Senior Staff Changes,2025-12-03,2025,2025-12,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement announcing the upcoming departure of his Chief of Staff Tucker Knott.

“Tucker Knott is a true son of North Carolina, and I am grateful for his many years of faithful service in my office, to our State, and to the Congress. For more than a decade, Tucker has provided invaluable advice to Representatives and Senators, particularly within the North Carolina Congressional Delegation. His strong moral compass, political instincts, and personal relationships on and off the hill were critical to the success of our office over the last three years. Tucker has grown to be a close friend, and I know his positive impact will continue to be felt as he enters the private sector. I look forward to continuing to call on his counsel long into the future,” said Senator Budd.

“I am thankful that Ryan Alban will continue to serve my office and step into the role of Chief of Staff. Over the last several years, Ryan has held key leadership positions as a member of the team, proving himself as a dedicated public servant, strong legislative mind, and thoughtful leader,” Senator Budd added.

Ryan Alban promoted to Chief of Staff. Ryan previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, and National Security Advisor for Senator Budd. Before joining Sen. Budd’s staff, he served as an Infantry Officer in the Army, including a combat tour to Afghanistan, and has held roles as an Army Legislative Liaison to the Senate, Defense Fellow for Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Legislative Liaison for the National Guard to both the House and Senate.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/12/tillis-budd-applaud-senate-confirmation-of-two-nc-judges,"Tillis, Budd Applaud Senate Confirmation of Two NC Judges",2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Budd (R-NC) applauded the Senate’s confirmation of David Bragdon and Lindsey Freeman to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Both nominees were recommended by Senators Tillis and Budd.

“David Bragdon and Lindsey Freeman are exceptionally qualified, and I’m grateful my colleagues joined me in confirming them to serve the people of North Carolina,” said Senator Tillis. “Throughout this process, I’ve remained committed to advancing judges who uphold the Constitution, apply the law fairly, and serve with integrity. I appreciate the White House’s partnership in identifying strong candidates, and I look forward to seeing both Judge Bragdon and Judge Freeman bring their experience and dedication to the federal bench.”

“Today, the great state of North Carolina gained two accomplished and highly competent jurists on the federal bench,” said Senator Budd. “I look forward to seeing the great work Judge David Bragdon and Judge Lindsey Freeman will do as they uphold the rule of law and defend the Constitution in the Middle District. I am proud to have worked alongside President Trump to secure their confirmations.”

Background:

David Bragdon currently serves as the Appellate Chief for a U.S. Attorneys’ Office. Mr. Bragdon previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and served as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Resident Legal Advisor for the Philippines.

Lindsey Freeman currently serves as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Ms. Freeman previously clerked for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, was Of Counsel at the law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP, and served in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Justice.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/24/new-budd-bill-would-hold-mamdani-municipalities-accountable-following-threats-to-enforce-international-criminal-court-arrest-warrants/,"New Budd Bill Would Hold Mamdani, Municipalities Accountable Following Threats To Enforce International Criminal Court Arrest Warrants",2025-11-24,2025,2025-11,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) recently introduced the American Allies Protection Act, legislation which would disqualify a state or local government from receiving Department of Justice grant money for a four-year period if it enforces an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against an official of a NATO ally or major non-NATO ally.

On November 21, 2024, the ICC issued baseless arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant. As recently as last week, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has repeatedly stated he would order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the Prime Minister visited New York City.

Upon introducing this legislation, Sen. Budd said:

“Mayor-Elect Mamdani’s pledge to facilitate the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu is not just ridiculous; it represents a grave threat that could seriously damage America’s relationship with our closest allies and partners. The United States is not bound by the morally bankrupt ICC or the Rome Statute, displaying that Mamdani’s comments aren’t based in respect for any law, but rather to virtue signal to his radical, anti-Israel base. Seeking to prevent Prime Minister Netanyahu from setting foot in New York, home to the United Nations, would put Israel at a unique disadvantage at a critical time for the nation ahead of the next meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. It is unconscionable that the man elected to lead the city home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel would seek to target Israel’s leader, and Congress must take action to hold any leader accountable should they pursue this blatant overreach. My American Allies Protection Act would disqualify any state or municipality from receiving Justice Department funds should they take action that would harm America’s standing with our allies by throwing their governments into complete chaos.”

READ:GOP senator calls Mamdani’s Netanyahu arrest vow a ‘grave threat’ as he introduces defund bill

Background:

Protecting and welcoming American allies on U.S. soil is critical to strengthening bilateral relationships critical to our national security, particularly with NATO and non-NATO allies. Mayor-Elect Mamdani’s stated goal would harm our bilateral relationship with Israel and align NYC with a morally bankrupt international organization, the ICC. This demands forceful consequences.

Notably, the ICC has failed to issue an arrest warrant for Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei, who has directly bolstered and facilitated the terrorist activities of Iran’s proxies, that have targeted U.S. allies and are responsible for the death of American service members.

Sen. Budd’s American Allies Protection Act may only be waived if the President certifies to Congress that enforcing a particular ICC warrant is essential to the national security of the U.S. and provides a detailed justification for this waiver.

For full text of the American Allies Protection Act, click HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/20/senator-budd-leads-colleagues-in-effort-to-ban-terrorist-sympathizers-from-the-united-states/,Senator Budd Leads Colleagues in Effort to Ban Terrorist Sympathizers from the United States,2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act today to close loopholes in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The bill expands the existing INA provision that bans officers, officials, representatives, or spokesmen of the Palestine Liberation Organization to additionally include any member or anyone who publicly endorses the terrorist activities of Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Palestine Islamic Jihad, or any successor or affiliate group, from receiving a visa or admission into the United States.

“Ever since the horrific terrorist attacks of October 7, we have seen a dramatic rise in pro-Hamas rhetoric across our country, including from international students here on visas. This needs to stop. Those seeking to come to the U.S., whether for school, work, or otherwise, and who publicly endorse Foreign Terrorist Organizations, must face consequences for their actions. The Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act will close ambiguous loopholes in our immigration law by prohibiting them from entering our borders,” said Senator Budd.

“Freedom of speech does not protect terrorism and calls to terror. We’re strengthening the law so terrorists and their supporters can go hate us somewhere else,” said Dr. Cassidy.

“We have a fundamental responsibility to protect American citizens and our allies from those who would spread hatred and violence on our soil. This legislation simply codifies what should be common sense: if you’re a member of or spokesperson for Hamas, Hezbollah, or other terrorist organizations—or if you publicly endorse their barbaric acts—you have no right to enter or remain in the United States. We saw the disgusting displays on college campuses after October 7th, and this bill ensures we have the statutory tools to prevent terrorist sympathizers from exploiting our visa system,” said Senator Lummis.

“The October 7 terrorist attacks were a dark day for the world. Since those attacks, we have witnessed a disturbing rise in pro-Hamas support among foreign visa holders inside the United States. The Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act would ensure that an alien who backs Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, or any other group supporting the Palestine Liberation Organization is deemed inadmissible to the United States,” said Senator Blackburn.

“Our nation has learned the hard lesson that when terrorists come into our country, they harm Americans. I’m proud to join Senator Budd and our colleagues in this commonsense effort to further prevent terrorist sympathizers and associates from coming to the U.S., threatening our national security, and spreading their anti-American propaganda and hatred,” said Senator McCormick.

“Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East and those who sympathize with terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah have absolutely no place in our country. I’m proud to join Senator Budd and our colleagues in introducing this bill to keep our nation safe and send a strong signal across the globe that America will not tolerate any form of violent antisemitism,” said Senator Daines.

“In the aftermath of Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel two years ago, we’ve seen an alarming wave of antisemitic, pro-terrorist advocacy by foreign visa holders present in the U.S. who seek to do Americans harm. By broadening the Immigration and Nationality Act, this commonsense legislation would ensure those who support or sympathize with terrorist groups and their affiliates are inadmissible to the United States, and I’m proud to support it,” said Senator Cornyn.

“Terrorist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda seek to murder Americans. Their terrorist members, spokesmen, and supporters should not be allowed into our country. This bill will keep Americans safe,” said Senator Ricketts.

“America must never be a safe haven for anyone who supports terrorist organizations or celebrates violence against our ally, Israel. After the horrific terrorist attacks on October 7, we saw individuals in this country openly praising Hamas and other foreign terrorist groups. That is unacceptable. This bill makes crystal clear in federal law that any individual in the U.S. on a visa who openly support Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, or any other terrorist organization, is not welcome in the United States. We are closing dangerous loopholes and standing firmly with Israel, with the Jewish community, and with America’s commitment to fight terrorism at every turn,” said Senator Scott.

“There is no place in America for foreign adversaries or terrorist sympathizers. As our nation faces a disturbing rise in antisemitic and illegal alien terror attacks, along with increasing pro-Hamas sentiment on our college campuses, we must take action to ensure our borders are secure from those wishing harm against Americans. The Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act would take a critical step in that effort,” said Representative Pfluger.

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) joined Senator Budd in introducing this legislation.

U.S. Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas-11) previously introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Following the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, there has been a wave of anti-Israel, antisemitic, and pro-Hamas advocacy by foreign visa holders present in the United States, as well as visa applicants seeking to enter the country.

The Trump administration has revoked the visas of individuals who engaged in pro-Hamas advocacy and tightened the vetting process to detect such advocacy conducted by visa applicants.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/20/senators-budd-coons-lead-bicameral-bipartisan-push-to-reinvest-in-domestic-biopharmaceutical-manufacturing/,"Senators Budd, Coons Lead Bicameral, Bipartisan Push to Reinvest in Domestic Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing",2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Biomanufacturing Excellence Act this week, which would promote U.S. leadership in biotechnology and strengthen domestic biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The bill reinvests in domestic biopharmaceutical manufacturing by reducing dependence on unreliable foreign supply chains, expanding access to cutting-edge medicines, and supporting high-quality American jobs.

“Not only is biomanufacturing a key pillar of America’s and North Carolina’s innovation economy, it has the potential to transform major aspects of everyday life. We must foster this critical technology and continue to lead the world in enabling life-saving medical breakthroughs, fortifying our critical supply chains, and creating good-paying, high-skilled jobs. I am proud to partner with Senator Coons to help build on the public-private partnerships that have unlocked significant economic potential and unleashed next-generation technology,” said Senator Budd.

“Delaware and innovation have always gone hand in hand. The extraordinary biomedical research that happens in the First State has grown our economy, turned start-ups into industry leaders, and saved lives around the world. China is surging ahead in biotechnology, putting our national security, economy, and health at risk. This bipartisan bill will ensure the United States continues to lead the world in biotech manufacturing, protecting Americans’ security and our health,” said Senator Coons.

“I am grateful to our congressional partners for their strong commitment to the future of U.S. biotechnology leadership and their introduction of this important legislation. In our report, we found that advancing innovation in the biopharmaceutical sector is essential to catalyzing full-scale production for new medicines in the United States, and this center would bring together industry, academia, and government to do just that. Through our Biotech Across America roadshow, I’ve had the opportunity to personally visit biotech hubs around the country to see the impact this type of cutting-edge biomanufacturing innovation can have on U.S. national, health, and economic security,” said National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, Vice Chair, Michelle Rozo.

“The creation of a National Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Center of Excellence is pivotal to advancing US leadership in bioprocess innovation, supply chain resiliency, and workforce competitiveness. We greatly appreciate Congressional leadership in recognizing the importance of biomanufacturing to national and economic security. For over four decades, North Carolina has created an integrated ecosystem focused on a steadfast commitment to life sciences manufacturing, establishing the state as a global leader with over $17 Billion of investment and 7,500 jobs announced since 2021. This success is built on a community of partners that work to seamlessly integrate world-class institutions of innovation with over 150 life sciences manufacturing companies, forming a uniquely dense hub for accelerating the translation of cutting-edge biomanufacturing innovations to scaled commercial outputs,” a joint statement from NCLifeSci and NCBiotech reads.

“ITIF supports the bipartisan Biomanufacturing Excellence Act, which would create a National Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Center of Excellence that would convene industry, academic, and government stakeholders to ensure that America leads in the biomanufacturing revolution of the future. With experts estimating that 60 percent of the world’s physical inputs could be made using biological processes going forward, biomanufacturing won’t just transform the future of medicines, but also everything from energy, to food, to industrial manufacturing. The Biomanufacturing Excellence Act will help equip the United States with the technology, workforce, and know how to achieve leadership in this critical emerging field,” a statement from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reads.

“The Biomanufacturing Excellence Act is a decisive investment in America’s health, security, and economic strength. The American Alliance for Biomanufacturing is proud to support this effort to bring cutting-edge biomanufacturing back home,” said American Alliance for Biomanufacturing, Executive Director, Brooke Coleman.

U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.-06), Jim Baird (R-Ind.-04), David Rouzer (R-N.C.-07), and Deborah Ross (D-N.C.-02) led the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

The bill is endorsed by the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB), NCLifeSci and NCBiotech, the Delaware BioScience Association, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Life Sciences Pennsylvania, and the American Alliance for Biomanufacturing.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Biotechnology will shape how the U.S. defends itself, secures its food supply, and cures life-threatening diseases. NSCEB warned that without rapid and significant investment, the U.S. will fall behind its global competitors, specifically China.

The Biomanufacturing Excellence Act would additionally establish a public-private center dedicated to advancing biopharmaceutical manufacturing – a key recommendation from the NSCEB report.

Specifically, the National Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Center of Excellence would:

Unite industry professionals with academic researchers to conduct collaborative research on new technology for scaling biopharmaceutical manufacturing

Host a facility that replicates industrial manufacturing conditions and complies with Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations, where innovators would develop and test new manufacturing processes

Identify challenges and opportunities for scaling biopharmaceutical manufacturing, especially for products important to U.S. national security, public health, and economic security

Train tomorrow’s biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce by partnering with educational, industry, and community leaders to bolster biotechnology talent

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/18/budd-delivers-remarks-celebrating-vulcan-elements-1b-investment-in-n-c-to-reshore-rare-earth-magnet-industry/,Budd Delivers Remarks Celebrating Vulcan Elements $1B Investment in N.C. to Reshore Rare Earth Magnet Industry,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,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. — Today, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined state and local leaders in delivering remarks after Vulcan Elements announced that they will be building a new $1 billion ‘Polaris facility’ in Benson, North Carolina. Senator Budd has championed the U.S. Government’s partnership with Vulcan Elements in their efforts to reshore the rare earth magnet manufacturing industry. The Polaris facility will create 1,000 new manufacturing jobs in North Carolina and bolster America’s national security by breaking our reliance on China for these vital components.

As Senator Budd said in his remarks:

“This is a great day to celebrate a more than a billion-dollar investment and one thousand new jobs. It’s a boost to the local economy, but I want you all to know how important this is for our national security.

“Vulcan, uniquely, and this is what got my attention in Washington, is that Vulcan is fully decoupled from China. We had some earlier conversations, and it was interesting that China tipped their hand to what they intended to do to constrain the American supply chain, or supplies to the United States. So, this is well timed. This is well-timed for the security of our nation. You know, after meeting the Vulcan team in Washington, I immediately realized the need to prioritize Vulcan’s efforts.

“I want to give you a few specifics, including the lead to push the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment, or the IBAS program funding, also working to reduce barriers to magnet production, and then talking to all of the presidential nominees who come through our Senate offices that are related to Armed Services and the Department of War supply chain. So, if they didn’t know about Vulcan, and most of them did know about Vulcan, when I asked them—if they didn’t when they came in, they sure did when they left.

“Almost every weapon in our supply chain uses magnets, including jets, submarines, and the missiles that they fire, but they’re also in things that we mentioned earlier, data centers, drones, robotics, and chips; all of which depend on rare earth magnets.

“The U.S. should have done this decades ago, but now we are, and we’re moving the critical supply chain for rare earths and so many other things away from China. Vulcan, you’re in the lead for that. So, thank you.

“But also, North Carolina is key in this. This is a great state for so many reasons, whether it’s semiconductors or batteries, and now rare earths. So, congratulations. We appreciate all that you do. We’re glad that you’re here, and we look forward to the future together.”

BACKGROUND

Senator Budd has led the charge in the U.S. Senate to support Vulcan’s efforts to reshore the rare earth magnet industry:

Led a North Carolina delegation letter to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Michael Duffy, highlighting the impressive work of Vulcan Elements and supporting the company’s application for funding through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program.

Pushed for a provision in the FY26 NDAA directing the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing to the Senate Armed Services Committee, no later than March 2026, on an analysis of domestic Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) manufacturing in the United States or allied nations and identify barriers to domestic rare earth magnet production.

Championed a $4 million increase in IBAS funding in the Senate’s Defense Appropriations bill.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/11/tillis-murphy-hudson-op-ed-honor-camp-lejeune-marine-veterans-and-their-families-now,"Tillis, Murphy, Hudson Op-Ed: Honor Camp Lejeune Marine Veterans and Their Families Now",2025-11-17,2025,2025-11,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 (R-NC), alongside Representatives Greg Murphy (R-NC) and Richard Hudson (R-NC), recently penned an op-ed in the Jacksonville Daily News calling on Congress to honor Camp Lejeune Marine veterans and their families by passing theEnsuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act.

Read the full op-ed HERE or below.

This week as we reflect on Veterans Day and the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps, we are called to honor the Corps’ legacy of service and sacrifice. There is perhaps no higher form of honor than action, and when it comes to the veterans who served at Marine Base Camp Lejeune, our country has tragically failed in its most fundamental duty: to protect those who served.

For decades, service members and their families stationed at Camp Lejeune in our home state of North Carolina drank, bathed, and cooked with water contaminated by toxic chemicals — a danger now known to government but left unaddressed for years. The human toll is heartbreaking. Veterans, their families, and civilians have faced devastating illnesses, and for too many, untimely deaths linked directly to that poisoned water.

In 2022, Congress took an important step toward addressing this historical injustice by passing the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA). The law was intended to hold the U.S. government accountable and give affected veterans and their families a path to compensation and closure. Yet, three years later, countless victims are still waiting for relief.

The CLJA was a crucial milestone, but its implementation has been mired in red tape, legal bottlenecks, and procedural hurdles that have slowed justice to a crawl. The result is an overwhelmed system and protracted legal battles, leaving veterans and other victims in limbo. That is why we introduced the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act — to restore the spirit of the original law and finally deliver the fairness these families deserve. Our bill increases the number of courts where Camp Lejeune cases can be heard, breaking the logjam and allowing claims to move forward more efficiently.

It also reaffirms a foundational American principle: the right to a jury trial. Despite the original legislation’s intent, opposition has left that right uncertain. Our legislation makes clear that veterans are entitled to have their case heard by a jury of their peers. Finally, this bill addresses an issue that has quietly burdened too many families — the lack of clear guidance on attorney’s fees. Our new bill sets reasonable caps to ensure that financial relief Congress intended for veterans and victims benefits them, not the lawyers representing them.

The men and women who served at Camp Lejeune are American patriots who showed up every day prepared to defend this nation. Instead, many were poised by the water they trusted their government to provide. Ensuring justice for them is not partisan, it’s a moral obligation. We are proud to have the backing nearly two dozen Veteran Service Organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and many others who stand shoulder to shoulder in this fight.

As we honor our veterans this week, let us remember that true gratitude demands action. We cannot call ourselves champions of our military if we turn away when they need us most. The time for delay is over. Congress must come together and pass the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/10/budd-hagerty-colleagues-reintroduce-legislation-to-prohibit-foreign-nationals-from-funding-american-elections/,"Budd, Hagerty, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Prohibit Foreign Nationals from Funding American Elections",2025-11-10,2025,2025-11,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and several of his Senate Republican colleagues in reintroducing the Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act to prevent foreign nationals from improperly influencing American elections.

“Foreign nationals should not meddle in American elections. I am proud to stand with Senator Hagerty in introducing commonsense legislation to ensure free and fair elections by eliminating foreign influences that seek to undermine our electoral process,” said Senator Budd.

“After years of hysteria over Russiagate and alleged foreign influence in American elections, it turns out Democrats have recently benefited from hundreds of millions of dollars in election-related contributions from a shadowy foreign billionaire, sidestepping the federal ban on foreign-national contributions in U.S. elections. This type of influence undermines democracy and self-government here in America, and its staggering scope should be alarming. I’m pleased to reintroduce this commonsense and critical legislation that will put an end to covert foreign influence on our elections and protect Americans’ voice in electing their leaders,” said Senator Hagerty.

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act would:

Prevents circumvention of the ban on “indirect” election-related contributions by foreign nationals by expressly covering any donation with an express or implied instruction (including involving intermediaries or conduits) that results in the donation being used for prohibited U.S. election-related activity;

Prohibits foreign-national contributions for ballot harvesting, get-out-the-vote activity, and public communications that promote a political party;

Bars foreign nationals from donating in connection with state ballot initiatives; and

Prohibits overbroad investigations or pretextual government collection or disclosure of Americans’ nonprofit donor information for the purpose of intimidation or chilling Americans’ free-speech rights.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/10/budd-releases-statement-after-senate-advances-measure-to-end-government-shutdown/,Budd Releases Statement After Senate Advances Measure to End Government Shutdown,2025-11-10,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Funding bill now heads to the House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the Senate voted 60-40 to advance a funding measure through January 30, 2026, that will end the government shutdown as well as pass three appropriations bills including, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations, Agriculture appropriations, and Legislative Branch appropriations. Now, the spending package is headed back to the House of Representatives before going to the President’s desk for his signature.

“After more than forty days, eight Senate Democrats agreed to come to the table and work in a bipartisan manner to end the longest shutdown in American history. I want to thank the thousands of air traffic controllers, border patrol agents, federal law enforcement, and other federal employees who showed up to work and kept our country running, even after missing multiple paychecks. As we finally take this long-awaited step toward re-opening the government, I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to put the best interests of the American people first and quickly get this bill on the President’s desk so we can finally end the Schumer Shutdown,” said Senator Budd.

BACKGROUND

The final Senate funding package includes several Budd-led and supported measures, including provisions that:

Provide $680 million in Military Construction projects across North Carolina’s military installations, including:

F-35 Aircraft Sustainment Center at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Complex at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

Special Operations Forces Mission Command Center at Fort Bragg

Clarify intent for $709 million provided for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Opioid Prevention and Treatment Programs to ensure certainty and accountability. This provision was an amendment that Senator Budd and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) led.

Provide the Food and Drug Administration with the resources and new authorities to crack down on the illegal importation, distribution, and sale of e-cigarettes from China and other countries.

Successfully close the hemp loophole, preventing the sale of dangerous intoxicants like Delta-8 from being sold in unregulated retail stores and abused, while protecting the use of non-intoxicating CBD and hemp derivatives.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/11/tillis-delivers-opening-remarks-in-support-of-the-lumbee-fairness-act,Tillis Delivers Opening Remarks in Support of the Lumbee Fairness Act,2025-11-05,2025,2025-11,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) delivered opening remarks at a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on the Lumbee Fairness Act, legislation that would grant the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina full federal recognition and the same benefits afforded to other federally recognized tribes.

Senator Tillis’ opening statement followed a press conference on the Lumbee Fairness Act with Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Representatives Richard Hudson (R-NC), Tim Moore (R-NC), and Mark Harris (R-NC), and Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery. Photos of the press conference are available HERE.

Watch Senator Tillis’ full remarks HERE.

Senator Tillis on the Bipartisan Support for TheLumbee Fairness Act:

“This issue has come before Congress many times over the decades, but never with this level of unity and support. These days, it's rare to see Republicans and Democrats come together on anything. But when it comes to Lumbee recognition, the support is overwhelming and it's bipartisan. We're talking about support from President Donald J. Trump, President Biden, Vice President J.D. Vance, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Josh Stein, the North Carolina General Assembly and nearly every member of our state's congressional delegation. Here in the Senate, nearly two dozen members from both parties have co-sponsored the Lumbee Fairness Act, including Senator Schatz and Senator Mullin, who sit together on this very committee, and maybe most remarkable, more than 235 federally recognized tribes have stood with the Lumbee people, including the Alaska Federation of Natives, representing 186 tribes and corporations.”

Senator Tillis on the History of the Lumbee Tribe and their Fight for Federal Recognition:

“The Lumbee’s history is long and well documented. They were recognized by the state of North Carolina in 1885 and began seeking federal recognition just three years later. That was 137 years ago, during the 20th century. The Lumbee were among the dozens of victims of the termination era, one of the darkest periods in federal Indian policy. In 1956, Congress passed the Lumbee Act. It acknowledged the tribe, but cruelly denied them the benefits and the recognition that every other tribe receives. The federal government has since worked to correct the grave injustices of the determination error for nearly every single tribe except for the Lumbee. Time and again, the Lumbee have proven their case.”

Senator Tillis on the Lumbee Community and President Trump’s Support for Federal Recognition:

“I invite anyone with doubts to visit Robeson County, Hope County, or Scotland County, go to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, founded by and for the Lumbee people. You'll see the rich Lumbee culture their deep roots in North Carolina and their extraordinary contributions to our state and our nation. You'll find a community defined by pride and resilience and service, educators, first responders, health care professionals, small business owners, and farmers, and situated just miles from Fort Bragg, the largest military installation in the world. You'll meet countless Lumbee and veterans who have served our country honorably, and for generations, they've done everything this nation has ever asked of them, and all they ask in return is fairness. I do know one leader who has visited Robinson County and has stood with the Lumbee people, and that's President Trump. Just three days into a second term, President Trump made it the official policy of the United States government to support full federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, that includes access to every federal benefit that they've earned, and now is the time for Congress to act.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/04/budd-lee-introduce-bill-to-deregulate-life-saving-transplants-for-americans-with-diabetes/,"Budd, Lee Introduce Bill to Deregulate Life-Saving Transplants for Americans with Diabetes",2025-11-04,2025,2025-11,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced legislation to cut bureaucratic red tape preventing islet transplants for diabetic Americans. The Increase Support for Life-saving Endocrine Transplantation (ISLET) Act corrects a miscategorization of islets as drugs rather than organs—cutting through unnecessary regulations keeping critical surgeries out of reach.

“As the U.S. continues to lead the world in modern medicine, we should expand patient access to effective therapies rather than overregulating treatments. I am proud to introduce this important legislation alongside Senator Lee to place islets under a less strict regulatory framework to expand access to proven treatment methods for Type 1 Diabetes,”said Senator Budd.

“Americans living with diabetes have been kept from life-saving research by nonsensical red tape from the federal government. Other countries treat islet transplantation as standard care, but a miscategorization in our law regulates islet as drugs rather than organs. My ISLET ACT fixes this bureaucratic mess to bring America up to speed and make critical care available to those with Type 1 diabetes,” said Senator Mike Lee.

“This long-awaited legislation brings hope to patients with Type 1 diabetes across the United States. It will make a life-saving procedure accessible for those in desperate need, while also enabling further progress in the field and advancing the pursuit of a cure for diabetes. I wholeheartedly support the Islet Act of behalf of the Islets for US Collaborative representing scientific and medical leaders in the field from the leading US academic institutions,” said Piotr Witkowski, M.D. Ph.D, Director, Pancreatic Islet and Pancreas Transplantation Program, Islets for US Collaborative.

“It is with the highest level of enthusiasm that I endorse the ISLET Act. Finally, Americans with diabetes will be able to benefit from islet transplantation, a treatment that has already been approved, available and reimbursable around the world. We now have a chance to join the rest of the developed world, where islet transplants are regulated similarly to organ transplants, making the treatment available also in the U.S. while further contributing to advancing the field worldwide,” said Camillo Ricordi, MD, FNAI, The Cure Alliance.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The ISLET Act:

Updates the current definition of organ in the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to include “human cadaveric islets.” This would authorize HRSA and OPTN to regulate islets as organs.

Prohibits HHS from regulating pancreatic islets as drugs under the Food Drug & Cosmetic Act (FDCA).

Prohibits HHS from regulating pancreatic islets as biological products or Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular/Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps) under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA).

Requires the Secretary of HHS to update all regulations within a year of enactment to reflect the previously mentioned changes.

The bill has been endorsed by Islets for US Collaborative, The Cure Alliance, and the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/11/04/senator-budd-releases-statement-after-dhs-announces-155m-in-disaster-aid-for-western-north-carolina/,Senator Budd Releases Statement After DHS Announces $155M in Disaster Aid for Western North Carolina,2025-11-04,2025,2025-11,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem today, announced $155 million in public assistance reimbursements for Western North Carolina.

“I am grateful to Secretary Noem for approving $155 million in public assistance funding to reimburse Western North Carolina communities following Hurricane Helene. These funds are vital to ensure cleanup and rebuilding efforts do not continue to strain local government budgets more than a year later.

“After numerous conversations with Secretary Noem about ensuring that new Helene recovery projects receive swift approval and reimbursement, I have agreed to lift my hold on the DHS General Counsel nominee, James Percival, as soon as the approved funds are received by Western North Carolina communities.

“In light of the unprecedented threats against the brave men and women of ICE and CBP, as well as the near constant legal challenges to President Trump’s efforts to enforce America’s immigration laws, I agree that ensuring DHS has strong legal representation is critical.

“I remain very willing to use every lever of power I have as a U.S. Senator to ensure Western North Carolina is made whole and that federal funds are approved and disbursed on a rolling basis into the future,” said Senator Budd.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/10/tillis-democrats-must-end-the-shutdown,Tillis: Democrats Must End the Shutdown,2025-10-30,2025,2025-10,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) released the following statement on the status of the ongoing government shutdown:

“It is impossible to negotiate in good faith when one side holds the entire federal government hostage, and political extortion cannot be the new precedent. Senator Schumer has boxed himself in, and Democrats are finally realizing their decisions have real consequences on real Americans. Their attempts to push for show votes that alleviate the pain for only some groups of Americans are a complete abdication of responsibility. Thirty days of shutting down the entire government is long enough. We only need five Democratic Senators to stop talking about being bipartisan and start acting bipartisan by voting to end this ridiculous shutdown.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/10/tillis-introduces-discussion-draft-on-legislation-to-ban-politically-motivated-de-banking,Tillis Introduces Discussion Draft on Legislation to Ban Politically Motivated De-banking,2025-10-30,2025,2025-10,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) introduced a discussion draft of the Ensuring Fair Access to Banking Act, legislation that seeks to prevent the denial of banking services for politically motivated reasons. Specifically, the legislation guards against both regulator and financial institution-initiated de-banking by establishing a strong federal fair access standard, a robust enforcement mechanism, and additional targeted reforms to the examination and supervision process.

“Too often, certain financial institutions or politically motivated regulators have pursued policies that cut off lawful industries they simply don’t like,” said Senator Tillis. “That kind of back-door policymaking undermines transparency, accountability, and Americans’ access to the financial system. This commonsense bill reins in those abuses, strengthens oversight of federal regulators, and restores fair access for legally operating businesses.”

“Protecting the American people from debanking is essential to preserving our ability to meaningfully exercise our God-given and constitutionally protected rights,” said Brian Knight, Senior Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom. “To achieve this, politicized debanking must be clearly prohibited, and that prohibition must be backed by adequate enforcement mechanisms. By the same token, banks should not be forced to become public utilities or face needless uncertainty. ADF appreciates Sen. Tillis’s thoughtful balancing of these concerns in his fair access proposal and would encourage support as the bill is prepared for introduction.”

“Financial discrimination continues to be a challenge for the firearm industry. We appreciate Senator Tillis’s leadership to ensure our industry’s access to financial services in the marketplace is unencumbered by political discrimination,” said Lawrence G. Keane, Vice President and General Counsel, National Shooting Sports Foundation. “While considerable gains have been made by the Trump administration to end this devious practice, Congress has an equally important role to ensure free and fair access to financial services for lawful industries that cannot be reversed with the stroke of a pen by future administrations.”

“Access to banking products and services should not be influenced by politics,” said Erik Rust, Head of Government Affairs, Bank Policy Institute. “Unfortunately, regulatory overreach, supervisory discretion and a maze of overlapping rules have forced banks to choose between legal compliance and reaching more customers. We appreciate Senator Tillis’s hard work on The Ensuring Fair Access to Banking Act of 2025, which admirably seeks to remedy these concerns while still allowing banks to make risk-based business decisions. We are pleased that many of our Fair Access Principles were incorporated into the legislation, including a strong federal preemption provision, which would prevent banks from being forced to comply with multiple state laws that often conflict with each other and federal BSA/AML rules. BPI will continue to work with leaders in Congress and the Administration to ensure all Americans have fair access to the banking services they depend on.”

“Americans should never be denied access to financial services for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said Summer Mersinger, CEO, Blockchain Association. “Yet, we’ve seen this troubling “debanking” trend impact individuals and organizations across the political spectrum — including those in the digital asset industry. Blockchain Association has long championed efforts to end this discriminatory practice and ensure that the financial system treats lawful businesses and individuals fairly. While recent regulatory efforts to end this pernicious practice are a good start, we look forward to working with Senator Tillis and other lawmakers to codify equal banking access protections for all Americans into law.”

“The Digital Chamber is proud to support Senator Tillis’ Ensuring Fair Access to Banking Act, which would codify a national standard to ensure lawful blockchain and digital asset innovators cannot be debanked based on arbitrary or ideological risk classifications,” said Cody Carbone, CEO, The Digital Chamber. “Every legal business deserves access to banking – full stop. The bill strengthens transparency, eliminates reputational risk as a supervisory tool, and establishes a clear standard for fair access. These reforms are not just about digital assets, but about preserving America’s commitment to due process, financial inclusion, and innovation. Thank you to Senator Tillis for his leadership and we look forward to the bill’s eventual passage.”

“Over the last decade, many different groups have been subject to waves of politically-motivated debanking,” said Nic Carter, Founding Partner, Castle Island Ventures. “It’s clear that for this to end, a permanent legislative solution must be sought. Chiefly responsible are the inappropriate usage of reputational risk in supervision as well as a lack of transparency from financial regulatory agencies. This legislation tackles those issues while carefully retaining banks’ freedom to serve clients as they see fit. It’s the best solution I’ve seen to the problem and I’m very excited to see Senator Tillis introduce it.”

Background:

Everyday Americans and businesses alike rely on basic banking services for nearly every aspect of their lives and work. During the Obama Administration, government officials and financial regulators initiated Operation Choke Point, which sought to cut off politically disfavored industries like firearms, ammunition, and tobacco retailers, among others, from basic banking services, in an intentional effort to cripple their ability to operate. More recently, the Biden Administration ran a similar playbook that led to widespread de-banking of digital asset companies and service providers.

Just like businesses, Americans rely on access to their bank accounts every day in our increasingly digital economy. Unfortunately, individuals have also been victims of discriminatory banking from volunteers at pro-life organizations, prominent conservative activists, and even President Trump himself.

The Ensuring Fair Access to Banking Act addresses these longstanding issues by creating a strong federal fair access standard to ensures that no American or lawful business is denied banking services for political or ideological reasons. It replaces the current patchwork of state laws with a uniform national framework, while preserving necessary safeguards for financial institutions to manage risk and maintain safety and soundness. The bill also reforms the supervisory process to eliminate “reputational risk” as a regulatory factor and prevent politicized actions by federal financial regulators. It increases transparency and accountability into the examination process by allowing select Members of Congress to request confidential supervisory information, placing the Federal Reserve’s Inspector General under Senate confirmation, and creating an independent Inspector General within the Treasury Department. Finally, the legislation modernizes outdated anti–money laundering reporting thresholds to reduce unnecessary burdens on banks and small businesses while maintaining critical protections against illicit activity.

Full text of the discussion draft is available HERE.

A section-by-section summary is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/10/29/budd-leads-bipartisan-bicameral-letter-advocating-for-u-s-tobacco-farmers-ahead-of-president-trumps-trade-meeting-with-china/,"Budd Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Advocating for U.S. Tobacco Farmers Ahead of President Trump’s Trade Meeting with China",2025-10-29,2025,2025-10,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Representative David Rouzer (R-N.C.-07) led their colleagues in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging President Trump to prioritize flue-cured tobacco in his trade negotiations with China ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi. In the letter, the legislators outline several challenges facing U.S. tobacco farmers, including the need to ensure growers qualify for any future tariff relief programs, to prevent cheap, foreign-grown tobacco from undermining domestic markets.

In the letter, the legislators said, “American flue-cured tobacco is world-renowned for its high quality, traceability, and compliant production. Foreign countries are willing to pay a premium for tobacco grown in the U.S. due to its superior quality, which is why growers have relied heavily on access to export markets since before the Revolutionary War. China serves as the single largest buyer—purchasing 60–65 million pounds of green tobacco annually.

“Farmers were recently informed that China will not purchase flue-cured tobacco from the 2025 crop, a decision made by the Chinese Communist Party to gain leverage in ongoing trade negotiations with the United States.

“…However, these farmers cannot survive without fair access to global markets and equal support from the U.S. government as other major crops receive. As you prepare to meet with President Xi Jinping, we urge you to elevate the priorities of American tobacco farmers and ensure our tobacco farm families receive fair treatment in trade negotiations, just as you did during your first term and have promised to continue to do for all of American agriculture.”

In the Senate, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined the letter.

Additionally, in the House, Representatives Don Davis (D-N.C.-01), Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.-11), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.-05), Pat Harrigan (R-10-N.C.), Mark Harris (R-N.C.-08), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.-09), Brad Knott (R-N.C.-13), Addison McDowell (R-N.C.-06), Tim Moore (R-N.C.-14), Greg Murphy (R-N.C.-03), Morgan Griffith (R-Va.-09), Jen Kiggans (R-Va.-02), John McGuire (R-Va.-05), Ben Cline (R-Va.-06), and Russell Fry (R-S.C.-07) joined Senator Budd and Representative Rouzer.

Read the full letter text HERE.

BACKGROUND

China is the leading international buyer of American flue-cured tobacco. U.S. farmers were recently informed that China will not purchase flue-cured tobacco from the 2025 crop, a decision made to gain leverage in ongoing trade negotiations with the U.S. This leaves approximately 65 million pounds of tobacco without a buyer, erasing $220 million in export value.

As a leading state in U.S. tobacco exports, North Carolina farmers produce 260.1 million pounds of tobacco annually—nearly 60% of all U.S. production. In 2024, North Carolina exported $5.9 billion worth of tobacco into China.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/10/27/senator-budd-demands-full-force-american-sanctions-in-response-to-ccp-crackdown-on-religious-freedom-in-china/,Senator Budd Demands Full Force American Sanctions in response to CCP Crackdown on Religious Freedom in China,2025-10-27,2025,2025-10,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. — Today, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act to strengthen America’s response to combat the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. The legislation, filed on the 27th anniversary of International Religious Freedom Day, would implement strict sanctions on any CCP official who is responsible for or directly carries out violations of religious freedom. Senator Budd was joined by Congressman Mark Alford (R-Mo.-04) who introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“China’s disdain for religious freedom is not new. It is an ongoing and brutal pattern of abuse that must be met with steadfast American strength. As the leader of the free world, the United States must promote religious freedom around the world and hold China’s authoritarian regime responsible for decades of persecution targeting Christians and other religious minorities. The CCP’s restrictions on freedom of religion and cruelty toward religious minorities in China must come to an end,” said Senator Budd.

“The Chinese Communist Party has perpetrated heinous abuses against religious groups for decades. It’s time the United States to stand up for religious freedom in China as we have in other parts of the world. I’m proud to co-lead the Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act with Senator Budd and our colleagues to take a stand, stop these abuses, and promote global religious freedom,” said Congressman Alford.

“The Chinese government has an abysmal human rights record and has persecuted its citizens for practicing their faith for far too long. As co-chair of the Senate Human Rights Caucus and a participant in the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission’s Defending Freedom Project, I remain deeply committed to highlighting China’s ongoing persecution of religious leaders like Pastor Wang Yi, who has been unjustly detained for the past seven years. The United States must continue to hold China accountable and ensure that its blatant disregard for religious freedom is considered in all future diplomatic and trade negotiations,” said Senator Tillis.

“China’s systematic persecution of religious leaders who peacefully practice their faith is horrific and shameful. We must continue to strongly condemn this action by the Chinese Communist Party and hold accountable those who perpetuate this reprehensible behavior,” said Senator Young.

“Communist China’s persecution of Christians and religious minorities is a gross violation of human rights. The Combating the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act would hold Chinese Communist Party officials accountable by imposing sanctions on those responsible for these abuses of religious freedom,” said Senator Blackburn.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s brutal persecution of people of faith cannot be ignored. I’m proud to cosponsor this bill to send a clear message that the United States will continue to promote religious freedom around the globe and fight to hold the CCP accountable for its human rights abuses,” said Senator Moody.

Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) co-sponsored the legislation.

Representatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.-17), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas-02), and Michael McCaul (R-Texas-10) co-sponsored the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Read Senator Budd’s Op-Ed in The Hill: China’s Crackdown on Religious Freedom Demands American Sanctions

The Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act would:

Impose sanctions on CCP officials who are responsible for or directly carrying out religious freedom abuse such as arbitrary imprisonment, forced labor, and broader restrictions on freedom of religion or belief.

Strengthens efforts to combat the ongoing persecution of Protestant Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and other religious minorities in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) within the Department of State’s programs, including its Bureau of East and Pacific Affairs.

Expresses the sense of Congress that China should continue to be designated as a Country of Particular Concern.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/10/21/budd-welch-bipartisan-bill-to-eliminate-foreign-robocalls-passes-commerce-committee-and-heads-to-senate-floor/,"Budd, Welch Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Foreign Robocalls Passes Commerce Committee and Heads to Senate Floor",2025-10-21,2025,2025-10,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), issued the following statements after the passage of their bipartisan legislation, the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, which passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee today. The bill brings together government and private sector experts to eliminate unlawful robocalls originating abroad and prevent them from entering the U.S. to target Americans. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act is now headed to the Senate floor for full consideration and passage into law.

“Every single month, millions of Americans are targeted by billions of scam calls attempting to rob them of their security, privacy, and hard-earned dollars, including many from foreign criminals. This needs to stop. Today, my colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee voted to advance the common-sense legislation I co-authored with Senator Welch to put an end to nefarious foreign scams deceiving the American people. I hope my Senate colleagues will join us and quickly act to pass the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act into law to help put a stop to this exploitation,” said Senator Budd.

“Vermonters receive nearly 3.5 million robocalls every month. And it’s not only our state—folks in red and blue states alike are sick and tired of picking up the phone and wondering if they’re talking to a friend or being scammed. As foreign robocallers step up their efforts to exploit and prey on vulnerable people, we need to do more to combat this unlawful practice and protect Americans from scams,” said Senator Welch. “I’m thankful for the support of the Commerce Committee on this bipartisan legislation and look forward to bringing this bill to the Senate floor.”

BACKGROUND

The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act would establish an interagency task force comprising key representatives from the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and Department of Justice, as well as experts in voice service and analytics, telecommunications technology, marketing organizations, and consumer advocacy.

This task force will evaluate foreign robocalls and determine the most effective strategies to combat them, with the goal of enhancing international cooperation to reduce illegal robocalls. The task force will also help ensure that the Department of Justice is adequately equipped to address and prosecute criminals behind the influx of foreign robocalls.

Read the full text of this bill HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/10/10/budd-graham-colleagues-urge-fda-to-defend-life-by-reevaluating-dangerous-leading-chemical-abortion-drug-approved-for-market/,"Budd, Graham, Colleagues Urge FDA to Defend Life by Reevaluating Dangerous Leading Chemical Abortion Drug Approved for Market",2025-10-10,2025,2025-10,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)and 50 Senate Republicans in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Dr. Martin Makary, urging them to review a recent decision to approve a generic version of mifepristone—currently the leading drug used to perform chemical abortions.

Mifepristone is not only a lethal drug for preborn babies but also poses a serious health risk for expectant mothers. Given recent statements from HHS and FDA acknowledging data discrepancies surrounding abortion pill safety and a commitment to review the science, the lawmakers argue that the Biden-era decision to remove safeguards not only undermines women’s reproductive health but also disregards pro-life laws in states across the country.

In the letter, the Senators wrote, “We commend your recent statements acknowledging the data discrepancies surrounding abortion pill safety and your commitment to reviewing the science. We are also encouraged by HHS’s recent announcement that it will review prior Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) approvals given the recent studies raising concerns about the drug’s safety. Given this commitment, however, we are deeply concerned about the FDA’s approval of a new generic version of mifepristone. While we recognize the FDA’s statutory responsibility in evaluating drug applications, the timing of this approval appears inconsistent with the comprehensive safety reassessment your agencies have prioritized. Out of respect for this important review, and with full confidence in your dedication to protecting women’s health, states’ rights, and unborn life, we urge you to take decisive action to reevaluate whether this generic version of mifepristone is suitable to enter the market.”

They continued, “Unrestricted access to abortion pills is systematically undermining states’ rights and violating pro-life state laws. Every month, thousands of abortion drugs are shipped into states that have otherwise limited access to abortion after Dobbs, degrading pro-life laws at the state level across the country.”

Additional letter co-signers include U.S. Senators Jim Banks (R-Ind.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Curtis (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), David McCormick (R-Pa.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Read the full letter text HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/10/10/senate-passes-fiscal-year-2026-defense-bill-including-budd-secured-wins-for-north-carolina/,Senate Passes Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Bill Including Budd-Secured Wins for North Carolina,2025-10-10,2025,2025-10,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. — Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), voted to pass the Senate version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last night. The bill includes numerous provisions to improve readiness and quality of life for our troops, increase funding for North Carolina military installations, protect the homeland, and strengthen alliances abroad.

Senator Budd said in a statement upon final passage:

“North Carolina has long stood at the forefront of America’s military strength, and I was proud to deliver key victories for our state and our nation in the FY 2026 NDAA that will further empower our servicemembers and strengthen our forces both at home and abroad. Last night, the Senate passed this historic defense package that enhances military facilities, reinforces air superiority, cuts burdensome regulations, combats terrorism, and ends discriminatory affirmative action policies at our service academies. America’s strength rests on the unmatched lethality of its armed forces, and this year’s NDAA reaffirms that commitment by advancing our military’s readiness to confront any threat and its resolve to defend the cause of freedom against any adversary.”

Provisions within the Senate’s FY26 NDAA must be reconciled with the House of Representatives’ version of the bill, and be passed by both chambers, before receiving the President’s signature to become law. Senator Budd will continue to fight for these provisions throughout the legislative and appropriations process.

Below is a summary of provisions Senator Budd championed that were passed by the Senate:

On the Senate floor last night, 55 amendments were included and passed in the final package of the FY26 NDAA, including Senator Budd’s bipartisan Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization (SEIZE) Act. The amendment streamlines the process for taking ownership over confiscated Iranian weapons seized in transit to terror proxies like the Houthi’s in Yemen. Senator Budd’s amendment bypasses a potential year-long legal process for the distribution of captured Iranian weapons and equipment held by U.S. Central Command, allowing it to be sent to U.S. military partners around the globe.

Additionally, the bipartisan Comprehensive Operations for Unmanned-System Neutralization and Threat Elimination Response (COUNTER) Act, of which Senator Budd is an original co-sponsor, also passed the Senate as an amendment to the FY26 NDAA. The amendment enhances airspace security at military installations.

Boosting America’s Military Readiness & Supporting Military Families

This year’s NDAA represents an investment in America’s military personnel, a refocusing of the Pentagon’s priorities to boost troop readiness, and a needed reduction of bureaucratic red tape. Senator Budd championed a number of key priorities that will improve the quality of life and the effectiveness of our troops by:

Providing a 3.8% raise across the board for service members.

Creating a pilot program to improve Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for North Carolina service members and their families.

Prohibiting affirmative action in U.S. Service Academies admissions.

Cutting burdensome environmental regulations that prohibit the Defense Department from procuring basic items.

Accelerating the development, prototyping, and deployment of mobile nuclear microreactor systems to enhance energy resilience and forward-deployed power capability for U.S. military operations.

Delivering for North Carolina Military Installations & Manufacturers

The FY 2026 NDAA authorizes more than $700 million for military construction projects and planning and design funding at facilities across North Carolina. Senator Budd successfully worked to include authorizing provisions to support the following facilities, programs, and units:

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Authorizing $40M in funding to boost the F-35 Aircraft Sustainment Center

Authorizing $15M in funding to design the next phase of the Flightline Utilities Modernization project

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Authorizing $34M in funding for the expansion of the Special Operations Forces Combat Service Support/Motor Transport

Authorizing $90M in funding to boost the Special Operations Forces Marine Raider Battalion Operations Facility

Authorizing $48.28M in funding to boost Amphibious Combat Vehicle Shelters

Fort Bragg

Authorizing $19M in funding to boost the Automated Infantry Platoon Battle Course

Authorizing $24M in funding to complete the construction of the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar

Authorizing $80M in funding to improve the Fort’s power generation and microgrid

Authorizing $32M in funding for the Special Operations Forces Mission Command Center

Authorizing $80M in funding to boost the Special Operations Forces Operational Ammunition Supply Point

Authorizing $5M in funding for the Pathfinder Airborne Program to improve soldier readiness

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

Authorizing $54M in funding to improve the Child Development Center

Authorizing $41M in funding to boost the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Complex

North Carolina National Guard

Authorizing $69M in funding for the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar Addition/Alteration project at Salisbury Training Center

North Carolina Manufacturers & Projects

Authorizing $34M in funding to procure Infantry Squad Vehicles manufactured in Concord, which will support the Army Transformation Initiative

Authorizing $4M in funding to procure rare earth magnets manufactured in Durham

Authorizing $8M in funding to procure Army Load-Carrying Technology Advancements built in Concord

Authorizing $5M in funding to expand the Defense Innovation Unit OnRamp Hub, which Senator Budd has advocated for bringing to North Carolina

Protecting Our Homeland & Standing with Our Allies

The core mission of America’s Armed Forces is to protect the United States and its citizens from threats and to defend our interests both at home and abroad. Sen. Budd led the inclusion of several key priorities that will help our troops and our allies carry out this vital mission by:

Protecting Our Homeland:

Requiring a plan to ensure installation commanders have adequate guidance and authority to interdict hostile or suspicious drone activity with force immediately.

Directing the Secretary of the Army to diversify and expand the Army’s counter-drone capabilities to protect bases and installations at home and abroad.

Deterring Threats from China:

Cutting bureaucratic red tape to permit fighter aircraft to use tactical datalinks needed for advanced air combat training, enhancing the preparation and readiness of 45 combat-coded fighter squadrons for high-end conflict.

Directing a report on the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) operation, ownership, or control of strategic foreign ports and Department of Defense efforts to counter or mitigate the national security threats posed by PRC control of such foreign ports.

Supporting the U.S.-Israel Bilateral Relationship & Countering Terrorism in the Middle East:

Authorizing $80M in funding for U.S.-Israel Anti-Tunnel Cooperation and extending the program through December 2028.

Authorizing $75M in funding for U.S.-Israel counter-UAS Cooperation and extending the program through December 2028.

Authorizing $15M in funding for US-Israel Joint Research & Development on Emerging Technologies.

Extending the authorization to provide assistance to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Directing DoD to provide a briefing on the Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund, status of equipment delivery to Kurdish Peshmerga Forces, and plans to improve the Kurdish Peshmerga Forces’ ability to conduct counter terrorism operations.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/10/tillis-urges-senate-to-replenish-disaster-relief-fund-to-help-western-nc-recover,Tillis Urges Senate to Replenish Disaster Relief Fund to Help Western NC Recover,2025-10-01,2025,2025-10,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 delivered remarks on the Senate floor marking the one-year anniversary of Helene, highlighting how the government shutdown is hurting North Carolinians recovering from Helene and urging his Democratic colleagues to end the government shutdown so the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) can be replenished.

Senator Tillis has been warning about the dwindling funding levels of the DRF for months, introducing legislation in June that would replenish the fund with $25 billion to ensure adequate resources to respond to the hurricane season.

Senator Tillis on the Damage Left Behind By Helene:

“74,000 homes damaged or destroyed, 5000 miles of roads damaged or destroyed, including major portions of I-40, which are still only one lane in each direction for about a 20-mile stretch between North Carolina and Tennessee. I-26 was damaged. Blue Ridge Parkways just opened up. 848 bridges damaged and destroyed. 20,000 farms and 800,000 acres of timber damaged. 163 water systems were damaged, with Asheville not having drinkable water for almost two months after the storm. Mr. President, when I was in Western North Carolina, I heard someone say that the community I was in was back on its feet. But for every community back on its feet, there are still several communities that are on their knees or flat on their backs. In fact, there are some communities that we wonder whether or not they ever will come back.”

Senator Tillis on the Importance of Replenishing the Disaster Relief Fund:

“According to the latest FEMA Disaster Relief Fund monthly report, the major disasters account balance right now is at $1.4 billion, that is dangerously low. Last month, FEMA approved $7.5 billion from the major disasters account. In 2024, there were 90 FEMA-declared major disasters, nearly double the 30-year average of 55 declarations per year. Already this year, and we're really ramping up in the hurricane season right now, we've had 40 major disaster declarations in 22 states. FEMA simply doesn't have the funding needed to respond to a major disaster. Ladies and gentlemen, we're at a shutdown posture right now. We have storms in the Atlantic and more storms forming off the coast of Africa, and we are not prepared for another major disaster, should it hit this weekend.”

Senator Tillis on Ending the Government Shutdown and Helping Western NC Recover:

“The House passed a continuing resolution that we tried to vote on this week. It had $22.5 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund. But that money is not here today, because we're in a shutdown posture. We're not funding any area of government, but we're especially hurting the Disaster Relief Fund and FEMA, and the only thing standing in our way is a simple vote to continue funding at levels that my Democratic colleagues have agreed to before. So, ladies and gentlemen, we don't have a C.R. that the President or that the majority leader has decorated with ornaments. We call it decorating some of these spending bills like a Christmas tree. This is a simple continuing resolution to spend at the level we were spending yesterday. There's nothing more to it. There's money in here to help with disaster relief, but there's nothing more. This shutdown is hurting people in North Carolina.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/29/senator-budd-disaster-recovery-hinges-on-our-federal-government-agencies-working-in-coordination/,Senator Budd: Disaster Recovery Hinges on Our Federal Government & Agencies Working in Coordination,2025-09-29,2025,2025-09,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. — Today, Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) chaired a Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship field hearing entitled, “Small Business Association’s (SBA) Hurricane Helene Response: One Year Later.” In his opening statement, he discussed the Biden administration’s mismanagement of the SBA’s disaster loan program, which implemented irresponsible regulations and substantially increased the cost of issuing and administering disaster loans, leading to the federal government’s slow walking of critical aid. Senator Budd emphasized the importance of not repeating past mistakes to ensure regions struck by disaster have a clear path toward recovery. He also encouraged the federal government to be responsive to the needs of Western North Carolina as it continues to be rebuilt almost one year after Hurricane Helene.

Here are Sen. Budd’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

“Today’s hearing comes at a somber moment. Almost one year ago today, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida before continuing northward and devastating Western North Carolina.

“Many of us here today personally experienced the devastation that the storm brought; many areas were hit with high winds and received 20 – 30 inches of rain, leading to catastrophic flooding and mudslides that tragically claimed the lives of 108 North Carolinians.

“Altogether, a total of 11 states were impacted, and Helene caused almost $80 billion in damage, making it one of the worst hurricanes to hit the United States, ranking alongside Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina.

“Here in North Carolina, 39 counties were eligible for federal assistance following the storm. These counties comprise 40 percent of the state’s population and 45 percent of the state’s GDP.

“In the immediate aftermath, our state’s disaster survivors started down the challenging road of rebuilding. I want to say how proud I am of our state for coming together in this time of need and the sheer tenacity of everyone out here in Western North Carolina who lent a hand and helped folks in dire straits.

“Frankly, I wish the same could have been said for our federal government, but unfortunately, under President Biden, they were unprepared and asleep at the wheel. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides disaster loans that have been crucial to many Americans recovering from natural disasters, and North Carolinians in the wake of Helene were no different. The SBA gives eligible individuals access to disaster recovery loans up to $500,000 and eligible businesses loans up to $2,000,000 for physical damage and economic injury. These loans help restore homes to their pre-disaster condition and help businesses replace equipment and maintain payroll.

“Unfortunately, due to the blunders of Biden’s SBA, too many North Carolinians were unable to find the help they needed to simply rebuild and regain their livelihoods.

“The prior Administration mismanaged the SBA’s disaster loan program by issuing irresponsible rules and dramatically increasing the costs of making and administering disaster loans. Moreover, as SBA drew closer to exhausting the funds it had on hand for these loans, the staff at the wheel of the Biden Administration failed in one of their most basic duties: notifying Congress that funding was running low.

“This led to an unacceptable 66-day shortfall, lasting from October 12th through December 20th of last year. Here in North Carolina, 97 percent of business loan applicants were impacted by this shortfall. For more than two months, the federal government left survivors in North Carolina on their own with nothing but their bootstraps and their community to assist in rebuilding.

“We must ensure a crisis like this will never happen again. This SBA program is instrumental in the rebuilding process, and once it was back to working, it has served over 3,500 North Carolinians following Hurricane Helene.

“That is why, earlier this year, I introduced the Disaster Loan Accountability and Reform Act to create more safeguards against a future shortfall. This bill would require annual appropriations to SBA’s disaster loan program, inform Congress when funds are low, and increase reporting to Congress. I want to thank my colleagues on the Small Business Committee for working in a bipartisan manner to get this bill through Committee.

“I am grateful for the many changes the Trump Administration has made to address the problems in this program since January, including improvements to reporting, local coordination, and constituent services.

“However, we are still recovering from the aftermath of Helene. It is critical to understand the impacts of the shortfall last year and what steps can be taken to further safeguard disaster survivors from being left without aid again.

“Returning Western North Carolina to normal, following Helene, hinges on our federal government and its agencies working in coordination with one another.

“I will continue to engage with each of our cabinet agencies to ensure that our federal government is responsive to the needs of Western North Carolina.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/24/senator-budd-applauds-dot-release-of-1-1-billion-in-disaster-aid-for-infrastructure-repairs-across-north-carolina/,Senator Budd Applauds DOT Release of $1.1+ Billion in Disaster Aid for Infrastructure Repairs Across North Carolina,2025-09-24,2025,2025-09,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) today applauded Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster’s announcement of over $1.1 billion in federal relief grants to fund natural disaster recovery projects in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene and other storms dating back to 2020. These funds will support projects to repair roads, bridges, and drainage structures that have suffered significant damage due to flash flooding, landslides, heavy rainfall, tornadoes, rockfall, washouts, pipe blowouts, bridge collapses, and downed trees.

“I am grateful to Secretary Duffy and Administrator McMaster for their leadership in getting needed federal aid out the door and back to the state of North Carolina as we work to repair our damaged infrastructure as a result of Hurricane Helene and other severe storms from the past several years. President Trump’s Department of Transportation is following through on its promises and unlocking vital emergency relief to the Old North State, including aid that has been tied up dating back to the Biden administration,” said Senator Budd.

BACKGROUND

Approved federal grant applications issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation include:

HURRICANE HELENE

$1,150,000,000 – Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Emergency Relief Program Grant

Restore damaged areas of the Federal-Aid highway system to its pre-disaster condition.

$12,278,841 – FHWA Emergency Relief Program Grant

Repair public forest roads within national forests in North Carolina damaged by heavy rainfall.

$1,749,785 – FHWA Emergency Relief Program Grant

Repair drainage facilities at the W. Kerr Scott Dam impacted by severe flooding.

$90,000 – FHWA Emergency Relief Program Grant

Restore damages to bridges, bridge approaches, and multiple roads and trails on Tribal lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians impacted by heavy rain and flash floods.

HURRICANE DEBBY

$346,426 – FHWA Emergency Relief Program Grant

Restore roads and drainage structures that were damaged by flooding, erosion, and debris within national forests in North Carolina.

January 9, 2024 – Rain Storm

$150,000 – FHWA Emergency Relief Program Grant

Repairs for roadway templates and drainage structures within national forests in North Carolina.

TROPICAL STORM FRED

$1,679,918 – FHWA Emergency Relief Program Grant

Repairs for transportation systems within national forests in North Carolina.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/19/sens-budd-cortez-masto-lead-bipartisan-fight-to-strengthen-dod-report-on-communist-chinas-military-developments/,"Sens. Budd, Cortez Masto Lead Bipartisan Fight to Strengthen DoD Report on Communist China’s Military Developments",2025-09-19,2025,2025-09,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the bipartisan China Military Powers Transparency Act to extend and update the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Annual Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China (“China Military Power Report”) to monitor China’s military strength and strategic influence. Under this legislation, the requirement to submit the report to Congress would be extended from 2027 to 2030 and expand the required analysis.

“The People’s Republic of China has proven time and time again that its communist government cannot be trusted. As China continues to expand its influence abroad, the national security of the homeland must remain a top priority to counter its strategic influence. I am glad to join Senator Cortez Masto to introduce legislation that will ensure the U.S. monitors potential threats by closely tracking and assessing China’s military posture,” said Senator Budd.

“In this critical moment, the United States must stay informed on Communist China’s potential future capabilities – military and otherwise,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “By expanding this report to include the CCP’s potential expansion into new and emerging technologies like cyber and biotech, we are making sure that we are ready for whatever comes next.”

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

In addition to extending the report, the China Military Power Transparency Act would require DOD to include the following security assessments as China accelerates investments across various industries:

An analysis of China’s nuclear and drone development cooperation with other foreign adversaries.

Information on Chinese foreign farmland acquisitions.

An analysis of the likely role of Chinese cyber capabilities in a potential conflict with the U.S.

An analysis of China’s development of advanced and emerging technologies, including biotechnologies.

A detailed assessment of the People’s Liberation Army’s strategic intent regarding Taiwan, including potential scenarios such as a cyber-enabled economic warfare campaign, a cross-strait invasion, or a blockade.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/18/budd-joins-senate-gop-colleagues-in-introducing-bill-to-eliminate-d-c-soft-on-crime-laws/,Budd Joins Senate GOP Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Eliminate D.C. Soft-On-Crime Laws,2025-09-18,2025,2025-09,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in introducing the Just Incarceration of Criminal Elements (JUSTICE) in D.C. Act this week. The bill would eliminate two Washington, D.C. laws, the Incarceration Reduction Act (IRAA) and the Second Look Amendment Act(SLAA), which allows criminals to be improperly and prematurely released solely because they were under the age of 25 when they committed a crime. The D.C. laws disregard the severity of the crime or the length of their initial sentence, allowing even violent offenders convicted of murder to gain access to shortened sentences.

“Our country has endured far too many horrific acts of violence because of weak sentencing and the premature release of dangerous criminals in Democrat-run cities like Washington, D.C.,” said Senator Budd. “My home state of North Carolina has suffered as well—just last month, a young Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte was brutally murdered by a repeat offender with fourteen prior arrests. These ‘criminal reform’ experiments have delivered neither safety, justice, nor rehabilitation. It is long past time to put a stop to them. I am proud to stand with Senator Cornyn in creating strict standards to prevent judges from releasing violent offenders onto the streets of D.C.”

“The Incarceration Reduction Act and Second Look Amendment Act exemplify the mindless policies of D.C.’s progressive city council that have incentivized crime in our nation’s capital for far too long,” said Senator Cornyn. “The JUSTICE in D.C. Act puts common sense back at the forefront of D.C.’s justice system by ensuring no offender receives a shortened sentence just because they committed a crime – including murder – before the age of 25. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro has called for these ridiculous laws to be eliminated, and I couldn’t agree more.”

“Repealing these foolish, soft-on-crime laws is an important step in Making DC Safe Again,” said Senator Graham. “Our work on this legislation would ensure that violent criminals are not set free early solely based on age. This reckless practice needs to end now.”

“Washington, D.C.’s soft-on-crime policies have empowered violent criminals to become repeat offenders—allowing them prematurely back onto the street simply because they are under the age of 25,” said Senator Blackburn. “Our JUSTICE in D.C. Act would help restore law and order by getting rid of two reckless D.C. laws so that criminals are not improperly and prematurely released.”

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The IRAA of 2016, which was expanded by the D.C. SLAA in 2021, permits a defendant who has been convicted of committing any crime before the age of 25 to move for a sentence reduction after serving only 15 years in prison, regardless of how long their original sentence of incarceration is. It also expressly provides the factors that a judge must rely on in determining whether to release an inmate, and these factors purposely do not include the “nature of the offense.” This is not only contrary to federal sentencing law but also prevents a judge entertaining a release motion from a violent felon from being able to properly weigh the seriousness of the crime, tilting the scales toward release.

The Just Incarceration of Criminal Elements (JUSTICE) in D.C. Act would:

• Eliminates the Incarceration Reduction Act and Second Look Amendment Act, to ensure that criminals are not improperly and prematurely released solely because they happened to be under the age of 25 when they committed a crime, including robbery or murder.

• Avoids amending the standard parole and probation processes for criminals in D.C., leaving open avenues for truly rehabilitated individuals to be released from prison in the normal course.

• Changes the existing grant scheme provided in the IRAA and SLAA, which presently awards funds to released criminals, and would instead direct these funds to victims of violent crimes.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/18/senators-budd-cortez-masto-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-combat-foreign-cyberattacks-targeting-american-agriculture/,"Senators Budd, Cortez Masto Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Foreign Cyberattacks Targeting American Agriculture",2025-09-18,2025,2025-09,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the bipartisan Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act today to enhance the cyberattack readiness, response, and recovery of American agricultural infrastructure. The legislation would prioritize cybersecurity preparedness by establishing a network of five Regional Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers to strengthen national security measures and protect the United States’ food supply.

“America’s adversaries are seeking to exploit agricultural technologies and jeopardize our national security. As North Carolina’s top industry, I have seen the benefits that precision technology has on increasing agricultural output and boosting exports, but it takes just one bad actor to stop our producers from feeding America. I teamed up with Senator Cortez Masto to mitigate cyber vulnerabilities by developing defense technologies and training our workforce to eliminate threats targeting American agriculture,” said Senator Budd.

“Innovative farmers and ranchers in Nevada and across the country should be able to use new technology without fear of being targeted by a bad actor,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan legislation will defend our agricultural sector from cyberattacks, promoting American national security and food security.”

“Agriculture and food systems are critical to the well-being of families, communities, and the nation,” said North Carolina A&T Chancellor James R. Martin II. “Having centers of excellence that focus on cybersecurity and agriculture would be a tremendous addition to the research, development, and collaborative efforts in which our land-grant university is already involved to protect the U.S. agricultural industry and advance American interests.”

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act creates a national network of five Regional Agriculture Cybersecurity Centers, which will:

Build a Regional Research Collaboration Network: Allow for more efficient and consistent communication between each Cybersecurity Center and local agricultural industries.

Develop Technologies for the Agriculture Sector: Create testbeds to refine technologies and conduct attack and defense exercises to evaluate cybersecurity solutions for field deployment.

Create Education and Training Programs: Provide training for the workforce necessary to develop and install cyber defense mechanisms.

Prioritize Eliminating Threats from Foreign Adversaries: Ensure mitigation efforts are focused on eliminating threats from foreign countries of concern, like the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/9/tillis-durbin-lead-resolution-calling-for-the-release-of-azerbaijani-anti-corruption-activist-dr-gubad-ibadoghlu,"Tillis, Durbin Lead Resolution Calling for the Release of Azerbaijani Anti-Corruption Activist Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu",2025-09-17,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Co-Chair of the Senate Human Rights Caucus, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced a resolution commending recent diplomatic progress in peace accords between Armenia and Azerbaijan while condemning Azerbaijan’s continued wrongful detention of political prisoners, including economist and academic Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu.

The resolution urges the Department of State to prioritize Dr. Ibadoghlu’s well-being and release, denounces the suppression of academic freedom and peaceful expression, and stresses that genuine peace requires Azerbaijan to demonstrate good faith by upholding international norms and ending the practice of political imprisonment.

“As Co-Chair of the Senate Human Rights Caucus, I welcome the recent diplomatic progress in the South Caucasus, but true peace requires respect for human rights,” said Senator Tillis. “With the eyes of the world on Baku during the Formula 1 Grand Prix, now is the time for Azerbaijan to show progress and responsibility on the world stage by releasing Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu and ending the practice of political imprisonment. This resolution underscores our commitment to ensuring that those who speak out for freedom and democracy are protected, not silenced.”

“Despite America’s dangerous and troubling retreat from the global stage at the behest of the Trump Administration, the United States remains a beacon of hope by those trapped under brutal regimes and for all who seek to enjoy the freedoms of democracy,” said Senator Durbin. “As a U.S. Senator, I have used my voice to urge the release of political prisoners languishing in jails of repressive regimes around the world, including Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, who was wrongfully detained in Azerbaijan due to his anti-corruption work. I’m glad to partner with Senator Tillis on this important resolution calling for Dr. Ibadoghlu’s immediate release.”

Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/15/budd-applauds-release-of-64-million-in-public-assistance-grants-for-helene-recovery/,Budd Applauds Release of $64+ Million in Public Assistance Grants for Helene Recovery,2025-09-15,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"After Budd pressure, funding approved for WNC clean-up and recovery will significantly reduce backlog

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) today released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that they have disbursed $64 million in funding to reimburse communities across Western North Carolina for more than two-dozen projects following Hurricane Helene. This announcement follows Sen. Budd’s vote against cloture for DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans nominee Robert Law, and his procedural holds on other pending DHS nominees.

“After Hurricane Helene hit, our local communities stepped up to deliver urgent clean-up and rebuilding efforts so that the people of Western North Carolina could return to some semblance of normalcy,” said Senator Budd. “These projects incurred significant debts that the federal government pledged to reimburse them for, but for too many communities, funding has lagged. I am thankful for President Trump’s strong support for Western North Carolina and personal interest in reducing the backlog of projects requiring reimbursement. As new projects are completed and processed for approval, our work must continue. I will do everything I can to ensure communities in Western North Carolina expeditiously receive the funding they were promised.”

BACKGROUND:

Since August 15, 2025, the federal government has reimbursed North Carolina entities for more than $227 million toward Hurricane Helene response and recovery. The $64+ million in funds, announced today, will reimburse the State of North Carolina, local governments, and other entities for projects repairing and rebuilding vital infrastructure including: the NC Department of Transportation, NC Emergency Management, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, the Town of Beech Mountain, the Town of Lake Lure, the Town of Marshall, Asheville Christian Academy, Haywood Electric Membership Corp., and Skyline Telephone Membership Corp.

Click HERE to access a full table with details on these projects.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/12/senator-budd-leads-colleagues-condemning-violence-against-christians-in-nigeria-calling-for-redesignation-of-cpc-status/,"Senator Budd Leads Colleagues Condemning Violence Against Christians in Nigeria, Calling for Redesignation of CPC Status",2025-09-12,2025,2025-09,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) led his Senate Republican colleagues Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling on the Trump administration to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). Nigeria is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians, with thousands persecuted and killed for their faith. In the letter, the senators condemn the Biden administration’s decision to remove Nigeria as a CPC, as the country has failed to confront violence and terrorism toward Christians and other religious minorities.

In the letter, the senator wrote, “Most recently, in late June 2025, reports suggest that at least 200 Christians in Nigeria were brutally killed by terrorists in Benue state. This same report suggests that Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be Christian, citing 3,100 of the 4,476 Christians killed during their reporting period lived in Nigeria.”

Read the full letter text HERE or below:

Dear Secretary Rubio,

We write to urge you to consider designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) to give the President additional authority to take specific actions to address the continued unchecked acts of violence and terrorism against religious minorities perpetrated by nonstate actors in Nigeria.

As you know, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated Nigeria as a CPC in December 2020, for the ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom perpetrated within its borders, particularly by nonstate actors such as Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.

While Secretary of State Antony Blinken removed Nigeria from the CPC list in 2021, on March 25, 2025, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommended that Nigeria be placed once again on the CPC list, citing several incidents of violence and terrorism against religious minorities:

In May 2024, al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansaru gunmen reportedly kidnapped 160 mainly Christian children and killed eight people in Niger State but later released the abducted children….in Niger State, suspected bandits killed 10 farmers, including Christians, and in August, bandits reportedly killed 70 Christians and kidnapped 20 students in separate attacks in Benue State.

Most recently, in late June 2025, reports suggest that at least 200 Christians in Nigeria were brutally killed by terrorists in Benue state. This same report suggests that Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be Christian, citing 3,100 of the 4,476 Christians killed during their reporting period lived in Nigeria.

As you know, on May 1, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to establish the Religious Liberty Commission with the intent for this commission to vigorously enforce the historic and robust protections for religious liberty enshrined in Federal law and to work with the White House Faith Office to partner with the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom to further the cause of religious liberty around the world.

On September 23, 2019, President Trump issued a global call to condemn religious persecution and defend the freedom of all believers stating that:

“Today with one clear voice, the United States of America calls upon the nations of the world to end religious persecution. To stop crimes against people of faith, release prisoners of conscience, repeal laws restricting freedom of religion and belief…America stands with believers in every country who ask only for the freedom to live according to the faith that is within their own hearts.”

We are grateful for President Trump and your work to champion our founding freedoms at home, as well as to condemn religious persecution around the world. We hope you will carefully consider designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). We look forward to hearing from you.

Best,

/X/

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/11/sen-budd-commerce-committee-colleagues-highlight-need-to-bolster-u-s-leadership-in-ai-innovation/,"Sen. Budd, Commerce Committee Colleagues Highlight Need to Bolster U.S. leadership in AI Innovation",2025-09-11,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Hearing with OSTP Director Kratsios outlines the Trump administration’s AI strategy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At yesterday’s Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing titled “AI’ve Got a Plan: America’s AI Action Plan,” Sen. Budd led his Senate Republican colleagues in discussing the Trump administration’s “AI Action Plan” with testimony from Michael Kratsios, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Below are some highlights from today’s hearing, which can be viewed in its entirety HERE.

Sen. Budd Receives Update on the Implementation of Trump’s AI Action Plan

Sen. Budd: “Now, the AI Action Plan contains a handful of directives for various government agencies, so can you provide a brief update on how implementation of that’s going along?”

Mr. Kratsios: “…there’s been a significant amount of progress at the Commerce Department on the AI export package executive order…We had the second meeting of our AI Education Task Force that was chaired by the first lady just last week…And I think from our office, we’re on the hook to do an RFI relating to identifying regulations that may be hindering the progress of AI, and that should be coming out very shortly.”

Sen. Budd Highlights the Administration’s Strategy for Exporting the American AI Stack

Sen. Budd: “…in your opening testimony, you mentioned the president’s executive order in promoting the export of the American AI technology stack. So unpack this a bit for us if you would, tell us what makes up that tech stack and how we can encourage other nations to adopt it.”

Mr. Kratsios: “…there’s three main components of it, it’s essentially the chips, the algorithms, and then the applications themselves…the hope is that we can flesh out, or the Commerce Department will be fleshing out in the RFP more details around what we’re looking for and we’ll be able to bring together folks from the entire technology community to work on it. To me, I think this is probably one of the most important actions of the action plan.”

Sen. Budd Raises Administration’s Concerns if U.S. AI Stack is Not Adopted Globally

Sen. Budd: “We see the optimistic vision in this AI plan, but if we’re not adopted as the U.S. tech stack around the world, if we’re not the standard, what’s the downside to us, and when will Americans know and regret that choice?”

Mr. Kratsios: “…the threat we face is that if we aren’t the standard around the world, those models, those applications, we fine-tuned on adversary models, running on adversary chips, and that’s not a long-term solution for the U.S.”

Chairman Cruz Secures Backing for AI Regulatory Sandboxes from Director Kratsios

Chairman Cruz: “…as part of the legislative framework that I’ve released, I’m going to introduce the SANDBOX Act, which establishes an AI sandbox program within OSTP. Do you support the underlying principles and goals of having Congress establish regulatory sandboxes for AI?”

Mr. Kratsios: “Yes, the AI Action Plan very definitively promotes the idea of using sandboxes. Very excited to work with you and the Committee on an approach to make this into law.”

Chairman Cruz Affirms the Administration’s Support for Federal Preemption of State Laws that Cripple AI Development

Chairman Cruz: “Why does the Administration believe that state AI laws and regulations, such as those in California and Colorado, pose a threat to AI deployment and innovation in the United States? And does the Administration support preemption of those laws?”

Mr. Kratsios: “A patchwork of state regulations is anti-innovation. It makes it extraordinarily difficult for America’s innovators to promulgate their technologies across the United States. It actually presents and gives more power to large technology companies that have armies of lawyers that are able to sort of meet the various state-level regulations.”

Sen. Schmitt Emphasizes Source Bias in Large Language AI Models

Sen. Schmitt: “I wanted to sort of focus at least the questions on large language models, which of course are only as good as the data that they’re trained on. Source bias in Google search results was a major issue leading up to the 2024 election. It remains, I think, a very serious concern as searches transition from typical search engines to the large language models.”

Mr. Kratsios: “Yes, this was a big concern of the White House and the president. And that is why, on the same day the report was released, the president signed an executive order around Woke AI…most of the large language model builders are beyond excited to try to provide their models for federal use. So I think we have a lot of leverage here to try to create an environment where these models really are true, seeking, and accurate.”

Sen. Moreno Discusses the Importance of Semiconductor Manufacturing & Energy Generation for AI Deployment

Sen. Moreno: “…we have to make certain that we’re dominating the world in chips. That’s critically important that we support American-made, American-designed chips.”

Mr. Kratsios: “Yes. And I think that being able to not only design them here in the United States but also fabricate them is very important. The level above that is the models themselves. So we need to lead the world in large language models, which we do. And above that are the applications, and those combined create the stack, which is so important.”

Sen. Moreno: “We need sound energy policy where we have the most reliable, affordable and abundant energy. That’s really important, and that should be co-located as much as humanly possible when we’re building out these AI data centers. Would you agree?”

Mr. Kratsios: “Yes. In the President’s remarks in the speech that he gave at the Action Summit, he talked about the value of having behind-the-meter power to support some of these data center build-outs. So being able to co-locate that is very important.”

Sen. Young Questions Risks of Patchwork Regulations on American Competitiveness

Sen. Young: “Can you speak to the risks associated with continuing to subject our AI innovators to a fragmented series of rules, including those enforced by other countries as well as states here at home?”

Mr. Kratsios: “I think creating standards at the U.S. level that are prominent globally is very important. In the weekend after the AI Action Plan was released, the PRC held their large AI conference in Shanghai. And one of the main thrusts of their own AI Action Plan they released in response to ours was a desire to create a global entity, an AI entity in Shanghai that would then promulgate global rules around AI for the world. And this is an example of why it’s so important for the U.S. to be the leader in the way that we provide standards around AI, particularly around model evaluation and standard setting.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/10/senator-budd-ai-enables-americans-to-make-the-best-and-most-of-themselves-on-daily-basis/,Senator Budd: AI Enables Americans to Make the Best and Most of Themselves on Daily Basis,2025-09-10,2025,2025-09,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. — In his opening statement at today’s Senate Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing, Chairman Ted Budd (R-N.C.) discussed the need to accelerate AI innovation and infrastructure development without subjecting this technology to needless overregulation. To bolster U.S. leadership in technological innovation and counter adversarial nations like China, Senator Budd emphasized the importance of leaning into the free market and private sector approach to exporting American technology abroad. Additionally, Senator Budd underscored the strong leadership displayed by President Trump and Director Kratsios in repealing the Biden-era executive order that sought to stifle the potential of American advancement in AI technology.

Here are Sen. Budd’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

“This morning is the first hearing of the Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness this Congress. I want to thank Ranking Member Baldwin for her help with getting this hearing on the calendar. Our subcommittee has a wide jurisdiction over issues central to creating good paying jobs, expanding economic opportunity, and maintaining America’s competitive edge. I am looking forward to working with her the rest of this Congress to hold hearings on other important topics.

“Director Kratsios, thank you for being here today. I am very excited about America’s AI Action Plan and to hear your perspective on how we can work collaboratively between the Trump administration and Congress to accelerate AI innovation, build American AI infrastructure, and lead internationally in cooperation with allies and partners.

“Personally, I am also excited about what the future holds with the acceleration of AI adoption.

“If developed, deployed, and employed properly, AI stands to enable Americans to make the most and the best of themselves on a daily basis. We must ensure that our AI policy is anchored in maximizing economic opportunity for Americans.

“I am not talking about billionaires in Silicon Valley.

“I am talking about everyday Americans waking up and going to work in family-sustaining careers enhanced by AI, not replaced by it.

“U.S. leadership in technological innovation has been the accelerator that has boosted our economy and growth rates ahead of the rest of the world. General-purpose technologies—like the internet—ushered in sustained years of economic growth, wage gains, new jobs, and increased productivity.

“Critically, U.S. leadership allowed for the open internet and the ecosystem built around it to reflect our national character of entrepreneurship and free expression.

“AI offers similar opportunities as a transformative general-purpose technology. AI, for instance, offers a real chance to help achieve the economic success and enhanced productivity we need to grow our way out of the unsustainable debt path we are on.

“As your AI Action Plan rightly points out, the competition is fierce.

“The Trump Administration has made American AI leadership a day-one priority, as President Trump rescinded President Biden’s AI Executive Order, which many feared was an over-regulatory, European Union-styled approach that would suffocate innovation and startups while ceding important ground to adversarial nations like China.

“The PRC has put forward plans to leverage state resources and capital to make China the global leader in AI by 2030. Through their top-down statist economic model, the PRC wants to direct capital and resources to favored firms to embed AI across industries, including in manufacturing, agriculture, robotics, and services. AI is a fast-changing, dynamic field, and industrial policies that might have worked for electric vehicles and solar panels are not guaranteed to win this race.

“I firmly believe that our country’s free-market, private sector-led way of doing things will be key to remaining ahead of Chinese state-backed AI developers.

“To accelerate AI Innovation, I look forward to hearing from you on how Congress can partner with the administration and industry to remove roadblocks and provide regulatory certainty to let innovators innovate.

“Chairman Cruz’s AI regulatory sandbox bill will be very helpful here. The federal government can also continue to be a proactive partner, leading the way on adopting AI tools and solutions to streamline and improve government while also sending an important market signal and presenting a valuable use case.

“To build out American AI Infrastructure, Congress needs to work on comprehensive permitting reform to ensure we do not lose this race because of a lack of energy production. Enhancing domestic manufacturing capabilities in key inputs like semiconductors and fiber optic cable, which my state of North Carolina knows a good deal about, is critical as well.

“To lead in AI internationally, the U.S. must lean into exporting our AI tech stack across the world to allies, partners, and important third countries. AI must be globally diffused within a U.S.-led technology ecosystem. I look forward to hearing an update from you on how the implementation of the President’s Promoting the Export of the American AI Technology Stack Executive Order is progressing.

“The U.S. has all the necessary ingredients to keep our lead and definitively win the AI race. I look forward to working with the Trump administration and my colleagues to put the AI Action Plan to work.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/9/tillis-shaheen-issue-joint-statement-on-russian-airstrike-in-kyiv,"Tillis, Shaheen Issue Joint Statement on Russian Airstrike in Kyiv",2025-09-10,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate NATO ObserverGroup, released the following statement in response to Russia’s recent airstrike on Kyiv, the largest airstrike since the start of the war:

“It has been three weeks since President Trump met with Vladimir Putin. Since that time, Putin met with fellow autocrats in Beijing to conspire against America and returned to Moscow to escalate his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Russia deliberately struck EU diplomatic facilities and other Western assets in Kyiv—a calculated provocation against America’s allies. Russia has now launched the largest aerial assault since the invasion began—firing more than 800 drones and missiles, setting Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers ablaze and killing civilians, including a mother and her infant.

“At the very moment Putin escalates, the United States appears to be cutting back. Programs like Section 333 security cooperation, which includes the Baltic Security Initiative—lifelines for NATO’s eastern flank—are now on the chopping block, even as Europe takes on more of the burden. The message this sends is dangerous: that the United States is pulling back just as the stakes in Ukraine and for NATO’s security are at their highest. Our adversaries are taking note that they can wait out American support—that does not make America safer.

“Putin has shown us time and again that he is a liar and a murderer. He never wanted peace. Congress should swiftly pass legislation that imposes crippling sanctions on Putin’s regime and cement continued U.S. military support to Ukraine and NATO’s Eastern Flank. America must not hand Putin an advantage; the cost of inaction to America’s security is too high.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/09/icymi-senator-budd-applauds-announcement-of-221-million-hurricane-helene-aid-for-north-carolina-farmers/,ICYMI: Senator Budd Applauds Announcement of $221 Million Hurricane Helene Aid for North Carolina Farmers,2025-09-09,2025,2025-09,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) recently joined U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden and N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler in Asheville, where the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a historic assistance package to help producers recover from Hurricane Helene. The signed block grant agreement with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) will distribute $221.2 million in recovery assistance to eligible North Carolina farmers.

Following the announcement, Senator Budd said:

“For almost a year now, farmers across Western North Carolina have fought to rebuild their livelihoods given widespread devastation to infrastructure and timber and crop losses caused by Hurricane Helene. On Friday, USDA finalized a $221 million block grant to help our farmers recover from these losses. Thank you to all those involved, particularly President Trump, Secretary Rollins, Commissioner Troxler, and members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation. While there’s much more to be done to rebuild Western North Carolina, this block grant goes a long way to help restore the foundation of our state’s largest single industry—agriculture.”

Secretary Brooke Rollins said, “America’s farmers and ranchers across the Southeast and in North Carolina have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during 2024. USDA has worked closely with the State of North Carolina to ensure those impacted have the relief they need. President Trump has our farmers’ backs, and we are working quickly to get these much-needed relief funds to those who need to rebuild. This is one part of our daily actions to ensure our farmers have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable, and most abundant food supply in the world.”

Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden said, “Today’s announcement is about delivering on our promise to stand shoulder to shoulder with America’s farmers in times of need. By signing this block grant with North Carolina, USDA is ensuring that producers have the resources to rebuild stronger after Hurricane Helene and keep producing the food and fuel our nation depends on. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are moving quickly to cut red tape, get relief dollars into the hands of those who need it most, and protect the backbone of our rural economy, our family farms.”

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said, “This $221.2 million federal disaster assistance block grant for agricultural damage due to Hurricane Helene is welcomed news to North Carolina farmers in western North Carolina who have been holding on in the aftermath of massive ag losses in 2024. We are grateful for USDA’s continued efforts on this block grant and appreciate their willingness to partner with us on this much needed assistance. We all have an interest in the success of agriculture because farmers produce the food and fiber we all depend on.”

BACKGROUND:

In this agreement, NCDA&CS will receive $221.2 million in funding to administer a program that will cover eligible infrastructure and timber losses in addition to eligible market losses and eligible future year revenue losses. This funding is part of the $30 billion disaster assistance relief effort authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025.

Visit the 2023/2024 Supplemental Disaster Assistance public landing page to track the status of USDA disaster assistance.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/09/03/senator-budd-joins-cruz-colleagues-to-introduce-the-clean-d-c-act/,"Senator Budd Joins Cruz, Colleagues to Introduce the CLEAN D.C. Act",2025-09-03,2025,2025-09,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and several of their Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the CLEAN D.C. Act. The bill would repeal the D.C. Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, which imposed sweeping restrictions on law enforcement in Washington, D.C.

“For far too long, our nation’s capital has been plagued by rampant crime and unsafe streets. Law-abiding citizens are tired of D.C. politicians hiding the reality facing families: increased gun violence, ignored calls for vehicles broken into and other petty thefts, and an inability to buy basic goods at the local shop without clerks opening locked cases.

“That is why President Trump has stepped in to restore law and order, and why the DOJ is rightfully exercising its authority to investigate the alleged manipulation of D.C.’s crime rates. I am proud to join Senator Cruz and my colleagues in reaffirming Congressional authority to implement common-sense policing measures in Washington, D.C., to support the President’s agenda—putting safety first,” said Senator Budd.

“Violent crime has become endemic in Washington, DC as a direct result of political and ideological decisions made by Democrats. Those decisions included passing and trying to lock in anti-police measures such as the Orwellian-named Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022, which undermined police morale, weakened officer retention, and contributed to a still-ongoing public safety disaster. The CLEAN D.C. Act will reverse that decision, and I call upon my colleagues in Congress to pass it,” Senator Cruz said.

This legislation was additionally cosponsored by Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.).

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The D.C. Council’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 weakens D.C. law enforcement by:

• Banning longstanding and proven police tactics.

• Stripping legal protections and due process rights for officers.

• Threatening police officer safety by authorizing public release of records.

• Imposing restrictions on policing protests and the use of non-lethal crowd control.

Law enforcement leaders have warned that these provisions demoralize officers, worsen D.C.’s law enforcement staffing crisis, and embolden criminals.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/9/tillis-padilla-applaud-senate-passage-of-the-trace-act,"Tillis, Padilla Applaud Senate Passage of the TRACE Act",2025-09-03,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) applauded the Senate passage of the TRACE Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would require the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to include an additional category to the existing National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems (NamUs) database so the public and law enforcement partners can denote cases where the person went missing or was identified on federal land or territorial waters of the United States —including by providing specific location details.

The bill also requires DOJ to submit an annual report to Congress on the number of cases of persons missing or suspected of going missing on public lands or territorial waters of the United States from the previous year. With this new feature, family and friends of people who have gone missing on public lands could more easily find and include this information in NamUs, while law enforcement agencies can simultaneously work to improve the national records of individuals missing on public lands.

“Every year, people go missing on public lands without being recorded in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System,” said Senator Tillis. “This oversight is impeding law enforcement from keeping track of those who go missing to help search and rescue efforts. I applaud the Senate for passing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation so these cases can be added to the database and potentially save hundreds of lives in the future, and I urge my colleagues in the House to swiftly pass this critical legislation to ensure no missing person falls through the cracks.”

“For too long, law enforcement officials have faced unnecessary barriers in tracking down people who go missing on federal lands,” said Senator Padilla. “The Senate’s passage of the TRACE Act brings us one step closer to saving lives and bringing peace of mind to affected families. I’m committed to working with my colleagues across the aisle to make sure this bill is signed into law.”

Background:

According to a NamUs report, over 600,000 people go missing in the United States annually. While the majority of these cases are resolved, tens of thousands of people remain missing every year. There are approximately 640 million acres of federal land which include national parks, national forests, and Bureau of Land Management lands.

Estimates suggest that at least 1,600 people have gone missing on public lands, though the number is likely much higher, as isolated or rugged terrain on public lands can make it especially difficult to find or identify people who go missing. Despite this, there is no functional system to report people who have gone missing on public lands. Having accurate data on how many people go missing on our public lands every year is crucial to aid search and rescue efforts and resolve cases.

NamUs is the main system used by law enforcement, families and friends of missing persons, medical examiners, and coroners to report unidentified remains and missing persons, and is also used by the public.

The TRACE Act is endorsed by the Public Lands Solution, Jewish Women's Institute, Major County Sheriffs Association, Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), NDAA, Raven, National Association to End Sexual Violence, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T15:07:37Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/22/budd-tillis-applaud-nomination-of-four-nc-judges/,"Budd, Tillis Applaud Nomination of Four NC Judges",2025-08-22,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"All four nominees were recommended by Senators Budd and Tillis

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) applauded President Trump for nominating Susan Rodriguez and Matthew Orso to serve in North Carolina’s Western District and David Bragdon and Lindsey Freeman to serve in North Carolina’s Middle District. All four nominees were recommended by Senators Budd and Tillis.

“Ensuring principled constitutionalist judges are confirmed to the federal courts is a privilege and responsibility I take very seriously. As part of the Senate’s role in this process, I worked to thoroughly review potential nominees, and to make recommendations to the President highlighting individuals who will uphold our Constitution,” said Senator Budd. “The nominations of Susan Rodriguez and Matthew Orso to sit on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina and David Bragdon and Lindsey Freeman to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina will fill critical vacancies here in North Carolina with exceptional jurists who will serve our nation with distinction. I am grateful to President Trump for his inspired choices, and to Sen. Tillis for his partnership as we work to confirm these nominees in the Senate.”

“These four nominees are well-qualified to fill these important judicial vacancies in North Carolina, and I have confidence they will serve our great state with distinction,” said Senator Tillis. “As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have worked to review and confirm quality judges who uphold the Constitution and support the rule of law. I want to thank the White House for their partnership in working to select these outstanding nominees and look forward to getting them through the Judiciary Committee and confirmed on the Senate floor.”

BACKGROUND:

Susan C. Rodriguez currently serves as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of North Carolina. Judge Rodriguez was previously a partner at the law firm, McGuireWoods LLP, where she was the co-leader of the firm’s financial institutions industry team.

Matthew Orso currently serves as a partner at the law firm, Troutman Pepper Locke LLP. Mr. Orso previously clerked for Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

David Bragdon currently serves as the Appellate Chief for a U.S. Attorneys’ Office. Mr. Bragdon previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and served as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Resident Legal Advisor for the Philippines.

Lindsey Freeman currently serves as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Ms. Freeman previously clerked for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, was Of Counsel at the law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP, and served in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Justice.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/8/tillis-announces-68-million-for-raleigh-durham-and-charlotte-douglas-airport-improvements,Tillis Announces $68 Million for Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte Douglas Airport Improvements,2025-08-20,2025,2025-08,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 announced $68 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation for critical improvements at Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) Airport and Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) Airport. The funding comes from the Airport Improvement Program, which is partially funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), legislation that Senator Tillis helped negotiate, write, and pass into law.

At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, a $23 million grant will be used to shift the existing paved runway by 523 feet to bring it into compliance with current safety and design standards. At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a $45 million grant will fund the expansion of the airport’s south apron, where aircraft are parked and serviced by an additional 414,000 square feet.

“Charlotte Douglas and Raleigh-Durham are two of North Carolina’s busiest airports, and these upgrades will ensure compliance with safety standards while helping both airports remain efficient and equipped to handle North Carolina’s growing travel demands,” said Senator Tillis. “As Charlotte and the Triangle continue to grow, it is vital that we invest in our public transportation and infrastructure, including our airports. I am proud to have worked alongside local leaders to secure this critical funding.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/12/icymi-budd-applauds-409-4-million-epa-award-to-north-carolina-to-rebuild-improve-drinking-water-infrastructure/,"ICYMI: Budd Applauds $409.4 Million EPA Award to North Carolina to Rebuild, Improve Drinking Water Infrastructure",2025-08-12,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Post-Helene Grant Funding Will Repair State Water System to Ensure Future Access to Safe Drinking Water Amid Response to Natural Disasters

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s recent allocation of $409.4 million to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) for public water systems. This funding will improve local drinking water utility infrastructure so systems across the state are better equipped to withstand natural disasters.

“Since Hurricane Helene struck last September, repairing Western North Carolina’s damaged infrastructure to be stronger and more reliable in the future has been a key component of all ongoing recovery efforts as Western North Carolina rebuilds,” said Senator Budd. “I am grateful to President Trump and EPA Administrator Zeldin for their efforts to ensure North Carolina receives critical grant funding to restructure and reinforce the quality of our water systems, enabling our recovering communities to build more durable infrastructure. This is a step in the right direction to aid reconstruction efforts and mitigate future natural disasters.”

“In February, I visited communities in Asheville to witness firsthand the crucial role drinking water utilities have in responding to natural disasters,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “This funding to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality will help secure the infrastructure of these systems to ensure EPA can fulfill its core mission to protect human health and the environment.”

BACKGROUND:

These funds are part of the 2025 Supplemental Appropriation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton and the Hawai’i Wildfires, administered by the State Revolving Fund. The funds may be used to improve drinking water treatment, distribute water, improve the source of water supply, replace or construct finished water storage tanks, and complete other infrastructure projects needed to protect public health through improved drinking water infrastructure.

Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) authorizes states to utilize funds to further the act’s health protection objectives. Funds will capitalize North Carolina’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which may then make low-interest loans with principal forgiveness toward the cost of planning, design, and construction of eligible drinking water improvement projects.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/06/budd-joins-britt-colleagues-in-effort-to-ban-noncitizens-from-voting-in-d-c-elections/,"Budd Joins Britt, Colleagues in Effort to Ban Noncitizens from Voting in D.C. Elections",2025-08-06,2025,2025-08,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and 20 of their Republican colleagues in introducing legislation to ban noncitizens from voting in D.C. elections.

“The American people’s right to vote in free and fair elections is diminished when jurisdictions like D.C. allow noncitizens to interfere in our democratic process. This must stop. No city, state, territory, or federal district is above the law. I am proud to join Senator Britt and my colleagues in introducing commonsense, bipartisan legislation to strengthen election integrity,” said Senator Budd.

“This isn’t just about local school boards or fixing potholes. This is about the direction of our nation’s capital,” said Senator Britt. “In the city representing the strongest democratic republic in the world, the D.C. City Council chose to flagrantly violate one of democracy’s core principles. This is a slap in the face to every American citizen, whether they live in D.C. or not, who should be the only voters deciding who represents them in every election and at every level of government. I am hopeful we gain bipartisan support in the Senate for this commonsense bill—it is our duty to protect the votes of hardworking American citizens, including those who came to our country legally and took the time and effort to go through the naturalization process. Ultimately, this is about strengthening the integrity of our elections.”

Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas-11) introduced the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it passed with bipartisan support after 54 House Democrats joined Republicans in backing the measure.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND:

In 2022, the D.C. City Council passed a law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections. Due to this change, illegal aliens and foreign embassy staff have been given as much say as American citizens over who leads the nation’s capital in elections, including for Mayor, Attorney General, and City Council members.

Surveys repeatedly show an overwhelming majority of Americans—between 85 to 90 percent—support protecting the sanctity of our elections by allowing only U.S. citizens to participate in them.

In recent years, cities in Maryland, Vermont, and New York have also passed measures allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/05/budd-welch-introduce-bill-targeting-foreign-robocalls-scammers/,"Budd, Welch Introduce Bill Targeting Foreign Robocalls, Scammers",2025-08-05,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Bipartisan bill to increase cooperation between feds, private sector to fight overseas scams backed by AARP, USTelecom

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) recently introduced the bipartisan Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, legislation that would bring together government and private sector experts to find additional means of eliminating unlawful robocalls placed into the U.S. from abroad.

“Robocalls from scammers aren’t just annoying, they victimize tens of millions of Americans, stealing billions of dollars from unsuspecting individuals,” said Senator Budd. “With many robocalls originating overseas, combining the efforts of government agencies in charge of protecting Americans from scams with private sector expertise will help us stay ahead of cutting-edge technologies used by foreign criminal enterprises. I am proud to join Sen. Welch to build on the important steps Congress has taken to curb these harmful robocalls, and better protect Americans from being preyed on by criminal enterprises across the globe.”

“Vermonters receive nearly 3.5 million robocalls every month. And it’s not only our state—folks in red and blue states alike are sick and tired of picking up the phone and wondering if they’re talking to a friend or being scammed. To make matters worse, foreign robocallers are stepping up their efforts to exploit and prey on vulnerable people,” said Senator Welch. “Our bipartisan bill will help combat unlawful foreign robocalls and protect Americans from scams.”

The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act has received key endorsements from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and USTelecom.

Bill Sweeney, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, AARP, said:

“AARP, which advocates on behalf of more than 100 million Americans age 50 and older, is pleased to endorse the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act. This legislation represents a critical next step in protecting Americans from fraudulent and abusive robocalls originating from outside the United States. Older Americans are disproportionately targeted by robocall scams, which often lead to financial loss, identity theft, and emotional distress. These calls not only exploit individuals but also erode trust in telecommunications systems and public institutions. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act builds upon the TRACED Act and addresses this growing threat by convening a task force of government and private sector experts to develop actionable strategies for eliminating harmful foreign robocalls.”

Josh Bercu, Senior Vice President, Policy at USTelecom – The Broadband Association and Executive Director, The Industry Traceback Group, said:

“Illegal robocalls are not just a nuisance—they’re a threat to vulnerable Americans and a tool for scammers around the world. Thanks to strong partnerships between the Industry Traceback Group and federal, state, and local law enforcement, we’ve made measurable progress in stopping these bad actors. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act builds on this success to empower industry and law enforcement to use what works to crack down on the bad actors overseas preying on Americans. Big thanks to Senators Budd and Welch for their leadership and commitment to consumer protection.”

BACKGROUND:

Building off of important work Congress has already done, like the TRACED Act, the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act would create an interagency taskforce consisting of key representatives from the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and Department of Justice as well as key experts in the field of voice service and analytics, telecommunications technology, marketing organizations, and consumer advocates. This task force will evaluate foreign robocalls and how best to combat them, with the goal of increasing international cooperation to reduce illegal robocalls. The task force will also help ensure that the Department of Justice is adequately equipped to address and prosecute criminals behind the influx of foreign robocalls.

The bill also extends the FCC’s renewal period for the Industry Traceback Group from one year to three years. That change will help the Traceback Group, established in the TRACED Act, continue its successful work of tracing back the source of unlawful robocalls.

Read the full text of this bill HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/04/budd-joins-risch-shaheen-colleagues-in-introducing-bipartisan-human-trafficking-prevention-bill/,"Budd Joins Risch, Shaheen, Colleagues in Introducing Bipartisan Human Trafficking Prevention Bill",2025-08-04,2025,2025-08,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in introducing the International Trafficking Victims Protections Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). This legislation seeks to reauthorize and enhance critical programming essential to combating human trafficking worldwide.

“Human trafficking is one of the most horrific evils—not merely a heinous crime, but a blatant assault on the freedom and dignity of every human being. I’m proud to stand with Chairman Risch and Ranking Member Shaheen to reaffirm America’s global leadership to end modern-day slavery. By equipping President Trump with tools to combat forced labor and sex trafficking,the U.S. will continue to defend victims entrapped in brutal trafficking networks both here at home and around the world,” said Senator Budd.

“Human traffickers are the worst of the worst—whether it is smuggling people over our southern border, or the millions trapped in modern-day slavery—we must do all we can to stop this abuse and hold the perpetrators accountable. This bill will give the Trump Administration the tools to counter human trafficking both in and outside the U.S. and ensure that our allies are pulling their weight as well,” said Chairman Risch.

“Around the world, horrific acts of human trafficking continue to impact an estimated more than 27 million victims,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “For years, the United States has led global efforts to prevent and respond to these despicable practices. That is why I am proud to reintroduce bipartisan legislation requiring the United States to remain committed to this fight. The work of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons should be bolstered, not hit with cuts to programs and staff as has unfortunately been the case. Today’s bill shows Congress’s commitment to ensure this work continues.”

Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Expanding upon the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, the TVPRA will:

1. Authorize the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office)

2. Amend the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act to ensure a nation’s commitment and progress towards implementing effective counter-trafficking measures are factors when determining recipients of U.S. development assistance

3. Create new oversight mechanisms for heightened transparency on human trafficking reporting

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/04/sen-budd-colleagues-urge-dol-to-repeal-biden-era-rules-harming-farmers-ease-accessibility-for-visas-used-by-ag-producers/,"Sen. Budd, Colleagues Urge DOL to Repeal Biden-Era Rules Harming Farmers, Ease Accessibility for Visas Used by Ag Producers",2025-08-04,2025,2025-08,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.-5) recently led a bicameral, bipartisan coalition of 84 of their fellow federal lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging the Department of Labor to roll back enforcement of Biden-era regulations that have dramatically increased costs for American farmers. Rules increasing the complexity of the H-2A visa program have increased deficits for farmers and created obstacles for producers seeking to enroll in the program.

As the Members wrote:

“As we continue our work during the 119th Congress here in our nation’s capital, it has been made abundantly clear that farmers continue to face serious challenges back home. Our rural communities have long shown resilience in the face of daunting circumstances and have a proven track record of overcoming various difficulties to get food on the table. Today, they face a number of issues, including high input costs, a widening trade deficit, and a long road to recovery after recent natural disasters. On top of these hardships, the ongoing shortage of a reliable agricultural workforce remains a paramount concern that threatens the future of American agriculture.

“While consistent access to agricultural labor has always been difficult, the Biden Administration further complicated this issue by applying a series of rules that fundamentally altered the implementation of the H-2A visa program and the methodology used to determine the Adverse Effective Wage Rate (AEWR). These changes placed a significant burden on American farmers by further increasing farm labor wages. Your team at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has recognized the impact of these policies and taken important steps to address them. We commend your efforts, particularly with the recent progress in halting enforcement of the Biden Administration’s farm labor unionization rule and advancing a proposal to rescind provisions within it […]

“Enforcement of this rule directly contributes to higher food costs for all Americans. Last Congress, various congressional colleagues helped in leading a bicameral resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to protect producers from this rule. Unfortunately, the rule was still finalized, which has caused unnecessary and burdensome cost increases for our nation’s farmers. We encourage you to fully rescind this out-of-touch rule to create more pragmatic labor wages for America’s farmers.

“The Trump Administration has a unique opportunity to bring long-overdue clarity and stability to agricultural labor policy. As you continue your service as Secretary of Labor, we respectfully urge you to not only push back against the Biden Administration’s harmful rules, but also to work collaboratively with your colleagues in President Trump’s Cabinet and in Congress to make the H-2A visa program more accessible and flexible for all producers, and to reform the AEWR methodology to prevent unsustainable wage increases. We stand ready to partner with you and your team at the DOL to find practical, long-term solutions to these pressing challenges.”

For a full list of signers and to read the full text of this letter, click HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/04/sen-budd-senate-colleagues-urge-secretary-lutnick-to-probe-deepseek-ais-connections-to-chinese-military-intelligence/,"Sen. Budd, Senate Colleagues Urge Secretary Lutnick to Probe DeepSeek AI’s Connections to Chinese Military, Intelligence",2025-08-04,2025,2025-08,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) recently led a group of Senate colleagues in urging Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to probe allegations made by U.S. officials that DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence has provided support to the People’s Republic of China’s military and intelligence operations. The letter requests that the Department of Commerce investigate these allegations and thoroughly review threats posed by other Chinese open-source models that may be feeding information back to servers with ties to the Chinese government.

In the letter to Secretary Lutnick, the Senators wrote:

“We write to you regarding concerning security vulnerabilities and the potential compromising of American personal and enterprise data through the use of DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence (AI) reasoning models. Recent reporting states that U.S. officials believe that DeepSeek “has willingly provided and will likely continue to provide support to China’s military and intelligence operations.” The article further states that U.S. officials allege that DeepSeek is sharing user information and statistics with Beijing’s surveillance apparatus.

“These allegations are deeply troubling. DeepSeek’s R1’s model release in late January demonstrated the aptitude of People’s Republic of China (PRC) national AI talent and the progress their home-grown models have made relative to leading U.S. products. The Trump Administration has rightly emphasized winning the AI competition against the PRC, and the development of AI use case applications for businesses and consumers is an important facet of that competition. Ensuring that such applications are secure and not prone to leaking secure information and malign exploitation is paramount […]

“The U.S. government has previously recognized the threats posed by the wide-spread adoption of certain PRC technologies. For example, Congress funded a multi-billion program to remove Huawei telecommunications hardware from American networks after it was determined that such hardware could contain backdoors for PRC espionage.”

The letter requests that the Commerce Department evaluate potential backdoors or vulnerabilities posed by Chinese open-source models like DeepSeek’s R1 and provide a briefing to Congress regarding any relevant findings. Specifically, the letter also asks the department to elaborate on its plans to focus on cybersecurity and data protection as part of the work of the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI), and review how AI models may be circumventing export controls on semiconductors.

Joining Sen. Budd in sending this letter were Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Husted (R-Ohio), John Curtis (R-Utah), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

Read the full text of this letter HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/08/01/senators-budd-kelly-introduce-seize-act-to-authorize-transfer-of-confiscated-iranian-weapons-to-u-s-partners/,"Senators Budd, Kelly Introduce SEIZE Act to Authorize Transfer of Confiscated Iranian Weapons to U.S. Partners",2025-08-01,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"SEIZE Act also introduced as a floor amendment to FY 2026 NDAA

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) introduced the bipartisan Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization (SEIZE) Act to authorize the use of Presidential Drawdown Authority to transfer confiscated Iranian weapons seized in transit to terror proxies like the Houthi’s in Yemen to U.S. partners for their use. The SEIZE Act would bypass a potentially year-long legal process for the distribution of captured Iranian weapons and equipment held by U.S. CENTCOM, allowing it to be sent directly to U.S. military partners around the globe.

“When the United States confiscates Iranian weapons, they not only ensure that Iran’s terror proxies are denied equipment meant to harm American servicemembers and our partners, like Israel, but they also generate stockpiles that would be beneficial in the hands of U.S. allies,” said Sen. Budd. “The SEIZE Act would make it easier to distribute confiscated weapons to partners actively engaged in conflict with America’s adversaries, without an arbitrary and complicated legal process that leaves Iranian contraband in legal limbo. I am grateful to partner with Sen. Mark Kelly on this legislation which will provide the Department of Defense flexibility to get these weapons in the hands of partners who need them the most.”

“When the United States intercepts weapons heading from Iran to the Houthi militia, we shouldn’t let bureaucracy stop us from giving those weapons to our trusted allies,” said Sen. Kelly. “This bipartisan bill cuts red tape and makes it easier to turn Iran’s lawbreaking aggression into security for us and our allies.”

The caches of Iranian weapons captured en route to Yemen can be substantial and would greatly benefit America’s partners engaged in conflicts if delivered in a timely manner.

As an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigationsshowed, “Between May 2021 and January 2023, the U.S. Navy seized the weapons, which included more than 9,000 rifles, 284 machine guns, approximately 194 rocket launchers, more than 70 anti-tank guided missiles, and more than 700,000 rounds of ammunition, during routine maritime security operations conducted in and around the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.”

In addition to introducing the SEIZE Act as a stand-alone piece of legislation, Sens. Budd and Kelly have offered the legislation for consideration as an amendment to the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Read the full text of the SEIZE Act HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:02:47Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/31/senators-budd-gillibrand-lummis-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-stop-illegal-use-of-digital-assets-by-criminals-and-terrorists/,"Senators Budd, Gillibrand, Lummis Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Stop Illegal Use of Digital Assets by Criminals and Terrorists",2025-07-31,2025,2025-07,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.—U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) in reintroducing the Financial Technology Protection Act. The bipartisan bill aims to address the illegal use of financial technologies and digital assets to prevent sanctions evasion, terrorist financing, and money laundering.

“While financial technologies are driving innovation and expanding individual freedom, criminals and terrorists are exploiting digital assets – putting both our financial and national security at risk. We must take these threats seriously and work toward solutions that put a stop to this rampant criminal activity. I introduced the bipartisan Financial Technology Protection Act to do just that, because we cannot continue to ignore this illicit abuse or hinder this pro-growth technology. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation before these crimes and threats escalate further,” said Senator Budd.

“As financial technology continues to evolve, we must ensure it strengthens, not threatens, our national security. The bipartisan Financial Technology Protection Act would establish an independent working group that brings together government agencies, regulators, and industry experts to proactively identify emerging risks and develop robust, innovative solutions. This collaborative discourse will ensure we can keep our financial systems safe while bolstering the United States’ leadership on digital asset innovation on the global stage. This bipartisan legislation has already passed the House four times, including a unanimous vote in House Financial Services earlier this month. I look forward to working with Senator Budd to advance it in the Senate,” said Senator Gillibrand.

“Digital assets are the future of American financial innovation and it is critical that as we craft pro-growth legislation that we also maintain security standards. The Financial Technology Protection Act strikes the right balance of developing safeguards against illicit activities without stifling the innovation that makes our digital economy thrive. I am proud to join Senator Budd in securing America’s position as a leader in the digital asset space while protecting consumers and maintaining the integrity of our financial system,” said Senator Lummis.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

Financial Technology Protection Act:

Establishes an independent working group to combat terrorism and illicit financing, made up of:

Representatives from the following agencies: Department of the Treasury, Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and Drug Enforcement Administration.

Private sector participation from: Financial Technology Companies, Blockchain Intelligence Companies, Financial Institutions, Research Organizations, and Privacy and Civil Liberties Organizations.

Senator Budd’s legislation was included in the Senate’s market structure bill, led by Senate Subcommittee on Digital Assets Chair Lummis. This legislative package will provide the crypto industry with the regulatory certainty needed to unlock new investments and innovation.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/31/senators-budd-scott-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-stop-federal-government-overreach-in-small-business-lending/,"Senators Budd, Scott, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Stop Federal Government Overreach in Small Business Lending",2025-07-31,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in reintroducing the Protecting Access to Credit for Small Businesses Act to protect community banks and credit unions from competing with the federal government. The bill does so by prohibiting a Biden-era rule that allows the Small Business Administration (SBA) to facilitate direct government lending.

“Time and again, the federal government has shown it is neither efficient nor effective when it comes to delivering direct loan support to small businesses. Community banks and credit unions, not Washington bureaucrats, understand the needs of the businesses they serve. It’s time we stop sidelining them. I am proud to join Senator Scott and my colleagues to put power back in the hands of local institutions that invest in our communities, rather than forcing them to compete with the federal government,”said Senator Budd.

“The SBA has a poor track record as a direct lender, especially compared to local banks that know the communities they serve. Allowing the SBA to directly offer loans is not just another example of government overreach, it would also hurt Main Street by creating unnecessary competition with community banks and credit unions. The private sector has a much stronger record of managing loans effectively, and the last thing we need is big government disrupting a system that local businesses rely on,” said Senator Scott.

Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Risch (R-Idaho), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

The bill has received support from the American Bankers Association, America’s Credit Unions, Bank Policy Institute, Carolinas Credit Union League, Consumer Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, and South Carolina Bankers Association.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

President Biden’s fiscal year 2025 budget included a proposal that allows the SBA to directly make loans under the 7(a) lending program.

The SBA has a history of performing poorly in lending programs compared to the private sector.

According to the SBA Office of Inspector’s 2023 report, the government-led COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program had $136 billion in potential fraud (33 percent of total funds disbursed). In contrast, the private-sector-led Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) had $64 billion (8 percent of funds disbursed).

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/31/sens-budd-heinrich-introduce-amendment-to-crack-down-on-illicit-anti-obesity-drugs-entering-the-u-s-from-china/,"Sens. Budd, Heinrich Introduce Amendment to Crack Down on Illicit Anti-Obesity Drugs Entering the U.S. from China",2025-07-31,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Bipartisan amendment would help ensure FDA can utilize existing statutory authority to protect Americans from counterfeit, unapproved drugs from unregistered facilities in China

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) recently introduced an amendment to the 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to ensure the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can activate regulatory and enforcement authorities to prevent the importation of illicit weight loss drugs and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) from the Republic of China and other foreign countries.

These illicit products, which include unregulated versions of ingredients used in name-brand GLP-1 medicines, are often produced in facilities in China that are not always registered with the FDA and pose serious risks to American consumers, with sometimes fatal consequences.

“The Chinese Communist Party has proven time and again that it is willing to exploit our supply chain and endanger American lives to advance its own interests,” said Senator Budd. “That includes flooding our country with counterfeit, unapproved weight-loss drugs made in unregulated facilities. It is critically important that the United States maintains the gold standard for safe, effective medicines and we must act decisively to protect American patients. I am glad to partner with Senator Heinrich on this important issue, and I look forward to working with Commissioner Makary and Secretary Kennedy to help ensure the FDA can shut the door on these dangerous products at our borders and hold bad actors accountable.”

“We have a responsibility to protect Americans from dangerous, counterfeit drugs entering our country,” said Senator Heinrich. “Too many of these unapproved weight-loss drugs are being produced in unregistered facilities in China with no oversight and no regard for safety. That’s why I’m introducing bipartisan legislation with Senator Budd to ensure the FDA can crack down on these illicit imports and keep American consumers safe.”

BACKGROUND

A recent Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) public service announcement warned that counterfeit weight loss products have been found to contain both “drugs with high levels of impurities” and “unsafe or unapproved drugs” with misbranded or adulterated packaging. To protect America’s supply chain from these potential threats, actions from the FDA may include refusing the entry of illicit drugs and API, issuing warning letters to foreign suppliers, and initiating civil enforcement actions.

This amendment follows a bipartisan letter Representative Richard Hudson (R-N.C.-09) led in sending to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, which urged immediate action against the rising threat of illegal, counterfeit anti-obesity medications entering the United States.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/7/tillis-colleagues-introduce-framework-to-combat-foreign-online-piracy-protect-american-copyright-holders,"Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Framework to Combat Foreign Online Piracy, Protect American Copyright Holders",2025-07-30,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced a discussion draft of the Block Bad Electronic Art and Recording Distributors (Block BEARD) Act of 2025 bipartisan legislation that would allow copyright owners, who have had their property stolen, to seek U.S. federal court action to block dedicated foreign online piracy operations from making that stolen content available to American households.

“Foreign piracy sites are stealing from American creators, threatening good-paying jobs, and exposing U.S. consumers to real online harms via malware, identity theft, and the like,” said Senator Tillis. “The Block BEARD Act gives us a smart, targeted tool to stop these criminal operations at the source without infringing on legitimate speech or due process. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan discussion to protect our creative economy and digital security and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House to address this important matter.”

“Foreign websites pirating American movies, TV shows, art, and books steal tens of billions of dollars from the U.S. economy each year,” said Senator Coons. “This costs our creative community hundreds of thousands of jobs. Today, the United States takes an important step to join the many other nations around the world that have taken steps to crack down on foreign IP theft. This bipartisan legislation will give Americans the tools they need to protect their intellectual property rights, while ensuring the internet remains a vibrant forum for free speech. I look forward to working with my colleagues and with stakeholders on all sides of this issue to advance this much-needed bill.”

“Tennessee’s thriving creative community must be protected from the theft of creative works by foreign criminals,” said Senator Blackburn. “Foreign piracy operations jeopardize the American creative industry through phishing, identity theft, and financial fraud, and the Block BEARD Act would protect creators by enabling them to pursue legal action in U.S. federal courts against these criminals.""

“I'm proud to join my colleagues in this effort to protect creators and consumers alike from foreign criminal enterprises seeking to steal our intellectual property and exploit Americans,” said Senator Schiff. “As Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property and a steadfast advocate for the creative community, I understand that robust protections are essential for innovation and economic growth in the digital age. This commonsense approach will provide the courts with the tools they need to combat foreign piracy operations and help level the playing field for American artists and creators who deserve to be fairly compensated for their work.”

“We are grateful to Senators Tillis, Coons, Blackburn, and Schiff for their leadership in crafting a carefully tailored proposal that empowers US federal courts to protect consumers, rightsholders, and markets from large scale foreign piracy while preserving the protections contained in the DMCA,” said Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO, Recording Industry Association of America. “Similar tools have been proven effective around the world over the last ten years with no harm to speech, Internet infrastructure or security, or participation online, and we strongly support this effort to create a simple, effective, judicial remedy with due process in the U.S.”

“Piracy steals hundreds of thousands of jobs from the film and television industry, drains billions from the U.S. economy, and puts millions of American consumers at risk – and the Block BEARD Act will provide us with a safe and effective way to counter this danger and combat large-scale copyright infringement,” said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO, Motion Picture Association. “With bold leadership from Senators Tillis, Coons, Blackburn, and Schiff, the Block BEARD Act will equip our nation with a tool that’s worked in dozens of countries worldwide: a narrow, targeted means to fight the worst forms of foreign piracy while protecting free speech and the rule of law.”

Background:

The Block BEARD Act would empower copyright owners to seek U.S. federal court orders against foreign websites dedicated to digital piracy, preventing them from making stolen content accessible to American households. To obtain relief, copyright holders must present evidence of specific harm and demonstrate the criminal nature of the targeted site. Courts could then direct internet service providers block access to the identified sites, while granting those providers immunity from liability, including for claims related to the petitioner’s actions. The legislation includes strong public interest safeguards to protect free expression, due process, and legitimate online services operating in compliance with U.S. law. This targeted legal tool mirrors successful approaches used in over 50 democratic countries to curb foreign piracy operations that undermine creative industry jobs and expose users to malware, identity theft, and fraud.

Full text of the Block BEARD Act is available HERE.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/29/senator-budd-joins-chairman-cruz-colleagues-in-introducing-the-rotor-act-to-improve-aviation-safety-following-dca-crash/,"Senator Budd Joins Chairman Cruz, Colleagues in Introducing the ROTOR Act to Improve Aviation Safety Following DCA Crash",2025-07-29,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Budd delivers remarks at press conference with Secretary Sean Duffy, key transportation leaders, and families of DCA crash victims

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today joined Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, legislation responding to the tragic accident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that occurred on January 29, 2025, and the ongoing concerns to improve aviation safety in the National Capital Region (NCR) and around the country.

The ROTOR Act would establish new requirements for virtually all aircraft to use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). ADS-B technology allows aircraft to accurately communicate their location with greater precision than traditional radar.

On the six-month anniversary of the DCA crash, Sen. Budd joined Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, Senate colleagues, and family members representing victims at a press conference to unveil the ROTOR Act.

WATCH: Sen. Budd Delivers Remarks in Support of ROTOR Act

During the press conference, Sen. Budd said:

“I wish we weren’t here because I wish this wasn’t an anniversary at all […] This hits home, because six out of the 67 souls that lost their lives that day were North Carolinians, or North Carolina connected, including all four members of the Charlotte-based flight crew and one of the helicopter pilots.

“I’m hopeful that our efforts in Congress, starting today, are going to make a difference in making our entire air traffic control system and our airspace a lot safer. ADS-B is a critical safety technology. Mandating that aircraft are equipped and using this technology […] I think is a key step in making sure that all Americans are safe.”

Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) also co-sponsored the ROTOR Act.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The ROTOR Act additionally:

Requires all aircraft in controlled airspace to be equipped with “ADS-B In,” which will allow pilots to communicate better with other aircraft, air traffic control (ATC), and vehicles on the ground.

Closes a loophole that permits the Department of Defense to fly aircraft domestically without having to use “ADS-B Out” technology.

Enhances oversight of helicopter routes near commercial service airports, requires quarterly reports on “ADS-B Out” compliance, and studies potential improvements to the airspace around DCA.

Mandates all newly manufactured aircraft to be equipped with ADS-B technology for use in crowded airspaces.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/7/tillis-urges-senate-leaders-to-replenish-disaster-relief-fund,Tillis Urges Senate Leaders to Replenish Disaster Relief Fund,2025-07-29,2025,2025-07,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 (R-NC) recently sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) urging swift action to address the impending budget shortfall in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).

“In March, Congress passed the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution, which again provided additional funding to the DRF. While OMB and DHS publicly maintain that the DRF is solvent through the end of the fiscal year, recent data indicate otherwise. Additionally, state emergency management leaders report sudden delays in reimbursements starting in June in what appears to be an attempt to avoid initiating Immediate Needs Funding (INF) before the end of the fiscal year to avoid exhausting the DRF’s Major Disasters account. This de facto INF posture jeopardizes my state’s recovery, and more concerningly, places FEMA in a precarious financial posture as Congress leaves town for the August state work period,” wrote Senator Tillis.

“As we head into the heart of hurricane and wildfire season, we simply cannot afford to wait until after disaster strikes to provide FEMA the emergency funding necessary to adequately respond. Therefore, I respectfully request that Congress act to replenish the FEMA DRF in the current work period,” Senator Tillis concluded.

Full text of the letter is available HERE.

Background:

In June, Senator Tillis introduced legislation to replenish the DRF to ensure FEMA has the financial resources it needs to respond to natural disasters in the months ahead. Tillis’ legislation would provide $25 billion for the DRF, which would fulfill President Trump’s historic DRF funding request for Congress.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/28/budd-hagerty-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-protect-american-assets-from-unlawful-seizures-by-foreign-governments/,"Budd, Hagerty, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Protect American Assets from Unlawful Seizures by Foreign Governments",2025-07-28,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and several of his Senate Republican colleagues in introducing the Defending American Property Abroad Act. This legislation will deter and punish any nation in the Western Hemisphere that unlawfully seizes American assets. The bill responds to ongoing efforts by the Mexican government to seize a deep-water port owned by U.S.-based Vulcan Materials Company, in flagrant violation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which governs trade between our two nations.

“The illegal seizure of American-owned property is a blatant violation of international law, and the Government of Mexico has knowingly crossed that line. The Defending American Property Abroad Act creates consequences for Mexico’s reckless actions. It’s time to implement firm protections to ensure American companies operating abroad are no longer exploited or undermined by foreign governments,” said Senator Budd.

“I strongly condemn the Mexican government’s threats against Vulcan Materials Company and I am pleased to see this bipartisan and bicameral rebuke from the United States Senate. Under the leadership of Mexico’s previous president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and now the current president, Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican government is committing a blatant theft against a major American company and, by extension, the United States itself. No nation should be allowed to bully an American firm without consequences. Our legislation will counter any attempt by the Mexican government to profit from illegal moves to expropriate, nationalize, or otherwise seize U.S. assets,” said Senator Hagerty.

“American companies operating abroad should not have to fear arbitrary government actions that undermine their property rights. The Defending American Property Abroad Act will ensure that such actions do not go unchecked and that American businesses are protected from unjust expropriation. The protection of American property rights abroad is essential for fostering economic growth and maintaining our national security. I urge my colleagues in Congress to support this critical legislation and send a clear message that the United States will not tolerate unjust actions against American companies,” said Representative Pfluger.

U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) co-sponsored the legislation. Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas-11) has introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

In January of this year, Senator Budd asked a question for the record directed toward U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, regarding the Mexican army’s invasion of Vulcan Materials’ Mexico facility in 2022, which led to the halting of shipments containing building materials into the U.S.

Senator Budd called the actions taken by the Government of Mexico “egregious” and called on the Trump administration to put pressure on Mexico for harming its trade relationship with the U.S.

In response, Secretary Lutnick stated, “I will stand up for American companies whenever improper actions are taken against them by foreign governments.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/7/tillis-colleagues-advocate-for-critical-nih-research-funding,"Tillis, Colleagues Advocate for Critical NIH Research Funding",2025-07-28,2025,2025-07,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 (R-NC) and 13 of his Senate Republican colleagues sent a letter to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), advocating for the disbursement of appropriated funds to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support initiatives across a range of critical research areas, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rare pediatric disorders.

“We write to ask you to fully implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, including funds appropriated for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The continuing resolution supports NIH initiatives across a range of critical research areas — cancer, cardiovascular disease, rare pediatric disorders, and more. These vital efforts are not only necessary to Make America Healthy Again, but also have a direct impact on American families, biomedical innovation, our economy, and competing with Communist China,” the senators wrote.

“We are concerned by the slow disbursement rate of FY25 NIH funds, as it risks undermining critical research and the thousands of American jobs it supports. Suspension of these appropriated funds — whether formally withheld or functionally delayed — could threaten Americans' ability to access better treatments and limit our nation's leadership in biomedical science. It also risks inadvertently severing ongoing NIH-funded research prior to actionable results. We share your commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological,” the senators continued.

“We share your commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological or unaccountable programs. We are confident Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya are well positioned to uphold gold standard research by ensuring that NIH awards are grounded in transparency, scientific merit, and a clear alignment with national interests. Our shared goal is to restore public trust in the NIH precisely because its work is focused on results, accountability, and real-world impact. Withholding or suspending these funds would jeopardize that trust and hinder progress on critical health challenges facing our nation,” the senators concluded.

Full text of the letter is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/25/budd-joins-cornyn-colleagues-in-introducing-bill-to-hold-illegal-aliens-accountable-for-committing-murder/,"Budd Joins Cornyn, Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Hold Illegal Aliens Accountable for Committing Murder",2025-07-25,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) in introducing the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act, which would create a new federal offense for an illegal alien or deportable alien who commits murder in the United States.

“Under the Biden administration’s reckless open border policies, far too many innocent Americans tragically lost their lives at the hands of violent criminals who should not have been in the country. Now that President Trump has secured our border, I am committed to putting ironclad policies in place to hold illegal aliens accountable for heinous crimes committed on U.S. soil. I am proud to join Senator Cornyn and my colleagues to bring justice to victims by making an act of murder committed by an illegal or deportable alien a federal offense,” said Senator Budd.

“Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants to come into this country and brutally murder innocent Americans. I’m proud to join with my GOP colleagues to deliver justice for the victims who were tragically ripped from their families at the hands of the criminal aliens by holding these perpetrators accountable for their heinous actions and subjecting them to the death penalty,” said Senator Cornyn.

U.S. Senators Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

U.S. Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas-08) is leading this legislation in the House of Representatives.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act would:

Allow the federal government to prosecute illegal aliens who commit murder in the United States, and if convicted of first-degree murder under this statute, offenders could face the death penalty or life in prison;

Close a dangerous loophole by enabling the federal government to step in and vigorously prosecute an illegal alien murder in certain jurisdictions where a prosecutor may fail to seek an adequate penalty due to a lack of resources or partisan views;

And ensure those who are unlawfully in the U.S. and commit these heinous crimes do not slip through the cracks of the legal system due to jurisdictional challenges.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/7/tillis-padilla-applaud-senate-judiciary-committee-passage-of-the-trace-act,"Tillis, Padilla Applaud Senate Judiciary Committee Passage of the TRACE Act",2025-07-25,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) applauded the passage of the TRACE Act out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The TRACE Act is a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would require the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to include an additional category to the existing National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems (NamUs) database so the public and law enforcement partners can denote cases where the person went missing or was identified on federal land or territorial waters of the United States —including by providing specific location details.

The bill also requires DOJ to submit an annual report to Congress on the number of cases of persons missing or suspected of going missing on public lands or territorial waters of the United States from the previous year. With this new feature, family and friends of people who have gone missing on public lands could more easily find and include this information in NamUs, while law enforcement agencies can simultaneously work to improve the national records of individuals missing on public lands.

“Every year, people go missing on public lands without being recorded in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System,” said Senator Tillis. “This oversight is impeding law enforcement from keeping track of those who go missing to help search and rescue efforts. I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation so these cases can be added to the database and potentially save hundreds of lives in the future, and I look forward to supporting this legislation on the Senate floor.”

“Thousands of people go missing on public lands every year in the United States, but without an effective tracking system, law enforcement faces significant challenges in finding them,” said Senator Padilla. “Public lands should be safe for everyone. That’s why I will keep working with Senator Tillis and my colleagues across the aisle to pass this bipartisan legislation to improve data accuracy and accessibility, give law enforcement better tools to resolve cases, and bring peace of mind to affected families.”

Background:

According to a NamUs report, over 600,000 people go missing in the United States annually. While the majority of these cases are resolved, tens of thousands of people remain missing every year. There are approximately 640 million acres of federal land which include national parks, national forests, and Bureau of Land Management lands.

Estimates suggest that at least 1,600 people have gone missing on public lands, though the number is likely much higher, as isolated or rugged terrain on public lands can make it especially difficult to find or identify people who go missing. Despite this, there is no functional system to report people who have gone missing on public lands. Having accurate data on how many people go missing on our public lands every year is crucial to aid search and rescue efforts and resolve cases.

NamUs is the main system used by law enforcement, families and friends of missing persons, medical examiners, and coroners to report unidentified remains and missing persons, and is also used by the public.

The TRACE Act is endorsed by the Public Lands Solution, Jewish Women's Institute, Major County Sheriffs Association, Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), NDAA, Raven, National Association to End Sexual Violence, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/24/budd-votes-to-advance-senates-intelligence-authorization-highlights-wins-for-privacy-and-national-security/,"Budd Votes to Advance Senate’s Intelligence Authorization, Highlights Wins for Privacy and National Security",2025-07-24,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence,released the following statement after the release of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (IAA).

“I was proud to support the Intelligence Authorization Act, my first since joining the Intelligence Committee earlier this year,” said Sen. Budd. “This important legislation ensures our Intelligence Community has the resources and flexibility needed to keep Americans safe from foreign threats. I am especially proud of the reforms made to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to improve the agency’s efficiency by reducing its increasingly bloated bureaucracy. The Intelligence Authorization Act also supports policy priorities in my work on the Commerce and Armed Services Committees, including preserving key spectrum bands used by the Intelligence Community, improving access to artificial intelligence, protecting Americans’ privacy, and ensuring key facilities are protected from emerging technological threats.”

The Intelligence Authorization Act includes several policy priorities Sen. Budd has championed in his new role on the Intelligence Committee, including:

Reducing bureaucratic red tape to return the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to its original size, scope, and mission.

Earlier this Congress, Sen. Budd joined Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) in introducing the Intelligence Community Efficiency and Effectiveness Act.

Improving the Intelligence Community’s AI capabilities by establishing new guidelines for procuring and using AI.

Preserving spectrum bands used by the Intelligence Community by clarifying agencies’ eligibility under the Spectrum Relocation Fund.

Protecting Americans’ personal privacy by requiring new procedures for sharing information about U.S. identities and preventing the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis from collecting intelligence on American citizens.

Creating additional review processes for foreign purchases of U.S. land near facilities used by Intelligence Communities to protect against potential hostile drone attacks.

Learn more about the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/7/tillis-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-increase-housing-supply-reduce-costs,"Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Increase Housing Supply, Reduce Costs",2025-07-24,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tim Scott (R-SC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Katie Britt (R-AL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) recently introduced the bipartisan Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, legislation that modernizes the federal definition of “manufactured housing” to include modular or prefabricated homes built without a permanent chassis. By allowing off-chassis manufactured homes, the bill expands consumer access to more efficient and cost-effective designs, providing greater architectural flexibility to better integrate into existing neighborhoods.

“I’m proud to support this commonsense legislation that expands housing options for hardworking families in North Carolina and across the country,” said Senator Tillis. “By modernizing the definition of manufactured homes, we can encourage innovative and affordable designs and help more Americans achieve the dream of homeownership.”

“Manufactured housing plays an important role in helping more Americans access homeownership, but we need to make sure outdated regulations aren’t preventing newer, potentially more innovative models from coming to market,” said Chairman Scott. “This legislation will remove red tape and lower the costs of building these types of homes, increasing access to affordable housing opportunities for Americans across the country.”

“Manufactured homes are some of the most affordable housing solutions on the market, but outdated laws are preventing newer, safer models from becoming widely available,” said Senator Gallego. “Our bipartisan bill makes a simple update to allow for greater design flexibility and bring down the cost of manufactured homes.”

“We need to build as many homes as we can to address our national shortage, and we can’t let outdated rules needlessly constrain supply,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill will unlock manufactured homes in both urban and rural areas around the country, making manufactured homes and all housing more accessible and affordable.”

“We must find new, innovative ways to expand affordable housing venues so more individuals can achieve the American Dream of owning their home,” said Senator Crapo. “It is time to throw out established norms and cut bureaucratic hurdles that stand in the way of innovative designs to increasing affordable housing.”

“With this small adjustment, our legislation would help increase the production of affordable housing in California during a historic housing crisis,” said Senator Padilla. “Simply modifying the definition of manufactured houses would cost the government nothing and could unlock greater design flexibility while increasing the desperately needed affordable housing supply.”

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/22/budd-joins-young-colleagues-to-urge-end-to-foreign-free-riding-burdening-american-patients-calls-for-ip-negotiator-appointment/,"Budd Joins Young, Colleagues to Urge End to Foreign Free-Riding Burdening American Patients & Calls for IP Negotiator Appointment",2025-07-22,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), and several of his Senate Republicans colleagues, in sending a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick urging the Trump Administration to use ongoing trade negotiations to eliminate foreign price controls that leave American patients footing the cost for pharmaceutical research and development.

“We welcome President Trump’s efforts to ensure foreign nations pay their fair share toward the cost of pharmaceutical research and development. For too long, some developed nations have benefited from American-financed innovation by implementing policies that suppress prices and limit spending on new medicines in their own markets,” wrote the senators. “These actions have contributed to American patients bearing a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical innovation costs. U.S. trade negotiations offer a valuable mechanism to address these unfair practices, which not only burden Americans, but also function as non-tariff barriers to trade.”

The letter also urges the Administration to designate a senior political official within the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to lead trade discussions on pharmaceutical pricing in the near term, and to promptly nominate a qualified individual to fill the long-vacant Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator role, who would ultimately assume leadership of this effort. Created by Congress in 2015, the position was intended to “address acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that have a significant adverse impact on the value of United States innovation.”

“Appointing an experienced Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator would send a strong signal to our trading partners that the United States is committed to addressing imbalanced pharmaceutical pricing and ensuring that any commitments secured are effectively implemented and enforced over the long term,” the senators wrote.

U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) also joined in signing the letter.

Read the full letter text HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer,

We welcome President Trump’s efforts to ensure foreign nations pay their fair share toward the cost of pharmaceutical research and development. For too long, some developed nations have benefited from American-financed innovation by implementing policies that suppress prices and limit spending on new medicines in their own markets. These actions have contributed to American patients bearing a disproportionate share of global pharmaceutical innovation costs. U.S. trade negotiations offer a valuable mechanism to address these unfair practices, which not only burden Americans, but also function as non-tariff barriers to trade.

Executive Order 14297, issued on May 12, directed the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to pursue the removal of policies and practices abroad that have “the effect of forcing American patients to pay for a disproportionate amount of global pharmaceutical research and development, including by suppressing the price of pharmaceutical products below fair market value in foreign countries.” Consistent with this directive, it is important that Commerce and USTR engage with U.S. trading partners to negotiate binding commitments to remove these market-distorting price controls.

Currently, dozens of countries—including those with longstanding pricing policies affecting U.S. pharmaceutical products—have expressed interest or are currently undergoing tariff negotiations. Now is the time for Commerce and USTR to clarify top priorities, capitalize on opportunities, and resolve unfair foreign government policies in support of American workers and patients.

Given the complexity of the issues and their importance to the American public, we urge the Administration to immediately designate a senior political official at USTR to lead the effort to secure and enforce pharmaceutical pricing commitments through trade negotiations and also to promptly nominate a qualified individual to fill the vacant position of Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator. Congress created this important position in 2015 to “address acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that have a significant adverse impact on the value of United States innovation.” Once filled, we recommend this role—supported by a team within USTR—be charged with leading this effort.

Appointing an experienced Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator would send a strong signal to our trading partners that the United States is committed to addressing imbalanced pharmaceutical pricing and ensuring that any commitments secured are effectively implemented and enforced over the long term.

We look forward to working with you as you confront these longstanding and unfair price controls that leave Americans disproportionately funding global health care innovation. Eliminating these egregious practices could increase investment in medical research and development by billions of dollars and lower overall health care costs for Americans. In addition, encouraging foreign governments to appropriately value medicines developed and produced in the United States would significantly bolster U.S. exports and jobs. We appreciate your continued attention to this issue and stand ready to support efforts that promote fair and sustainable trade outcomes.

Sincerely,

/X/

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/22/sens-budd-blunt-rochester-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-streamline-american-manufacturing/,"Sens. Budd, Blunt Rochester Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Streamline American Manufacturing",2025-07-22,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, introduced the bipartisan Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act. The bill would amend the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to align the timelines for multiple advanced manufacturing initiatives to every four years on the same cycle.

“Unleashing the next generation of technological innovation will make Americans’ everyday lives easier, create new jobs, and help American companies stay competitive in the global market. North Carolina has one of the most talented workforces in the nation, which has made the Old North State a leader in advanced manufacturing. I am proud to partner with my colleague, Senator Blunt Rochester, on this common-sense bill to ensure that our nation has a clear vision to keep American manufacturers ahead in the technological race and driving our economy forward,” said Senator Budd.

“I have spent my career in Congress working to strengthen American manufacturing to create jobs and lower costs for hardworking people in Delaware and across the nation. The introduction of our bipartisan Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act is another critical step in that effort. This bill will ensure everyone can be on the same page and cut unnecessary red tape across the American manufacturing sector. I am grateful to Senator Budd for his partnership on this effort on behalf of our constituents and look forward to working with our colleagues on the Commerce Committee and throughout the Senate to get this bill passed into law,” said Senator Blunt Rochester.

“The U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Council welcomes the introduction of the Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act. This legislation is a beneficial, commonsense, and bipartisan step that will improve the alignment of important national strategy initiatives for domestic advanced manufacturing. The USMIC appreciates this effort to improve the national planning process,” said Franz Wuerfmannsdobler, Executive Director of the U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Council.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGOUND

As it currently stands, the Manufacturing USA Strategic Plan establishes a 3-year planning cycle for updating the 17 Manufacturing USA Institutes, as mandated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act. However, the National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing is updated every four years on a different cycle.

The alignment established under the Streamlining American Manufacturing Strategy Act will set clear goals, synchronize data collection, and increase collaboration for U.S. advanced manufacturing stakeholders.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/7/tillis-statement-on-the-importance-of-an-independent-federal-reserve,Tillis Statement on the Importance of an Independent Federal Reserve,2025-07-17,2025,2025-07,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 released the following statement on the importance of an independent Federal Reserve:

“The independence of the Fed is paramount. Terminating Chairman Powell risks a protracted legal battle with potential economic consequences like the disruptions we briefly saw in U.S. Treasury and dollar markets yesterday. These impacts will only threaten the foundation for long-term economic growth, including all the economic progress made by President Trump over the last six months. While dramatic fluctuations may not make the wealthy lose sleep at night, they can seriously harm those working-class Americans I grew up with who are already struggling to get by.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/16/sens-budd-justice-hawley-ricketts-introduce-bill-to-increase-transparency-of-foreign-funds-fueling-left-wing-agitators/,"Sens. Budd, Justice, Hawley, Ricketts Introduce Bill to Increase Transparency of Foreign Funds Fueling Left-Wing Agitators",2025-07-16,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"FRONT Act would require U.S. nonprofits to register under FARA if they accept funds from hostile nations

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) led his colleagues in introducing the Foreign Registration Obligations for Nonprofit Transparency (FRONT) Act today, which would require nonprofits in the United States that receive funding from foreign principals in countries of concern, such as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba, to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The bill would also require nonprofits to disclose the activities they use foreign funds to engage in to mitigate future unrest.

“There are serious indicators recent left-wing riots, protests, and rallies resulting in violence and political unrest are funded by foreign agitators. It’s time for American nonprofit organizations to be transparent about where they are getting their funding from. No foreign country with hostile intentions should be meddling in our democratic process. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the FRONT Act to increase transparency and help put a stop to this,” said Senator Budd.

“Let me just say this and be clear: foreign influence in our country’s nonprofits ends now. The FRONT Act ensures that any money coming from our adversaries, like China, will be fully disclosed. This bill is common-sense, provides much needed transparency, and I’m proud to join Senator Budd in this effort,” said Senator Justice.

“I am concerned that U.S. non-profits are receiving foreign funding from our adversaries and countries of concern. Senator Budd’s FRONT Act hardens the United States’ ability to monitor potentially malign influence of non-profits from foreign adversaries. In order to stop adversaries such as Communist China, Russia, and Iran, we must have the tools to better understand their efforts to infiltrate our American system and influence our institutions,” said Senator Ricketts.

Senators Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) joined Senator Budd in introducing the bill.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Background

Recent civil unrest has raised alarms about possible foreign influence impacting U.S. nonprofits that organize and provide material support for protests.

For example, when it comes to riots against ICE enforcement operations, FBI Director Kash Patel has publicly stated, “The FBI is investigating any and all monetary connections responsible for these riots.” Reports have also indicated that “[the] socialist group [which] promoted the chaotic anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles…is tied to a network of groups bankrolled by a pro-China millionaire.”

But this is just the surface of a deeply troubling trend of foreign interference in our political processes. As former Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines claimed, “We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters,” following the October 7 attacks.

What we’re witnessing is not isolated. Safeguarding our political system from continued foreign interference must be a top national security priority to protect the integrity of our democracy.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/7/tillis-announces-24-million-for-raleigh-durham-international-airport-improvements,Tillis Announces $24 Million for Raleigh-Durham International Airport Improvements,2025-07-16,2025,2025-07,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 announced a $24 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to realign key sections of the roadway in front of two terminals at Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) Airport and widen the roadway from two lanes to four lanes. The funding comes from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program for fiscal year 2025, which is partially funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), legislation that Senator Tillis helped negotiate, write, and pass into law.

“This funding will ensure that RDU not only meets national standards but also continues to provide an exceptional experience for passengers,” said Senator Tillis. “As the Triangle region continues to grow, it is vital that we invest in our public transportation and infrastructure, including our airports. I am proud to have worked alongside local leaders to secure this critical funding.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/15/budd-lee-introduce-bill-to-protect-americans-right-to-control-their-digital-assets-and-secure-individual-financial-freedom/,"Budd, Lee Introduce Bill to Protect Americans’ Right to Control Their Digital Assets and Secure Individual Financial Freedom",2025-07-15,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in reintroducing the Keep Your Coins Act to ensure that the federal government cannot infringe upon an individual’s right to control their digital assets.

“Self-custody is a founding principle of the digital asset ecosystem and needs to be protected. I introduced the Keep Your Coins Act of 2025 to ensure the federal government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to control their own digital assets. If cryptocurrencies are going to be digital cash, we need to protect a person’s right to hold their digital cash however they want. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense legislation to ensure financial freedom for the digital asset ecosystem,” said Senator Budd.

“Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government. Washington’s dragnet-style surveillance has eroded the financial privacy of law-abiding Americans for decades. I’m proud to join Senator Budd’s Keep Your Coins Act to protect Americans’ privacy and ability to maintain self-custody of crypto assets,” said Senator Lee.

Leading wallet platforms Exodus, Ledger, Casa, Block, MetaMask, and Uniswap joined in celebrating the reintroduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, saying:

“As leading providers of self-custodial wallets, we applaud Senator Budd’s introduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, which mirrors Congressman Davidson’s bill in the House. This crucial legislation protects individuals’ fundamental right to own digital property by safeguarding against regulatory overreach. We look forward to continuing to support this legislation and establishing the United States as a haven for financial autonomy and economic freedom.”

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The Keep Your Coins Act prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:

Prohibiting any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair an individual’s ability to act as a self-custodian.

Protect an individual’s right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their digital assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary.

Empowering individuals to maintain control over their digital assets through self-hosted wallets to ensure financial freedom and a decentralized cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Senator Budd previously introduced the Keep Your Coins Act in 2023.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/15/senate-defense-bill-includes-dozens-of-budd-led-provisions-to-boost-americas-military-readiness-end-affirmative-action-at-service-academies/,Senate Defense Bill Includes Dozens of Budd-Led Provisions to Boost America’s Military Readiness & End Affirmative Action at Service Academies,2025-07-15,2025,2025-07,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.—Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), a Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), recently voted to advance the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to the Senate floor after securing numerous provisions to improve readiness and quality of life for our troops, increase funding for North Carolina military installations, protect the homeland, and strengthen alliances.

Senator Budd said in a statement:

“I’m proud that the FY 2026 NDAA contains dozens of provisions I led that will boost America’s fighting force in North Carolina and around the world by improving our facilities and programs, bolstering America’s air superiority, reducing regulatory burdens, supporting our friend and ally Israel, combatting terrorism, and banning discriminatory affirmative action policies at the service academies. Refocusing the Department of Defense on its core mission will send a clear deterrent message to potential adversaries and make America safer.”

Below is a summary of the provisions Senator Budd championed in the recent SASC legislative markup that the full Senate will consider in the coming weeks:

Boosting America’s Military Readiness & Supporting Military Families

The SASC-passed NDAA represents an investment in America’s military personnel, a refocusing of the Pentagon’s priorities to boost troop readiness, and a needed reduction of bureaucratic red tape. Senator Budd championed a number of key priorities that will improve the quality of life and the effectiveness of our troops by:

Providing a 3.8% raise across the board for service members.

Creating a pilot program to improve Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for North Carolina service members and their families.

Prohibiting affirmative action in U.S. Service Academies admissions

Cutting burdensome environmental regulations that prohibit the Defense Department from procuring basic items.

Accelerating the development, prototyping, and deployment of mobile nuclear microreactor systems to enhance energy resilience and forward-deployed power capability for U.S. military operations.

Delivering for North Carolina Military Installations & Manufacturers

The FY 2026 NDAA authorizes more than $700 million for military construction projects and planning and design funding at facilities across North Carolina. Senator Budd successfully worked to include authorizing provisions to support the following facilities, programs, and units:

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Authorizing $40M in funding to boost the F-35 Aircraft Sustainment Center

Authorizing $15M in funding to design the next phase of the Flightline Utilities Modernization project

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Authorizing $34M in funding for the expansion of the Special Operations Forces Combat Service Support/Motor Transport

Authorizing $90M in funding to boost the Special Operations Forces Marine Raider Battalion Operations Facility

Authorizing $48.28M in funding to boost Amphibious Combat Vehicle Shelters

Fort Bragg

Authorizing $19M in funding to boost the Automated Infantry Platoon Battle Course

Authorizing $24M in funding to complete the construction of the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar

Authorizing $80M in funding to improve the Fort’s power generation and microgrid

Authorizing $32M in funding for the Special Operations Forces Mission Command Center

Authorizing $80M in funding to boost the Special Operations Forces Operational Ammunition Supply Point

Authorizing $5M in funding for the Pathfinder Airborne Program to improve soldier readiness

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

Authorizing $54M in funding to improve the Child Development Center

Authorizing $41M in funding to boost the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Complex

North Carolina National Guard

Authorizing $69M in funding for the Aircraft Maintenance Hangar Addition/Alteration project at Salisbury Training Center

North Carolina Manufacturers & Projects

Authorizing $34M in funding to procure Infantry Squad Vehicles manufactured in Concord, which will support the Army Transformation Initiative

Authorizing $4M in funding to procure rare earth magnets manufactured in Durham

Authorizing $8M in funding to procure Army Load-Carrying Technology Advancements built in Concord

Authorizing $5M in funding to expand the Defense Innovation Unit OnRamp Hub, which Senator Budd has advocated for bringing to North Carolina

Protecting Our Homeland & Standing With Our Allies

The core mission of America’s Armed Forces is to protect the United States and its citizens from threats and to defend our interests both at home and abroad. Sen. Budd led the inclusion of several key priorities that will help our troops and our allies carry out this vital mission by:

Protecting Our Homeland:

Requiring a plan to ensure installation commanders have adequate guidance and authority to interdict hostile or suspicious drone activity with force immediately.

Directing the Secretary of the Army to diversify and expand the Army’s counter-drone capabilities to protect bases and installations at home and abroad.

Deterring Threats from China:

Cutting bureaucratic red tape to permit fighter aircraft to use tactical datalinks needed for advanced air combat training, enhancing the preparation and readiness of 45 combat-coded fighter squadrons for high-end conflict.

Directing a report on the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) operation, ownership, or control of strategic foreign ports and Department of Defense efforts to counter or mitigate the national security threats posed by PRC control of such foreign ports.

Supporting the U.S.-Israel Bilateral Relationship & Countering Terrorism in the Middle East:

Authorizing $80M in funding forU.S.-Israel Anti-Tunnel Cooperation and extending the program through December 2028.

Authorizing $75M in funding for U.S.-Israel counter-UAS Cooperation and extending the program through December 2028.

Authorizing $15M in funding for US-Israel Joint Research & Development on Emerging Technologies.

Extending the authorization to provide assistance to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Directing DoD to provide a briefing on the Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund, status of equipment delivery to Kurdish Peshmerga Forces, and plans to improve the Kurdish Peshmerga Forces’ ability to conduct counter terrorism operations.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/11/budd-joins-risch-to-introduce-bill-banning-radical-gender-ideology-in-k-12-schools/,Budd Joins Risch to Introduce Bill Banning Radical Gender Ideology in K-12 Schools,2025-07-11,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) in introducing the Say No to Indoctrination Act to codify President Trump’s executive order preventing taxpayer dollars from funding radical gender ideology in K-12 schools.

“For far too long, radical left-wing ideology has preyed on K-12 students in our nation’s school systems. It’s high time we put a stop to these woke lesson plans that take advantage of children and undermine parental rights. I am proud to join Senator Risch and my colleagues to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding public schools that teach gender ideology,” said Senator Budd.

“Schools should prepare our children for the future, not promote radical gender ideology. The Say No to Indoctrination Act puts an end to woke education practices in K-12 schools and makes President Trump’s common-sense policy permanent,” said Senator Risch.

The bill was also co-sponsored by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).

The Say No to Indoctrination Act has received support from Concerned Women for America and American Principles Project.

Read the full bill text HERE.

BACKGROUND

The Say No to Indoctrination Act codifies the Executive Order President Trump issued on January 20, 2025, declaring that no taxpayer dollars be sent to K-12 schools that teach or promote radical gender ideology.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/10/after-calls-from-senator-budd-usda-opens-aid-applications-for-farmers-to-receive-natural-disaster-recovery-assistance/,"After Calls from Senator Budd, USDA Opens Aid Applications for Farmers to Receive Natural Disaster Recovery Assistance",2025-07-10,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened applications for natural disaster recovery assistance for farmers. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP).

“Our farmers are the lifeblood of our nation, sustaining our communities and our economy. When severe weather events, like Hurricane Helene, and drought struck North Carolina last year, it devastated our crops and shattered countless livelihoods. Unfortunately, this tragic pattern repeats itself whenever major natural disasters strike. Without swift disaster relief, agricultural producers face the stark reality of downsizing or closing their operations altogether. This is why I am deeply grateful to the Trump administration for ensuring that critical aid reaches our farmers, in North Carolina and across the country, helping them recover and continue feeding America,” said Senator Budd.

BACKGROUND

In March, Senator Budd led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the USDA urging the department to expedite the rulemaking process on administering disaster relief aid for farmers, which was provided by Congress in December 2024. A lack of clarity in the federal government’s rulemaking process for natural disaster programs threatened the ability of farmers to fully utilize the allocated aid. In the letter, Senator Budd called on the Trump administration to ensure a fair and efficient disbursement of federal dollars for rural Americans to access emergency funding.

In May, Senator Budd received news that his effort was successful when the USDA released a plan to get critical aid to agricultural producers impacted by natural disasters.

***

Applications for Supplemental Disaster Assistance for agricultural producers open today, July 10, 2025.

The SDRP will aid eligible producers for necessary expenses due to losses of revenue, quality, or production of crops due to weather-related events in 2023 and 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering SDRP assistance in two stages. Producers can receive payments in both stages, if applicable, and for one or both years, depending on losses.

For more information, please visit: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/07/01/sen-budd-votes-for-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-todeliver-historic-tax-cuts-for-north-carolina-families/,Sen. Budd Votes for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act To Deliver Historic Tax Cuts for North Carolina Families,2025-07-01,2025,2025-07,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after voting in support of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, historic legislation that lowers taxes for families, makes America safer and more secure, and unleashes economic growth for the future:

“I voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act because the people of North Carolina deserve more of their hard-earned wages, a more secure border, a reinvigorated military, responsible spending reforms for government programs, and a thriving economy. My colleagues and I fought successfully to protect North Carolina’s tobacco growers to help them stay competitive with China. I am also grateful that this bill included my PELL Act, which will help Americans earn in-demand credentials for rewarding careers. I hope my colleagues in the House quickly get this bill on President Trump’s desk because Americans cannot afford the largest tax increase in our nation’s history,” said Sen. Budd.

Here’s How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act Directly Benefits North Carolina:

Provides Unprecedented Tax Relief for Families

This legislation helps Americans keep more money in their pockets by extending key provisions of President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Preventing the largest tax increase in American history will save the average North Carolinian $2,474 in 2026.

Working families will receive significant savings with the increase and permanence of the child tax credit, expanded tax credits for paid leave, enhanced 529 savings accounts, and additional childcare access.

This legislation lowers taxes for seniors relying on Social Security.

Gives Workers the Tools They Need to Advance Their Careers

Sen. Budd fought to have his PELL Act included in this legislation, a provision that expands Pell Grant eligibility for high-quality, short-term workforce programs. This would benefit individuals seeking to advance their careers without long-term debt while also providing American businesses with a broader, better-prepared talent pool ready to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.

Protects North Carolina Agriculture

Sen. Budd successfully defended tobacco’s eligibility to receive the “duty drawback,” allowing tobacco manufacturers to receive reimbursement for the tariffs they pay on materials used to produce tobacco products that they ship to international markets. This will protect North Carolina growers and prevent the tobacco market from being flooded with cheaper, lower-quality products from China and Brazil.

This legislation provides serious tax relief for North Carolina farmers by raising the death tax exemption, ensuring family farms can be passed down to future generations, rather than being broken up and sold.

Unlocks Economic Growth & American Manufacturing

This legislation will create a renaissance in American manufacturing by delivering full expensing for companies that build new factories and invest in equipment and machinery. This will help create new, good-paying jobs.

By enhancing the small business deduction and making it permanent, small businesses will be able to hire more workers.

Increasing deductions for small businesses’ equipment and property will quickly help businesses grow.

Reduces Government Spending to Preserve & Protect Government Programs

This legislation contains the first structural reforms to address waste, fraud, and abuse in key government programs like SNAP and Medicaid in over three decades. Slowing the rate of exponential cost increases will result in significant deficit savings and will preserve and protect these programs for future generations.

Invests in America’s National Defense

Sen. Budd helped secure funding to boost manufacturing capacity for the next generation of the F-15, the F-15EX, which will sustain the training mission at Seymour Johnson far into the future.

This legislation also includes significant funding to enhance America’s air superiority by preventing the retirement of the F-15E aircraft flying out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

America’s troops deserve a pay raise. This legislation increases pay and allowances while making improvements to housing, healthcare, childcare, and education.

This legislation makes generational investments in our military readiness that will protect the American homeland and deter our adversaries by boosting America’s missile defense by building the “Golden Dome.”

Sen. Budd worked to secure investments to improve housing at Fort Bragg and Seymour Johnson and funds for restoration and modernization at Camp Lejeune.

This legislation creates new production lines to scale innovative, cost-effective munitions, so we are no longer shooting $4M missiles at $50,000 drones.

This legislation makes the largest ever investment in the Coast Guard’s history, which will purchase more than 40 new helicopters and six new C-130J aircraft, which will be serviced at the Aviation Technical Training Center in Elizabeth City. The legislation also funds 17 new icebreakers to protect American interests and 21 new cutters to combat drug runners and human traffickers.

Keeps America’s Border Secure

While President Trump’s policies have resulted in a dramatic drop-off of illegal immigration, this legislation also boosts America’s border security by surging funding for 3,000 new Border Patrol agents and 10,000 new ICE agents. The One Big Beautiful Bill also increases funding to finish President Trump’s border wall.

Ushers in Next-Generation Technologies

This legislation includes funding for the transformational air traffic control modernization project underway at the FAA. This will quickly update aging and failing technologies to keep Americans safe in the sky.

This legislation makes a historic amount of spectrum available for commercial use, which will create new jobs and unleash the next generation of wireless technology. This will ensure America remains the premier destination for innovation and help unleash a new area of advanced manufacturing. This will also make the internet faster & more dependable across the country through commercial success stories like 5G, 6G, wi-fi, and private networks using CBRS.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:48:13Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/statement-from-senator-thom-tillis,Statement from Senator Thom Tillis,2025-06-29,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, North Carolina U.S. Senator Thom Tillis issued the following statement:

“It has been a blessing to go on a journey from living in a trailer park and making minimum wage as a young man to having the honor of serving as U.S. Senator for North Carolina.

“I am proud of my career in public service, including hard-fought victories like passing historic tax reform as North Carolina Speaker, and working in the Senate to help pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and confirm three conservative Supreme Court justices and counting.

“What I'm most proud of are the bipartisan victories: passing the first-in-the-nation eugenics compensation as Speaker, and working across the aisle in the Senate to pass the largest investment in mental health in American history, passing the Respect for Marriage Act and monumental infrastructure investments, and reestablishing the Senate NATO Observer Group. Sometimes those bipartisan initiatives got me into trouble with my own party, but I wouldn't have changed a single one.

“In Washington over the last few years, it's become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species.

“Democrats recently lost two such leaders who were dedicated to making the Senate more of a functional and productive legislative body. They got things done. But they were shunned after they courageously refused to cave to their party bosses to nuke the filibuster for the sake of political expediency. They ultimately retired and their presence in the Senate chamber has been sorely missed every day since.

“It underscores the greatest form of hypocrisy in American politics. When people see independent thinking on the other side, they cheer. But when those very same people see independent thinking coming from their side, they scorn, ostracize, and even censure them.

“Too many elected officials are motivated by pure raw politics who really don't give a damn about the people they promised to represent on the campaign trail. After they get elected, they don't bother to do the hard work to research the policies they seek to implement and understand the consequences those policies could have on that young adult living in a trailer park, struggling to make ends meet.

“As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven't exactly been excited about running for another term. That is true since the choice is between spending another six years navigating the political theatre and partisan gridlock in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home. It's not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election.

“I am beyond grateful for the friends I've made over the years in North Carolina and our nation's capital, as well as my amazing staff who are among the very best the Senate has to offer.

“I still look forward to continuing to serve North Carolina over the next 18 months. I look forward to solely focusing on producing meaningful results without the distraction of raising money or campaigning for another election. I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T12:29:27Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-statement-on-senate-reconciliation-vote,Tillis Statement on Senate Reconciliation Vote,2025-06-28,2025,2025-06,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) issued the below statement on the Senate reconciliation vote:

“I will always do what is in the best interest of North Carolina, even when that puts me at odds with my own party. When Senate leaders of my party presented this bill, I did what every American should expect from their U.S. Senator: I worked to gather the facts and comprehensively analyze what the impact would be on the people I swore an oath to represent.

“I did my homework on behalf of North Carolinians, and I cannot support this bill in its current form. It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities. This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population, and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population.

“We can and must do better than this. The Senate should return to the House’s Medicaid approach. That plan includes commonsense reforms to address waste, fraud, and abuse, and implements work requirements for some able-bodied adults to ensure taxpayer-funded benefits are going to our most vulnerable neighbors.

“There is a lot for North Carolinians to love about the rest of the One Big Beautiful Bill, including extending the historic Trump Tax Cuts, increasing the child tax credit, providing historic funding for border security, and ending wasteful spending. We can and must accomplish this without hurting our rural communities and hospitals, and without jeopardizing access to care for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians who need it the most.”

See the analysis HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T12:29:27Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/06/27/budd-joins-cotton-colleagues-in-introducing-bill-to-reform-improve-and-streamline-odni/,"Budd Joins Cotton, Colleagues in Introducing Bill To Reform, Improve, and Streamline ODNI",2025-06-27,2025,2025-06,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in introducing the Intelligence Community Efficiency and Effectiveness Act, legislation that would realign resources to intelligence missions, eliminate duplicative efforts and inefficient, non-functioning bureaucracies across the intelligence community (IC) and return the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to its original size, scope, and mission.

“The ODNI was established to unify America’s intelligence community, enhancing coordination among agencies efficiently and collectively focusing on the threats to our nation. Over the years, the ODNI has become a bloated bureaucracy, contrary to the vision laid out for this vital agency. I’m proud to join Senator Cotton and our colleagues in introducing needed reforms to stop ODNI from stumbling over bureaucratic red tape and return the agency to its original, lean form—one solely focused on our nation’s security, said Senator Budd.”

“Created after the September 11th attacks, ODNI was intended to be a lean organization to align America’s intelligence resources and authorities, not the overstaffed and bureaucratic behemoth that it is today, where coordinators coordinate with other coordinators. These reforms will be vital to keeping our country safe from the wide range of threats that we continue to face,” said Senator Cotton.

Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) are also cosponsoring the legislation.

Text of the Intelligence Community Efficiency and Effectiveness Act may be found here.

The Intelligence Community Efficiency and Effectiveness Act would:

Cap ODNI full-time staff at 650.

Eliminate certain reporting requirements and the transfer of personnel authorities.

Modify the National Intelligence Council’s duties and terminate the National Intelligence Managers’ positions.

Terminate the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) at ODNI and transfer its responsibilities to the FBI.

Redesignate the National Counterterrorism Center as the National Counterterrorism and Counternarcotics Center and limit its mission to foreign intelligence authorities.

Terminate the National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center (NCBC) at ODNI, transfer NCBC’s responsibilities to the CIA, and redesignate it as the National Counterproliferation Center.

Repeal various positions (including the Director of the NCSC, the Director of the NCBC, and the Intelligence Community Chief Data Officer) and seven units, centers, councils, offices, and programs (including obsolete bureaucratic entities that have failed to function, such as the Joint Intelligence Community Council).

Prohibit National Intelligence Program funds from being used to outsource IC analytic efforts to organizations that take funds from foreign governments.

Require the DNI to wind down and terminate the National Intelligence University within 180 days.

Prohibit the use of National Intelligence Program funds to implement any diversity, equity, or inclusion practice in the intelligence community.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/06/26/budd-bill-would-prevent-key-aviation-safety-technology-from-being-improperly-used-to-charge-punish-pilots/,"Budd Bill Would Prevent Key Aviation Safety Technology from Being Improperly Used to Charge, Punish Pilots",2025-06-26,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act limits the use of ADS-B data

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), joined by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Representative Bob Onder (R-Mo.-3), recently introduced the bicameral Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act to limit the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and require greater transparency in how airports impose fees on general aviation aircraft.

“ADS-B is a critical safety technology mandated by the FAA and is more accurate than radar. Abusing this technology to levy unfair, sometimes duplicative fees and threatening pilots with legal action will keep some general aviation pilots grounded, which is a loss for America’s economy, emergency response, and the aviation community at large,”said Senator Budd.

“Misusing vital safety technology like ADS-B for non-safety purposes, such as generating unwarranted fees or initiating inappropriate actions, jeopardizes pilot privacy and undermines the very foundation of this critical airspace system. Prioritizing the trust and participation of pilots is essential by ensuring ADS-B remains dedicated solely to its intended safety function,” said Senator Sullivan.

“Flight safety technologies like ADS-B are vital for pilots to ensure safety on the ground and in the skies, but penalizing pilots for using this technology with arbitrary fees jeopardizes both pilot privacy and flight safety by incentivizing operators to avoid using this critical technology. As we enact reforms to keep American aviation the safest in the world, I’m proud to join my colleagues on this commonsense legislation to increase transparency and make certain pilots across the country can focus solely on the safety of their aircraft and their passengers,” said Senator Sheehy.

“As a pilot with years of experience using ADS-B technology, I understand the game-changing impact it has had on aviation safety. By communicating an aircraft’s identification, airspeed, heading and altitude, ADS-B has dramatically improved situational awareness for pilots, as well as the real-time data air traffic controllers need to keep pilots and passengers safe. Unfortunately, some third parties have taken advantage of this data to impose and collect exorbitant third-party landing fees and frivolous lawsuits targeted at general aviation pilots and travelers. These uses of data for purposes other than air traffic safety act as a deterrent for pilots to equip their aircraft with this potentially life-saving technology,” said Representative Onder.

Background:

While ADS-B is designed to be used as a safety technology, some airports have begun improperly using these systems to track aircraft for the purposes of assessing landing fees and collecting revenue from pilots. To avoid duplicative and unfairly assessed fees, aircraft owners, operators, and pilots may feel compelled to fly without ADS-B installed or active on their aircraft, increasing the risk of close calls and collisions. In addition, these fees are often assessed without justification or transparency, placing unreasonable financial burdens on pilots, flight students, charitable organizations, and small aviation businesses that rely on access to the national airspace.

General aviation plays a critical role in U.S. transportation, economic development, and emergency response. The Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act protects the privacy and economic viability of the aviation community, ensuring the freedom to fly without undue surveillance or cost.

Specifically, this bill:

Prohibits government agencies and private actors from using ADS-B data to identify aircraft for the purpose of imposing fees or charges.

Clarifies that ADS-B data may only be used by air traffic controllers for air traffic safety, efficiency, or for other purposes approved by the Secretary of Transportation following public comment.

Ensures that investigations cannot be initiated on the basis of ADS-B data.

Requires public-use airports to disclose financial information and the projected impact before imposing new fees on general aviation, and requires that any such fees must be used exclusively for airside safety improvements.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-colleagues-lead-effort-to-strengthen-review-of-foreign-land-purchases-near-sensitive-u-s-military-sites,"Tillis, Colleagues Lead Effort to Strengthen Review of Foreign Land Purchases Near Sensitive U.S. Military Sites",2025-06-24,2025,2025-06,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 (R-NC) and 10 of his Republican Senate colleagues introduced the Protect Our Bases Act, legislation that strengthens national security by ensuring the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) can effectively review foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites.

“We must address the growing threat from the Chinese Communist Party and other hostile regimes trying to get close to our most sensitive military and intelligence sites,” said Senator Tillis. “The Protect Our Bases Act ensures the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has the most up-to-date information on key U.S. national security locations so dangerous land purchases can be blocked well before they become security risks.”

BACKGROUND:

In 2022, Fufeng Group, a Chinese company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, announced it would purchase land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. CFIUS determined that it could not evaluate the transaction for national security risks because the Department of Defense had not listed the base as a sensitive site for national security purposes. Although the City of Grand Forks ultimately blocked the transaction, the incident demonstrated a significant flaw in the review process of foreign land purchases. CFIUS relies on its member agencies to provide updated information on sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites in order to properly assess the security risk of foreign investment in our country. If CFIUS member agencies do not appropriately update their site lists, CFIUS cannot ensure an accurate review.

In addition to requiring agencies represented on CFIUS to provide updated records of the military, intelligence, and national laboratory facilities that should be sensitive sites on an annual basis, the Protect Our Bases Act makes these records easier for CFIUS to use for national security reviews and requires CFIUS to submit an annual report to Congress certifying the completion of such reviews and the accuracy of its real estate listings.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T01:08:28Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/06/23/budd-joins-tillis-colleagues-to-make-obstruction-of-public-roads-a-federal-crime/,"Budd Joins Tillis, Colleagues to Make Obstruction of Public Roads a Federal Crime",2025-06-23,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Ted Budd,B001305,www.budd.senate.gov,budd,https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/,scraper,"Safe and Open Streets Act is a Direct Response to Radical Tactics Used by Anti-ICE Riots in L.A.

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in introducing the Safe and Open Streets Act. The bill would make it a federal crime to purposely obstruct, delay, or affect commerce by blocking a public road or highway.

“Protestors who willfully block traffic pose a serious threat to public safety by impacting the flow of emergency vehicles and personnel. They can also significantly inconvenience Americans trying to get to and from work, school, or important personal business. The First Amendment protects the right to assemble and protest peacefully, but it does not permit such behavior. I’m proud to join Sen. Tillis and our colleagues in ensuring America’s streets are kept clear for everyone,” said Senator Budd.

“The emerging tactic of radical protestors blocking roads and stopping commerce is not only obnoxious to innocent commuters, but it’s also dangerous and will eventually get people killed. It needs to be a crime throughout the country. I’m proud to introduce the Safe and Open Streets Act so that radical activists who resort to these reckless and dangerous tactics are held accountable under the full weight of the law for endangering public safety,” said Senator Tillis.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Background

The Safe and Open Streets Act is in direct response to radical tactics of anti-ICE protestors who have intentionally blocked roads and highways across the country, including in Los Angeles, stranding drivers and compromising the free flow of commerce. The bill would penalize lawbreakers through fines or up to five years of imprisonment.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/in-response-to-l-a-riots-tillis-reintroduces-bill-to-make-blocking-public-roads-a-federal-crime,"In Response to L.A. Riots, Tillis Reintroduces Bill to Make Blocking Public Roads a Federal Crime",2025-06-23,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) recently reintroduced the Safe and Open Streets Act, legislation that would make it a federal crime to purposely obstruct, delay, or affect commerce by blocking a public road or highway.

The Safe and Open Streets Act is in direct response to radical tactics of anti-ICE protestors who have intentionally blocked roads and highways across the country, including in Los Angeles, stranding drivers and compromising the free flow of commerce. The Safe and Open Streets Act would penalize lawbreakers through fines or up to five years of imprisonment.

“The emerging tactic of radical protestors blocking roads and stopping commerce is not only obnoxious to innocent commuters, but it’s also dangerous and will eventually get people killed. It needs to be a crime throughout the country,” said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud to introduce the Safe and Open Streets Act so that radical activists who resort to these reckless and dangerous tactics are held accountable under the full weight of the law for endangering public safety.”

“Blocking major roads to stop traffic flows is nothing short of lawlessness that should not be tolerated,” said Senator Blackburn. “These activists are not only intentionally creating a dangerous situation for themselves, but perhaps for a citizen who is awaiting an ambulance or a hard worker who will lose their job for being late. The Safe and Open Streets Act is critical to stopping this reckless behavior, particularly by Hamas sympathizers, in our U.S. cities.”

“For nearly a week, we watched as domestic terrorists assaulted ICE and law enforcement officers, set fire to cop cars, and blocked the streets of Los Angeles—all while Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass sat on their tails and did nothing,” said Senator Tuberville. “This is a prime example of what happens when lawlessness goes unpunished. The First Amendment gives us the right to freedom of assembly, but it doesn’t give the right to block our streets and put American lives at risk. I’m proud to join the Safe and Open Streets Act that penalizes and holds radical protestors accountable who put citizens in danger by purposely blocking our roadways.”

“Protestors who willfully block traffic pose a serious threat to public safety by impacting the flow of emergency vehicles and personnel,” said Senator Budd. “They can also significantly inconvenience Americans trying to get to and from work, school, or important personal business. The First Amendment protects the right to assemble and protest peacefully, but it does not permit such behavior. I'm proud to join Sen. Tillis and our colleagues in ensuring America's streets are kept clear for everyone.”

“In America, people have the right to peacefully gather and make their voices heard. They do not have the right to obstruct roads, riot, and undermine people’s livelihoods,” said Dr. Cassidy.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T01:08:28Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/06/17/budd-joins-peters-colleagues-to-reintroduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-critical-drug-supply-chains-mitigate-shortages/,"Budd Joins Peters, Colleagues to Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Critical Drug Supply Chains & Mitigate Shortages",2025-06-17,2025,2025-06,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C) joined Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in reintroducing the bipartisan Rolling Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and Drug (RAPID) Reserve Act to help increase supply chain resiliency for critical generic drugs and their key ingredients by bolstering supply reserves and domestic production capacity through federal contracts. The RAPID Reserve Act would help reduce drug shortages, enhance preparedness, and mitigate national security threats from U.S. overreliance on China for critical medications and their key ingredients.

“For far too long, America has faced a drug shortage that not only threatens patients’ health but poses a national security risk by forcing us to rely on Communist China’s supply chains for essential medications. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan RAPID Reserve Act to bring drug manufacturing back to the U.S., prioritize sufficient medication reserves, and support increased production in emergencies to reliably meet patient demand,” said Senator Budd.

“Every American should be able to get the medicine they need when they need it. Increasing domestic and reliable manufacturing capacity for our critical, lifesaving medications is essential to addressing drug shortages that can compromise patient care. This bipartisan bill will help ensure Americans receive the essential medications they need while strengthening our ability to respond to future public health crises,” said Senator Peters.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Background

The RAPID Reserve Act would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award contracts to quality manufacturers of critical generic drug products who are based in the United States or in a country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in order to maintain reserves of critical medications and their key ingredients while building the capacity to surge production when needed. Through these contracts, which would prioritize domestic manufacturers, the RAPID Reserve Act would help strengthen vulnerable supply chains by ensuring that when there is a disruption in supply, manufacturers can draw on reserves and surge production to meet demand.

Senators Budd, Peters, Blackburn, and Kaine have also sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting the agency examine underutilized domestic manufacturing capacity and federal efforts to invest in advanced manufacturing capabilities.

The RAPID Reserve Act is supported by the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA), and Phlow.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-coons-announce-new-bipartisan-support-for-legislation-to-restore-american-innovation,"Tillis, Coons Announce New Bipartisan Support for Legislation to Restore American Innovation",2025-06-17,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE) announced that Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) have joined the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA) as cosponsors. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will restore patent eligibility to important inventions across many fields while also resolving legitimate concerns over the patenting of mere ideas, the mere discovery of what already exists in nature, and social and cultural content that everyone agrees is beyond the scope of the patent system. It also affirms the basic principle that the patent system is central to promoting technology-based innovation.

“In recent years the Supreme Court has expanded judicial exceptions to such a degree that patent eligibility has gone from being a coarse filter to a fine one – resulting in U.S. inventors being unable to obtain patents in areas where our economic peers offer protections, such as for diagnostic medicine and for artificial intelligence,” said Senator Tillis. “Patent eligibility is but one of four criteria that determines whether a patent application can be issued as a patent. PERA will expand the aperture of patent eligibility – it does not automatically render something patentable – and will ensure that the U.S. does not shut the door to innovations that is welcomed by the patent systems of our economic peers. We cannot allow the U.S. to fall behind on the global stage and I’m glad to see more of my Senate colleagues recognize this pressing need.”

“When American innovators know their ideas are eligible for patent protection, they take the risks that push us into the future – whether that’s the next groundbreaking medical test or the latest AI technology,” said Senator Coons. “PERA restores clarity to the law on what can be patented and what cannot – guidance that federal courts have been requesting for years and that the Supreme Court has refused to provide. I’m excited to welcome my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to this bill. This is another step toward providing America’s inventors with the stable legal foundation they need to produce the cutting-edge technologies that power our economy.”

“Our patent system must fuel innovation and secure America’s competitive edge over adversaries like Communist China,” said Senator Blackburn. “The bipartisan Patent Eligibility Restoration Act would restore patent eligibility for important inventions across many critical fields to ensure America remains ahead of the curve when it comes to technological innovation.”

“A series of Supreme Court decisions restricting patent eligibility have constricted American innovation,” said Senator Hirono. “The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act will help clarify patent eligibility law, encouraging technological innovation to help ensure that our country does not fall behind on innovation. Importantly, this legislation only affects patent eligibility, it does nothing to affect the many other requirements for patentability.”

Background:

Unfortunately, due to a series of Supreme Court decisions, patent eligibility law in the United States has become confused, constricted, and unclear in recent years. This has resulted in a wide range of well-documented negative impacts – inconsistent case decisions, uncertainty in innovation and investment communities, and unpredictable business outcomes.

As of 2021, all 12 then-sitting judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit lamented the state of the law. Witnesses and stakeholders from a wide array of industries, fields, interest groups, and academia have testified and submitted comments confirming the uncertainty and detailing the detrimental effects of patent eligibility confusion in the United States. There is now widespread bipartisan agreement in Congress and across all recent Administrations that reforms are necessary to restore the United States to a position of global strength and leadership in key areas of technology and innovation, such as medical diagnostics, biotechnology, personalized medicine, artificial intelligence, 5G, and blockchain.

The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act achieves this critical goal by restoring patent eligibility to important inventions across many fields, while also resolving legitimate concerns over patenting of mere ideas, the mere discovery of what already exists in nature, and social and cultural content that everyone agrees is beyond the scope of the patent system, which is a system aimed at promoting technology-based innovation. As a general approach, the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act maintains the existing statutory categories of eligible subject matter, which have worked well for over two centuries, but eliminates the overly malleable set of current judicial exceptions – replacing them with five specific, defined statutory exclusions. By eliminating and replacing the current judicial exceptions, the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act provides predictable patent eligibility for important computer-implemented technological developments and medical advances, creating a solid bedrock for America’s innovation future.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T01:08:28Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/06/12/budd-blumenthal-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-award-macv-sog-elite-special-operations-units-with-congressional-gold-medal/,"Budd, Blumenthal Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Award MACV-SOG Elite Special Operations Units with Congressional Gold Medal",2025-06-12,2025,2025-06,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observation Group (MACV-SOG). The bill recognizes the service members of MACV-SOG, one of the most distinguished and elite special operations units in United States military history, for their achievements in conducting rescue missions for downed pilots, deep-penetration reconnaissance, sabotage, and direct-action missions against the North Vietnamese.

“MACV-SOG operators rank among the most elite special operations forces in U.S. military history. During the Vietnam War, they carried out highly classified, extraordinarily dangerous missions to combat communist insurgencies by obtaining vital intelligence for critical military operations, setting the gold standard for U.S. special operations. In North Carolina, there are fifty-nine living members of this unit, and many more across the country. Their devotion to duty deserves our deepest respect and recognition. I hope my colleagues will join Senator Blumenthal and I in our effort to honor these service members with a Congressional Gold Medal for their unparalleled bravery, sacrifice, and enduring contributions to our nation’s security,” said Senator Budd.

“The servicemembers who were a part of MACV-SOG played a vital role in protecting and defending our great nation. Performing highly covert operations, facing incredible dangers, and gathering invaluable intelligence, members of MACV-SOG displayed a bravery and dedication to our country that is profoundly inspiring. Awarding these servicemembers a Congressional Gold Medal rightfully recognizes their great contributions to our nation and shines a light on the pivotal roles they played in our military history,” said Senator Blumenthal.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Background

MACV–SOG was established in January 1964 as a dedicated joint military task force to conduct high-risk and special activities in the denied areas of North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

These covert operations remained unacknowledged by military leadership and unknown to the United States public until their existence began to be declassified decades later. This secret war denied MACV–SOG members their just recognition and deprived the families of deceased and wounded operators from knowing the full extent of the sacrifice of their loved ones to the United States.

To date, twelve MACV–SOG operators have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/06/11/wyden-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-prevent-disastrous-wildfires/,"Budd, Wyden Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Disastrous Wildfires",2025-06-11,2025,2025-06,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. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), alongside U.S. Representatives Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) and David Valadao (R-Calif.), introduced the bicameral, bipartisan National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 today. The legislation would support prescribed burns as an essential, cost-effective, science-based strategy to save lives and property, and address the harmful impacts of the recent wildfires across the nation.

The National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025 would invest in hazardous fuels management to reduce the risk of blistering infernos by increasing the pace and scale of prescribed burns during cooler, wetter months. The legislation would grow a technically skilled prescribed fire workforce, provide new tools to aid smoke management, and prescribed fire permitting during winter months to reduce ruinous fires and smoke in the summer.

“Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, thousands of acres of North Carolina forest were left destroyed. Now, these downed trees and piles of leaves represent a serious wildfire risk. By enabling the Forest Service to better conduct controlled burns of unchecked vegetation and scattered debris, we can protect our forests from catastrophic wildfires that may occur in the hottest months of the year. I am proud to join my colleague, Sen. Wyden, in introducing this common-sense, proactive approach to preventing disastrous wildfires,” said Senator Budd.

“It’s no secret that rising temperatures and increased drought are leading to more and more wildfires, and firefighters are struggling to keep up as they put their lives on the line. We can no longer wait for disaster to strike before we address these fires destroying our neighborhoods and even taking people’s lives. I have heard firsthand from Oregonians who are sick and tired of inaction while the West burns. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill will tackle wildfires head-on by focusing on prevention to get the West out of the cycle of crisis and devastation every wildfire season,” said Senator Wyden.

“Here in Washington State, we experience devastating wildfires every year. That’s why Congress must act now and address this issue. My bill, the National Prescribed Fire Act, expands the use of prescribed fire to lower the risk of catastrophic wildfires,” said Rep. Schrier.

“In California, we understand the dangerous impact of wildfires—from damage to property to loss of life. By prescribing controlled burns to fire-adapted land in a safe and supervised way, we can limit dangerous fuel buildup and help reduce the threat of future wildfires. I’m proud to join my colleagues in re-introducing this bipartisan bill to protect our communities from wildfire risk,” said Rep. Valadao.

Read the full bill text HERE.

Background

In 2024 alone, 8.9 million acres of land were burned by wildfires, one of the highest totals on record. As vegetation continues to grow, the Forest Service has been unable to address the current hazardous fuel backlog, which is exacerbated by the nation’s hot and dry fire seasons.

Hurricane Helene resulted in 822,000 acres of downed timber and debris in North Carolina. As this debris dries out, it poses a significant risk of wildfire. According to the North Carolina Forest Service, there have been 4,193 wildfires burning more than 26,000 acres so far this year, on pace to dramatically exceed 2024’s totals of 4,588 fires burning over 15,000 acres.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-op-ed-the-senate-s-one-big-beautiful-opportunity,"Tillis Op-Ed: The Senate’s One Big, Beautiful Opportunity",2025-06-11,2025,2025-06,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) published an op-ed in The Hill outlining the Senate’s one big, beautiful opportunity to deliver tax relief and pass President Trump’s agenda.

Read the full op-ed HERE.

Senator Tillis on Delivering President Trump’s Campaign Promises:

“President Trump ran — and won — on a bold promise: supercharge America’s economy and restore strength at home and abroad. Now the Senate is on the verge of helping him fulfill that commitment with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Getting the bill through the House was a Herculean effort in itself, given the Republicans’ thin majority. That required many compromises to be made. While there is a lot of good in the House version of the bill, some big improvements still need to be made. That is what the Senate is currently working on.”

Senator Tillis on Democrats Opposition to the One Big, Beautiful Bill:

“Don’t buy the spin of Democrats who oppose this bill and falsely give the impression that it’s just tax cuts for billionaires. Instead, look at the numbers. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to double the federal taxes on every married couple with two kids making $80,000 a year, from roughly $1,400 in taxes owed to more than $3,000. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to force single parents with two kids making $40,000 a year to go from getting a net tax credit to owing nearly $1,500 in taxes. By voting against this bill, Democrats are also betraying tens of millions of small businesses. They’ll be voting to triple the income tax bill for married small business owners with three kids and a net income of $180,000. They will also be voting against the most ambitious welfare reform in a generation.”

Senator Tillis on Improvements to the One, Big Beautiful Bill:

“Despite a lot of good, there are some big areas in need of improvement. First, the Senate needs to find additional spending cuts and savings. While the House version saves taxpayers $1.6 trillion in spending, we need to push further for fiscal restraint. This will be easier said than done, as the reconciliation process that allows Congress to pass major tax legislation with a simple majority vote has major restrictions on what and where the Senate can cut. A prime target is the House’s inexplicable decision to quadruple the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which wealthy taxpayers in high-tax blue states utilize. While I understand why lawmakers from California and New York want to increase the SALT deduction, it’s not the responsibility of federal taxpayers to subsidize state tax bills. The SALT increase overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest of taxpayers and carries a significant price tag of $320 billion. The Senate needs to fix this and unlock additional cost savings to help working families, not coastal elites.”

Senator Tillis on the Senate’s Work Moving Forward:

“Moving forward, each Republican senator will have input, and each provision should be scrutinized. My simple request to all my Republican colleagues in both chambers is: do not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. We have narrow majorities in both the House and Senate and cannot waste the historic opportunity we have to deliver tax relief and pass Trump’s agenda. Whether it takes the next few weeks or the next few months, let’s do the hard work to find common ground, get the job done, and put the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Trump’s desk.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T01:08:28Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-leads-efforts-to-protect-patients-from-counterfeit-glp-1-medications,Tillis Leads Efforts to Protect Patients from Counterfeit GLP-1 Medications,2025-06-10,2025,2025-06,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 (R-NC) recently sent a letter to Attorney General Bondi, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Makary expressing concerns over the growing public health threat posed by counterfeit and illegally imported GLP-1 receptor agonist medications.

“FDA-approved GLP-1 therapies such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound have revolutionized the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes for millions of Americans. Unfortunately, the success of and demand for these therapies have also attracted the attention of criminal enterprises seeking to exploit vulnerable patients. Counterfeiters have introduced falsified products into the U.S. market, including counterfeit Ozempic pens bearing fraudulent lot and serial numbers, non-sterile needles, and misleading labeling. These products have even infiltrated legitimate distribution channels, putting patients at risk of receiving contaminated, ineffective, or unsafe medications,” the senator wrote.

“In addition to these finished counterfeits, a recent report from the Partnership for Safe Medicines details a disturbing pattern of illegal importation of unverified semaglutide and tirzepatide APIs from unregistered foreign suppliers, particularly from China. Between 2023 and 2025, 239 shipments of these unapproved APIs were identified, with more than 80% allowed to enter the United States. Shockingly, many shipments were misrepresented as originating from entities such as hotels, fitness centers, and public schools, which raises significant concerns about the legitimacy of these supply chains. It is my understanding that some domestic compounders may have used these APIs during a period when the drugs were in shortage. However, federal regulations require that ingredients be sourced only from FDA-registered manufacturers to ensure compliance with quality and safety standards. With drug shortage resolved, compounding of GLP-1s is now considered unlawful, unless a prescriber determines that a commercially available product cannot meet the specific needs of an individual patient,” the senator continued.

“To that end, I encourage the FDA to expand public and provider education about the dangers of counterfeit and illegally imported GLP-1 products, while also prioritizing enforcement efforts to hold accountable those responsible for introducing these unsafe products into the supply chain. Strengthened collaboration between the FDA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Justice is essential to prevent these illicit products from reaching patients in the first place. Equally important is providing clear guidance to health care providers and pharmacies to ensure that all medications are sourced exclusively from FDA-registered manufacturers. Finally, the FDA can help restore public confidence by improving transparency around its enforcement actions and ensuring these efforts are clearly communicated to the public,” the senator concluded.

Full text of the letter is available HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T01:08:28Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-shaheen-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-establish-senate-nato-observer-group,"Tillis, Shaheen Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Establish Senate NATO Observer Group",2025-06-10,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group (SNOG), recently introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the Senate NATO Observer Group as a new body within the Senate dedicated to addressing and advising on matters related to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This initiative underscores the Senators' commitment to strengthening the vital transatlantic alliance and ensuring robust Congressional oversight and engagement on NATO-related issues.

The Senate NATO Observer Group will serve as a crucial forum for addressing NATO matters that span the jurisdictions of multiple Senate committees. Its core functions will include advising the Senate on issues related to NATO, particularly concerning NATO enlargement. The group will also facilitate close interactions between the executive branch, the Senate, NATO, member countries, and candidate countries during negotiations on NATO enlargement.

“As the global landscape continues to evolve, the importance of NATO to American security and global stability cannot be overstated,” said Senator Tillis. “Establishing the Senate NATO Observer Group will enhance our ability to proactively engage with our allies, address challenges, and ensure that the U.S. remains a strong and reliable partner within the alliance.”

“Now more than ever, it's imperative that the United States work closely with NATO to respond to global threats, including Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine,” said Senator Shaheen. “This legislation to make the Senate NATO Observer Group permanent will enshrine bipartisan focus and support for NATO within the Senate. I am pleased to support this effort and make the Senate NATO Observer Group a permanent convener for conversation between the Senate and NATO Allies to strengthen transatlantic bonds.”

Senators Tillis and Shaheen re-established the Senate NATO Observer Group in 2018 and have led bipartisan efforts in the Senate in support of the transatlantic Alliance. The group aims to monitor various aspects of the NATO alliance, including defense spending, military capabilities, counter-terrorism efforts, enlargement, and the ability to address unconventional warfare threats.

During the 119th Congress, the Senate NATO Observer Group will operate as established by the Majority and Minority Leaders in the Congressional Record. This bipartisan legislation would require that, beginning with the 120th Congress, the Majority and Minority Leaders will each appoint no more than seven Senators to the Group within 60 days of the first session convening. Each leader will also appoint one co-chairperson from their respective appointees.

The bill also authorizes co-chairs and one designated staff member to engage in foreign travel for official purposes, provided such travel is authorized by the other co-chair. The Office of Interparliamentary Services of the Senate will provide administrative support and protocol functions to the Group.

The Senate NATO Observer Group will be required to submit an annual report to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the Chairperson and Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. This report will detail the Group's activities during the preceding fiscal year, including travel, legislative efforts, and public diplomacy initiatives.

Read the bill HERE.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T01:08:28Z
https://www.budd.senate.gov/2025/06/06/budd-nehls-applaud-president-trumps-push-to-legalize-supersonic-flight/,"Budd, Nehls Applaud President Trump’s Push to Legalize Supersonic Flight",2025-06-06,2025,2025-06,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. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Representative Troy Nehls (R-Texas-22), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today celebrated the news that President Trump issued a transformative executive order to repeal the prohibition on overland supersonic flight, establish an interim noise-based certification standard, and repeal other regulations that hinder supersonic flight.

The executive order follows Senator Budd and Representative Nehls’ introduction of the Supersonic Aviation Modernization (SAM) Act, which would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator to issue regulations to legalize civil supersonic flight in the United States. President Trump’s executive order directly aligns with the goals of this legislation.

“President Trump’s swift leadership to unleash supersonic flight will boost America’s ability to compete with China in the race for next-generation aircraft and revolutionize commercial air travel. For too long, outdated restrictions on civil supersonic flight have stifled innovation. I am grateful that President Trump has leaned in to legalize this vital technology in the United States and promote international engagement for international operations. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Washington, like my friend Rep. Nehls, to advance policies that unleash cutting-edge technologies like supersonic aviation,” said Senator Budd.

“President Donald J. Trump’s executive order promoting supersonic aviation in the United States is a crucial step in ensuring we remain competitive in the aviation industry against our foreign adversaries. Congress must pass the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, which I introduced alongside Senator Ted Budd, to codify President Trump’s actions immediately so we can ensure that out-of-touch FAA policies don’t hinder the Golden Age of American air travel,” said Representative Nehls.

BACKGROUND:

For the past fifty-two years, the United States has had a speed limit in the sky. 14 CFR § 91.817, enacted in 1973, dictates that no person may operate a civil aircraft in the United States at a true flight Mach number greater than 1. This rule prohibits non-military related supersonic flight over the United States, setting an artificial speed limit in the national airspace.

American companies, like Boom Supersonic, have developed quiet supersonic technologies and have already demonstrated that their aircraft can operate above Mach 1 without a sonic boom reaching the ground.

This is due to a well-known phenomenon called Mach cutoff, in which a sonic boom refracts in the atmosphere and never reaches the ground.

Despite these innovations, FAA regulations continue to restrict supersonic operations.

President Trump’s executive order will permit operators to fly aircraft at supersonic speeds within the National Airspace System if no sonic boom reaches the ground, the intended outcome of the SAM Act.

The SAM Act was cosponsored by Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.). Representative Sharice Davids (D-Kan.-3) joined Representative Nehls in introducing the bill in the House.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-introduces-legislation-to-replenish-disaster-relief-fund-as-north-carolina-prepares-for-hurricane-season,Tillis Introduces Legislation to Replenish Disaster Relief Fund As North Carolina Prepares For Hurricane Season,2025-06-06,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – With hurricane season officially underway, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) has introduced legislation to replenish the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) to ensure FEMA has the financial resources it needs to respond to natural disasters in the months ahead.

Tillis’ legislation would provide $25 billion for the DRF, which would fulfill President Trump’s historic DRF funding request for Congress. Since last year, North Carolina has received roughly $4.45 billion from the DRF to respond and recover from Helene.

“With Western North Carolina still recovering from Helene and an above-normal hurricane season expected this year, we have to ensure that FEMA has the constant flow of resources it needs to help states respond to natural disasters,” said Senator Tillis. “Congress shouldn’t wait until the last minute, and I’m proud to lead the effort to replenish the DRF and ensure that President Trump’s request is fulfilled so FEMA can focus on its critical mission of helping states and local communities respond to emergencies.”

Read the bill HERE.

Background:

Senator Tillis has been pushing for federal assistance for Western North Carolina since the moment Helene made landfall.

On October 1, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the urgent need to pass an appropriations package to support the millions of Americans affected by the storm.

On October 16, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities could begin to heal. The Senators called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation.

On October 23, 2024, The Hill published an op-ed by Senator Tillis addressed to members of Congress to step up and be proactive with long-term disaster recovery assistance.

On October 29, 2024, Senator Tillis and his colleagues announced plans to introduce legislation that would replenish the Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program with families and small businesses across WNC unable to get loans approved until then. The Senators outlined their plan to seek passage of the legislation when Congress returned to session.

On November 14, 2024, Senator Tillis attempted to pass legislation to replenish the SBA Disaster Loan Program through a unanimous consent request on the Senate floor, but was blocked by another Senator.

On November 15, 2024, Senator Tillis led a bipartisan letter to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) immediately send a supplemental appropriation request to Congress to support the communities we represent, which were devastated after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The OMB sent the request to Congress a few days later.

On November 18, 2024, Senator Tillis introduced the standalone RELIEF Act to provide Hurricane relief to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.

On November 20, 2024, Senator Tillis called on Congress to quickly pass Hurricane Helene relief during his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

On November 21, 2024, Senator Tillis met with Governor Cooper, Governor-Elect Stein, members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation and the North Carolina General Assembly, and local leaders from Western North Carolina to discuss efforts to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.

On December 5, 2024, Senator Tillis joined Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto where he discussed the urgent need for Congress to provide federal assistance to North Carolinians affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.

On December 10, 2024, Senator Tillis hosted N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, N.C. House of Representatives Speaker-elect Destin Hall, State Senators Bill Rabon and Ralph Hise, and State Representative Dudley Greene to discuss efforts to provide immediate assistance to North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene’s devastation.

On December 18, 2024, Senator Tillis committed to filibustering any continuing resolution that did not include disaster aid for Western North Carolina.

On December 21, 2024, Senator Tillis voted to pass a bipartisan government funding bill that included more than $100 billion in disaster relief for states and communities hit by natural disasters, including North Carolina during Hurricane Helene.

On January 7, 2025 Senator Tillis announced $1.65 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.

On January 24, 2025, Senator Tillis released a statement thanking President Trump for his visit to Western North Carolina to survey the devastation left behind by Helene.

On January 31, 2025, Senator Tillis introduced the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025, legislation that excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, any qualified catastrophe mitigation payment made under a state-based catastrophe loss mitigation program.

On March 11, 2025, Senator Tillis reintroduced the Disaster Assistance Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to simplify the application process for federal disaster recovery assistance.

On April 1, 2025, Senator Tillis sent a letter urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to work with Congress to quickly distribute the more than $23 billion Congress passed in December to assist farmers, ranchers and rural Americans in responding to devastating natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.

On April 3, 2025, Senator Tillis (R-NC) introduced the FEMA Independence Act, bipartisan legislation to restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent cabinet-level agency and improve efficiency in federal emergency response efforts.

On April 24, 2025, Senator Tillis introduced the Helene Recovery Small Business Act and the Loans in Our Neighborhoods (LIONs) Act of 2025, legislation that would provide much-needed relief to small businesses as they work to recover from the devastation of Helene.

On June 4, 2025, Senator Tillis announced he helped secure approximately $1.45 billion in federal funding for disaster-impacted communities, including those in Western North Carolina affected by Helene.

In addition to Senator Tillis’ legislative efforts the Senator has met with local leaders, residents, and elected officials across Western North Carolina including in: Asheville, Black Mountain, Boone, Burnsville, Canton, Clyde, Fairview, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Hot Springs, Marshall, Morganton, Spruce Pine, Swannanoa, Waynesville and Wilkesboro.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T01:08:28Z
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/wsj-editorial-highlights-tillis-bill-to-end-predatory-litigation-funding-practices,WSJ Editorial Highlights Tillis Bill to End Predatory Litigation Funding Practices,2025-06-05,2025,2025-06,Republican,Senate,NC,Thom Tillis,T000476,www.tillis.senate.gov,tillis,https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial supporting the Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act, legislation introduced by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) which would impose a new tax on profits earned by third-party entities that finance civil litigation and curb predatory practices in the litigation funding industry.

Read the full op-ed here or below.

Ending a Tax Break for Lawsuits

WSJ

June 4, 2025

Why are foreign investment funds that finance predatory lawsuits against U.S. companies allowed to dodge taxes on their legal payouts? Good question, and now North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern are seeking to close this anti-growth loophole.

Third-party litigation financing has exploded in recent years as private investment funds chase high returns goosed by America’s tort-friendly legal system. Investors give law firms money to recruit plaintiffs and file often meritless lawsuits against companies in return for a share of the eventual settlement or judgment.

Annual returns average about 25% thanks to jackpot jury verdicts, which also create an incentive for businesses to settle claims early to avoid costly, drawn-out litigation. In 2023, 39 investors had committed some $15.2 billion in capital to U.S. commercial litigation, according to the litigation finance advisory firm Westfleet Advisors.

Investment funds such as Fortress Investment Group have financed major mass torts, including Roundup fertilizer claims against Bayer AG and talc litigation against Johnson & Johnson. Fortress, which is majority owned by an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, has also harassed Apple and Intel with dubious patent lawsuits.

Third-party financing arrangements with law firms are typically not required to be disclosed, so foreign investors could be funding lawsuits with the goal of harming U.S. businesses that may be competitors. Bloomberg Law last year detailed how Russian oligarchs had dodged sanctions by funding lawsuits in the U.S.

Here’s the kicker: Foreign investors in U.S. litigation don’t have to pay tax on lawsuit proceeds because the tax code exempts foreigners from paying U.S. capital-gains tax, and their legal payouts are treated as capital gains. American litigation funders pay tax at the capital gains rate (23.8%), while the actual plaintiffs in lawsuits pay at the ordinary income rate.

The preferential tax treatment for funders, especially foreigners, is an incentive to plow money into lawsuits rather than business investment that creates jobs, boosts productivity and improves living standards. Lawsuits do the opposite. Costs of defending against litigation get passed along to workers, consumers and shareholders.

Enter Messrs. Tillis and Hern, who are seeking to add a provision to the current tax bill that would require U.S. and foreign litigation funders to pay tax on their earnings at the ordinary income rate (typically 37%), plus a 3.8% surcharge. This could discourage excessive litigation, which the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says costs U.S. households some $4,200 each in 2022.

Will Hild of the right-leaning outfit Consumers’ Research recently tweeted that the Tillis-Hern provision would “rob everyday Americans of a fundamental tool in fighting back” against “large, woke corporations.” This is a giant red herring. The provision wouldn’t ban third-party funding lawsuits. It would merely eliminate a tax break for them.

Excessive litigation is a tax on everyday Americans, which is why Republican Governors like Georgia’s Brian Kemp and Florida’s Ron DeSantis have championed tort reform. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt last week signed legislation that will ban lawsuit funding from entities controlled by foreign adversaries and cap non-economic damages in personal injury suits at $500,000.

The plaintiffs lobby has the Senate votes to block national tort reform with a 60-vote filibuster. But Republicans only need 51 votes in their reconciliation bill to ensure that the tax code doesn’t give the Abu Dhabi wealth fund a tax break for funding lawsuits that harm America.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:34:38Z