MIL USHOR-2b Engine

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Donald Trump signed into law Congressman Pete Stauber’s (MN-08) Congressional Review Act legislation, H.J. Res. 140. With his signature, the Biden administration’s 20-year mining ban in the Superior National Forest is officially overturned.

Congressman Pete Stauber said, “It’s official. The illegal mining ban put in place by former President Biden has been overturned indefinitely, ending a reckless policy that sidelined Minnesota’s miners and undermined our nation’s ability to source our own materials. Never again will any Democrat President be able to unilaterally ban mining in this strategic area of the Superior National Forest. Now, proposed mining projects aimed at unlocking trillions of dollars’ worth of critical minerals can move forward through the proper state and federal environmental review and permitting process.

“President Trump is the most pro-mining President in American history, and I thank him for his support in championing Minnesota’s union miners and workers. As the result of our shared commitment to American mineral dominance, Minnesota’s mighty Iron Range has a strong future ahead. It’s back at the center of a powerful economic comeback with another century’s worth of mining, and I’m proud to have delivered this hard-fought victory for our state and nation.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Pete Stauber joined Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director Kevin Beardsley in announcing that the United States Department of Transportation is awarding the Port of Duluth-Superior $27 million in grant funding through the Port Infrastructure Development Program. These funds will go towards the Duluth Lake Port pier revitalization project.

“This $27 million investment marks a major step forward for the Duluth Port,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “By modernizing critical infrastructure and preparing for future development, these funds will support good-paying jobs and ensure the port remains a key driver of economic growth in the region for years to come. I’m proud to have helped deliver this funding and I thank Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for once again recognizing the importance of the Northland.”

“This MARAD grant represents a major investment in the Port of Duluth-Superior and the region’s supply chain infrastructure,” said Kevin Beardsley, Executive Director, Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “It will be the catalyst in revitalizing a strategic 7.5-acre pier complex in the heart of Duluth’s working waterfront, and positioning it to be a future-ready, vibrant asset for the port, the surrounding region, and the nation as a whole.”
 
“We’re grateful and excited about the positive impact this investment will have throughout our community, and broadly, for our nation’s supply chain,” added Beardsley. 

This funding will support critical infrastructure improvements at the Duluth Lake Port facility, including the reconstruction of 1,150 linear feet of dock wall and the creation of 7.5 acres of new laydown space. This project will also remove out-of-service grain elevators and install utilities to prepare for the redevelopment of the dock.

Stauber sent a letter to Secretary Duffy in July of 2025 requesting this funding for the Duluth Port.

This grant will be matched by $8.4 million in secured state grant and local funding. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States Senate passed Congressman Pete Stauber’s (MN-08) Congressional Review Act resolution, H.J. Res. 140, to repeal the Biden administration’s illegal 20-year mining ban on 225,504 acres in Northern Minnesota’s Superior National Forest. It will now head to the President’s desk for signature. 

“A major victory for America and for Minnesota’s families and workers was secured today,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “Never again can any Democrat President or administration unilaterally ban mining in this vital portion of the Superior National Forest, killing jobs and locking away trillions of dollars of critical minerals essential to our way of life. Mining is our past, our present, and our future – and the future looks bright!

 “Despite the lies and hysterics from the left, my bill doesn’t allow mining in the Boundary Waters or the surrounding buffer zone, nor does it weaken environmental safeguards. It simply returns the decision to established permitting processes, where science, not politics, guides the outcome. I look forward to Minnesota’s miners and workers meeting every state and federal requirement so they can responsibly source the critical minerals, helium, and other natural resources that allow us to compete in the 21^st century. We cannot continue to allow foreign adversaries like China to dominate mineral supply chains that are essential to our economic and national security.”

This resolution does not approve specific projects. It removes the ban, allowing proposed projects to proceed through the strictest state and federal regulatory and permitting processes. 

BACKGROUND: 

 In January 2023, the Department of the Interior, at the direction of former President Joe Biden and former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, issued Public Land Order (PLO) 7917, instituting a 20-year mineral withdrawal covering 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest in Northern Minnesota. This mineral withdrawal banned mining and other responsible resource extraction in a strategically significant area of the Duluth Complex, which is the largest untapped copper-nickel deposit in the world, which contains trillions of dollars of mineral wealth and at least a century’s worth of future mining. Under the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act, the Department of the Interior is required to notify Congress of public land orders impacting an excess of 5,000 acres. The Biden Administration failed to properly transmit PLO 7917 to Congress in January 2023. Earlier this year, the Trump Administration corrected this error and properly transmitted PLO 7917 to Congress.

Under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), Congress has the authority to review and disapprove of federal actions within 60 Senate session days of the action’s submission to Congress. If a CRA joint resolution of disapproval addressing a federal action is passed by both chambers and signed by the President, it is nullified and ceases to have effect (or is treated as never having taken effect). Additionally, under the CRA’s substantially similar provision, when a federal action is successfully disapproved of by Congress, the executive branch is prohibited from taking a substantially similar action in the future.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA) helped secure access for local clergy to enter the federal ICE detention facility at the Roybal Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles on Good Friday, allowing detained individuals to observe one of the holiest days in the Christian faith.

After clergy were denied entry on Ash Wednesday, Rep. Gomez’s office engaged ICE officials, elevated formal requests, and continued pushing for access in the days leading up to Good Friday. As a result, four clergy members were permitted to enter the facility, where they led a prayer service, administered communion, and provided pastoral care to detained individuals.

The visit comes as Rep. Gomez has been actively conducting oversight of the facility, including areas known as B-17 and B-18, where detainees are often held after being taken into custody before transfer or removal proceedings. Rep. Gomez has raised concerns about access, transparency, and conditions inside the facility.

“I’ve spent months conducting oversight at this detention facility and pushing back on ICE’s efforts to hide what’s happening inside. When local clergy were denied entry on Ash Wednesday, my office kept pushing until ICE finally allowed them in on Good Friday,” said Rep. Gomez. “Those inside were able to pray, receive communion, and observe one of the holiest days in the Christian faith. I’m going to keep pushing for access and transparency inside these detention facilities, and make sure the people inside are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”

During the Good Friday visit, clergy prayed with detained individuals, blessed them with holy water, anointed them with holy oil, and offered communion. For many, it was a rare opportunity to participate in a religious observance while in custody.

Rep. Gomez will continue conducting oversight and advocating for transparency and humane treatment inside detention facilities.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

Today, Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) introduced the Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act to stop federal agencies from violating the Constitution by awarding contracts based on recipients’ race or sex. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the Senate companion of the bill.

“Companies in my district have lost out on contracts despite offering higher quality products at a lower cost to the taxpayer. That’s not just unfair, it’s wasteful,” said Congressman Glenn Grothman. “I was proud to introduce the Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act because preferences in government contracting based on race or sex are fundamentally unfair, costly, and out of step with what most Americans believe. Contracts should be awarded based on merit, not race or gender, as the Constitution guarantees equal protection for all. For too long, federal contracting has relied on race- and sex-based mandates that drive up costs and undermine confidence in the system. Our bill restores accountability, reduces waste, and ensures contracts are awarded based on merit.”

“Unconstitutional discrimination disguised as ‘DEI’ has infected our federal government,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Awarding government contracts based on race and sex is, simply put, racist and sexist. These policies defy our founding values and waste taxpayer dollars on subpar projects. My bill will end discrimination in government contracting to restore merit-based partnerships, ensuring contractors, businesses, and workers are evaluated not by the color of their skin or gender, but their ability to serve the American people.”

“For decades, Pacific Legal Foundation has fought to ensure that government treats every American equally under the law. Pacific Legal Foundation applauds Senator Mike Lee and Representative Glenn Grothman for introducing The Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act which would end the consideration of race, ethnicity, or sex in federal contracting decisions. After the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Students for Fair Admissions, the legal foundation for these unjust preferences has crumbled. Congress should finish the job.” — Glenn Roper, Senior Attorney in Equality & Opportunity, Pacific Legal Foundation

“Race- and sex-based contracting costs taxpayers billions of dollars, endangers the security of our troops, and inhibits the construction and repair of our nation’s infrastructure. Senator Lee and Congressman Grothman’s bill takes the important step of ending these unconstitutional practices and returning federal contracting to more merit-based principles, in which Americans, regardless of race or sex, are treated equally.” – Judge Glock, Director of Research and Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute

“Since the Supreme Court found racial preferences in college admissions to be unconstitutional, there has been a swirling debate in legal and policy circles about what this means outside the educational space. The equal-protection logic of Harvard v. SFFA inextricably applies to the employment space, which is why we’ve seen a spate of lawsuits and corporations reevaluating their DEI policies. One of the least headline-grabbing areas where identity-based preferences make their pernicious presence felt is in government contracting, which requires federal legislation to fix. The Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act is exactly what’s needed to reform this often byzantine space and ensure that taxpayers aren’t funding contracts based on identity-based spoils.” – Ilya Shapiro, Director of Constitutional Studies and Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute

“It’s time to end race- and gender-based preferences in government contracting. This bill from Senator Lee and Congressman Grothman will help dismantle the ideology of left-wing identity politics and replace it with the principle of colorblind, equal treatment under the law.” – Chris Rufo, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute

Background Information

Since the 1970s, the federal government has expanded an ever-growing web of DEI requirements,  mandates, and quotas for government contracts. Federal agencies are currently obligated to grant a certain number of government contracts to companies based on the race, ethnicity, or sex of company owners or employees. This system intentionally awards work based on immutable characteristics rather than ability to execute a job effectively. These practices are incompatible with the Constitution and frequently result in incomplete projects that exceed projected budgets, wasting taxpayer dollars.

On March 26, 2026, President Trump issued Executive Order 14398 to address DEI discrimination by federal contractors. This move was part of a larger effort by the Administration and congressional Republicans to end DEI practices throughout the country. Legislation is necessary to codify this initiative.

Senator Lee’s Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act underscores a shift away from unjust DEI hiring and contracting practices and towards a system that prioritizes fairness, efficiency and equal treatment under the law. As America begins to celebrate its 250th anniversary, this legislation is a timely emphasis on our founding principle that “all men are created equal.”

The Ending Discrimination in Government Contracting Act:

• Eliminates existing quotas, mandates, and programs that provide government contracting opportunities to companies based on the race and/or sex of the company’s owner;
• Eliminates certain federal DEI programs like the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and the Minority Business Development Act of 2021;
• Repeals DEI preferences for Department of Transportation grants;
• Eliminates discriminatory federal reporting requirements on small businesses;
• Requires federal agencies to rescind any rules or regulations requiring agencies to provide preference to contractors based on their race or sex, and;
• Prevents federal agencies from reissuing similar rules and regulations in the future.
• Retains support for small businesses generally and does not prohibit federal agencies from prioritizing rural or veteran-owned businesses when issuing government contracts.

Read exclusive coverage by Breitbart News here.

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U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) proudly serves the people of Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), and U.S. Representative Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) were joined by Representatives  Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Johnny Olszewski (aMD-02) in pressing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden and United States Forest Service (USFS) Chief Tom Schultz on the justification for and expected impact of the Administration’s proposed closure of the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station. This local USFS office leads forestry-related projects that benefit the local Baltimore community and conducts important forestry and urban ecology research that informs land use decision-making throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed and beyond. The USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station is also a key partner in the Chesapeake Bay Program. In their letter, the lawmakers stressed that shuttering this longstanding field station will abruptly end decades of carefully cultivated partnerships and result in the loss of region-specific expertise that cannot be replicated elsewhere – assets that underpin vital initiatives for the health of our environment and economy in Maryland and across the country. The lawmakers asked for answers to a series of questions on the proposed closure, including whether a cost-benefit analysis was conducted, plans for continuing the field station’s work, and the expected impact on USFS employees.

“We are writing to express serious concerns about the proposed closure of the United States Forest Service (USFS) Baltimore Urban Field Station. This field station is essential to maintaining the important USFS work that has been taking place in Baltimore for nearly 30 years – work that benefits communities and forests in Maryland and across the entire country. Closing the Baltimore Urban Field Station is unnecessary and misguided; it will stymie highly effective and productive forestry and urban ecology work that Congress has directed the Forest Service to pursue,” the lawmakers began.

“The USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station has operated from the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County since 1998, which has allowed the field station to develop important academic and Baltimore-area community partnerships. This longstanding Baltimore location has enabled the place-based relationships and collaborations that underpin the impactful, high-quality work that this field station has produced,” they continued.

The USFS Baltimore Field Station’s proven record of successful research, partnerships, and projects demonstrates its incredible value to the American people. Agency and program office relocations invariably result in the loss of talented staff, institutional knowledge, and partnerships, undermining the agency’s mission, performance, and effectiveness; this is exactly what happened when the Trump administration relocated the Bureau of Land Management, the Economic Research Service, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in 2019,” the lawmakers wrote, going on to list numerous examples of the work that the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station does to inform Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts, provide workforce development opportunities, and more.

“For nearly 30 years, the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station has generated exceptional applied research with an impact reaching far beyond Baltimore city limits. The USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station has shown itself to be an incredible asset to the community, region, and to the nation. It should not be closed,” they concluded.

Text of the letter, including the questions posed to Deputy Secretary Vaden and Chief Schultz, can be viewed here and below.

Dear Deputy Secretary Vaden and Chief Schultz,

We are writing to express serious concerns about the proposed closure of the United States Forest Service (USFS) Baltimore Urban Field Station. This field station is essential to maintaining the important USFS work that has been taking place in Baltimore for nearly 30 years – work that benefits communities and forests in Maryland and across the entire country. Closing the Baltimore Urban Field Station is unnecessary and misguided; it will stymie highly effective and productive forestry and urban ecology work that Congress has directed the Forest Service to pursue.

The USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station has operated from the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County since 1998, which has allowed the field station to develop important academic and Baltimore-area community partnerships. This longstanding Baltimore location has enabled the place-based relationships and collaborations that underpin the impactful, high-quality work that this field station has produced, including:

Inventing high-resolution landcover mapping which has become the basis for urban and community forest management plans in the U.S. and internationally, is used to assess fire risk in woodland-urban interface areas, and serves as a key data source for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed model that informs Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration work.

• Developing and maintaining the longest running rural-suburban-urban watershed study in the world, which has transformed scientific understanding of human-settled watersheds and profoundly influenced policy and planning for the Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration.
• Pioneering research that is critical to improving the quality of life in cities such as long-term research on social-ecological systems and research on the role of trees, forests, and nature to promote public health and safety.
• Leading the Forest Service’s Wildland Urban Interface program to understand and develop policies, plans, and practices to reduce vulnerabilities to forest fires and improve human health, security, and livelihoods.
• Creating urban and community wood utilization programs that foster a sustainable market for urban wood at local, regional, and national scales, creating new wood products that generate jobs and economic value in urban communities.

The USFS Baltimore Field Station’s proven record of successful research, partnerships, and projects demonstrates its incredible value to the American people. Agency and program office relocations invariably result in the loss of talented staff, institutional knowledge, and partnerships, undermining the agency’s mission, performance, and effectiveness; this is exactly what happened when the Trump administration relocated the Bureau of Land Management, the Economic Research Service, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in 2019.

Closure of the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station jeopardizes many highly important initiatives and undermines key partnerships in the region. As a core collaborator in Chesapeake Bay Program work, the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station provides essential forestry-related ecosystem services estimates and expert guidance on forestry issues in the watershed – data that state and federal partners rely on to guide Bay restoration spending decisions. The field station also leads the Baltimore Urban Waters Partnership, acting as a convener to bring together federal, state, and local agencies to streamline efforts to support community-led restoration and urban revitalization efforts in the Baltimore and Patapsco River watersheds. Another important Baltimore-based project that the Baltimore Urban Field Station supports is the Stillmeadow Church and Peace Park, which hosts a job training program that delivers professional skill building and training in innovative forest restoration techniques to Baltimore youth. And the Baltimore Urban Field Station leads a number of Baltimore-based research projects that require USFS to have an on-the-ground presence, including: experimental research on forests impacted by invasive threats like the Emerald Ash Borer and Beech Leaf Disease to better understand how to help forests recover, and studies on forest patch distribution and fragmentation across the Baltimore region to inform land management practices.

Please answer the following questions by April 28, 2026:

1. Has USDA conducted a cost-benefit analysis to understand the economic impact of closing the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station?
   1. If so, what were the findings?
   2. If not, what evidence is USDA using to justify this proposed closure?
2. Will the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station’s partnership and place-based work continue, including the initiatives described in this letter, if the field station is closed?
   1. If so, please explain in detail how this will happen.
   2. In not, how does USDA justify the termination of this important work?
3. Will any of the Baltimore-based USFS employees be terminated?
4. Will any of the Baltimore-based USFS employees be relocated?
   1. If so, where will these staff be transferred?
   2. If not, where will their duty station be if the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station is closed?
5. Will Baltimore-based USFS employees be offered the opportunity to transition to remote work status?

For nearly 30 years, the USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station has generated exceptional applied research with an impact reaching far beyond Baltimore city limits. The USFS Baltimore Urban Field Station has shown itself to be an incredible asset to the community, region, and to the nation. It should not be closed.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, on Marine Mammal Rescue Day, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) reintroduced the Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act, legislation to strengthen protections for marine mammals and the coastal ecosystems they depend on from the growing threat of the climate crisis.

“Marine mammals are facing unprecedented threats,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “The climate crisis is rapidly reshaping our oceans and putting whales, sea otters, polar bears, manatees, and other species at risk.

“For decades, the Marine Mammal Protection Act has served as a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to protecting marine mammals. But the law has not kept pace with the accelerating impacts of climate change. My bill updates that framework by requiring federal agencies to directly address the growing risks climate change poses to marine mammals.

“From sea-level rise and ocean warming to habitat loss and declining biodiversity, the challenges facing our coastal ecosystems are intensifying. These are not distant threats. They are happening now, and they are driven by human activity.

“In coastal communities including Ventura County, we have seen firsthand how fragile these ecosystems have become. Protecting marine mammals means protecting the health of our oceans and the future of our planet.

“We have a responsibility to act. This legislation takes a critical step toward building climate-resilient ocean ecosystems and ensuring marine mammals can survive and thrive for generations to come.”

Background 

The Marine Mammal Climate Change Protection Act amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop climate impact management plans for marine mammal species most vulnerable to climate change. These plans would identify and implement strategies to mitigate climate-driven risks and improve long-term species resilience.

Read the text of the bill here.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Climate Crisis, Environment

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is praising the 7^th Grade class of students at Matafao Elementary School and their teachers after her visit to the school last week.

Group Photo at Matafao Elementary

“I was so impressed by these students, and their excellent questions about government, and I know they are a result of the good work of their teachers,” said Congresswoman Aumua Amata. “My message to them is to keep learning and keep asking those good questions. I’m always so optimistic about our future whenever I speak with our young people. This was a visit to one grade within one school, but I know they reflect the good work of our islands’ schools and teachers. Congratulations to these students and teachers, and it was a pleasure to have this insight into your school day. Thank you to the educators for taking time away from their regular schedule, and I’m so glad I was able to visit before I was called back to Washington.” 

Students asked questions about topics including the Bill of Rights, the U.S Constitution, the three branches of government, Congress, and bills becoming laws. The educators include Principal Atalina Coffin, Vice Principal Antonina Godinet, and teachers Ms. Salevu Lole-Allen, Mr. Nikolao Alo, and Ms. Tiresa Lauama. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is welcoming notice from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of a grant of $140,123 for the American Samoa Community Cancer Coalition, and extending her congratulations.

“Thank you Dr. Danielle Eakins for this research effort regarding the care for our people going through Alzheimer’s and related dementia symptoms,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Dr. Eakins put in the work to propose and qualify for this project to strengthen our compassionate response and understanding for a loved one going through such symptoms, and the effects on the family and caregiver. Thank you to American Samoa Community Cancer Coalition, as well as HHS and National Institute on Aging.”

The ongoing project is described as a culturally grounded approach to understanding and improving Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for American Samoa’s family caregivers.

This non-competing continuation grant continues research on aging, the second year of a three-year project. This funding is categorized as a small research grant project, and through HHS’s National Institute on Aging, which is one of the 27 institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). HHS is led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and NIH by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), and U.S. Representatives Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) pressed Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, on their illegal proposal to shutter the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Prince George’s County. In their letter, the lawmakers highlighted the vital purpose that BARC serves for farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and across the country, which in turn supports Americans’ health and our economy. The lawmakers also stressed the many ways in which the USDA proposal to shutter BARC violates the law and Congress’ clear intent that it remains operational. They went on to criticize the Secretary and Deputy Secretary for their failure to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate the impact of this proposal on taxpayers and the Department’s productivity, noting that large-scale agency relocations or closures regularly have negative effects on both. In the apparent absence of that information and the legal concerns that the lawmakers raised, they pressed USDA to assess whether successfully relocating research activities to other facilities is even possible without jeopardizing ongoing work and asked for answers to a series of questions on the proposed closure of BARC – including a detailed cost-benefit analysis and the expected impact on employees, among other topics.

“The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to decommission the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is illegal and deeply harmful to American farmers and the nation’s food security. BARC is among the largest and most influential agricultural research facilities in the world, and its research has helped enhance the productivity of American agriculture, stop the spread of harmful pests and diseases, and improve human nutrition. In addition to nationally oriented research, BARC also provides regionally specific agricultural research that benefits the 83,000 farms located throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed; the loss of BARC jeopardizes $10 billion in agricultural productivity in this region alone,” the lawmakers began.

“The April 23rd proposal to shutter BARC is not only deeply unwise; it is illegal. By moving forward with decommissioning BARC, USDA is violating a number of provisions laid out in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act, enacted into law on November 12, 2025, including a clear directive to USDA to keep BARC open,” they stressed, going on to list the provisions within the appropriations law of which USDA has run afoul.

The lawmakers also criticized the USDA leaders for failing to provide a public accounting of the costs of decommissioning BARC: “USDA must conduct an Inspector General-reviewed cost-benefit analysis of the proposed decommissioning of BARC that compares the net benefit of proposed decommissioning to moving forward with the BARC 2024 Master Plan that would consolidate BARC operations on the current site.” They went on to outline critical criteria that must be included in such an analysis for a full understanding of the effects of a potential decommissioning.

“As the significant public comment the USDA received on this plan indicates, closure of BARC would have catastrophic consequences for farmers across the country and particularly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The USDA must comply with clear Congressional directives and work with Congress on the long-term future of BARC and its vital mission,” they concluded.

Text of the letter, including the questions posed to Secretary Rollins and Deputy Secretary Vaden, can be viewed here and below.

Dear Secretary Rollins and Deputy Secretary Vaden,

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposal to decommission the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is illegal and deeply harmful to American farmers and the nation’s food security. BARC is among the largest and most influential agricultural research facilities in the world, and its research has helped enhance the productivity of American agriculture, stop the spread of harmful pests and diseases, and improve human nutrition. In addition to nationally oriented research, BARC also provides regionally specific agricultural research that benefits the 83,000 farms located throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed; the loss of BARC jeopardizes $10 billion in agricultural productivity in this region alone. Congressional intent to keep BARC open is clear and received bipartisan support in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act. Additionally, of the public comments USDA received about BARC, including from Maryland Farm Bureau, 92% expressed strong opposition to closure of this critical agricultural research facility, illustrating the overwhelming support for the continued operation of BARC.

The April 23rd proposal to shutter BARC is not only deeply unwise; it is illegal. By moving forward with decommissioning BARC, USDA is violating a number of provisions laid out in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act, enacted into law on November 12, 2025, including a clear directive to USDA to keep BARC open. More specifically, in this law Congress:

• Made clear its intent for BARC to continue to operate by including the following language in the report accompanying the bill: “the agreement supports the continued operation of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center.”
   
• Further clarified this intent by providing USDA with $6 million in funding to spend on construction and facilities improvements at BARC to implement building and infrastructure updates that support BARC’s continued operation.
   
• Prohibited closure or consolidation of the resources or locations of any existing USDA Agricultural Research Service labs and facilities without the prior notification and approval of the Appropriations Committees of the House and Senate – approval which has not been obtained by USDA.
   
• Barred USDA from reorganizing or relocating an office or employees without the prior notification and approval of the Appropriations Committees of the House and Senate – approval which has not been obtained by USDA

It is extremely troubling that, instead of working with Congress on a sensible plan to modernize BARC, the Department is pursuing an abrupt, politically-motivated, and short-sighted effort to shutter a facility of critical importance to U.S. agriculture and food security. Since 2016, USDA has invested at least $174 million in BARC facility upgrades and repairs, and was in the process of a strategic consolidation effort laid out in the 2024 BARC Master Plan. In this plan shared with our offices, USDA laid out a strategy to centralize BARC’s work in eleven main laboratories and office facilities while other facilities would be decommissioned.

The Department has also failed to provide evidence that the benefits of decommissioning BARC outweigh the costs. For example, the Department lacks legal authority to dispose of BARC land, which limits the ability to recoup any cost through selling or leasing the land, which means that costs will continue to accrue at BARC even if employees and labs are relocated. In addition, this Administration knows that relocations are costly — resulting in productivity declines, the loss of talented staff, and the undermining the agency’s ability to effectively carry out its core mission. These losses translate to further economic costs for taxpayers as every dollar invested in USDA research delivers less benefit.

USDA must conduct an Inspector General-reviewed cost-benefit analysis of the proposed decommissioning of BARC that compares the net benefit of proposed decommissioning to moving forward with the BARC 2024 Master Plan that would consolidate BARC operations on the current site. This analysis should include an assessment of the costs associated with the relocation of BARC research activities – including relocating or acquiring new research materials and equipment, as well as the costs of relocating personnel. The analysis should also include the costs of any upgrades that would be needed at the facilities slated to receive BARC research activities in order to accommodate BARC projects. In addition, before any relocation decisions about BARC research are made, USDA must conduct viability studies to ensure that the facilities receiving BARC research projects have the appropriate capacity, equipment, and expertise to successfully carry out the projects. This is the bare minimum level of transparency that US taxpayers are owed for a proposal that is meant to enhance government efficiency.

Please provide the requested information and answers to the questions below by May 1, 2026:

1. Please provide a detailed cost estimate for the decommissioning of BARC, including employee and equipment relocation costs, and the cost of any upgrades that will occur at other facilities in order to accommodate relocated BARC research.
    
2. Please provide a detailed timeline of proposed decommissioning activities and a detailed description of the plans for relocating each research activity currently conducted at BARC.
    
3. Have you conducted viability studies that assess, for each BARC research project that will be relocated, whether the USDA facility receiving a given BARC research project will be able to successfully accommodate the research?
        a. If so, please provide detailed information about those assessments.
        b. If not, will you commit to doing so before making any decisions about relocating BARC      research activities?
    
4. Please provide a detailed spend plan for the FY26 appropriations made to BARC.
    
5. Has USDA meaningfully consulted with staff and union representatives about this decommissioning plan? If so, how many staff does USDA expect to lose as a result of this plan?
    
6. Will any BARC employees be terminated as part of the proposed decommissioning?
    
7. Are there plans to offer relocation assistance or other retention benefits in order to retain employees at other USDA facilities?
    
8. How will long-term, place-based research, such as the Lower Chesapeake Bay Long Term Agricultural Research Network, continue if BARC is decommissioned?
    
9. How will the USDA Agricultural Research Service support the 83,000 Chesapeake Bay watershed farms if BARC is decommissioned?
    
10. Has USDA assessed the impact that BARC decommissioning will have on USDA’s agricultural research work? If so, please provide a detailed analysis of that assessment.

As the significant public comment the USDA received on this plan indicates, closure of BARC would have catastrophic consequences for farmers across the country and particularly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The USDA must comply with clear Congressional directives and work with Congress on the long-term future of BARC and its vital mission.

Sincerely,