Senate Budget Chairman Graham moves to use reconciliation to fund border enforcement through 2029; Schiff leads 16 senators against OPM medical records grab.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced a fiscal year 2026 budget resolution Monday designed to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection through the remainder of the Trump presidency — bypassing the threat of Democratic opposition by routing the money through a targeted reconciliation bill.
Graham framed the move in stark terms. "Republicans are doing something that must be done quickly, and that our Democrat colleagues are trying to prevent us from doing," he said in a statement. "That something is simple: fully fund Border Patrol and ICE at a time of great threat to the United States." The resolution instructs the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees to produce a reconciliation bill covering 3.5 years of ICE and Border Patrol funding.
On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., led 16 senators — including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. — in demanding the Trump administration abandon a proposed Office of Personnel Management data collection that they say would require health insurers to hand over monthly medical records on federal workers and their families. "This proposal is another step in the stated goal of traumatizing the federal workforce," the senators wrote.
Graham's FY26 budget resolution targeting border security funding
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., filed the FY 2026 congressional budget resolution Monday, describing it as a vehicle for a "targeted reconciliation bill" that would fund ICE and CBP for 3.5 years — carrying enforcement funding, in his words, "through the Trump presidency."
Graham explicitly cast the resolution as a defensive measure. "We are not going to undo the significant progress made under the leadership of President Trump and Republicans in Congress — we are going to improve upon it," he said. He also warned that "the threats to our homeland from radical Islam are only getting more intense" and that "now is not the time to defund Border Patrol."
The resolution instructs the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees to draft the reconciliation legislation. Full text, a section-by-section summary, and budget tables were released alongside the announcement.
Senate Democrats push back on OPM federal worker medical records collection
Sixteen Democratic and independent senators, led by Schiff, Warner, and Schumer, sent a letter Monday demanding the Office of Personnel Management abandon a proposed data collection that would require health insurance carriers in the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits programs to submit broad medical record data — including "medical visits, prescriptions, and treatment histories" — to OPM on a monthly basis.
The senators tied the proposal to a pattern of actions against the federal workforce since January 2025. "Since January 2025, federal employees have been pushed into early retirement, illegally fired, demonized, seen their civil service protections weakened, and more," the letter states. "We are deeply concerned this information will be used in employment actions, including actions related to hiring, suitability determinations, appeals, reductions in force, disability accommodation requests, labor-management relations, and performance reviews."
The letter closes with a direct demand: "We strongly urge you to cease any further consideration of this proposal. Our federal employees work every day to serve the American people and deserve to have their health data protected." Additional signatories include Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., among others.
King presses Energy Secretary on canceled offshore wind permits
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, used a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing Monday to extract a notable concession from Department of Energy Secretary Christopher Wright: that canceling fully permitted, actively constructed clean energy projects undermines investment certainty.
King walked Wright through the logic step by step. After Wright agreed that permitting certainty matters, King pressed: "How do you feel about offshore wind projects being canceled that were fully permitted and under construction? What does that say about certainty for investment?" Wright cited drone security concerns before King cut in: "Isn't that a risk of the developer?"
The exchange ended with Wright acknowledging the broader point. "The idea of getting all of your permits, going through the process, being under construction and having the government say you can't do this, you wouldn't like that very much if you were in that position, is that correct?" King asked. "That is correct," Wright responded.
Schiff introduces Pets Belong With Families Act for public housing
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., introduced legislation Monday that would bar public housing authorities from imposing blanket breed, size, or weight restrictions on dogs, and would cap pet deposits at reasonable levels. The bill — the Pets Belong With Families Act — amends Section 31 of the Housing Act of 1937 while preserving discretion over individual animals with documented dangerous behavior.
"No family should have to choose between keeping their beloved pet or having a roof over their head," Schiff said. "This bipartisan bill would remove these unfair barriers to ensure that Americans and their pets can stay together." Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Jason Crow, D-Colo. The bill carries endorsements from the ASPCA and the American Bar Association, among other organizations.
Sheehy op-ed backs Gold Star families' $15B Iran Bitcoin seizure bid
Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., published an opinion piece in Fox News — flagged in a Monday press release — backing a group of Iranian terrorism victims seeking to seize approximately $15 billion in Bitcoin they allege was mined and held by the Iran and China Investment Development Group to help Tehran evade sanctions. The families are litigating in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Sheehy, a combat veteran, wrote that he was "appalled" when the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., filed against the families. "For 47 years, the Iranian regime has deliberately and systematically killed thousands of American service members and civilians, including good friends of mine, by funding and directing a network of proxy terrorist organizations," Sheehy wrote. He cited President Trump's February 2025 National Security Presidential Memorandum directing maximum economic pressure on Iran as context for why he views the U.S. Attorney's position as contrary to stated policy.
Bipartisan resolution marks American Chemical Society's 150th anniversary
Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., introduced a bipartisan resolution Monday commemorating the 150th anniversary of the American Chemical Society, founded in New York City in April 1876 and now representing more than 260,000 members globally.
"As a proud chemistry undergraduate and co-Chair of the Chemistry Caucus, I'm glad to celebrate the American Chemical Society's 150 years of scientific and educational contributions to our nation and our world," said Coons. The resolution also affirms the importance of expanding STEM education for students across all communities.
Moran floor tribute to retiring Kansas coach Keith Riley
In a floor statement, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., paid tribute to Keith Riley, retiring head basketball coach at Hill City High School in northwest Kansas after 58 seasons. Riley won more than 800 games and three state basketball titles, along with six track and field championships, and was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2018.
"His success was the result of his genuine interest in the well-being of the students who walked the halls of Hill City High School," Moran said. "Whether kids played for him or simply took his industrial arts classes, Coach Riley sought to help them achieve their full potential."
Signals
- volumeToday's release count of 7-8 runs approximately 90.7% below the Monday average of 85.6, an unusually quiet start to the week with the Senate in session.
- coordinatedSixteen Democratic and independent senators signed a single letter on OPM medical records, the largest multi-senator coordination visible in today's release set.
- voteNo votes are scheduled today; the next recess window — the Early May state work period — is 14 days out.
- silent breaksSen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has not issued a public release in 49 days, the longest active silence among sitting senators with known release histories, aside from Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-Okla.
Quiet desks
Senators with no release in two weeks or more.
- Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-OK—
- Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY49d
- Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC33d
- Sen. Ron Johnson, R-WI27d
- Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC20d
- Sen. David McCormick, R-PA18d