Washington, D.C., Nov. 3, 2025 — Luján Statement on Trump Administration Only Partially Funding SNAP Despite Having Legal Authority and Funds to Fully Fund Program
U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced it would partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):
‘Two separate federal district courts have confirmed what we already knew: The Trump administration has both the legal authority and funds on hand to ensure that no one who relies on SNAP benefits to put food on the table goes hungry. Instead of acting in the best interest of their fellow Americans – our friends, family, and neighbors who need a helping hand – the Trump administration has yet again chosen to withhold our own taxpayer dollars from folks who need it most.
‘While I am glad to see that USDA will comply with the court order and release contingency funds to fund partial benefits, I urge the Trump administration to use their transfer authority to fully fund November benefits. No family should go hungry because of President Trump’s political games.’
Last week, Senator Luján led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025, legislation that prevents the Trump administration from illegally withholding available funds for SNAP and WIC. Despite the urgent need to protect these programs that help feed millions of families, Senate Republicans blocked consideration of the bill.
Washington, D.C., Oct. 29, 2025 — Luján Leads Entire Senate Democratic Caucus in Effort to Stop Trump Administration from Illegally Withholding Funding for Nutrition Assistance Programs That Feed American Families
Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, led the Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025, legislation that prevents the Trump administration from illegally withholding available funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Despite having billions of dollars ready and available to pay for SNAP, the Trump administration continues to play politics with the ability of Americans across the country to put food on the table. Not only does the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have the authority to release SNAP contingency funds, but the statute is clear: the Trump administration is required by law to release these funds.
The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 directs the USDA to immediately release billions of dollars in available funds to ensure SNAP and WIC benefits continue uninterrupted for the remainder of this fiscal year. The legislation also requires the federal government to reimburse states for covering SNAP benefits during a shutdown.
‘Let me be clear: the Trump administration has the authority and the funds to keep SNAP running. No child, veteran, grandparent, or hardworking American should go hungry because of partisan politics,’ said Senator Luján. ‘Congressional Republicans passed the largest cut to SNAP in history, and now the Trump administration is withholding billions in available funding to inflict maximum pain on the American people.
’42 million Americans, including 1 in every 5 New Mexicans, relies on SNAP to feed their families,’ continued Senator Luján. ‘That’s why I’m leading my colleagues to introduce legislation that would ensure the Trump administration immediately releases available funds to keep nutrition programs running.’
… The legislation is cosponsored by Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The full bill text of the legislation can be found here.
Washington, D.C., Oct. 29, 2025 — Reed Warns Trump’s Politicization of the Military Breaks 250 Years of Tradition
“Drawing the Line: Congress Must Protect America’s Apolitical Military”
Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, delivered a floor speech condemning President Trump’s efforts to politicize the U.S. military and turn it into a partisan instrument. Reed warned that Trump’s actions—including holding campaign-style rallies on military bases, firing senior officers for political reasons, and deploying troops into American cities—undermine 250 years of apolitical military tradition and threaten civilian control of the Armed Forces.
Senator Reed called on Congress to take immediate, bipartisan action to safeguard the Constitution’s balance of powers, codify prohibitions on political activity at military installations, and ensure that the U.S. military remains loyal only to the Constitution—not to any individual or party.
A video of Senator Reed’s remarks may be viewed here.
Washington, D.C., Oct. 30, 2025 — Kaine Applauds Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to End Trump’s Global Tariffs
Today, the U.S. Senate voted 51-47 to pass bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), alongside U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rand Paul (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), to challenge President Donald Trump’s International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPPA) tariffs on global imports. The vote came shortly after newly released inflation data showed that consumer prices rose in September at their fastest pace in eight months, and after the Senate voted to pass two separate resolutions led by Kaine to challenge the Trump Administration’s tariffs on goods from Canada and Brazil.
‘President Trump’s broad-based global tariffs—the largest tax increase in a generation—are making prices go up for Virginia families and creating uncertainty that hurts our businesses,’ said Kaine. ‘With the holidays right around the corner, the harm created by these new taxes is only going to get worse. I’m glad the Senate fulfilled its constitutional duty to weigh in on matters of taxation by voting to undo them. If the House fails to take up this legislation, it will show that Republicans are fine with punishing American families and businesses with higher prices, fewer jobs, and slower growth.’
The National Emergencies Act states that the U.S. House of Representatives must vote on this legislation within 18 days.
Specifically, the legislation would terminate the emergency that Trump declared in order to slap tariffs of up to 41% on products Americans buy from other countries. In the wake of Trump’s tariff declaration, costs have increased, manufacturers have laid off thousands of workers and halted domestic investments, and foreign countries have sharply cut purchases of American agricultural exports.
Full text of the legislation is available here.
Washington, D.C., Oct. 28, 2025 — Duckworth, Durbin, Join Merkley in Calling for CBO Probe into Cost of Trump’s National Guard Deployment to American Cities
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in leading several of their Senate colleagues in calling on the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to probe the cost of the Trump Administration’s brazen decision to deploy National Guard personnel to U.S. cities. President Trump has ordered troops into major cities across the country, including Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Memphis. The Senators are requesting that CBO analyze the costs of activating, deploying and compensating National Guard personnel, as well as the cost to sustain and maintain these deployments.
‘Deploying federalized National Guard units for domestic security operations marks a significant departure from long-standing practice. It also carries substantial cost implications that have not been publicly disclosed or formally justified to Congress. The American people deserve full transparency regarding how their tax dollars are being used especially as it pertains to the deployment of military personnel for missions on U.S. soil without a declared emergency or state request,’ wrote the Senators.
In addition to Duckworth, Durbin and Merkley, the letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Portland, Ore., Oct. 27, 2025 — Secure Release of Portland Mother after Months of Unlawful ICE Detention
Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03), Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) announced that Jackie Merlos has been released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following her prolonged and illegal detention. Her release came hours after Dexter announced that a petition for a writ of habeas corpus was filed on behalf of Merlos—an action challenging the legality of her continued detention in federal court.
‘Jackie’s freedom is proof that the power of the people is greater than the people in power,’ said Dexter. ‘Oregonians refused to be silent, and because of that, Jackie is free and will be home with her children. This is a moment for celebration, but it’s also a painful reminder that justice was long delayed and actively undermined by the federal government. Jackie’s faith, her community, and her resilience got her home—but thousands of others will never see equal justice. That is un-American. Our community cannot let up now; we must keep using our power to protect our neighbors and keep families together.’
‘I’m so grateful to have my freedom today. So many people have been by my side in this long journey. I’m so appreciative. I can’t wait to hug my babies. And then I will get to work for others like me,’ said Jackie Merlos.
