U.S. Congress
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As the Administration Continues Dangerous Effort to Exploit Federal Workers' Health Records, Sens. Schiff and Warner Demand End to Violation of Privacy
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release:
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As the Administration Continues Dangerous Effort to Exploit Federal Workers' Health Records, Sens. Schiff and Warner Demand End to Violation of Privacy
*
Washington, D.C. - Following the White House Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) failure to suspend their proposed collection of the personal medical records of millions of federal workers, retirees, and their families to be weaponized in employment actions, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) are leading their colleagues ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * As the Administration Continues Dangerous Effort to Exploit Federal Workers' Health Records, Sens. Schiff and Warner Demand End to Violation of Privacy * Washington, D.C. - Following the White House Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) failure to suspend their proposed collection of the personal medical records of millions of federal workers, retirees, and their families to be weaponized in employment actions, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) are leading their colleaguesin urging the administration to end this illegal effort and demanding safeguards to protect the data of federal workers.
Earlier this year, Schiff, Warner and 17 Senators urged the administration to reverse course on the dangerous decision to seek unprecedented access to personal medical records. In addition to OPM's failure to address the Senators' inquiry, the System of Records Notice (SORN), published in June, confirms their intention to collect identifiable data of federal workers.
"The modified SORN does not resolve the fundamental privacy, legal, and constitutional concerns raised in our initial letter regarding a federal personnel agency maintaining a longitudinal repository of highly sensitive health information on more than eight million people...Most concerningly, the SORN states that OPM retains the right to re-identify pseudonymized records. In combination, these features create an extraordinarily detailed longitudinal health history that remains linkable to a specific person," the Senators wrote in a new letter to OPM Director Scott Kupor.
The Senators point to the administration's clear intent to target vulnerable communities by using sensitive health information in employment actions, including the hiring and firing of federal workers.
The SORN revealed OPM is "utilizing ZIP code, birth year, provider, service dates, diagnoses, procedures, and drug information to reveal highly specific patterns of care."
"We support responsible efforts to protect the integrity of federal health-benefit programs. However, OPM's proposals create an unnecessarily broad, decades-long, re-identifiable medical history of millions of workers, retirees, spouses, children, and other family members. We strongly urge OPM to suspend further implementation while these concerns are addressed and to work with Congress, federal employees and retirees, health plans, privacy and civil-rights experts, reproductive-health advocates, and other affected stakeholders to establish safeguards commensurate with the sensitivity of the information at issue," the Senators concluded.
Additionally, the Senators are requesting that OPM brief Congress to provide answers on their work to protect federal workers' families and OPM's automated detection system, which has the potential to result in the wrongful targeting of individuals.
In addition to Schiff and Warner, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
The full text of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear Director Kupor,
We write to express serious concern regarding the System of Records Notice (SORN) published by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on June 23, 2026, following OPM's December 2025 proposal to obtain detailed health claims information from millions of federal employees, retirees, and their family members. On April 20, 2026, we urged you to immediately reverse course on OPM's potentially illegal and dangerous decision to seek unprecedented access to personal medical records. The modified SORN does not resolve the fundamental privacy, legal, and constitutional concerns raised in our initial letter regarding a federal personnel agency maintaining a longitudinal repository of highly sensitive health information on more than eight million people.
The June SORN describes OPM's intent to use identifiable data of federal employees, retirees, and their family members to create person-level longitudinal records that include persistent unique identifiers. Furthermore, OPM would enable authorized personnel to retrieve records using member identifiers for approved linkage, validation, and data-quality activities. Most concerningly, the SORN states that OPM retains the right to re-identify pseudonymized records. In combination, these features create an extraordinarily detailed longitudinal health history that remains linkable to a specific person.
While the SORN claims that pseudonymization will reduce some routine internal exposure, this change alone is not equivalent to eliminating identifiability. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cautions that not all techniques that merely mask personal information provide sufficient de-identification and recommends that agencies evaluate re-identification risk, adopt measurable de-identification standards, and conduct governance and risk assessment around data releases and access. In the case of OPM's recent SORN, a stable identifier permits repeated encounters to be linked over time, utilizing ZIP code, birth year, provider, service dates, diagnoses, procedures, and drug information to reveal highly specific patterns of care. OPM itself maintains the mechanism needed to reconnect the pseudonymized history to the individual, negating any intended anonymization of data.
The Privacy Act requires federal agencies to only maintain information about an individual that is relevant and necessary to accomplish a purpose required by statute or Executive Order. OPM has failed to provide any justification for the collection of person-level data, instead relying on broad references to program integrity, fraud prevention, or cost evaluation. Additionally, the SORN concerningly permits disclosure of personal data to federal, state, local, territorial, tribal, or foreign law-enforcement authorities whenever OPM believes a record indicates a potential violation of criminal, civil, or regulatory law. It also permits disclosures to other federal agencies to address suspected fraud, waste, and abuse in programs under those agencies' purview. These overly broad allowances to share sensitive health information are extremely concerning, given this administration's clearly stated goals of targeting vulnerable populations.
In our April 20, 2026, letter, we specifically expressed concern that sensitive health information could be used in employment actions, including hiring, suitability determinations, appeals, reductions in force, disability accommodation requests, labor-management relations, and performance reviews. We have yet to receive a response to that letter. Furthermore, the June SORN fails to confirm that collected data will not be used for these purposes or related personnel actions. We urge OPM to make these prohibitions explicit and enforceable, extending those protections to matching claims information against personnel systems or other OPM databases.
The SORN also incorporates a National Archives and Records Administration Records Schedule directing OPM to retain Health Claims Records for 30 years, materially increasing the consequences of breach or misuse of highly sensitive health data. OPM has failed to explain why identifiable or re-identifiable longitudinal health claims must persist for decades. At a minimum, OPM should adopt a substantially shorter retention period for identifiable and pseudonymized person-level records, with automatic destruction of linkage keys after the operational need has expired to protect individuals' data.
OPM's proposal covers not only federal employees but also annuitants, spouses, former spouses, family members, Postal Service employees and their families, certain tribal employees, separated employees, and former family members. Many of these individuals are not federal employees and have no employment relationship with OPM. Young-adult dependents may receive reproductive, sexual-health, mental-health, substance-use, or other sensitive services that should not be accessible to the federal government, regardless of their family member's Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage. OPM should preserve strict separation among family members' records and prohibit use of one individual's claims information to infer or investigate another family member's conduct.
Lastly, reports indicate that OPM intends to use claims data to identify potential anomalies and that records deemed suspicious by analysts may be referred to OPM's Office of Inspector General for investigation. However, claims data are not complete clinical narratives and may reflect rare diseases, complex pregnancy, disability, chronic illness, fragmented care, referral patterns, or coding practices rather than fraud. We are deeply concerned that adverse referral or action based solely on automated scoring or anomaly detection, without documented human review, will result in wrongful targeting of individuals with complex health needs and subject them to unwarranted administrative or law enforcement scrutiny.
Before OPM proceeds further with expanded collection and use of federal employee health data, we urge OPM to take the following actions:
1. Suspend implementation of any expanded person-level collection under the modified SORN.
2. Publish a field-by-field necessity analysis identifying the statutory purpose served by each data element and explaining why de-identified, aggregated, limited, or sampled data would be insufficient.
3. Use genuinely de-identified or aggregated data by default and permit re-identification only after a documented, individualized showing of necessity, with dual authorization, immutable audit logging, and periodic independent review.
4. Adopt an enforceable firewall prohibiting use, disclosure, matching, or linkage of claims data for any employment or personnel decisions.
5. Prohibit use or disclosure of OPM records to other federal agencies or any law enforcement entities, including - but not limited to - records related to an individual's for seeking, obtaining, providing, or assisting with lawful health care.
6. Prohibit the use or referral of any health information for unrelated civil, criminal, or regulatory enforcement, particularly when based merely on a potential violation of law and require senior-level legal and privacy review before any external law-enforcement disclosure.
7. Reevaluate the 30-year retention schedule for health claims records and adopt much shorter retention periods for identifiable and pseudonymized person-level data, including time-limited retention of re-identification keys.
8. Establish independent oversight and public transparency, including annual reporting on the number and categories of re-identifications, external disclosures, law-enforcement referrals, access-control violations, security incidents, and disciplinary actions for misuse.
9. Provide specific protections for dependents and family members, including strict separation of family members' claims and a prohibition on using one family member's health data to infer or investigate another family member.
10. Describe the validation, human-review, error-correction, and anti-bias safeguards that will govern any automated or algorithmic fraud or anomaly detection before a person or provider is referred for investigation.
We support responsible efforts to protect the integrity of federal health-benefit programs. However, OPM's proposals create an unnecessarily broad, decades-long, re-identifiable medical history of millions of workers, retirees, spouses, children, and other family members. We strongly urge OPM to suspend further implementation while these concerns are addressed and to work with Congress, federal employees and retirees, health plans, privacy and civil-rights experts, reproductive-health advocates, and other affected stakeholders to establish safeguards commensurate with the sensitivity of the information at issue.
We request a written response and briefing by OPM on the office's efforts related to the above requested actions no later than September 25, 2026.
***
Original text here: https://www.schiff.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-as-the-administration-continues-dangerous-effort-to-exploit-federal-workers-health-records-sens-schiff-and-warner-demand-end-to-violation-of-privacy/ (TNSmlt)
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As the Administration Continues Dangerous Effort to Exploit Federal Workers' Health Records, Sens. Schiff and Warner Demand End to Violation of Privacy
*
Washington, D.C. - Following the White House Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) failure to suspend their proposed collection of the personal medical records of millions of federal workers, retirees, and their families to be weaponized in employment actions, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) are leading their colleagues ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * As the Administration Continues Dangerous Effort to Exploit Federal Workers' Health Records, Sens. Schiff and Warner Demand End to Violation of Privacy * Washington, D.C. - Following the White House Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) failure to suspend their proposed collection of the personal medical records of millions of federal workers, retirees, and their families to be weaponized in employment actions, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) are leading their colleaguesin urging the administration to end this illegal effort and demanding safeguards to protect the data of federal workers.
Earlier this year, Schiff, Warner and 17 Senators urged the administration to reverse course on the dangerous decision to seek unprecedented access to personal medical records. In addition to OPM's failure to address the Senators' inquiry, the System of Records Notice (SORN), published in June, confirms their intention to collect identifiable data of federal workers.
"The modified SORN does not resolve the fundamental privacy, legal, and constitutional concerns raised in our initial letter regarding a federal personnel agency maintaining a longitudinal repository of highly sensitive health information on more than eight million people...Most concerningly, the SORN states that OPM retains the right to re-identify pseudonymized records. In combination, these features create an extraordinarily detailed longitudinal health history that remains linkable to a specific person," the Senators wrote in a new letter to OPM Director Scott Kupor.
The Senators point to the administration's clear intent to target vulnerable communities by using sensitive health information in employment actions, including the hiring and firing of federal workers.
The SORN revealed OPM is "utilizing ZIP code, birth year, provider, service dates, diagnoses, procedures, and drug information to reveal highly specific patterns of care."
"We support responsible efforts to protect the integrity of federal health-benefit programs. However, OPM's proposals create an unnecessarily broad, decades-long, re-identifiable medical history of millions of workers, retirees, spouses, children, and other family members. We strongly urge OPM to suspend further implementation while these concerns are addressed and to work with Congress, federal employees and retirees, health plans, privacy and civil-rights experts, reproductive-health advocates, and other affected stakeholders to establish safeguards commensurate with the sensitivity of the information at issue," the Senators concluded.
Additionally, the Senators are requesting that OPM brief Congress to provide answers on their work to protect federal workers' families and OPM's automated detection system, which has the potential to result in the wrongful targeting of individuals.
In addition to Schiff and Warner, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
The full text of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear Director Kupor,
We write to express serious concern regarding the System of Records Notice (SORN) published by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on June 23, 2026, following OPM's December 2025 proposal to obtain detailed health claims information from millions of federal employees, retirees, and their family members. On April 20, 2026, we urged you to immediately reverse course on OPM's potentially illegal and dangerous decision to seek unprecedented access to personal medical records. The modified SORN does not resolve the fundamental privacy, legal, and constitutional concerns raised in our initial letter regarding a federal personnel agency maintaining a longitudinal repository of highly sensitive health information on more than eight million people.
The June SORN describes OPM's intent to use identifiable data of federal employees, retirees, and their family members to create person-level longitudinal records that include persistent unique identifiers. Furthermore, OPM would enable authorized personnel to retrieve records using member identifiers for approved linkage, validation, and data-quality activities. Most concerningly, the SORN states that OPM retains the right to re-identify pseudonymized records. In combination, these features create an extraordinarily detailed longitudinal health history that remains linkable to a specific person.
While the SORN claims that pseudonymization will reduce some routine internal exposure, this change alone is not equivalent to eliminating identifiability. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cautions that not all techniques that merely mask personal information provide sufficient de-identification and recommends that agencies evaluate re-identification risk, adopt measurable de-identification standards, and conduct governance and risk assessment around data releases and access. In the case of OPM's recent SORN, a stable identifier permits repeated encounters to be linked over time, utilizing ZIP code, birth year, provider, service dates, diagnoses, procedures, and drug information to reveal highly specific patterns of care. OPM itself maintains the mechanism needed to reconnect the pseudonymized history to the individual, negating any intended anonymization of data.
The Privacy Act requires federal agencies to only maintain information about an individual that is relevant and necessary to accomplish a purpose required by statute or Executive Order. OPM has failed to provide any justification for the collection of person-level data, instead relying on broad references to program integrity, fraud prevention, or cost evaluation. Additionally, the SORN concerningly permits disclosure of personal data to federal, state, local, territorial, tribal, or foreign law-enforcement authorities whenever OPM believes a record indicates a potential violation of criminal, civil, or regulatory law. It also permits disclosures to other federal agencies to address suspected fraud, waste, and abuse in programs under those agencies' purview. These overly broad allowances to share sensitive health information are extremely concerning, given this administration's clearly stated goals of targeting vulnerable populations.
In our April 20, 2026, letter, we specifically expressed concern that sensitive health information could be used in employment actions, including hiring, suitability determinations, appeals, reductions in force, disability accommodation requests, labor-management relations, and performance reviews. We have yet to receive a response to that letter. Furthermore, the June SORN fails to confirm that collected data will not be used for these purposes or related personnel actions. We urge OPM to make these prohibitions explicit and enforceable, extending those protections to matching claims information against personnel systems or other OPM databases.
The SORN also incorporates a National Archives and Records Administration Records Schedule directing OPM to retain Health Claims Records for 30 years, materially increasing the consequences of breach or misuse of highly sensitive health data. OPM has failed to explain why identifiable or re-identifiable longitudinal health claims must persist for decades. At a minimum, OPM should adopt a substantially shorter retention period for identifiable and pseudonymized person-level records, with automatic destruction of linkage keys after the operational need has expired to protect individuals' data.
OPM's proposal covers not only federal employees but also annuitants, spouses, former spouses, family members, Postal Service employees and their families, certain tribal employees, separated employees, and former family members. Many of these individuals are not federal employees and have no employment relationship with OPM. Young-adult dependents may receive reproductive, sexual-health, mental-health, substance-use, or other sensitive services that should not be accessible to the federal government, regardless of their family member's Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage. OPM should preserve strict separation among family members' records and prohibit use of one individual's claims information to infer or investigate another family member's conduct.
Lastly, reports indicate that OPM intends to use claims data to identify potential anomalies and that records deemed suspicious by analysts may be referred to OPM's Office of Inspector General for investigation. However, claims data are not complete clinical narratives and may reflect rare diseases, complex pregnancy, disability, chronic illness, fragmented care, referral patterns, or coding practices rather than fraud. We are deeply concerned that adverse referral or action based solely on automated scoring or anomaly detection, without documented human review, will result in wrongful targeting of individuals with complex health needs and subject them to unwarranted administrative or law enforcement scrutiny.
Before OPM proceeds further with expanded collection and use of federal employee health data, we urge OPM to take the following actions:
1. Suspend implementation of any expanded person-level collection under the modified SORN.
2. Publish a field-by-field necessity analysis identifying the statutory purpose served by each data element and explaining why de-identified, aggregated, limited, or sampled data would be insufficient.
3. Use genuinely de-identified or aggregated data by default and permit re-identification only after a documented, individualized showing of necessity, with dual authorization, immutable audit logging, and periodic independent review.
4. Adopt an enforceable firewall prohibiting use, disclosure, matching, or linkage of claims data for any employment or personnel decisions.
5. Prohibit use or disclosure of OPM records to other federal agencies or any law enforcement entities, including - but not limited to - records related to an individual's for seeking, obtaining, providing, or assisting with lawful health care.
6. Prohibit the use or referral of any health information for unrelated civil, criminal, or regulatory enforcement, particularly when based merely on a potential violation of law and require senior-level legal and privacy review before any external law-enforcement disclosure.
7. Reevaluate the 30-year retention schedule for health claims records and adopt much shorter retention periods for identifiable and pseudonymized person-level data, including time-limited retention of re-identification keys.
8. Establish independent oversight and public transparency, including annual reporting on the number and categories of re-identifications, external disclosures, law-enforcement referrals, access-control violations, security incidents, and disciplinary actions for misuse.
9. Provide specific protections for dependents and family members, including strict separation of family members' claims and a prohibition on using one family member's health data to infer or investigate another family member.
10. Describe the validation, human-review, error-correction, and anti-bias safeguards that will govern any automated or algorithmic fraud or anomaly detection before a person or provider is referred for investigation.
We support responsible efforts to protect the integrity of federal health-benefit programs. However, OPM's proposals create an unnecessarily broad, decades-long, re-identifiable medical history of millions of workers, retirees, spouses, children, and other family members. We strongly urge OPM to suspend further implementation while these concerns are addressed and to work with Congress, federal employees and retirees, health plans, privacy and civil-rights experts, reproductive-health advocates, and other affected stakeholders to establish safeguards commensurate with the sensitivity of the information at issue.
We request a written response and briefing by OPM on the office's efforts related to the above requested actions no later than September 25, 2026.
***
Original text here: https://www.schiff.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-as-the-administration-continues-dangerous-effort-to-exploit-federal-workers-health-records-sens-schiff-and-warner-demand-end-to-violation-of-privacy/ (TNSmlt)
Amata Welcomes Closure for US Nationals in Alaska Voting Case
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (Rep.) -- Del. Aumua Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release:
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Amata Welcomes Closure for US Nationals in Alaska Voting Case
*
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming closure for 11 U.S. Nationals in Whittier, Alaska, who had been facing changes regarding past votes in a local election in Alaska. Alaska prosecutors decided to drop the charges against them, after nearly three years of legal defense resulting from their votes.
"I'm relieved for our people in Alaska and glad to hear their case is over," said Congresswoman ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (Rep.) -- Del. Aumua Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release: * * * Amata Welcomes Closure for US Nationals in Alaska Voting Case * Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming closure for 11 U.S. Nationals in Whittier, Alaska, who had been facing changes regarding past votes in a local election in Alaska. Alaska prosecutors decided to drop the charges against them, after nearly three years of legal defense resulting from their votes. "I'm relieved for our people in Alaska and glad to hear their case is over," said CongresswomanAmata.
Amata had publicly called for forgiveness and restoration for the defendants, stating at the time, "I hope the wonderful people of Alaska, where I've visited many times, will be forgiving of this mistake by the local U.S. nationals in their community. Rather, I hope that this can become an educational moment, that the Lord can 'work together for good' by preventing future problems through public awareness, while restoring our people in Alaska with compassion."
Legislatively, Amata has introduced the American Samoa Statutory Nationality and Citizenship Act (H.R. 6158) to help individual U.S. nationals more readily transfer into U.S. citizenship as a personal choice, while not affecting American Samoa's current status, which for over 126 years has protected the family land and chiefly (matai) systems within the traditional fa'a Samoa (Samoan way).
This week in Washington, Amata had a meeting with a key lawmaker to highlight the merits of her bill and build a foundation for future passage. "It's a thorny issue to explain in DC, but we're building a groundwork, and I'm optimistic," Amata said. Her bill would protect both collective self-determination for American Samoa and the individual rights of U.S. nationals, by improving access to elective United States citizenship for individuals born in American Samoa as U.S. nationals.
In January, Aumua Amata had put out an awareness PSA reminding U.S. Nationals never to vote in other jurisdictions, no matter how long they had lived there, unless they had personally become citizens before voting. Amata closed with a similar reminder.
"U.S. Nationals can only vote in American Samoa, not the rest of the United States. If you want to vote elsewhere, you must pursue and complete citizenship first. It's especially important to make sure your recent graduates who are U.S. nationals know this clearly when they turn 18 and possibly relocate for college, jobs, or military," Aumua Amata concluded. "It's our way to obey the law where we live, so be mindful of these facts, unless a state or jurisdiction were to ever expressly provide that U.S. nationals also may vote in elections in that specific state or locality."
Issues:Judiciary
***
Original text here: https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-welcomes-closure-us-nationals-alaska-voting-case
* * *
Amata Welcomes Closure for US Nationals in Alaska Voting Case
*
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming closure for 11 U.S. Nationals in Whittier, Alaska, who had been facing changes regarding past votes in a local election in Alaska. Alaska prosecutors decided to drop the charges against them, after nearly three years of legal defense resulting from their votes.
"I'm relieved for our people in Alaska and glad to hear their case is over," said Congresswoman ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (Rep.) -- Del. Aumua Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release: * * * Amata Welcomes Closure for US Nationals in Alaska Voting Case * Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is welcoming closure for 11 U.S. Nationals in Whittier, Alaska, who had been facing changes regarding past votes in a local election in Alaska. Alaska prosecutors decided to drop the charges against them, after nearly three years of legal defense resulting from their votes. "I'm relieved for our people in Alaska and glad to hear their case is over," said CongresswomanAmata.
Amata had publicly called for forgiveness and restoration for the defendants, stating at the time, "I hope the wonderful people of Alaska, where I've visited many times, will be forgiving of this mistake by the local U.S. nationals in their community. Rather, I hope that this can become an educational moment, that the Lord can 'work together for good' by preventing future problems through public awareness, while restoring our people in Alaska with compassion."
Legislatively, Amata has introduced the American Samoa Statutory Nationality and Citizenship Act (H.R. 6158) to help individual U.S. nationals more readily transfer into U.S. citizenship as a personal choice, while not affecting American Samoa's current status, which for over 126 years has protected the family land and chiefly (matai) systems within the traditional fa'a Samoa (Samoan way).
This week in Washington, Amata had a meeting with a key lawmaker to highlight the merits of her bill and build a foundation for future passage. "It's a thorny issue to explain in DC, but we're building a groundwork, and I'm optimistic," Amata said. Her bill would protect both collective self-determination for American Samoa and the individual rights of U.S. nationals, by improving access to elective United States citizenship for individuals born in American Samoa as U.S. nationals.
In January, Aumua Amata had put out an awareness PSA reminding U.S. Nationals never to vote in other jurisdictions, no matter how long they had lived there, unless they had personally become citizens before voting. Amata closed with a similar reminder.
"U.S. Nationals can only vote in American Samoa, not the rest of the United States. If you want to vote elsewhere, you must pursue and complete citizenship first. It's especially important to make sure your recent graduates who are U.S. nationals know this clearly when they turn 18 and possibly relocate for college, jobs, or military," Aumua Amata concluded. "It's our way to obey the law where we live, so be mindful of these facts, unless a state or jurisdiction were to ever expressly provide that U.S. nationals also may vote in elections in that specific state or locality."
Issues:Judiciary
***
Original text here: https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-welcomes-closure-us-nationals-alaska-voting-case
Amata Highlights the Birthday of the U.S. Air Force
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (Rep.) -- Del. Aumua Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release:
* * *
Amata Highlights the Birthday of the U.S. Air Force
*
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is highlighting the 79th birthday of the United States Air Force (USAF), marking the official founding as a Service on September 18th, 1947, when President Harry Truman signed the congressional act that established the Air Force."Happy birthday to the United States Air Force, including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard, and congratulations to all Airmen!" said ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (Rep.) -- Del. Aumua Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release: * * * Amata Highlights the Birthday of the U.S. Air Force * Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is highlighting the 79th birthday of the United States Air Force (USAF), marking the official founding as a Service on September 18th, 1947, when President Harry Truman signed the congressional act that established the Air Force."Happy birthday to the United States Air Force, including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard, and congratulations to all Airmen!" saidCongresswoman Aumua Amata. "The U.S. Air Force includes over 600,000 people serving through active duty, Reserve, Guard, or civilian support and supply, and includes thousands of aircraft. They are a cornerstone of our defense and deterrent capabilities, with a proud heritage. The Air Force brings together expert personnel, supersonic jets, high technology, and cyber knowledge.
"We support our Airmen, and American Samoa is proudly represented in every Service of the U.S. Armed Forces!" she continued. "God bless these many dedicated men and women securing the skies over our deployed Service Members. From my congressional flights crewed by the Air Force, I can attest to their professionalism first-hand. Thank you for your service, and happy 79th birthday!"
Prior to the 1947 milestone, Air Force history includes U.S. military aviation history with airpower in both World Wars. Historically, as airpower grew in significance in modern warfare, peacekeeping and other missions, aviation forces changed, called the Army Air Service, to the Army Air Corps in 1926, to the USAAF in 1941, before the final step into the Air Force in 1947, two years after World War II ended.
Issues:Military
***
Original text here: https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-highlights-birthday-us-air-force
* * *
Amata Highlights the Birthday of the U.S. Air Force
*
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is highlighting the 79th birthday of the United States Air Force (USAF), marking the official founding as a Service on September 18th, 1947, when President Harry Truman signed the congressional act that established the Air Force."Happy birthday to the United States Air Force, including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard, and congratulations to all Airmen!" said ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (Rep.) -- Del. Aumua Amata Radewagen, R-American Samoa, issued the following news release: * * * Amata Highlights the Birthday of the U.S. Air Force * Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Uifa'atali Amata is highlighting the 79th birthday of the United States Air Force (USAF), marking the official founding as a Service on September 18th, 1947, when President Harry Truman signed the congressional act that established the Air Force."Happy birthday to the United States Air Force, including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard, and congratulations to all Airmen!" saidCongresswoman Aumua Amata. "The U.S. Air Force includes over 600,000 people serving through active duty, Reserve, Guard, or civilian support and supply, and includes thousands of aircraft. They are a cornerstone of our defense and deterrent capabilities, with a proud heritage. The Air Force brings together expert personnel, supersonic jets, high technology, and cyber knowledge.
"We support our Airmen, and American Samoa is proudly represented in every Service of the U.S. Armed Forces!" she continued. "God bless these many dedicated men and women securing the skies over our deployed Service Members. From my congressional flights crewed by the Air Force, I can attest to their professionalism first-hand. Thank you for your service, and happy 79th birthday!"
Prior to the 1947 milestone, Air Force history includes U.S. military aviation history with airpower in both World Wars. Historically, as airpower grew in significance in modern warfare, peacekeeping and other missions, aviation forces changed, called the Army Air Service, to the Army Air Corps in 1926, to the USAAF in 1941, before the final step into the Air Force in 1947, two years after World War II ended.
Issues:Military
***
Original text here: https://radewagen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/amata-highlights-birthday-us-air-force
Alford Bill to Provide Flexibility for SBA 504 Lending Passes House Small Business Committee
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri, issued the following news release:
* * *
Alford Bill to Provide Flexibility for SBA 504 Lending Passes House Small Business Committee
*
Today, the House Small Business Committee passed Congressman Mark Alford's (MO-04) bipartisan 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, introduced with Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12). The legislation would give the Small Business Administration (SBA) additional flexibility to meet increased demand for 504 loans that help small businesses make long-term investments in facilities, equipment, and expansion.
Read ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri, issued the following news release: * * * Alford Bill to Provide Flexibility for SBA 504 Lending Passes House Small Business Committee * Today, the House Small Business Committee passed Congressman Mark Alford's (MO-04) bipartisan 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, introduced with Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12). The legislation would give the Small Business Administration (SBA) additional flexibility to meet increased demand for 504 loans that help small businesses make long-term investments in facilities, equipment, and expansion. Readthe full text of the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act here.
The bill allows the SBA Administrator to increase 504 loan commitments up to 115 percent of the annual authorization level if the agency determines demand could exceed that limit. The authority may be used once per fiscal year, and SBA must notify Congress at least 30 days before exercising it.
Watch Congressman Alford's remarks in support of his legislation here or by clicking the image above.
"The 504 loan is one of the most important tools we have to help small businesses make long-term investments in their future," said Congressman Alford. "As we work to bring manufacturing back to the United States and strengthen our domestic supply chains, demand for 504 financing is rising. This bill gives the SBA limited flexibility to meet that demand while maintaining congressional oversight. I'm proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Representative Simon."
The legislation is part of a broader effort to expand access to SBA financing for small businesses and manufacturers. Congressman Alford's STRONG Act would increase maximum loan sizes in the SBA's 7(a) and 504 programs, while the Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act would further increase lending limits for small manufacturers seeking to purchase equipment, expand facilities, reshore production, and create jobs in the United States.
The 504 Program Level Flexibility Act now advances from the House Small Business Committee.
***
Original text here: https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1802
* * *
Alford Bill to Provide Flexibility for SBA 504 Lending Passes House Small Business Committee
*
Today, the House Small Business Committee passed Congressman Mark Alford's (MO-04) bipartisan 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, introduced with Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12). The legislation would give the Small Business Administration (SBA) additional flexibility to meet increased demand for 504 loans that help small businesses make long-term investments in facilities, equipment, and expansion.
Read ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri, issued the following news release: * * * Alford Bill to Provide Flexibility for SBA 504 Lending Passes House Small Business Committee * Today, the House Small Business Committee passed Congressman Mark Alford's (MO-04) bipartisan 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, introduced with Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12). The legislation would give the Small Business Administration (SBA) additional flexibility to meet increased demand for 504 loans that help small businesses make long-term investments in facilities, equipment, and expansion. Readthe full text of the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act here.
The bill allows the SBA Administrator to increase 504 loan commitments up to 115 percent of the annual authorization level if the agency determines demand could exceed that limit. The authority may be used once per fiscal year, and SBA must notify Congress at least 30 days before exercising it.
Watch Congressman Alford's remarks in support of his legislation here or by clicking the image above.
"The 504 loan is one of the most important tools we have to help small businesses make long-term investments in their future," said Congressman Alford. "As we work to bring manufacturing back to the United States and strengthen our domestic supply chains, demand for 504 financing is rising. This bill gives the SBA limited flexibility to meet that demand while maintaining congressional oversight. I'm proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Representative Simon."
The legislation is part of a broader effort to expand access to SBA financing for small businesses and manufacturers. Congressman Alford's STRONG Act would increase maximum loan sizes in the SBA's 7(a) and 504 programs, while the Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act would further increase lending limits for small manufacturers seeking to purchase equipment, expand facilities, reshore production, and create jobs in the United States.
The 504 Program Level Flexibility Act now advances from the House Small Business Committee.
***
Original text here: https://alford.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1802
Ahead of Vote on Senate Farm Bill, Sen. Schiff Releases New Reporting Highlighting Impact of Republican SNAP Cuts Making Food Insecurity Worse for Families
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release:
* * *
Ahead of Vote on Senate Farm Bill, Sen. Schiff Releases New Reporting Highlighting Impact of Republican SNAP Cuts Making Food Insecurity Worse for Families
*
As a result of Trump Administration policies, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, more than 330,000 Californians lost food benefits, including more than 156,000 children.
Washington, D.C. - Washington, D.C. - Ahead of another markup on the Senate Agriculture Committee's Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released a new report ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Ahead of Vote on Senate Farm Bill, Sen. Schiff Releases New Reporting Highlighting Impact of Republican SNAP Cuts Making Food Insecurity Worse for Families * As a result of Trump Administration policies, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, more than 330,000 Californians lost food benefits, including more than 156,000 children. Washington, D.C. - Washington, D.C. - Ahead of another markup on the Senate Agriculture Committee's Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released a new reportunderscoring the harmful impact that Trump administration policies, including its signature legislative package, are having on food insecurity for California families and the need for a Farm Bill that helps address this and rising food costs.
The current version of the Farm Bill set to be voted on today does not adequately address the deep cuts made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California.
"As the cost of food in the United States soars, the Trump Administration's continued attacks on proven federal food assistance programs are putting the health and prosperity of American families across the country in jeopardy. By purging millions of people from SNAP and other nutrition programs, the legacy of the Trump Administration and this Republican Congress will be one of increased hunger and more families struggling to make ends meet to keep food on their tables," Schiff's report says.
To understand the impact of food prices in California, Senator Schiff and his staff visited and interviewed dozens of employees and volunteers at foods banks and their partners across the state. Their message was clear and concerning: more people need food assistance, and higher food prices coupled with regressive federal policies are squeezing families already struggling to put food on the table.
Data in Schiff's report show that SNAP participation fell by more than 4.5 million people since January 2025. In that same time period, more than 330,000 Californians have fallen off SNAP, including more than 156,000 children.
From a California Constituent: "I am a parent in Tulare County, in a little town called Strathmore. It's very small...losing funding is very scary for me, myself, and my family. I have two daughters, so everything's very expensive alone, you know. And then getting SNAP cut is going to be very bad....There's months where I can only pay a certain amount of my bills because it's so expensive, and we're all struggling. My community is struggling."
Furthermore, the report highlights how President Trump's Iran War and ongoing trade wars have driven food prices higher. Food price indexes measured a 3.0 percent increase from June 2025 to June 2026, and the overall price index increased 3.5 percent in that same period before seasonal adjustment.
The report findings include:
* Under the Trump Administration, federal actions led to increased food insecurity for more than five million people in communities across California.
* Food banks and partners observed increased need by employed, middle-class families.
* Many people are frightened to seek food assistance because of the Trump Administration's broad efforts to detain and remove immigrants.
* Higher food prices affected the purchasing power of both families and the food banks that serve them.
* Food prices are driving people and food banks toward less healthy options.
* The impacts of food insecurity are not partisan.
The report makes several recommendations to ensure that all Americans have access to healthy and affordable food, including that:
* Congress should restore the nearly $187 billion made in cuts to SNAP through 2034 in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
* Congress should provide relief to states and families by imposing, at a minimum, a two-year delay in the benefit cost-shift to states.
* USDA must restore its local food programs. Congress should make these programs permanent and provide them with mandatory funding.
* Congress should increase investments to make healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, more widely available to schools, food banks and other institutions. This can be done through improving federal procurement and increasing funding for nutrition incentive programs.
Senator Schiff's full report can be found here.
***
Original text here: https://www.schiff.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-ahead-of-vote-on-senate-farm-bill-sen-schiff-releases-new-reporting-highlighting-impact-of-republican-snap-cuts-making-food-insecurity-worse-for-families/ (TNSmrp)
* * *
Ahead of Vote on Senate Farm Bill, Sen. Schiff Releases New Reporting Highlighting Impact of Republican SNAP Cuts Making Food Insecurity Worse for Families
*
As a result of Trump Administration policies, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, more than 330,000 Californians lost food benefits, including more than 156,000 children.
Washington, D.C. - Washington, D.C. - Ahead of another markup on the Senate Agriculture Committee's Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released a new report ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Ahead of Vote on Senate Farm Bill, Sen. Schiff Releases New Reporting Highlighting Impact of Republican SNAP Cuts Making Food Insecurity Worse for Families * As a result of Trump Administration policies, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, more than 330,000 Californians lost food benefits, including more than 156,000 children. Washington, D.C. - Washington, D.C. - Ahead of another markup on the Senate Agriculture Committee's Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) released a new reportunderscoring the harmful impact that Trump administration policies, including its signature legislative package, are having on food insecurity for California families and the need for a Farm Bill that helps address this and rising food costs.
The current version of the Farm Bill set to be voted on today does not adequately address the deep cuts made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California.
"As the cost of food in the United States soars, the Trump Administration's continued attacks on proven federal food assistance programs are putting the health and prosperity of American families across the country in jeopardy. By purging millions of people from SNAP and other nutrition programs, the legacy of the Trump Administration and this Republican Congress will be one of increased hunger and more families struggling to make ends meet to keep food on their tables," Schiff's report says.
To understand the impact of food prices in California, Senator Schiff and his staff visited and interviewed dozens of employees and volunteers at foods banks and their partners across the state. Their message was clear and concerning: more people need food assistance, and higher food prices coupled with regressive federal policies are squeezing families already struggling to put food on the table.
Data in Schiff's report show that SNAP participation fell by more than 4.5 million people since January 2025. In that same time period, more than 330,000 Californians have fallen off SNAP, including more than 156,000 children.
From a California Constituent: "I am a parent in Tulare County, in a little town called Strathmore. It's very small...losing funding is very scary for me, myself, and my family. I have two daughters, so everything's very expensive alone, you know. And then getting SNAP cut is going to be very bad....There's months where I can only pay a certain amount of my bills because it's so expensive, and we're all struggling. My community is struggling."
Furthermore, the report highlights how President Trump's Iran War and ongoing trade wars have driven food prices higher. Food price indexes measured a 3.0 percent increase from June 2025 to June 2026, and the overall price index increased 3.5 percent in that same period before seasonal adjustment.
The report findings include:
* Under the Trump Administration, federal actions led to increased food insecurity for more than five million people in communities across California.
* Food banks and partners observed increased need by employed, middle-class families.
* Many people are frightened to seek food assistance because of the Trump Administration's broad efforts to detain and remove immigrants.
* Higher food prices affected the purchasing power of both families and the food banks that serve them.
* Food prices are driving people and food banks toward less healthy options.
* The impacts of food insecurity are not partisan.
The report makes several recommendations to ensure that all Americans have access to healthy and affordable food, including that:
* Congress should restore the nearly $187 billion made in cuts to SNAP through 2034 in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
* Congress should provide relief to states and families by imposing, at a minimum, a two-year delay in the benefit cost-shift to states.
* USDA must restore its local food programs. Congress should make these programs permanent and provide them with mandatory funding.
* Congress should increase investments to make healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, more widely available to schools, food banks and other institutions. This can be done through improving federal procurement and increasing funding for nutrition incentive programs.
Senator Schiff's full report can be found here.
***
Original text here: https://www.schiff.senate.gov/news/press-releases/news-ahead-of-vote-on-senate-farm-bill-sen-schiff-releases-new-reporting-highlighting-impact-of-republican-snap-cuts-making-food-insecurity-worse-for-families/ (TNSmrp)
Ahead of Senate Crypto Vote, Warren and Colleagues Seek Vote on Senate Floor to Stop Trump's Self-Dealing, End Presidential Corruption in Banking
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following news release:
* * *
September 14, 2026
Ahead of Senate Crypto Vote, Warren and Colleagues Seek Vote on Senate Floor to Stop Trump's Self-Dealing, End Presidential Corruption in Banking
"Donald Trump is now the first President in history to own and oversee his own bank. It may be the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen."
"Instead of further enriching the President, Congress should curb his corruption. ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * September 14, 2026 Ahead of Senate Crypto Vote, Warren and Colleagues Seek Vote on Senate Floor to Stop Trump's Self-Dealing, End Presidential Corruption in Banking "Donald Trump is now the first President in history to own and oversee his own bank. It may be the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen." "Instead of further enriching the President, Congress should curb his corruption.Let's start by passing my bill, the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. And let's make sure we do not pass a crypto bill that will let Trump continue to rake in billions in crypto profits while working families across this country suffer under his economy."
Washington, D.C. - Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee urged her Senate colleagues to give unanimous consent to pass the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. The effort comes in light of recent news that World Liberty Trust Company, a bank owned in part by President Trump and his family, received preliminary approval for a federal banking charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Despite clear national security risks, money laundering vulnerabilities, and a lack of competent management, the Trump-controlled federal banking agency approved the charter.
The Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act would terminate this charter, while also prohibiting federal banking agencies from approving various types of banking applications when the applicant is owned by certain senior government officials.
Warren is seeking this floor vote ahead of the Senate voting to proceed on the Clarity Act tomorrow, which will not prevent the President from making his next $1.4 billion in crypto profits, including from this bank charter.
Below are Ranking Member Warren's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Senator Warren: Tomorrow, the Senate will vote on a crypto bill that poses massive risks to families, our national security, and our economy. And if that's not bad enough, while Americans across the country suffer from an affordability crisis, this bill will turbocharge President Donald Trump's ability to rake in billions and billions of dollars from crypto.
Late last night, we got the details of President Trump and Republicans' quote "final offer" on ethics, and it reads exactly like what you expect the most corrupt President in our history to bless: a weak fig leaf that will do nothing to stop him from making his next $1.4 billion in crypto profits.
First, it makes sure the law could never be enforced against Donald Trump because it gives his political appointees the power to turn off enforcement of these ethics provisions. Second, it contains major loopholes designed to allow President Trump to keep earning billions of dollars from his crypto businesses, including World Liberty Financial...and his new bank. Yes you heard that right.
On August 14, World Liberty Trust Company received preliminary approval for a federal banking charter. Donald Trump and his family own 38.25% of the bank. An investment fund backed by the UAE's national security adviser and brother of the UAE's President, reportedly owns 49% of the bank. The bank charter was conditionally granted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a federal banking agency controlled by...Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is now the first President in history to own and oversee his own bank. It may be the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen. The bank could serve as the financial hub of the President's web of corruption. With a bank charter, World Liberty will be able to operate nationwide, offer families and businesses financial products and services, and enjoy the credibility that comes with the federal government's stamp of approval.
The bank's primary product is the USD1 stablecoin, which is currently issued by a third party bank partner under a licensing agreement with World Liberty. The stablecoin arrangement earned President Trump $200 million last year - a big chunk of the $1.4 billion he earned from his various crypto ventures in 2025. USD1 is already the 5th largest stablecoin in the world. Now with the federal banking charter, World Liberty can issue the stablecoin directly without a separately regulated bank partner. The charter could supercharge the growth of USD1, increase its interconnectedness with the U.S. financial system, and, as a result, drive even greater profits for President Trump and his family.
Donald Trump's bank is a new vehicle for billionaires, corporations, and foreign countries to bribe him. These entities could cut Trump into everyday transactions and business deals by making payments using USD1 instead of traditional checks, debit cards, or wire transfers.
Trump could charge transaction fees, similar to Visa and Mastercard, and generate interest by investing the cash deposited with World Liberty in exchange for the USD1 stablecoin, similar to the business model of a traditional bank.
This is not hypothetical. We already saw this play out last year, a trial run before World Liberty secured the bank charter. MGX, a UAE state-owned investment fund, made a $2 billion investment in the crypto exchange Binance. Instead of using a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar or the UAE dirham to purchase stock in Binance, MGX paid Binance using USD1, cutting Trump into the deal.
Coincidentally, President Trump pardoned the founder of Binance, who had pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program. Trump has also provided an array of policy favors to the UAE, including giving the UAE a special exemption from U.S. export controls and approving sales of advanced AI chips to UAE firms, despite reported warnings from national security officials that the technology could get diverted to China.
Now with Trump's federal bank charter, we could see more and more of this.
Even setting aside the clear conflict of interest and corruption, World Liberty's charter application would have been flatly denied under any previous administration due to national security risks, anti-money laundering vulnerabilities, and a lack of competent management.
Consider this:
- A foreign intelligence official backed a minority investment in the entity behind Trump's bank.
- Companies affiliated with Trump's bank reportedly:
o sold millions of dollars-worth of tokens to buyers that conducted business with North Korean state-sponsored hackers, sanctioned Russian money-laundering entities, and other illicit actors;
o partnered with a venture whose main project was led by individuals sanctioned by the U.S. government; and
o accepted $100 million from a businessman reportedly under investigation for money laundering by the United Kingdom.
- Most of the executives in charge of Trump's bank have little to no experience in banking. The bank's founder and President, Zachary Witkoff, who also happens to be the son of President Trump's Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, has never worked in a senior banking role.
- One of the bank's board members was the Chairman and CEO of an accounting company that was subject to multiple SEC and PCAOB enforcement actions, including for quote "systemic quality control failures and violations of audit standards."
- The Chief Compliance Officer of Trump's bank previously served as the Chief Compliance Officer of a large crypto platform that blew up in 2022 called Voyager Digital. The platform faced multiple enforcement actions from state and federal regulators for compliance failures, including luring customers to store their money on the platform by falsely claiming the money would be FDIC insured.
But Donald Trump owns the bank and he controls the federal banking agency responsible for approving the charter, so the application was rubber stamped.
Now it's on Congress to step in and terminate this corrupt bank charter. That's exactly what the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act would do. The bill would prohibit federal banking agencies from approving various types of banking applications when the applicant is owned or controlled by a range of senior government officials. It would also require the termination of any such charters or applications that were granted since January 20, 2025, which includes World Liberty's national bank charter.
This is common sense. It is the least Congress could do to start unwinding the President's web of corruption.
Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues want to move in the opposite direction. They seem intent on furthering President Trump's corruption. Look no further than the Senate's first order of business after August recess. Is it a bill to make life more affordable for American families? No. Is it a bill to end Trump's dangerous War in Iran? No. It's a bill that would juice the value of President Trump's crypto empire, and reward the crypto billionaires who have facilitated his corruption. As if the glaring loopholes in the latest ethics provision weren't enough, it doesn't even apply to Donald Trump's new bank.
Instead of further enriching the President, Congress should curb his corruption. Let's start by passing my bill, the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. And let's make sure we do not pass a crypto bill that will let Trump continue to rake in billions in crypto profits while working families across this country suffer under his economy.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/ahead-of-senate-crypto-vote-warren-and-colleagues-seek-vote-on-senate-floor-to-stop-trumps-self-dealing-end-presidential-corruption-in-banking
* * *
September 14, 2026
Ahead of Senate Crypto Vote, Warren and Colleagues Seek Vote on Senate Floor to Stop Trump's Self-Dealing, End Presidential Corruption in Banking
"Donald Trump is now the first President in history to own and oversee his own bank. It may be the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen."
"Instead of further enriching the President, Congress should curb his corruption. ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * September 14, 2026 Ahead of Senate Crypto Vote, Warren and Colleagues Seek Vote on Senate Floor to Stop Trump's Self-Dealing, End Presidential Corruption in Banking "Donald Trump is now the first President in history to own and oversee his own bank. It may be the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen." "Instead of further enriching the President, Congress should curb his corruption.Let's start by passing my bill, the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. And let's make sure we do not pass a crypto bill that will let Trump continue to rake in billions in crypto profits while working families across this country suffer under his economy."
Washington, D.C. - Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee urged her Senate colleagues to give unanimous consent to pass the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. The effort comes in light of recent news that World Liberty Trust Company, a bank owned in part by President Trump and his family, received preliminary approval for a federal banking charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Despite clear national security risks, money laundering vulnerabilities, and a lack of competent management, the Trump-controlled federal banking agency approved the charter.
The Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act would terminate this charter, while also prohibiting federal banking agencies from approving various types of banking applications when the applicant is owned by certain senior government officials.
Warren is seeking this floor vote ahead of the Senate voting to proceed on the Clarity Act tomorrow, which will not prevent the President from making his next $1.4 billion in crypto profits, including from this bank charter.
Below are Ranking Member Warren's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Senator Warren: Tomorrow, the Senate will vote on a crypto bill that poses massive risks to families, our national security, and our economy. And if that's not bad enough, while Americans across the country suffer from an affordability crisis, this bill will turbocharge President Donald Trump's ability to rake in billions and billions of dollars from crypto.
Late last night, we got the details of President Trump and Republicans' quote "final offer" on ethics, and it reads exactly like what you expect the most corrupt President in our history to bless: a weak fig leaf that will do nothing to stop him from making his next $1.4 billion in crypto profits.
First, it makes sure the law could never be enforced against Donald Trump because it gives his political appointees the power to turn off enforcement of these ethics provisions. Second, it contains major loopholes designed to allow President Trump to keep earning billions of dollars from his crypto businesses, including World Liberty Financial...and his new bank. Yes you heard that right.
On August 14, World Liberty Trust Company received preliminary approval for a federal banking charter. Donald Trump and his family own 38.25% of the bank. An investment fund backed by the UAE's national security adviser and brother of the UAE's President, reportedly owns 49% of the bank. The bank charter was conditionally granted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, a federal banking agency controlled by...Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is now the first President in history to own and oversee his own bank. It may be the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen. The bank could serve as the financial hub of the President's web of corruption. With a bank charter, World Liberty will be able to operate nationwide, offer families and businesses financial products and services, and enjoy the credibility that comes with the federal government's stamp of approval.
The bank's primary product is the USD1 stablecoin, which is currently issued by a third party bank partner under a licensing agreement with World Liberty. The stablecoin arrangement earned President Trump $200 million last year - a big chunk of the $1.4 billion he earned from his various crypto ventures in 2025. USD1 is already the 5th largest stablecoin in the world. Now with the federal banking charter, World Liberty can issue the stablecoin directly without a separately regulated bank partner. The charter could supercharge the growth of USD1, increase its interconnectedness with the U.S. financial system, and, as a result, drive even greater profits for President Trump and his family.
Donald Trump's bank is a new vehicle for billionaires, corporations, and foreign countries to bribe him. These entities could cut Trump into everyday transactions and business deals by making payments using USD1 instead of traditional checks, debit cards, or wire transfers.
Trump could charge transaction fees, similar to Visa and Mastercard, and generate interest by investing the cash deposited with World Liberty in exchange for the USD1 stablecoin, similar to the business model of a traditional bank.
This is not hypothetical. We already saw this play out last year, a trial run before World Liberty secured the bank charter. MGX, a UAE state-owned investment fund, made a $2 billion investment in the crypto exchange Binance. Instead of using a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar or the UAE dirham to purchase stock in Binance, MGX paid Binance using USD1, cutting Trump into the deal.
Coincidentally, President Trump pardoned the founder of Binance, who had pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program. Trump has also provided an array of policy favors to the UAE, including giving the UAE a special exemption from U.S. export controls and approving sales of advanced AI chips to UAE firms, despite reported warnings from national security officials that the technology could get diverted to China.
Now with Trump's federal bank charter, we could see more and more of this.
Even setting aside the clear conflict of interest and corruption, World Liberty's charter application would have been flatly denied under any previous administration due to national security risks, anti-money laundering vulnerabilities, and a lack of competent management.
Consider this:
- A foreign intelligence official backed a minority investment in the entity behind Trump's bank.
- Companies affiliated with Trump's bank reportedly:
o sold millions of dollars-worth of tokens to buyers that conducted business with North Korean state-sponsored hackers, sanctioned Russian money-laundering entities, and other illicit actors;
o partnered with a venture whose main project was led by individuals sanctioned by the U.S. government; and
o accepted $100 million from a businessman reportedly under investigation for money laundering by the United Kingdom.
- Most of the executives in charge of Trump's bank have little to no experience in banking. The bank's founder and President, Zachary Witkoff, who also happens to be the son of President Trump's Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, has never worked in a senior banking role.
- One of the bank's board members was the Chairman and CEO of an accounting company that was subject to multiple SEC and PCAOB enforcement actions, including for quote "systemic quality control failures and violations of audit standards."
- The Chief Compliance Officer of Trump's bank previously served as the Chief Compliance Officer of a large crypto platform that blew up in 2022 called Voyager Digital. The platform faced multiple enforcement actions from state and federal regulators for compliance failures, including luring customers to store their money on the platform by falsely claiming the money would be FDIC insured.
But Donald Trump owns the bank and he controls the federal banking agency responsible for approving the charter, so the application was rubber stamped.
Now it's on Congress to step in and terminate this corrupt bank charter. That's exactly what the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act would do. The bill would prohibit federal banking agencies from approving various types of banking applications when the applicant is owned or controlled by a range of senior government officials. It would also require the termination of any such charters or applications that were granted since January 20, 2025, which includes World Liberty's national bank charter.
This is common sense. It is the least Congress could do to start unwinding the President's web of corruption.
Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues want to move in the opposite direction. They seem intent on furthering President Trump's corruption. Look no further than the Senate's first order of business after August recess. Is it a bill to make life more affordable for American families? No. Is it a bill to end Trump's dangerous War in Iran? No. It's a bill that would juice the value of President Trump's crypto empire, and reward the crypto billionaires who have facilitated his corruption. As if the glaring loopholes in the latest ethics provision weren't enough, it doesn't even apply to Donald Trump's new bank.
Instead of further enriching the President, Congress should curb his corruption. Let's start by passing my bill, the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. And let's make sure we do not pass a crypto bill that will let Trump continue to rake in billions in crypto profits while working families across this country suffer under his economy.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to immediate consideration of the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/ahead-of-senate-crypto-vote-warren-and-colleagues-seek-vote-on-senate-floor-to-stop-trumps-self-dealing-end-presidential-corruption-in-banking
"THE DAM IS BREAKING": CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN'S "NO FUNDS FOR IRAN WAR ACT" GAINS SUPPORT AS HOUSE AGAIN VOTES TO END WAR IN IRAN
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Pat Ryan, D-New York, issued the following news release:
* * *
"THE DAM IS BREAKING": CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN'S "NO FUNDS FOR IRAN WAR ACT" GAINS SUPPORT AS HOUSE AGAIN VOTES TO END WAR IN IRAN
*
"The Dam is Breaking": Congressman Pat Ryan's "No Funds for Iran War Act" Gains Support as House Again Votes to End War in Iran
For more than six months, the Trump Administration has waged war in Iran without Congressional approval, costing Americans more than $100 billion, killing 18 brave U.S. servicemembers, and wounding hundreds more
Ryan has voted to end the war six ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Pat Ryan, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * "THE DAM IS BREAKING": CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN'S "NO FUNDS FOR IRAN WAR ACT" GAINS SUPPORT AS HOUSE AGAIN VOTES TO END WAR IN IRAN * "The Dam is Breaking": Congressman Pat Ryan's "No Funds for Iran War Act" Gains Support as House Again Votes to End War in Iran For more than six months, the Trump Administration has waged war in Iran without Congressional approval, costing Americans more than $100 billion, killing 18 brave U.S. servicemembers, and wounding hundreds more Ryan has voted to end the war sixtimes, with a third consecutive vote passing the House last night with bipartisan support
Ryan's No Funds for Iran War Act - which prohibits the use of additional taxpayer funds for the war in Iran - has also gained steady support and now has more than 60 cosponsors
Ryan has been the leading voice of opposition to Trump's war in Iran; he sits on the House Armed Services Committee, is the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress, and served two combat tours in Iraq earning him two Bronze Stars
WASHINGTON, DC - Following last night's vote to pass a third War Powers Resolution to end President Trump's war in Iran, Congressman Pat Ryan announced growing support for his No Funds for Iran War Act, legislation to prohibit the use of additional taxpayer dollars on Trump's war without Congressional approval. The bill now has more than 60 cosponsors.
Ryan - an Iraq War combat veteran and the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress - has voted to end Trump's war in Iran six separate times, with each vote gaining bipartisan support. The resolution last night passed the House of Representatives for a third consecutive time by a vote of 220-204. Trump's war has now killed 18 brave U.S. troops, injured more than 800, and raised prices across the board on the American people.
More than six months into the war with Iran, Ryan is encouraging his colleagues not to give up the fight, and urging Members across the aisle to listen to their constituents and join his efforts to stop the war.
"Every single American - from the military families with loved ones deployed overseas, to the farmer buying fertilizer to feed our communities, to the mom filling up her gas tank - is feeling the impact of this reckless war with Iran. The American people want this war to end - and it's past time for Trump, Hegseth, and all their allies in Congress to listen," said Congressman Pat Ryan. "Every time we force my Republican colleagues to face the facts, more and more of them vote with us. We've now voted three times, in a bipartisan way, to end the war. But Trump continues to ignore the will of the people. My bill to prohibit the use of more taxpayer dollars now has more than 60 cosponsors and would cut off his recklessness at the source. The dam is breaking - we have to keep up the pressure. I'm going to keep fighting everyday, with every fiber of my being, to end this war and bring our troops home."
According to a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Trump's war in Iran has caused more than 40 percent of inflation from the second quarter of 2026 and will continue to drive inflation higher into 2027, meaning the cost of basic goods will continue to rise. CBO also stated the U.S. military will not be able to replace munitions for at least five years.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 61 percent of Americans believe using military force against Iran was a mistake, making Trump's war as unpopular among Americans as the Iraq War during the peak of violence in 2006 and the Vietnam War in the early 1970s.
The Pentagon's internal overall cost estimate has exceeded $100 billion. That number doesn't even account for the cost to the American people. Gas prices have soared, as people across NY-18 have spent an additional $172 million on gas since the beginning of the war, costing the average family in our district an additional $646 in gas costs over the past six months. Grocery prices have also skyrocketed as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
Ryan has repeatedly cosponsored and voted in favor of War Powers Resolutions to end the war in Iran six separate times - with bipartisan support for the effort steadily growing:
* March 5, 2026 - vote fails 212 - 219, with two Republicans voting YEA
* April 16, 2026 - vote fails 213 - 214, with four Republicans abstaining
* May 14, 2026 - vote fails after 212 - 212 tie with three Republicans voting YEA
* June 3, 2026 - vote PASSES 215 - 208, with four Republicans voting YEA
* July 23, 2026 - vote PASSES 214 - 208, with seven Republicans abstaining
* September 15, 2026 - vote PASSES 220 - 204, with seven Republicans voting YEA and eight abstaining
In May, amid reports that the Pentagon would seek $200B in supplemental funding for the war, Ryan introduced the No Funds for Iran War Act, which would prohibit the use of additional taxpayer funds for military action against Iran in the absence of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) or official declaration of war from Congress. Ryan introduced the legislation with the support of his fellow Democratic veterans in Congress, and it has continued to grow in support in the enduring months of the war.
In April, Ryan confronted Hegseth himself during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, pressing him on his failure to protect troops at Port Shuaiba. Following new reporting on the strike on Port Shuaiba, Ryan opened an investigation in August into how the Department of Defense failed to provide adequate medical care to service members injured and demanded answers about the Department's lack of preparation for a strike against Port Shuaiba.
In July, Ryan spoke on the House floor against handing Hegseth's Pentagon a $1.5 trillion blank check through the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). He criticized colleagues for again refusing to consider his No Funds for Iran War Act, especially following the successful passage of a War Powers Resolution.
"It's personal to me. Having served twenty-seven months in combat in Iraq. Watching us double down on a losing strategy, year after year, while my friends and fellow soldiers - many of whose names are on this memorial bracelet I wear - fought and died. It's personal to the now eighteen families who lost their loved ones in this reckless war in Iran -sons, daughters, husbands, wives, somebody's whole world. It's personal to the hundreds more wounded, many carrying injuries that will last their entire lives from this war," Ryan said on the House floor.
Ryan's full floor remarks can be viewed here.
Most recently, when the Trump administration tried to downplay the number of casualties in the war, Ryan again joined his Democratic veteran colleagues in demanding the Administration accurately and transparently account for U.S. servicemembers killed and wounded in the Iran war.
Congressman Ryan is a U.S. Army veteran, served two combat tours in Iraq, and is the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in the U.S. House of Representatives. Amid recent threats to veterans' benefits, national security concerns, and rising threats worldwide, Congressman Ryan led his fellow veterans in Congress to create the Democratic Veterans Caucus. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee and has led extensive legislation to deliver relief for veterans, servicemembers, and military families.
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Original text here: https://patryan.house.gov/media/press-releases/dam-breaking-congressman-pat-ryans-no-funds-iran-war-act-gains-support-house (TNSmrp)
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"THE DAM IS BREAKING": CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN'S "NO FUNDS FOR IRAN WAR ACT" GAINS SUPPORT AS HOUSE AGAIN VOTES TO END WAR IN IRAN
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"The Dam is Breaking": Congressman Pat Ryan's "No Funds for Iran War Act" Gains Support as House Again Votes to End War in Iran
For more than six months, the Trump Administration has waged war in Iran without Congressional approval, costing Americans more than $100 billion, killing 18 brave U.S. servicemembers, and wounding hundreds more
Ryan has voted to end the war six ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 -- Rep. Pat Ryan, D-New York, issued the following news release: * * * "THE DAM IS BREAKING": CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN'S "NO FUNDS FOR IRAN WAR ACT" GAINS SUPPORT AS HOUSE AGAIN VOTES TO END WAR IN IRAN * "The Dam is Breaking": Congressman Pat Ryan's "No Funds for Iran War Act" Gains Support as House Again Votes to End War in Iran For more than six months, the Trump Administration has waged war in Iran without Congressional approval, costing Americans more than $100 billion, killing 18 brave U.S. servicemembers, and wounding hundreds more Ryan has voted to end the war sixtimes, with a third consecutive vote passing the House last night with bipartisan support
Ryan's No Funds for Iran War Act - which prohibits the use of additional taxpayer funds for the war in Iran - has also gained steady support and now has more than 60 cosponsors
Ryan has been the leading voice of opposition to Trump's war in Iran; he sits on the House Armed Services Committee, is the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress, and served two combat tours in Iraq earning him two Bronze Stars
WASHINGTON, DC - Following last night's vote to pass a third War Powers Resolution to end President Trump's war in Iran, Congressman Pat Ryan announced growing support for his No Funds for Iran War Act, legislation to prohibit the use of additional taxpayer dollars on Trump's war without Congressional approval. The bill now has more than 60 cosponsors.
Ryan - an Iraq War combat veteran and the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress - has voted to end Trump's war in Iran six separate times, with each vote gaining bipartisan support. The resolution last night passed the House of Representatives for a third consecutive time by a vote of 220-204. Trump's war has now killed 18 brave U.S. troops, injured more than 800, and raised prices across the board on the American people.
More than six months into the war with Iran, Ryan is encouraging his colleagues not to give up the fight, and urging Members across the aisle to listen to their constituents and join his efforts to stop the war.
"Every single American - from the military families with loved ones deployed overseas, to the farmer buying fertilizer to feed our communities, to the mom filling up her gas tank - is feeling the impact of this reckless war with Iran. The American people want this war to end - and it's past time for Trump, Hegseth, and all their allies in Congress to listen," said Congressman Pat Ryan. "Every time we force my Republican colleagues to face the facts, more and more of them vote with us. We've now voted three times, in a bipartisan way, to end the war. But Trump continues to ignore the will of the people. My bill to prohibit the use of more taxpayer dollars now has more than 60 cosponsors and would cut off his recklessness at the source. The dam is breaking - we have to keep up the pressure. I'm going to keep fighting everyday, with every fiber of my being, to end this war and bring our troops home."
According to a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Trump's war in Iran has caused more than 40 percent of inflation from the second quarter of 2026 and will continue to drive inflation higher into 2027, meaning the cost of basic goods will continue to rise. CBO also stated the U.S. military will not be able to replace munitions for at least five years.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 61 percent of Americans believe using military force against Iran was a mistake, making Trump's war as unpopular among Americans as the Iraq War during the peak of violence in 2006 and the Vietnam War in the early 1970s.
The Pentagon's internal overall cost estimate has exceeded $100 billion. That number doesn't even account for the cost to the American people. Gas prices have soared, as people across NY-18 have spent an additional $172 million on gas since the beginning of the war, costing the average family in our district an additional $646 in gas costs over the past six months. Grocery prices have also skyrocketed as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
Ryan has repeatedly cosponsored and voted in favor of War Powers Resolutions to end the war in Iran six separate times - with bipartisan support for the effort steadily growing:
* March 5, 2026 - vote fails 212 - 219, with two Republicans voting YEA
* April 16, 2026 - vote fails 213 - 214, with four Republicans abstaining
* May 14, 2026 - vote fails after 212 - 212 tie with three Republicans voting YEA
* June 3, 2026 - vote PASSES 215 - 208, with four Republicans voting YEA
* July 23, 2026 - vote PASSES 214 - 208, with seven Republicans abstaining
* September 15, 2026 - vote PASSES 220 - 204, with seven Republicans voting YEA and eight abstaining
In May, amid reports that the Pentagon would seek $200B in supplemental funding for the war, Ryan introduced the No Funds for Iran War Act, which would prohibit the use of additional taxpayer funds for military action against Iran in the absence of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) or official declaration of war from Congress. Ryan introduced the legislation with the support of his fellow Democratic veterans in Congress, and it has continued to grow in support in the enduring months of the war.
In April, Ryan confronted Hegseth himself during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, pressing him on his failure to protect troops at Port Shuaiba. Following new reporting on the strike on Port Shuaiba, Ryan opened an investigation in August into how the Department of Defense failed to provide adequate medical care to service members injured and demanded answers about the Department's lack of preparation for a strike against Port Shuaiba.
In July, Ryan spoke on the House floor against handing Hegseth's Pentagon a $1.5 trillion blank check through the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). He criticized colleagues for again refusing to consider his No Funds for Iran War Act, especially following the successful passage of a War Powers Resolution.
"It's personal to me. Having served twenty-seven months in combat in Iraq. Watching us double down on a losing strategy, year after year, while my friends and fellow soldiers - many of whose names are on this memorial bracelet I wear - fought and died. It's personal to the now eighteen families who lost their loved ones in this reckless war in Iran -sons, daughters, husbands, wives, somebody's whole world. It's personal to the hundreds more wounded, many carrying injuries that will last their entire lives from this war," Ryan said on the House floor.
Ryan's full floor remarks can be viewed here.
Most recently, when the Trump administration tried to downplay the number of casualties in the war, Ryan again joined his Democratic veteran colleagues in demanding the Administration accurately and transparently account for U.S. servicemembers killed and wounded in the Iran war.
Congressman Ryan is a U.S. Army veteran, served two combat tours in Iraq, and is the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in the U.S. House of Representatives. Amid recent threats to veterans' benefits, national security concerns, and rising threats worldwide, Congressman Ryan led his fellow veterans in Congress to create the Democratic Veterans Caucus. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee and has led extensive legislation to deliver relief for veterans, servicemembers, and military families.
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Original text here: https://patryan.house.gov/media/press-releases/dam-breaking-congressman-pat-ryans-no-funds-iran-war-act-gains-support-house (TNSmrp)