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Murray, Peters, Schumer, & Merkley Lead All Senate Democrats in Demanding OMB Rescind Rule Giving President Sweeping Power to Politicize Federal Grants
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on July 2, 2026:
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Murray, Peters, Schumer, & Merkley Lead All Senate Democrats in Demanding OMB Rescind Rule Giving President Sweeping Power to Politicize Federal Grants
U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Democratic Leader; and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on July 2, 2026:
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Murray, Peters, Schumer, & Merkley Lead All Senate Democrats in Demanding OMB Rescind Rule Giving President Sweeping Power to Politicize Federal Grants
U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Democratic Leader; and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the SenateBudget Committee, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in demanding Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought immediately rescind OMB's proposed regulation on federal financial assistance. The senators warned the proposal exceeds OMB's statutory authority, undermines Congress's constitutional power of the purse, and would allow the President to weaponize federal grants for political purposes.
"Your proposal exceeds OMB's authority, will make it impossible for grant recipients to faithfully carry out the funding priorities that Congress establishes in statute, and would turn federal grants into a new cudgel for the President to unilaterally advance his partisan agenda and punish political rivals," the senators wrote. "Ultimately, these changes will make it harder for grant recipients to apply for and manage federal funds - undermining public safety, public health, economic competitiveness, and the government's ability to address rising costs."
The proposed rule would dramatically expand agencies' authority to terminate or suspend federal grants at any time and without notice. It would also require political appointees to make funding decisions without deferring to expert peer review. The senators warn this would inject partisan politics into grantmaking, threaten America's leadership in scientific and medical innovation, and create chaos for communities and organizations that rely on federal funding to deliver critical services.
"Rather than focusing on fulfilling the statutory purposes of a grant program, applicants and recipients will be forced to play an endless guessing game, trying to determine which of their activities may or may not run afoul of OMB's ambiguous regulations or the president's whims," the senators wrote.
The senators also argue that OMB's proposal would force grant recipients to comply with vague, undefined, and political grant conditions that conflict with existing statutes. At the same time, it would weaken transparency and accountability requirements intended to safeguard taxpayer dollars. These changes could discourage qualified organizations from applying for federal grants and increase the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.
The senators concluded: "Article I of the Constitution vests the power of the purse in Congress, which Congress has historically exercised by appropriating taxpayer dollars through federal grants to fund critical programs, including to protect public safety, advance scientific research, and support health and nutrition initiatives. OMB's proposal unlawfully seeks to substitute Congress's role in directing federal spending with the President's preferred priorities, and in doing so, makes it harder for every community and organization in the United States to fairly access federal funding. We call on you to rescind this proposal."
Every member of the Senate Democratic caucus signed the letter. Joining Senators Murray, Peters, Schumer, and Merkley in sending the letter were U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), 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), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Full text of the letter is available HERE (https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/1.pdf).
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Original text here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/murray-peters-schumer-and-merkley-lead-all-senate-democrats-in-demanding-omb-rescind-rule-giving-president-sweeping-power-to-politicize-federal-grants
Members of the N.M. Delegation Demand Answers from USPS Regarding Delay in Rebuilding the Chimayo Post Office
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release:
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Members of the N.M. Delegation Demand Answers from USPS Regarding Delay in Rebuilding the Chimayo Post Office
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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.) wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner demanding that the United States Postal Service (USPS) provide answers and an update regarding the delay in the rebuilding project for the Chimayo Post Office.
This letter follows the USPS's announcement
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release:
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Members of the N.M. Delegation Demand Answers from USPS Regarding Delay in Rebuilding the Chimayo Post Office
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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.) wrote to Postmaster General David Steiner demanding that the United States Postal Service (USPS) provide answers and an update regarding the delay in the rebuilding project for the Chimayo Post Office.
This letter follows the USPS's announcementof delays to the timeline regarding the construction of a new Chimayo Post Office, which burned down over three years ago. Recently, USPS stated that the completion date has been delayed to Spring of 2027 from the expected completion of the fall of 2026. The N.M. Delegation has consistently fought to restore a permanent, full-service post office in Chimayo, where it has long served as a cornerstone of the community.
"Our delegation remains fully committed to advocating for our constituents who depend on these essential services. We call on the United States Postal Service (USPS) to provide a detailed explanation for this delay, along with an updated, definitive timeline for when full services will be restored to the community," wrote the lawmakers.
"This further delay is deeply alarming and unacceptable, given that the community was previously assured operations would be fully restored by fall 2026," continued the lawmakers.
"Chimayo residents have waited long enough; they deserve transparency, a direct response, and real commitment," concluded the lawmakers.
Read the full letter here and below :
Dear Postmaster General Steiner,
We are profoundly disappointed by the United States Postal Service's decision to delay the critical rebuilding project for the Chimayo Post Office. Our delegation remains fully committed to advocating for our constituents who depend on these essential services. We call on the United States Postal Service (USPS) to provide a detailed explanation for this delay, along with an updated, definitive timeline for when full services will be restored to the community.
It has been now more than three years since the Chimayo Post Office burned down on February 12, 2023. Throughout this period, our delegation has consistently urged the USPS to provide transparent updates on reinstating local operations. Regrettably, we have only received broad assurances. In the absence of direct communication from USPS, constituents understandably question whether progress is being made. The community of Chimayo deserves transparent communication from USPS.
On December 12, 2025, we sent a joint letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging USPS to take all necessary actions to prioritize and ensure that the rebuilding of the Chimayo Post Office is completed in 2026. We also requested that USPS publicly commit to a clear, achievable timeline for the community of Chimayo. USPS responded with a letter which stated that postal officials completed lease negotiations with Santa Fe County for the Postal Service to occupy the space located at 205 Juan Medina Road in Chimayo. They also mentioned that since the lease has been finalized, the Design and Construction team will begin the postal infrastructure buildout and can expect completion by fall 2026.
Recently, we requested USPS provide an update on the Chimayo facility, only to be informed that USPS is still in the construction award phase, with a new projected completion date of spring 2027. This further delay is deeply alarming and unacceptable, given that the community was previously assured operations would be fully restored by fall 2026.
Moving the timeline yet again inflicts undue hardship on the residents who rely on these services daily. Therefore, we urge USPS to brief the delegation no later than July 16, 2026, on the latest setback, along with a concrete, binding timeline for the project's completion. Chimayo residents have waited long enough; they deserve transparency, a direct response, and real commitment.
We appreciate your attention to this critical matter affecting our constituents and urge USPS to prioritize this project and adequately take the necessary steps to provide full- service post office operations.
Sincerely,
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Original text here: https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/members-of-the-n-m-delegation-demand-answers-from-usps-regarding-delay-in-rebuilding-the-chimayo-post-office/
Lujan Pushes Trump Administration to Release Affordable Housing Construction Funds
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release:
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Lujan Pushes Trump Administration to Release Affordable Housing Construction Funds
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Washington, D.C. - As President Trump continues to slow-walk a bipartisan housing affordability bill that already passed through Congress, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) is teaming up with U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and several colleagues in urging the president to unlock community development tools and promptly release $750 million in federal housing construction funds.
Earlier this month, Congress passed
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release:
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Lujan Pushes Trump Administration to Release Affordable Housing Construction Funds
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Washington, D.C. - As President Trump continues to slow-walk a bipartisan housing affordability bill that already passed through Congress, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) is teaming up with U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and several colleagues in urging the president to unlock community development tools and promptly release $750 million in federal housing construction funds.
Earlier this month, Congress passedthe bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to help build more housing, lower costs, streamline construction regulations, and curb private equity's ability to buy up single-family homes and drive up housing prices. Instead of signing the law, which passed with veto-proof majorities, President Trump is sitting on it.
With housing prices near record highs, the Trump Administration is also sitting on approximately $750 million in housing construction funds available under the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF), Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and Housing Production-Financial Assistance Awards (HP-FA) programs. These federal funds can be leveraged by state and local organizations to develop, preserve, rehabilitate, and increase the supply of affordable housing. Together, these programs strengthen communities, revitalize neighborhoods, create jobs, and ensure more Americans can afford a high-quality home at a decent price that fits their budget.
The housing affordability crisis is compounded by the fact that President Trump's policies - including his tariffs and reckless war with Iran - have increased the cost of construction and slowed the pace of building new affordable housing units nationwide.
This week, Senator Lujan and 22 of colleagues sent 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.
"We write to urge you to immediately direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of the Treasury to release approximately $750 million in housing construction funds available under the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF), Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and Housing Production-Financial Assistance Awards (HP-FA) programs," the Senators wrote, noting that release of the funds could help build or rehabilitate over 63,000 homes at no cost to American taxpayers.
"Today, Americans are suffering through a housing affordability crisis. Single-family home prices and the average age of first-time homebuyers hit record highs last year, while more households are paying unsustainable amounts of rent than ever before. You have the ability to increase our nation's housing supply and help address this crisis. With that in mind, we urge you to direct the release of these funds without any further delay," the letter continued.
In addition to Lujan and Reed, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Patty Murray (D-WA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).
Full text of the letter follows :
Dear Director Vought:
We write to urge you to immediately direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of the Treasury to release approximately $750 million in housing construction funds available under the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF), Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and Housing Production-Financial Assistance Awards (HP-FA) programs.
These funds, which are derived from the profits of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and revenue from the Emergency Capital Investment Program, could pay to build or rehabilitate over 63,000 homes at no cost to American taxpayers. OMB has never failed to ensure annual CMF and HTF funds are released, even during President Trump's first term. Regrettably, the Trump Administration has now withheld some of these funds for over a year.
Today, Americans are suffering through a housing affordability crisis. Single-family home prices and the average age of first-time homebuyers hit record highs last year, while more households are paying unsustainable amounts of rent than ever before. This crisis is nationwide: home prices have surged 40% in Texas, 43% in Iowa, 54% in Georgia, and 65% in Maine over the past six years - far outpacing wages and overall inflation. You have the ability to increase our nation's housing supply and help address this crisis. With that in mind, we urge you to direct the release of these funds without any further delay.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
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Original text here: https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-pushes-trump-administration-to-release-affordable-housing-construction-funds/
House Ways & Means Ranking Member Neal Issues Statement on June 2026 Jobs Report
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement on July 2, 2026:
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Neal Statement on June 2026 Jobs Report
SPRINGFIELD, MA--Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the June 2026 jobs report:
"The consequences of the President's failed economic agenda are catching up with him, and the American people are left paying the price with higher costs and stunted opportunities. His illegal tariff
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement on July 2, 2026:
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Neal Statement on June 2026 Jobs Report
SPRINGFIELD, MA--Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the June 2026 jobs report:
"The consequences of the President's failed economic agenda are catching up with him, and the American people are left paying the price with higher costs and stunted opportunities. His illegal tariffregime has sent manufacturing into stagnation, and their Big, Ugly Law is in the process of gutting the very sector keeping this shaky job market afloat.
"Who the Republican economy works for--and who it leaves behind--could not be starker. Trump is only focused on what's in it for himself. He balloons his own net worth by billions, parades himself with a plane gifted by a foreign government, and builds himself a gilded ballroom all on the taxpayer dime. Families are still wondering, what's in it for them? Fewer jobs, cancelled summer vacations, and an even more expensive life, all thanks to a President who brags about not caring about them.
"Americans need leaders who will stop rigging the game for those at the top and start making life better for their families."
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Original text here: https://democrats-waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-statement-june-2026-jobs-report
House Ways & Means Chairman Smith Issues Statement on June 2026 Jobs Report
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement on July 2, 2026:
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Chairman Smith on Jobs Report: One Year Later, Working Families Tax Cuts is Unleashing Blue-Collar Boom
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the jobs report for June 2026, showing American businesses created 57,000 new jobs:
"One year ago on July 4th, President Trump signed into law the historic One, Big, Beautiful Bill, the largest tax cut in American
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement on July 2, 2026:
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Chairman Smith on Jobs Report: One Year Later, Working Families Tax Cuts is Unleashing Blue-Collar Boom
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the jobs report for June 2026, showing American businesses created 57,000 new jobs:
"One year ago on July 4th, President Trump signed into law the historic One, Big, Beautiful Bill, the largest tax cut in Americanhistory. One year later, economic data continues to show that workers, families, farmers, small businesses, and manufacturers have more opportunity thanks to those tax cuts.
"Workers have more money in their pockets from tax refunds that were 11 percent larger on average than last year, and manufacturing workers have gained back all the income lost due to President Biden's 21 percent inflation nightmare. The economy is in the middle of an investment and export boom that is creating good-paying jobs for working-class Americans.
"Last year, American producers exported a record $3.4 trillion and capital investment in new facilities, machinery, and technology is up an outstanding 17 percent. 70,000 new manufacturing jobs have been created just this year alone and private businesses hired another 905,000 net new workers. America First policy is rebuilding the American manufacturing base and restoring our nations' economic strength to the benefit of working families."
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Original text here: https://waysandmeans.house.gov/2026/07/02/chairman-smith-on-jobs-report-one-year-later-working-families-tax-cuts-is-unleashing-blue-collar-boom/
House Appropriations Ranking Member DeLauro Issues Remarks at Markup of FY 2027 Labor, HHS, Education, Related Agencies Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following opening remarks on June 5, 2026, at a Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies markup of the fiscal 2027 appropriations bill:
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Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and Chairman Cole it is good to be here this morning dealing with the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. I think it is the center of whatever the Congress does with regard to the overall lives of people in this nation - this bill touches on every single aspect of their
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following opening remarks on June 5, 2026, at a Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies markup of the fiscal 2027 appropriations bill:
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Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and Chairman Cole it is good to be here this morning dealing with the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. I think it is the center of whatever the Congress does with regard to the overall lives of people in this nation - this bill touches on every single aspect of theirlives. I view it as a critical effort for all of us so I thank you for the work on the bill.
I also want to say a thank you to the subcommittee staff for all of their work: Stephen Steigleder, Jackie Kilroy, Laurie Mignone, and Philip Tizzani for the minority, and Kathryn Salmon, Emily Goff, Kirk Boyle, Jaime Varela, Michaela Boudreaux, and Alexandra Mandewo on the majority side. Thank you for all the work that you do.
Before I make my comments on the bill, I want to acknowledge that I believe it is the last subcommittee markup for Mr. Hoyer, Ms. Watson Coleman. And I just want to say thank you to both of them for their work.
Steny, you were on this committee, the Labor-HHS subcommittee, long before I got on to the committee so you have a great history with this effort. And it has been a privilege to work with you on these efforts, and these issues which I know are so near and dear to your heart, and you will be missed in this body for the values and the attributes you have brought from your years of experience in public service. So thank you, very, very much.
And to my colleague, Bonnie Watson Coleman, I would just say she is a force to be reckoned with. She approaches her work with great compassion, and with great moral clarity I might add. Thank you for being such a fierce advocate for those who oftentimes do not have a voice in what is happening. We will miss you on this committee.
So my congratulations to the two of you for remarkable careers, and we still have work to do in the next several months. Now, on to the business before us this morning.
I do not think it comes as a surprise I am opposed to the bill that we are considering today. Americans are struggling to afford everything from gasoline to groceries; from utilities to health insurance; from mortgage payments to medical bills. But instead of doing anything to address the affordability crisis - which is a real crisis, it is not a hoax or a con job as the president claims - this bill makes the problem even worse.
Healthcare costs are going up, and hospitals are shutting down. The president's signature piece of legislation - the One Big Beautiful Bill - cut Medicaid and nutrition assistance by $1.2 trillion. It will push 15 million Americans off their health insurance. And all of this just to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations.
The president said we do not have money for day care, for Medicare, for Medicaid, because, quote, "we are fighting wars." The president wants to increase the Defense budget by half a trillion dollars. Meanwhile, this bill cuts funding for education, public health, reproductive health, and job training.
Horace Mann called education the "great equalizer." Lyndon Johnson called it, "the only passport from poverty." FDR called it, "the real safeguard of democracy." The belief in education as an inalienable right is woven into the fabric of our country. It is the promise we make to each succeeding generation that they will be better off than the last.
Yet this bill cuts $8 billion - 10 percent - from the Department of Education. That includes a $2 billion cut to Title I grants, which will push tens of thousands of teachers out of their classrooms, and leave countless children with a worse education. This is a step down the path toward eliminating public education in this nation, but I believe that is the ultimate goal of the majority.
As new technology upends the workforce, and inflation outpaces wage growth, this bill eviscerates funding for employment and training programs by $3.3 billion - one-third below the 2026 level. It eliminates funding for adult and youth job training entirely, while cutting funding for the Job Corps in half.
This bill cuts funding for Health and Human Service programs by $4.5 billion, including a $1 billion cut to the CDC. The majority of these cuts target programs that combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic, jeopardizing the extraordinary progress we have made toward defeating this disease.
The recent Ebola outbreak threatens to become the deadliest in history. But this bill leaves funding for CDC global health activities stagnant, which will not be nearly enough to sustain our global presence after the State Department's decision to restructure the PEPFAR program.
This bill continues the decades-long Republican crusade against women's reproductive health. Even now, years after Roe was overturned, they are still pushing to restrict access to reproductive care - regardless of what state you are in.
The bill cuts funding for Title X Family Planning, leaving 2.6 million men and women without access to preventive care services, including cancer screenings, diabetes screenings, mental health services, and contraception. It eliminates the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program entirely. And it includes dozens of partisan provisions that target reproductive health care access.
And as if the healthcare cuts in the Big Beautiful Bill were not enough, this bill cuts $2 billion in operations funding from the Affordable Care Act marketplace, threatening health care coverage for millions of Americans. Even if you qualify for an affordable plan through the program, you will have a harder time accessing it.
The Trump Administration and House Republicans are squeezing American families from both ends--increasing costs of daily necessities while hollowing out health, education, nutrition, and housing programs that help families make ends meet.
Despite these objections, there are some bright spots in this bill that deserve recognition.
First, I am glad to see the overall funding level for the National Institutes of Health is increased under this bill, especially targeted increases for research on cancer, Alzheimer's, ALS, diabetes, women's health, and rare diseases.
Second, during our subcommittee hearing on the Science of Reading earlier this year, I called for this committee to reestablish a National Reading Panel to explore ways to improve how we teach our children to read. I am pleased that this committee has answered that call, and I want to commend Congressman Harder for his advocacy on this issue. I support these provisions and applaud their inclusion. However, I remain overwhelmingly opposed to the legislation as a whole.
Taken together, the bill undermines education, jeopardizes public health, and limits workers' opportunities. It does nothing to address the rising cost of living, while stripping away crucial support that helps families who are navigating the affordability crisis.
I encourage a "No" vote on this legislation, and call on my Republican colleagues to work with Democrats to craft a bill that meets the needs the American people are facing.
Thank you, and I yield back.
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Original text here: https://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/news/statements/ranking-member-delauro-remarks-fiscal-year-2027-labor-health-and-human-services
Gillibrand Calls To Ban Trump And Elected Officials From Issuing Memecoins
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release:
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Gillibrand Calls To Ban Trump And Elected Officials From Issuing Memecoins
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Following new reporting on President Trump's personal financial disclosures -which show that his single largest source of income in 2025, $636 million, came from issuing a memecoin - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand renewed her call for Congress to bar all elected officials, and their spouses, from issuing or sponsoring their own digital assets. Under the proposal Senator Gillibrand has championed alongside a group of
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, issued the following news release:
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Gillibrand Calls To Ban Trump And Elected Officials From Issuing Memecoins
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Following new reporting on President Trump's personal financial disclosures -which show that his single largest source of income in 2025, $636 million, came from issuing a memecoin - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand renewed her call for Congress to bar all elected officials, and their spouses, from issuing or sponsoring their own digital assets. Under the proposal Senator Gillibrand has championed alongside a group ofcolleagues, it would be illegal for President Trump to issue or sponsor any digital asset, including memecoins. The First Lady also issued her own memecoin and separately reported $6 million in income from NFTs and other digital collectibles.
"This is a commonsense requirement that should get broad bipartisan support - public officials and their spouses should not be issuing memecoins. We cannot let self-dealing destroy an opportunity to strengthen consumer protections, crack down on illicit finance, and expand economic opportunity for the millions of Americans our financial system has left behind," said Senator Gillibrand. "The time to act is now -and that must include ethics reforms that prohibit members of Congress, the president, and their spouses from cashing in on their office."
Earlier this year, speaking from the main stage at a conference of industry insiders, Senator Gillibrand declared that no bill would pass without an ethics provision that captures the president's own activity. She has spent years working to regulate a crypto industry that today operates with little to no consumer protection and increasingly offshore, beyond the reach of U.S. law. Earlier this year, she also led a bipartisan bill to crack down on the newly created prediction markets and has been a longtime leader in efforts to ban all members of Congress and their spouses from owning or trading stocks while in office.
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Original text here: https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/gillibrand-calls-to-ban-trump-and-elected-officials-from-issuing-memecoins/
Defense Subcommittee Ranking Member McCollum Issues Remarks at Markup of 2027 Defense Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following remarks on June 24, 2026, at a markup of fiscal 2027 Defense funding bill:
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Thank you very much, Chairman Cole.
I want to start by again thanking the majority and minority staff: Jennifer, Jason, and Ed on the minority side, and Taylor, Keri Lyn, Gina, Colleen, Max, Ariana, Jackie, Daniel, and both Adams. And, I would also like to thank my personal staff, Ben Peterson, and my Military Fellow from the United States Army, Robby, for their hard work
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WASHINGTON, July 3 -- Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following remarks on June 24, 2026, at a markup of fiscal 2027 Defense funding bill:
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Thank you very much, Chairman Cole.
I want to start by again thanking the majority and minority staff: Jennifer, Jason, and Ed on the minority side, and Taylor, Keri Lyn, Gina, Colleen, Max, Ariana, Jackie, Daniel, and both Adams. And, I would also like to thank my personal staff, Ben Peterson, and my Military Fellow from the United States Army, Robby, for their hard workon this.
Each year, they are given a tremendous task, our staff, to put forward a challenging bill- and this year was no different.
The Fiscal Year 2027 Defense Appropriations Act totals $1.072 trillion, it's an unprecedented topline, equal to the President's request. I will address some concerns I have with the bill shortly. But first I would like to say, Chairman Calvert, I thank you. I thank you for writing this bill that, as of now, only includes one partisan rider that the minority objects to, and I object to that basically on germaneness reasons, it doesn't belong in the bill.
And we, on the Democratic side, but I think every single one of us on the Committee, should all applaud the Chairman's decision and the staff's decision to do this, because at the end of this day and the end of every day, we want a bill that takes care of our warfighters, to do their missions to do them swiftly, successfully, and to come home to their families, and we want to also support the civilian employees who serve alongside them.
I also want to applaud the Chairman's decision to reduce the Department's General Transfer Authority from $6 billion to $3 billion. If the Department and OMB have less leeway to move money around, they will be more inclined to provide us with the information we need to conduct oversight. That's our responsibility under the Constitution.
The majority has also worked to include a broad range of priorities that are important to many Members and their constituents. And I thank the Chairman for working with us in such a bipartisan fashion.
But that is why I also have to say that I am disappointed that I'm unable to support this bill as written today.
This bill provides the Department of Defense with over $1 Trillion - an unprecedented topline. And that comes at a cost of deep cuts to other Appropriations bills. For example, the Labor, Health, and Human Services and Education bill was cut by $19 Billion - a 9% reduction. The education and workforce programs were deeply impacted with these cuts. That includes an $8 billion cut to the Department of Education, and a $2 Billion cut to teacher training opportunities. I have said this before - cuts to education will have a negative downstream impact on our national security. Engineering, math, science, cyber, and computing programs. They will all be impacted by these cuts. These cuts undermine our future national security workforce, and the programs that we fund in the Defense bill will suffer because of it.
The majority cut the State Department funding bill by a shocking 22 percent from last year's level. That would diminish diplomatic and development efforts around the world at the same time when the threats to America are growing.
Over $1 trillion in the Defense bill is not going to keep Americans safer if we have mortgaged our children's future and our strategic diplomacy efforts to pay for it.
Regarding the funding in this bill, there are several areas where I believe funding could be reduced or redirected. First, $605 Million for the National Guard mobilization unit in Washington, D.C. This operation has not reduced violent crime in Washington as the President claims. The only thing it has reduced is the readiness of these Soldiers. They have lost valuable training and exercise time that is necessary for them to be ready for a conflict with a peer adversary.
Second, the bill includes $216 Million for the National Guard Reaction Force. The National Guard does not need new funding to develop law enforcement capabilities that are outside the scope of its jurisdiction. This is simply not the military's job.
Congress has rejected a similar idea during the previous administration after the January 6th Insurrection. The U.S. government has plenty of first responders at the federal, state, and local levels trained to handle criminal activity.
Third, $1 billion in advanced procurement for a so-called battleship that has not even been designed yet. Reportedly, just one ship could cost upwards of $17 billion. I wanted to make sure I got that right. One ship, $17 billion. The subcommittee has spent years working to get shipbuilding back on track. The industrial base still has challenges, such as a backlog of 17 Virginia-class submarines or the recent cancellation of the Constellation-class frigate.
We should not spend money on ships and boats that have not been designed yet. It's simply financially irresponsible.
Fourth, I'm disappointed that funding for Ukraine was not included in the bill particularly because the House just took a bipartisan vote in favor of continued assistance for Ukraine last month.
Failing to include Ukraine sends the wrong signal both to Ukraine and to our European allies, especially as the President continues to reduce the military presence in Europe. I am also concerned about these troop reductions. President Trump is giving Putin the impression that the U.S. will not stand with our NATO allies in the event of future Russian aggression in Europe. America's national security has always been tied to Europe, and NATO has been the cornerstone of peace for almost 80 years. We need only to look to the Arctic to see the threats to our own borders, and to secure them, we will need to work with our NATO allies. So, Mr. Chairman, I hope we can restore this funding.
And finally, I am concerned that the bill includes a new provision which will indiscriminately cut $1 billion with no Congressional direction. We have seen this Administration use a full year CR and mandatory money in the reconciliation bill for the Department of Defense to circumvent Congressional direction. So why would we want to give more permission for the Department to make more indiscriminate cuts. If we provide them with this authority, we simply have no idea how they will use it.
Separate from the base bill, I have real concerns about the Administration's requests for defense funding outside of the annual appropriations process. First, we have been hearing rumors for months of a supplemental to cover the costs of large-scale military operations around the world.
SOUTHCOM, Operation Southern Spear cost $600 million. And in CENTCOM, President Trump's disastrous war in Iran has cost taxpayers over $31 billion so far. Neither of these operations have concluded or been authorized by Congress. We do not know when they will end, nor do we know what the full costs will be.
If the Administration will request a supplemental, we need to see it as soon as possible, and not in the press. We must have a full and detailed accounting of these operational costs. Only then will we be informed enough to determine what additional funds the Department requires.
Second, the Reconciliation process, as the Chair pointed out and I agree with him totally, is the wrong way to fund the Department of Defense, and we all know that here in this room.
I am deeply concerned about the President's proposal for $350 billion in mandatory funding for defense will have no appropriations input on the enactment. That's not the right way to fund the Department of Defense. Because it took the Department ten months to explain to Congress how they were going to spend $150 billion in mandatory funding they received last year. It's unacceptable, and I have no confidence that the Department will do a better job responding to us in the future. There is also no guarantee that a reconciliation bill will pass. If it does not pass, it will be nearly impossible to fix all the "broken glass" that could occur by forcing these priorities into the base budget.
When the Department makes mandatory funding requests, and the authorizers fail to include it, the DoD looks to the appropriations process to solve their problems. And that means we must reopen the bill in conference, and then, yes, make cuts. That will put this Committee in a very difficult situation.
But, Mr. Chairman, I am confident, I am more than hopeful, that we will have an opportunity to resolve these issues as this process moves forward. And, I want you to know, Mr. Chairman, you personally have my commitment to do that in a bipartisan way for the defense of our nation. As I said, I cannot support the bill as written. But I look forward to working with you to improve the bill.
And, I yield back, Mr. Chair.
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A summary of the bill is here (http://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/fy27-defense-bill-summary.pdf). A fact sheet is here (http://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/defense-fy27-fact-sheet.pdf). The text of the bill is here (https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20260624/119414/BILLS-119-FC-AP-FY2027-AP00-FY27DefenseFullCommitteeMark.pdf).
Watch the full committee markup here (http://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/events/markups/fiscal-year-2027-defense-bill).
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Original text here: https://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/news/statements/ranking-member-betty-mccollum-statement-full-committee-markup-2027-defense-funding
