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.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-trumps-taxpayer-funded-campaign-ads-show-he-is-barely-trying-to-conceal-corruption-and-disrespect-for-the-rule-of-law,Reed: Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Ads Show He is Barely Trying to Conceal Corruption & Disrespect for the Rule of Law,2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) blasted President Donald Trump for expanding a series of taxpayer-funded, explicitly political advertisements promoting himself. And CNN is reporting that President Trump “has personally driven the controversial, taxpayer-funded video ads promoting himself and his administration’s policies, including helping select the imagery and videos used.”

“President Trump is shamelessly forcing U.S. taxpayers to foot the bill for his wasteful, self-aggrandizing television campaign commercials. It is an offensive abuse of power and a waste of taxpayer funds by a President who incorrectly believes he is above the law. Instead of solving problems, Donald Trump is creating them and continues to make things worse. It’s time to put an end to this type of corruption, enforce the law, and get our country moving in a better direction,” said Reed.

Reed notes that the Trump White House is so blatantly violating ethical boundaries and laws that it is barely trying to conceal the fact that it is recycling a 2024 Trump Presidential campaign ad that the White House is now running as a government-funded, so-called “public service announcement” ahead of the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.

The repurposed ad shows President Trump – who launched a war with Iran without the consent of Congress or the American people -- walking down a hallway as he asks people to join him in his fight to “expel the warmongers from our government.” It is nearly identical to an ad put out by Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, except now the ad cuts off the last few seconds of the original. Instead of fine print that says it was “Paid for by Donald J. Trump for President 2024, Inc.” the 2026 ad says at the bottom: “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”

Reed, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), sent a letter last week to White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles demanding the Trump Administration immediately stop airing a different taxpayer-funded political ad self-promoting President Trump and report to the Appropriations Committee exactly how many taxpayer dollars were spent creating and airing the illegal political propaganda.

A public service announcement (PSA) seeks to inform citizens about how to access, benefit from, or understand government programs.

Noting that Trump’s repurposed political campaign ads make no attempt to try to educate the public about a specific government action and instead are focused solely on promoting Donald Trump, Senator Reed stated:

“Donald Trump’s campaign has plenty of money to run this type of purely partisan, political propaganda. This Administration is flaunting corruption and flouting the law. It seems the real message of these ads is President Trump attempting to show that he is above the law and his Department of Justice and this Republican Congress will allow him to do whatever he wants with no accountability.

“We need an independent investigation into this mess and I am calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to launch one.

“This is not a one off, it is part of a broader pattern by the Trump Administration blatantly and wrongfully misusing public funding for the self-aggrandizement of individuals like Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, and others.

“At the same time President Trump is starting reckless wars, raising prices through his tariff taxes, taking away people’s health care, driving up inflation, and increasing the financial strain on working Americans, he’s also forcing them to pay for ads to feed his own ego. Donald Trump’s shooting wars, trade wars, and culture wars are failing and the American people know we need real change and better leaders who will join Democrats to lower prices and end these wars,” said Reed.",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/new-legislation-aims-to-strengthen-educator-workforce-pipeline-and-better-support-teachers,New Legislation Aims to Strengthen Educator Workforce Pipeline & Better Support Teachers,2026-09-28,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – The teaching profession is in crisis. Whether it is job satisfaction, interest in the field, or the number of prospective educators earning licenses, the teaching profession is at its lowest levels in half a century, according to a 2024 report for Brown University’s Annenberg Institute.

In an effort to rebuild, expand, and improve the nation’s educator workforce pipeline and strengthen student outcomes, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05) are teaming up to introduce new, bicameral legislation to invest in a national strategy to support the educator workforce now and into the future.

The Quality Educator Partnership Act of 2026 (S.5549) would create a comprehensive strategy to recruit, prepare, retain, and advance high-quality educators from early childhood through secondary education. Led by a new, dedicated Office of Educator Workforce at the Department of Education, the legislation would invest $1 billion to incentivize partnerships between school districts and educator preparation programs and to help states design and implement educator workforce strategies.

This legislation comes in response to a call to action from a coalition of education organizations, led by the AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), who have urged Congress to change the trajectory of the education profession through federal leadership and systemic accountability; investing in innovation and sustainability; making the education profession an affordable career path; and advancing research and evidence to guide the future of learning.

“Our nation’s future is directly tied to the strength of our educators. While the Trump Administration fails our students and schemes to dismantle the Department of Education, Congress must step up to ensure we have teachers who are ready and able to equip our students with the skills they need to thrive in a challenging environment. The Quality Educator Partnership Act would do just that by creating new federal infrastructure, boosting investments, and expanding our ability to prepare teachers now and in the future,” said Senator Reed. “By creating a National Educator Service Corps, grant programs, and research capabilities through the Department of Education, this bill would significantly expand the pathway to the teaching profession; help schools recruit, support, and retain educators; and leverage, uplift, and enhance input from across the education profession to better prepare teachers and serve our students.”

“Our students are our future, and our teachers play a central role in shaping and preparing them for success. That’s why it’s critical that we invest in supporting and developing the next generation of educators. With Donald Trump gutting the Department of Education, our communities need us to act now. This legislation marks an important step toward recruiting educators and ensuring our schools have the resources they need so that students across our country can receive a quality education,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“As an educator for 40 years, a city school board member, and now as the Ranking Member of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, I've watched the national teacher shortage grow worse for decades,” said Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, PhD. “According to the Department of Education, 69% of public schools reported struggling to fill vacant positions before the 2024-2025 school year. The Quality Educator Partnership Act gives the Department the tools and coordination it is missing, from new investment in recruitment to long-overdue standards for ed-tech integration. Educators, administrators, and students have waited long enough for this support.”

“Strong schools start with strong educators, and that means building a pipeline of talented individuals to lead in our classrooms,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “The Quality Educator Partnership Act invests in the strategic and creative pathways needed to recruit, prepare, and support the next generation of teachers. By exploring all opportunities to expand and develop the profession we can give every student access to the high-quality education they deserve,” said Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.

“Current and prospective educators face many challenges, including the cost of college, attacks on public education, and limited federal funding for graduate programs. The investments in the teaching workforce in this important legislation will meaningfully address shortfalls in the educator pipeline and highlight the life-changing potential of a quality education. I’m pleased to join Rep. Adams and several other colleagues in this commitment to our nation’s educators with this legislation,” said Representative Suzanne Bonamici.

A significant obstacle to recruiting and retaining new teachers is the financial commitment needed for training and certification. Through the creation of a new National Educator Service Corps, the costs of tuition and living expenses would be covered for prospective teachers who agree to teach in high-need areas.

By establishing new federal educator workforce grant programs, the Quality Educator Partnership Act would also catalyze the development and implementation of partnerships to grow educator workforce development programs and carry out research to best support teachers in addressing the needs of students.

With the creation of the Office of Educator Workforce and Office of Educational Technology and Digital Literacy within the Department of Education, the bill will upgrade the federal government’s ability to develop and coordinate policies with regard to teacher workforce development; provide guidance and technical assistance; increase partnerships and collaboration; and address the growing role and importance of technology and digital literacy in 21st century education.

The Quality Educator Partnership Act of 2026 is supported by more than two dozen organizations, including AACTE, 1890 Universities Foundation; American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL); Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education (AILACTE); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); American Library Association (ALA); Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE); Center for Reaching & Teaching the Whole Child; City Teaching Alliance; Council for Academic Deans of Research Education Institutions (CADREI); Deans for Impact (DFI); Educational Testing Services (ETS); InnovateEDU; International Society for Transforming Education (ISTE+ASCD); National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP); National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE); National Association for Music Education; National Association for School-University Partnerships (NASUP); National Association of Elementary School Principals; National Center for Learning Disabilities; National Center for Teacher Residencies; National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE); National Education Association (NEA); National Principals Association; Teach Plus; TECSCU, Teacher Education Council for State Colleges and Universities; Thurgood Marshall College Fund; and UNCF.

“Senator Reed and Representative Adams have shown exceptional leadership in translating AACTE's Call to Action into concrete federal policy,” said Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D., AACTE President and CEO. “This bill reflects a shared understanding that America's students deserve the best possible education, and that starts with sustained federal investment in the educators who prepare them. It strengthens the partnerships between educator preparation programs, school districts, and communities that are essential to building and sustaining a strong, diverse educator workforce. We are deeply grateful to Senator Reed and Representative Adams for their continued championing of educators and the students they serve.”",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-cortez-masto-reintroduce-congressional-check-on-rogue-supreme-court-decisions/,"Whitehouse, Cortez Masto Reintroduce Congressional Check on Rogue Supreme Court Decisions",2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Supreme Court Review Act would allow Congress to respond quickly to Court decisions and restore policymaking power of the legislative branch

Americans’ approval of the Supreme Court is nearing a historic low

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) today reintroduced the Supreme Court Review Act, legislation that would bolster Congress’s ability to check Supreme Court decisions that erroneously interpret federal law or roll back constitutional rights. Congress has already created a process for responding to agency rules under the Congressional Review Act, and the Supreme Court Review Act would do the same for Supreme Court decisions.

“The captured right-wing majority of the Supreme Court is openly delivering goods to deep-pocketed special interests. When the Court abuses its power in this way—especially by paving over factual records—it’s up to Congress to protect the interests of the American people,” said Senator Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee. “The Supreme Court Review Act would put guardrails on these rogue decisions and return policymaking power back to where the Constitution delegated it: in the hands of the people and their elected representatives.”

“Our country was founded on a system of checks and balances, and there is no reason we should let an extreme Supreme Court take away Nevadans’ fundamental rights,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It’s time to put some power back in the hands of the people’s elected representatives and make it clear that Congress has the power to check the Court when it guts critical constitutional protections.”

The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

The Supreme Court continues to erode longstanding constitutional protections and interpret the law in ways that are out of step with congressional intent and will of the American people. Congress can respond to these cases by clarifying federal law or creating new statutory protections, but cumbersome Senate procedure has undermined Congress’s ability to react quickly. Without congressional action, Supreme Court opinions eliminating constitutional protections and misreading federal statutes will continue to usurp policymaking by elected officials.

Whitehouse and Cortez Masto’s Supreme Court Review Act would make clear that the constitutionally delegated power to make policy remains with Congress, not the Court. The bill would create streamlined procedures through which Congress can exercise its existing power to amend statutes or create federal statutory rights following a Supreme Court decision. Specifically, the bill would:

Codify a process for passing new laws in response to Supreme Court decisions that interpret federal statutes or roll back constitutional rights;

Expedite procedures for the Senate to pass these laws by a simple majority;

Limit the process to recent Court rulings and exclude non-germane changes to federal law to prevent abuse; and

Ensure that members of the minority party in the Senate have an opportunity to propose alternative updates to the law.

The Supreme Court Review Act is endorsed by Public Citizen, People for the American Way, Fix the Court, Project on Government Oversight, Common Cause, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and the Center for Biological Diversity.

“The Supreme Court has grown increasingly out-of-touch with the norms and values of the American public. The Court today has its lowest public approval rating in history. The SCOTUS Review Act provides a sorely-needed expedited congressional review process of controversial Court decisions, giving Congress a chance to respond to rulings that fail to protect the public’s interest. Public Citizen heartily endorses this reasonable oversight measure,” said Craig Holman, Ph.D., of Public Citizen.

“We all learned in civics class that the branches of the government are meant to be in conversation with one another. But that give-and-take has largely come to a halt this past decade, as the once prevalent practice of congressional override has all but disappeared. With their legislation, Sens. Whitehouse and Cortez-Masto are reasserting Congress’ role as the prime interpreter of the Constitution, able to fix statutory holdings that miss the mark with greater ease. I am grateful for their initiative and for their efforts to establish a new era of popular constitutionalism,” said Gabe Roth, Executive Director of Fix the Court.

“In recent years, the Supreme Court has narrowed and eroded longstanding statutory and constitutional protections, defying the understanding and intent of democratically-elected leaders in Congress,” said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at CREW. “The Supreme Court Review Act would give Congress the tools to promptly respond to harmful or erroneous Supreme Court decisions that affect the lives of everyday Americans. CREW is proud to endorse this important legislation that would allow Congress to effectuate its intent and reassert its Article I powers.”

“As we’ve seen with the Voting Rights Act, when a Supreme Court majority misinterprets a federal statute, they shatter long-held expectations and immediately threaten rights Congress had protected. This creates an urgent need for a swift response. The Supreme Court Review Act will help Congress protect the basic rights of the people while also restoring the balance of power among the branches of the federal government,” said Svante Myrick, President at People for the American Way.

“With each passing decision, it is more and more evident that the conservative majority of the Supreme Court is more interested in making law than acting like neutral Justices. The Supreme Court has done more damage to the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and National Environmental Policy Act than any other institution in the nation, and this is all part of a larger ideological effort to give corporations and polluters the upper hand in every courtroom fight, while throwing ordinary people under the bus. Congress needs more tools to check the abuses of the Supreme Court and this legislation is a critical step,” said Brett Hartl, Director of Government Affairs at the Center for Biological Diversity.

“Behind every Supreme Court decision are real people whose lives and liberties are on the line,” said Jay Young, Senior Policy Director for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, Common Cause. “Congress has a duty to stand up for the public, and this legislation gives lawmakers the immediate tools they need to step in and protect our freedom.”

The Supreme Court Review Act would add to a growing number of good-government reform bills introduced by Whitehouse to restore Americans’ trust in government, particularly the Supreme Court. The Senator’s DISCLOSE Act would require organizations spending money in federal elections to disclose their donors, allowing the American people to see who is attempting to sway their elections and gain control over their government.

Whitehouse’s Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a binding and enforceable code of conduct, create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws, improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, end the practice of justices ruling on their own conflicts of interests, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public.

The Senator’s Supreme Court Biennial Appointments and Term Limits Act would establish effective 18-year term limits and regularized appointments for Supreme Court justices. Under the legislation, a new justice would take the bench every two years and spend 18 years participating in all Supreme Court cases, after which the justice would be limited to hearing a small number of constitutionally required cases.",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-doggett-propose-new-environmental-accountability-measure-related-to-u-s-africa-trade-law/,"Whitehouse, Doggett Propose New Environmental Accountability Measure Related to U.S.-Africa Trade Law",2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Bill would incentivize better environmental stewardship while protecting American manufacturers from unfair competition with polluters

Countries would be held accountable to their existing environmental commitments

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) this week introduced the Environmental Commitment Objectives for African Growth and Opportunity Act (ECO AGOA). The legislation would add enforcement of a nation’s own environmental commitments as criteria for countries in sub-Saharan Africa to qualify for duty-free access to the U.S. market under AGOA. Since its enactment in 2000, AGOA has been a key pillar of U.S. economic policy and trade relations with sub-Saharan Africa.

“Without environmental accountability criteria, the fossil fuel industry and other big polluters rake in more profits while harming the health of local communities and putting U.S. manufacturers that use clean production methods at a disadvantage,” said Whitehouse. “Our bill would promote AGOA’s development goals and strip big polluters of the economic reward and competitive advantage they get from polluting.”

“The race for Africa’s critical minerals appears to have become a race to the bottom. The Trump regime’s critical minerals deals ignore the poisoning of water, soil, and lungs when environmental laws go unenforced,” said Doggett. “ECO AGOA sets a simple standard: if you want America’s trade preferences, enforce your own environmental laws. It is a modest step that helps our partners protect their own people and resources.”

AGOA currently provides 32 sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market for over 1,800 products. To qualify for AGOA, countries must meet criteria on market-based reforms, political pluralism, worker and human rights, rule of law, poverty reduction, and anti-corruption efforts.

AGOA’s lack of environmental accountability criterion undermines global climate commitments, jeopardizes public health, and gives foreign polluters a competitive advantage over cleaner domestic manufacturers. For example, lead imported from unregulated recycling sites that are poisoning communities is currently duty-free under AGOA. A New York Times investigation found that seven in ten people in one Nigerian town had harmful levels of lead in their blood, including every worker at a lead recycling factory. Imported lead competes with battery recycling factories in the U.S. that are subject to strict environmental standards. Oil and gas products have also benefited from duty-free treatment under AGOA more than any other category of goods, harming the climate while doing little to benefit the communities AGOA was designed to help.

ECO AGOA would add a criterion to AGOA that requires countries to effectively enforce their domestic environmental laws and fulfill their international environmental obligations. Rather than impose new standards, ECO AGOA holds countries accountable to the environmental commitments they’ve already made domestically and abroad, offering a practical benchmark for eligibility.",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-top-appropriators-demand-white-house-immediately-remove-taxpayer-funded-ad-promoting-trump-off-the-air,"Reed, Top Appropriators Demand White House Immediately Remove Taxpayer-Funded Ad Promoting Trump Off the Air",2026-09-24,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee an U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) along with U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member, and U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on FSGG, sent a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles demanding the Trump Administration immediately remove off the air a taxpayer-funded political ad self-promoting President Trump—and report to the Committees exactly how many taxpayer dollars were spent creating and airing the illegal political propaganda.

“This is the sort of government propaganda one might expect in North Korea, not the United States of America, and it is an egregious and utterly illegal misuse of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars,” write the lawmakers, who note the ad constitutes a blatant violation of Section 718 of Division E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, which forbids any federal funding from supporting propaganda, in addition to other federal laws.

“We write to demand that you immediately take this ad off the air and appropriately reprimand and discipline the Federal employees who knowingly violated Federal law in working on and paying for this advertisement. In addition, we demand a full account and breakdown of all Federal funds used to create and air this ad,” they continue. “The law is not complicated. You cannot use taxpayer dollars for political advertisements.”

The full text of the letter follows:

The Honorable Susan Wiles

Chief of Staff

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Cc: The Honorable Russell T. Vought, Director, Office of Management and Budget

Ms. Wiles:

Last night, Fox News aired a government-sponsored political ad that was “Paid for by the U.S. Government”—otherwise known as the American taxpayers. The ad celebrates President Trump with a montage of photos of him and the American flag as singers repeat the words “love me” from JMSN’s song “Love Me.”[1] If President Trump wants people to love him, he can pay for it himself.

This is the sort of government propaganda one might expect in North Korea, not the United States of America, and it is an egregious and illegal misuse of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars. This ad is a violation of section 718 of division E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, a longstanding general provision prohibiting any taxpayer funds from being used to produce government propaganda. Section 718 states that, “No part of any appropriation contained in the act or any other Act shall be used directly or indirectly, including through a private contractor, for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by Congress.” It is also apparently a violation of Federal ethics laws, including the Hatch Act.

We write to demand that you immediately take this ad off the air and appropriately reprimand and discipline the Federal employees who knowingly violated Federal law in working on and paying for this advertisement. In addition, we demand a full account and breakdown of all Federal funds used to create and air this ad.

As you are aware, this is not the first time this administration has violated anti-propaganda law[2]. It is unconscionable that repeated violations of appropriations law continue to occur during this Administration, and those violations underscore the failure of the Office of Management and Budget to safeguard taxpayer funding and to consistently and faithfully ensure compliance with the law. No taxpayer funding should be used to air this outrageous propaganda.

The law is not complicated. You cannot use taxpayer dollars for political advertisements.

Sincerely,",1,2026-09-25T10:04:52Z,2026-09-25T10:05:46Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/with-americans-paying-record-high-gas-prices-at-home-reed-opposes-trumps-plan-for-a-5b-us-funded-bailout-for-gulf-states-in-the-middle-east,"With Americans Paying Record High Gas Prices at Home, Reed Opposes Trump’s Plan for a $5B U.S.-Funded Bailout for Gulf States in the Middle East",2026-09-24,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump’s chaotic policies and reckless war with Iran continue squeezing Americans’ budgets and causing economic hardship for families and businesses. Gas prices are surging to roughly $4.48 per gallon for regular unleaded gas and $6.51 per gallon for diesel.

But instead of offering American drivers real relief at the pump, the Trump Administration wants to offer wealthy Middle East countries a $5 billion U.S. taxpayer funded investment fund to rebuild Persian Gulf energy infrastructure.

This week, the Wall Street Journal published a story -- U.S. Proposes $5 Billion to Kickstart Fund to Rebuild Gulf Energy Sites -- that the Trump Administration is proposing to provide $5 billion in U.S. taxpayer funding to prop up the oil and gas industry in the Middle East. The Trump Administration wants Americans to kickstart a fund that wealthy Middle Eastern autocratic states could tap to repair their oil and gas infrastructure that has been damaged and is experiencing a downturn due to President Trump’s war with Iran.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) slammed Trump’s plan to subsidize rich Middle Eastern monarchies with U.S. tax dollars as costly, wasteful, and unproductive.

“Once again, President Trump is trying to short-change Americans. He wants U.S. taxpayers to pay for his Iran war mistakes and provide some of his wealthy, royal friends with a gold-plated Big Oil bail out,” said Reed.

Senator Reed says that instead of forcing Americans to rescue wealthy foreign rulers and rebuild their oil and gas infrastructure overseas, the Trump Administration should focus on helping Americans here at home; invest in cost-effective clean energy solutions that enhance America’s energy independence; and provide real relief to Americans who are struggling under Trump’s oil price hike and tariff taxes.

Senator Reed sent a letter to President Trump, stating: “While you are proposing to send $5 billion overseas, here at home, your administration is proposing to eliminate the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which currently provides $4 billion to help low-income families and seniors afford to heat and cool their homes. Your administration has also worked continuously to halt or cancel countless clean energy projects poised to bring more affordable and domestically produced energy onto the grid to directly benefit American consumers.

“As I wrote to you back in March, the instability in the global oil and gas markets and the higher prices at the pump we are seeing were easily predictable. It is well past time for you to address the needs of American families who are bearing the brunt of the economic pain of the war.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump’s plan to send $5 billion to the Middle East is dubbed the Partnership for Allied Trust and Construction (PACT) and would include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, and Jordan.

While these countries have strong diplomatic and security ties with the U.S., Senator Reed notes that is not the same as them needing a U.S.-taxpayer funded bailout.

“Donald Trump’s war with Iran is having an adverse economic impact on many of our allies – not just in the Middle East, but all across the globe. That doesn’t mean President Trump can start treating U.S. taxpayers like a piggy bank for other countries to take from. These Middle Eastern countries are more than capable of making their own investments in their energy infrastructure. What President Trump needs to do is end his reckless war with Iran and offer a coherent strategy to fix the mess he has made,” said Reed, who also pointed out the so-called PACT proposal was a half-baked risk.

The Wall Street Journal report cites experts who say the proposal puts the proverbial ‘cart before the horse’:

“Some Middle East officials said the initiative appeared to be Washington's attempt to cast the Strait of Hormuz as a less consequential energy route, and show the U.S. and its allies are united in confronting Iran. They added that creating a fund to rebuild destroyed energy sites without a peace deal with Tehran would be premature, as the regime could target new infrastructure with drones and missiles.

“""This strategy has risk written all over it,"" said Bilal Saab, senior managing director of consulting firm TRENDS US.”

Full text of Senator Reed’s letter to President Trump follows:

Dear President Trump,

The war you began with Iran on February 28th without consulting Congress and without explanation to the American people has now dragged on for over 200 days with no end in sight. It has cost American lives, depleted military stockpiles, and hurt the American economy. Rather than ending the war and addressing its impacts on average Americans, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) now reports that your Administration plans to provide $5 billion in taxpayer funding to prop up the oil and gas industry in the Middle East (U.S. Proposes $5 Billion to Kickstart Fund to Rebuild Gulf Energy Sites, Sept. 21, 2026).

As the WSJ notes, “[t]he move is a tacit acknowledgment that the seven-month conflict has roiled the global energy market and destroyed regional pipelines and refineries that will be costly to rebuild.” Yet, unless you end the war and address the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and disruptions of shipments in the Red Sea, American consumers will continue to pay higher and higher prices.

In the seven months since you started the war, U.S. consumers have incurred $114 billion in additional costs on gasoline and diesel, translating to an extra $874 per U.S. household, according to Brown University’s Iran War Cost Tracker. According to AAA, the nationwide price of diesel is $6.51 a gallon, up from $3.69 a gallon a year ago, impacting nearly every sector of the economy, from transportation to groceries. Based on data from the Department of Energy, the National Energy Assistance Directors Association found that U.S. households are projected to spend an average of $1,030 to heat their homes this winter, an increase of 8.7 percent, or $82, over last winter, while households that rely on heating oil face a 31 percent increase, or $548, due to the Iran war pushing global oil prices higher.

These increased energy costs translate to real hardship for American families. Temperatures are already starting to drop, and families are preparing to spend record amounts heating their homes this winter. While you are proposing to send $5 billion overseas, here at home, your administration is proposing to eliminate the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which currently provides $4 billion to help low-income families and seniors afford to heat and cool their homes. Your administration has also worked continuously to halt or cancel countless clean energy projects poised to bring more affordable and domestically produced energy onto the grid to directly benefit American consumers.

As I wrote to you back in March, the instability in the global oil and gas markets and the higher prices at the pump we are seeing were easily predictable. It is well past time for you to address the needs of American families who are bearing the brunt of the economic pain of the war.

Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.

Sincerely,",1,2026-09-25T10:04:52Z,2026-09-25T10:05:46Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/us-senators-coons-murray-reed-shaheen-warner-warren-kim-issue-joint-statement-ahead-of-president-xi-jinpings-state-visit,"U.S. Senators Coons, Murray, Reed, Shaheen, Warner, Warren, Kim Issue Joint Statement Ahead of President Xi Jinping’s State Visit",2026-09-23,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member for Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense; Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; and Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Banking Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance, released the following joint statement ahead of President Trump’s state visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping:

“The People’s Republic of China presents a greater threat to American security and prosperity than ever before. According to public reporting, Chinese entities are providing the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies with satellite imagery, technology, and battlefield intelligence to target and kill American service members. China is accelerating its drive for AI dominance by exploiting weaknesses in the administration’s export controls to access advanced chips and manufacturing equipment. At the same time, President Trump dismisses the need for commonsense AI guardrails at home while cutting investments in critical research and workforce training. The Chinese military continues its pressure campaign against our vital democratic partner Taiwan as President Trump has retreated from longstanding security commitments. Beijing also serves as the lifeline for Putin’s brutal war machine in Ukraine, providing technology and oil revenue Moscow needs to manufacture the precision missiles and drones that terrorize Ukraine’s cities.

“As Americans face rising prices for gas, food, housing, and more, President Trump is rolling out the red carpet for President Xi and hosting closed-door dinners so his billionaire friends can strike deals that threaten American jobs and national security. President Xi gets the royal treatment while President Trump hurls threats and wages trade wars on allies like Canada. This is not leadership, and Americans deserve better.

“President Trump must reverse course. He must end China’s access to the advanced chips and manufacturing equipment it needs to build dangerous AI systems. He must stand with Taiwan and not let China veto American support for Taiwan’s defense. He must press President Xi to stop supporting Putin’s war in Ukraine. Finally, he must confront President Xi about the resources Beijing has given Iran that have led to the killing of American service members.

“We can’t let President Xi leave stronger than when he arrived. That is not diplomacy, it’s weakness.”",1,2026-09-25T10:04:52Z,2026-09-25T10:05:46Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/with-271-million-investment-in-pier-1-at-navsta-newport-reed-bolsters-us-coast-guards-expansion-in-ri-and-advances-navsta-newport-shoreside-modernization,"With $271 Million Investment in Pier 1 at NAVSTA Newport, Reed Bolsters U.S. Coast Guard’s Expansion in RI & Advances NAVSTA Newport Shoreside Modernization",2026-09-22,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – After years of federal investment to position Rhode Island as a key hub for the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the Coast Guard is solidifying its Ocean State footprint with the awarding of a new $271,226,000 contract for phase 2 construction of Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport Pier 1.

Located in the waterfront area of Coddington Cove, Pier 1 was originally constructed in the mid-1950s. Over the decades, the 1,585-feet long concrete structure took a pounding from storms, waves, and ongoing degradation that rendered the pier condemned. It has already been demolished as part of phase 1 of the project.

Plans for the new pier call for a more compact, approximately 1,000-feet long and 80-feet wide, structure with a higher deck elevation to minimize the potential for wave damage and account for future sea-level rise.

Additional work associated with the project includes building a new bulkhead; creating a laydown area and parking facilities; implementing stormwater management systems; installing utilities including fire/potable water, electrical, telecommunications, and compressed air systems.

The new pier is needed to support the operations of four state-of-the-art Coast Guard vessels that will make Newport their homeport as the USCG enhances its regional maritime commitment, capabilities, and operations in Rhode Island.

“This is great news for the state that builds on multi-year investments we’ve made to bring more jobs and resources to Rhode Island. NAVSTA Newport offers the Coast Guard some strategic advantages and cost efficiencies. Constructing this pier is a needed step to ensure the Coast Guard deepens its roots in Rhode Island. It will transform the pier from an aging, high-maintenance structure into a resilient, efficient, multi-functional waterfront hub that can serve for generations to come. This new pier will ensure the Coast Guard has the infrastructure required to serve as the homeport for four next-generation cutters. I will continue working to provide our Coast Guard crews with the facilities and support they need to meet America’s evolving maritime security needs,” said Senator Reed.

When the pier modernization project is complete it will provide four major cutter berths for the Coast Guard’s growing surface fleet. These ships are likely to be ‘major cutters’ -- massive vessels that are hundreds of feet long and weigh thousands of tons. More information about the final lineup of USCG cutters coming to Rhode Island will be announced at a later date.

To successfully prepare for NAVSTA Newport’s projected growth, community conversations and public meetings have already begun as Newport and nearby communities prepare to welcome an influx of hundreds of federal employees, military personnel, family members, and associated maritime researchers and support staff that are scheduled to arrive in the area in the coming years as both the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) increase their footprint at Naval Station Newport.

NOAA has carved out a 5-acre site along Coddington Cove at NAVSTA Newport for its new, state-of-the-art $147 million Marine Operations Center - Atlantic (MOC-A), which is expected to be completed in the coming months.

The MOC-A coordinates NOAA’s ships operating in the Atlantic Ocean and Great Lakes and serves as a homeport for some of NOAA’s flagship research vessels. Senator Reed led the successful effort to move the MOC-A from Norfolk, Virginia to NAVSTA Newport in Rhode Island.

MOC-A’s new home will feature a modern pier for berthing four large NOAA research vessels, a floating dock for smaller boats, administrative offices, parking lots, and maintenance and storage facilities.

To help prepare for the influx of people associated with these new facilities at NAVSTA Newport, the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Community Cooperation program has funded community outreach and planning initiatives to help ensure positive working relationships between military installations and their host communities, which include the City of Newport and the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth.

Construction on the pier and the delivery of the new cutters are scheduled to continue through 2030.

There are currently five U.S. Coast Guard cutters stationed in Rhode Island and homeported at NAVSTA Newport: USCGC Oak (Seagoing buoy tender); USCGC Sycamore (Seagoing buoy tender); USCGC Legare (Medium endurance cutter); USCGC Campbell (Medium endurance cutter) and USCGC Tahoma (Medium endurance cutter).",1,2026-09-25T10:04:52Z,2026-09-25T10:05:46Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-warner-and-coons-seek-investigation-into-faulty-ai-assisted-intelligence_operations,"Reed, Warner & Coons Seek Investigation into Faulty AI-Assisted Intelligence & Operations",2026-09-21,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; and Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense, are calling on U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Jay Clayton to investigate reported failures involving the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in U.S. military and intelligence operations and provide relevant Inspectors General with unrestricted access to examine the incidents.

The senators sent a letter following public reports of an AI-targeting platform relying on outdated geospatial data in a kinetic strike in Minab, Iran, and an aborted military interdiction operation after AI-generated false information was included in disseminated U.S. intelligence.

“Recent events – including public reports of an AI-targeting platform relying on outdated geospatial data in a kinetic strike in Minab, Iran and a public report on an aborted military interdiction operation driven by potential AI-hallucination in disseminated intelligence by U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific – have given us growing concern about the extent to which agencies under your oversight have prioritized acceleration of AI capability adoption and ‘experimentation’ over effective governance,” the three U.S. Senators wrote.

Warner, Reed, and Coons warned that reported AI failures in targeting and intelligence systems could lead to serious operational errors and erode confidence in U.S. intelligence and military actions.

“Public reports that AI targeting platforms have repeatedly generated spurious outputs (based on outdated input data or outright hallucination) risk serious operational error, in addition to undermining the confidence of both the American public and international partners in the accuracy and reliability of U.S. intelligence and intelligence-informed kinetic actions,” they continued.

The senators called for the reported incidents to be investigated by the relevant Inspectors General, warning against sacrificing safeguards in the push to rapidly deploy AI across national security missions.

“These potential mistakes – against the backdrop of the Department of Defense’s harassment of a leading U.S. AI vendor over the latter’s reluctance to allow its products’ use in fully-autonomous kinetic operations – deserve immediate investigation by relevant Inspectors General, with a higher degree of public transparency in the ultimate findings, given the impacts these perceived failures have on public confidence in our intelligence and warfighting missions,” the senators wrote.

Warner, Reed, and Coons also stressed that AI can play an important role in intelligence analysis while requiring rigorous standards and human oversight, particularly when intelligence could lead to military action.

“While AI has appropriate applications in the analytic and other fields, strong tradecraft standards should ensure that no disseminated intelligence product contains AI-generated errors, particularly when such intelligence may serve as the impetus for a kinetic action against a nuclear-armed adversary,” they wrote.

The senators pointed to the administration’s rollback of AI governance measures, including the revocation of National Security Memorandum 25 and a Department of Defense AI strategy that characterizes governance policies as barriers to adoption.

“A ‘Move Fast and Break Things’ approach may serve for high-engagement memes on social media platforms, but it risks potentially grave operational miscalculations and represents a serious threat to morale; recruitment; and foreign perceptions on the thresholds, accuracy, and justness of U.S. military action,” the senators wrote.

Warner, Reed, and Coons concluded by calling for a broader examination of potential AI-related failures beyond the two publicly reported incidents:

“We urge you to promptly investigate this matter, providing relevant Inspectors General with unrestricted access to both instances this year in which media reports have suggested significant errors in AI-enabled targeting workflows, as well as any additional instances that may have so far not been publicly reported.”

The full text of the letter follows:

Secretary Hegseth and Director Clayton:

Recent events – including public reports of an AI-targeting platform relying on outdated geospatial data in a kinetic strike in Minab, Iran and a public report on an aborted military interdiction operation driven by potential AI-hallucination in disseminated intelligence by U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific – have given us growing concern about the extent to which agencies under your oversight have prioritized acceleration of AI capability adoption and “experimentation” over effective governance. While oversight committees in Congress await a more comprehensive accounting of these recent instances (including root cause analyses), public reports that AI targeting platforms have repeatedly generated spurious outputs (based on outdated input data or outright hallucination) risk serious operational error, in addition to undermining the confidence of both the American public and international partners in the accuracy and reliability of U.S. intelligence and intelligence-informed kinetic actions.

These potential mistakes – against the backdrop of the Department of Defense’s harassment of a leading U.S. AI vendor over the latter’s reluctance to allow its products’ use in fully-autonomous kinetic operations – deserve immediate investigation by relevant Inspectors General, with a higher degree of public transparency in the ultimate findings, given the impacts these perceived failures have on public confidence in our intelligence and warfighting missions. Over the past two decades Congress has signaled the necessity of accurate and comprehensive intelligence in our national security. Despite the great advances that our Intelligence Community has made in that time, highly-publicized intelligence mistakes – potentially triggered by unnecessarily accelerating AI-capabilities ahead of effective testing, evaluation, and human oversight mechanisms – risks trivializing that progress. While AI has appropriate applications in analytics and other fields, strong tradecraft standards should ensure that no disseminated intelligence product contains AI-generated errors, particularly when such intelligence may serve as the impetus for a kinetic action against a nuclear-armed adversary.

To be clear, the shortcomings of generative AI models have been well-documented since their inception – with difficulties associated with auditability, model hallucination (including mischaracterizations and false attribution), and lowered output reliability and accuracy-overtime, well-established in technical literature. In 2025, Congress passed legislation to establish stronger AI governance measures for contexts in which AI affected high-impact functions (such as targeting). These requirements included oversight and compliance mechanisms for reviewing the use and outputs of such capabilities, as well as appropriate human oversight. Notably, the Trump administration’s own Office of Management and Budget in early 2025 had directed civilian agencies to apply these heightened measures to high-impact AI uses – while encouraging their usage in national security contexts.

Instead, the Administration has in the last year aggressively rolled back governance measures – including revoking National Security Memorandum 25 (establishing similar AI governance requirements in national security contexts) and releasing a Department of Defense AI Strategy that treats AI governance policies as “blockers” to AI adoption in military contexts. A “Move Fast and Break Things” approach may serve for high-engagement memes on social media platforms, but it risks potentially grave operational miscalculations and represents a serious threat to morale; recruitment; and foreign perceptions on the thresholds, accuracy, and justness of U.S. military action.

We urge you to promptly investigate this matter, providing relevant Inspectors General with unrestricted access to both instances this year in which media reports have suggested significant errors in AI-enabled targeting workflows, as well as any additional instances that may have so far not been publicly reported.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this serious matter.

Sincerely.",1,2026-09-22T09:42:49Z,2026-09-22T09:44:35Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-condemns-trump-administration-for-concealing-costs-of-iran-war,Reed Condemns Trump Administration for Concealing Costs of Iran War,2026-09-19,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- This week, press reports indicated that at least four more American servicemembers have died in the Iran war than are acknowledged in the Pentagon’s public casualty database. The disclosure comes as the Pentagon informed Congress this week that the war has now cost at least $44 billion, an estimate that still excludes the cost of repairing damaged U.S. bases.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response:

“The Trump Administration has hidden the true cost of this war from day one. Under Secretary Hegseth, the Department of Defense has obfuscated the numbers of wounded servicemembers in Iran and reclassified American deaths under a new operation name to avoid contradicting the President. That is profoundly disrespectful to our troops and their families.

“The financial costs have continued to climb by billions each month, even as the administration refuses to acknowledge the munitions crisis we face or admit the costs to rebuild bases heavily damaged by Iran. Further, the Administration still refuses to turn over the findings of the Minab school strike investigation, and congressional Republicans have not held a single public hearing on the Iran war.

“Americans deserve to know why their loved ones are risking their lives overseas. Taxpayers deserve to know what this war costs. Congress cannot do its job when the Pentagon will not tell us the truth.”

Earlier this week, Senator Reed joined with 45 Senate Democrats in writing a letter demanding a full accounting of Iran war costs from the U.S. Department of Defense.

In addition to the true costs of the war, the 46 U.S. Senators are seeking a breakdown of the Pentagon’s $67 billion supplemental budget request, as well as an accounting of tax dollars spent so far from the roughly $34 billion tax and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed last year.",1,2026-09-20T09:37:28Z,2026-09-20T09:38:59Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-home-heating-season-approaches-reed-collins-murkowski-and-colleagues,"As Home-Heating Season Approaches, Reed, Collins, Murkowski & Colleagues Urge Trump Admin. to Swiftly Release LIHEAP Funding",2026-09-17,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – With energy costs rising and winter approaching, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are leading a bipartisan push for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as swiftly and at the highest level possible.

Appropriators worked on a bipartisan basis to make roughly $4 billion in federal LIHEAP funds available for the coming year.

Twenty-eight U.S. Senators joined Reed, Collins, and Murkowski in calling on HHS to swiftly distribute LIHEAP aid before winter home-heating bills arrive in order to help states and eligible households manage their energy costs.

LIHEAP provides financial assistance to income-eligible homeowners and renters to help with energy bills and for reconnection of energy service. The program is targeted to assist vulnerable households facing high energy burdens—the share of a household’s income that goes toward their energy bills. Low-income homes generally spend the biggest percentage of their income on utility bills. However, factors such as income, weather, housing stock, fuel type, and energy-efficiency can all impact a household’s energy burden.

“As you know, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (P.L. 119-103) requires the Department of Health and Human Services to distribute no less than 90 percent of its total LIHEAP allotment by November 1, 2026. Given the extraordinary pressure consumers will face this winter, we ask that you make this distribution well before the deadline,” the 31 U.S. Senators wrote.

In addition to Reed, Collins, and Murkowski, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Gary Peters (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The bipartisan group of Senators say the federal government should put preparation ahead of politics and ensure LIHEAP funding is allocated in a timely manner to keep vulnerable citizens safe and warm during winter by helping low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes pay their energy bills. The program also helps reduce energy costs through improved energy efficiency initiatives.

Nationwide, an estimated 6 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP over the last year. And more households may need heating assistance this winter as temperatures drop and the cost of oil, gas, propane, and other residential fuels rise.

States and tribes typically receive their LIHEAP allocations from HHS by early November. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources. While eligibility varies by state, most applicants must have a household income below 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline or 60 percent of the state median income.

The Trump Administration has proposed eliminating LIHEAP, including zeroing out funds in its fiscal year 2027 (FY27) budget plan, but Senators Reed, Collins, and Murkowski have led successful bipartisan pushback to protect LIHEAP and fund the program at more than $4 billion this year.

LIHEAP applications are open for all income-eligible households. Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2027 — or until the funding is exhausted. To find your state agency, visit HHS’s LIHEAP State Map of Contacts.

LIHEAP provides direct payments to utility companies on behalf of approved applicants with demonstrated need.

According to a new forecast from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), heating will be more expensive for all U.S. households this year, but some homes will be hit with steeper increases than others.

Heating oil costs are projected to soar by 31.3 percent this winter, the largest increase among the major heating fuels.

Overall, the average American household is projected to spend an average of $1,030 to heat their homes this winter, an 8.7 percent increase over last year.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

As you know, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (P.L. 119-103) requires the Department of Health and Human Services to distribute no less than 90 percent of its total LIHEAP allotment by November 1, 2026. Given the extraordinary pressure consumers will face this winter, we ask that you make this distribution well before the deadline.

October marks the start of the heating season for many states, and with temperatures already dropping, low-income families and seniors are feeling additional strains on their household budgets. As the main federal program benefiting these individuals with their energy bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance to vulnerable families and seniors during the cold winter and hot summer months. State agencies and tribes are already activating their LIHEAP programs for the coming winter. A quick release of funding will ensure no gaps in assistance.

We look forward to working with you on this critical program. Thank you for your attention to our concerns and those of our constituents.

Sincerely,",1,2026-09-18T09:27:43Z,2026-09-18T09:29:09Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-gets-1-million-federal-grant-to-strengthen-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline,RI Gets $1 Million Federal Grant to Strengthen 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline,2026-09-16,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI -- September is National Suicide Prevention Month – a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, share resources, and strengthen connections that can help save lives.

To mark the occasion and highlight the importance of mental health services, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today announced that Rhode Island is receiving $1,057,919 in federal funds to help support the state’s suicide prevention efforts, administer the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and ensure they have the tools, training, and staffing levels needed to effectively respond to suicide risks and help save people in crisis.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support and crisis care referrals from trained counselors to anyone experiencing severe distress and/or suicidal thoughts. People can access the Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Senator Reed co-authored the law creating the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline -- the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (Public Law No: 116-172) -- which directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to designate 988 as the universal telephone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline, similar to the way 911 is set up as a free, three-digit number available 24/7 for urgent help. Prior to that, the hotline used a 10-digit number that was harder for people to remember.

Struggling Rhode Islanders in need or those seeking help for a loved one in crisis have called or texted Rhode Island’s 988 Call Center more than 40,000 times over the last several years.

Thanks to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, those seeking help are connected to trained, compassionate, local professionals who understand their community and may direct them to a safe place to receive immediate care, or assistance with continued treatment.

Each year, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is there to answer millions of calls nationwide and connect people to life-saving assistance and mental health resources.

“The 988 Lifeline saves lives. This federal funding will help ensure Rhode Island’s mental health crisis hotline remains available to those in need, when they need it. And we must spread the message that help is always available and encourage outreach to end the stigma around mental health and prevent death by suicide. We’ve got to change the conversation so more people understand that seeking help and preventative mental health care before there is a crisis is not a weakness, it is smart. If you feel despair, reach out because you are not alone and help is available. We also want more people to recognize the signs and know where to get help or refer others. It can make a world of difference,” said Senator Reed.

“Mental health deserves to be treated with the same level of urgency, care, and professionalism as physical health,” said Whitehouse. “The 988 Lifeline has helped many Rhode Islanders in crisis, and Senator Reed is to thank for its existence.”

“Every Rhode Islander deserves to know that help is just a call or text away when experiencing their darkest moments,” said Magaziner. “I am proud to help deliver funding to strengthen the 988 Lifeline in Rhode Island and ensure trained counselors are ready to respond to those in need, so no one facing a mental health crisis has to face it alone.”

“The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is more than a number. It’s a promise that no one has to face a mental health crisis alone,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “I’m grateful to have worked alongside my colleagues to deliver this funding so Rhode Island’s 988 Lifeline has the resources to answer every call with urgency, dignity, and compassion.”

In Rhode Island, Horizon Healthcare Partners (HHP), along with its member agencies, is among the hundreds of organizations nationwide raising awareness about the importance of seeking help and prioritizing mental health. HHP staffs 988’s call center and BHLink with Community Care Alliance. BH Link has been answering these calls since the summer of 2019, when the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH), which funds BH Link, chose to take advantage of the fact that the center was already answering calls 24/7.

The members of the Congressional delegation noted that 988’s text feature -- which connects users to a live counselor – is especially helpful to younger people who may be less comfortable or overwhelmed speaking to someone over the phone. The text feature is part of a nationwide strategy to reduce the incidence of suicidal ideation, behavior, and deaths by young people.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide was responsible for nearly 49,000 deaths in 2024, and the rate among men was nearly four times higher than women. The CDC also reports that suicide is one of the highest leading causes of death in the United States, ranking second for Americans aged 10 to 14, 15 to 24, and 25 to 36.",1,2026-09-18T09:27:43Z,2026-09-18T09:29:09Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-prices-surge-reed-seeks-to-free-americans-from-trumps-costly-tariff-taxes-and-refund-their-money,"As Prices Surge, Reed Seeks to Free Americans from Trump’s Costly Tariff Taxes & Refund Their Money",2026-09-15,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Instead of addressing the affordability crisis, President Trump is making it worse and driving up prices at the gas pump, grocery store, and on all manner of day to day products and services.

The Trump Administration’s tariff regime and trade wars – including the latest trade spat with Canada that includes regressive 50 percent tariffs on many products traded between the countries -- is needlessly driving up costs for American consumers and businesses and sewing uncertainty. According to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, tariffs on imports are already costing households in Rhode Island an average of $3,288 in extra spending and have cumulatively cost the state nearly $1.5 billion.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed says it is time to put a stop to President Trump unilaterally imposing a de facto national sales tax on the American people.

Senator Reed is teaming up with over two dozen U.S. Senate colleagues in introducing legislation that would repeal and refund President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs and limit presidential authority to impose tariffs.

The End Trump’s Tariff Tax Act (S.5390) would revoke and refund Trump’s latest barrage of tariffs and repeal archaic authorities he has used to try and widen his chaotic trade war. This legislation would take back taxing power that belongs to Congress under the Constitution by rescinding trade authority President Trump has misused to place tariff taxes on U.S. imports. The End Trump’s Tariff Tax Act would also undo President Trump’s recent Section 301 tariffs on 60 countries, previously imposed Section 122 temporary global tariffs, and the 50 percent Canadian tariffs, and requires the President to refund businesses for the higher costs these tariffs created. In an effort to simplify and expedite the refund process, the bill mandates refunds of the invalidated tariffs by directing Customs and Border Protection to issue them automatically within 30 days and prioritize relief for small businesses most impacted.

“President Trump’s failed economic policies are making it harder for Americans to make ends meet. His tariff regime and trade wars are costing Americans every day as he continues to drive up prices and lower people’s living standards. Republicans are enabling Trump’s poor decisions while Democrats are working to hold him accountable. The End Trump’s Tariff Tax Act would halt President Trump’s ineffective and unpopular tariff regime and expedite refunds,” said Senator Reed. “There is a reason the Wall Street Journal called Trump’s actions “the dumbest trade war in history.” It certainly isn’t benefiting America, that’s for sure. Not only are U.S. businesses paying increased costs for needed commodities like aluminum, but they are also seeing less demand for American made goods and services.”

Reed notes that Trump’s trade war tariffs are a major factor in the U.S.’s unexpectedly high and stubborn inflation rate, which ticked up last month and currently stands at 3.4 percent, well above the Federal Reserve Bankss 2 percent long-term target.

Trump’s trade fight with Canada is especially challenging for Rhode Island, which maintains strong economic ties with our neighbors to the north and does a lot of international business with Canada, including attracting Canadian tourists. Rhode Island, whose largest share of foreign tourists came from Canada in 2024, and the entire U.S. are already seeing reduced tourism revenue due to President Trump’s attacks on our closest neighbor. American businesses lost $2.3 billion in Canadian tourism revenue last year, with Canadian travel to the U.S. falling 25% from 2024 to 2025.

President Trump’s latest round of 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods means products that used to cost $100 now cost $150.

Senator Reed says President Trump’s childish mocking of Canada and renaming Lake Ontario has needlessly antagonized Canadians and created a trade conflict that is straining bilateral relations and deteriorating the long-standing, close partnership between the U.S and its neighbor to the north.

Last year, Reed helped pass two bipartisan resolutions to overturn the President’s previous Canadian tariffs, but the Trump-backed House failed to pass either measure. Reed is urging Congress to again take bipartisan action before Trump’s trade war further escalates. The Trump Administration recently announced that it will bar the import of certain dairy products, motorcycles, and alcoholic drinks from Canada, starting on September 29.

“Working people deserve a break from Trump’s regressive tariff taxes and trade wars. The End Trump’s Tariff Tax Act would halt these tariffs, offer American businesses some much needed certainty, and provide families with financial relief and refunds. The Trump tariffs have already cost Americans billions of dollars. It’s time for action before Americans are forced to pay billions more for the exact same products that used to cost a whole lot less,” said Senator Reed.

The End Trump’s Tariff Tax Act is led by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and, in addition to Senator Reed, original cosponsors include U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) Makie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) Andy Kim (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).",1,2026-09-18T09:27:43Z,2026-09-18T09:29:09Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/new-gao-report-underscores-need-for-reeds-rebuild-americas-schools-act,New GAO Report Underscores Need for Reed’s Rebuild America’s Schools Act,2026-09-14,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – School infrastructure has an outsized impact on learning. But a new report from the nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that more needs to be done to help school districts shore up school facilities and ensure students have access to safe, modern, and inviting learning environments.

The GAO report released today reveals that infrastructure issues forced 1 in 5 school districts to cancel school during the 2024-25 school year, resulting in 2 million students losing an estimated 3.5 million days of learning. Nearly half of the nation’s school districts reported chronic facility issues that negatively impacted learning, while more than half lacked the resources needed to address their most pressing infrastructure needs.

In an effort to correct this widespread issue and prevent students from losing critical learning time, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is urging Congress to pass his bicameral Rebuild America’s Schools Act (S.3777) which would surge federal investments to fix-up facilities and replace crumbling school infrastructure while creating better learning environments for the nation’s students.

“We know that improving school infrastructure is essential to the health, safety, and well-being of American students. Today’s GAO report underscores the urgency for action to help improve learning environments for our kids and make long-term investments in the success of our students,” said Senator Reed, who requested the GAO report alongside U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). “This is not a new issue. Previous research from GAO back in 2020 told us that over half of America’s school districts needed to update or overhaul multiple systems within their schools. Congress cannot simply look over these glairing needs and hope they go away. Instead, we have a duty to give our students and their teachers the best chance possible to succeed. And that must start with passing our Rebuild America’s Schools Act to advance a commonsense solution to infrastructure needs in public schools across the nation.”

For decades, school infrastructure has been underfunded. National spending for K-12 school buildings falls short by an estimated $90 billion annually, according to a 2025 analysis by the 21st Century School Fund. The GAO previously reported that 54 percent of U.S. school districts need to update or completely replace multiple building systems in their schools, according to a 2020 analysis.

To improve America’s school infrastructure, the Rebuild America’s Schools Act will provide $100 billion in formula funds to states for local competitive grants for school repair, renovation, and construction. States will focus assistance on communities with the greatest financial need, encourage green construction practices, and expand access to high-speed broadband to ensure that all students have access to digital learning.

The bill would also provide $30 billion for qualified school infrastructure bonds (QSIBs), $10 billion each year from 2027 through 2029, and restore the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABS) that were eliminated in the Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The legislation also eases the matching requirements and expands the authority and eligible purposes of QZABS to allow local education agencies to construct, rehabilitate, retrofit, or repair school facilities.

The Rebuild America’s Schools Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Murphy (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).",1,2026-09-15T09:50:21Z,2026-09-15T09:52:05Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-trump-dismisses-need-for-ai-guardrails-reed-calls-them-essential-for-safety-economy-and-humanity,"As Trump Dismisses Need for AI Guardrails, Reed Calls Them Essential for Safety, Economy & Humanity",2026-09-14,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- After President Donald Trump rejected the idea of guardrails on artificial intelligence (AI), stating in a Truth Social post Monday that he alone is a sufficient guardrail against rogue artificial intelligence and claiming that any efforts to responsibly regulate the technology were part of a “SICK conspiracy,” U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, pushed back and says strong, comprehensive guardrails are essential and it would be an abdication of government if Congress fails to provide rules and incentives for AI safety, security, and external oversight.

Senator Reed stated:

“President Trump is dead wrong. His shortsighted view increases the likelihood that AI will be misused by bad actors or unsafely sped up by corporate interests at the expense of the public.

“Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool that offers opportunities and risks. As with any new technology, especially something as cutting-edge and revolutionary as AI, laws and regulations must keep pace with the tech’s capabilities. Congress must do its job and provide balanced oversight, standards, and rules of the road.

“The AI industry itself is warning that the technology may be evolving at an unsafe pace. Elected officials should heed that warning and responsibly develop solutions to ensure the interests of the American people are protected.

“Adding some brakes and speed limits to AI development does not have to mean losing pace with the Chinese. That excuse is both a failure of imagination and a failure of leadership and misunderstands the nature of the AI race itself.

“We have a responsibility to ensure AI is used for the public good. That means smart, balanced guardrails and laws that are essential to protecting people, our economy, and humanity itself. And we need to ensure this technology is not misused by corporations, the government, or others.

“Instead of dismissing the need for AI guardrails, it is essential that lawmakers come together and develop the right ones. America’s future depends on it.”

-end-",1,2026-09-18T09:27:43Z,2026-09-18T09:29:09Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/grim-milestone-diesel-tops-6-per-gallon-in-ri,Grim Milestone: Diesel Tops $6 per Gallon in RI,2026-09-13,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"CRANSTON, RI -- President Trump’s war of choice with Iran is in its sixth month and now diesel prices in Rhode Island have surged past $6 per gallon for the first time, to $6.03, below the national average of $6.20, according to AAA.

Considered one of the essential fuels for the U.S. economy, diesel is used to power everything from trucks to tractors to boats and construction and industrial machinery, as well as for electricity generation and home heating.

Meanwhile, the average price of a regular gallon of gas in Rhode Island shot up to $4.36, driven by a roughly 20 percent increase in crude oil prices this month, topping $100 per barrel.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed says that while the cost of oil can be complex, the current price hikes are driven almost exclusively by President Trump’s ill-conceived war of choice; the flawed assumptions of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other cabinet officials; and President Trump’s refusal to listen to experts, which left the Trump Administration flat-footed for Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz that predictably destabilized the global energy market.

Reed also notes that Trump’s escalating trade wars with Canada and other countries are imposing needlessly high tariff taxes on Americans, making it harder for working families to afford gas, groceries, housing, healthcare, and more.

“President Trump continues to impose high prices on Americans and is escalating the financial burden on consumers and businesses. Rhode Islanders are paying a de facto ‘Trump tax’ every time they fill up their cars and the Trump price hikes extend well beyond the pump. The high cost of diesel adds higher costs to groceries, utilities, and nearly everything that gets shipped. Coupled with Trump’s tariff regime and trade wars, Americans are getting hit with a one-two punch by the Trump Administration. Every time they get a bill in the mail these days, they can see that it is higher because of President Trump’s recklessness,” said Reed.

Regular unleaded gasoline in Rhode Island averaged $2.94 the week before President Trump launched the Iran war -- $1.42 less per gallon than it is today.

Senator Reed says every American is paying higher prices today due to President Trump’s hubris, ego, lack of foresight, and repeated blunders -- which includes making Jared Kushner, who is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump’s friend, donor, and golfing buddy -- the chief diplomatic negotiators with Iran.

“President Trump is raising prices on Americans in all fifty states, but his price hikes could hit New England especially hard because many homes in this area depend on heating oil in the winter. He is also sticking it to agricultural states, which are heavily dependent on diesel. The problems in the Strait of Hormuz were widely predicted by nearly everyone but President Trump and his ‘yes men’ cabinet. Now all Americans are paying the price for Trump’s poor choices and lack of judgement,” said Reed.

According to Brown University’s Iran War Cost Energy Tracker, the energy burden on American citizens – the extra costs for gas and diesel they are forced to pay because of Trump’s war with Iran -- has risen to $105 billion. That means the average family has been forced to pay nearly $800 more for products due to elevated gas and diesel prices over the past six months because of Donald Trump’s war.",1,2026-09-14T10:19:32Z,2026-09-14T10:21:05Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ahead-of-25th-anniversary-reed-speaks-out-on-lessons-of-9/11,"Ahead of 25th Anniversary, Reed Speaks Out on Lessons of 9/11",2026-09-10,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Tomorrow, the United States will mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Twenty-five years after terrorists launched a series of attacks on 9/11 that killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center in New York City, at the Pentagon in Virginia, and aboard a plane that crashed in a Pennsylvania field after being diverted from its target and taken down by heroic passengers who fought their hijackers to death, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

“September 11 is a day of solemn reflection and remembrance for the nearly 3,000 innocent people who were attacked and killed while going about their daily lives.

“Time has passed but the memories of those we lost on 9/11 have not faded. Families were devastated, people felt vulnerable, lives were upended. The attacks stunned the nation, but the American people didn’t give in to fear and hate.

“We remember not just the tragedy, but the heroism: first responders and everyday heroes who risked their lives and braved immense danger to save others. And also the sense of unity and resilience: People rallied together. Lives and neighborhoods were rebuilt.

“A quarter-century has passed, and we continue to remember, educate, and strive to learn the right lessons from 9/11.

“That includes acknowledging and addressing missteps that allowed the attacks to occur and the failures of our response over the ensuing years, including the failure to properly care for those who today still bear physical and emotional scars. And we must never allow the fight against terrorism to be misused as a cover by politicians to pursue ulterior motives.

“We must also acknowledge the support and solidarity America received from our allies who rallied to our side – it was the first and only time NATO’s security commitment was ever invoked.

“While Al Qaeda was driven from Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden was pursued and taken out years after the attack, those who financed the attacks have not been held accountable. After twenty-five years, President Trump, who has declassified all manner of national records, should declassify key documents. The American people deserve full transparency.

“The terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 failed. And it wasn’t because we had the best intelligence or weapons – there are limits to military power and the use of force. But the power of our ideas, ideals, and shared values is central to American greatness and the ability to unite and lead the world. That is what allowed America to overcome and endure.

“Today, we must keep America’s promise. We must remain resolute against evolving threats and guard against those who seek to divide America. We are one nation, indivisible, with a solemn duty to uphold liberty, serve as a beacon of freedom and democracy, and pursue justice for all.”",1,2026-09-11T09:25:29Z,2026-09-11T09:27:08Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-delegation-opens-probe-into-trump-politicizing-disaster-relief,RI Delegation Opens Probe into Trump Politicizing Disaster Relief,2026-09-10,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to investigate and expose the Trump Administration’s blatant and unwarranted politicization of federal disaster aid, Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) demanding answers and the preservation of records and documentation related to Rhode Island’s request for a major disaster declaration for the historic February 2026 blizzard.

Despite the fact that damage from the blizzard far surpassed FEMA’s threshold for federal assistance, the Trump Administration unfairly denied the state’s request and brazenly rejected appeals from Rhode Island and other ‘Blue states’ that requested a Major Disaster Declaration.

Between February 22-23, 2026, Rhode Island was struck by a record-breaking blizzard that dumped 37.9 inches of snow in a 24-hour period and the state experienced wind gusts of 74 miles per hour. The winter storm hit Rhode Island with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, caused severe power outages for tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders, and tragically resulted in two fatalities and hundreds of emergency room visits. The storm created immense challenges for local businesses, which faced prolonged closures due to storm-related damage and disruptions to transportation, utilities, and public services.

In the aftermath of the blizzard, Rhode Island officials worked directly with FEMA to document over $19 million in direct storm damages eligible for federal reimbursement.

Pointing out that the Trump Administration still has yet to provide Rhode Island with a written, detailed explanation for why the state’s request was denied despite exceeding FEMA’s thresholds for assistance, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo wrote to the executive branch: “The facts could not be clearer. This storm was not typical winter weather; indeed, the National Weather Service confirmed snowfall totals that exceeded the historical 1-day snowfall records in all five Rhode Island counties. Downplaying this devastating blizzard as just “winter weather” is an insult to those whose lives and businesses were upended by the historic blizzard.”

The lawmakers note a cache of documents has already been obtained by Politico -- Trump overrode his own agencies to deny 4 Democratic disaster requests – that exposes partisan retribution. Politico notes: “President Donald Trump overruled his own agencies when he denied disaster aid for four Democratic-led states this month.

“Emails between state and federal officials obtained by POLITICO along with more than 150 pages of documents submitted to FEMA by three states — New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island — provide new details about Trump’s low rate of approving disaster aid for his political adversaries.”

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Secretary Mullin and Administrator Hamilton:

We write to request that you immediately preserve and provide all Department of Homeland Security documentation related to Rhode Island’s request for a major disaster declaration under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for its February 2026 blizzard.

Between February 22-23, 2026, Rhode Island was struck by a record-breaking blizzard that produced up to 37.9 inches of snow – its highest one-day snowfall on record – and up to 74-mile-per-hour winds. The storm hit the state with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, caused severe power outages, and tragically resulted in two fatalities and hundreds of emergency room visits. The State of Rhode Island worked with expert officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop a joint Preliminary Damage Assessment, which was submitted on April 7, 2026 with the state’s request and found over $19 million in validated damages – more than nine times the threshold required for disaster assistance.

To date, FEMA has not provided Rhode Island officials with a written, detailed explanation for why the state’s request was denied despite exceeding FEMA’s thresholds for assistance. However, on September 3, 2026, Administrator Hamilton, referencing the Administration’s denials for assistance to Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, posted on X: “Winter weather is not new to the Northeast. Federal disaster aid is not a backstop for routine state & local budgeting.”

The facts could not be clearer. This storm was not typical winter weather; indeed, the National Weather Service confirmed snowfall totals that exceeded the historical 1-day snowfall records in all five Rhode Island counties. Downplaying this devastating blizzard as just “winter weather” is an insult to those whose lives and businesses were upended by the historic blizzard.

Given the lack of a detailed, written explanation and Administrator Hamilton’s flippant claim that the blizzard’s impact was a failure of state and local budgeting, we request that you immediately preserve and provide all communications and records, including those with other agencies, the President, and others at the White House, relating to FEMA’s evaluation of Rhode Island’s disaster request. If you fail to preserve and provide this information, it is only reasonable to assume that claim is entirely without merit.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.",1,2026-09-11T09:25:29Z,2026-09-11T09:27:08Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-urges-federal-judicial-center-not-to-surrender-to-climate-denial-campaign-by-fossil-fuel-industry-against-climate-science-manual/,Whitehouse Urges Federal Judicial Center Not to Surrender to Climate Denial Campaign by Fossil Fuel Industry against Climate Science Manual,2026-09-10,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee, sent a letter last week to the Federal Judicial Center (FJC), the research and education agency of the federal judiciary, on its decision to abandon evidence-based climate science under pressure from the fossil fuel industry.

In May, Whitehouse wrote to the judiciary about its removal of the climate science section in the FJC Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence and explained that the section was needed to counter the judiciary’s decision to allow judges to attend industry-funded educational “seminars.” In the new letter, Whitehouse again urges the FJC to reinstate the climate science section and to resist attacks from the fossil fuel industry.

“The Reference Guide on Climate Science would have given judges trustworthy information from an impartial source on a complex body of science. As with the Reference Manual’s chapters on neuroscience, toxicology, and epidemiology, nothing in the Reference Guide on Climate Science compels a particular legal outcome. But when litigants raise questions of climate change attribution, forecasting, and harm—which they do in challenges to federal agency action, insurance disputes, and damage cases—judges need accurate and credible guidance to navigate the science at the heart of those disputes,” wrote Whitehouse.

“That guidance is especially important in the context of climate change, where the fossil fuel industry has spent decades hiding and disparaging legitimate, evidence-backed climate science, while promoting climate denial ‘science’ as simply a competing view that merits equal time,” wrote Whitehouse. “I am aware of no court decision suggesting that this field of industry-promoted ‘science’ is equivalent to the consensus views of virtually the entire scientific community.”

The FJC’s climate science guidance was based on internationally recognized and trusted sources like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which has been relied on by courts across the country. Nevertheless, the FJC withdrew its climate science guidance in response to attacks on the FJC and its personnel by Republicans and the fossil fuel industry. Whitehouse writes that the judiciary’s capitulation to these attacks will only undermine trust in the FJC and embolden the polluters whose goal it is to discredit climate science. He points out that courts at all levels have regularly accepted the basic tenets of climate science.

“Twenty-six state attorneys general and chief legal officers opposed the FJC’s decision and have pointed out the many ways the attacks on the Reference Guide were unfounded,” Whitehouse continued. “I hope the FJC plans to respond to these criticisms as well. If not, it should explain why critiques from polluter-friendly attorneys general merit swift and decisive action but those from others do not.”

Whitehouse continues to spotlight the fossil fuel industry’s considerable sway with the judiciary’s policymaking and research bodies. For example, the judiciary has permitted judges to attend fossil fuel-funded “seminars” criticizing climate science, not required the hosts of those seminars to disclose their industry funding, and blocked rules that would shine a light on how polluters work together to influence judges.

Whitehouse concluded, “Federal judges, and the parties whose disputes they oversee, deserve support and guidance commensurate with those judges’ dedication to deciding cases impartially. The FJC should reassert its commitment to providing that support, without favor to any political party or industry, by issuing the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence as originally intended.”",1,2026-09-11T09:25:29Z,2026-09-11T09:27:08Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-cassidy-reintroduce-bipartisan-bill-to-invest-10-billion-in-primary-care-and-modernize-medicare-payments/,Whitehouse & Cassidy Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Invest $10 Billion in Primary Care and Modernize Medicare Payments,2026-09-09,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Pay PCPs Act gives providers greater flexibility to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) reintroduced their legislation to better support and improve pay for high-quality primary care providers (PCPs). The Pay PCPs Act would move primary care away from a system that pays providers based largely on the number of visits and services they deliver, and toward a more flexible payment model that rewards high-quality, patient-centered care.

“Primary care providers know their patients and what they need to stay healthy. The Pay PCPs Act would allow providers to finally step off the fee-for-service treadmill and get paid fairly for their work,” said Whitehouse. “I’m grateful to Senator Cassidy for joining me to reintroduce this bill that takes a major step toward ending the primary care shortage and health cost crisis we’re seeing across the country.”

“Those who deliver high-quality primary care make patients healthier and the health care system run more efficiently. They should be supported by a payment system that recognizes that value,” said Cassidy.

Whitehouse and Cassidy’s Pay PCPs Act would invest $10 billion in primary care, giving practices greater flexibility to spend their time and resources where patients need them most while strengthening the primary care workforce and improving patients’ access to care. The bill would also lay the groundwork for broader, long-term Medicare physician payment reform by establishing a Technical Advisory Committee to recommend improvements to how physician services are valued and paid.

Together, these reforms would make an immediate investment in primary care while building a path toward a more sustainable Medicare payment system that better serves patients and providers.

The Pay PCPs Act is endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, Families USA, The American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the Primary Care Collaborative, and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

“Every family deserves a trusted primary care provider who prioritizes keeping them healthy, not just treating them when they’re sick — and for too long, our payment system has shortchanged the primary care providers on the frontlines of keeping people out of the emergency room and living healthier lives. The Pay PCPs Act takes a critical step to strengthen primary care payment by shifting away from a system that pays providers for how many tests and procedures they deliver and instead pays primary care providers for what they do best: effectively managing the health and health conditions of their patients. This new primary care payment model will give providers the predictable and flexible payments they need to better serve their communities and keep their patients healthy. We applaud Senators Whitehouse and Cassidy for this bipartisan leadership, which will mean better, more coordinated care for families and a stronger, more sustainable health care system for everyone,” said Sophia Tripoli, Managing Director of Health Policy at Families USA.

“The American College of Lifestyle Medicine is grateful to Senators Whitehouse and Cassidy for creating a payment pathway that expands the work of primary care physicians, including those working in lifestyle medicine, an evidence-based medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions to prevent, treat, and reverse chronic conditions. Only with innovative, bipartisan payment policy can we tackle our nation’s chronic disease epidemic,” said John Findley, MD, Chief Executive Officer of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

“The Pay PCPs Act is an important step in providing primary care with the resources and flexibility needed to improve the health of those on Medicare — especially those with chronic conditions. Pairing stronger investments in primary care with hybrid payments will provide clinicians with an off-ramp from a broken fee-for-service system that has undervalued primary care for far too long. We are grateful that Sen. Whitehouse and Sen. Cassidy are continuing to champion high-quality, whole-person primary care,” said Ann Greiner, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Primary Care Collaborative.

“The AAFP thanks Senators Whitehouse and Cassidy for leading bipartisan legislation to reform the way we pay for primary care in Medicare. The AAFP has long advocated in support of providing primary care physicians and practices with prospective, sustainable revenue streams that allow them to tailor the care they deliver to their patient’s needs. We have also long urged that financial barriers to accessing primary care for patients, such as cost-sharing, be waived. We are encouraged to see Congressional efforts heeding these calls to increase investment in primary care and improve access for patients,” said Sarah C. Nosal, MD, FAAFP, President of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

“The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, on behalf of more than 461,000 nurse practitioners nationwide, commends Senators Whitehouse and Cassidy for the introduction of the Pay PCPs Act. This bill would lead to long overdue reforms in how we value and pay for primary care, and remove barriers to access for patients and clinicians alike. Nurse practitioners are critical to ensuring patients have access to high-quality primary care, and we look forward to partnering to improve primary care delivery across the country,”said American Academy of Nurse Practitioners President Valerie J. Fuller, PhD, DNP.",1,2026-09-10T09:25:58Z,2026-09-10T09:27:09Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-announces-extra-442-million-boost-for-ri-road-bridge-and-infrastructure-improvements,"Reed Announces Extra $44.2 Million Boost for RI Road, Bridge & Infrastructure Improvements",2026-09-09,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a leading member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD), announced a $44.2 million boost for Rhode Island road and bridge work in the coming weeks to help advance the state’s transportation projects.

Reed says the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is getting an extra $44,272,826 to advance shovel-ready projects in the coming weeks while providing the state with enhanced flexibility to allocate state transportation funds to other road and bridge improvements and pedestrian projects.

The new money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) annual August redistribution.

Each year, FHWA shifts transportation funding authority from states unable to utilize the full amount of funding originally authorized to them, as well as from federal transportation grant and loan programs that were underutilized in the current fiscal year, to states that have shovel-ready projects and are able to utilize the funding before the close of the fiscal year at the end of September.

To qualify for this extra funding, RIDOT demonstrated that it will fully utilize the $44.2 million in the coming weeks on projects which fit all requirements for receiving additional federal funding. The additional funds will benefit several ongoing RIDOT projects, such as bridge work, pavement improvements and striping, safety enhancements, and curbing and sidewalk work along pedestrian pathways.

“This extra $44.2 million in federal spending authority for Rhode Island road improvements and infrastructure upgrades is excellent news. RIDOT is hard at work making infrastructure upgrades across the state. These extra funds should accelerate progress in the coming weeks of construction season. It will allow the state to prioritize key projects and help them move faster. We’ve got to continue investing in our transportation network and ensure it is safe, efficient, and better connects our communities and reduces pollution,” said Senator Reed, who supported RIDOT’s request to FHWA. “I will continue doing everything I can to make more money available for local projects.”

RIDOT will obligate these funds for specific projects by September 25.

This year’s redistribution for RIDOT brings the total the state has received over the last three years to $103.3 million.

Nationwide, FHWA reallocated $7.5 billion in federal funding to states from the Highway Trust Fund. In order to receive the federal funds, states are required to match a percentage of the federal funds.

Reed says this additional $44.2 million brings Rhode Island’s federal transportation investment total to nearly $456 million for Rhode Island roads, bridges, and pedestrian projects in Fiscal Year 2026.",1,2026-09-11T09:25:29Z,2026-09-11T09:27:08Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-trump-makes-health-care-less-affordable-and-accessible-reed-works-to-bring-down-health-costs_put-people-first,"As Trump Makes Health Care Less Affordable & Accessible, Reed Works to Bring Down Health Costs & Put People First",2026-09-08,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WARWICK, RI – As the negative impacts of President Trump’s damaging economic policies ripple across the U.S. health care system, more Americans are losing their health insurance, health prices are going up, and more health systems are weakening -- leading to longer wait times and higher costs for patients. U.S. Senator Jack Reed says it is time to break that cycle and offered a prescription for reinvesting in America’s health care system and lowering costs.

As Congress battles over the future of Medicaid and affordable health insurance, Senator Reed today joined officials from Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP), HealthSource RI, Protect Our Care, and community partners for a tour of CCAP’s Everett C. Wilcox Health Center located on Buttonwoods Avenue.

The 24,695-square foot facility offers health and wellness services to thousands of patients and includes medical and dental providers on site. In 2024, Senator Reed delivered a $1 million federal earmark to help expand the facility to its current size and provide integrated health services to more Rhode Islanders, including primary care, dental care, social work, mental and behavioral health and substance treatment, all within the same location.

During the visit, Senator Reed met with health professionals, patients, and staff and held a media availability to discuss his efforts to make health care more affordable and the challenges caused by President Trump’s unwelcome health care spending cuts, which have led to surging insurance costs and coverage losses due to Trump’s Medicaid rollbacks.

Research from Protect Our Care shows over 25,000 Rhode Islanders have lost Medicaid or CHIP coverage since the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by Republicans on a party-line vote and signed into law by President Trump last summer. Another 2,000 dropped marketplace coverage after President Trump and Congressional Republicans killed ACA tax credits and caused premiums to surge.

Nationwide, deductibles for health insurance plans on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace increased by $1,027, on average.

“President Trump’s policies are driving up the cost of health care and shifting heavier financial burdens on to working families and state budgets. We’ve got to make health care affordable again so people can get the care they need, when they need it. If people can’t afford to see a doctor to fill a prescription they end up delaying or skipping care, which has significant impacts down the line on both health outcomes and cost,” said Senator Reed. “I strongly support undoing Trump’s Medicaid cuts, reviving ACA credits, and taking the next steps on commonsense reforms that can help negotiate lower prescription drug prices, cut out the special interest middlemen, and reduce barriers to care, needless paperwork and red tape. President Trump needs to finally learn that affordability is not a hoax – it is the number one issue facing the majority of American families and Congress needs to listen and act.”

Reed notes that instead of prioritizing effective, data-driven care, the Trump Administration routinely sides with insurers and pharmaceutical companies over patients and their doctors.

Last year, the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans ripped away health care tax credits from millions of Americans and cut Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion in order to give the ultra-wealthy a bigger tax windfall. As a result, Affordable Care Act (ACA) disenrollments surged 33.6 percent after federal subsidies lapsed. In Rhode Island, enrollment in HealthSource RI has declined by approximately 8.2 percent over the last year and average monthly premiums have risen 15 percent to $647, according to the latest data from the State Marketplace Network.

The Trump Administration’s reckless health care policies continue to drive up health care premiums for all -- employer health costs are expected to see some of the sharpest increase in 20 years. They are pushing thousands of Rhode Islanders off of their ACA-backed plans, contributing to declining enrollment, increasing concerns about access, and accelerating higher cost growth as fewer healthy people remain in the insurance pool.

“HealthSource RI customers are facing enormous pressure as our state navigates the changes in federal regulation and law that have restricted access and financial assistance for marketplace coverage,” said Lindsay Lang, director of HealthSource RI. “While local solutions like the newly created Rhode Island Marketplace Affordability Program will help many in 2027, we need a comprehensive federal solution to ensure affordability and access across the board.”

Senator Reed says the Trump Administration’s moves to take away people’s health insurance is leading to a surge in plan costs, resulting in even more people being unable to pay their premiums.

“It is time for the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to help make health care more affordable and accessible by reinstating the ACA tax credits for working Americans and giving patients and families greater control over their own health care decisions. It is time to reverse the Trump Administration’s health cuts that put profits over patients and restore healthy competition in the health care marketplace; address inefficiencies in the health care system and supply chain; and lower the cost of health services and prescription drugs,” said Senator Reed, noting there are many steps the Trump Administration can quickly take to help lower health prices and improve patient care, including:

• Ending price gouging by health insurers,

• Breaking up anti-competitive industry consolidation that breeds monopolies,

• Using bulk purchasing power of Medicaid to lower prescription drug costs,

• Trimming administrative costs and improving price transparency, and

• Promoting health care innovation.

Senator Reed has already cosponsored several legislative proposals to achieve these goals, including the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act (S. 2556); the Healthy Families Act (S.3869); the Medicare Cost Cap Act (S.4886); and the Restoring Essential Healthcare Act(S.2524) and others that aim to lower healthcare costs and protect coverage.

Reed also said the federal government needs to invest wisely in facilities like the Wilcox Health Center that offers accessible, high-quality, affordable primary care, dental care, and mental health support.

National health care spending now surpasses $5.3 trillion, and nearly a quarter of every U.S. health care dollar goes to administrative costs -- far higher than any other country or industry -- and much of this spending does nothing to improve patient health. Reducing the administrative burden by leveraging new smart technology; improving data management; and more effectively collaborating across stakeholders can save payers, providers, and the federal government alike.",1,2026-09-11T09:25:29Z,2026-09-11T09:27:08Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/denouncing-trumps-politicization-of-disaster-aid-ri-delegation-vows-to-continue-pressing-for-merit-based-reimbursement-from-historic-feb-blizzard/,"Denouncing Trump’s Politicization of Disaster Aid, RI Delegation Vows to Continue Pressing for Merit-based Reimbursement from Historic Feb. Blizzard",2026-09-04,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Despite the fact that a historic February 2026 blizzard met and surpassed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) threshold for federal assistance, the Trump Administration on Wednesday rejected appeals from Rhode Island and other ‘Blue states’ that requested a Major Disaster Declaration.

Between February 22-23, 2026, Rhode Island was struck by a record-breaking blizzard that dumped 37.9 inches of snow in a 24-hour period and the state experienced wind gusts of 74 miles per hour. The winter storm hit Rhode Island with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, caused severe power outages for tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders, and tragically resulted in two fatalities and hundreds of emergency room visits. The storm created immense challenges for local businesses, which faced prolonged closures due to storm-related damage and disruptions to transportation, utilities, and public services.

In the aftermath of the blizzard, Rhode Island officials worked directly with FEMA to document over $19 million in direct storm damages eligible for federal reimbursement.

On July 2, President Trump denied Rhode Island’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration the same week he announced more than $846 million in disaster relief funds for nine Republican-leaning states. Rhode Island appealed. On September 2, FEMA officially informed Rhode Island that the state’s appeal for a Major Disaster Declaration for the February blizzard had been rejected.

Today, the state’s Congressional delegation denounced President Trump’s politicization of disaster aid and vowed to continue pressing the Trump Administration to follow the law and grant the state’s request based on the merits.

U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo issued a joint statement:

“The damage to Rhode Island from this historic storm is clear and it far surpassed the threshold for federal aid.

“The denial of disaster aid is unfair and unjust, but this isn’t over. We will continue to pursue a fair outcome and are putting the Trump White House and FEMA officials on notice that they should preserve all records and electronic communications surrounding this matter. We believe there is evidence that will show Rhode Island was unfairly denied assistance based on partisan reasons.

“Rhode Island and other so-called ‘Blue’ states didn’t fail to meet federal requirements. Instead, President Trump simply ignored every federal benchmark and threshold and is trying to unfairly punish people who didn’t vote for him.

“This isn’t just about a reimbursement, it’s about whether the future of U.S. disaster aid shifts from a merit-based process to a partisan political one.

“When a storm strikes, our emergency personnel always step up and prioritize public safety. It is shameful that President Trump wants to politicize disaster assistance and deny well-documented reimbursement to states that deserve it. This may have been the final FEMA appeal, but it is far from the end of this matter. We will continue pursuing this and demanding justice and fairness for Rhode Island and accountability from this Administration.”

In March, Politico reported that “It’s 3 times harder for blue states to get disaster funding under Trump” and in July Politico noted that President Trump overruled FEMA’s decision to send financial aid to Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York – all of which voted for Kamala Harris in the last presidential election — for costs associated with the record-breaking storm.",1,2026-09-05T08:49:07Z,2026-09-05T08:50:44Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/to-strengthen-ri-storm-defenses-reed-helps-deliver-56m-for-upgrades-to-fox-point-hurricane-barrier,"To Strengthen RI Storm Defenses, Reed Helps Deliver $5.6M for Upgrades to Fox Point Hurricane Barrier",2026-09-04,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – With peak Atlantic hurricane season approaching, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today joined Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley and members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation to discuss hurricane preparedness and proactive investments to strengthen the City of Providence’s defense against storm surges.

During the event, Senator Reed highlighted $6.3 million in new federal funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to upgrade the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier. The Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is a joint flood protection project managed by both the federal government along with the City of Providence, which maintains over 2,100 feet of floodwalls and gates on either side of river.

The hurricane barrier provides protection against tidal flooding from hurricanes and other major storms to approximately 280 acres of downtown Providence. The protected area includes the City’s commercial and industrial center, transportation facilities, public utilities, and many homes and businesses.

“The Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is a critical shield that is designed to prevent the worst storm surges from inundating the city. The facility is critically important to protecting thousands of lives and hundreds of acres of real estate. For decades, this system has helped protect the city and we must continue to proactively invest in keeping it in a state of good repair,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee. “The federal funding announced today includes $5.65 million from an earmark that U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and I delivered for the replacement of electrical switchgear, repairs to river pump mechanical systems, and other operations and maintenance.”

Built in 1966, the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier consists of a 25-foot-high central dam stretching 700 feet across the Providence River with hydraulic gates that can be lowered to prevent floodwaters and storm surges from entering the city.

After Hurricane Katrina hit the southern U.S. in August of 2005, the federal government undertook a careful review of critical flood control systems around the country. A determination was made that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should take management and financial responsibility for the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier. Senator Reed led the successful effort to include a provision in the 2007 national defense bill that led to the official transfer of ownership of the hurricane barrier from the City of Providence to USACE, which was completed in 2010 and has saved Providence taxpayers millions of dollars over the years.

USACE now owns and operates the core structures within the banks of the river while the City of Providence retains ownership and operates the onshore infrastructure.

Since 2009, Senator Reed has helped secure over $25 million in federal funding for the operation and maintenance of the hurricane barrier, and secured language in the 2014 Water Resources Development Act that allows Waterfire and other organizations to pay the Corps to operate the barrier to support cultural and recreational events.

Reed noted that during Hurricane Carol (1954) and the Hurricane of 1938, downtown Providence was under water. Together, those storms caused hundreds of millions in damages in terms of today’s dollars. And during Hurricanes Gloria (1985) and Bob (1991) the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier prevented downtown water inundations of 4 feet and 2 feet.

Aside from warding off physical damage, the barrier also protects the City from potentially higher flood insurance premiums.

2026 Hurricane Outlook: Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and runs through November 30. So far this year, the Atlantic hurricane season has produced five named storms but not a hurricane. NOAA’s updated mid-season outlook projects 7 to 13 named storms, 2 to 6 hurricanes, and 0 to 2 major hurricanes for the full 2026 season.",1,2026-09-11T09:25:29Z,2026-09-11T09:27:08Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/trump-administration-refuses-to-close-tax-loophole-exploited-by-private-jet-owners/,Trump Administration Refuses to Close Tax Loophole Exploited by Private Jet Owners,2026-09-03,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Trump’s Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill extended a major tax break for ultrarich private jet owners

New letter denies Senators’ request to close loophole because doing so would be “burdensome”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) today blasted the Treasury Department’s refusal to close the Standard Industry Fare Level (SIFL) loophole, which has long been abused by private jet owners to substantially undervalue the taxable cost of personal travel on a corporate private jet. The Trump Treasury Department’s pro-billionaire pronouncement came in a response to a July 24 request from the senators.

The Treasury Department argued in its new letter that calculating the true market value for employer-provided flights taken by employees for personal purposes, rather than using the existing SIFL method, would be “administratively burdensome” for taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service. The Department also claims that the SIFL method is intended to produce consistent results – regardless of the staggering gap between the SIFL rate and the actual charter market rates.

“President Trump’s 2017 tax law and Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires bill handed billionaires and big corporations massive tax breaks on private jets. The Trump administration now says it would be ‘burdensome’ to close the private jet tax loophole because this is an administration hell-bent on using the powers of government to make the ultra-rich even richer, and they don’t care if middle-class taxpayers get stuck with the tab,” said Whitehouse.

“Donald Trump’s priorities revolve around enriching himself and his billionaire friends. While working families struggle to afford groceries, housing, and gas, this Administration focuses on tax breaks for billionaires – including tax breaks for private jets. What a disgrace,” said Van Hollen.

Passage of President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill made permanent an egregious tax provision allowing 100 percent bonus depreciation for the purchase of corporate aircraft, which the senators argued exacerbates the tax giveaway created by the SIFL loophole, letting the ultrawealthy skirt the true cost of personal private jet travel on corporate aircraft.",1,2026-09-04T09:19:37Z,2026-09-04T09:20:58Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-new-trump-coin-commemorates-his-vanity-and-lack-of-respect-for-the-rule-of-law,Reed: New Trump Coin Commemorates His Vanity & Lack of Respect for the Rule of Law,2026-09-02,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI -- Rather than addressing the affordability crisis and lowering prices, the Trump Administration today rolled out a new $1 gold-colored coin with President Donald Trump’s face on it.

In keeping with the logic of ‘Trumponomics,’ a 25-coin roll of the new $1 coins is on sale for $61. Or a 100-coin bag can be purchased for $154.50. Or, for those visiting the U.S. Mint itself, vending machines now offer the $1 coins for $5 each.

According to the U.S. Treasury, the 0.286 oz. Trump $1 coin does not contain any precious metal and the golden coloring is derived from manganese brass. The composition of the metal coins consists of approximately 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, 2% nickel, and an unknown amount of copper.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed stated: “This is another wasteful, distasteful Trump vanity project funded at taxpayer expense that does nothing to help Americans and only serves to stroke President Trump’s fragile ego. The Trump Administration’s reckless policies continue driving up prices and making everyday goods less affordable. He’s driven up gas prices, taken away access to health care, added a tariff tax on groceries, and destabilized the U.S. economy. He’s imposing economic hardship across all fifty states but now he wants people to buy his metallic $1 coin for a few extra bucks in order to feed his toxic narcissism. These coins featuring a sitting president never should have been minted. It’s just another example of how this Republican majority refuses to stand up to President Trump and how he uses the courts to run out the clock instead of adhering to the law. The vast majority of people who bought Trump’s crypto meme coin lost significant money. I guess now we’ll have to wait and see how this one fairs. But the process was shameful. What this coin really commemorates is Donald Trump’s vanity and lack of respect for the Constitution and the rule of law.”

In December of 2025, Senator Reed joined U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and several Senate Democrats in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him to reject the proposed designs for the Semiquincentennial dollar coin featuring the likeness of President Donald Trump, noting: “American lawmakers throughout history have reaffirmed the time-honored tradition of not circulating U.S. currency with images of currently elected officials.”

According to federal law: “Only the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities.” But in January, the coin’s design was given the stamp of approval by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were all appointed directly by Donald Trump and do not have a background in fine arts, currency, or the law. However, the design was never reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), as required by federal law. The CCAC is an independent 11-person committee established by Congress.

President Trump becomes just the second sitting president to have his likeness struck on a coin, following President Calvin Coolidge, who appeared silhouetted behind the bust of President George Washington on a silver half-dollar coin for the United States’ 150th anniversary. While the U.S. Mint produced one million of those commemorative half dollars, 860,000 of them ultimately were returned and melted down due to low demand.

When George Washington served as America’s first President, he opposed a plan from Congress to put his likeness on U.S. currency during his presidency, viewing it as a contradiction to the war he fought for independence from a King.",1,2026-09-03T09:29:33Z,2026-09-03T09:31:32Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/trump-has-irresponsibly-driven-up-gas-prices-by-40-and-americans-just-experienced-the-priciest-august-at-the-pump-ever,Trump Has Irresponsibly Driven Up Gas Prices by 40% & Americans Just Experienced the Priciest August at the Pump Ever,2026-09-02,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – As President Trump’s irresponsible war with Iran crosses the half-year mark with escalating conflict and no end in sight, and still with no coherent strategy or endgame from the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says President Trump’s refusal to listen to U.S. Intelligence and uniformed military personnel led to avoidable blunders that have driven up gas prices nearly 40 percent nationwide compared with before the war.

As a result, for the first time ever, U.S. gas prices averaged above $4 per gallon for the entire month of August, according to AAA.

Senator Reed says Trump’s ill-conceived war of choice; the flawed assumptions of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other cabinet officials; and a refusal to listen to experts left the Trump Administration flat-footed for Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz that predictably destabilized the global energy market. And Trump’s escalating trade wars with Canada and other countries are imposing needlessly high tariff taxes on Americans, making it harder for working families to afford gas, groceries, housing, healthcare, and more.

As of today, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas was $4.12 and the average price in Rhode Island is $4.16, according to AAA.

Regular unleaded gasoline in Rhode Island averaged $2.94 the week before the war -- $1.22 less per gallon than it is today. The price of diesel in Rhode Island -- which powers trucks, tractors, and fishing boats -- is now $5.63 per gallon. The price of Brent crude oil was trading above $95 per barrel earlier today and West Texas Intermediate traded at $90 per barrel.

Senator Reed says every American is paying higher prices today due to President Trump’s hubris, ego, lack of foresight, and repeated blunders – which includes making Jared Kushner, who is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump’s friend, donor, and golfing buddy -- the chief diplomatic negotiators with Iran. Reed also points out the Trump family is financially profiting from the higher gas prices by pulling in millions of dollars from oil and gas company stock holdings.

According to CBS News: “Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee estimated this week that the president’s holdings in oil and gas companies have jumped in value from a range of $13 million to $46 million at the start of this year, to $17 million to $61 million by mid-August. Filers are only required to report ranges of transactions, not specific dollar amounts. The estimates were based on his stock holdings in 2025, and didn't take into account the trades that he's made since then.”

Senator Reed stated: “When President Trump recklessly launched this war he dragged the American people into a protracted conflict without their consent. This wasn’t just a miscalculation, it was absolute malpractice by both the President and the Secretary of Defense. Now President Trump is enriching his family while imposing higher costs on working families and businesses and draining their savings. President Trump’s ill-conceived war hasn’t eliminated the threat from Iran or made America safer. He’s accomplished none of the goals he used as a pretext for war. But every time American drivers fill up their gas tank, they are forced to pay a hefty ‘Trump gas tax.’ And every time a farmer fills up a tractor, a fisherman fills up a boat, or a trucker fills up an 18-wheeler at these elevated prices, Americans get billed for that ‘Trump gas tax’ too. This was entirely predictable and avoidable and can all be traced directly to the short-comings of President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others in the Trump Administration who continue to prolong this conflict without a clear strategy for success. And the ‘Trump gas tax’ is imposed at more places than just the pump: The higher shipping and transportation costs are also fueling higher prices at the grocery store and in household budgets across America. President Trump needs to end his reckless war and stop the ‘Trump gas tax.’”

Using diesel, it costs the average trucker over $1,500 to fill up a Big Rig 18-wheeler with two 150-gallon side tanks. A 30-foot offshore sportfishing charter boat with a 400-gallon tank costs about $2,250 to fill up. And a 75-foot commercial fishing vessel with a 10,000-gallon fuel tank costs $56,300 to fill up at today’s average diesel prices.

According to Brown University’s Iran War Cost Energy Tracker, the energy burden on American citizens – the extra costs for gas and diesel they are forced to pay because of Trump’s war with Iran -- has risen to $96 billion. That means the average family has been forced to pay nearly $735 more for products due to elevated gas and diesel prices over the past six months because of Donald Trump’s war.

Reed also pointed out that when it comes to gas prices, President Trump is seeking to blatantly mislead Americans by claiming that his so-called oil deal with Venezuela will lower gas prices. In a story titled “The U.S. Venezuela oil deal won’t lower your gas prices. Here’s what you need to know,” NPR reports:

“In a post on Truth Social, President Trump wrote that this deal will “substantially lower gas prices” for American taxpayers.

“Kepes says that the idea of this deal affecting gas prices now is “absurd.”

“Many of the larger oil fields being discussed in the deal are still largely undeveloped. That means it will take a minimum of a few years for those fields to produce anything, Monaldi says.”

It was also recently reported that Trump-promoted ‘Freedom Fuel’ gas stations, which sell below market rate gas at a network of two dozen stations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is being sued for selling fuel that its supplier never paid for, according to a lawsuit.",1,2026-09-03T09:29:33Z,2026-09-03T09:31:32Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-its-time-to-pull-the-plug-on-crypto-atm-scams,Reed: It’s Time to Pull the Plug on Crypto ATM Scams,2026-09-01,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI -- Last week, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued a warning that crypto ATM fraud is on the rise. Crypto scammers use sophisticated methods to target older Americans, contact them and use threats, intimidation, and fabricated backstories to coerce them into depositing large sums of money into the criminals’ crypto wallets via cryptocurrency ATMs (also known as “Bitcoin ATMs” or “digital asset kiosks”).

In 2025, cyber criminals used crypto ATMs to defraud Americans of roughly $389 million, according to the FBI’s most recent annual Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). There were 13,400 crypto ATM scam complaints nationwide, including 55 in Rhode Island that drained over $1,513,740 from victims in the Ocean State alone.

The IC3 report shows a 23 percent increase in crypto ATM scam complaints and a 58 percent increase in monetary losses from 2024. More than half of the complaints involved victims over the age 50, with those losses costing over $302 million. And given the fact that many people fail to report fraud, the actual monetary losses from crimes involving America’s network of about 30,000 crypto ATMs is likely even higher.

Rhode Island has over 100 crypto ATMs currently in operation at places like local gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops. These terminals look just like cash machines and allow users to deposit large denominations of dollar bills and quickly convert it into crypto currency which can then be instantly and irreversibly transferred to digital wallets using overseas exchanges that don’t have to comply with U.S. laws. Unlike with a bank or credit card transaction, once the money is sent, it can almost never be recovered. That is why crypto ATMs are used by scammers targeting older Americans.

While U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) lauds states like Rhode Island for taking steps to try to regulate crypto ATMs to prevent fraud, Reed, who serves on the Senate Banking Committee, says the Trump Administration has presided over an explosion in fraud and money laundering at digital asset kiosks, leaving consumers at risk, making it easier for scammers to profit from illicit transactions, and making it harder for states to combat rising fraud.

“The Trump family is profiting off of crypto ventures while the Trump Administration is failing to protect older Americans from scammers that are using crypto ATMs to steal their hard earned retirement savings. As the illicit financial losses pile up, the Trump Administration must be more proactive when it comes to enforcing anti-money laundering laws on the books and ensuring the owners and operators of crypto ATMs are helping to prevent fraud,” said Senator Reed, a cosponsor of the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act (S. 710) to help prevent scammers from stealing Americans’ savings through cryptocurrency schemes.

The Crypto ATM Fraud Act would improve fraud warnings on all crypto kiosks; make cryptocurrency ATM operators develop a comprehensive anti-fraud policy, which must be submitted to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN); and protect new customers -- who are most likely to be victims of fraud -- by limiting initial transaction amounts, requiring verbal confirmation of major transactions, and making victims of fraud eligible for refunds if they file a report within 30 days.

While the Republican-controlled Congress has not moved forward with that legislation, Reed notes the Trump Administration can still crack down on fraud simply be enforcing existing law but notes the Trump Administration seems to be more focused on aiding special interests and billionaires instead of working people.

In 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department issued guidance clarifying that crypto ATM operators must register and adhere to the same Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules that apply to banks. However, there are high rates of non-compliance: According to a 2021 investigation, more than one-third of crypto ATM companies operating in New Jersey had failed to register at the federal level.

“Instead of allowing consumers to continue getting scammed at record levels, the Trump Administration should help combat fraudulent activity tied to crypto ATMs and Congress should strengthen and improve oversight,” said Reed.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reported that, in 2024, cryptocurrency accounted for 33 percent of losses worth at least $10,000 reported by older people subjected to scams.

The FTC, and FBI urge victims of fraud to contact local law enforcement and the kiosk operator; file federal complaints at reportfraud.ftc.gov; and to save crypto ATM receipts, wallet addresses, QR codes, transaction hashes, communications, and the location of the crypto ATM they accessed to help investigators. However, there is no guarantee of recovery.

Senator Reed has simple advice for anyone who receives a call, text, or e mail directing them to rush to a crypto ATM to make a payment: Don’t do it! It. Is. A. Scam. Call someone you trust instead and ask for assistance.",1,2026-09-03T09:29:33Z,2026-09-03T09:31:32Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-joins-amo-and-smiley-to-help-davinci-center-expand-community-services_food-pantry,Reed Joins Amo & Smiley to Help DaVinci Center Expand Community Services & Food Pantry,2026-08-31,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, Congressman Gabe Amo, and Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley gathered with community members at the DaVinci Center to prepare lunch and celebrate a new federal investment to help the DaVinci Center expand its community services and food pantry offerings.

For over fifty-four years, the DaVinci Center for Community Progress -- a neighborhood, multi-purpose social service agency -- has served up food, health care, job-skills, connection, and more to Rhode Islanders of all ages in the North End.

In an effort to bolster the DaVinci Center’s services and programming, Senator Reed teamed up with Congressman Gabe Amo and Mayor Brett Smiley to deliver a $440,000 federal earmark that will strengthen assistance for residents in need.

Reed, Amo, and Smiley say this funding is essential after President Donald Trump slashed federal health care and food assistance in order to give lavish tax cuts to the wealthy, as part of the so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ (P.L. 119-21). Trump’s law is having an ugly impact on local neighborhoods – slashing Medicaid by $1 trillion, gutting food assistance aid like SNAP benefits, and making it harder for residents to afford necessities. On top of this, President Trump’s tariff taxes and economic chaos are causing higher prices, elevated levels of economic uncertainty, and financial stress for millions of Americans. As a result, non-profits like the DaVinci Center are also being financially squeezed due to rising costs and a growing demand for their services.

“President Trump’s drastic aid cuts and price-raising policies are hitting families and communities and straining their budgets. Groceries, gas, health care and household essentials are all more expensive because of Trump’s policies. While the Trump Administration is raising prices and shrinking federal aid, it is increasing demand for help from places like the DaVinci Center and local food pantries nationwide. This infusion of $440,00 provides some much needed reinforcement for the DaVinci Center to continue their outstanding work. But we’ve got to keep pressing to reverse President Trump’s harmful economic policies and get our country headed in a better direction,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who led the successful effort to deliver this $440,000 federal earmark for the DaVinci Center’s modernization and expansion efforts. “I am proud to work with Congressman Amo and Mayor Smiley in bolstering the DaVinci Center’s critical work. We are focused on affordability and bringing down the cost of living and will continue working together to support places like the DaVinci Center and the people and communities they serve.”

“From GED classes to food assistance, the DaVinci Center has been helping North End families thrive for more than 50 years,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “I’m proud to work alongside Senator Jack Reed and Mayor Brett Smiley to deliver the resources this community needs. I’m grateful for these partners who can deliver for Providence because they will ensure these investments will help the DaVinci Center expand opportunity and serve even more Rhode Islanders.”

“For more than 50 years, the DaVinci Center has been a trusted neighbor for Providence families,” said Mayor Brett P. Smiley. “This investment will help expand access to the critical resources, food, health and community support our residents rely on. I’m grateful to Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Amo for their continued dedication and advocacy on behalf of our neighborhoods.”

“We are deeply grateful to Senator Jack Reed for his continued commitment to the DaVinci Center and the community we serve. This investment will strengthen our ability to provide essential services, expand opportunities, and continue serving our community with dignity and respect,” said Norma I. Gonzalez, Executive Director of the DaVinci Center for Community Progress.

The DaVinci Center will use this federal funding to boost community services, expand food pantry offerings, address housing instability, increase health care access, add bilingual services, and fill in workforce development gaps.

In addition to the federal earmark, $60,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding is directed to the DaVinci Center by the City of Providence.",1,2026-09-02T09:19:58Z,2026-09-02T09:20:51Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-army-secretary-dan-driscoll-resignation,Reed Statement on Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resignation,2026-08-31,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC—Today, after Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll announced his resignation, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army officer who serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:

“I thank Secretary Driscoll for his service to our nation, first in uniform as an Army officer and then as Secretary of the Army. He worked to transform the Army for the battlefield of the future, and he engaged with Congress candidly and consistently.

“I do not welcome Secretary Driscoll’s resignation. His departure leaves the Army without its top civilian and uniformed leaders, and a military service whose leadership ranks have been gutted by Secretary Hegseth. I am alarmed that Secretary Driscoll’s leadership of the Army stands in stark contrast to Secretary Hegseth’s disastrous tenure atop the Defense Department.

“It is far past time for President Trump to recognize the lasting harm that Pete Hegseth is inflicting on the Department of Defense. In the Army alone, he has fired and blocked the promotions of dozens of senior officers without explanation, including Army Chief of Staff General Randy George and half of all four-star generals. Secretary Hegseth is cultivating a culture where dissent is punished and competence is secondary to personal allegiance.

“The Army is the backbone of the joint force. At this moment, hundreds of thousands of soldiers are deployed around the world, many in combat zones. The soldiers carrying out these missions deserve leadership that is reliable, forthright, and focused on the fight ahead. The Army cannot stay ahead of our adversaries while its senior ranks are hollowed out and its chain of command is left in limbo.

“We are watching the consequences of Secretary Hegseth’s actions ripple across the force in morale, in readiness, and in the erosion of public trust in the military. Secretary Hegseth must be held accountable.

“The next Secretary of Army must be an individual with wisdom, experience, and expertise to lead the more than one million soldiers and civilians of the U.S. Army. There are many strong candidates available to President Trump, and I urge him to nominate a leader with the qualities required to meet this challenging moment.”",1,2026-09-02T09:19:58Z,2026-09-02T09:20:51Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-pentagon-investment-in-venezuela-oil-venture,Reed Statement on Pentagon Investment in Venezuela Oil Venture,2026-08-31,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC—Today, following reports that President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have directed the Department of Defense to take a 35 percent stake in a private equity firm engaging in preferential purchase rights of Venezuelan oil production, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:

“President Trump’s effort to turn the U.S. military into an investor in Venezuelan oil is a blatant abuse of power and taxpayer dollars. Our military exists to protect the American people and defend our national security, but it appears the Trump administration has decided that mission no longer applies when there is oil to be seized and money to be made.

“Let’s be clear about what is happening. President Trump has been explicit about his desire to extract Venezuela’s oil. His administration removed Nicolás Maduro from power, threw its weight behind the unelected leadership that replaced Maduro, and is now attempting to use U.S. military assets and taxpayer-backed financing to boost a private oil venture. Using the Pentagon as an instrument to finance foreign oil projects invokes the exact corruption and conflicts of interest our laws are designed to prevent.

“I am demanding a full accounting of the legal authority for this transaction, the complete financial terms, the disposition of any profits, the role of the Department of Defense in managing or overseeing the investment, and—most importantly—whether the administration is planning to use American military forces to secure the oil assets which the Department itself now has a financial interest.

“President Trump is abusing his powers as commander-in-chief and eroding the military’s proper role in American democracy. This misguided experiment in using America’s armed forces for commercial profit must be rejected.”",1,2026-09-02T09:19:58Z,2026-09-02T09:20:51Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-marking-sixth-month-of-trumps-war-with-iran,Reed Statement Marking Sixth Month of Trump’s War with Iran,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement marking the sixth month of President Trump’s war with Iran.

“President Trump has entangled the United States in a foreign policy failure of historic consequence. When he unilaterally launched this war, Trump promised he would destroy Iran’s nuclear program, eliminate its missile and drone arsenal, dismantle its defense industrial base, wipe out its proxy networks, and topple the regime in a matter of weeks. Six months later, not a single objective has been achieved. Indeed, he has weakened our position in the Middle East and the world significantly.

“Eighteen servicemembers have lost their lives and more than 700 have been wounded. Gas prices and everyday costs remain dramatically higher than before the war. We have burned through a dangerous share of our munitions inventory and redeployed weapons, aircraft, and personnel to the Middle East, leaving the Pacific without an aircraft carrier for the first time in decades. The President has found many ways to insult our servicemembers and their families along the way.

“Six months into this disaster, Congress has seen no framework for ending the war, and Trump has failed to provide a definition of victory. The President has waged this war without public support or congressional consent, and it is far past time for accountability.”",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-trumps-childish-order-to-rename-lake-ontario,Reed Statement on Trump’s Childish Order to Rename Lake Ontario,2026-08-27,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Today, after President Donald Trump exacerbated his trade war with Canada, called Canadian officials “nasty people,” and signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of Interior to rename Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ in U.S. information systems, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement:

“President Trump isn’t solving problems, he’s creating them.

“Canada is a strong ally, a good neighbor, and a key trading partner. This kind of juvenile, erratic, mean-spirited behavior by President Trump is unproductive.

“This isn’t going to lower costs, it is going to waste tax dollars. President Trump’s tariff tax regime is doing real economic damage to American families and businesses and forcing them to pay higher prices.

“Instead of renaming bodies of water, President Trump needs to start focusing on lowering costs, strengthening the economy, expanding opportunity, and ending his war of choice with Iran.

“President Trump is alienating key allies and stoking animosity. He is needlessly raising prices and imposing avoidable economic hardship on Americans because he can’t focus on anything other than himself.”",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-wants-ice-to-cancel-20m-shock-glove-order-that-is-shockingly-wasteful-and-ripe-for-abuse,Reed Wants ICE to Cancel $20M ‘Shock Glove’ Order That is ‘Shockingly Wasteful & Ripe for Abuse’,2026-08-27,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Noting that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have deployed violence and deadly force against innocent Americans with no accountability, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) strongly opposes the agency’s decision to reportedly spend $20 million dollars on “shock gloves” to outfit agents with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks. Reed is teaming up with 15 Senate colleagues to urge ICE to cancel the contract, and questioning the agency’s ability to use them appropriately. Before ICE proceeds with this purchase, the 16 Senators want answers and documentation for over 30 specific questions about how these devices will be used, the protocol for using them, safety guardrails, and accountability measures.

Senator Reed says Americans want real changes at ICE, but Congressional Republicans are instead insulating ICE from accountability and wasting billions of tax dollars that could be better spent lowering prices, strengthening the economy, and improving public safety.

“Here we go again with another no-bid contract on equipment that ICE doesn’t need and is ill-suited to handle responsibly. What ICE needs is better vetting and training of its agents. Every ICE agent needs to be equipped with a body camera, and they need to be appropriately held accountable for their actions, just like every other law enforcement officer. These so-called shock gloves would not have prevented a single one of the unjust shootings by ICE officers that Americans witnessed due to video taken by bystanders. Congressional Republicans have gifted ICE a $120-plus billion slush fund with little to no accountability. There are better ways to improve public safety than equipping poorly-trained, masked agents with no ID and no accountability with electro-shock gloves and sending them into communities with a greenlight to grab people without a warrant,” said Reed.

Instead of working to lower costs, Congressional Republicans have allocated a roughly $120 billion windfall to ICE via party-line reconciliation legislation, which falls outside the regular appropriations process and does not require the same level of Congressional oversight and reporting requirements. Indeed, ICE spent hundreds of millions on planes and warehouses it now deems unnecessary.

This massive influx of funding far exceeds ICE’s normal annual operating budget of about $10 billion. In fact, ICE funding levels under Trump surpass the combined annual appropriations requested for major federal entities like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service.

According to Time magazine: “Documents produced by two DHS whistleblowers in February showed that ICE had significantly scaled up its hiring while axing several screening and training protocols for officers.”

“ICE has a massive amount of cash, but that is no excuse for irresponsible spending. Every tax dollar ICE has should be allocated effectively and transparently in a way that actually keeps communities safe. But instead of evidence-based uses and genuinely focusing on de-escalation, the Trump Administration wants to simply equip the same under-trained and under-vetted forces with electroshock gloves. That is a recipe for more of the abusive tactics we’ve already seen from ICE. Americans want accountable law enforcement that is genuinely focused on public safety and upholding and abiding by the law,” said Reed.

In their letter to ICE, Reed and his colleagues wrote: “The blatant and tragic misuse of force in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Maine, and other locations around the country raises significant skepticism about the agency’s professional capability to safely deploy a new tool that could be used to harm Americans without cause. Therefore, we urge ICE to cancel the contract and reconsider the purchase.”

“The proposed acquisition raises serious questions about necessity, proportionality, medical safety, training, accountability, and constitutional rights,” the 16 U.S. Senators continued. “Those questions are particularly important given the significant public scrutiny surrounding ICE’s excessive use of force. A device capable of delivering an electrical shock through direct contact with an individual presents substantial risks if deployed during civil arrests – even more so if it is deployed without clear limits, appropriate training, and comprehensive oversight.”

The letter was led by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). In addition to Reed, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Peter Welch (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

Reed points out that, when used correctly by well-trained police officers, the shock gloves could have legitimate law enforcement uses and serve as a tool for deescalation. But recent history strongly indicates Trump’s ICE agents will misuse these shock devices to increase aggressive confrontations rather than de-escalate them. Under the Trump Administration, ICE has operated without accountability and repeatedly engaged in violence against Americans and innocent people and then tried to cover it up or sweep it under the rug. And even when the head of DHS temporarily paused ICE vehicle and traffic stops following suspect fatal shootings in Texas and Maine, President Trump overruled the order.

At a time when Americans are struggling with high prices due directly to President Trump’s irresponsible, chaotic tariff tax trade wars and war in Iran, Senator Reed says there are better ways to spend tax dollars than on shock gloves for overfunded ICE.

Reed offered an amendment to take $62 billion from ICE and DHS – less than half of their windfall slush fund – and put it toward the production and rehabilitation of over 2 million units of affordable housing nationwide.

“The federal government should make people’s lives better and their communities safer. I don’t think these shock gloves are a smart investment, I think it’s a foolish waste and the contract should be cancelled. When Democrats take back control of Congress and finally conduct an overdue oversight and financial auditing of the Trump Administration’s expenditures, taxpayers will be shocked to learn just how much waste and abuse is occurring at DHS under the Trump Administration,” concluded Reed.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Acting Director Venturella,

We write to express deep concern about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million on gloves that deliver electric shocks. Over the past year, ICE personnel have been involved in numerous well-documented incidents of excessive force and civil rights violations. These incidents have shown the American people that ICE personnel are not adequately trained or accountable for their interactions with civilians. The blatant and tragic misuse of force in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Maine, and other locations around the country raises significant skepticism about the agency’s professional capability to safely deploy a new tool that could be used to harm Americans without cause. Therefore, we urge ICE to cancel the contract and reconsider the purchase.

On August 10, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice concerning ICE’s planned acquisition of the CTG-5 G.L.O.V.E., a glove designed to deliver a painful electric shock that is described as a “Conductive Distraction and De-escalation Device,” for use by both Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The notice estimates the potential value of the acquisition between $10 million and $20 million. Congress has an obligation to ensure that federal law enforcement agencies have the resources necessary to perform their duties safely and effectively while ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being used for tools that are necessary, proportionate, and subject to meaningful safeguards. The proposed acquisition raises serious questions about necessity, proportionality, medical safety, training, accountability, and constitutional rights. Those questions are particularly important given the significant public scrutiny surrounding ICE’s excessive use of force. A device capable of delivering an electrical shock through direct contact with an individual presents substantial risks if deployed during civil arrests – even more so if it is deployed without clear limits, appropriate training, and comprehensive oversight.

ICE personnel have access to pepper spray, Tasers, batons, and restraint techniques, not to mention deescalation strategies that are widely used by law enforcement throughout the country. At a time when the American people have demanded de-escalation in immigration enforcement, it is not clear why existing tools and tactics are insufficient for the agency. In the past year, DHS has repeatedly spent millions of taxpayer dollars on purchases it ends up not using, including $464 million for airplanes, $700 million on warehouses, and more than $2.25 million for SUVs wrapped with ICE branding. Many of these ICE transactions, including the planned electric shock glove purchase, are completed through no-bid contracts that circumvent the normal competitive procurement process without a sufficient rationale. This history raises concerns about wasteful spending and unethical contracting practices that could benefit individuals who have personal relationships with administration officials rather than those who can provide the best service at the lowest cost to the taxpayer.

If ICE proceeds with purchasing $20 million worth of electric-shock gloves, Congress needs a clear understanding of the device’s safety and authorized uses. The manufacturer identifies restrictions on the device’s use, including limitations involving children, pregnant women, elderly or disabled individuals, and repeated or simultaneous use. The manufacturer also warns that use of the electric-shock glove may cause or contribute to death or serious injury, and that longer exposure increases that potential risk. If it proceeds with this contract, ICE must establish and make public clear, enforceable limits on when and against whom the electric-shock gloves may be used, especially given that ICE may not be able to immediately assess whether an individual is pregnant or disabled. Given that ICE is most frequently engaged in civil immigration enforcement rather than criminal arrests, the agency must carefully evaluate whether deployment of the electric-shock gloves in such situations is proportionate to the task.

ICE must also establish and make public the training requirements the agency will put in place prior to and throughout any potential deployment of these gloves. Over the past year, ICE has undermined the public’s trust in the agency’s training standards by putting new personnel into operational situations who are not properly vetted or adequately trained. Training for ICE recruits was slashed before being extended again following significant backlash. Additionally, ICE has put new recruits in the field before even completing their background checks, with tragic consequences. The issuance of these electric-shock gloves to personnel in the field without sufficient training would be yet another failure of ICE in the eyes of the public.

ICE has continually failed to meet basic standards of transparency and accountability. The electric-shock gloves present a particular accountability challenge because the use of force may cause significant pain and internal injury without necessarily producing obvious visible injuries. If the electric-shock gloves are deployed, ICE must establish a robust system for documenting and reviewing every deployment and instance of use. ICE should not deploy the gloves without evidence that personnel understand and take seriously the device’s risks and that individuals subjected to its use can receive an appropriate medical response. ICE must also ensure robust internal procedures for investigating misuse of the device and all use-of-force tools provided to personnel, and effective consequences for those who are found to have abused them.

In light of these many concerns, we request answers to the following questions and production of the documents identified below.

Necessity, Procurement, and Alternatives

1. What specific operational capability does the G.L.O.V.E. provide that existing ICE defensive tactics and less-lethal tools—including pepper spray, Tasers, batons, and restraint techniques—do not? Please provide the operational analysis or other documentation supporting the acquisition.

2. How many electric-shock gloves does ICE intend to purchase, at what projected per-unit cost? How many personnel will be issued the device?

3. What alternatives did ICE consider before selecting the G.L.O.V.E.?

4. Did ICE consult with other law enforcement agencies that use the device regarding effectiveness, injuries, complaints, misuse, training requirements, or other concerns?

5. Please provide the justification for the purchase of the G.L.O.V.E. via a non-competitive contract process.

Safety and Appropriate Use

6. How does ICE classify the G.L.O.V.E. under DHS Use of Force Policy 044-05? Are the electric-shock gloves considered a de-escalation tactic under this policy?

7. In what specific circumstances will use of the electric-shock gloves be authorized?

8. Will use of the electric-shock gloves require supervisory authorization?

9. Which positions and units will carry the device?

10. What is the protocol for usage of the electric-shock gloves? Will ICE personnel be instructed to issue a warning before gloves are activated?

11. Will ICE expressly prohibit use of the electric-shock gloves as a routine compliance or punishment tool?

12. What restrictions will apply to vulnerable populations?

13. Will ICE prohibit the use of the electric-shock gloves against animals?

14. Will ICE prohibit the use of the electric-shock gloves in crowd-control situations?

15. What restrictions will govern the duration and repetition of electrical shocks?

16. Will the electric-shock gloves be authorized for use against U.S. citizens?

17. Will the electric-shock gloves be authorized for use in custodial settings? Will they be authorized for use in removal operations?

18. How will protocol for use differ between HSI and ERO?

Testing, Medical Safety, and Training

19. What testing has DHS or ICE conducted or reviewed concerning the safety and effectiveness of the electric-shock gloves? Please provide all manufacturer testing, independent testing, medical evaluations, risk assessments, and other relevant documentation.

20. Will ICE conduct a limited pilot program before broad deployment? If so, provide the parameters, location, duration, and evaluation criteria for the pilot.

21. What medical contraindications or risks has ICE identified related to use of the electric shock gloves?

22. What training will be required before an officer or agent may carry or use the electric shock gloves? Please provide all existing and proposed training and written guidance concerning the G.L.O.V.E., including curricula, lesson plans, instructor materials, certification standards, policy directives, field guidance, and manufacturer training materials.

23. Will ICE require recurring certification and refresher training? Please provide the certification requirements, frequency of recertification, proficiency standards, and consequences for personnel who fail to maintain certification.

Accountability, Reporting, and Oversight

24. What is the required response when a person is injured or appears to be in medical distress following use of the electric-shock gloves? Please provide the applicable medical response protocols, including requirements for medical evaluation, documentation, notification of supervisors, and preservation of evidence.

25. Will every activation or use of the electric-shock gloves against a person be reported as a use of force?

26. Will ICE require body-worn cameras to be activated and operational whenever the electric-shock gloves are deployed, regardless of whether the officers are in plainclothes?

27. Will every activation require written justification and supervisory review? Please identify who will review these incidents, what factors supervisors must consider, and what specific consequences will apply when personnel violate the applicable restrictions.

28. How will ICE track complaints and injuries? Will ICE maintain and publicly report data concerning internal and external complaints, injuries, improper uses, disciplinary actions, and uses of force involving the electric-shock gloves?

29. How will ICE evaluate, track, and report complaints of civil rights violations involving the use of the electric-shock gloves?

30. Will ICE conduct an independent audit of the program?

31. Please provide records reflecting any internal concerns or objections regarding the electric-shock gloves, including communications involving the Office of Tactical Programs and Firearms.

We request that ICE provide written responses to the questions above and produce the requested documents no later than September 10, 2026. The American people have made it clear that ICE must de-escalate its immigration enforcement operations. ICE must refrain from deployment of the G.L.O.V.E. and instead invest in de-escalation tools, training, and accountability. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/rhode-island-congressional-delegation-announces-4-6-million-for-uri-ccri-engineering-workforce-development-program/,"Rhode Island Congressional Delegation Announces $4.6 Million for URI, CCRI Engineering Workforce Development Program",2026-08-27,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI — As demand grows for skilled engineers and technicians to power Rhode Island’s advanced manufacturing, marine, and clean energy sectors, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Seth Magaziner (RI-02) and Gabe Amo (RI-01) announced $4,619,389 of federal funding awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to the University of Rhode Island, in partnership with the Community College of Rhode Island, to support scholarships for high-achieving, low-income students pursuing degrees in engineering and engineering technology.

The program stands to benefit workforce development across multiple sectors, including Rhode Island’s blue economy and advanced manufacturing industry. It is set to begin in January.

“This is a wise investment in individuals, Rhode Island’s workforce, and American science and engineering expertise, which is increasingly critical for our economy and national defense. Helping smart kids afford an engineering degree is a win-win. They get the skills that put them on promising career pathways for critical, in-demand jobs and America stays competitive,” said Senator Reed.

“Rhode Island’s institutions of higher education are on the leading edge of STEM innovation and help power the Ocean State’s economic competitiveness,” said Senator Whitehouse. “This federal funding will create opportunities for deserving Rhode Island students to follow their dreams at URI and CCRI.”

“Rhode Island needs more engineers, and this funding will help make sure that talented students across our state have a real shot at that career, no matter their financial background,” said Rep. Magaziner. “I am proud to work alongside the Rhode Island Congressional delegation to deliver the funding needed to support workforce training here in the Ocean State.”

“I’m proud to work alongside our Rhode Island Delegation to expand opportunity for talented students at the University of Rhode Island and the Community College of Rhode Island,” said Rep. Amo. “This federal funding will remove financial barriers for students and set them up for good-paying engineering jobs that will power Rhode Island’s economy of tomorrow.”

“This project will help reduce the financial burden for students pursuing an engineering degree and, ultimately, the amount of debt they may carry after graduation,” said Vinka Craver, associate dean for research at URI’s College of Engineering and Principal Investigator on the NSF grant. “But the program goes beyond financial support. From their first year, students will have access to faculty and industry mentors and opportunities to participate in internships and capstone projects, helping them build the experience and connections they need to be better prepared for their professional careers.”

“Cost should never stand between a talented student and their future. This grant makes that future possible for Rhode Island students pursuing degrees in engineering and engineering technology. Through our partnership with URI, we’re building a talent pipeline into the advanced manufacturing, marine, and clean energy jobs that are shaping Rhode Island’s economy,” said Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D., RN, president of the Community College of Rhode Island. “I’m grateful to Senators Reed and Whitehouse and Representatives Magaziner and Amo for their continued investment in our students and our state’s workforce future.”

A total of 116 scholars pursuing associate’s degrees in engineering technology at CCRI and bachelor’s degrees in engineering and engineering technology at URI will receive scholarships for up to five years, along with mentoring and other support services designed to improve retention and graduation rates.

The award is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, which supports the retention and graduation of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need in STEM fields. The project, entitled “Collaborative Research: Advancing Pathways through a Multi-Institutional Consortium for Engineering Education and Workforce Development,” will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to help identify effective strategies for supporting low-income students in STEM.",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-delegation-announces-46-million-for-uri-ccri-engineering-workforce-development-program,"RI Delegation Announces $4.6 Million for URI, CCRI Engineering Workforce Development Program",2026-08-27,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI — As demand grows for skilled engineers and technicians to power Rhode Island's advanced manufacturing, marine, and clean energy sectors, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Seth Magaziner (RI-02) and Gabe Amo (RI-01) announced $4,619,389 of federal funding awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to the University of Rhode Island, in partnership with the Community College of Rhode Island, to support scholarships for high-achieving, low-income students pursuing degrees in engineering and engineering technology.

The program stands to benefit workforce development across multiple sectors, including Rhode Island's blue economy and advanced manufacturing industry. It is set to begin in January.

“This is a wise investment in individuals, Rhode Island’s workforce, and American science and engineering expertise, which is increasingly critical for our economy and national defense. Helping smart kids afford an engineering degree is a win-win. They get the skills that put them on promising career pathways for critical, in-demand jobs and America stays competitive,” said Senator Reed.

“Rhode Island’s institutions of higher education are on the leading edge of STEM innovation and help power the Ocean State’s economic competitiveness,” said Senator Whitehouse. “This federal funding will create opportunities for deserving Rhode Island students to follow their dreams at URI and CCRI.”

""Rhode Island needs more engineers, and this funding will help make sure that talented students across our state have a real shot at that career, no matter their financial background,"" said Rep. Magaziner. ""I am proud to work alongside the Rhode Island Congressional delegation to deliver the funding needed to support workforce training here in the Ocean State.”

""I'm proud to work alongside our Rhode Island Delegation to expand opportunity for talented students at the University of Rhode Island and the Community College of Rhode Island,” said Rep. Amo. ""This federal funding will remove financial barriers for students and set them up for good-paying engineering jobs that will power Rhode Island's economy of tomorrow.""

“This project will help reduce the financial burden for students pursuing an engineering degree and, ultimately, the amount of debt they may carry after graduation,” said Vinka Craver, associate dean for research at URI’s College of Engineering and Principal Investigator on the NSF grant. “But the program goes beyond financial support. From their first year, students will have access to faculty and industry mentors and opportunities to participate in internships and capstone projects, helping them build the experience and connections they need to be better prepared for their professional careers.”

""Cost should never stand between a talented student and their future. This grant makes that future possible for Rhode Island students pursuing degrees in engineering and engineering technology. Through our partnership with URI, we're building a talent pipeline into the advanced manufacturing, marine, and clean energy jobs that are shaping Rhode Island's economy,” said Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D., RN, president of the Community College of Rhode Island. “I'm grateful to Senators Reed and Whitehouse and Representatives Magaziner and Amo for their continued investment in our students and our state's workforce future.""

A total of 116 scholars pursuing associate's degrees in engineering technology at CCRI and bachelor's degrees in engineering and engineering technology at URI will receive scholarships for up to five years, along with mentoring and other support services designed to improve retention and graduation rates.

The award is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of NSF's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, which supports the retention and graduation of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need in STEM fields. The project, entitled ""Collaborative Research: Advancing Pathways through a Multi-Institutional Consortium for Engineering Education and Workforce Development,"" will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to help identify effective strategies for supporting low-income students in STEM.",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-magaziner-help-peace-dale-library-write-its-next-chapter-with-opening-of-sk-community-learning-center,Reed & Magaziner Help Peace Dale Library Write Its Next Chapter with Opening of SK Community Learning Center,2026-08-25,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WAKEFIELD, RI – After delivering over $3.5 million in federal funding for major upgrades to the Peace Dale Library, U.S. Senator Jack Reed and U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner today joined Governor Dan McKee along with South Kingstown Town officials, project partners, and community members for a special ribbon cutting ceremony for a new community learning center housed within the library.

Located on the upper floor of one of the oldest libraries in Rhode Island, the new learning center utilized $2,893,891 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) as well as a $700,000 federal earmark that Senator Reed and Congressman Seth Magaziner secured through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Economic Development Initiative.

The initial federal ARPA funds were allocated to the Peace Dale Library by Governor McKee. As the cost of the project escalated, Reed and Magaziner were able to secure additional federal funds to help take the community project to the ‘next level’ and ensure the underutilized top floor of the library could be renovated to offer brand new community space and resources.

The historic building now known as the Peace Dale Library first opened in 1891 and today serves as the largest and most utilized public library within the South Kingstown library system, which also includes the Kingston Free Library and the Robert Beverly Hale Library.

Blending history with modern amenities, the renovated space preserves the building’s architectural character and original construction while offering tech-equipped workspaces and services. The following new spaces are now open: two new conference rooms; two new study/privacy rooms; a multipurpose use classroom/open space; two counters for individual use; a new second floor Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant bathroom; the Community Paramedic Office; and a new Director’s Office, along with storage. There is also a new stairwell connecting the community learning center area to the parking lot lobby entrance and it is also serviced by an elevator.

The Community Paramedic Program (CPP) is a service provided by South Kingstown Emergency Services to guide patients towards general health and well-being, connect patients with appropriate healthcare services, and provide tele-health, educational or training opportunities.

“Public libraries are about so much more than books. They are places where people can go to transform their lives and this project has certainly transformed this space and added a new chapter to the library’s history. Here, Rhode Islanders can unlock opportunities, discover new passions, and create new connections,” said Senator Reed, the leading Congressional champion of public libraries and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, says. “This federal funding will help take patrons of the Peace Dale Library to new heights and hopefully unlock opportunities for learning, growth, and building community.”

“When people have access to quality public spaces, they have more opportunities to learn, grow and connect with one another,” said Rep. Magaziner. “By securing more this federal funding for the Peace Dale Library, we are creating a welcoming space that will serve Rhode Islanders of all ages for generations to come.”

The community learning center renovations began on September 15, 2025 and were completed this month.

Throughout the process, the library placed a great emphasis on respecting, reusing, and restoring the historic character of the building. Parking lot improvements were also made to improve accessibility, which included preserving and moving a historic stone wall.

You do not need to be a South Kingstown resident to use the new library space. All members of the public are welcome.",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-pays-tribute-to-dolly-parton,Reed Pays Tribute to Dolly Parton,2026-08-25,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI -- Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) paid tribute to the life and legacy of American music legend Dolly Parton, who, in addition to her career as an entertainer and entrepreneur, was a noted philanthropist, humanitarian, and a champion of literacy and public libraries:

“Dolly Parton will forever be the big-hearted Queen of country music. She truly made the world a better place, sharing her talent and warmth with countless people.

“On stage and screen, Dolly Parton entertained and inspired generations of Americans. She uplifted people and communities through her philanthropic efforts and by serving as a model for kindness, hard work, and bringing people together. She helped kids in Rhode Island and other states through her Imagination Library, which gives free books to families in need.

“Her legacy as an artist is matched only by her legacy for good deeds, caring for others, and bringing out the best in people. She was proud of her humble beginnings and always remained grounded while stressing the importance of education and opportunity for all. She was a great American and her legacy lives on.""

According to Dolly Parton’s web site: “When I started the Imagination Library, it was to honor my Daddy. My Daddy was so smart but he felt crippled with the fact that he couldn’t read and write.”

While Parton’s father, Robert Lee Parton, never had a chance to go to school because he had to help his parents make a living for the family, he joined his daughter in launching the program to help others develop a love of reading.",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/jec-report-trump-price-hikes-costing-ri-households-extra-3800-for-everyday-essentials,"JEC Report: Trump Price Hikes Costing RI Households Extra $3,800+ for Everyday Essentials",2026-08-24,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Due to President Trump’s irresponsible policies and destabilizing, chaotic, volatile approach to governing, the cost of gasoline, housing, healthcare, childcare, groceries, utility bills, and other prices are up in Rhode Island and nationwide, and Americans are feeling the pinch.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed once again called on President Trump to end his reckless war with Iran and halt his chaotic tariff tax regime that is fueling higher prices.

A recent report from the minority staff of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) analyzed changes in the prices Rhode Islanders are paying under the Trump Administration and concludes that Rhode Islanders are having to spend over $3,800 more under President Trump.

Reed also notes that two-thirds of the federal tax cuts in Trump’s so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ law went to the top 20 percent of households by income, while also slashing $1 trillion from Medicaid and reducing nutrition assistance and federal aid to less fortunate families.

Today, Senator Reed issued the following statement noting that Trump’s latest trade war with Canada, including new tariff taxes on Canadian goods, as well as the across-the-board tariffs and ongoing war with Iran, will stretch the budgets of working families even more in the coming weeks:

“With gas, groceries, and other prices surging, Rhode Islanders are continuing to feel the economic pressure of Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice with Iran and his costly tariff taxes, which are driving up the price of everyday essentials. On top of that, Congressional Republicans backed a federal law reducing access to affordable health care and eroding the social safety net.

“It’s unfair that Rhode Islanders are being forced to spend an extra $3,800 per household just to buy the basics under Trump. Americans can’t afford Trump’s price hikes. It’s time for change and it’s time for Congress to take action and give working people a real rebate for the unnecessarily elevated prices they have been forced to pay by the Trump Administration.”

Reed also notes that the increase in higher costs for essential items comes on top of the hundreds of billions of dollars the war in Iran has already cost U.S. taxpayers.

Meanwhile, in a separate report, the JEC also found that while President Trump enriched his own family by at least $2.2 billion in income while in office last year, American families lost $219 billion to rising costs last year under the Trump Administration.

To help return some hard-earned money to American workers, Senator Reed has cosponsored two key bills that could provide major rebates to Americans who have been unfairly forced to bear the burden of Trump’s tariffs and oil price shocks: the Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act (S.4093) and the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act (S. 4111).

Led by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), the Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act would create a tax rebate program for individuals and families who have paid increased prices for groceries and everyday essentials due to President Trump’s unlawful foreign tariffs. The bill would provide direct rebates of $1,200 to American families who make $180,000 or less and $600 to individuals who make $90,000 or less. It would also provide an additional $600 for each dependent child.

As American drivers pay more for gas and oil profits climb due to the war, Senator Reed has also teamed up with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehoue (D-RI), who is the lead Democrat on the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, on the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act. This bill would impose an excise tax on the windfall profits of major oil companies that produce or import 300,000+ barrels per day, and return some of the industry's tens of billions of dollars in excessive gains to consumers in the form of a quarterly rebate.

Key findings from the JEC-Minority report and other statistics:

Housing Costs

• Rhode Island families have had to spend $957 more on housing costs such as rent and mortgage payments since President Trump took office.

Grocery Costs

• Americans paid $310 more for groceries in President Trump’s first year than in 2024, and grocery prices are now more than 4 percent higher than when Trump took office.

• Beef and coffee prices are hitting Americans especially hard. Since the President took office, the average price of ground beef has risen almost every month to record highs and is currently nearly $7 per pound. Coffee prices also spiked to nearly $10 per pound.

Energy Costs

• Gas prices have soared since the start of Trump’s Iran War. In total, people across Rhode Island have spent $158 million more on gas since the beginning of the war. That means the average family in Rhode Island has spent $393 more on gas.

• Families in Rhode Island paid $40 more for electricity in 2025 under President Trump than they did in 2024. And, in just the first six months of 2026, they are expected to spend an estimated $57 more for electricity than they did in the first half of 2024.

– Rhode Island families who use heating oil paid $288 more to heat their homes this March compared to last year.

Health Care Costs

• Because of Trump and Republicans’ refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax cuts that help people afford their health insurance, monthly premiums for ACA plans rose over 50 percent on average in 2026 compared to last year. Meanwhile deductibles surged to record highs, increasing by more than $1,000 on average.

JEC report sources include: Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index and Average Price Data, Joint Economic Committee – Republicans, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Walmart.com, AAA.com, Edmunds.com, Federal Highway Administration, Energy Information Administration, National Weather Service, heatable.com, Kaiser Family Foundation.",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-dishes-up-700000-earmark-to-help-farm-fresh-ri-sprout-new-partnerships-and-grow-small-food-businesses,"Reed Dishes Up $700,000 Earmark to Help Farm Fresh RI Sprout New Partnerships & Grow Small Food Businesses",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to help more of Rhode Island’s small and emerging farms, fishers, and food businesses reach new customers, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), teamed up with Farm Fresh RI to deliver a $700,000 earmark he secured in the FSGG appropriations law to support the continued development of the organization’s food hub technology system.

Senator Reed today joined Farm Fresh RI’s Executive Director Janet Coit and local growers, producers, and food entrepreneurs, including Mark Federico, Jr. of Narragansett Creamery and Camille Abdel-Nabi of Long Lane Farms, to discuss efforts to strengthen Rhode Island’s local food network, feed the community, and support small businesses through the Farm Viability & Business Support Project.

“Farm Fresh RI has a proven track record of sustainably growing our state’s local food system. Strengthening that work is critical for helping our new and emerging farmers, fishers, and food producers expand their markets, unlock growth opportunities, and connect more Rhode Islanders with fresh, local, nutritious and delicious food,” said Senator Reed. “I am proud to team up with Farm Fresh to deliver this $700,000 federal earmark to boost their capabilities and expand their reach so that they can continue to serve up assistance and guidance for our state’s food network.”

“For small food businesses to grow and succeed, they need to reach new markets and consistent customers. This important federal investment from Senator Reed will help Farm Fresh RI expand our Market Mobile program, which connects more than 100 local farms and food producers with customers across New England, like schools, restaurants, hospitals, hunger relief agencies, and households,” said Janet Coit, Executive Director of Farm Fresh RI. “Thank you to Senator Reed for always recognizing the importance of our local food producers and investing in their future. We’re grateful to have you as a partner in building a stronger local food system for Rhode Island.”

“This is a great day for local farmers and producers in Rhode Island. On behalf of everyone at Narragansett Creamery, I would like to express our gratitude for Senator Reed and his team for their continued efforts and support for Farm Fresh RI, local agriculture, and food production here in Rhode Island,” said Mark Federico, Jr. of Narragansett Creamery. “Today’s announcement will lead to the continued success of what Farm Fresh has built over the last 22 years and meet the current challenges and goals to increase the share of local food production. This support not only has a direct impact on local food production, but an indirect, reverberating impact and benefit to all the businesses that help us produce that local food and keep our farms and businesses in operation: electricians, refrigeration technicians, corrugated and packaging suppliers, welders and machinists, milk haulers, and in our case, the small family owned dairy farms that supply us with the raw milk to make cheese and dairy products, and the businesses that support their farms.”

Senator Reed’s $700,000 federal earmark will help close gaps in funding that Farm Fresh RI has experienced due to cuts by the Trump Administration.

In March of 2025, Rhode Island lost about $3 million in federal funding when the Trump Administration abruptly cancelled the Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools (LFS) programs. Farm Fresh RI, in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and other nonprofit organizations, played a central role in carrying out food purchasing from local farmers and food producers for distribution within the state’s hunger relief network through both LFPA and LFS.

Reed’s new earmark for Farm Fresh RI will be administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), whose funding is overseen by the Appropriations FSGG Subcommittee.

Senator Reed says it is imperative to act now to help Rhode Island families, farmers, and fishermen who’ve been hit hard by the Trump Administration’s cuts and ill-conceived policies that have sent fuel prices soaring, making everything more expensive and leaving Rhode Island farmers and fishermen with difficult choices whether to continue on or give up and sell their land or boats.",1,2026-08-23T05:27:15Z,2026-08-23T05:29:02Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-gas-prices-surge-above-4-and-national-gas-price-climbs-to-411-as-august-average-hits-record-high-aaa-says,"RI Gas Prices Surge Above $4 & National Gas Price Climbs to $4.11 as August Average Hits Record High, AAA Says",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"CRANSTON, RI – Due to President Trump’s ill-conceived war with Iran and strategic incoherence, gasoline, heating oil, jet fuel, and diesel costs have all surged, putting more upward pressure on prices for everyday products that American consumers and companies depend on.

Today, the average price for a gallon of gasoline in Rhode Island topped $4.00 in the Ocean State, according to AAA. And the national gas price climbed to $4.11 which marks the highest it’s ever been on this date. This August is shaping up to be the highest on record.

Oil prices can fluctuate for a variety of complex reasons. But U.S. Senator Jack Reed says it is clear the reason gas prices continue to remain elevated at record-breaking levels this late in the year is squarely due to President Trump’s reckless decision to attack Iran and his continued mismanagement of the war and diplomatic failures to end it. Since the President launched his war with Iran, a significant portion of the world’s oil has been blocked in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to higher global prices even with higher US output.

“Donald Trump is driving gas prices to record highs this summer. Americans continue to pay more at the pump because President Trump recklessly launched a war with no clear strategy, and, six months later, he has failed to accomplish any of the key goals he used as a pretext for his war. He has no coherent strategy or end game. In fact, he has made the U.S. less safe and emboldened the Iranian regime to seize unprecedented control over the Strait of Hormuz, where twenty percent of the world’s oil passes through,” said Reed. “Trump is fueling higher costs for oil, food, and other goods and drivers are being forced to pay more due to his chaotic mismanagement.”

Before Trump started his war with Iran, regular unleaded gasoline in Rhode Island averaged $2.94 the week before the war -- $1.06 less per gallon than it is today. The price of diesel in Rhode Island – which powers trucks, tractors, and fishing boats -- is now $5.52 per gallon. As of this morning, Brent crude oil was trading above $93 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate traded near $87.

According to Brown University’s Iran War Cost Energy Tracker, the energy burden on American citizens – the extra costs for gas and diesel they are forced to pay because of Trump’s war with Iran -- has risen to $88.5 billion. That means the average family has been forced to pay about $675 more for products due to elevated gas and diesel prices over the past six months because of Donald Trump’s war.

“With President Trump’s Iran war now in its sixth month, Americans are paying a steep price at the pump for his weakness. The President’s failed economic policies are passing a heavier economic burden onto working families. Households are struggling with cost pressures for gas, food, medicine, and more. Unlike President Trump, they can’t just pass higher prices along to someone else. Trump’s higher fuel costs are taking a real toll on family budgets. It’s got to stop,” said Reed, who also warned that while prices at the pump are already elevated and straining family budgets, many households could get hit even harder this winter by future home heating bills, which are projected to be steeper than last year, especially if supply disruption occurs due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

For gasoline, early summer is peak driving season, but demand typically starts decreasing in mid-August as demand for oil begins to drop and a new school year begins.

The highest average gas price on Labor Day weekend was $3.83 in 2012, according to GasBuddy.

Gas prices overall are up nearly 30 percent compared to last year.

Reed, a leading member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has repeatedly voted against Trump’s reckless tariff taxes and war with Iran. Senator Reed is working to end these gambits, strengthen America, lower costs, and create an orderly process to reimburse Americans who have been unfairly forced to pay elevated costs due to President Trump reckless policies.

While consumers are getting hosed at the pump, Big Oil companies are sucking up record profits due to war-elevated gas prices. Eight of the biggest oil companies – Aramco, BP, Shell, Equinor, TotalEnergies, Eni, Chevron and ExxonMobil – amassed $90 billion in profits in just the three-month period of April, May and June.",1,2026-08-23T05:27:15Z,2026-08-23T05:29:02Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/top-sasc-dem-aircraft-carrier-should-be-named-after-fallen-black-wwii-hero-not-retitled-for-a-sitting-president,"Top SASC Dem: Aircraft Carrier Should be Named After Fallen Black WWII Hero, Not Retitled for a Sitting President",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – In January of 2020, during President Trump’s first term, the U.S. Navy officially announced that the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) would be the first aircraft carrier named after a Black person and an enlisted sailor. Miller was a heroic sailor whose courageous actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor earned him the Navy Cross and he later died at sea when the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) that he was serving on was torpedoed and sunk during operations in the Pacific.

Now, recent news reports suggest that the Trump Administration is internally considering whether to try to strip Miller’s name from the future aircraft carrier CVN-81 and instead replace it with President Donald J. Trump’s moniker. An August 13, 2026 executive order signed by President Trump referred to the vessel by its official identification number, CVN-81, and made no mention of Miller. No decision has been formally announced.

Today, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), weighed in to defend keeping Miller’s name on the future aircraft carrier and vowed to work with Congressional colleagues on a bipartisan basis to ensure the future ship is named after Miller.

Senator Reed stated:

“Doris “Dorie” Miller is a true American hero whose extraordinary courage and sacrifice deserves to be honored with the naming of this future aircraft carrier.

“Whoever is talking about trying to rename this ship for President Trump is doing him a real disservice and making him look like he’d be willing to seize a World War II hero’s honor.

“The simple fact is: No U.S. aircraft carrier has ever been named after a sitting president. Breaking that precedent here would be an insult to our sailors and America’s proud Naval traditions.

“Keep in mind: this vessel won’t be commissioned until 2034 and the name of a ship can still be changed while it is under construction. So there is a long way to go.

“I encourage the Secretary of the Navy to publicly pledge that the Trump Administration plans to keep its commitment to honor World War II hero Dorie Miller and keep his name on the future aircraft carrier.

“And if a name change is announced, I will do everything in my power between now and 2034 to reverse it and ensure this future aircraft carrier is rightfully commissioned as the USS Doris Miller.”

Military.com notes: “Doris Miller was a mess attendant, one of the few roles open to Black sailors in the era’s segregated Navy.

“He was also the son of a sharecropper from Waco, Texas. After enlisting in 1939, he served aboard the battleship USS West Virginia when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

“During the attack, Miller carried wounded sailors to safety and manned a .50-caliber antiaircraft gun he had never been trained to use, firing until the ammunition ran out. Adm. Chester Nimitz awarded him the Navy Cross in 1942, making him the first African American to receive the decoration.”",1,2026-08-23T05:27:15Z,2026-08-23T05:29:02Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-helps-cut-ribbon-at-new-lincoln-centralized-rescue-and-learning-center,Reed Helps Cut Ribbon at New Lincoln Centralized Rescue and Learning Center,2026-08-20,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"LINCOLN, RI – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed visited the new centralized rescue station and adjoining Lincoln Learning Center for a special ribbon cutting ceremony. The $16.5 million project utilized $2 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that Senator Reed helped secure.

Located next door to Lincoln Town Hall, the two-story, 13,500-square-foot building will serve as a community hub and houses a centralized rescue station and community learning center. The learning center includes a telemedicine room, four multipurpose rooms, and four open spaces that offer flexibility for accommodating overflow from the library and senior center. The space can be used for things like classes, after-school activities, health programming, and other community events.

“This is a terrific community asset for the Town of Lincoln. It’s a safe, modern, welcoming space that will hopefully bring people together and offer new opportunities for learning, community programming, and neighborhood events,” said Senator Reed. “This new facility is desigbed to bring public safety, education, health, and community services all under one roof. I hope it will foster connection and community for many years to come.”

The centralized rescue station will consolidate operations currently based on Albion Road and Lonsdale Avenue. From this new location, more than 90 percent of Lincoln residents can be reached by rescue in less than eight minutes, cutting the current response time in half.

The new facility also includes over 45 parking spots and connection to the Town Hall parking area and a two-way entrance on Old River Road.

Rhode Island received $112.3 million in federal ARPA funding for its Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund in 2021. The state chose to allocate $82.2 million of that federal funding to the construction, renovation, and preservation of community learning centers across the Ocean State.

To ensure transparent use of the federal ARPA funds, the state created an online tracker showing how federal money was being directed to each community learning center.

The project was executed by KBA Architects, Ahlborg Construction Corporation, and Downes Construction Company.",1,2026-08-21T05:30:57Z,2026-08-21T05:32:22Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-key-banking-committee-democrats-press-fed-chairman-kevin-warsh-over-lack-of-disclose-about-calls-with-president-trump,"Reed, Key Banking Committee Democrats Press Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh Over Lack of Disclosure About Calls with President Trump",2026-08-20,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- Alarmed by the fact that President Donald Trump continues to pressure the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates for political reasons, and given the confusion caused by President Trump and White House and Fed officials offering differing descriptions about the same contacts between President Trump and Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and three colleagues are pressing the Federal Reserve to disclose all of Chairman Warsh’s conversations with President Trump since Warsh’s confirmation in May.

The Federal Reserve routinely releases a schedule that includes the Chair’s key events and meetings in monthly appointment calendars that are publicly provided on a one-month delay. But Chairman Warsh did not publicly disclose any recent contacts with President Trump on his official Fed schedule, despite the fact that the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has called Warsh “repeatedly” in the months since his Senate confirmation and the White House’s Kevin Hassett telling the press that President Trump and Chairman Warsh talk “all the time.”

To ensure transparency and Fed independence, Senator Reed, along with U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent Warsh a letter urging him to release details of every conversation he has had with Trump since he became Fed Chair. The four Senators on the Banking Committee, which has oversight of the central bank, say undisclosed contacts between the President and Chairman of the Federal Reserve risks creating “a perception that the White House is shaping monetary policy,” which would be bad for the health of the economy.

The four Senators wrote: “We write to ask for public disclosure of your conversations with President Trump. Recent press reports indicate that you have spoken with the President “repeatedly” since your confirmation in May. It is critical that the Fed be transparent about these discussions to demonstrate its independence from the White House, a norm that you have said you intend to uphold. Instead, you have declined on multiple occasions to confirm your conversations with President Trump, raising sincere doubts about the independent conduct of monetary policy and your transparency with the public.”

“As the leader of an independent agency, the Fed must be forthcoming about your conversations with the President, as your predecessors have recognized. Undisclosed, frequent conversations with the President, whose family business remains very active, can create a perception that the White House is shaping monetary policy. To dispel these doubts, previous Chairs have issued statements about meetings with the President and shown meetings or calls with the President on their publicly released calendars,” the Senators continue.

The Senators highlighted the unprecedented lack of transparency, noting: “But if the reporting is accurate, you seem to have attempted to conceal your calls with the President. In your first press conference as Chair, you avoided a straightforward question about whether you and President Trump had spoken since your swearing-in. You likewise declined to acknowledge your conversations with the President at a Senate hearing in July. And the appointment calendars you have released to date do not show any calls with President Trump, even though they have reportedly taken place. Your lack of transparency about contacts with the President is even more curious because you have disclosed meetings with top White House economic officials on your calendar, including separate meetings with the Chair and the General Counsel of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.”

“To clarify your interactions with President Trump, please either confirm to us in writing that you have had no contacts with the President since being sworn in, or amend your publicly released calendars to disclose any such contacts. We also request a public read-out of any conversations with the President. Finally, if the reporting is accurate, please explain why you have been reticent to admit or describe your conversations with the President. Please provide this information as part of the next monthly disclosure of your calendar,” the Senators conclude.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Chairman Warsh:

We write to ask for public disclosure of your conversations with President Trump. Recent press reports indicate that you have spoken with the President “repeatedly” since your confirmation in May. It is critical that the Fed be transparent about these discussions to demonstrate its independence from the White House, a norm that you have said you intend to uphold. Instead, you have declined on multiple occasions to confirm your conversations with President Trump, raising sincere doubts about the independent conduct of monetary policy and your transparency with the public.

While the contours of your discussions are not clear, they have apparently touched on a range of subjects relevant to the economy and financial markets, including the economic implications of the war in Iran and artificial intelligence. You have also reportedly offered the President your perspective on the economy. These conversations occurred at the same time as you have cut back on the Fed’s transparency with the public about its approach to monetary policy.

As the leader of an independent agency, the Fed must be forthcoming about your conversations with the President, as your predecessors have recognized. Undisclosed, frequent conversations with the President, whose family business remains very active, can create a perception that the White House is shaping monetary policy. To dispel these doubts, previous Chairs have issued statements about meetings with the President and shown meetings or calls with the President on their publicly released calendars.

But if the reporting is accurate, you seem to have attempted to conceal your calls with the President. In your first press conference as Chair, you avoided a straightforward question about whether you and President Trump had spoken since your swearing-in. You likewise declined to acknowledge your conversations with the President at a Senate hearing in July. And the appointment calendars you have released to date do not show any calls with President Trump, even though they have reportedly taken place. Your lack of transparency about contacts with the President is even more curious because you have disclosed meetings with top White House economic officials on your calendar, including separate meetings with the Chair and the General Counsel of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.

Effective conduct of monetary policy depends on transparency, accountability, and integrity from the Chair, all of which are undermined by secret conversations with the President. While periodic communications with the President and Administration about the state of the economy are not objectionable in and of themselves, the repeated, free-flowing conversations described in the reporting are unprecedented in the modern era. If true, they raise serious questions about the Fed’s relationship with the White House.

To clarify your interactions with President Trump, please either confirm to us in writing that you have had no contacts with the President since being sworn in, or amend your publicly released calendars to disclose any such contacts. We also request a public read-out of any conversations with the President. Finally, if the reporting is accurate, please explain why you have been reticent to admit or describe your conversations with the President. Please provide this information as part of the next monthly disclosure of your calendar.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-21T05:30:57Z,2026-08-21T05:32:22Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-welcomes-237m-for-ri-energy-savings-programs,Reed Welcomes $2.37M for RI Energy Savings Programs,2026-08-20,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – President Trump’s misguided policies have caused a surge in electricity and utility prices. The most recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) illustrates how Trump’s policies, including his war in Iran and partisan decision to cancel or stall 378 energy projects nationwide representing $65 billion in investments, have contributed to increased household electricity prices, which have spiked 18 percent since January 2025.

After bipartisan prodding led by U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Susan Collins, the Trump Administration has finally released $2,374,162 for Rhode Island to help local families and businesses lower energy bills through key federal programs: the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP); the Weatherization Readiness Fund (WRF); and the State Energy Program (SEP).

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is sending Rhode Island $1,690,353 in WAP funding to assist low-income families with free home energy efficiency upgrades that lower their monthly utility bills; $187,499 in WRF payments designed to help vulnerable families with basic structural safety repairs that are needed before standard energy-efficiency retrofits can be implemented; and $496,310 in SEP funds to support energy reliability, availability, and security while helping businesses and residents save on energy costs.

This action follows a letter sent earlier this year that was led by Reed and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) along with 17 of their Senate colleagues, including Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, urging the Trump Administration to release the delayed funding for these programs. At the time, the Trump Administration had not issued the annual guidance states needed to apply for the funds, threatening disruptions to these programs.

“Too many Americans are struggling under the Trump affordability crisis, especially when it comes to high energy costs. While the Trump Administration’s misguided policies are driving up energy costs, this federal funding offers some much needed assistance to help families lower their utility bills, now and in the future,” said Senator Reed. “Even with prices surging, the Trump Administration needlessly tried to hold this funding back until my colleagues and I worked on a bipartisan basis to press the Trump Administration into releasing these funds so state agencies can get them flowing into the community where they can help people in need.”

Over the years, the Weatherization Assistance Program has helped more than 7.4 million low-income households reduce their energy bills through comprehensive energy-efficiency retrofits that include new ductwork, heat pumps, and air sealing -- saving each household an average of $372 annually. The program supports 8,500 jobs and provides weatherization services to approximately 32,000 homes nationwide each year, according to DOE.

The State Energy Program combines the scientific and economic expertise of the Department of Energy with locally led planning to improve the energy efficiency of hospitals and schools, support energy projects, and encourage private-sector innovation. An Oak Ridge National Laboratory study found that every federal dollar invested in the SEP leverages more than $10 for energy-related economic development and produces more than $7 in energy savings.

Despite the Trump Administration’s attempts to eliminate WAP and SEP altogether, Senators Reed and Collins led the bipartisan effort to reject his proposed funding cuts for these programs.",1,2026-08-23T05:27:15Z,2026-08-23T05:29:02Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-rallies-to-stop-trump-from-cutting-services-for-kids-and-dismantling-head-start,Reed Rallies to Stop Trump from Cutting Services for Kids & Dismantling Head Start,2026-08-19,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WOONSOCKET, RI – First, President Trump tried to eliminate federal funding for Head Start, a federal program that provides early education and other services to 700,000 children of impoverished families nationwide. Now, the Trump Administration is pushing a proposal that would diminish services for children and families in need, and sadly sending another signal of its disinterest in addressing the nation’s access and affordability of childcare for all American families.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed opposes Trump’s ‘Head Start Trojan Horse’ rollbacks and says they would mean unwanted changes to Rhode Island’s 39 Head Start preschool centers and the 1,600 Head Start providers that operate nationally on staggered, five-year federal grants, providing care, education, and support for infants, toddlers, and families nationwide.

Today, Reed visited a Head Start center in Woonsocket and joined leading Head Start providers and advocates to rally against backdoor efforts to dismantle Head Start, with the Trump Administration once again attacking a program that has a tradition of broad, bipartisan support.

Head Start is more than just a preschool program: It offers early intervention services for children, including those with special needs, while also providing health screenings and wraparound support for families, such as assisting parents with job applications and connecting them to GED or other education and job-training programs.

Under the phony guise of ‘empowering parents,’ the Trump Administration recently proposed several substantial changes to Head Start that would eliminate federal requirements regarding “curriculum implementation, parent committees, family engagement procedures, and service delivery structures,” according to the language of the draft rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Trump Administration dubiously claims that its proposed moves would enable Head Start to serve over 200,000 more children with no additional cost to taxpayers.

“Head Start early childhood education is an effective, successful program. It makes kids, families, and communities stronger and more resilient. I strongly oppose the Trump Administration’s attempts to degrade Head Start. The Trump Administration’s math simply doesn’t add up: you can’t just stuff more infants and toddlers into more crowded rooms with fewer teachers and expect the same high-level outcomes. I am all for adding more kids to Head Start if it’s done correctly and keeps the gold-standard ratios and well-trained teachers that make the program a success. But instead of cutting red tape, the Trump Administration is really just proposing to cut corners and diminish Head Start and the quality of education and support that vulnerable children are eligible to receive. I will continue opposing Trump’s attempt to rollback evidence-based federal standards that could take away developmental screenings, teacher qualifications, and mental health services. I urge all Rhode Islanders to make their voices heard on this issue,” said Senator Reed.

“Head Start is not simply a set of regulations—it is a comprehensive program designed to address the whole child and support the whole family. Its federal standards establish a level of consistency and equity so that a child’s access to high-quality services is not dependent on where that child happens to live. I have also watched state funding for Head Start become vulnerable when budgets are tight or other priorities take precedence. That experience is another one of the reasons why I believe strong federal standards matter. I worry that moving essential Head Start standards away from a strong federal framework without providing the resources necessary to meet them could ultimately leave the most vulnerable children with fewer services, not more,” said Mary Varr, Executive Director of Woonsocket Head Start Child Development Association. “We absolutely should be looking for ways to expand access to Head Start. But we cannot do that by lowering the standards that make the program successful. If we want to serve more children, we need to invest in the program—not cut corners.”

Jessica Laliberte, a parent whose two sons are benefitting from the Head Start program, stated: “My youngest is now entering his second year here at Karen Bouchard, and watching his growth has been amazing. After seeing what Head Start did for my oldest, I feel confident knowing he will be given that same foundation. But Head Start has done something for me, too. It gave me a voice. Parent workshops offered here helped me become more confident in my parenting and gave me guidance when I needed it. And I think families and children need that support now more than ever.""

“For more than sixty years, Head Start has demonstrated what is possible when we make a meaningful commitment to young children and families. Its standards are not simply administrative requirements. They represent decades of research and experience about what children need to be safe, healthy and ready to learn,” said Lisa Hildebrand, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children. “At RIAEYC, our mission is grounded in a powerful belief: each and every child thrives and learns in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential. That means we cannot separate access from quality. When we weaken standards around staff-to-child ratios and group size and health and safety, we are not simply reducing paperwork. We are changing the conditions in which young children spend some of their most important developmental years.”

The Trump Administration is seeking to eliminate Head Start’s teacher-to-student ratios, which are currently mandated to be: 1-to-4 for classrooms with children under the age of three; 1-to-8 for three-year-olds; and 1-to-10 for four-year-olds. Those ratios are based on expert consensus that “pre-K quality is higher, and children are safer, and develop more when there are reasonable limits to the number of young children per staffer in the classroom,” according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.

Senator Reed says the public has until October 6, 2026 to comment. After that, HHS will use the public feedback to determine how, or if, they’re going to change Head Start regulations.",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/with-500000-federal-investment-in-public-and-marine-safety-reed-helps-launch-south-kingstowns-new-ema-harbor-patrol-vessel,"With $500,000 Federal Investment in Public & Marine Safety, Reed Helps Launch South Kingstown’s New EMA Harbor Patrol Vessel",2026-08-19,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI – There is a new 600-horsepower state-of-the-art public safety vessel patrolling South Kingstown’s pristine waterways and it is fully equipped with the latest emergency response and search and rescue tools and capabilities.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed joined state and local officials and first responders dockside in South Kingstown to officially unveil and launch South Kingstown’s newest customized Harbor Patrol vessel.

The new, 27-foot SAFE-manufactured 27 T-Top boat is bigger and better than previous versions and will be used by the Town’s emergency management agency (EMA). The new boat is used to help enforce navigation and waterfront laws, promote boater safety, and respond to incidents on the water. The Harbor Patrol is available 24/7 to patrol and respond to emergency calls around Point Judith Pond, a 4-mile-long coastal salt pond/estuary located just outside the southwestern tip of the Bay, and connecting Point Judith Harbor with the waters of Block Island Sound.

The new emergency response boat will also help the town boost collaboration between Harbor Patrol, Police, Fire, EMS, and the U.S. Coast Guard to strengthen public safety and marine safety for residents and visitors alike.

Senator Reed helped deliver $500,000 in federal funds for the new emergency response vessel through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). South Kingstown also contributed around $2,000 to acquire the vessel.

The boat is specially designed for emergency response and search and rescue missions with maximized deck space, a durable aluminum hull, and easy maneuverability.

“This new boat is a terrific community asset. It’s a federal investment in public safety and boater safety, in particular. The folks here in South Kingstown do an incredible job keeping people safe on land and in the water. This new boat is a critical tool that will help them respond to all sorts of emergencies, from accidents and distress calls to medical emergencies to chemical spills or other incidents. It can get first responders quickly to the scene to help save lives,” said Senator Reed.

“With the christening of this new boat, South Kingstown is upgrading public safety and marine safety and giving our first responders another tool to address a wide range of emergencies both on land and in the water,” said Town Manager James Manni. “I want to thank the Town Council for helping to make this happen, and I am grateful for the leadership of Senator Reed in helping to deliver the federal resources to purchase this new vessel and for his steadfast commitment to strengthening public safety and supporting our Town.”

One of the reasons this vessel is needed is because as South Kingstown continues to attract more visitors for tourism, recreation, and waterfront commerce, the Harbor Patrol needs additional maritime resources to support the increased boat traffic and enhance public safety on busy waterways.",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/16937/,RI Delegation Announces Over $1.7 Million in Federal Funding to Protect Nonprofits and Places of Worship from Violence,2026-08-19,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Providence, RI – Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed and and Congressmen Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner announced $1,710,000 in federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funding to protect Rhode Island nonprofits and religious institutions against public safety threats.

The federal funds, awarded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and administered by the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), are intended to help at-risk nonprofit institutions, synagogues, churches, mosques, and other houses of worship enhance their security infrastructure, training, and systems. Federal NSGP funds can be used to purchase and install appropriate locks, video cameras, bulletproof glass, and other security technology needed to keep them safe.

In 2025, more than 8,000 nonprofits applied for more than $1.3 billion in NSGP funding. Of those applicants, approximately 1,600 organizations were approved and allocated $266 million in funding. Only 20% of applicants received this critical security funding because Congress failed to provide sufficient funding levels.

“No Rhode Islander should have to fear for their safety because of who they are or how they worship,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former Rhode Island Attorney General and U.S. Attorney. “This delegation remains committed to securing federal funding to protect the rights of our constituents to practice their faith in peace.”

“Sadly there’s been a rise in recent years of threats against parts of America’s diverse tapestry of religions and races. Racism, antisemitism, and the like are just plain un-American, and these federal dollars will help protect people. This is an investment in helping vulnerable communities effectively protect themselves from targeted attacks,” said Senator Jack Reed.

“Everyone should be able to gather, worship, and learn in safety,”said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “This fundamental truth is increasingly under assault as antisemitic attacks and other violent acts of hate continue to rock communities. That’s why I am proud to lead the charge to fund the Nonprofit Security Grant Program in Washington and will continue working to bring home federal funding to keep Rhode Islanders safe.”

“No one in Rhode Island should ever have to fear for their safety in their neighborhood or place of worship,” said Congressman Seth Magaziner, member of the House Homeland Security Committee. “This $1,710,000 of federal funding will give local nonprofits and houses of worship the tools they need to protect the people who walk through their doors every day. I will keep fighting alongside the other members of the Congressional delegation to make sure Rhode Islanders have the resources they need to keep one another safe.”

Background

Congressman Amo has led the effort to increase NSGP funding. He led a bipartisan effort supported by 149 Members of Congress requesting $1 billion for the NSGP for Fiscal Year 2027. He also led over 130 Members of Congress in requesting $500 million for the NSGP for Fiscal Year 2026.",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/after-landing-46-million-in-federal-funding-reed-breaks-ground-on-new-army-aviation-readiness-center-at-quonset-point,"After Landing $46 Million in Federal Funding, Reed Breaks Ground on New Army Aviation Readiness Center at Quonset Point",2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"QUONSET, RI – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed joined federal, state, local, and military officials to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Army Aviation Readiness Center at Quonset Point. The new facility will house an Army aviation battalion, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, and five supporting companies, HHC, A, C, D, and E. It features training classrooms, administrative offices, equipment and supply storage, vehicle maintenance bays, and a fueling station.

The Rhode Island Army National Guard’s 1-126th Aviation Regiment operates UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters (including variant roles like MEDEVAC/HH-60 configurations). These medium-lift aircraft are used for multi-role missions such as troop transport, search and rescue, aeromedical evacuation, and aerial firefighting.

Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a leading member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, was instrumental in securing the authorization and funding for this project over two years.

“I’m pleased to deliver federal funding for this new Army Aviation Readiness Center, which represents a major enhancement and recognizes the dedication and professionalism of the Rhode Island Army National Guard. This is an investment in our citizen soldiers -- courageous men and women who serve our nation and carry out difficult and dangerous missions on our behalf. Our servicemembers deserve the best facilities, equipment, and training possible so they can do their jobs effectively and come home safely to their families. Whether it’s search and rescue here at home, or serving in combat zones overseas, I am grateful to the Rhode Island Air National Guard for their outstanding service. The success of their missions starts right here and I am proud to upgrade their training and readiness facilities to ensure they continue to be the very best of the best,” said Senator Reed, who has spearheaded federal funding for several major upgrades at Quonset, including the reconstruction of the main runway, the newly opened Air Guard headquarters, and several other facility improvements.

Initially, this project was funded in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Military-Construction/VA bill at $30 million, which was the original cost estimate. But as cost estimates for the future facility increased, Senator Reed worked to secure an additional $16 million in FY25 to cover the remaining cost. This amount was included in the FY25 Military-Construction/VA law and Senator Reed worked with the Director of the Army National Guard to ensure the allocation of these funds for this new facility.

The project calls for the construction of a new 75,000-square foot Readiness Center that will replace 26,000 square-feet of existing structures that were not specifically designed to house military units. These existing structures were constructed in the 1940s.

Increasing the size of the facility gives the Battalion more mission planning and operations space. Additionally, this new readiness center will allow Echo Company (Aviation Forward Support Company) to co-locate with the Battalion.

The new facility will also include a dedicated ground maintenance space, allowing Battalion mechanics to conduct maintenance on ground vehicles without competing for space and tools in the 56th Troop Command Armory.

The facility will be blast resistant to comply to Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) standards. It will also comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards due to its location along an air strip. All materials and products for construction will be exclusively American made, per the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA). Under Army regulations, the facility will be 100 percent electrically powered and achieve LEED-Silver standards.",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-whitehouse-deliver-3-million-to-upgrade-pawtucket-housing-authority-high-rise-elevators,Reed & Whitehouse Deliver $3 Million to Upgrade Pawtucket Housing Authority High-Rise Elevators,2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PAWTUCKET, RI – When high-rise elevators go down or are chronically inoperable in public housing, it makes life difficult for upper floor apartment residents with mobility issues, as well as those carrying small children or heavy groceries up multiple flights of stairs.

Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse joined Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien and residents and leadership of the Pawtucket Housing Authority (PHA) at Fogarty Manor to celebrate over $3 million in federal investments that are helping to repair and upgrade elevator infrastructure at PHA’s Kennedy Manor, a 9-story housing complex on Broad Street, and Fogarty Manor, a 15-story high rise on Roosevelt Avenue.

In an effort to support housing affordability and ensure the Pawtucket Housing Authority’s residents living in rent-restricted high-rise housing complexes have safe, reliable elevator access, Senators Reed and Whitehouse helped to secure federal funding to upgrade and modernize elevator infrastructure at PHA’s Kennedy Manor and Fogarty Manor.

“This federal funding will provide a much needed lift to hundreds of residents and ensure reliable elevator service. The safety and security of residents is paramount. They have endured and persevered when elevators were down and we want to ensure a lasting fix. I commend Mayor Grebien and the dedicated team at the Pawtucket Housing Authority for their tireless efforts to restore service and modernize the building. Elevator breakdowns in a high-rise can be beyond frustrating – especially to those on upper floors and those with limited mobility. The much-needed repairs and upgrades funded by these significant federal investments are overdue. I’m pleased to help deliver over $3 million to help the Pawtucket Housing Authority prioritize safety, modernize essential infrastructure, and prevent elevator outages,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees the federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“We come with good news for the residents of Kennedy Manor and Fogarty Manor, who have dealt with elevator breakdowns for too long,” said Senator Whitehouse. “With upgraded elevators, hundreds of affordable apartments in Pawtucket will be able to remain in use.”

The federal funding for the Fogarty and Kennedy Manor Elevator Modernization project includes a $2,045,426 emergency federal grant administered by HUD. Reed and Whitehouse advocated to make HUD Capital Fund Emergency and Disaster Grant Program funds available, which help public housing authorities address pressing safety issues for residents.

The $2 million emergency grant combines with a $1 million federal earmark that Senators Reed and Whitehouse previously secured in fiscal year 2024 for Pawtucket Housing Authority, providing over $3 million in federal funds that PHA will use to upgrade four elevators between the two towers to enhance safety and accessibility for residents and protect the long-term operation of existing affordable housing.

“Today is about a significant investment in Pawtucket and, most importantly, in the residents who call Fogarty Manor and Kennedy Manor home,” said Mayor Donald R. Grebien, City of Pawtucket. “I want to thank Senators Reed and Whitehouse for recognizing the urgency of these improvements and for their continued commitment to our city. Through strong local, state, and federal partnership, we secured more than $3 million to modernize all four elevators. This investment will improve accessibility, strengthen our public housing infrastructure, and give residents greater peace of mind as they live safely and independently in their homes.”

“Today is not just about modernizing elevators. It’s about the grandmother who can make it to her medical appointments with confidence. It’s about the resident who can visit friends in the community room. It’s about the veteran who can leave his apartment without wondering whether he will be able to get back home. It’s about preserving independence, dignity, and quality of life for every resident we are privileged to serve,” said Justin Barros, Executive Director of the Pawtucket Housing Authority. “I want to offer a special thanks to Senators Reed and Whitehouse for their championship of affordable housing and public housing residents across Rhode Island and to Mayor Grebien for this leadership, partnership, and dedication to the city of Pawtucket and the Housing Authority.”

Built in 1969, John E. Fogarty Manor provides 248 homes and services for residents age 62 and up. John F. Kennedy Manor is a nine-story high-rise with 171 homes that was constructed in 1964.

Kennedy Manor is one of Pawtucket’s only public high-rise housing serving households whose eligibility is restricted to seniors and persons with disabilities. Each building has two elevators that are currently classified as functionally inoperable for reliable service due to repeated failures and obsolete parts. As a result, these ongoing issues present a significant health and safety risk.

Fixing and modernizing these elevators will help maintain over 400 units of existing affordable housing in Rhode Island.

PHA manages 788 units of public housing at four complexes for senior citizens and people with disabilities: Kennedy Manor, Fogarty Manor, Burns Manor and St. Germain Manor, and one family housing complex, Galego Court.

-end-",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-democrats-urge-trump-to-rescind-dangerous-childhood-vaccine-executive-order,"Reed, Democrats Urge Trump to Rescind Dangerous Childhood Vaccine Executive Order",2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Pointing to rising measles outbreaks, which have already surged to a 35-year high, and a spike in non-medical vaccine exemption requests in K-12 schools, U.S. Senator Jack Reed teamed up with 90 Congressional colleagues in urging President Donald Trump to rescind his August 10 executive order targeting childhood vaccines.

Senator Reed joined a letter led by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), and U.S. Representative Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA) taking the Trump Administration to task for substituting “anti-vaccine ideology for decades of scientific evidence” and demanding President Donald Trump rescind his executive order directing federal health agencies to overhaul longstanding childhood vaccine recommendations.

Trump’s anti-science executive order creates chaos and confusion for parents just as millions of families across the country are preparing for the school year and are relying on science-based vaccine recommendations to protect their children and communities from preventable diseases.

“At a moment when the United States is experiencing the highest surge in measles cases in thirty-five years and an increasing number of states forced to declare public health emergencies – your administration is placing more children in harm’s way rather than protecting them. This Executive Order overrides decades of scientific evidence and sows fear, chaos, and confusion. The result will not be safer or healthier children; it will be a continued decline in vaccination rates, recurring disease outbreaks, higher healthcare costs, and school disruptions that cause learning loss. Vaccines are rigorously tested and monitored for safety, and save millions of lives each year – especially the lives of children,” wrote the 91 lawmakers.

Since being confirmed, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unleashed a methodical campaign to substitute decades of science with an anti-vaccine ideology.

Specifically, Trump’s latest directive pushes to break up combination vaccines into single-disease doses, ignoring the medical community’s long-standing, evidence-backed agreement that combination vaccines are safe, effective, and specifically timed to protect children when they need it most. Moreover, a family following this executive would be forced to schedule multiple doctors’ appointments with multiple co-pays, which adds unnecessary chaos, confusion, and financial strain. Compounding this issue is the deep Medicaid cuts under Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Big Act that have drastically cut access to care and increased cost burdens for low-income families.

Notably, single-disease shots for routine childhood vaccines, like measles, mumps, and rubella, simply do not exist in the U.S. market. Demanding that parents and pediatricians switch to non-existent vaccines creates mass confusion, stalls routine care right as children head back to school, and forces drug manufacturers into a years-long regulatory pipeline.

Additionally, this executive order directs the Department of Justice to push back on longstanding state school immunization requirements, ignoring 81 percent of parents who agree that public schools should require essential immunizations like measles and polio vaccines.

“The health and safety of America’s children must not be sacrificed for political theater and ideology. American children and their families deserve robust evidence-based immunization recommendations that are rooted in science. The administration’s politicization of vaccines makes American families less safe, threatens to return the U.S. to an era before routine vaccination prevented millions of infections, and is already resulting in unnecessary suffering and preventable deaths, particularly among children,” continued the lawmakers.

“Every day this Executive Order remains in effect, more children go without the vaccines that would protect them, additional outbreaks become more likely, and lives are put at risk. We urge you to rescind this Executive Order immediately and restore evidence-based decision-making to federal public health policy,” concluded the lawmakers.

In addition to U.S. Senators Schumer, Bennet, and Reed and U.S. Representative Schrier, MD, the letter was also signed by: U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT), as well as Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Troy Carter (D-LA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Angie Craig (D-MN), Jason Crow (D-CO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Debbie Dingell (D-MI.), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Lois Frankel (D-FL), John Garamendi (D-CA), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ), Bill Keating (D-MA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Summer Lee (D-PA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), John Mannion (D-NY), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Betty McCollum (D-MN.), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (ad Schneider (D-IL), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Dina Titus (D- NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Richie Torres (D-NY), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), and Nikema Williams (D-GA) signed this letter.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear President Trump:

Every August, millions of American families participate in the familiar late-summer ritual of gathering school supplies, scheduling annual wellness checkups, and preparing their children to step back into the classroom. For decades, parents have trusted these routine doctor visits to protect their children against preventable, life-threatening diseases. Your August 10, 2026, Executive Order, “Delivering Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations for Americans” shatters that consensus. We write to insist that you rescind it immediately.

At a moment when the United States is experiencing the highest surge in measles cases in thirty-five years and an increasing number of states forced to declare public health emergencies – your administration is placing more children in harm’s way rather than protecting them. This Executive Order overrides decades of scientific evidence and sows fear, chaos, and confusion. The result will not be safer or healthier children; it will be a continued decline in vaccination rates, recurring disease outbreaks, higher healthcare costs, and school disruptions that cause learning loss. Vaccines are rigorously tested and monitored for safety, and save millions of lives each year – especially the lives of children.

Unfortunately, this directive is only the latest step in a systematic campaign by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to substitute anti-vaccine ideology for decades of scientific evidence. Since being confirmed, Secretary Kennedy has:

Fired all seventeen independent members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replaced them with unvetted ideologues who have a history of undermining vaccines.

Peddled unproven treatments as alternatives to safe, effective vaccines, like cod liver oil for measles, putting young children in the hospital with liver damage.

Pressured leadership of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to approve unscientific recommendations while removing vital public health information and publishing false or misleading claims on agency websites, such as the CDC’s autism and vaccines page.

Canceled critical mRNA research and endorsed false claims that mRNA vaccines cause widespread harm and repeatedly spread disproven theories linking vaccines to autism, despite dozens of studies proving otherwise.

Attempted to alter the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in a manner that threatened to drive vaccine manufacturers out of the market entirely.

This latest directive encouraging the breakup of combination vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) shot, into single-disease doses over multiple doctor’s visits defies medical evidence and places additional burdens on families. Leading medical professionals agree that combination vaccines are safe, effective, and specifically timed to protect children when they require that immunity. Moreover, separate single-dose options for MMR are not even currently available in the United States, meaning drug manufacturers would be forced to navigate a complex, years-long approval process. This order leaves parents with inconsistent, muddled advice, further stoking unfounded fears about vaccine safety, despite the overwhelming evidence of the benefits of universal immunization for the MMR vaccine. That is not “gold standard” medicine. It is manufactured chaos.

Forcing parents to schedule and pay co-pays for multiple medical visits for immunizations that were previously administered at a single appointment creates financial and logistical hardship, and is cruel to children. These burdens are compounded by the severe cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act enacted under the One Big, Beautiful Big Act, which are leaving working families without access to a primary care physician. Moreover, it increases burden for pediatricians who already face packed schedules.

Finally, directing the Department of Justice to challenge long-standing state school immunization requirements perpetuates dangerous uncertainty in local communities and directly threatens public health. Overturning established, evidence-based vaccine policies creates a chaotic patchwork of rules that leaves parents, school districts, and health officials without clear guidance, while ignoring the vast majority of parents (81%) who agree that public schools should require students to receive essential immunizations like the measles and polio vaccines.

The health and safety of America’s children must not be sacrificed for political theater and ideology. American children and their families deserve robust evidence-based immunization recommendations that are rooted in science. The administration’s politicization of vaccines makes American families less safe, threatens to return the U.S. to an era before routine vaccination prevented millions of infections, and is already resulting in unnecessary suffering and preventable deaths, particularly among children.

Every day this Executive Order remains in effect, more children go without the vaccines that would protect them, additional outbreaks become more likely, and lives are put at risk. We urge you to rescind this Executive Order immediately and restore evidence-based decision-making to federal public health policy.",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/as-visa-delays-threaten-fall-arrival-for-international-students-reed-whitehouse-demand-answers-action-from-u-s-state-department/,"As Visa Delays Threaten Fall Arrival for International Students, Reed & Whitehouse Demand Answers & Action from U.S. State Department",2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Providence, RI – With college students heading back to campus in the coming weeks for the start of a new academic year, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) are pressing the Trump Administration to process international student and scholar visas without unjust delay.

Whitehouse and Reed are teaming up with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and 27 colleagues in demanding answers from the U.S. State Department about why international student visa appointments have dried up at some embassies — a bottleneck that seems to mostly impact students from Latin American countries. The lawmakers want to know why there are delays in processing F, M and J visas for academic studies, vocational courses and exchange programs, respectively.

Noting that international students pumped about $43 billion into local economies across the U.S. during the 2024–2025 academic year, Padilla, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding answers about delays processing these applications at U.S. embassies and consulates and are seeking to fix the problem in time for students to make travel arrangements and be in college classrooms when the semester begins.

“We urge the State Department to ensure timely processing of F, M, and J student and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas, consistent with the approach taken by administrations of both parties in the past, and to implement other measures to avoid diminishing U.S. competitiveness,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote. “Specifically, we are hearing from constituents and stakeholders that no timely visa appointments are available for students at some embassies and consulates. This only exacerbates uncertainty about whether students’ visas will be processed in time for them to travel to the United States to begin their studies.”

The lawmakers highlighted the contributions international students make to universities and communities nationwide, including expanding opportunities for American students, generating economic activity, strengthening the U.S. workforce, and building international partnerships.

“International students are critical to the success of our universities, including contributing nearly $43 billion annually to local communities and supporting more than 355,000 American jobs during the 2024-2025 academic year. Even though international students make up only six percent of the total higher education population, their enrollment creates opportunities for American students,” the senators continued. “International students also improve our national security by fostering global relationships, cross cultural understanding, and long-lasting diplomatic ties. These benefits are at risk if visa processing delays persist.”

The senators urged the State Department to ensure the timely review and processing of student and exchange visitor visas, extend interview waivers for vetted returning student applicants, provide sufficient staffing for visa processing, and improve transparency and engagement with stakeholders. The senators also requested an explanation within 30 days about the causes of the delays and the measures being implemented to ensure student and exchange visitor visa applications are processed in a timely manner moving forward.

Over 5,000 international students attend colleges and universities across the Ocean State, according to SEVIS higher education tracking data from 2025. These students contribute over $270 million to Rhode Island’s economy, according to SEVIS. Higher ed schools with large groups of international students enrolled include Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), the University of Rhode Island (URI), Johnson & Wales, and Providence College.

According to Ocean State Media’s article, “Fewer visas, fewer students: URI sees international enrollment slide”: “The University of Rhode Island saw a significant decrease in the number of international students enrolled this academic year, as heightened immigration enforcement by the Trump Administration makes it more difficult for many international students to attend school in the U.S.

“URI saw a 16% decrease in international student enrollment from the 2024-25 academic year to the 2025-26 academic year, according to data provided by the school. In the current academic year, 404 international students are enrolled – down from 480 the year prior.

“The decrease at URI follows a broader national trend that has hit many schools harder. The U.S. government issued 36% fewer visas of the kind most commonly used by international students just before the fall 2025 semester, according to a New York Times analysis of State Department data.”

In addition to Padilla, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth, D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Secretary Rubio,

We write to express our concerns regarding the ongoing unavailability of visa appointments during the peak visa application season for students and scholars seeking to enter the U.S. in time for the start of classes and the academic year. We urge the State Department to ensure timely processing of F, M, and J student and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas, consistent with the approach taken by administrations of both parties in the past, and to implement other measures to avoid diminishing U.S. competitiveness. Specifically, we are hearing from constituents and stakeholders that no timely visa appointments are available for students at some embassies and consulates. This only exacerbates uncertainty about whether students’ visas will be processed in time for them to travel to the United States to begin their studies.

These challenges come at a time when major academic institutions need skilled, international talent to begin their semesters. Without a fix, the repercussions will be felt across the academic and skilled-technical talent pipeline.

International students are critical to the success of our universities, including contributing nearly $43 billion annually to local communities and supporting more than 355,000 American jobs during the 2024-2025 academic year. Even though international students make up only six percent of the total higher education population, their enrollment creates opportunities for American students. For every additional international undergraduate enrolled at a U.S. public university, two additional in-state freshman students can enroll. Most international students pay out-of state tuition, injecting vital revenue into our colleges and universities and helping keep costs down for domestic students. International students also improve our national security by fostering global relationships, cross cultural understanding, and long-lasting diplomatic ties. These benefits are at risk if visa processing delays persist.

The case-by-case nature of availability for access to expedited appointments or National Interest Exception requests is neither efficient nor sustainable. Instead of diverting already limited personnel resources, the State Department should ensure that its consular sections restore priority to interview, adjudicate, and process student visas in time for the upcoming school year.

In addition to the above, we urge the State Department to extend interview waivers for vetted returning student applicants; ensure adequate staffing for timely visa vetting and processing; and meaningfully engage with stakeholders to promote greater transparency.

International students bolster the American workforce, drive innovation, and better position our country to maintain its competitive edge. Therefore, we request a written response answering these questions within 30 days:

What resources has the Department devoted to processing the backlogs and streamlining processing of F, J, and M visas?

Have consular process priorities changed since the spring and summer of 2025? What visa interview categories are currently prioritized by the Bureau of Consular Affairs and where do student visas fall within that list? Provide the list of visa interview prioritization.

What guidance has been sent to embassies and consulates regarding prioritization or deprioritization of student and exchange visitor visa processing? Provide a copy of all guidance regarding the prioritizing or deprioritizing of student and exchange visitor visas since August 2025 until the present day.

How are interview slots being allocated at embassies and consulates and where do student and exchange visitor visa appointments fit within that allocation?

How often are consular post websites and the main State Department website updated for relevant and current information regarding current U.S. consulate operations including visa appointment availability and approximate processing times?

When will you resume publicly posting monthly, accurate visa issuance data by category?

Will the Department commit to implementing regular, ongoing outreach and collaboration with stakeholders and relevant agencies about the student and exchange visitor visa process and ensure the timely processing of F, J, and M visas?

How do you ensure that embassies and consulates are accurately and timely informed of any regulatory or policy changes regarding student and exchange visitor visas?

What are the average processing times for F, M, and J visas at the top five locations processing these visas from September 2025 to date, disaggregated by month?

Last year, the Department of State announced new vetting, including online presence vetting, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classification.

What resources has the Department of State devoted to these new vetting procedures?

In developing these new vetting procedures, what steps has your Department taken to ensure our national security interests of welcoming bona fide international students in our communities can still be achieved through timely processing of F, J, and M visas.

How many applications have been refused pursuant to the new enhanced vetting procedures? Please disaggregate these numbers by the basis for refusal.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/rhode-island-congressional-delegation-announces-1-9-million-for-uri-cybersecurity-scholarship-program/,Rhode Island Congressional Delegation Announces $1.9 Million for URI Cybersecurity Scholarship Program,2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Providence, RI – In a world of evolving cyber threats and escalating digital challenges – including the increased adoption of AI technologies – there is a growing need to strengthen America’s cybersecurity workforce.

Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representatives Seth Magaziner (RI-02) and Gabe Amo (RI-01) announced $1.9 million of federal funding awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to the University of Rhode Island to support scholarships for high-achieving students with limited financial means pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity.

“This NSF funding will help provide opportunities for URI students who are interested in tackling the pressing cybersecurity challenges of our time,” said Whitehouse.

“URI does an outstanding job of preparing the workforce of the future. This federal funding builds on previous federal investments at URI and will help the university attract and educate the next generation of talented, highly-skilled cyber professionals for this critical and fast-growing profession,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who previously worked with Senator Whitehouse to deliver $3.4 million in federal funding for a similar grant program in 2022 through URI’s Computer Science and Statistics Department.

“Every student who has the drive and talent to succeed in the cybersecurity field should have the chance to do it, regardless of financial circumstances,” said Magaziner, member of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Subcommittee on the House Homeland Security Committee. “This funding for URI will help train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals right here in Rhode Island.”

“We need a well-trained workforce of cyber experts to protect Americans and our digital infrastructure from emerging threats,” said Amo. “This funding will provide talented students with the tools and resources necessary to study cybersecurity at the University of Rhode Island and strengthen our state’s cyber workforce.”

“NSF’s investment reflects what URI does best: pairing rigorous technical training with the mentoring, community, and career support that a demanding program requires,” said Brenton DeBoef, Interim Vice President for Research at the University of Rhode Island. “We are grateful to Senators Reed and Whitehouse and Representatives Magaziner and Amo for championing this investment in URI, which will put thirty highly trained cybersecurity professionals to work in Rhode Island.”

Thirty scholars pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity at URI will receive scholarships covering unmet financial need of up to $20,000 per year for up to five years. In addition to financial support, scholars will receive faculty mentoring, professional identity development, cohort community-building, career exploration opportunities, and an optional bridge program to prepare for AI-related coursework.

The award is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, which supports the retention and graduation of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need in STEM fields. The project will be evaluated on an ongoing basis to help identify effective strategies for supporting low-income students in STEM.",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-steers-13-5-million-to-upgrade-providence-ferry-terminal/,RI Delegation Steers $13.5 Million to Upgrade Providence Ferry Terminal,2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Providence, RI – Ferries offer a fast, fun, convenient, environmentally friendly and scenic way to hop between local waterfront ports across the Ocean State, with seasonal service between Providence, Bristol, and Newport being among the most popular routes.

In an effort to connect communities, strengthen the economy, and build for the future, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner successfully steered $13,500,000 in federal funding to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to support upgrades to the Providence Ferry Terminal, located at 25 Portugal Parkway (Fox Point).

The terminal site includes basic port infrastructure and complimentary on-site parking for 120 vehicles, with tickets, schedules, and temporary structures managed by Seastreak Ferries.

This new federal funding will support the construction of a new, permanent ticketing pavilion that will hold an office, restrooms, and a waiting area for passengers with real-time information, as well as improvements to parking and stormwater treatment. The project will also include construction of new floating docks, ADA-compliant gangways, and sea wall repairs.

“This is a win for Rhode Island and a smart investment in improving operational efficiency of the Providence Ferry Terminal and building modern, new amenities. It will make ferry service more accessible and family-friendly — attracting more passengers and providing them with a first-class experience that connects them to world-class waterfront destinations. This federal funding will better connect communities and reduce pollution and traffic congestion while boosting ridership, tourism, and economic growth,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who supported funding for the Passenger Ferry Grant Program to assist in the financing of capital projects that support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas.

“The Providence ferry is a great option for residents and tourists to explore the East Bay,” said Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “With this federal funding, the state will be able to significantly upgrade the passenger experience.”

“For both visitors and residents, the ferry helps connect communities from Providence to the East Bay to Aquidneck Island during summer months,”said Amo. “This federal funding will improve accessibility, upgrade infrastructure, and enhance the passenger experience for ferry passengers. I will keep working in Washington to bring home funding to help Rhode Islanders experience all that our great state has to offer.”

“The Providence Ferry has become an essential part of Rhode Island’s transportation network and a vital part of our state’s tourism economy,” said Magaziner. “I will continue working with the rest of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation to deliver funding that ensures reliable ferry service across the Ocean State.”

The federal funding is being made available thanks to a $657-million program administered by the U.S. Federal Transit Administration to improve and expand ferry service across the country.

“RIDOT has been operating the successful Providence-to-Newport ferry, which enjoys ridership of some 44,000 passengers a year between the two cities and Bristol on weekends, for the past 11 summer seasons,” said Interim Director Robert Rocchio, PE. “We are grateful for the efforts of the congressional delegation for this grant. It will help improve passenger experience at the ferry landing site in Providence by adding amenity buildings and infrastructure improvements that will last for many more seasons to come.”

Seastreak’s seasonal ferry service, run in partnership with RIDOT, includes multiple daily trips between Newport and Providence with weekend service to Bristol. The ferry is dog-friendly, and a limited number of bicycles are welcome aboard free of charge. There are also special shuttle connections for Amtrak riders to the Providence terminal.",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-reed-deliver-3-million-to-upgrade-pawtucket-housing-authority-high-rise-elevators/,Whitehouse & Reed Deliver $3 Million to Upgrade Pawtucket Housing Authority High-Rise Elevators,2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Pawtucket, RI – When high-rise elevators go down or are chronically inoperable in public housing, it makes life difficult for upper floor apartment residents with mobility issues, as well as those carrying small children or heavy groceries up multiple flights of stairs.

Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) joined Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien and residents and leadership of the Pawtucket Housing Authority (PHA) at Fogarty Manor to celebrate over $3 million in federal investments that are helping to repair and upgrade elevator infrastructure at PHA’s Kennedy Manor, a 9-story housing complex on Broad Street, and Fogarty Manor, a 15-story high rise on Roosevelt Avenue.

In an effort to support housing affordability and ensure the Pawtucket Housing Authority’s residents living in rent-restricted high-rise housing complexes have safe, reliable elevator access, Senators Whitehouse and Reed helped to secure federal funding to upgrade and modernize elevator infrastructure at PHA’s Kennedy Manor and Fogarty Manor.

“We come with good news for the residents of Kennedy Manor and Fogarty Manor, who have dealt with elevator breakdowns for too long,” said Whitehouse. “With upgraded elevators, hundreds of affordable apartments in Pawtucket will be able to remain in use.”

“This federal funding will provide a much needed lift to hundreds of residents and ensure reliable elevator service. The safety and security of residents is paramount. They have endured and persevered when elevators were down and we want to ensure a lasting fix. I commend Mayor Grebien and the dedicated team at the Pawtucket Housing Authority for their tireless efforts to restore service and modernize the building. Elevator breakdowns in a high-rise can be beyond frustrating – especially to those on upper floors and those with limited mobility. The much-needed repairs and upgrades funded by these significant federal investments are overdue. I’m pleased to help deliver over $3 million to help the Pawtucket Housing Authority prioritize safety, modernize essential infrastructure, and prevent elevator outages,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees the federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The federal funding for the Fogarty and Kennedy Manor Elevator Modernization project includes a $2,045,426 emergency federal grant administered by HUD. Whitehouse and Reed advocated to make HUD Capital Fund Emergency and Disaster Grant Program funds available, which help public housing authorities address pressing safety issues for residents.

The $2 million emergency grant combines with a $1 million federal earmark that Senators Whitehouse and Reed previously secured in fiscal year 2024 for Pawtucket Housing Authority, providing over $3 million in federal funds that PHA will use to upgrade four elevators between the two towers to enhance safety and accessibility for residents and protect the long-term operation of existing affordable housing.

“Today is about a significant investment in Pawtucket and, most importantly, in the residents who call Fogarty Manor and Kennedy Manor home,” said Mayor Donald R. Grebien, City of Pawtucket. “I want to thank Senators Reed and Whitehouse for recognizing the urgency of these improvements and for their continued commitment to our city. Through strong local, state, and federal partnership, we secured more than $3 million to modernize all four elevators. This investment will improve accessibility, strengthen our public housing infrastructure, and give residents greater peace of mind as they live safely and independently in their homes.”

“Today is not just about modernizing elevators. It’s about the grandmother who can make it to her medical appointments with confidence. It’s about the resident who can visit friends in the community room. It’s about the veteran who can leave his apartment without wondering whether he will be able to get back home. It’s about preserving independence, dignity, and quality of life for every resident we are privileged to serve,” said Justin Barros, Executive Director of the Pawtucket Housing Authority. “I want to offer a special thanks to Senators Reed and Whitehouse for their championship of affordable housing and public housing residents across Rhode Island and to Mayor Grebien for this leadership, partnership, and dedication to the city of Pawtucket and the Housing Authority.”

Built in 1969, John E. Fogarty Manor provides 248 homes and services for residents age 62 and up. John F. Kennedy Manor is a nine-story high-rise with 171 homes that was constructed in 1964.

Kennedy Manor is one of Pawtucket’s only public high-rise housing serving households whose eligibility is restricted to seniors and persons with disabilities. Each building has two elevators that are currently classified as functionally inoperable for reliable service due to repeated failures and obsolete parts. As a result, these ongoing issues present a significant health and safety risk.

Fixing and modernizing these elevators will help maintain over 400 units of existing affordable housing in Rhode Island.

PHA manages 788 units of public housing at four complexes for senior citizens and people with disabilities: Kennedy Manor, Fogarty Manor, Burns Manor and St. Germain Manor, and one family housing complex, Galego Court.",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-visa-delays-threaten-fall-arrival-for-international-students-reed-and-whitehouse-demand-answers_action-from-us-state-department,"As Visa Delays Threaten Fall Arrival for International Students, Reed & Whitehouse Demand Answers & Action from U.S. State Department",2026-08-17,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – With college students heading back to campus in the coming weeks for the start of a new academic year, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are pressing the Trump Administration to process international student and scholar visas without unjust delay.

Reed and Whitehouse are teaming up with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and 27 colleagues in demanding answers from the U.S. State Department about why international student visa appointments have dried up at some embassies -- a bottleneck that seems to mostly impact students from Latin American countries. The lawmakers want to know why there are delays in processing F, M and J visas for academic studies, vocational courses and exchange programs, respectively.

Noting that international students pumped about $43 billion into local economies across the U.S. during the 2024–2025 academic year, Padilla, Reed, Whitehouse and their colleagues are demanding answers about delays processing these applications at U.S. embassies and consulates and are seeking to fix the problem in time for students to make travel arrangements and be in college classrooms when the semester begins.

“We urge the State Department to ensure timely processing of F, M, and J student and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas, consistent with the approach taken by administrations of both parties in the past, and to implement other measures to avoid diminishing U.S. competitiveness,” the 30 U.S. Senators wrote. “Specifically, we are hearing from constituents and stakeholders that no timely visa appointments are available for students at some embassies and consulates. This only exacerbates uncertainty about whether students’ visas will be processed in time for them to travel to the United States to begin their studies.”

The lawmakers highlighted the contributions international students make to universities and communities nationwide, including expanding opportunities for American students, generating economic activity, strengthening the U.S. workforce, and building international partnerships.

“International students are critical to the success of our universities, including contributing nearly $43 billion annually to local communities and supporting more than 355,000 American jobs during the 2024-2025 academic year. Even though international students make up only six percent of the total higher education population, their enrollment creates opportunities for American students,” the senators continued. “International students also improve our national security by fostering global relationships, cross cultural understanding, and long-lasting diplomatic ties. These benefits are at risk if visa processing delays persist.”

The senators urged the State Department to ensure the timely review and processing of student and exchange visitor visas, extend interview waivers for vetted returning student applicants, provide sufficient staffing for visa processing, and improve transparency and engagement with stakeholders. The senators also requested an explanation within 30 days about the causes of the delays and the measures being implemented to ensure student and exchange visitor visa applications are processed in a timely manner moving forward.

Over 5,000 international students attend colleges and universities across the Ocean State, according to SEVIS higher education tracking data from 2025. These students contribute over $270 million to Rhode Island’s economy, according to SEVIS. Higher ed schools with large groups of international students enrolled include Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), the University of Rhode Island (URI), Johnson & Wales, and Providence College.

According to Ocean State Media’s article, “Fewer visas, fewer students: URI sees international enrollment slide”: “The University of Rhode Island saw a significant decrease in the number of international students enrolled this academic year, as heightened immigration enforcement by the Trump Administration makes it more difficult for many international students to attend school in the U.S.

“URI saw a 16% decrease in international student enrollment from the 2024-25 academic year to the 2025-26 academic year, according to data provided by the school. In the current academic year, 404 international students are enrolled – down from 480 the year prior.

“The decrease at URI follows a broader national trend that has hit many schools harder. The U.S. government issued 36% fewer visas of the kind most commonly used by international students just before the fall 2025 semester, according to a New York Times analysis of State Department data.”

In addition to Padilla, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth, D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Secretary Rubio,

We write to express our concerns regarding the ongoing unavailability of visa appointments during the peak visa application season for students and scholars seeking to enter the U.S. in time for the start of classes and the academic year. We urge the State Department to ensure timely processing of F, M, and J student and exchange visitor nonimmigrant visas, consistent with the approach taken by administrations of both parties in the past, and to implement other measures to avoid diminishing U.S. competitiveness. Specifically, we are hearing from constituents and stakeholders that no timely visa appointments are available for students at some embassies and consulates. This only exacerbates uncertainty about whether students’ visas will be processed in time for them to travel to the United States to begin their studies.

These challenges come at a time when major academic institutions need skilled, international talent to begin their semesters. Without a fix, the repercussions will be felt across the academic and skilled-technical talent pipeline.

International students are critical to the success of our universities, including contributing nearly $43 billion annually to local communities and supporting more than 355,000 American jobs during the 2024-2025 academic year. Even though international students make up only six percent of the total higher education population, their enrollment creates opportunities for American students. For every additional international undergraduate enrolled at a U.S. public university, two additional in-state freshman students can enroll. Most international students pay out-of state tuition, injecting vital revenue into our colleges and universities and helping keep costs down for domestic students. International students also improve our national security by fostering global relationships, cross cultural understanding, and long-lasting diplomatic ties. These benefits are at risk if visa processing delays persist.

The case-by-case nature of availability for access to expedited appointments or National Interest Exception requests is neither efficient nor sustainable. Instead of diverting already limited personnel resources, the State Department should ensure that its consular sections restore priority to interview, adjudicate, and process student visas in time for the upcoming school year.

In addition to the above, we urge the State Department to extend interview waivers for vetted returning student applicants; ensure adequate staffing for timely visa vetting and processing; and meaningfully engage with stakeholders to promote greater transparency.

International students bolster the American workforce, drive innovation, and better position our country to maintain its competitive edge. Therefore, we request a written response answering these questions within 30 days:

What resources has the Department devoted to processing the backlogs and streamlining processing of F, J, and M visas?

Have consular process priorities changed since the spring and summer of 2025? What visa interview categories are currently prioritized by the Bureau of Consular Affairs and where do student visas fall within that list? Provide the list of visa interview prioritization.

What guidance has been sent to embassies and consulates regarding prioritization or deprioritization of student and exchange visitor visa processing? Provide a copy of all guidance regarding the prioritizing or deprioritizing of student and exchange visitor visas since August 2025 until the present day.

How are interview slots being allocated at embassies and consulates and where do student and exchange visitor visa appointments fit within that allocation?

How often are consular post websites and the main State Department website updated for relevant and current information regarding current U.S. consulate operations including visa appointment availability and approximate processing times?

When will you resume publicly posting monthly, accurate visa issuance data by category?

Will the Department commit to implementing regular, ongoing outreach and collaboration with stakeholders and relevant agencies about the student and exchange visitor visa process and ensure the timely processing of F, J, and M visas?

How do you ensure that embassies and consulates are accurately and timely informed of any regulatory or policy changes regarding student and exchange visitor visas?

What are the average processing times for F, M, and J visas at the top five locations processing these visas from September 2025 to date, disaggregated by month?

Last year, the Department of State announced new vetting, including online presence vetting, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classification.

What resources has the Department of State devoted to these new vetting procedures?

In developing these new vetting procedures, what steps has your Department taken to ensure our national security interests of welcoming bona fide international students in our communities can still be achieved through timely processing of F, J, and M visas.

How many applications have been refused pursuant to the new enhanced vetting procedures? Please disaggregate these numbers by the basis for refusal.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-18T05:27:41Z,2026-08-18T05:29:06Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-condemns-trumps-appeasement-of-kim-jong-un,Reed Condemns Trump’s Appeasement of Kim Jong Un,2026-08-17,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI -- Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, rebuked President Donald Trump for his last minute decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea.

Reed criticized Trump for appearing to appease North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un by posting a social media statement directing U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to scale back joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea. President Trump expressed admiration for Kim Jong Un and criticized South Korea for declining to take part in his war of choice with Iran.

Senator Reed stated:

“This is another inane, haphazard decision by President Trump and his chaotic administration. America’s alliances are built on trust and strength. When President Trump cuts military exercises to flatter a dictator or punishes South Korea for declining to join a war he started, all of our allies – and adversaries – think that America’s commitments are negotiable. Kim Jong Un has won a propaganda victory and South Korea, one of our strongest allies, has been punished for no reason beyond Trump’s ego. China and Russia are watching how easily this President abandons America’s allies, and they will remember it the next time they test us.”

The U.S. and South Korea have been conducting joint military exercises together since the 1950s in an effort to deter future aggression by North Korea, and to send a signal of strength and deterrence to America’s adversaries.

Senator Reed also noted that President Trump’s social media post contradicted a recent warning from NORTHCOM Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Joseph Jarrard, who last week noted: “North Koreans have successfully flight-tested ICBMs with enough boost to deliver a nuclear payload anywhere in North America.”",1,2026-08-18T05:27:41Z,2026-08-18T05:29:06Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-delegation-steers-135-million-to-upgrade-providence-ferry-terminal,RI Delegation Steers $13.5 Million to Upgrade Providence Ferry Terminal,2026-08-17,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Ferries offer a fast, fun, convenient, environmentally friendly and scenic way to hop between local waterfront ports across the Ocean State, with seasonal service between Providence, Bristol, and Newport being among the most popular routes.

In an effort to connect communities, strengthen the economy, and build for the future, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Gabe Amo and Seth Magaziner successfully steered $13,500,000 in federal funding to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to support upgrades to the Providence Ferry Terminal, located at 25 Portugal Parkway (Fox Point).

The terminal site includes basic port infrastructure and complimentary on-site parking for 120 vehicles, with tickets, schedules, and temporary structures managed by Seastreak Ferries.

This new federal funding will support the construction of a new, permanent ticketing pavilion that will hold an office, restrooms, and a waiting area for passengers with real-time information, as well as improvements to parking and stormwater treatment. The project will also include construction of new floating docks, ADA-compliant gangways, and sea wall repairs.

“This is a win for Rhode Island and a smart investment in improving operational efficiency of the Providence Ferry Terminal and building modern, new amenities. It will make ferry service more accessible and family-friendly -- attracting more passengers and providing them with a first-class experience that connects them to world-class waterfront destinations. This federal funding will better connect communities and reduce pollution and traffic congestion while boosting ridership, tourism, and economic growth,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who supported funding for the Passenger Ferry Grant Program to assist in the financing of capital projects that support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas.

“The Providence ferry is a great option for residents and tourists to explore the East Bay,” said Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “With this federal funding, the state will be able to significantly upgrade the passenger experience.”

“For both visitors and residents, the ferry helps connect communities from Providence to the East Bay to Aquidneck Island during summer months,” said Amo. “This federal funding will improve accessibility, upgrade infrastructure, and enhance the passenger experience for ferry passengers. I will keep working in Washington to bring home funding to help Rhode Islanders experience all that our great state has to offer.”

“The Providence Ferry has become an essential part of Rhode Island’s transportation network and a vital part of our state’s tourism economy,” said Magaziner. “I will continue working with the rest of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation to deliver funding that ensures reliable ferry service across the Ocean State.”

The federal funding is being made available thanks to a $657-million program administered by the U.S. Federal Transit Administration to improve and expand ferry service across the country.

“RIDOT has been operating the successful Providence-to-Newport ferry, which enjoys ridership of some 44,000 passengers a year between the two cities and Bristol on weekends, for the past 11 summer seasons,” said Interim Director Robert Rocchio, PE. “We are grateful for the efforts of the congressional delegation for this grant. It will help improve passenger experience at the ferry landing site in Providence by adding amenity buildings and infrastructure improvements that will last for many more seasons to come.”

Seastreak’s seasonal ferry service, run in partnership with RIDOT, includes multiple daily trips between Newport and Providence with weekend service to Bristol. The ferry is dog-friendly, and a limited number of bicycles are welcome aboard free of charge. There are also special shuttle connections for Amtrak riders to the Providence terminal.",1,2026-08-18T05:27:41Z,2026-08-18T05:29:06Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/senate-defense-democrats-demand-accountability-from-hegseth-after-reports-of-crisis-aboard-uss-abraham-lincoln,Senate Defense Democrats Demand Accountability from Hegseth After Reports of Crisis Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln,2026-08-15,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC—Today, all thirteen members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) minority, as well as the Democratic leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Defense, sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding answers about deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports that the aircraft carrier’s crew has endured food and water shortages, broken plumbing, and mental health crises severe enough that multiple sailors reportedly attempted to go overboard during its record-setting deployment. The Lincoln has been at sea for more than 250 days, including over 200 consecutive days without a port call, the longest continuous deployment at sea for a U.S. aircraft carrier in the modern era.

The letter was signed by the following SASC members: Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Senator Angus King (I-ME), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, also joined.

The senators pressed Secretary Hegseth on his Department’s failure to provide a clear timeline for the crew’s return and condemned his public dismissal of the reports as “completely misrepresented,” as well as President Trump’s remarks suggesting the Lincoln had not been deployed “nearly long enough.” The Senators demanded detailed answers on mental health and medical resources aboard the ship, the state of good order and discipline, hygiene and food conditions, the full extent of the reported man-overboard incident, and support being provided to military families, along with a formal request for a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the ship.

The full text of the letter is attached and copied below.

Dear Secretary Hegseth,

We write regarding the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln and mounting evidence that conditions aboard the carrier have deteriorated to the point that the safety and wellbeing of its crew could be compromised. These are deeply troubling reports, and the American people deserve honest answers.

The USS Lincoln departed San Diego on November 21, 2025. The ship has now been deployed for more than 250 days, including over 200 consecutive days without a port call, setting a modern-day record for continuous time at sea for a U.S. aircraft carrier. Family members of the sailors and Marines serving aboard have received urgent messages describing conditions that should alarm you, and everyone serving in a position of leadership at the Pentagon, to include concerns about exhaustion, food and water shortages, and mental health crises serious enough that multiple sailors reportedly attempted to go overboard.

In response to these reports, you publicly stated that the conditions aboard the carrier have been “completely misrepresented.” Even more galling, when asked by reporters about the conditions on the Lincoln, President Trump dismissed the concerns of the families and stated that the Lincoln had not been deployed “nearly long enough.”

Our sailors and Marines signed up to serve and to be treated with respect. They did not sign up to be kept at sea indefinitely with no announced return date and, by multiple accounts, without reliable food, hot water, or working plumbing. That is not how we treat the men and women we ask to carry out this mission.

This situation was preventable, and the conditions aboard the Lincoln are nearly identical to the issues faced by the USS Ford when it conducted an extended deployment that ended earlier this year. The USS Lincoln was redirected to the Middle East as the war with Iran began and has remained there as that war has dragged on with no clear endpoint. This is a symptom of poor planning by both you and the President and exacerbated by the deeply unsound decision to start a war with Iran. Open-ended deployments driven by an open-ended war have real consequences for our servicemembers, and we are seeing those consequences now.

Recent press reports indicate that the USS George Washington will be deployed to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln. While that is welcome news, the Department’s mismanagement of carrier deployments also means that the U.S. will not have an aircraft carrier in the Pacific for the foreseeable future. However, ensuring the USS Lincoln returns to port takes precedence, and it is incumbent on the Department to inform Congress, and the families, on the plan and timeline to get the crew home. Denial and defensiveness are not acceptable responses. Congress and these families need accountability.

Given the seriousness of these reports, we request written answers to the following:

What is the current timeline for the USS Lincoln’s relief and return to homeport, and what specific operational requirements are driving continued extensions of this deployment?

Was the crew informed that the deployment could be extended indefinitely? Have any members of the crew been changed out since the beginning of this deployment, and if so, how many?

Has there been any degradation in the operational capability of the USS Lincoln or her airwing?

What mental health resources are being provided to the crew?

Have there been any suicides aboard the ship during this deployment? How many instances of detected suicidal ideation or attempted self-harm, including attempts to go overboard, has the Department recorded?

What other medical resources are available aboard the ship, and are resources sufficient to meet the crew’s needs given the length of this deployment?

What chaplain resources are available to the crew, and have they been adequate to the scale of need aboard the ship?

What is the current state of good order and discipline aboard the USS Lincoln?

What is the hygiene and healthy food situation on board, including the status of reported plumbing failures, water contamination, and food shortages?

What is the extent of illness or injury aboard the ship, including full details of the reported man-overboard incident and any other similar incidents?

What is the state of the families of the sailors and Marines aboard the USS Lincoln? What resources are being provided to them, and are they being kept informed on a regular basis about the status of the deployment and their loved ones’ wellbeing?

Will the Department authorize a bipartisan congressional delegation to visit the Lincoln to conduct firsthand oversight of conditions aboard the ship?

As the Secretary of Defense, you are accountable to the men and women who serve our nation. It is time for you to demonstrate leadership, rather than peddle excuses. The servicemembers we send into harm’s way deserve nothing less.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-17T05:33:43Z,2026-08-17T05:34:34Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-reed-seek-watchdog-audit-of-trumps-glitzy-ballroom-boondoggle/,Whitehouse & Reed Seek Watchdog Audit of Trump’s Glitzy Ballroom Boondoggle,2026-08-14,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"As price tag for gaudy project skyrockets, Democratic Senators who lead key committees with jurisdiction over Trump’s ballroom project call for GAO audit

Washington, D.C. – With cost estimates for a glitzy new White House ballroom surging and the Trump Administration putting taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars that Congress has not authorized, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) joined other leading Senate Democrats in requesting an independent audit of the controversial project from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The eight U.S. Senators, who each lead committees and subcommittees with jurisdiction over the White House East Wing and ballroom modernization project, wrote to GAO that the Trump Administration’s handling of the project raises “serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and stewardship of this national landmark.”

Whitehouse, the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), joined with U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee; Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader; and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, in calling on the Acting Comptroller General of GAO to audit and assess the full scope and cost of the White House ballroom project.

Without approval from Congress, President Donald Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House – “the People’s House” and a symbol of democracy and the U.S. government — starting on October 20, 2025.

After Congressional Republicans failed to authorize and appropriate $1 billion in federal funding for President Trump’s vanity project through their partisan reconciliation bill in June, and although President Trump repeatedly claimed that the ballroom project and demolition of the East Wing would be privately funded, reporting shows that the Administration has inappropriately and illegally diverted more than $300 million in federal funding for the ballroom project.

“Congress has neither authorized nor appropriated funding for the ‘East Wing Modernization Project,’ nor has Congress been provided any planning details or justifications that would allow for informed consideration of the White House’s plans that would be a prerequisite for authorization or appropriation of funds. The lack of congressional authorization has been central to the ongoing litigation challenging the ballroom project, National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States v. National Park Service. This month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed that President Trump lacks the legal authority to construct a White House ballroom without congressional authorization. Simply put, no president has the authority to unilaterally demolish and remodel the country’s White House in such a significant manner without congressional approval,” wrote the U.S. Senators.

For months — after demolishing the East Wing without the usual permits and process — President Trump promised the project would be fully funded by private donors. He originally estimated the price tag would be $200 million and publicly proclaimed that “no government dollars” would be used. But recently, without Congressional authorization, the Trump Administration has quietly shifted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to the project.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post, citing confidential contracts and other documents, reported that the administration is now planning to spend at least $927 million on White House campus projects, including the East Wing, with most of the money coming from taxpayers.

“The Trump administration has not provided transparency into the use of federal funds for the East Wing project, and they have limited congressional oversight, meaningful public input, and adherence to established federal processes,” the Senators continued.

The Senators set a December 1 deadline for GAO to provide them with a proposed plan for the audit.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Acting Comptroller General Williams Brown:

Many of us in Congress have watched with alarm as the Trump administration unilaterally made the decision to demolish the East Wing of the White House—an historic and symbolic structure—without congressional authorization, meaningful public engagement, or following long-established practice for government facilities modernization and historic preservation. The subsequent construction of a new White House ballroom represents one of the most sweeping alterations to the White House complex in modern history. The scale of this project, the destruction of historic architecture, the opaque and unorthodox combination of public funds with private funding sources, and the absence of standard federal review processes raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and stewardship of this national landmark.

Congress has neither authorized nor appropriated funding for the “East Wing Modernization Project,” nor has Congress been provided any planning details or justifications that would allow for informed consideration of the White House’s plans that would be a prerequisite for authorization or appropriation of funds. The lack of congressional authorization has been central to the ongoing litigation challenging the ballroom project, National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States v. National Park Service. This month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed that President Trump lacks the legal authority to construct a White House ballroom without congressional authorization. Simply put, no president has the authority to unilaterally demolish and remodel the country’s White House in such a significant manner without congressional approval.

President Trump repeatedly claimed that the demolition of the East Wing and construction of a dramatically expanded gilded ballroom would be carried out solely using private donations, and that no taxpayer funds would be used. Despite those assurances, the administration first tried and failed[1] to secure $1 billion in federal funding for the ballroom through a partisan Republican reconciliation bill, then shifted tact to inappropriately and illegally pay for over half of the $600 million ballroom with previously appropriated funding not intended for this project. It has also been reported that the Trump Administration is utilizing a $500 million no-bid contract to fund the construction of the ballroom—funding that Congress did not approve.[2]

The Trump administration has not provided transparency into the use of federal funds for the East Wing project, and they have limited congressional oversight, meaningful public input, and adherence to established federal processes.

To support Congress’s oversight responsibilities, we request that GAO conduct an audit and assessment of the White House ballroom project and related documentation, including the following:

Planning, Review and Approval Processes: What design, review, and construction approval processes are being applied to the ballroom project? How do these processes and timelines compare to those used for other similar federal construction efforts involving the White House, other historic properties, executive facilities, or national security sensitive sites? Please assess whether required architectural, preservation, environmental, and interagency reviews were conducted and whether any were bypassed, abbreviated or ignored. What documents, if any, were filed with required approval entities prior to initiation of work?

Funding Sources and Cost Transparency: How is the project being funded, including appropriated funds, reconciliation funds, transfers, reprogramming actions, or donated materials and services? Was an initial cost estimate prepared and if so, by what agency or entity and what were the projections from that estimate? What are the total estimated project costs, how much has been obligated and expended to date, and what is the anticipated timeline for completion? What cost control measures were specified for use under this project? Are the funds that were transferred from U.S. Secret Service account to a “White House Repair and Restoration” account within the Executive Residence at the White House, as reported by the Office of Management and Budget, intended for use in the East Wing Modernization Project? Have any federal agencies involved in the East Wing Modernization Project included funding for this project in spend plans submitted to the Office of Management and Budget?

Security Related Components and Interagency Roles: Which elements of the project have been designated as national security related, what criteria were used to make those determinations, and what funding sources are being used for those components? How have appropriate congressional committees been updated on cost and design planning considerations? What is the role of the U.S. Secret Service, the White House Military Office, the White House Communications Agency and the Department of Defense in planning, approving, and coordinating construction activities (including facility communications upgrades and installation of security equipment and other non-construction features), and how are these agencies collaborating among themselves and with other federal entities?

Public Input and Transparency: What opportunities, if any, were provided for public input, expert consultation, or stakeholder engagement prior to demolition of the East Wing and initiation of the ballroom project? Please assess whether federal agencies followed standard public notice and comment practices for major alterations to historic federal properties, whether relevant preservation and advisory bodies were consulted, and how the level of public transparency compares to similar federal construction projects involving historic or iconic sites.

Contractor Donations, Potential Corruption, and Safeguards: Recent public reporting indicates that several contractors and donors associated with the ballroom project have subsequently received substantial federal contract awards, reportedly totaling more than $50 billion. Please assess what safeguards, if any, federal agencies applied to prevent conflicts of interest, preferential treatment, or corruption related to contractors who donated materials, services, or funds to the project. Specifically, what controls exist to ensure that contributions to the project did not influence contract award decisions, and how do these safeguards compare to standard federal procurement integrity requirements? What evaluation criteria were used in identifying and selecting contractors for this effort? Please evaluate whether agencies documented their rationale for contract awards to donor contractors and whether any deviations from standard competitive procedures occurred.

Given the scale, visibility, and long-term implications of this project, an independent GAO review is essential to ensure accountability, transparency, and responsible management of federal resources and historic assets. We request that you provide an update on your proposed plan for this audit by no later than December 1, 2026, with subsequent updates and a final report to be provided at a mutually agreed upon date.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-15T05:23:20Z,2026-08-15T05:24:50Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-hosts-special-medal-ceremony-for-local-korean-war-veteran,Reed Hosts Special Medal Ceremony for Local Korean War Veteran,2026-08-14,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"CRANSTON, RI – The second oldest of four boys growing up in Providence in the midst of the Great Depression, Richard Mende, 94, had just completed high school when he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952 during the Korean War.

In an effort to connect this local Army veteran with the military honors he earned in service to the nation, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee and a former Army officer, today hosted a special medal ceremony with Mr. Mende and his family to present him with several military awards and thank Mr. Mende for his service, sacrifice, and devotion to his community.

First assigned to the infantry and trained at Field’s Point in Rhode Island and Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Mr. Mende was deployed to Japan where he received additional training as an engineer before shipping off to Korea with the 54th Engineer Field Maintenance Company. He served in Korea for sixteen months, helping to procure and deliver needed supplies to allied units throughout the country. He left Korea in 1954 and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army.

“These military honors are but a small token of our enduring gratitude and respect for the service Mr. Mende bravely gave to our nation. When he came home, Mr. Mende maintained a steadfast commitment to serving his community and fellow veterans, guiding young Rhode Islanders as a gymnastics coach with the Providence Turners Club and as the commander of Glocester’s chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association,” said Senator Reed. “I am honored to join Rich and his loving family today to present him with these medals and to thank him for his immense sacrifice, courageous service, and uncommon devotion to charitable endeavors that have had positive impacts throughout his community and our state.”

“This was a tremendous surprise to me, and I am very grateful to my daughter Lori for reaching out to the Senator’s office and to Senator Jack Reed for this honor,” said Mr. Mende.

Returning home to Rhode Island in 1954, Mr. Mende got his degree from Bryant University and worked in the jewelry industry with the class ring manufacturer Dieges & Clust (now known as Herf Jones). As a lifelong member of the Providence Turners Club, he began mentoring and coaching young athletes as a gymnastics instructor. Rich met his beloved wife of 60 years, Patty, at the Turners Club. They raised four daughters in their family home in Johnston which Mr. Mende built himself and where he still lives today.

After retiring, Mr. Mende became active in leading his local chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association. Today, at 94, he enjoys tending to his garden and keeping up with yard work, doing his morning exercises, spending time with friends and fellow veterans, and staying closely connected to his eleven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and three brothers.

In honor of Mr. Mende’s exemplary conduct, efficiency, and fidelity while serving the nation in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Senator Reed today presented him with the following military honors:",1,2026-08-16T05:26:31Z,2026-08-16T05:27:49Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-whitehouse-seek-watchdog-audit-of-trumps-glitzy-ballroom-boondoggle,Reed & Whitehouse Seek Watchdog Audit of Trump’s Glitzy Ballroom Boondoggle,2026-08-14,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – With cost estimates for a glitzy new White House ballroom surging and the Trump Administration putting taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars that Congress has not authorized, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse joined other leading Senate Democrats in requesting an independent audit of the controversial project from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The eight U.S. Senators, who each lead committees and subcommittees with jurisdiction over the White House East Wing and ballroom modernization project, wrote to GAO that the Trump Administration’s handling of the project raises “serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and stewardship of this national landmark.”

Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), and Whitehouse, the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, joined with U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee; Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Minority Leader; and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee, in calling on the Acting Comptroller General of GAO to audit and assess the full scope and cost of the White House ballroom project.

Without approval from Congress, President Donald Trump ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House – “the People’s House” and a symbol of democracy and the U.S. government -- starting on October 20, 2025.

After Congressional Republicans failed to authorize and appropriate $1 billion in federal funding for President Trump's vanity project through their partisan reconciliation bill in June, and although President Trump repeatedly claimed that the ballroom project and demolition of the East Wing would be privately funded, reporting shows that the Administration has inappropriately and illegally diverted more than $300 million in federal funding for the ballroom project.

“Congress has neither authorized nor appropriated funding for the ‘East Wing Modernization Project,’ nor has Congress been provided any planning details or justifications that would allow for informed consideration of the White House’s plans that would be a prerequisite for authorization or appropriation of funds. The lack of congressional authorization has been central to the ongoing litigation challenging the ballroom project, National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States v. National Park Service. This month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed that President Trump lacks the legal authority to construct a White House ballroom without congressional authorization. Simply put, no president has the authority to unilaterally demolish and remodel the country’s White House in such a significant manner without congressional approval,” wrote the U.S. Senators.

For months -- after demolishing the East Wing without the usual permits and process -- President Trump promised the project would be fully funded by private donors. He originally estimated the price tag would be $200 million and publicly proclaimed that “no government dollars” would be used. But recently, without Congressional authorization, the Trump Administration has quietly shifted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to the project.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post, citing confidential contracts and other documents, reported that the administration is now planning to spend at least $927 million on White House campus projects, including the East Wing, with most of the money coming from taxpayers.

“The Trump administration has not provided transparency into the use of federal funds for the East Wing project, and they have limited congressional oversight, meaningful public input, and adherence to established federal processes,” the Senators continued.

The Senators set a December 1 deadline for GAO to provide them with a proposed plan for the audit.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Acting Comptroller General Williams Brown:

Many of us in Congress have watched with alarm as the Trump administration unilaterally made the decision to demolish the East Wing of the White House—an historic and symbolic structure—without congressional authorization, meaningful public engagement, or following long-established practice for government facilities modernization and historic preservation. The subsequent construction of a new White House ballroom represents one of the most sweeping alterations to the White House complex in modern history. The scale of this project, the destruction of historic architecture, the opaque and unorthodox combination of public funds with private funding sources, and the absence of standard federal review processes raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and stewardship of this national landmark.

Congress has neither authorized nor appropriated funding for the “East Wing Modernization Project,” nor has Congress been provided any planning details or justifications that would allow for informed consideration of the White House’s plans that would be a prerequisite for authorization or appropriation of funds. The lack of congressional authorization has been central to the ongoing litigation challenging the ballroom project, National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States v. National Park Service. This month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed that President Trump lacks the legal authority to construct a White House ballroom without congressional authorization. Simply put, no president has the authority to unilaterally demolish and remodel the country’s White House in such a significant manner without congressional approval.

President Trump repeatedly claimed that the demolition of the East Wing and construction of a dramatically expanded gilded ballroom would be carried out solely using private donations, and that no taxpayer funds would be used. Despite those assurances, the administration first tried and failed[1] to secure $1 billion in federal funding for the ballroom through a partisan Republican reconciliation bill, then shifted tact to inappropriately and illegally pay for over half of the $600 million ballroom with previously appropriated funding not intended for this project. It has also been reported that the Trump Administration is utilizing a $500 million no-bid contract to fund the construction of the ballroom—funding that Congress did not approve.[2]

The Trump administration has not provided transparency into the use of federal funds for the East Wing project, and they have limited congressional oversight, meaningful public input, and adherence to established federal processes.

To support Congress’s oversight responsibilities, we request that GAO conduct an audit and assessment of the White House ballroom project and related documentation, including the following:

Planning, Review and Approval Processes: What design, review, and construction approval processes are being applied to the ballroom project? How do these processes and timelines compare to those used for other similar federal construction efforts involving the White House, other historic properties, executive facilities, or national security sensitive sites? Please assess whether required architectural, preservation, environmental, and interagency reviews were conducted and whether any were bypassed, abbreviated or ignored. What documents, if any, were filed with required approval entities prior to initiation of work?

Funding Sources and Cost Transparency: How is the project being funded, including appropriated funds, reconciliation funds, transfers, reprogramming actions, or donated materials and services? Was an initial cost estimate prepared and if so, by what agency or entity and what were the projections from that estimate? What are the total estimated project costs, how much has been obligated and expended to date, and what is the anticipated timeline for completion? What cost control measures were specified for use under this project? Are the funds that were transferred from U.S. Secret Service account to a “White House Repair and Restoration” account within the Executive Residence at the White House, as reported by the Office of Management and Budget, intended for use in the East Wing Modernization Project? Have any federal agencies involved in the East Wing Modernization Project included funding for this project in spend plans submitted to the Office of Management and Budget?

Security Related Components and Interagency Roles: Which elements of the project have been designated as national security related, what criteria were used to make those determinations, and what funding sources are being used for those components? How have appropriate congressional committees been updated on cost and design planning considerations? What is the role of the U.S. Secret Service, the White House Military Office, the White House Communications Agency and the Department of Defense in planning, approving, and coordinating construction activities (including facility communications upgrades and installation of security equipment and other non-construction features), and how are these agencies collaborating among themselves and with other federal entities?

Public Input and Transparency: What opportunities, if any, were provided for public input, expert consultation, or stakeholder engagement prior to demolition of the East Wing and initiation of the ballroom project? Please assess whether federal agencies followed standard public notice and comment practices for major alterations to historic federal properties, whether relevant preservation and advisory bodies were consulted, and how the level of public transparency compares to similar federal construction projects involving historic or iconic sites.

Contractor Donations, Potential Corruption, and Safeguards: Recent public reporting indicates that several contractors and donors associated with the ballroom project have subsequently received substantial federal contract awards, reportedly totaling more than $50 billion. Please assess what safeguards, if any, federal agencies applied to prevent conflicts of interest, preferential treatment, or corruption related to contractors who donated materials, services, or funds to the project. Specifically, what controls exist to ensure that contributions to the project did not influence contract award decisions, and how do these safeguards compare to standard federal procurement integrity requirements? What evaluation criteria were used in identifying and selecting contractors for this effort? Please evaluate whether agencies documented their rationale for contract awards to donor contractors and whether any deviations from standard competitive procedures occurred.

Given the scale, visibility, and long-term implications of this project, an independent GAO review is essential to ensure accountability, transparency, and responsible management of federal resources and historic assets. We request that you provide an update on your proposed plan for this audit by no later than December 1, 2026, with subsequent updates and a final report to be provided at a mutually agreed upon date.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-17T05:33:43Z,2026-08-17T05:34:34Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/to-fight-corruption-reed-backed-taboo-act-seeks-to-close-ethics-loopholes-for-special-envoys,"To Fight Corruption, Reed-Backed TABOO Act Seeks to Close Ethics Loopholes for ‘Special Envoys’",2026-08-14,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"CRANSTON, RI -- In an effort to fight corruption and ensure that the people who represent the U.S. government overseas actually represent American interests -- not their own personal businesses, foreign governments, or potential future business deals – U.S. Senator Jack Reed is teaming up with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and seven other colleagues in introducing the Transparency in the Administration's Business Opportunities Overseas (TABOO) Act (S.5357).

This new legislation mandates strong ethics requirements for every individual representing the United States government in negotiations with foreign governments and international multilateral organizations, including Special Envoys and other officials serving in similar roles as paid employees, volunteers, or in unpaid capacities.

These individuals representing the United States -- such as Jared Kushner, who is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump’s friend, donor, and golfing buddy -- frequently exercise significant authority and speak for the U.S. on sensitive diplomatic and national security matters. Both Kushner and Witkoff have participated in sensitive Middle East diplomacy during Trump's second term while at the same time their families have reportedly been enriched by financial dealings with foreign backers. Congressional investigators are looking into reports that Kushner, Witkoff, and other Trump associates continued seeking billions of dollars from Middle Eastern sovereign funds while at the same time helping to conduct negotiations involving the same governments.

Current gaps in federal law allow individuals serving in these roles to conduct high-stakes negotiations with foreign governments while holding undisclosed financial interests in those same countries, creating the risk-or at least impression-that personal profit, rather than the national interest, shapes American foreign policy.

“There should be no question that officials representing the United States overseas are serving our national interests, not lining their own pockets,” said Senator Merkley. “The TABOO Act closes the glaring loopholes that allow individuals representing the United States abroad—including Special Envoys and others serving in similar roles—to skirt the law, ensuring America’s foreign policy is not shaped by personal profit.”

“We must prevent corruption, hold perpetrators accountable, and put a stop to the Trump Administration’s misuse of public office for private gain. Americans deserve leaders who will prioritize our country’s national security interests over their own personal financial interests. Unfortunately, under the Trump Administration, when it comes to high-stakes foreign negotiations, government authority often appears to mix with family business and private access – enriching a few families at the expense of American taxpayers,” said Senator Reed. “The TABOO Act would close loopholes and crack down on corruption.”

In addition to Kushner and Witkoff, other members of the Trump and Witkoff families are actively engaged in Middle East business ventures, ranging from real estate to cryptocurrency, that directly involve Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Since Trump’s second term started, his family has made over $4 billion according to news reports, with President Trump reporting earnings of at least $2.2 billion during his first year back in office in 2025.

In addition to Merkley and Reed, the TABOO Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Specifically, the TABOO Act would:

• Deem all individuals in covered positions to be officers or employees for purposes of federal bribery, graft, and conflict of interest laws, regardless of employment, compensation, or volunteer status;

• Designate individuals serving as Special Envoys or in similar positions as public financial disclosure filers;

• Limit filing extensions for these individuals to no more than 30 days;

• Require individuals, within 30 days of starting, to certify in writing that they hold no financial interest, including any interest held by a spouse or immediate family member, in the countries they will work with, to divest or place any pre-existing interest in a qualified blind trust within 60 days, and to commit to acquiring no new financial interest in those countries for one year after vacating the position;

• Require the Executive Branch to provide a quarterly list of all individuals serving as Special Envoys or in similar positions, along with a brief description of their duties and the countries and organizations they are expected to engage with; and

• Outline enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the requirements set forth in the Act.",1,2026-08-17T05:33:43Z,2026-08-17T05:34:34Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-grassley-issue-statement-on-treasury-departments-final-rule-dismantling-key-element-of-corporate-transparency-act/,"Whitehouse, Grassley Issue Statement on Treasury Department’s Final Rule Dismantling Key Element of Corporate Transparency Act",2026-08-13,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Whitehouse & Grassley helped pass groundbreaking law to prevent abuse of U.S. incorporation laws

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today released the following statement on the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN’s) decision to permanently exempt over 99 percent of entities previously required to report their beneficial ownership information under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Congress passed the CTA on a strongly bipartisan basis to clamp down on criminals and foreign enemies hiding assets from U.S. law enforcement, national security officials, and tax authorities. The CTA is widely considered the most important anti-money laundering law in decades.

“The Treasury Department’s final rule exempting U.S. based companies from the Corporate Transparency Act’s reporting requirements undermines the clear intent of the law. The Act gave the federal government needed tools to address criminal activity like human trafficking, terrorist financing, drug distribution, sanctions evasion, and more without unduly burdening legitimate commercial entities. This decision is an unfortunate one that fails to use all available tools to protect Americans and crack down on illicit financial schemes.”

The CTA was designed to play an important role in protecting national security and public safety by providing law enforcement and national security officials with the names of the true owners (“beneficial ownership information”) of U.S. corporations and other legal entities. This information facilitates the government’s efforts to combat various forms of illicit finance carried out through shell and front companies.

In March 2025, the Treasury Department announced that it would not enforce the CTA’s beneficial ownership information reporting rule when it comes to U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies, and would issue a new proposed rulemaking that would narrow the scope of the rule to foreign reporting companies only. A few weeks later, the Department published an interim final rule eliminating reporting requirements for more than 99 percent of corporations and LLCs that were previously required to report, as directed by Congress. This week’s final rule makes permanent the sweeping exemptions and deletes all beneficial ownership information data that domestic companies had already submitted.

Whitehouse and Grassley were the original sponsors of the TITLE Act, the precursor to the Corporate Transparency Act. The CTA passed as part of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act after more than a decade of bipartisan congressional deliberation, and was supported by a wide range of government, anti-corruption groups, human rights organizations, faith communities, financial institutions, and real estate organizations.",1,2026-08-14T06:13:05Z,2026-08-14T06:14:08Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-amo-visit-ri-builders-assoc-to-celebrate-housing-affordability-reform-law,Reed & Amo Visit RI Builders Assoc. to Celebrate Housing Affordability Reform Law,2026-08-13,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"CENTRAL FALLS, RI – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Gabe Amo visited the Rhode Island Builders Association for a tour of its Residential Construction Training Facility and to celebrate passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (P.L. 119-101).

This law is the biggest housing package passed in decades, containing over 40 provisions to increase housing supply, lower housing costs, reduce barriers to construction, and unlock homeownership for more hardworking families.

“President Trump’s policies are making life unaffordable for many Americans who are getting squeezed by the high costs of homeownership and rent. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a smart, overdue step toward lowering housing costs. It meets the scale of the housing crisis with urgency and takes critical steps to boost housing supply and reward communities that prioritize housing affordability best practices. This law is not a one-size-fits-all policy, nor should it be, because Rhode Island’s needs are different than Iowa’s, which are different from New York City’s needs. This law provides tools and incentives to help states and communities of all sizes tackle their respective housing challenges and enact smart housing policies while modernizing essential programs,” said Reed, a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, who helped craft key portions of the landmark bipartisan housing legislation.

The ‘ROAD Act’ became law on July 11, 2026 – without President Trump’s signature – following passage and repassage from both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. President Trump allowed the measure to become law without his signature in protest of Congress’ failure to adopt his voter suppression ploy known as the so-called ‘SAVE Act.’

During today’s event, Senator Reed outlined several key benefits of the new housing law for Rhode Island and discussed the next steps of implementation and how it can advance housing opportunities locally. Reed noted key benefits for Rhode Island include streamlining federal regulations; increasing flexibility in federal grant programs such as CDBG and HOME that are allocated directly to local governments; and new benefits and support for communities working to ease their zoning and permitting rules.

Given the fact that Rhode Island features some of the oldest housing infrastructure in the country, Reed noted the bill also contains provisions to help families struggling with rising home-maintenance costs.

“President Trump’s tariffs have increased housing construction costs. Reversing them is one needed step. The ROAD Act also includes several bipartisan provisions I supported to expand housing supply, modernize the housing finance system, make homeownership more attainable, and limit the corporate buy-up of single-family units,” noted Reed, who had two of his bipartisan bills included in the law: the Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act (S.964) that he wrote with Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and the Helping More Families Save Act (S.970) that he led with Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL).

The ROAD Act also includes language Reed has long championed that kicks Wall Street out of the single-family home market – ensuring single-family homes are bought by families and local landlords, not deep-pocketed investors.

According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) latest monthly report on home sales, due in large part to a dearth of housing supply, the median sales price of existing homes in the U.S. grew to $440,600, a record high. In Rhode Island, the median sale price is $550,000.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would advance market-driven, local solutions to promote affordability by:

Providing technical assistance and competitive grants to help communities streamline zoning and permitting and build more housing;

Preventing Wall Street investors from buying up single-family homes that could go to families instead;

Creating an innovation fund for communities increasing housing supply;

Helping families living in federally-assisted housing build more savings and achieve greater economic independence;

Supporting housing opportunities for veterans, among other things;

Updating HUD’s HOME Investment Partnership Program, which hasn’t been reauthorized since 1992.

“The ROAD Act offers a ‘build more, preserve more, help people save more’ housing affordability blueprint. But it still requires a lot of work by communities to develop effective residential development strategies and housing solutions that meet their local needs. Here in the Ocean State, we must build more homes and apartments at price points Rhode Islanders can afford. This new law will help, but we must also continue to take a multi-faceted approach,” said Reed.

Over the past six years, Senator Reed has helped direct over $3.2 billion in federal funding to Rhode Island to address housing, including three key programs Reed helped create: the Housing Trust Fund, Capital Magnet Fund, and the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, which the state used to pour $330 million into housing and homelessness programs.",1,2026-08-17T05:33:43Z,2026-08-17T05:34:34Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-dod-civilian-casualty-report,Reed Statement on DOD Civilian Casualty Report,2026-08-13,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC—This week, the Department of Defense submitted to Congress its Section 1057 report, an annual accounting of civilian harm connected to U.S. military operations. In its 2025 report, the Department detailed civilian casualty incidents to include three strikes in Yemen — in Sanaa, at the Ras Isa fuel port, and near Saada — that killed 153 civilians and injured 243 more, with the April 17, 2025 strike on the Ras Isa terminal alone accounting for up to 80 deaths and 171 injuries.

These strikes in Yemen represented the deadliest U.S.-caused civilian casualty incidents in decades, until the Minab school strike in Iran in February 2026, where credible reports indicate at least 175 people, most of them children, were killed.

A copy of the DOD 1057 Report for 2025 is available here.

In response to this report, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:

“I am disturbed by this report and by the pattern it represents under Secretary Hegseth’s leadership. Under his watch, the Department of Defense killed at least 153 civilians and injured 243 more in the poorly conceived Yemen campaign in 2025.

“This did not happen in a vacuum. During his tenure, Secretary Hegseth has gutted the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, pushed out senior JAG officers who advise commanders on the laws of war, and boasted about discarding what he calls ‘stupid rules of engagement.’ The same Yemen campaign that produced these casualties is the one where the DOD Inspector General found Secretary Hegseth shared classified strike details over Signal, putting the pilots flying that mission at risk.

“The Department has delayed this report for months and still has not submitted a separate accounting for the Minab school strike. Congress and the American people have waited long enough. I am demanding Secretary Hegseth appear before Congress to explain these incidents, account for the dismantling of civilian harm mitigation infrastructure across the Department, and commit to a firm date for the Minab report.

“Accountability for these losses is required by law and basic decency. Secretary Hegseth owes the families of these victims, our service members, and the American people a direct and honest reckoning.”",1,2026-08-17T05:33:43Z,2026-08-17T05:34:34Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/walk-this-way-reed-delivers-800000-boost-for-pedestrian-safety-along-massasoit-avenue,"WALK THIS WAY: Reed Delivers $800,000 Boost for Pedestrian Safety Along Massasoit Avenue",2026-08-11,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"BARRINGTON, RI – Massasoit Avenue is a favorite route for Barrington students walking or riding their bikes to and from three local schools each day. But for many years, a lack of sidewalks on this major thoroughfare has posed significant safety issues for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed today joined Barrington officials, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) interim Director Robert Rocchio, and community members to celebrate a $800,000 federal earmark he secured to add more than a quarter-mile of sidewalk to Massasoit Avenue to boost safety, accessibility, and connectivity.

After years of advocacy from community members, parents, and town leaders, the project will finally create a continuous sidewalk the length of Massasoit Avenue to address significant safety concerns along the major route to and from Hampden Meadows Elementary School, Barrington High School, and Barrington Middle School.

“Sidewalks help keep pedestrians safe and roads clear for all road users. Upgrading our roads with safe, continuous sidewalks helps give a significant boost to public safety. I am pleased to deliver this $800,000 federal earmark for Barrington to help make this important thoroughfare safer, more accessible, and better connected to the rest of the community,” said Senator Reed. “Adding these sidewalks will make Massasoit Avenue a safer path for local students and community members.”

“The effort of Sen Reed highlights success in government whereby local, state, and federal assets can achieve cross-jurisdictional projects for ‘win-win’ results, especially for our Barrington residents,” said Barrington Director of Planning, Building, and Resilience Herbert Durfee, III. “The Town is grateful to be able to, again, partner with the Senator, his staff, and the state for this invaluable pedestrian/bicycle improvement.”

“RIDOT is grateful for the efforts of Senator Reed to obtain this additional federal funding,” RIDOT Interim Director Robert Rocchio said. “On top of that, we are able to provide funds from our transportation program to make these dollars go farther to provide long-awaited improvements for pedestrians and residents living along these roads.”

Massasoit Avenue is a state-owned road and is heavily-traveled as a cut-through from New Meadow Road to County Road (Route 114). Design and planning for the sidewalks project is ongoing and expected to continue into next year before construction begins by early 2028.

In a win for a safer, healthier, better-connected community, Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, secured an $800,000 federal earmark to make this critical project possible. RIDOT is the recipient of Reed’s federal earmark and the Town of Barrington will administer the project, taking the lead on the design and construction phases.

Reed’s earmark for Massasoit Avenue is also helping the Town move forward with new sidewalks on New Meadow Road. In total, the project is expected cost up to $2.59 million and is supported by other federal funds as well as state and local funding.",1,2026-08-12T06:18:38Z,2026-08-12T06:20:33Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-and-ri-law-enforcement-leaders-push-for-new-commander-level-police-training-bill/,Whitehouse and RI Law Enforcement Leaders Push for New Commander-Level Police Training Bill,2026-08-11,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Promoting Police Leadership Act will provide better training for the police leaders running day-to-day operations

Barrington, RI – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today joined RI Police Chiefs Association President Michael Correia, David Lambert, Director of the Roger Williams University Justice System Training and Research Institute, and Family Service of RI CEO Margaret Holland McDuff to push for final passage of Whitehouse’s Promoting Police Leadership Act.

“Rhode Island’s captains, majors, and precinct commanders know that proper training for their officers is key to making decisions that keep our communities safe. They, too, deserve training programs that keep pace with the new demands constantly placed on them,” said Whitehouse. “I’m grateful to Rhode Island’s finest for joining me today, and for their support in getting this bill passed in the Senate.”

The Promoting Police Leadership Act would support the development of commander-level law enforcement leadership training and education curricula to enhance police operations, increase officer accountability and wellness, improve resource management, and strengthen community relations.

The bipartisan bill would task the U.S. Attorney General and Department of Justice with developing a broad training curricula framework for commander-level personnel in consultation with state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, academic institutions, and other relevant partners. The legislation would also establish a voluntary certification process for the Attorney General to identify high-quality training programs that align with the broader DOJ framework and provide instruction to police departments. The legislation unanimously passed the Senate in June and now awaits a vote in the House.

“We are grateful for Senator Whitehouse’s leadership in advancing the Promoting Police Leadership Act through the Senate,” said Colonel Michael Correia, Chief of Police for Barrington and President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association. “Strong police departments depend on strong leaders, and this legislation will help ensure that the next generation of law enforcement leaders has the training and preparation needed to meet the challenges ahead. We hope today’s event will help build the support necessary to pass this important legislation in the House and ultimately make it law.”

“De-escalation isn’t about asking law enforcement to do less — it’s about giving officers more tools to keep everyone safe. After more than 20 years of working alongside police and training professionals through FSRI’s Go Team and Trauma Informed Policing Center, we know that when officers understand trauma and have the skills to slow a crisis down, the outcome can change dramatically for a child, a family, and the officer,” said Margaret Holland McDuff, CEO of Family Service of Rhode Island.

“The Promoting Police Leadership Act is essential in the development of professionalism in policing and assisting police leaders in translating evidence-based practices such as community policing, problem solving, crime analytics, trauma-informed practices and risk management into an agency’s business processes,” said David Lambert, Director of the Roger Williams University Justice System Training and Research Institute.

The legislation is endorsed by Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Major County Sheriffs of America, and National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition.

Whitehouse has previously teamed up with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) on the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, a 2022 law that required the Department of Justice to work with experts to develop comprehensive trainings on de-escalation tactics, alternatives to use of force, safely responding to mental, behavioral, and suicidal crises, and making referrals to community-based mental and behavioral health services and other social programs.",1,2026-08-12T06:18:38Z,2026-08-12T06:20:33Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-netanyahu-rejecting-trumps-gaza-plan,Reed Statement on Netanyahu Rejecting Trump’s Gaza Plan,2026-08-10,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"CRANSTON, RI – After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a U.S.-backed 15-point plan to disarm Hamas and withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement:

“This is yet more failed leadership from both Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. They are both impediments to lasting, durable peace. It is time for a drastically new approach in Gaza that significantly boosts humanitarian aid as well as a recommitment to a two-state solution by all parties.”

“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s rejection of the Board of Peace plan sets back a process that took months to build and that Hamas has already conditionally accepted. This is a rejection of the framework itself, made three months before an Israeli election, with aid delivery and regional stability all hanging in the balance.

“The United States has invested significant diplomatic and military capital in this process. Congress deserves a clear explanation from this administration of what happens next, what leverage the United States still has, and how this rejection affects American forces and interests in the region. I am seeking answers to these questions.”",1,2026-08-11T05:54:29Z,2026-08-11T05:56:25Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-strongly-opposes-todd-blanche-for-us-attorney-general,Reed Strongly Opposes Todd Blanche for U.S. Attorney General,2026-08-08,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after 50 Senate Republicans voted to confirm Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to be the next U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, who voted against Blanche’s nomination, issued the following statement:

“Mr. Blanche’s role in concealing the Epstein files and enthusiasm for a self-dealing $1.8 billion MAGA grievance slush fund for President Trump’s partisan backers should be disqualifying. He has also shielded President Trump personally from scrutiny over his taxes. I do not believe he is someone who will defend the Constitution and be guided by the rule of law alone.

“His actions have undercut DOJ’s independence and compromised the Department’s ability to check abuses of power.

“And he has presided over a Department of Justice that has tried to withhold funding for state and local law enforcement and victims of domestic violence.

“The Attorney General is supposed to be the nation’s top law enforcement officer, not the President’s personal legal enforcer. But that is what Donald Trump wants: a hyper-partisan protector who will target the president’s critics and shield him from legal accountability. It’s clear from Mr. Blanche’s record and statements that he is prioritizing President Trump’s political conflicts over traditional DOJ law enforcement and independence. I believe he will seek to provide President Trump with political cover, even if that means covering up serious wrongdoing and preventing damaging facts in the Epstein Files from coming to light.”",1,2026-08-17T05:33:43Z,2026-08-17T05:34:34Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ahead-of-blanche-confirmation-vote-reed-reminds-us-senate-that-blanche-is-still-covering-up-epstein-files-concealing-facts-and-not-complying-with-the-law,"Ahead of Blanche Confirmation Vote, Reed Reminds U.S. Senate That Blanche is Still Covering Up Epstein Files, Concealing Facts, & Not Complying with the Law",2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Ahead of the final confirmation vote on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to become the next U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is reminding lawmakers that Mr. Blanche continues to cover up the Epstein Files. He continues to conceal key facts about the Trump Administration’s preferential treatment toward convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, who is Donald Trump’s former acquaintance and Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator. Hiding this information does not comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires this information to be made public.

Specifically, Senator Reed wants the release of all records relating to Ghislaine Maxwell’s special treatment while incarcerated. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ), on Blanche’s watch, refuses to comply.

“In August 2025, I wrote to the Bureau of Prisons seeking all records relating to Ghislaine Maxwell’s special treatment while incarcerated. Her highly unusual privileges, including a transfer from a Federal correctional institution to a prison camp, occurred just after she provided fawning testimony about President Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in a jailhouse interview with you. These circumstances raise serious questions that you promised her favorable treatment in exchange for trying to minimize President Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Reed wrote directly to Blanche.

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in a federal prison for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors over the course of a decade.

Reed is seeking records related to Mr. Blanche’s July 24 and 25, 2025 trip to visit Maxwell in a Florida prison.

During the jailhouse visit, Blanche met with Maxwell and her attorney. They spoke for many hours, including a recorded portion of their conversations where Ms. Maxwell claimed that powerful men like Donald Trump and Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had not engaged in any inappropriate conduct that she witnessed. Blanche didn’t even bother to ask why Epstein and Maxwell chose to fly a 17-year old girl across the Atlantic to meet Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew said in an interview with the BBC in 2019 that he could not recall ever meeting Giuffre and denied having any sexual contact with her. However, during civil litigation between Giuffre and Maxwell, another woman alleged in a sworn deposition that she was groped by Prince Andrew at Epstein’s New York home, while she and Giuffre were sitting with the prince for a photo.

Shortly after Blanche’s visit and Maxwell’s statements, she was mysteriously transferred from the Florida prison to the minimum security Federal Prison Camp Bryan – better known as ‘Club Fed’ in Bryan, Texas.

While records relating to the visit are withheld, the publicly available transcript of the Blanche-Maxwell ‘proffer’ shows that rather than rigorously questioning Maxwell and confronting her with contradictory, established trial evidence, Blanche failed to aggressively challenge implausible explanations regarding Maxwell’s finances, memory, and conduct.

One week after telling Blanche what he wanted to hear, Ms. Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security facility, even though BOP policies do not ordinarily permit such transfers for recent offenders whose criminal history involves major sex offenses.

Reed’s letter notes: “Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ must release the records justifying Ms. Maxwell’s transfer. Section 2(a)(2) requires DOJ to “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials . . . that relate to . . . Ghislaine Maxwell.” This requirement has no further qualification, meaning that DOJ is required to make publicly available all documents related in any way to Ms. Maxwell. That includes documents related to how she serves her sentence. In correspondence to me shortly after the Epstein Files Transparency Act was enacted, a top DOJ official indicated that the records I am seeking related to Ms. Maxwell’s transfer should be covered by the law.

“You claimed in your confirmation hearing that the current administration “has been more transparent than any past administration” regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Based on the DOJ’s continued noncompliance with Section 2(a)(2) of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, I do not believe that is the case. In fact, DOJ has been hiding and concealing records that may be embarrassing to President Trump but that the public has a right to review,” Reed’s letter concludes.

Regardless of who the Attorney General is, Reed is urging DOJ to release these documents, as required by law, by August 31, 2026.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Acting Attorney General Blanche:

I write to ask when the Department of Justice will come into compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act by releasing all records related to convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer to a minimum-security facility.

In August 2025, I wrote to the Bureau of Prisons seeking all records relating to Ghislaine Maxwell’s special treatment while incarcerated. Her highly unusual privileges, including a transfer from a Federal correctional institution to a prison camp, occurred just after she provided fawning testimony about President Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in a jailhouse interview with you. These circumstances raise serious questions that you promised her favorable treatment in exchange for trying to minimize President Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ must release the records justifying Ms. Maxwell’s transfer. Section 2(a)(2) requires DOJ to “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials . . . that relate to . . . Ghislaine Maxwell.” This requirement has no further qualification, meaning that DOJ is required to make publicly available all documents related in any way to Ms. Maxwell. That includes documents related to how she serves her sentence. In correspondence to me shortly after the Epstein Files Transparency Act was enacted, a top DOJ official indicated that the records I am seeking related to Ms. Maxwell’s transfer should be covered by the law.

You claimed in your confirmation hearing that the current administration “has been more transparent than any past administration” regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Based on the DOJ’s continued noncompliance with Section 2(a)(2) of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, I do not believe that is the case. In fact, DOJ has been hiding and concealing records that may be embarrassing to President Trump but that the public has a right to review.

I request that DOJ release these documents, as required by law, by August 31, 2026.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ahead-of-blanche-confirmation-vote-reed-reminds-us-senate-that-blanche-is-still-not-complying-with-the-epstein-files-law,"Ahead of Blanche Confirmation Vote, Reed Reminds U.S. Senate That Blanche is Still Not Complying with the Epstein Files Law",2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Ahead of the final confirmation vote on acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to become the next U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is reminding lawmakers that Mr. Blanche appears to be out of compliance with the law requiring full release of the Epstein Files. He continues to avoid releasing key facts about the Trump Administration’s preferential treatment toward convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, who is Donald Trump’s former acquaintance and Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator. This failure to provide these documents does not comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires this information to be made public.

Specifically, Reed wants the release of all records relating to Ghislaine Maxwell’s special treatment while incarcerated. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ), on Blanche’s watch, refuses to comply.

“In August 2025, I wrote to the Bureau of Prisons seeking all records relating to Ghislaine Maxwell’s special treatment while incarcerated. Her highly unusual privileges, including a transfer from a Federal correctional institution to a prison camp, occurred just after she provided fawning testimony about President Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in a jailhouse interview with you. These circumstances raise serious questions that you promised her favorable treatment in exchange for trying to minimize President Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Reed wrote directly to Blanche.

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in a federal prison for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors over the course of a decade.

Reed is seeking records related to Mr. Blanche’s July 24 and 25, 2025 trip to visit Maxwell in a Florida prison.

During the jailhouse visit, Blanche met with Maxwell and her attorney. They spoke for many hours, including a recorded portion of their conversations where Ms. Maxwell claimed that powerful men like Donald Trump and Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had not engaged in any inappropriate conduct that she witnessed. Blanche didn’t even bother to ask why Epstein and Maxwell chose to fly a 17-year old girl across the Atlantic to meet Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew said in an interview with the BBC in 2019 that he could not recall ever meeting Giuffre and denied having any sexual contact with her. However, during civil litigation between Giuffre and Maxwell, another woman alleged in a sworn deposition that she was groped by Prince Andrew at Epstein’s New York home, while she and Giuffre were sitting with the prince for a photo.

Shortly after Blanche’s visit and Maxwell’s statements, she was mysteriously transferred from the Florida prison to the minimum security Federal Prison Camp Bryan – better known as ‘Club Fed’ in Bryan, Texas.

While records relating to the visit are withheld, the publicly available transcript of the Blanche-Maxwell ‘proffer’ shows that rather than rigorously questioning Maxwell and confronting her with contradictory, established trial evidence, Blanche failed to aggressively challenge implausible explanations regarding Maxwell’s finances, memory, and conduct.

One week after telling Blanche what he wanted to hear, Ms. Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security facility, even though BOP policies do not ordinarily permit such transfers for recent offenders whose criminal history involves major sex offenses.

Reed’s letter notes: “Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ must release the records justifying Ms. Maxwell’s transfer. Section 2(a)(2) requires DOJ to “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials . . . that relate to . . . Ghislaine Maxwell.” This requirement has no further qualification, meaning that DOJ is required to make publicly available all documents related in any way to Ms. Maxwell. That includes documents related to how she serves her sentence. In correspondence to me shortly after the Epstein Files Transparency Act was enacted, a top DOJ official indicated that the records I am seeking related to Ms. Maxwell’s transfer should be covered by the law.

“You claimed in your confirmation hearing that the current administration “has been more transparent than any past administration” regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Based on the DOJ’s continued noncompliance with Section 2(a)(2) of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, I do not believe that is the case. In fact, DOJ has been hiding and concealing records that may be embarrassing to President Trump but that the public has a right to review,” Reed’s letter concludes.

Regardless of who the Attorney General is, Reed is urging DOJ to release these documents, as required by law, by August 31, 2026.

Full text of the letter follows:

Dear Acting Attorney General Blanche:

I write to ask when the Department of Justice will come into compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act by releasing all records related to convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer to a minimum-security facility.

In August 2025, I wrote to the Bureau of Prisons seeking all records relating to Ghislaine Maxwell’s special treatment while incarcerated. Her highly unusual privileges, including a transfer from a Federal correctional institution to a prison camp, occurred just after she provided fawning testimony about President Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in a jailhouse interview with you. These circumstances raise serious questions that you promised her favorable treatment in exchange for trying to minimize President Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ must release the records justifying Ms. Maxwell’s transfer. Section 2(a)(2) requires DOJ to “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials . . . that relate to . . . Ghislaine Maxwell.” This requirement has no further qualification, meaning that DOJ is required to make publicly available all documents related in any way to Ms. Maxwell. That includes documents related to how she serves her sentence. In correspondence to me shortly after the Epstein Files Transparency Act was enacted, a top DOJ official indicated that the records I am seeking related to Ms. Maxwell’s transfer should be covered by the law.

You claimed in your confirmation hearing that the current administration “has been more transparent than any past administration” regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Based on the DOJ’s continued noncompliance with Section 2(a)(2) of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, I do not believe that is the case. In fact, DOJ has been hiding and concealing records that may be embarrassing to President Trump but that the public has a right to review.

I request that DOJ release these documents, as required by law, by August 31, 2026.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/new-studies-show-trumps-chaotic-policies-have-driven-up-back-to-school-costs-by-11,New Studies Show Trump’s Chaotic Policies Have Driven Up Back-to-School Costs by 11%,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump’s tariffs and economic policies are raising prices, dragging down economic growth, eliminating thousands of good-paying jobs, and driving up inflation.

Under the Trump Administration, more American families are struggling to afford basic necessities.

With a new school year around the corner, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says Trump deserves an ‘F’ when it comes to economic stewardship.

Reed points to a multitude of new studies showing that Trump’s chaotic policies are forcing families to pay more for back-to-school shopping this year, with the cost of school supplies, clothes, and food all increasing significantly over last year.

“From paper and pencils, to lunch boxes and clothes, the Trump Economy is making back-to-school shopping more expensive for Americans. Due to Trump’s unilateral decision to launch tariffs and an unauthorized Iran war, just about every back-to-school item parents put in their shopping carts this summer has gone up in price. I’ve voted time and time again to halt the Trump price hikes, but Republican leaders need to stop shielding President Trump from accountability and start passing legislation to help bring down costs. As hardworking parents scrimp and save to manage household finances and tight budgets, Trump-Republicans have gifted the wealthiest one percent huge tax windfalls while shifting heavier financial burdens onto families and communities. That compounds cost-of-living pressures. Democrats want to fix it and help lower prices, but Republican leaders don’t seem interested,” said Reed.

Key drivers of recent price increases include Trump’s higher tariffs on imported goods, his war in Iran, which has led to rising shipping expenses from elevated gas prices, as well as agricultural labor shortages and general inflation.

In a joint report, the Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation (TCF) crunched the numbers and found the price families will pay this year to send students back to classrooms has surged 11 percent overall. The think tanks, using data from NielsenIQ, a global consumer intelligence company that provides retail and consumer data, found that families will pay about $175 more on school items in 2026,

Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation estimates that households with children in kindergarten through 12th grade will spend an average of $863.86 on back-to-school purchases this year.

Basic classroom staples hit by Trump price spikes include lunch boxes (26.8 percent increase), one-subject notebooks (23 percent increase), index cards (22.2 percent increase), scissors (14 percent increase), and number 2 pencils (6.1 percent increase) which all cost more this school year than in 2025, according to Groundwork/TCF.

Additionally, the cost of packing a school lunch is significantly more over last year. The Groundwork/TCF report shows Trump price spikes for lunchtime favorites like blueberries (47.7 percent increase), sandwich bread (21.8 percent increase), apple juice (20 percent), animal crackers (15.7 percent), and deli meat (12.2 percent).

And for parents of kids who play sports, federal BLS data shows the price of sports equipment -- a common fall purchase for parents of kids getting back to school sports -- spiked over 4 percent between December 2025 and June 2026.

Approximately 45 percent of parents plan to take on debt in order to pay for back-to-school shopping items this year, up from 34 percent in 2024, according to credit score tracking site CreditKarma.

Meanwhile, approximately half of surveyed U.S. parents reported cutting back on discretionary categories—such as dining out and entertainment in order to offset the costs of back-to-school shopping, according to the 2026 Deloitte Back-to-School Survey.",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-helps-pass-tick-research-bill-to-combat-lyme-disease-and-other-tick-borne-illnesses,Reed Helps Pass Tick Research Bill to Combat Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Illnesses,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate passed the Kay Hagan Tick Act (S.2398), reauthorizing through 2030 the nation’s existing framework for tick-borne disease to ensure the program to improve research, prevention, diagnostics, and treatment for tick-borne diseases continues. Federal funding for that program lapsed last September and may now be renewed.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who cosponsored the legislation, which is championed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tina Smith (D-MN), has been fighting for people impacted by tick-borne illnesses for years and has spearheaded efforts to increase federal funding to combat the spread of ticks and find a cure and effective treatments.

The Kay Hagan Tick Act unites the effort to confront the alarming public health threat posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

The bill is named in honor of former U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), who passed away in the fall of 2019, at age 66, due to complications from the tick-borne disease known as the Powassan virus, which she contracted just three years earlier.

“This bill is a tribute to our former colleague, Kay Hagan, and to families everywhere impacted by tick bites. The federal government must invest in research to combat Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses and help researchers diagnose people quickly and accurately and connect them to effective treatments that can save lives and lead to better health outcomes for people who are suffering,” said Senator Reed, who also noted he wants to see federal support for important tick research in Rhode Island. “America’s tick problem is growing and the size of the federal investment we make in combatting ticks needs to keep pace. The Kay Hagan Tick Act has already improved public health knowledge and prevention strategies, but we've got to do more.""

Reed noted the University of Rhode Island is doing impressive work tracking the spread of ticks and educating people about ticks, tick-borne illnesses, and tick surveillance.

Congress first passed the Kay Hagan Tick Act in 2019 and authorized $150 million to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve research, testing, and treatment of tickborne illnesses and to coordinate tick research efforts across multiple departments. The law also authorized the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide $20 million in annual federal grants to state and local health departments and for public outreach and tick safety awareness and education campaigns.

Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is fighting to provide a total of $275 million in federal funding for research of ticks and tickborne diseases in the 2027 federal budget, a significant $90 million boost over what Congress allocated in fiscal year 2026 toward these efforts.

Reed says it is a needed investment given that Lyme disease alone is estimated to cost the U.S. health system over $1 billion each year, and that figure does not fully account for other tick-borne infections, veterinary care, or livestock industry losses. In fact, a 2025 report found that: “Each year diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens result in an estimated 13-19 billion USD in losses to livestock producers in the United States alone.”

There are about 15 disease microbes transmitted by a variety of ticks in different regions of the United States. The deer tick, found widely in the Northeast, transmits seven diseases, including the “big three” most common illnesses: Lyme disease,; which is the most prevalent; Anaplasmosis, which infects white cells and causes systemic illness; and Babesiosis, a blood infection that can cause severe illness caused by the parasite babesia microti that is spread to humans by ticks who get it from white-footed mice.

Also increasingly prevalent in New England is the Lone Star tick (named for the distinctive white patch on the back of females) which can induce an allergic reaction through their bite that can cause Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS), which sometimes causes a red meat allergy, flu-like symptoms, and other side effects. Other serious ailments spread by certain types of ticks include Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the Powassan virus.

Data collected through URI’s TickEncounter program, led by Dr. Thomas Mather (also known as “The TickGuy”), shows a 1,300 percent increase in Lone Star tick encounters recorded by residents in the Ocean State over the last decade. Another tick, the invasive longhorned tick has also moved into parts of Rhode Island, especially on Block Island and southern Rhode Island coastal communities.

“Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses continue to pose serious, growing public health challenges. We’ve made a lot of progress but more must be done. Federal research and intervention investments are critical to staying ahead of these often-mysterious diseases and keeping people safe, particularly here in Rhode Island and throughout the Northeast,” said Reed, who was instrumental in establishing a national strategy to combat Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases in 2016.

Using a three-pronged approach, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act would:

Require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue implementing and updating, as appropriate, its National Public Health Strategy to Prevent and Control Vector-Borne Diseases in People. This strategy has been integral in expanding research into tick-borne diseases, improving testing and diagnostics, and coordinating efforts across the federal government.

Reauthorize Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease for five years. Funding for these centers, which was allotted in 2017, expires this year. These Centers have led the scientific response against tick-borne diseases, which now make up 75 percent of vector-borne diseases in the U.S.

Reauthorize CDC Grants to State Health Departments to improve data collection and analysis, support early detection and diagnosis, improve treatment, and raise awareness. These awards would help states continue to build a public health infrastructure for Lyme and other vector-borne diseases and amplify their initiatives through public-private partnerships.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar measure. The two chambers must pass the same language before the bill can be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law.",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-pushes-to-prohibit-insider-trading-and-crack-down-on-securities-fraud,Reed Pushes to Prohibit Insider Trading & Crack Down on Securities Fraud,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to effectively counter insider trading, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Insider Trading Prohibition Act (S.5320) to establish a clear statutory prohibition against insider trading. This legislation seeks to clearly define the offense of insider trading under federal law and remove some of the uncertainty that has curtailed securities regulators’ and law enforcement’s ability to effectively pursue and prosecute insider trading cases.

If passed, Reed’s legislation would make it even more obvious that President Trump’s scheme to sell a $100,000 monthly subscription service to provide earlier access to the President’s Truth Social posts is, by definition, ‘Insider Trading.’ And not only is it unethical for President Trump to try to further monetize the presidency to enrich his family, but this scheme is unlawful.

“Insider trading puts the average investor at a disadvantage and reduces both public trust and confidence in our markets. Cracking down on unlawful insider trading should be a bipartisan priority,” said Senator Reed. “This legislation provides a clear definition of insider trading, with appropriate safety valves, that will help protect the investing public. Sharpening the definition of insider trading will clear up ambiguity in the law and help repair a broken system.”

When corporate insiders and others who wrongfully obtain inside information trade on it, they essentially engage in theft. But currently – and to the shock of many Americans -- there is no federal statute on the books specifically banning insider trading. Rather, the unlawfulness of insider trading is predicated on the notion that insider trading is a type of securities fraud under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and subject to broad judicial interpretation. With courts left to define much of the law on a case-by-case basis, the result has been an unnecessarily complex, inconsistent, and uncertain legal standard.

According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), illegal insider trading, as currently defined by the courts, refers generally to buying or selling a security, in breach of a fiduciary duty or other relationship of trust and confidence, while in possession of material, nonpublic information about the security. Insider trading violations may also include “tipping” such information, securities trading by the person “tipped,” and securities trading by those who misappropriate such information.

The Insider Trading Prohibition Act aims to distill the offense of insider trading to clear, bright line rules: if a person trades a security on the basis of information that the person is aware is material and nonpublic and is aware was wrongfully obtained, then that person has engaged in unlawful insider trading.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).

To illustrate the problem of trying insider trading cases, Reed pointed to the words of U.S. District Court Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who has presided over many insider trading cases before the Southern District of New York. Judge Rakoff wrote in a recent opinion that “the crime of insider trading is a straightforward concept that some courts have somehow managed to complicate.”

In the absence of a statutory definition, an inconsistent and complicated body of common law – an accumulation of cases and judicial precedents – has developed as the courts have used varying interpretations of anti-fraud statutes in order to decide insider trading cases.

The Insider Trading Prohibition Act:

• Makes it unlawful for a person to trade while aware of material, non-public information if that person knows, or has reason to know that the information was obtained wrongfully, for example, through theft, bribery, hacking, misappropriation, or a breach of a fiduciary duty for a personal benefit.

• Prohibits those with material, nonpublic information from wrongfully passing along that information to others, or tipping them, if the person is aware that the communication would result in trading and the recipient does in fact trade based on that communication.",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-stumps-for-bill-to-better-protect-kids-online,Reed Stumps for Bill to Better Protect Kids Online,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to protect kids from the risks posed by the internet and social media and to hold Big Tech accountable for harming a generation of young Americans, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The bill mandates social media companies limit addictive design features and set protective default settings for minor users.

This week, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation’s unanimously approved KOSA by voice vote, teeing it up for consideration by the full U.S. Senate.

This legislation (S.1748), which is championed by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), would provide kids and parents with better tools to protect children online, hold tech and social media accountable for harms to children, and provide transparency into black box algorithms.

Essentially, the bill would require companies to default to stringent privacy and safety settings, rather than putting the onus on youth and parents to navigate through complicated platforms. Tech companies would be required to “exercise reasonable care” to prevent their products from endangering child users, including through design features that could exacerbate depression, sexual exploitation, bullying, harassment and other harms.

“Americans are over Big Tech companies knowingly putting their profits ahead of children’s safety. I support this comprehensive, bipartisan proposal to increase transparency, strengthen online safeguards, and ensure that tech companies and social media companies are more accountable,” said Senator Reed. “This will provide new tools for parents to protect their kids, including options to disable addictive product features. I urge Senate Republican leaders to put the bipartisan bill on the floor and pass a clean bill so we can ensure a safer environment online for all.”

This week, a judge in New Mexico ordered that Meta, the parent company of brands such as Facebook and Instagram, pay a total of $942 million to address harms to kids from social media.

The Kids Online Safety Act is strongly supported by a broad coalition of parents, including those who have tragically lost their children or whose kids have been severely harmed by Big Tech; young people who want to regain control over their online lives; and hundreds of advocacy groups and experts who study and see the negative effects of social media firsthand in their communities.

Specifically, the Kids Online Safety Act:

Requires social media platforms to provide minors with options to protect their information, disable addictive product features, and opt out of personalized algorithmic recommendations.

Platforms are required to enable the strongest privacy settings for kids by default.

Gives parents new controls to help protect their children and spot harmful behaviors, and provides parents and educators with a dedicated channel to report harmful behavior.

Creates a duty for online platforms to prevent and mitigate specific dangers to minors, including promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and advertisements for certain illegal products (e.g. tobacco and alcohol).",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-hawley-roll-out-bipartisan-bill-to-improve-bus-driver-safety,Reed & Hawley Roll Out Bipartisan Bill to Improve Bus Driver Safety,2026-08-05,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Everyone deserves a safe workplace. But since 2023, transit operators have experienced a 36 percent increase in assaults from passengers, according to data from the National Transit Database.

Buses are a public transportation lifeline for the communities they serve. But bus drivers are highly vulnerable because they are public-facing employees operating alone behind the wheel – making them the lone enforcer of transit regulations and fare collection while also keeping their eyes on the road and staying on schedule.

The national uptick in aggression toward bus drivers is a problem for transit systems across the country. It has created a hostile environment for drivers and makes it more challenging for them to efficiently do their job.

In an effort to deter crime, protect bus operators, and promote safe and efficient public transportation systems, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) today introduced the Bus Operator Safety and Security Act.

This bipartisan bill would require all newly purchased fixed route buses that are 30 feet or longer and paid for with federal funds to be equipped with safety barriers that fully enclose a driver’s workstation, preventing unwanted entry while maintaining clear lines of sight for drivers. The legislation specifies that barriers must reach from the floor to the ceiling of the bus, preventing accidents involving persons, fluids, or objects.

Similar to how cab drivers have a protective barrier, the bill would ensure public bus drivers would be shielded from physical assault by passengers. In addition to preventing physical assaults, driver protection barriers also serve as a psychological deterrent to verbal abuse, intimidation, and threats from potential aggressors.

The cost of implementing driver protection barriers is minimal when compared to the benefits it provides: enhanced safety; less stress and distracted driving; and lowered absenteeism by drivers. Investing in this technology has demonstrated long-term benefits, including reducing the cost of lost work hours, medical bills, and lawsuits due to driver attacks.

“Bus drivers do critical work under challenging circumstances and abuse against them should never be tolerated. These drivers are on the frontlines of helping people safely get where they need to go and we need to ensure their safety along with the safety and reliability of our transit system. One assault is one too many and this bipartisan bill prioritizes safety. Increasing security for bus operators is a commonsense solution that must be paired with other actions, like prosecuting driver assault cases to the fullest extent of the law and adding onboard cameras, de-escalation training, and increasing support for public transportation systems across the nation,” said Senator Reed. “Improving safety on our bus systems is essential to increasing ridership. This bipartisan bill will help prevent assaults, keep drivers safe, and help municipalities save money in the long run.”

“All working Americans deserve a safe workplace. Transportation workers should never fear for their lives at work. The Bus Operator Safety and Security Act will combat the uptick in violence on America’s transportation workers,” said Senator Hawley.

The Bus Operator Safety and Security Act would update Section 5329 of Title 49 of the United States Code to ensure that, beginning two years after enactment, the operator workstation of any new fixed route bus 30 feet or longer purchased with federal funds will be equipped with a barrier. These barriers are designed to:

Fully enclose the workstation and prevent unwanted entry of persons, fluids, or objects;

Reach from the bus floor to the ceiling; and

Maintain clear lines of sight for the operator to the exterior of the bus.

Companion legislation (H.R.6635) has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and is led by Congressmen Shomari C. Figures (D-AL-02) and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02).

The Reed-Hawley bill is endorsed by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), ATU Local 618, the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO (TTD), the SMART Transportation Division, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA).

“Providing a safe environment for our employees to perform their jobs is a top priority for us at RIPTA. We applaud Senator Reed’s leadership and thank him for his continued support of public transportation,” said Christopher Durand, Chief Executive Officer of RIPTA.

“Our RIPTA bus operators play an essential role in safely moving the people of the Providence area who rely on public transit every day. By introducing the Bus Operator Safety and Security Act, Senator Jack Reed shows he understands transit workers deserve to feel safe when they go to work. This legislation is straightforward. It gives operators a secure workstation and the basic protection any worker should have. We thank Senator Reed for his leadership,” said Walter Melillo, President/Business Agent of ATU Local 618-Providence, RI, representing RIPTA transit workers.

“Every day, at least 42 transit workers are assaulted on U.S. transit systems. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear of a transit worker being shot, stabbed, spit on, or verbally abused. By investing in transit security measures, including an enclosed driver workstation, we are better protecting our riders, communities, and transit workers. Operator safety is about public safety. This piece of legislation is a proactive step toward building public transit systems where safety and service go hand in hand. We thank Senator Jack Reed for introducing the Bus Operator Safety and Security Act to make the workplace safer for our members and riders,” said John Costa, International President of the Amalgamated Transit Union, the largest union representing transit workers in North America.",1,2026-08-06T07:37:31Z,2026-08-06T07:38:34Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/stumping-for-ri-blizzard-relief-reed-urges-bipartisan-lawmakers-to-help-make-federal-disaster-aid-for-states-merit-based-again,"Stumping for RI Blizzard Relief, Reed Urges Bipartisan Lawmakers to Help Make Federal Disaster Aid for States Merit-based Again",2026-08-05,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) joined several of his colleagues on Tuesday for a bipartisan roundtable discussion looking at extreme weather, natural disasters, and federal disaster relief efforts.

Reed joined U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), John Curtis (R-UT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), for a wide-ranging conversation about the rising costs of extreme weather and federal aid and the complex challenges that different regions are facing. The lawmakers discussed insurance, disaster recovery aid, and energy costs and the role that climate change plays in exacerbating these impacts and challenges.

During the roundtable, Senator Reed raised the issue of President Trump overruling his own agencies and unfairly denying federal disaster aid to Rhode Island and other states that did not vote for President Trump in the 2024 election.

Reed highlighted the danger to all fifty states if disaster aid is suddenly politicized and changed from a system that provides merit-based assistance based on fact to one that financially rewards the allies of whoever is in the Oval Office and punishes the president’s perceived opponents by denying them needed, documented, merit-based aid.

Reed urged bipartisan support for a bill he recently introduced, the Disaster Relief Fairness Act (S.5018), which would prevent Donald Trump from maliciously denying disaster assistance to states and communities when they have met the criteria to qualify.

Reed stated: “Rhode Islanders experienced a historic natural disaster in February, when the state was struck by a record-breaking blizzard. The storm hit Rhode Island with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, with over three feet of snow in a 24-hour period -- the highest one-day snowfall on record for Rhode Island. FEMA assessed over $19 million in damages, nine times the threshold required for Rhode Island to receive a major disaster declaration.”

Under any other administration, this disaster declaration would have been approved on the merits. Yet, last month, with no explanation the Trump Administration denied Rhode Island’s request. The same day, President Trump denied three other blue states, yet boasted about delivering FEMA assistance for six red states.

Politico found that Trump has approved nearly 90 percent of disaster requests from red states and just 23 percent of disaster requests for blue states.

Recognizing that President Trump cannot be trusted with these decisions, Reed urged his colleagues to support the Disaster Relief Fairness Act to approve all disasters that occur in President Trump’s term that meet FEMA’s criteria for disaster assistance.

“I hope my colleagues will consider supporting that legislation. I think we can all agree that it’s never good to have a President who makes decisions --especially with something as critical as disaster aid -- based on who the state voted for in the last election,” stated Reed.

During the roundtable, the U.S. Senators heard from a panel of experts, including:

Adam Smith, who was at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for over 20 years until May 2025, when he was fired by President Trump. He led the Billion Dollar Disaster Database that NOAA maintained from 1980-2025. Mr. Smith is currently the Senior Climate Impacts Scientist at Climate Central.

Michael Gaughan, who has been with Vermont Bond Bank since 2018. Vermont Bond Bank, founded in 1970, was the first Bond Bank in the country. In 2023, VT Bond Bank launched the Municipal Climate Recovery Fund (MCRF), the first of its kind. This fund was designed to provide municipal budgetary relief in the flood recovery for small rural towns by lowering the costs of borrowing to bridge Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement or pay for other unexpected disaster recovery costs.

Chief Bob Roper, Senior Wildfire Advisor to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, who joined the meeting virtually.

In February, Rhode Island was struck by a record-breaking blizzard that dumped 37.9 inches of snow in a 24-hour period and the state experienced wind gusts of 74 miles per hour. The winter storm created immense challenges for local businesses, which faced prolonged closures due to storm-related damage and disruptions to transportation, utilities, and public services and resulted in over $19.3 million worth of confirmed damage.

After examining the evidence, high-ranking officials from regional offices of FEMA and NOAA agreed that Rhode Island and other blue states impacted by the storm met the necessary thresholds for receiving federal relief due to the historic natural disasters that impacted their states. However, President Trump ignored their findings and rejected the federal request for a disaster declaration anyway -- a move that experts say has no modern precedent.

“I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure Rhode Island, and every other state is treated fairly. It is in the best interest of every member of Congress to act in good faith, lest their states find themselves in a similar situation going forward. While occupants of the Oval Office change, America’s core values and inherent sense of fairness remains steadfast. Congress should act in the taxpayer’s interest and help states who’ve been hit by a major, record-breaking disaster.”",1,2026-08-06T07:37:31Z,2026-08-06T07:38:34Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/u-s-senators-call-for-cancelled-energy-funds-to-be-restoredthe-letter-follows-an-admission-from-the-trump-admin-that-the-decision-to-cancel-energy-project-grants-in-states-that-did-not-vote-for-trump/,U.S. Senators Call for Cancelled Energy Funds to be Restored,2026-08-04,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"The letter follows an admission from the Trump Admin that the decision to cancel energy project grants in states that did not vote for Trump was “based solely” on politics

Washington, D.C. – Instead of effectively governing and making energy more affordable for hardworking Americans, President Trump has used federal grants to play partisan games and deny federal resources to so-called ‘Blue States.’

In response, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and Jack Reed (D-RI), along with 37 fellow Democratic lawmakers, are demanding the Trump Administration restore federal funding for energy projects that were unfairly canceled last year.

Whitehouse and Reed recently joined U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and 35 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding that the Trump Administration restore funding for the 223 energy projects canceled in October 2025.

The letter was sent after Trump Administration officials cancelled federal energy grants based solely on whether recipients were in states that voted against Donald Trump in the last presidential election and were represented by two Democratic senators. All Senators who cosigned this letter are from states with canceled grants and funding signed the letter.

The Trump Administration admitted to unlawfully canceling over $7.5 billion in energy grants because those projects were in states that cast a majority of their votes for Trump’s opponent in the 2024 presidential election. This included $14 million in grants for Rhode Island.

“Now that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies,” the 39 U.S. Senators wrote.

“Once an administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly,” the Senators continued. “This is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America’s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country—not merely those who support the President.”

“At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them—not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country’s energy security at grave risk,” the Senators concluded. “For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.”

Alongside Senators Whitehouse, Reed, Heinrich, Murray, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D- HI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Angus King (I-ME).

Full text of the letter to DOE Secretary Wright and OMB Director Vought follows:

Secretary Wright and Director Vought:

Now that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump Administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies.

In October 2025, we wrote to you to express strong opposition to the Administration’s callous decision to unlawfully terminate $8 billion in federal investments for 223 energy projects. You not only acted outside the bounds of the law, but cancelled projects that would have provided jobs, onshored manufacturing, and lowered skyrocketing energy prices. Congress authorized those projects and appropriated funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and annual appropriation bills. At the time of the termination of those projects, we expressed outrage that the terminations appeared politically motivated and confined to states that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election. The Administration has now admitted in federal court what it denied to Congress and the American people.

On July 24, 2026, citing court filings, The New York Times reported that the Trump Administration acknowledged that it terminated more than $7.5 billion of grants due to political motivations. In a two-step process, the Department of Energy (DOE) first recommended more than 600 grants for potential termination, including grants in states represented by both Republicans and Democrats. It appears the Office of Management and Budget then selected all the grants in “Blue States” for cancellation, which DOE executed. In court filings, DOE’s lawyers conceded that the cancellations occurred “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state.”4 Specifically, as the court filings stated, “[w]ith one exception, the 284 terminated grants had a recipient location and/or at least one place of performance in a state that awarded its electoral votes to Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and has two Democratic caucusing Senators (“Blue State” grants).”5 Similar grants in Red States, however, remained intact and were not the subject of termination. What’s more, DOE lawyers conceded that the decision to terminate these blue state grants was not “based on any programmatic, statutory, cost reduction, or performance-based factor.”

Once an Administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly. This is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America’s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country—not merely those who support the President.

At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the Administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them—not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country’s energy security at grave risk.

For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-05T07:37:37Z,2026-08-06T07:38:34Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-calls-out-trump-for-inflicting-pain-at-the-pump,Reed Calls Out Trump for Inflicting Pain at the Pump,2026-08-03,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"CRANSTON, RI – Over five months into President Trump’s war of choice with Iran, elevated gas prices are putting added financial pressure on American drivers and businesses alike. Trump’s reckless war with Iran and his costly tariff taxes are causing gas prices and food prices to soar, and Americans have less money to spend as a result.

Before Trump started his war with Iran, regular unleaded gasoline in Rhode Island averaged $2.94 the week before the war. Since Trump started bombing Iran, gas prices have spiked by over $1.10 per gallon to more than $4 per gallon.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed returned to a locally owned gas station in Cranston where he held a similar event 101 days ago, on April 24, to provide an update on how Trump’s reckless tariffs and war with Iran are raising costs for all Rhode Islanders.

Reed, who is fighting to end Trump’s reckless overseas conflict and tariff taxes and bring down costs so families and businesses can thrive, noted that during his last visit on April 24, the average gas price in Rhode Island was $3.98. Today it’s: $4.09.

In April, the energy burden on American citizens – the extra costs for gas and diesel they are forced to pay because of Trump’s war with Iran -- was $25.7 billion. Today, that figure has risen to $78.2 billion, according to Brown University researchers. That means the average family has been forced to pay nearly $600 more for gas and diesel because of Donald Trump’s war.

“With no clear plan, objective, or exit strategy, President Trump chose to initiate two costly, destabilizing international conflicts: global trade tariffs and a war against Iran. In both cases, Trump turned his back on America’s allies and forced American consumers and businesses to bear higher costs and heavier financial burdens while costing the U.S. jobs and lost opportunity. Right now, we’re seeing the turmoil play out due to President Trump’s lack of strategy. One day he’s escalating, the next day he’s backing down, but none of his actions are following a clear strategy and that is why Americans are paying such high, elevated prices,” said Senator Reed. “Donald Trump isn’t making things better. He’s making them worse. I don’t know who he listens to other than his cheering squad but he’s definitely tuning out the American people and our economy.”

Reed, a leading member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has repeatedly voted against Trump’s reckless trade war and Trump’s war with Iran. Senator Reed is working to end these gambits, strengthen America, lower costs, and create an orderly process to reimburse Americans who have been unfairly forced to pay elevated costs due to President Trump reckless policies.

Reed noted that President Trump’s actions in Iran so far have only emboldened Iran and completely failed to break Tehran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, Iran has managed to expand the conflict to areas of the Red Sea and Egypt, threatening even greater economic fallout.

“So far, all Donald Trump has done in Iran is empower a younger more hostile regime and raise energy prices. Responsibly ending both Trump’s trade war and war with Iran is critical for America’s national security and economic future. President Trump has driven severe price spikes for things like oil, fertilizer, jet fuel, and the price of many everyday goods, not to mention his massive cuts to affordable health care coverage. Indeed, high gas prices squeeze more than motorists -- entire sectors of our economy are threatened and American consumers are being squeezed from all sides as they are also forced to contend with Trump’s tariffs, which are serving as a back-door tax on American consumers and businesses,” said Reed, pointing out that higher prices and new fees – like airlines suddenly charging more for bags -- are unlikely to dissipate as soon as the war ends.

Senator Reed has cosponsored two key bills that could return hundreds or thousands of dollars to Americans who have been unfairly forced to bear the burden of Trump’s tariffs and oil price shocks: the Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act (S.4093) and the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act (S. 4111).

Led by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), the Tariff Refunds for Working Families Act would create a tax rebate program for individuals and families who have paid increased prices for groceries and everyday essentials due to President Trump’s unlawful foreign tariffs. The bill would provide direct rebates of $1,200 to American families who make $180,000 or less and $600 to individuals who make $90,000 or less. It would also provide an additional $600 for each dependent child.

As American drivers pay more for gas and oil profits climb due to the war, Senator Reed has also teamed up with U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehoue (D-RI), who is the lead Democrat on the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, on the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act. This bill would impose an excise tax on the windfall profits of major oil companies that produce or import 300,000+ barrels per day, and return some of the industry's tens of billions of dollars in excessive gains to consumers in the form of a quarterly rebate.",1,2026-08-04T07:35:49Z,2026-08-04T07:37:27Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-urges-stronger-cyber-defenses-and-rebukes-trumps-disturbing-and-uninformed-response-to-cyber-attacks-on-us-water-systems,Reed Urges Stronger Cyber Defenses & Rebukes Trump’s “Disturbing and Uninformed” Response to Cyber Attacks on U.S. Water Systems,2026-08-03,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- As the scope of cyberattacks targeting U.S. water and wastewater systems widens and points to Iranian-backed hackers, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is urging the Trump Administration to boost U.S. cyber defenses and safeguard the nation’s water supply. Reed is also calling out President Donald Trump for slashing cyber defense funds and reflexively blaming U.S. states that were attacked by malicious cyber actors, despite the fact that evidence points to Iran.

Last week, on July 26, 27 and 28, Michigan and Minnesota were among several states reportedly hit with cyberattacks aimed at disrupting water systems nationwide, and the scope of the attacks may be far wider.

The attacks came after the FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and other agencies warned in an advisory last week that Iranian hackers have been targeting water and wastewater systems and the operational controls of other critical infrastructure sectors. And since the start of Trump’s war with Iran, experts have repeatedly warned: Iran is trying to turn off America’s water.

While probes into the attacks could take months, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee who also serves as an ex officio member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed gratitude to federal law enforcement and state and local officials for doing their part to combat the attacks and is urging swift action by the Trump Administration to harden America’s cyber defenses.

“These coordinated cyberattacks targeting more than thirty community water systems in Minnesota alone are a serious issue and should be a wake up call. It is fortunate no major damage was done and that is thanks in part to talented federal law enforcement and cyber officials who stand ready to assist state and local officials. But those assets need to be marshalled correctly. I urge the Trump Administration to step up and help defend our nation from these attacks. The investigation is still ongoing, but federal officials have repeatedly warned utilities that hackers are attempting to disrupt critical water infrastructure. We must be vigilant. Reportedly, the hackers are targeting specific brands of control systems used by municipal water utilities. And communities nationwide need to be aware and the federal government must do its part to support them and help defend against cyber hackers,” said Reed.

Reed also rebuked President Trump for reflexively trying to dismiss the fact that the attacks bear the hallmarks of Iranian-backed hackers and unfairly shift the blame for the attacks onto states. Reed called Trump’s initial dismissiveness to this serious national security matter “disturbing and pathetic.”

During a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, President Trump claimed without evidence that the cyberattacks against Minnesota were the fault of the state and its Governor Tim Walz.

Trump stated: “I think that Minnesota is behind it. You know who’s behind it? Minnesota. Because they’re grossly incompetent. I think the governor is behind it. I don’t think there was an Iranian cyber attack.” He also stated: “They like to say, ‘Oh, is Iran.’ Iran should be so lucky. Iran’s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota.”

Senator Reed stated: “President Trump’s initial response to this wave of cyber attacks is disturbing and uninformed. Is he completely unaware that his own agencies have been warning about this exact type of attack? Hackers and terrorists are opportunistic and don’t just target the White House or the New York Stock Exchange. It’s alarming that President Trump initiated a war in Iran and is now trying to blame states coming under attack from what are very likely Iranian hackers.”

The U.S. has over 150,000 public drinking water systems and more than 16,000 wastewater treatment systems. Many of the systems are automated and use internet-connected operational devices. Hackers target the systems’ programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) used for remote monitoring and equipment control. Many of these organizations are small, rural, or municipally operated and have limited cybersecurity personnel, funding, and access to specialized OT expertise, which CISA notes makes them vulnerable.

The Trump Administration has significantly scaled back U.S. cyber defenses, notably through major staffing cuts at CISA, the elimination of the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, and dissolving the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) and halting an active investigation into the Salt Typhoon telecommunications hack. Additionally, Trump’s budget proposals have put hundreds of millions in federal cyber defense funding on the chopping block.

Senator Reed stressed the need to look forward and help ensure states and municipalities can defend themselves and keep Americans safe.

“We must ensure Rhode Island and every other state has the ability to secure its key infrastructure against hackers. Some of these IT upgrades can be extremely costly for small municipalities so the federal government has a role to play to ensure the financing is there for essential cyber services. I will continue working at the federal level to safeguard our country, boost our cyber defenses, and ensure the federal government does its part to assist states with technology upgrades to halt these types of cyber attacks – wherever they come from,” concluded Reed.",1,2026-08-04T07:35:49Z,2026-08-04T07:37:27Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senate-judiciary-courts-subcommittee-democrats-blast-cruzs-hearing-targeting-the-muslim-community/,Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee Democrats Blast Cruz’s Hearing Targeting the Muslim Community,2026-08-03,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Peter Welch (D-VT), Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Federal Courts, today issued the following statement ahead of Chairman Ted Cruz’s hearing this week titled, “Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America.” Democrats on the subcommittee will not attend the hearing.

“Scapegoating Muslims may be a Texas Republican strategist’s idea of ‘solid gold’ to whip up their voters, but Democrats have no intention of indulging this political creepshow, particularly after the recent violence targeting places of faith. Our focus is the costs families face thanks to rampant, non-stop Trump corruption.”",1,2026-08-04T07:35:49Z,2026-08-04T07:37:27Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/us-senators-call-for-cancelled-energy-funds-to-be-restored,U.S. Senators Call for Cancelled Energy Funds to be Restored,2026-08-03,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- Instead of effectively governing and making energy more affordable for hardworking Americans, President Trump has used federal grants to play partisan games and deny federal resources to so-called ‘Blue States.’

In response, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, along with 37 fellow Democratic lawmakers, are demanding the Trump Administration restore federal funding for energy projects that were unfairly canceled last year.

Reed and Whitehouse recently joined U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and 35 Senate colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding that the Trump Administration restore funding for the 223 energy projects canceled in October 2025.

The letter was sent after Trump Administration officials cancelled federal energy grants based solely on whether recipients were in states that voted against Donald Trump in the last presidential election and were represented by two Democratic senators. All Senators who cosigned this letter are from states with canceled grants and funding signed the letter.

The Trump Administration admitted to unlawfully canceling over $7.5 billion in energy grants because those projects were in states that cast a majority of their votes for Trump’s opponent in the 2024 presidential election. This included $14 million in grants for Rhode Island.

“Now that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies,” the 39 U.S. Senators wrote.

“Once an administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly,” the Senators continued. “This is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America’s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country—not merely those who support the President.”

“At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them—not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country’s energy security at grave risk,” the Senators concluded. “For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.”

Alongside Senators Heinrich, Murray, Reed, and Whitehouse, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D- HI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Angus King (I-ME).

Full text of the letter to DOE Secretary Wright and OMB Director Vought follows:

Secretary Wright and Director Vought:

Now that court documents have confirmed what we knew to be true, we write to demand that you restore previously awarded funding that the Trump Administration has weaponized in an attempt to punish perceived political enemies.

In October 2025, we wrote to you to express strong opposition to the Administration’s callous decision to unlawfully terminate $8 billion in federal investments for 223 energy projects. You not only acted outside the bounds of the law, but cancelled projects that would have provided jobs, onshored manufacturing, and lowered skyrocketing energy prices. Congress authorized those projects and appropriated funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and annual appropriation bills. At the time of the termination of those projects, we expressed outrage that the terminations appeared politically motivated and confined to states that then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election. The Administration has now admitted in federal court what it denied to Congress and the American people.

On July 24, 2026, citing court filings, The New York Times reported that the Trump Administration acknowledged that it terminated more than $7.5 billion of grants due to political motivations. In a two-step process, the Department of Energy (DOE) first recommended more than 600 grants for potential termination, including grants in states represented by both Republicans and Democrats. It appears the Office of Management and Budget then selected all the grants in “Blue States” for cancellation, which DOE executed. In court filings, DOE’s lawyers conceded that the cancellations occurred “based solely on the political identity of the grant recipient’s state.”4 Specifically, as the court filings stated, “[w]ith one exception, the 284 terminated grants had a recipient location and/or at least one place of performance in a state that awarded its electoral votes to Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and has two Democratic caucusing Senators (“Blue State” grants).”5 Similar grants in Red States, however, remained intact and were not the subject of termination. What’s more, DOE lawyers conceded that the decision to terminate these blue state grants was not “based on any programmatic, statutory, cost reduction, or performance-based factor.”

Once an Administration begins punishing Americans for how they vote, the threat extends far beyond these projects: no state, community, business, or worker can trust that the federal government will apply the law fairly. This is not only an attack on jobs, affordable energy, and America’s economic competitiveness. It is an attack on the rule of law and the basic democratic principle that the federal government serves the entire country—not merely those who support the President.

At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, the Administration is hell-bent on political retribution instead of working to bring down costs for millions of Americans. The American people deserve to have a government that works for them—not one that is willing to push energy prices even higher and put the country’s energy security at grave risk.

For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.

Sincerely,",1,2026-08-05T07:37:37Z,2026-08-05T07:38:44Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-joins-seniors-on-anniversary-of-medicare-and-medicaid-discuss-their-fight-to-lower-health-care-costs/,"RI Delegation Joins Seniors on Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, Discuss their Fight to Lower Health Care Costs",2026-07-31,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Coventry, R.I. – Today, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jack Reed (D-RI), along with U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02), joined seniors and Neighborhood Health CEO Peter Marino at the Coventry Resource and Senior Center to mark the 61st anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, provide an update on health care policy in Washington, and reaffirm their commitment to lowering health care costs for Rhode Islanders.

The event comes as Rhode Islanders continue to face rising health care costs following deep cuts enacted by President Trump and Congressional Republicans, including a nearly $1 trillion cut to Medicaid and the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that helped make coverage more affordable.

View or download photos from the event here.

“For 61 years, Medicare and Medicaid have helped Rhode Islanders access affordable, lifesaving health care,” said Whitehouse. “Republican chaos and corruption are driving up Americans’ costs, and the party’s bizarre obsession with ripping away health care has destabilized our already-fragile health care system. It’s a disgrace, and I remain committed to protecting Medicare and Medicaid from Republican mischief.”

“Medicare and Medicaid are cost-effective and critical to the health and well-being of thousands of Rhode Islanders and millions of Americans. These programs have helped lift millions of Americans out of poverty, improved their health, and advanced health care innovations that benefit everyone. The historic success of Medicare is self-evident: Before Medicare was enacted, roughly half of all seniors had health insurance. Today, 99 percent of American seniors — adults aged 65 and older — have health insurance,” said Reed. “Working together, we can keep the promise of Medicare and Medicaid and ensure these programs are there for older Americans today, tomorrow, and for another sixty-one years. Supporting Medicare and Medicaid provides quality health care to more Americans, slows rising health care costs, and helps reduce federal budget deficit.”

“Medicare and Medicaid have helped provide health care to Rhode Islanders for 61 years,”said Magaziner. “But health care has become increasingly unaffordable and inaccessible because of direct attacks by the President and Congressional Republicans. We must do better. I, along with the entire delegation, will continue fighting for a health care system that is affordable for all Americans.”

“Medicare and Medicaid make a tremendous difference, especially because both programs help people manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, and continue living full lives,” said Peter Marino, President and CEO of Neighborhood Health Plan. “These programs make it more likely that someone will see a doctor when something feels wrong instead of waiting until a health issue becomes an emergency. For people without coverage, the choice too often becomes whether to seek care or pay for other basic needs. No one should have to make that choice. That’s why we need to continue investing in these vital programs – it is how we make sure we are taking care of each other.”

The event commemorated the signing of Medicare and Medicaid into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson 61 years ago while highlighting the challenges Rhode Islanders face today as health care becomes increasingly expensive and inaccessible.

During the event, the Delegation members outlined how recent federal health care cuts are affecting Rhode Islanders and the broader health care system. They also reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Medicare and Medicaid, reversing harmful cuts, and lowering health care costs for working people across the state.

For 61 years, Medicare and Medicaid have helped millions of Americans access quality, affordable health care. Today, more than 309,000 Rhode Islanders rely on Medicaid, including 64 percent of nursing home residents, more than half of adults with disabilities, 37 percent of children, and 43 percent of births in the state. An estimated 34,000 Rhode Islanders are expected to lose health insurance once Medicaid cuts passed by Republicans are in full effect. Another 244,570 Rhode Islanders, nearly one in five residents, depend on Medicare for their health coverage and have seen their health insurance rates skyrocket. Members of the Rhode Island delegation outline how recent Republican cuts to Medicaid and the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits threaten to increase health care costs and put additional strain on the state’s health care system. They reiterated their commitment to protecting Medicare, restoring affordable health coverage, and ensuring every Rhode Islander can access the care they need.",1,2026-08-01T07:27:26Z,2026-08-01T07:28:22Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/after-pressure-from-sen-reed-administration-relents-and-finally-apportions-affordable-housing-trust-fund-grants-to-states,"After Pressure from Sen. Reed, Administration Relents and Finally Apportions Affordable Housing Trust Fund Grants to States",2026-07-31,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"With a new $3.3 million boost, Reed’s 2008 law has now resulted in $33.6 million in federal HTF funding to enhance supply of affordable rental housing in RI

PROVIDENCE, RI – As part of his long-standing effort to help Rhode Island build more desirable, affordable rental housing units, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced another $3,311,933 is heading to the Ocean State courtesy of the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF), a program Reed created back in 2008.

Reed, a senior member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, who also serves as a senior member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD), led the successful effort to create the HTF, which was authorized by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (P.L. 110–289), which was signed into law July 30, 2008.

Reed celebrated the apportionment of the Housing Trust Fund grants after leading a campaign to successfully pressure the Trump Administration to release the funds. Last month, Reed led 22 of his colleagues in sending a letter to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding that the Trump Administration release housing construction funds without further delay. Reed also urged Vought to apportion the funds to HUD during a Senate Banking Committee hearing.

“It took them too long, but it’s good news that the Trump Administration finally agreed to release this long overdue federal funding to help states address the severe shortage of affordable rental housing. People need to be able to afford to live in the communities where they work. This is a smart investment in helping working families and strengthening communities, and it also helps generate jobs and economic development,” said Senator Reed. “Rhode Island can use this money to build, preserve, and repair high-quality rental housing. I created the Housing Trust Fund to provide communities with resources to help address the affordable housing shortage. Workers should be able to live closer to their jobs and spend more time with their families. Ensuring a healthy housing market is critical to our economic future.”

Reed wrote the law to ensure the Housing Trust Fund would operate at no cost to taxpayers. Instead, the program is capitalized through a portion of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s profits.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the HTF is an affordable housing production and preservation program that complements existing federal, state, and local efforts to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for extremely low-income and very low-income households, including homeless families.

To ensure that Rhode Island and other small states received a fair amount of funding, Senator Reed included a small state minimum of $3 million in the authorizing legislation.

Since 2016, HTF has allocated $3.5 billion in federal affordable housing assistance to states nationwide, and Rhode Island has now received a total of $33.6 million in federal HTF funding.

In the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Out of Reach 2026 report, Rhode Island was ranked as the 13th most expensive state for renters, requiring a minimum wage worker to work 68 hours per week to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment.

Overall, HUD is distributing a total of $255.5 million nationwide through the national Housing Trust Fund this year to build, preserve, and rehabilitate affordable rental housing.",1,2026-08-04T07:35:49Z,2026-08-04T07:37:27Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-and-cassidy-bill-to-protect-well-meaning-taxpayers-from-harsh-penalties-approved-by-senate-finance-committee/,Whitehouse and Cassidy Bill to Protect Well-Meaning Taxpayers from Harsh Penalties Approved by Senate Finance Committee,2026-07-30,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Fairness in Foreign Filing Act would benefit ordinary taxpayers while keeping pressure on wealthy tax cheats

Washington, D.C. – The Fairness in Foreign Filing Act, authored by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), was approved by the Senate Finance Committee today as part of the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act. The legislation would clarify the Internal Revenue Service’s authority to assess and collect penalties and spare honest taxpayers from steep penalties for unintentionally failing to file certain tax forms.

“Honest American taxpayers shouldn’t have to worry about getting punished with huge fines for failing to file forms they didn’t know they had to file,” said Whitehouse. “Our bipartisan legislation would create a fairer and simpler process for those that miss filing international reporting forms while ensuring wealthy tax evaders aren’t let off the hook.”

Taxpayers in the U.S. who receive money from abroad, have foreign financial interests, or engage in certain foreign transactions are required to file international reporting forms with the IRS. Penalties for failure to file or reporting inaccurate information are severe. Unfortunately, these large penalties are hitting unsuspecting taxpayers—often with lower incomes—who were unaware of their reporting obligations. The IRS has been systematically assessing these penalties and causing greater hardship for taxpayers, only to ultimately abate 74 percent of them upon further review. Another challenge for taxpayers is that certain international reporting forms are due before tax filing, causing inadvertent late filings.

All the while, conflicting court decisions have called into question the IRS’s ability to assess certain penalties, letting wealthy tax cheats off the hook while causing confusion and disparate treatment for taxpayers based on where they live. Farhy v. Commissioner found that the IRS lacks the authority to assess penalties for failing to file a form reporting ownership in certain foreign corporations. Two Circuit Courts have ruled that the IRS can, in fact,assess such penalties, but those rulings only apply in their respective jurisdictions.

The Fairness in Foreign Filing Act would ensure well-meaning taxpayers avoid unnecessary penalties by clarifying their reporting obligations and simplifying the reporting process. Specifically, the bill would create a standardized pre-assessment process for penalties for failing to file certain forms related to foreign businesses, trusts, and gifts to give taxpayers a clear path to get administrative review before assessment. The bill would also establish a default rule clarifying the assessability of penalties or additions to tax in the Code and align filing dates of international reporting forms with tax filing deadlines to prevent taxpayers from inadvertently filing them late.",1,2026-07-31T07:49:23Z,2026-07-31T07:50:48Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-senate-republicans-blocking-resolution-to-halt-trumps-reckless-iran-war,Reed Statement on Senate Republicans Blocking Resolution to Halt Trump’s Reckless Iran War,2026-07-30,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked a resolution directing President Trump to halt hostilities with Iran unless they are approved by Congress by a narrow vote of 49-50. After casting his 13th vote against the Iran war, Senator Reed stated:

“President Trump and Secretary Hegseth were wrong from the get go. Their failures and weakness are why munitions are low and prices are high. They have botched this every step of the way and have no strategy to turn things around. Instead of wisely ending this war, they are simply escalating it, prolonging it, and wasting money and munitions while putting Americans at risk and forcing taxpayers to pay a bigger bill. Meanwhile, they continue to mislead the American people about the true cost of the war – which is costing Americans tens of billions per month. They have failed to achieve any of the objectives they used as a pre-text for the war and this conflict is not making America safer.

“Republicans need to start listening to the people they represent and vote with Democrats to end this disastrous war. President Trump does not have a plan. Instead of doing their jobs and providing real oversight, Senate Republican leaders are making things worse by shielding him from accountability.”",1,2026-08-04T07:35:49Z,2026-08-04T07:37:27Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/politico-obtains-proof-that-trump-overruled-fema-and-noaa-to-deny-disaster-aid-to-democratic-led-states,Politico Obtains Proof That Trump Overruled FEMA & NOAA to Deny Disaster Aid to Democratic-led States,2026-07-29,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – In an alarming report, Politico has obtained proof that President Donald Trump overruled his own agencies when he denied disaster aid for four Democratic-led states this month. After examining the evidence, high-ranking officials from regional offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) agreed that the states met the necessary thresholds for receiving federal relief due to the historic natural disasters that impacted their states. However, President Trump ignored their findings and rejected the federal request for a disaster declaration anyway -- a move that experts say has no modern precedent.

The report states:

“Emails between state and federal officials obtained by POLITICO along with more than 150 pages of documents submitted to FEMA by three states — New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island — provide new details about Trump’s low rate of approving disaster aid for his political adversaries. He also denied a request by New York after administration officials verified that it had met federal standards for approval, according to state officials.

“Trump’s rejections came after regional offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and NOAA determined that the states met government thresholds for receiving aid following a record-breaking snowstorm in February.

“The Blizzard of 2026 certainly achieved a pinnacle ranking in the memories of those who experienced it and climatologically in the historical rankings of snowstorms,” said a NOAA report confirming Rhode Island met the requirement for disaster aid.

Presidents retain sole authority over granting federal disaster aid to states, but it’s highly unusual to deny a governor’s request after FEMA field offices have verified that damage estimates exceeded preestablished levels, according to a former agency official who worked under Republican and Democratic administrations.

“I can’t think of a time a declaration was denied” for a state that met FEMA and NOAA standards, said the former FEMA official who was granted anonymity to speak about internal decision making.”

“The emails and documents, which haven’t previously been reported, shed new light on Trump’s decisions to reject an overwhelming number of requests for disaster aid from Democratic-led states, even as he has approved nearly 90 percent of requests from states that are governed by members of his own party. The revelations also offer a fuller picture of Trump’s tenure over the most partisan distribution of FEMA aid since the agency was created in 1979.”

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a leading member of the Senate Appropriations Committee stated: “The Politico report uncovered proof that President Trump is playing politics with disaster relief. And this story is backed up by statistics that demonstrate President Trump is disproportionately denying aid to states that did not vote for him.

“It’s sad that President Trump’s fragile ego and spitefulness have created this situation. And we’re going to need to build a strong, bipartisan coalition to solve it. Because look, extreme weather and natural disasters don’t care about politics or borders. This is supposed to be a merit-based process where states aid each other based upon the facts.

“President Trump is once again seeking to push boundaries and abuse his authority. But Congress has the power of the purse and I will not just stand by and allow the President to bully Rhode Island and other states. I am going to work with my colleagues to address this challenge and make it right. It may take a while, but Rhode Island deserves to be made whole. The state is not seeking special treatment, just simple fairness. President Trump is acting like a petty tyrant and he holds a lot of cards. But it is in the best interest of every member of Congress to act in good faith, lest their states find themselves in a similar situation going forward. Stooping to the lowly level of this new Trump precedent would be a recipe for disaster. While occupants of the Oval Office change, America’s core values and inherent sense of fairness remains steadfast. Congress should act in the taxpayer’s interest and help states who’ve been hit by a major, record-breaking disaster.”

To counter Trump’s unfair, unwarranted politicization of federal emergency management decisions, Senator Reed has already introduced the Disaster Relief Fairness Act (S.5018).",1,2026-07-30T07:32:48Z,2026-07-30T07:34:08Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-celebrates-medicare-turning-61-and-seeks-to-strengthen-it-for-older-americans_future-generations,Reed Celebrates Medicare Turning 61 & Seeks to Strengthen It for Older Americans & Future Generations,2026-07-29,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- As America approaches the 61st anniversary of Medicare being signed into law on July 30, 1965, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, who championed policies to finally give Medicare the authority to negotiate drug prices as part of the Inflation Reduction Act law, says there are reasons to celebrate, but also cause for concern due to the Trump Administration’s attacks on the U.S. health care system. Reed pointed to a new Wall Street Journal report that the Trump Administration plans to end a program that helped hold down premiums for Medicare drug plans, a move that is likely to leave millions of older Americans facing higher rates for their prescription coverage next year.

Ahead of Medicare’s birthday, Reed, who continues working to lowering seniors’ out-of-pocket costs and improve health care quality for all, issued the following statement today in recognition of Medicare’s positive impact for Rhode Islanders and vowed to defend the program from being further undermined by Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration:

“Medicare is a cost-effective, proven success story that is critical to the health and well-being of thousands of Rhode Islanders and millions of Americans.

“Medicare has helped lift millions of Americans out of poverty, improved their health, and advanced health care innovations that benefit everyone.

“The historic success of Medicare is self-evident: Before Medicare was enacted, roughly half of all seniors had health insurance. Today, 99 percent of American seniors -- adults aged 65 and older -- have health insurance.

“Medicare is a promise to America’s seniors that the cost of health care will not bankrupt them and their families if they should fall seriously ill.

“But now, President Trump is eroding that promise and ending Medicare Part D subsidies in a way that will increase prescription drug costs on seniors next year. President Trump is always able to find money for a ballroom or a billionaire tax cut. But when it comes to funding Medicare, he claims America can’t afford it. We should be prioritizing people first, especially vulnerable older Americans who deserve a secure and dignified retirement.

“We must recommit to saving, strengthening, and protecting Medicare for future generations. Congress should work to make health care more affordable. President Trump should use the power granted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies through part D to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Instead, he has enabled big drug companies to avoid Medicare price negotiations on top-selling drugs and opened special interest loopholes that result in higher prescription drug prices for American consumers. As a result, ten of the largest drugmakers collectively pocketed $50 billion more in profits during Trump’s first year back in office.

“Last year, President Trump and Congressional Republicans cut $1 trillion from Medicaid, which works hand in glove with Medicare to help cover health care costs for seniors. Medicaid is the largest payer of nursing home care, covering more than six in ten nursing home residents. Trump’s so-called ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ law is projected to generate an estimated $490 billion in Medicare cuts between 2027 and 2034 due to a statutory pay-as-you-go law.

“Working together, we can keep Medicare’s promise and ensure it is there for older Americans today, tomorrow, and for the next sixty-one years. Supporting Medicare provides quality health care to more Americans, slows rising health care costs, and helps reduce federal budget deficit.”

Today, Medicare provides health insurance coverage to 68 million people nationwide, including older Americans and people with disabilities.

Medicare in Rhode Island offers health care coverage to people ages 65 years and above or with specific disabilities or health conditions. More than 240,000 Rhode Island residents are enrolled in Medicare, with choices divided between traditional coverage and private plans. Medicare Part A primarily covers hospital stays; Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care; Part D covers prescription drugs; while Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, is offered through private insurers as an alternative to traditional Medicare.

The average monthly Medicare Advantage plan premium is $32.32 in the Ocean State.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), administers the program.",1,2026-07-30T07:32:48Z,2026-07-30T07:34:08Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-says-more-work-coming-to-ri-after-navy-inks-766-billion-contract-to-build-next-gen-submarines,Reed Says More Work Coming to RI After Navy Inks $76.6 Billion Contract to Build Next-Gen Submarines,2026-07-29,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, hailed the U.S. Department of Defense’s decision to award two major submarine contracts, alongside significant shipyard investments, totaling $76.6 billion to ramp up submarine production. Reed says the contract will propel more work and jobs at Quonset well into the future.

Under the terms of the agreement, General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) will be awarded a $29.5 billion, five-boat contract modification for Columbia-class Build II submarines (SSBN 828 through SSBN 832), with Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS) serving as a major subcontractor. Additionally, GDEB will be awarded a $42.1 billion Multi-Year Procurement contract for nine Virginia-class Block VI submarines (SSN 814 through SSN 822) spanning FY 2025 through 2029.

“The world’s most technologically advanced submarines get their start in Rhode Island. This new contract is a win for the Ocean State, the region, and the thousands of men and women who help build and design these high-tech, next-generation submarines. Whether it’s protecting economic zones, collecting intelligence, or projecting deterrence, the U.S. submarine fleet provides our Armed Forces with overwhelming operational advantages. I have worked hard to deliver needed funding to support America’s industrial readiness, which is critical to our military’s readiness and capabilities. This new contract invests in growing the next generation of shipyard talent and means submarine production at Quonset will stay on course and continue full speed ahead for the next decade. This historic deal will lead to further jobs and investment in the state. I will continue advocating for strong contracts, good-paying jobs, and to ensure Rhode Island’s talented defense manufacturers contribute to national defense,” said Reed, who also serves on the Appropriations Committee.

For years, Senator Reed has championed efforts to strengthen, modernize, and sustain a maritime and defense industrial base-focused talent pipeline. As older experienced shipbuilders retire, the Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) needs to recruit, train, and retain a new generation of workers, capable of building high-quality, technologically advanced submarines. Reed has helped direct investments to help revitalize the Navy’s shipbuilding workforce, including working with SENEDIA to create and build a submarine workforce skills development pipeline to train Rhode Islanders and others in New England for these critical, good-paying jobs that contribute significantly to U.S. national security.

Electric Boat is in the midst of a hiring boom and is heavily investing in facilities in Rhode Island. Earlier this year, EB officials said the company planned to hire approximately 3,500 new employees at their Quonset Point location in the coming year. Currently, there are about 8,000 workers at GDEB’s Quonset location.

GDEB also employs approximately 16,000 people based in Connecticut, with the majority working at its main Groton facility and surrounding local operations, including New London and Waterford.

ABOUT COLUMBIA-CLASS

Twelve Columbia-class submarines are planned, pending future appropriations by Congress, to replace fourteen Ohio-class submarines that began entering service in the early 1980s. The Columbia-class boats are projected to remain operational at sea through the mid-2080s.

The new fleet of Columbia-class submarines get their start at specialized facilities in Rhode Island. Other parts of the boats are built in other states, including in partnership with Huntington-Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, and final assembly takes place at EB’s submarine shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.

Measuring at about 560 feet in length, each Columbia-class submarine displaces about 21,000 tons and is about two-and-a-half times the size of a Virginia-class submarine.

Construction is well underway on the first two Columbia-class boats: the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN 826) and the future USS Wisconsin (SSBN 827) and has already begun on the third Columbia-class submarine, the future USS Groton (SSBN 828). The newly awarded contract will support construction of five submarines and procurement of long-lead items for USS Groton as well as engineering and design work submarines. To ensure these boats are delivered on time to meet USSTRATCOM requirements, this contract uses an innovative framework that caps government liability, includes meaningful workforce incentives, and directly incentivizes improved shipbuilder performance.

ABOUT VIRGINIA-CLASS

Virginia-class submarines bring cutting-edge warfighting capability to the nation's undersea forces. Virginia-class submarines feature enhanced stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities, and special warfare enhancements to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.

These submarines range in size. Some are 7,800 tons and 377 feet in length. Newer Block V versions are extended to 460 feet with a displacement of 10,200 tons. They are all powered by a nuclear reactor plant that does not require refueling during the planned life of the ship, reducing lifecycle costs and increasing operational availability.

To date, 26 Virginia-class submarines have been delivered to the fleet and production has already begun on several more.

Co-produced by GDEB and HII-NNS, this contract utilizes economic order quantity to balance technical risk, industrial base capability, and fleet requirements. It features an increased incentive fee structure and improved payment schedules focused heavily on driving on-time deliveries.

Crucially, both the Columbia-class and Virginia-class contracts drive accountability by including provisions to remove ships if contractors are not performing.

To support these massive production requirements, DOD also announced $5 billion in Shipbuilder Productivity Efforts to GDEB and HII-NNS. Initiated with fiscal year 2025 funding provided by Congress, these investments target critical shipyard infrastructure projects to improve shipbuilder capability, capacity, and efficiency. Focusing heavily on modernizing infrastructure and scaling vessel output, this federal funding helps reduce shipbuilding construction delays and lowers taxpayer costs for future submarines.

Combined, these historic actions will significantly increase the U.S. Navy’s undersea capabilities.",1,2026-07-30T07:32:48Z,2026-07-30T07:34:08Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/us-senate-passes-resolution-opposing-presidential-pardon-for-epstein-accomplice-ghislaine-maxwell,U.S. Senate Passes Resolution Opposing Presidential Pardon for Epstein Accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell,2026-07-29,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Even as President Donald Trump refuses to rule out a pardon for his long-time friend, Ghislaine Maxwell -- Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator and a convicted child trafficker -- the U.S. Senate today unanimously passed a resolution offered by U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) stating that Ms. Maxwell should not be allowed a presidential pardon or clemency of any kind.

Maxwell is currently serving 20 years in a federal prison for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors over the course of a decade.

In October 2025, President Trump was asked about a potential pardon for the convicted sex trafficker who aided Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of underage girls. President Trump responded: “Well, I'll take a look at it. I wouldn’t consider it or not consider it. I don't know anything about it. I will speak to the DOJ,” he said. In July of 2025, President Trump went further: “Well, I'm allowed to give her a pardon but nobody’s approached me with it, nobody’s asked me about it,” Trump said. “It’s in the news about that—that aspect of it, but right now it would be inappropriate to talk about it,” he stated, continuing: “I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I have not thought about.”

The non-binding resolution was brought to the floor and passed today ahead of a Judiciary Committee vote that is scheduled tomorrow on the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, whom President Trump nominated to become the next full-time Attorney General. It passed by unanimous consent, without objection from any U.S. Senator.

After the Senate passed the anti-pardon for Maxwell resolution, U.S. Senator Jack Reed stated:

“Today, the entire U.S. Senate passed a resolution saying Ms. Maxwell should not get a pardon, but President Trump refuses to rule one out. Sexual predators should not be afforded preferential treatment, but that is what the Trump Administration continues to provide Ms. Maxwell. Ms. Maxwell’s victims and the American people deserve to know why. The Trump Administration needs to come clean and release everything and answer the victims’ questions. Congress must continue working on a bipartisan basis to press for answers.”

Reed has long criticized the Trump Administration’s unexplained, favorable treatment for the British socialite who has a decades-long relationship with Donald Trump. Reed wants the American people to know why -- despite being a sex offender who was just a few years into her sentence – Ms. Maxwell was suddenly transferred from a Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, to the minimum security Federal Prison Camp Bryan – better known as ‘Club Fed’ in Bryan, Texas after a jailhouse meeting with then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously represented Trump as his personal lawyer. During Blanche’s visit to Maxwell on July 24 and 25, the two spoke for several hours, including a recorded portion on the record.

During the conversation Ms. Maxwell seems to indicate both Donald Trump and Prince Andrew did not engage in wrongdoing. Maxwell claimed that an infamous photo of her with Prince Andrew and an American teenager is fake and that the alleged sexual encounter between the British royal and the girl could not have happened as it has been portrayed in the media.

Additionally, the transcript of the conversation -- which showed Maxwell saying she didn’t recall ever seeing Donald Trump at Epstein’s house – is directly contradicted by Epstein’s own e mails that were later released by the House Oversight Committee, indicating that Donald Trump “spent hours at my [Epstein’s] house” with one of the victims, and that Trump “knew about the girls.”

During a May 19 Appropriations Subcommittee on CJS, Senator Reed asked Blanche why he was sent to interview Ms. Maxwell.

The Acting Attorney General incredulously responded: “He didn’t send me. I went. What, what do you mean? Do you think President Trump called and asked me to go interview a witness in federal prison. Honestly?”

“Yes, I do, frankly,” Reed flatly responded. “Because you know why? Because the deal was in. He needed somebody he could rely upon to talk to her and find out what would she say if she was asked about Jeffrey Epstein, and you were the perfect choice. And you went down there and suddenly, shazam! She’s out of what is a more confining situation… A much more relaxed federal prison.”",1,2026-07-31T07:49:23Z,2026-07-31T07:50:48Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/report-shows-trumps-reckless-tariffs-and-iran-war-are-fueling-higher-diesel-costs_piling-financial-strain-on-local-farmers,Report Shows Trump’s Reckless Tariffs & Iran War Are Fueling Higher Diesel Costs & Piling Financial Strain on Local Farmers,2026-07-28,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC -- Local farmers are suffering a double blow from President Trump’s chaotic tariffs and high diesel prices caused by Trump’s unauthorized war with Iran.

According to AAA, the average price of diesel today in Rhode Island is $5.36, up $1.80 per gallon from the average price of $3.56 per gallon just before the conflict with Iran began in late February 2026.

A new study by Joint Economic Committee (JEC) Minority shows that farmers of key crops in the U.S. spent $1.4 billion more on diesel fuel during the 2025–2026 planting season than they did last season. The JEC found that the average farmer in Rhode Island and across the country “spent $1500 more to refill their farm’s onsite fuel tank – the common way that farmers buy and store diesel fuel – compared to the same high point during the 2025 planting season.”

The JEC study analyzed corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and rice planted by U.S. farmers. The 2025–2026 increase in diesel spending to plant those crops was a 63 percent jump year-over-year, according to the analysis.

In Rhode Island, the JEC report found:

The average farmer in Rhode Island spent as much as $1,520 more to refill their farm’s onsite fuel tank as compared to the same high point during the 2025 planting season.

On average, Ocean State farmers this spring spent $203 more to fill a single grain truck and $247 more to fill a single tractor as compared to last planting season.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed says rising diesel prices caused by President Trump’s reckless war with Iran is cutting thousands of dollars from already thin profit margins, while Trump’s chaotic tariffs on agricultural products and deep cuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have decimated export markets for U.S.-grown crops and shriveled federal support for local farmers.

“Farming is a tough job and President Trump is making it harder by raising prices, sowing chaos and uncertainty, and cutting targeted federal funding to help support small and mid-size farmers. By their nature, farmers are resilient. But the Trump Administration has inflicted serious financial hardship on family farms and it’s past time for Congress to step up and provide some needed certainty and stability for farmers and overdue accountability for this Administration,” said Senator Reed.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, row crop producers are expected to lose $32 billion in 2027 in addition to the $31 billion they are slated to lose this year.

Reed noted fuel and fertilizers as key input costs that have experienced unnecessary price shocks due to Trump’s war and tariffs. Fertilizer prices started to recede after President Trump and Iran announced a ceasefire in June, but fertilizer markets remain historically expensive – in some cases 26 percent higher than a year ago -- and are still vulnerable to ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and supply chain bottlenecks.

And in addition to hitting farmers, the high diesel prices punish the truckers who deliver the fresh produce to grocery stores and restaurants -- cutting into profits and adding new uncertainty to an already volatile business.

Compounding the uncertainty, the Trump Administration slashed USDA’s workforce by 24,000 jobs resulting in longer wait times for farmers who need help applying for financial assistance or special project funds. And President Trump’s proposed 2027 budget would slash the USDA by 19 percent and completely defund the farmer-friendly $1.2 billion Food for Peace program. The Trump Administration’s proposed budget would also gut the Rural Business Service, which promotes rural economic development, and cut the Agricultural Marketing Service budget by $61 million.

“Our farmers depend on diesel fuel to help them plant, harvest, and transport their crops and they need the federal government to be a reliable partner who promotes stability. Instead, President Trump is making life more expensive for farmers and consumers, I urge Republicans to work with Democrats to help lower prices and end the war in Iran,” said Reed.",1,2026-07-29T07:41:48Z,2026-07-29T07:42:57Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-whitehouse-renew-push-to-establish-a-nationwide-right-to-ivf-and-lower-ivf-costs-for-families,Reed & Whitehouse Renew Push to Establish a Nationwide Right to IVF and Lower IVF Costs for Families,2026-07-27,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Parenthood is a key life goal for many, but due to infertility and the high cost of fertility treatments, many Americans are fiscally constrained from accessing in vitro fertilization (IVF) as an option to help start a family.

Now, two years after President Donald Trump failed to follow through on his promise of free IVF for all Americans on the campaign trail, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and several colleagues in reintroducing the Right to IVF Act, a sweeping legislative package that would make it easier to access IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) for the millions of hopeful parents who depend on it to build their family.

This pro-family legislation would establish a nationwide right to access IVF, lower the costs of IVF treatment, expand IVF coverage for military families and require all employer-sponsored insurance programs to cover IVF.

Unfortunately, many Republican lawmakers who see IVF as akin to abortion because they view all embryos as children, have undermined IVF protections and scared President Trump into retreating from his IVF campaign promises.

“Almost two years after promising free IVF for all Americans if he were elected, Donald Trump has still failed to deliver,” said Duckworth. “Trump and Republicans’ ‘support’ for IVF is nothing but lip service. They want us to have more babies, yet they’ll do nothing to actually help make it easier for the millions who struggle with infertility to start and grow their families. The Right to IVF Act would immediately make IVF treatment more affordable for millions of hopeful parents across the country. From middle class families, to our brave servicemembers and Veterans, to federal employees and more—every American deserves the right to access the treatment and tools they need to build the family of their dreams without burning through their savings. If Republicans really support IVF, then let’s get this done. No more delays.”

“Helping aspiring parents start a family should be a bipartisan priority. Despite pledging to help make IVF and other fertility treatments more affordable and accessible for American families, President Trump has not followed through. His IVF pledge was just another hollow platitude that became a broken promise. The Right to IVF Act is a pro-family bill that would prioritize affordable IVF care. It would help more Americans who experience infertility issues afford fertility care to they can start a family and put down roots,” said Senator Reed.

“It’s no surprise that President Trump completely abandoned his campaign pledge to make IVF and fertility treatments free. The second Trump administration has been a disaster for health care across the board, from skyrocketing insurance costs to runaway disease outbreaks,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Democrats are working to make it easier for Americans facing fertility challenges to realize their dream of becoming parents.”

Last Congress, Senate Republicans shamefully blocked the Right to IVF Act, exposing the hollowness of Republicans’ empty claims to support IVF for the millions of Americans who rely on it to build their family. This marked the fourth time Senate Republicans blocked Duckworth-led legislation that would protect access to IVF nationwide, with previous instances including her Access to Family Building Act that builds on previous legislation she introduced in 2022.

While Senate Democrats continue their efforts to protect IVF and reproductive freedom, Senate Republicans continue making it abundantly clear through their anti-choice extremism and record Medicaid cuts that they would rather undermine access to basic health care for millions of Americans than make it easier for their constituents to start and build a family.

In addition to Duckworth, Reed, and Whitehouse, the bill is sponsored by the entire U.S. Senate Democratic Caucus, including: U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

Companion legislation is being introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11), Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) and Laura Gillen (D-NY-04).

The Right to IVF Act is supported by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), RESOLVE: The National Infertility and Family Building Association, Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD Law), Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, Stand with IVF, AllPaths Family Building, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Atheists, Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, Society for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Society of Reproductive Biologists & Technologists, Society for Reproductive Surgeons, California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, Endocrine Society, Equality California, Families USA, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality, Guttmacher Institute, Hadassah, Human Rights Campaign, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Indivisible, Justice + Joy National Collaborative, Legal Momentum, Military Family Building Coalition, MomsRising, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Council on Jewish Women, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Women’s Political Caucus, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Reproductive Freedom for All, Service Women’s Action Network, Silver State Equality, What to Expect Project and Women’s March.

“The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) welcomes the bicameral reintroduction of the Right to IVF Act, which would achieve accessible and affordable fertility care for all Americans,” said ASRM Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer Sean Tipton. “This visionary and comprehensive effort would protect patients' ability to build their families through safe, evidence-based treatments like in vitro fertilization. By safeguarding access to assisted reproductive technology (ART), preserving the physician-patient relationship, and expanding coverage for the individuals and families who need it most, this legislation reflects the standard of care that all patients deserve.”",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/reed-whitehouse-renew-push-to-establish-a-nationwide-right-to-ivf-and-lower-ivf-costs-for-families/,Reed & Whitehouse Renew Push to Establish a Nationwide Right to IVF and Lower IVF Costs for Families,2026-07-27,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"The Right to IVF Act reintroduction comes nearly two years since Donald Trump promised free IVF for all, which he’s still failed to deliver

WASHINGTON, DC – Parenthood is a key life goal for many, but due to infertility and the high cost of fertility treatments, many Americans are fiscally constrained from accessing in vitro fertilization (IVF) as an option to help start a family.

Now, two years after President Donald Trump failed to follow through on his promise of free IVF for all Americans on the campaign trail, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are teaming up with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and several colleagues in reintroducing the Right to IVF Act, a sweeping legislative package that would make it easier to access IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) for the millions of hopeful parents who depend on it to build their family.

This pro-family legislation would establish a nationwide right to access IVF, lower the costs of IVF treatment, expand IVF coverage for military families and require all employer-sponsored insurance programs to cover IVF.

Unfortunately, many Republican lawmakers who see IVF as akin to abortion because they view all embryos as children, have undermined IVF protections and scared President Trump into retreating from his IVF campaign promises.

“Almost two years after promising free IVF for all Americans if he were elected, Donald Trump has still failed to deliver,” said Duckworth. “Trump and Republicans’ ‘support’ for IVF is nothing but lip service. They want us to have more babies, yet they’ll do nothing to actually help make it easier for the millions who struggle with infertility to start and grow their families. The Right to IVF Act would immediately make IVF treatment more affordable for millions of hopeful parents across the country. From middle class families, to our brave servicemembers and Veterans, to federal employees and more—every American deserves the right to access the treatment and tools they need to build the family of their dreams without burning through their savings. If Republicans really support IVF, then let’s get this done. No more delays.”

“Helping aspiring parents start a family should be a bipartisan priority. Despite pledging to help make IVF and other fertility treatments more affordable and accessible for American families, President Trump has not followed through. His IVF pledge was just another hollow platitude that became a broken promise. The Right to IVF Act is a pro-family bill that would prioritize affordable IVF care. It would help more Americans who experience infertility issues afford fertility care to they can start a family and put down roots,” said Senator Reed.

“It’s no surprise that President Trump completely abandoned his campaign pledge to make IVF and fertility treatments free. The second Trump administration has been a disaster for health care across the board, from skyrocketing insurance costs to runaway disease outbreaks,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Democrats are working to make it easier for Americans facing fertility challenges to realize their dream of becoming parents.”

Last Congress, Senate Republicans shamefully blocked the Right to IVF Act, exposing the hollowness of Republicans’ empty claims to support IVF for the millions of Americans who rely on it to build their family. This marked the fourth time Senate Republicans blocked Duckworth-led legislation that would protect access to IVF nationwide, with previous instances including her Access to Family Building Act that builds on previous legislation she introduced in 2022.

While Senate Democrats continue their efforts to protect IVF and reproductive freedom, Senate Republicans continue making it abundantly clear through their anti-choice extremism and record Medicaid cuts that they would rather undermine access to basic health care for millions of Americans than make it easier for their constituents to start and build a family.

In addition to Duckworth, Reed, and Whitehouse, the bill is sponsored by the entire U.S. Senate Democratic Caucus, including: U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

Companion legislation is being introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11), Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) and Laura Gillen (D-NY-04).

The Right to IVF Act is supported by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), RESOLVE: The National Infertility and Family Building Association, Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD Law), Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, Stand with IVF, AllPaths Family Building, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Atheists, Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, Society for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Society of Reproductive Biologists & Technologists, Society for Reproductive Surgeons, California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, Endocrine Society, Equality California, Families USA, GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality, Guttmacher Institute, Hadassah, Human Rights Campaign, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Indivisible, Justice + Joy National Collaborative, Legal Momentum, Military Family Building Coalition, MomsRising, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Council on Jewish Women, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Women’s Political Caucus, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Reproductive Freedom for All, Service Women’s Action Network, Silver State Equality, What to Expect Project and Women’s March.

“The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) welcomes the bicameral reintroduction of the Right to IVF Act, which would achieve accessible and affordable fertility care for all Americans,” said ASRM Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer Sean Tipton. “This visionary and comprehensive effort would protect patients’ ability to build their families through safe, evidence-based treatments like in vitro fertilization. By safeguarding access to assisted reproductive technology (ART), preserving the physician-patient relationship, and expanding coverage for the individuals and families who need it most, this legislation reflects the standard of care that all patients deserve.”",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-colleagues-urge-trump-administration-to-close-tax-loophole-abused-by-private-jet-owners/,"Whitehouse, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Close Tax Loophole Abused by Private Jet Owners",2026-07-27,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill extended a major tax break for ultrarich private jet owners

Newly released JCT reports unveil a boom in private jet sales and widespread abuse of tax loophole

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and IRS CEO Frank Bisignano urging the Trump Administration to close the Standard Industry Fare Level (SIFL) loophole that is abused by private jet owners to substantially undervalue the taxable cost of personal travel on a corporate private jet.

Passage of President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ One, Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill made permanent an egregious tax provision allowing 100 percent bonus depreciation for the purchase of corporate aircraft, which the senators argue exacerbates the tax giveaway created by the SIFL loophole, letting the ultrawealthy skirt the true cost of personal private jet travel on corporate aircraft.

“The SIFL loophole compounds this giveaway. By allowing executives to report personal jet travel at a fraction of its true market value, the federal government is effectively subsidizing luxury travel for the wealthiest Americans while ordinary taxpayers bear the cost. The gap between the SIFL rate and actual charter market rates is not a minor technical discrepancy; it is a structural flaw that results in significant foregone tax revenue each year,” wrote the senators.

“The IRS has the existing regulatory authority to either stop using or change the SIFL methodology. We urge you to exercise that authority to close the SIFL loophole and properly align what private jet users can write off with prevailing charter market rates. Such action would require no new legislation and ensure the private jet set pays a fairer share,” concluded the senators.

The senators also today released an analysis by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation detailing the boom in private jet sales after passage of Republicans’ tax cut for corporate jets, and highlighting the extent of the tax revenue lost by the abuse of the SIFL loophole:

2/18/26 Letter from JCT. The analysis responds to an inquiry from the senators on the tax consequences of the SIFL loophole, finding that a wealthy executive would pay roughly between $1,577 and $1,804 less in taxes for a flight from JFK airport in New York City to DCA airport in Washington, D.C. under the SIFL method. The fair market value of that flight could range from $4,500 to $5,112, but under SIFL, that executive would only have to report a value of $235.77. [LETTER]

4/14/26 and 5/29/26 Letters from JCT. The letters respond to an inquiry from the senators on the tax benefits provided to businesses that own private jets for employee use, finding that from 2012 – five years prior to Trump’s 2017 tax law – to 2022, sales revenue from private jets delivered in the United States jumped more than 36 percent. [APRIL LETTER – MAY LETER]

Senators Whitehouse, Warren, Van Hollen, Markey, and Sanders have long been pushing back against Republicans’ bizarre fixation with cutting taxes for private jet owners, and previously wrote to the Biden Administration pushing them to close the SILF loophole.",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-ada-turns-36-reed-cosponsors-resolution-to-uplift-disability-community-and-honor-36-years-of-progress,"As ADA Turns 36, Reed Cosponsors Resolution to Uplift Disability Community and Honor Decades of Progress",2026-07-26,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), prohibiting discrimination based on mental or physical disabilities.

Celebrating the thirty-sixth anniversary of the ADA, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) joined U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) and a group of 28 Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution to honor the disability community, uplift the impact of the historic legislation, and call for continued commitment to increasing inclusivity and accessibility.

The Senate Resolution recognizes: “The importance of independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities made possible by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and calling to protect the right of individuals with disabilities to live in their own homes and communities.”

In the resolution, the Senators outline the ADA’s long-success ensuring individuals with disabilities have the right to live, work, and participate as members of their communities and receive necessary care and support through access to Medicaid home and community-based services. The Senators condemn a June 18th Department of Justice opinion that has since threatened this hard-won progress toward full integration of individuals with disabilities into society and commit to working to stop attempts to dismantle the ADA.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act represents the floor, not the ceiling, of efforts needed to dismantle barriers to full participation, equal opportunity, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities,” reads the Resolution.

Senator Reed stated: “The ADA has made a tremendous difference for individuals, families, communities, and our country. The law broke down barriers, expanded opportunities, made communities more inclusive, and improved equal access and independence for Americans with disabilities. The ADA’s broad benefits strengthen our society and make public places more welcoming for all. As the ADA turns 36, we must continue pushing for progress to ensure every American can participate fully in their community and our democracy.”

The resolution is also cosponsored by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angus King (I-ME), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

Thirty-six years since the ADA was signed into law on July 26th, 1990:

More than 8,400,000 individuals receive home and community-based services through Medicaid;

Individuals with disabilities are participating in the labor force at a rate of over 41 percent;

On average, it is 3 times less expensive to serve someone through home and community-based services relative to an institution; and

Individuals returning to the community from institutions report improved life satisfaction, reduced unmet needs, and enhanced feelings of dignity.

Throughout his career, Senator Reed has championed the ADA and accessibility law to improve accessibility. He supported full Senate ratification of the international Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and helped secure the implementation of technology updates like the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act for sensory impairments. Since 2020, Rhode Island has received nearly $400 million in cumulative federal funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Senator Reed has also fought cuts to Medicaid, which provides long-term care, behavioral services, and medical support to hundreds of thousands of disabled and vulnerable Rhode Islanders.",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-trump-administrations-response-to-nationwide-diarrhea-outbreak-stinks,Reed: Trump Administration’s Response to Nationwide Diarrhea Outbreak Stinks,2026-07-25,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – After the Trump Administration cut $11.4 billion from state and local health departments, slashing public health staff, and winnowing the scope of a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program known as Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), that surveilled trends in foodborne illness, America is experiencing a massive, prolonged outbreak of cyclospora, a foodborne parasite that causes severe diarrhea, and in some cases has led to hospitalizations.

Currently, the ‘explosive diarrhea parasite,’ cyclosporiasis -- which can cause weeks of intestinal illness marked by ""frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements"" -- is running rampant across the U.S., with thousands of cases pushing the outbreak to a record high. Cyclospora spreads via contaminated food or water.

Last year, Trump officials ordered the CDC to stop the mandatory monitoring of cyclospora, as well as five other foodborne illnesses. Instead, the agency just monitors Salmonella and a form of E. coli. Surveillance of cyclospora had previously been mandatory since 1997, before the Trump Administration cut it. Now the country is facing the largest cyclosporiasis outbreak in years.

According to the CDC, cyclosporiasis cases have been reported in 41 different states this year, including Rhode Island. Nine midwestern states have been hit especially hard: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Noting that the FDA said illnesses started on May 17, yet the Trump Administration failed to issue a public notice until July 16, U.S. Senator Jack Reed says the Trump Administration’s short-sighted cuts of staff, resources, and scientific professionals has directly contributed to the nationwide outbreak and likely worsened and prolonged it.

“The Trump Administration cut CDC funding, fired food-safety inspectors, and chose to fracture America’s food-safety system. Now thousands of people are sick, and the Trump Administration is playing catch up while more Americans are at risk from this nasty foodborne parasite,” said Senator Reed. “In past years, this is something the CDC should have been able to identify and help contain. But they no longer have the resources, mandate, or manpower they did under previous administrations. For Trump there’s plenty of money for a new White House ballroom, a 250-foot arch, a failed reflecting pool repair, but basic public health measures just don’t get prioritized. This is just another example of the Trump Administration’s misplaced and short-sighted cuts putting Americans at risk.”

After weeks of trying to keep a lid on the national numbers, the CDC revised its national count on July 14 from the 843 confirmed cases it was reporting late last week upward to 1,645 lab-confirmed, plus more than 5,100 under investigation — totaling nearly 7,000 people nationwide, with 141 hospitalized. Now the Trump Administration says those numbers have climbed to over 4,100 cases and 300 hospitalizations. But the CDC has an additional 7,400 cases that are still awaiting testing and health experts say the real numbers is likely much higher.

Health experts note that cyclosporiasis cases are reported every year in the United States, commonly between May and the end of August, but case counts are typically much lower than they have been this year. For example, Michigan, which has been an epicenter of this outbreak, usually reports roughly 59 cases annually, compared to over 8,000 reported so far this year.

“This is a leadership failure, not the fault of CDC staff on the frontlines. This Administration willfully weakened the federal public health system’s ability to track and respond to foodborne illness outbreaks. President Trump hasn’t saved taxpayers a dime. Instead, he’s prioritizing more money for wars, ballrooms, and whatever other shiny objects he cares about,” said Reed. “As cases continue to spike, this administration needs to be accountable for its failures. President Trump has time to get on the phone to complain to FIFA about red cards. He needs to get on the phone to Secretary Kennedy and do something about this massive and disgusting outbreak.”

Despite the spike in cases, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims the multi-state outbreak is “under control,” telling ABC News: “We have an extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics, and we’ve identified the source of the outbreak. We and the companies that are involved have implemented a recall.”

After some confusion over testing, lettuce grower Taylor Farms initiated a voluntary recall of all its iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, but the problem persists. And WPRI notes some local restaurants who are not part of the outbreak are being unfairly hurt by the lack of clarity and many consumers are forgoing safe, healthy greens because the Trump Administration’s failure to clearly communicate with the public about what is safe and what is not.

Senator Reed is urging the Trump Administration to get its act together and ensure federal and state partners are coordinating to investigate this multistate outbreak and protecting the public by removing tainted products from the market.

The senator wants an investigation that includes Trump health officials briefing Congress and testifying before the Appropriations Committee about the funding needed to effectively contain this outbreak and to restore funding for federal and state food safety programs to prevent future outbreaks.

According to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), the Ocean State has not seen a major outbreak of cyclospora cases this year, but has identified 10 cases so far. Last year, RIDOH tallied 6 cases of the infection last year, and 12 cases in 2024.",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-wyden-demand-update-on-doge-infiltration-of-the-social-security-administration/,"Whitehouse, Wyden Demand Update on DOGE Infiltration of the Social Security Administration",2026-07-24,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Sheldon Whitehouse,W000802,www.whitehouse.senate.gov,whitehouse,https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release,scraper,"Trump put Americans’ sensitive private data at risk

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Frank Bisignano urging the SSA to finally detail the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) activities at the Social Security Administration amid public reporting and whistleblower declarations revealing that DOGE personnel received unauthorized access to American’s sensitive personal data.

“We write seeking meaningful transparency regarding the handling of various information security risks involving staff from the so-called Department of Government Efficiency at the Social Security Administration and to follow up on inadequate responses to prior Congressional inquiries on these matters,” wrote Whitehouse and Wyden. “Over the past fourteen months, we have repeatedly sought basic information about DOGE’s activities at SSA. Your responses have either been unresponsive or later disproved by SSA’s own admissions.”

Whitehouse, Wyden and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) first wrote to Commissioner Bisignano in November 2025 urging the SSA to take all appropriate steps to guarantee that DOGE’s actions did not American seniors exposed to identity theft, fraud, or other risks. In a later Department of Justice (DOJ) court filing, the federal government disclosed that DOGE staffers shared sensitive data on a third-party server – without the knowledge of SSA officials – and shared data with an outside political group. The Washington Post reported in March on a whistleblower disclosure claiming a DOGE employee copied a database of highly sensitive SSA data on a personal thumb drive to share with his new private sector employer.

“These admissions and whistleblower statements damage SSA’s decades-long history of protecting Americans’ sensitive information and discredit your past assurances to protect Americans’ data. It is long overdue you provide the American people a straight answer,” concluded the senators.

The DOGE infiltration of SSA and other administrative agencies posed substantial risks to Americans’ data and wellbeing. New reporting in the Washington Post found that at least two dozen former DOGE staffers remain embedded in the Trump administration, many of whom have been handed key national security or data security positions. Vulnerabilities and bugs left behind in these systems could put Americans at risk of getting scammed, hacked, or even spied on by foreign governments.

Last July, Whitehouse, Wyden, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the Pick Up After Your DOGE Act, legislation requiring a comprehensive audit of federal agency computer systems and networks accessed by DOGE staff. Without a proper and total review of security vulnerabilities, the risk remains that Donald Trump’s Big Tech and AI allies are given unfettered access to a massive trove of Americans’ data by former DOGE employees to enrich themselves and undermine their competitors.

A PDF of the letter is available here and the text of the letter is below.

July 22, 2026

The Honorable Frank Bisignano

Commissioner

Social Security Administration

6401 Security Blvd.

Baltimore, MD 21235

Dear Commissioner Bisignano:

We write seeking meaningful transparency regarding the handling of various information security risks involving staff from the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the Social Security Administration (SSA) and to follow up on inadequate responses to prior Congressional inquiries on these matters.

Over the past fourteen months, we have repeatedly sought basic information about DOGE’s activities at SSA.[1] Your responses have either been unresponsive or later disproved by SSA’s own admissions.

During your confirmation hearing, you committed to Senator Whitehouse to conduct a total review of SSA’s databases and security protocols to ensure Americans’ data is protected. In November 2025, we wrote seeking an update on your promised audit of SSA’s systems for vulnerabilities left behind by DOGE.[2] Rather than providing the findings of an audit, your January 6, 2026 response simply offered the assurance that “SSA’s systems and data are secure and managed under strict security protocols, consistent with Federal and industry standards” and asserted that “neither the Numident database nor any of its data has been accessed, leaked, hacked, or shared in any unauthorized manner.”[3]

Your assurance lasted all of a few days. In a January 16 court filing – ten days later – the Department of Justice (DOJ) disclosed that DOGE employees at SSA failed to comply with a federal district court order and may have violated multiple federal and agency data privacy and security policies.[4] Specifically, DOGE employees at SSA shared data via Cloudflare – a third-party server that was not approved for Social Security data – without the knowledge of agency officials.[5] Additionally, a DOGE staffer transmitted an encrypted file that DHS believed to contain the names and addresses of approximately 1,000 individuals drawn from SSA systems to DOGE affiliates outside the agency.[6] To date, SSA has yet to determine with certainty what data was shared in either case.

Most disturbingly, DOJ disclosed in the court filing that a member of SSA’s DOGE team signed a “Voter Data Agreement,” in his capacity as an SSA employee, with a still unnamed political advocacy group that explicitly sought to use SSA data to challenge election results in certain states.[7] SSA rightly recognized the seriousness of this allegation, prompting two referrals to the Office of Special Counsel for possible Hatch Act violations.[8] However, despite repeated requests from Congress, SSA has refused to provide unredacted information related to these complaints, instead providing heavily redacted documents. SSA’s lack of transparency on this matter is made all the more concerning as President Trump continues to double down on dangerous election conspiracy theories heading into the November midterms.[9]

In March 2026, The Washington Post reported on a whistleblower complaint regarding a former DOGE software engineer who had unfettered access to two tightly restricted databases of Americans’ personal information. According to the complaint, the individual copied at least one of those databases onto a personal thumb drive and planned to upload the data to his new job’s databases for its own use.[10] This complaint follows a separate one filed in June 2025 by Charles Borges, SSA’s former chief data officer, who alleged that DOGE staff had uploaded a copy of the Numident database to a cloud environment lacking appropriate oversight.[11] We again wrote to you asking for information about your promised forensic audit of DOGE staff’s activity at the agency in March 2026, and again, your reply failed to respond to the inquiries made in our letter.[12]

These admissions and whistleblower statements damage SSA’s decades-long history of protecting Americans’ sensitive information and discredit your past assurances to protect Americans’ data. It is long overdue you provide the American people a straight answer. In light of the developments described above, we ask that you provide written responses to our outstanding questions we previously sent to you no later than July 31, 2026:

From our March 24, 2026 Letter:

Has SSA conducted a full forensic audit of all devices, accounts, and external transfer mechanisms—including thumb drives, personal email, Cloudflare, and other third-party services—used by DOGE personnel during their tenure at the agency? If so, please provide a copy of the audit report. If not, why not, and when will such an audit be completed?

Has SSA determined whether any of the data allegedly exfiltrated has been accessed, used, shared, or sold by the former DOGE employee or any third party? What steps is SSA taking to retrieve or contain that data?

Have you requested the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the allegations made by the whistleblower? If not, why not?

From our November 21, 2025 Letter:

We respectfully ask that you provide:

An update on your review of SSA databases and IT systems;

A description of any vulnerabilities, breaches, or irregularities that audit has revealed;

The steps SSA has taken to mitigate any risks created by DOGE’s activities; and

A timeline for completing any outstanding reviews or corrective actions.

We appreciate your attention to these matters and look forward to a substantive response to each of the questions above.

###

[1] Letter from Senator Gillibrand et al. to Acting Commissioner Dudek (April 8, 2025); Letter from Senator Warren et al. to Acting Commissioner Dudek (April 23, 2025); Letter from Senator Gillibrand et al. to Commissioner Bisignano (June 23, 2025); Letter from Senator Whitehouse et al. to Commissioner Bisignano (November 21, 2025).

[2] Letter from Senator Whitehouse et al. to Commissioner Bisignano (November 21, 2025).

[3] Letter from Commissioner Bisignano to Senator Whitehouse et al. (January 6, 2026).

[4] Notice of Corrections to the Record at 5, AFSCME v. Social Security Administration, No. 25-cv-00596-ELH (D. Md. Jan. 16, 2026), https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26496273/doge.pdf.

[5] Id at 6.

[6] Id at 3.

[7] Id at 5.

[8] Id.

[9] David E. Sanger and Dustin Volz, “Trump Promised Proof of Election Tampering. His Document Release Fell Far Short,” The New York Times (July 17, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/us/politics/trump-election-tampering-document-release.html

[10] Meryl Kornfield, Elizabeth Dwoskin, and Lisa Rein, “Whistleblower claims ex-DOGE member says he took Social Security data to new job,” The Washington Post (Mar. 10, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/03/10/social-security-data-breach-doge-2/

[11] Nicholas Nehamas, “DOGE Put Critical Social Security Data at Risk, Whistle-Blower Says,” The New York Times (August 26, 2025), https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/us/politics/doge-social-security-data.html?eafs_enabled=false",1,2026-07-25T07:13:44Z,2026-07-25T07:15:09Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-calls-for-increased-funding-to-combat-tick-borne-illnesses,Reed Calls for Increased Funding to Combat Tick-borne Illnesses,2026-07-24,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"WARWICK, RI – The uptick of little blood suckers demands a surge in federal funding and preventive measures to combat ticks in 2026.

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a leading member of the Appropriations Committee, today joined renowned researcher, Dr. Thomas Mather from the University of Rhode Island (URI), and local Lyme disease patients and advocates at Warwick City Park to call for increased federal investments in combatting and preventing Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Speakers at the event stressed they want Rhode Islanders to continue enjoying the great outdoors while taking commonsense measures to battle uninvited ticks and the variety of dangerous diseases they bring with them.

Dr. Mather notes that Rhode Island has seen tick encounters rise over the last decade, including a surge of the aggressive Lone Star tick population in the Ocean State.

Rhode Island and the nation are currently experiencing a surge in tick-borne illnesses. In response, Senator Reed is urging Congress to reverse the Trump Administration’s federal research cuts and increase funding to boost research and surveillance and develop better testing and treatments as well as more effective, targeted tick-control measures to prevent the spread of these blood-sucking bugs.

Senator Reed is fighting for $275 million in federal funding for research of ticks and tickborne diseases in the 2027 federal budget, a significant $90 million boost over what Congress allocated in fiscal year 2026 toward these efforts.

Reed says it is a needed investment given that Lyme disease alone is estimated to cost the U.S. health system over $1 billion each year, and that figure does not fully account for other tick-borne infections, veterinary care, or livestock industry losses. In fact, a 2025 report found that: “Each year diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens result in an estimated 13-19 billion USD in losses to livestock producers in the United States alone.”

Reed says getting Rhode Island’s tick population under control is also an economic imperative for the state’s tourism industry. Rising tick populations and a surge in tick-borne illnesses pose a threat to regional and ecotourism. Visitor concerns over tick-borne illnesses can cause people to alter travel plans, choose different destinations, and cause major drops in outdoor recreation bookings.

“Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses continue to pose serious, growing public health challenges. We’ve made a lot of progress but more must be done. Federal research and intervention investments are critical to staying ahead of these often-mysterious diseases and keeping people safe, particularly here in Rhode Island and throughout the Northeast,” said Reed, who was instrumental in establishing a national strategy to combat Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases in 2016. “People should be able to enjoy the great outdoors while staying safe and being aware of how they can best protect themselves and their families. I’ll continue to push for smart investments that help pave the way for new federal research and coordination by experts like Dr. Mather and his team to better understand the best and safest ways to protect people from tick bites.”

Mather added that ticks have become more widespread in recent years – not just in Rhode Island, but across the country and invading new ecosystems – from forests to more populated areas. And now it’s not just blacklegged ticks (also known as deer ticks) on the move. Data collected through URI’s TickEncounter program, led by Dr. Mather (also known as “The TickGuy”), shows a 1,300 percent increase in Lone Star tick encounters recorded by residents in the Ocean State over the last decade. Another tick, the invasive longhorned tick has also moved into parts of Rhode Island, especially on Block Island and southern Rhode Island coastal communities.

“With more types of ticks, disease risk can get confusing,” Mather explained. “It is important for people to know how to distinguish between the species because the different types of ticks transmit different disease-causing germs. Knowing the type of tick and the different diseases they are associated with can help guide the level of concern following a tick encounter, and also the most appropriate next steps someone encountering a tick should take. For example, since Lone star ticks don’t transmit the Lyme disease germ, or any of the same germs transmitted by blacklegged ticks, there would be no benefit to taking a prophylactic dose of antibiotics to help prevent Lyme disease if bitten by a lone star tick.”

There are about 15 disease microbes transmitted by a variety of ticks in different regions of the United States. The deer tick, found widely in the Northeast, transmits seven diseases, including the “big three” most common illnesses: Lyme disease; which is the most prevalent. Almost half a million Americans contract Lyme disease every year, researchers estimate; Anaplasmosis, which infects white cells and causes systemic illness; and Babesiosis, a blood infection that can cause severe illness caused by the parasite babesia microti that is spread to humans by ticks who get it from white-footed mice.

Also increasingly prevalent in New England is the Lone Star tick (named for the distinctive white patch on the back of females) which can induce an allergic reaction through their bite that can cause Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS), which sometimes causes a red meat allergy, flu-like symptoms, and other side effects. Other serious ailments spread by certain types of ticks include Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the Powassan virus.

As Congress debates appropriations, the increased funding sought by Senator Reed includes an additional $25 million for tick-borne disease research at the National Institute of Health (NIH) as well as an additional $10 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) tick programs, including public awareness campaigns. Additionally, $50 million is being requested to develop a clinical trials network for faster testing and improved treatments through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is also calling for a $2 million investment in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Tick-Borne Research Program (TBDRP) to improve military readiness by identifying and assessing current and emerging health threats, developing and communicating public health solutions, and assuring the quality and effectiveness of the Army’s Public Health Enterprise.",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-measles-cases-hit-35-year-record-high-reed-slams-trump-admin-for-negligence-and-urges-parents-to-check-with-their-pediatricians-about-measles-vaccine,"As Measles Cases Hit 35-Year Record High, Reed Slams Trump Admin. for Negligence & Urges Parents to Check with Their Pediatricians About Measles Vaccine",2026-07-23,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,RI,Jack Reed,R000122,www.reed.senate.gov,jackreed,https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases,scraper,"PROVIDENCE, RI – Cases of measles have already surged past last year’s total and now stand at 2,295 — the highest level of measles in the U.S. in 35 years, according to Johns Hopkins University’s U.S. measles tracker. So far this year, 93 percent of the infections involve the unvaccinated or those with unknown vaccination status. Health experts warn the disease is starting to threaten even well-protected regions, where vaccination rates are high, because of the highly contagious nature of the disease and the strain on limited resources.

With children scheduled to head back to school in a few weeks, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is urging families to check with their pediatrician and make sure their children are up to date on immunizations. He is also criticizing the Trump Administration’s dismissive and unproductive response to the outbreak for making children less safe.

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease caused by a virus that destroys immune cells and can lead to severe complications – including hearing loss, blindness, and cognitive decline -- and even death.

Once quite common, in 2000, the disease was deemed to be officially ‘eliminated’ in the U.S., defined as the absence of endemic measles virus transmission for more than 12 months.

But now, after the Trump Administration targeted federal public health agencies for mass-firings and short-sighted cuts, promoted anti-vaccine propaganda, and focused on unproven treatments, a rash of measles cases is spreading in states across the country. In fact, the U.S. has already seen more cases in the past 18 months than in the previous two decades combined.

Senator Reed accused the Trump Administration of exacerbating the spread of measles by spreading vaccine misinformation and failing to coordinate with state health officials. The Trump Administration’s systemic failure could cause the U.S. to lose its elimination status later this year.

“We had measles beat, but now the Trump Administration is eroding herd immunity and making America contagious again. Measles is a dangerous virus. There appears to be a direct correlation between the resurgence of measles and the Trump Administration’s irresponsible cuts to public health and attacks on vaccines. Too many otherwise healthy children have died from this preventable disease. That is both a tragedy and a national failing that needs to be corrected to prevent future avoidable deaths. For too long, the Trump Administration has pushed an anti-science agenda that has left more Americans, especially kids, at risk. The Trump Administration can help stop the spread of measles with three easy steps: rehire public health experts, stop spreading misinformation and anti-vaccine sentiments, and encourage people to get immunized,” said Senator Reed.

The successful U.S.-led fight to effectively eradicate measles at home and abroad spared countless children from suffering, long-term health damage, and death.

But now, after Trump’s HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who spent years systemically stoking anti-vaccination sentiment and lobbying for lax vaccination rules – and downplayed the threat of measles -- the disease is creeping back and putting more Americans at risk.

Moreover, it’s not just those that opt out of vaccinations who are at risk. Measles is extremely transmissible. Children don’t get their first vaccine dose until after 12 months, and full protection doesn’t kick in until they get their booster, usually between ages 4 and 6, making young children, especially infants, particularly vulnerable.

Nearly one out of every three children under the age of 5 who catches measles ends up in the hospital, according to healthychildren.org, which offers tips to protect children from the disease.

“The best way to protect people from measles is to prevent it from circulating. Through decades of bipartisan and diligent coordinated efforts, America achieved that goal, but now we’re starting to see measles make a comeback. The Trump Administration has to do a better job. Public health is a relay race, and HHS Secretary Kennedy -- who has no professional public health expertise or experience -- dropped the baton. Instead of misleading people and spreading misinformation, this Administration needs to provide the public with accurate scientific facts and do a better job when it comes to childhood vaccinations,” said Reed.

The states with the most cases include South Carolina, Utah, Texas, Florida and Arizona. This week, a measles outbreak was declared in Delaware. So far this year, Rhode Island has reported two confirmed cases of measles, both of which were unrelated and connected to international travel, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.

According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, about 97 percent of students entering kindergarten in Rhode Island have received their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot. Due to the state’s high vaccination rate and herd immunity, a serious measles outbreak is less likely to spread widely in Rhode Island than in a place like Texas that has lower rates of childhood vaccination uptake.

Doctors say the most effective way to combat the measles is to get vaccinated: it is 97 percent effective in preventing illness. Health officials suggest individuals born between 1963 and 1967 should check with their physician to see if they need to be immunized again.",1,2026-07-24T07:30:11Z,2026-07-24T07:31:13Z