Labor Day eve: wage theft bill, tariff fight, election-security letters dominate recess output

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., announced the Don't Stand for Taking Employed Americans' Livings (Don't STEAL) Act ahead of Labor Day, framing the bill as a corrective to a gap in federal criminal law. The legislation would impose misdemeanor or felony charges on employers who willfully fail to pay wages, deny overtime, or steal tips, depending on the severity of the violation, and would eliminate the current $10,000 fine cap in favor of fines proportional to wages stolen.

"Working Americans deserve to take home every penny that they have earned, and employers who cheat their employees out of hard-earned wages must be held accountable," said Senator Gillibrand. "Ahead of Labor Day, I am proud to announce this bill to bring the punishment for wage theft in line with other forms of criminal theft. This is commonsense legislation to help protect workers, and I am determined to get it passed."

The release cites Department of Labor figures showing more than $259 million in back wages recovered in 2025 on behalf of 176,957 workers, which it describes as "just a fraction of wage theft that occurred that year." The bill carries companion legislation in the House from Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I.-02, with 28 House cosponsors and endorsements from 15 organizations including the AFL-CIO. Gillibrand plans a formal Senate introduction when the chamber returns to session later this month.

Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, both D-Va., joined 12 Senate colleagues Wednesday in introducing the End Trump's Tariff Tax Act, which would revoke the administration's newest global tariffs of 10–12.5 percent and a 50 percent tariff on $20 billion in Canadian imports, refund those tariffs, and repeal the underlying statutory authorities the president has used to conduct the trade war.

"From escalating trade wars to costly conflicts abroad, the president's reckless policies are driving up costs and making it harder for Virginians to make ends meet," said the senators. "The data is clear: American families, small businesses, and farmers are footing the bill for Trump's chaotic tariffs. We're proud to support this legislation to rein in these disastrous taxes, lower costs, and put working families ahead of the president's failed agenda."

The bill's listed cosponsors include Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Chris Coons, D-Del., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Angus King, I-Maine, Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Peter Welch, D-Vt. The release notes that a prior bipartisan measure to repeal Canada tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act passed the Senate and was subsequently approved by the House.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., held a press event in Las Vegas Wednesday alongside Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 13 Business Agent Robert Fuentes, and National TPS Alliance Nevada Chapter Co-Coordinator Francis Garcia to press the Trump Administration to extend the Temporary Protected Status designation for El Salvador before its September 9 expiration.

"Salvadoran TPS holders helped build Las Vegas as we know it, and they work in nearly every hotel on the Strip," said Senator Cortez Masto. "But now, their protections are at risk because the Trump Administration has not extended the TPS designation for El Salvador, which is set to expire a week from today. President Trump should do the right thing and extend TPS for Salvadorans."

The release states Nevada is home to close to 6,000 TPS recipients and that more than 170,000 Salvadorans nationwide have relied on TPS since 2001.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., announced Wednesday that she is seeking written assurances from the Department of Justice, DHS/ICE, the FBI, and the National Guard that no troops or federal law enforcement will be deployed to polling locations in November — an effort following what the release describes as General Dan Caine's response assuring no plans to send troops to polls, while Defense Secretary Hegseth has remained silent.

The release's body text was truncated in the supplied material; the headline and summary were sufficient to establish the subject and the agencies targeted.

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., announced Wednesday he is launching an inquiry to CDC Director Erica Schwartz over cuts to maternal and infant health programs, citing Georgia's status as having one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. The inquiry follows an approximately 2,400-employee reduction in the CDC's workforce by HHS in March 2025, which the release says negatively impacted the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System and CDC's Division of Reproductive Health.

"Every maternal death is a tragedy. Far too many women continue to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or the year following pregnancy from causes that medical experts have determined can often be prevented," Sen. Ossoff wrote to CDC Director Schwartz. "It is unconscionable to continue to allow CDC's maternal health programs be left vacant."

Two Democratic senators announced federal funding deliveries Wednesday. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., announced more than $1.5 million from the Weatherization Assistance Program for Nevada families. "As rising prices squeeze the pockets of hardworking Nevadans, I am committed to finding ways to provide them with some financial relief," said Senator Rosen. "I am proud to have helped secure more than $1.5 million in federal funding to lower electric costs for Nevadans, especially at a time when extreme heat is forcing them to consume more energy."

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., announced nearly $50 million in federal funding for infrastructure upgrades at Robins Air Force Base, drawn from Air Force operations, maintenance, and Working Capital Fund accounts in the bipartisan government funding package enacted February 3, 2026. Projects include a $23.4 million narrow-body paint booth conversion, an $18.2 million HVAC and fire alarm overhaul in Building 162, and a $7.7 million repair and electrical upgrade to Building 142. "I helped bring Republicans and Democrats together to fund these important projects to help our servicemembers and civilian personnel serving at Robins do their jobs and be safe," Sen. Ossoff said.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this week asking the department to fix a regulatory mismatch created by Biden-era rules: travel agencies — classified as the merchant of record — must refund customers within seven days of a qualified flight cancellation, while airlines face no enforceable deadline to return the underlying funds to agents.

"Travel agencies and advisors operate on slim margins, and many simply cannot afford to front refunds to their customers, particularly for group bookings worth tens of thousands of dollars, before the airline has returned the money," Scott wrote. "These small businesses are being held financially accountable for a timeline they do not control, while the airlines that actually hold the funds face no enforceable deadline. Many of these small businesses may go out of business if nothing is done." Scott's letter requests rulemaking or administrative action to either set a firm airline refund deadline or align an agency's refund obligation with its receipt of funds from the airline.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., hosted Undersecretary of the Army Michael Obadal at Grand Forks Air Force Base and GrandSKY Wednesday to showcase North Dakota's unmanned aerial systems infrastructure. Hoeven highlighted Project ULTRA — a counter-drone and UAS cargo initiative he established with a contract ceiling he has raised to $100 million — along with the Point Defense Battle Lab, and ongoing University of North Dakota research into drone and counter-drone technologies.

"For those that want to develop drone and counter-drone technologies, North Dakota is the place to be. We made that point clearly to Undersecretary Obadal during his visit today," said Hoeven. "We already have counter-UAS work underway with the Point Defense Battle Lab and Project ULTRA, and we have even more developments in the works with UND, JIATF 401 and others, so we're well-equipped to meet this critical defense need for the Army." Hoeven said he is advancing a first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Understanding between UND and Joint Inter Agency Task Force 401 to give the university a formal role in evaluating counter-UAS technologies.

Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., appeared over the weekend at the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association Gala, where she received the organization's Lifetime Achievement Award. "From serving as a prosecutor, judge, Attorney General and now as U.S. Senator, I've made it a priority to stand with the brave men and women of law enforcement who pursue dangerous criminals and keep Florida families safe," said Senator Ashley Moody. "That's why I'm incredibly humbled and honored to receive the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Lifetime Achievement Award, and I will never stop backing the men and women who selflessly serve and protect us."

The release lists Moody's Senate legislative record on law enforcement, including introduction of the Halo Act for federal officer protection, co-sponsorship of the LEO K9 Act, support for the Graham Hoffman Act on first-responder assaults, introduction of the HELPER Act on homeownership for law enforcement, and co-sponsorship of the HALT Fentanyl Act, which the release says was signed into law by President Trump.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., issued three releases Wednesday announcing a single-day, three-city "Stop the Corruption Town Hall Meeting" tour across Oregon on September 10. Stops are scheduled at 9 a.m. PT at East Portland Community Center, 12:45 p.m. PT at Bob Keefer Center in Springfield, and 5:15 p.m. PT at Abraham Lincoln Elementary in Medford. Each notice describes the same format: Merkley will "provide a brief update about the extent of corruption and discuss proposed solutions, before turning to attendees to discuss the impact of corruption and why it must be stopped."

All three releases carry an identical capacity warning: "Oregonians have been turning out in record-breaking numbers to Senator Merkley's recent town halls. His office works to find the best venues available, but please be prepared that venues may reach capacity." No RSVP is required; accommodation requests are due by 5 p.m. on September 7.

Signals

• volumeToday's 14 releases ran 83.8% below the Wednesday average of 86.2, consistent with the final stretch of the August state work period.
• coordinatedThree releases from Merkley's office — Portland, Springfield, and Medford — published within 15 seconds of each other (16:50:34–16:50:49 ET), a textbook coordinated rollout for a single statewide event.
• coordinatedThe End Trump's Tariff Tax Act lists 14 Senate sponsors across the ideological mainstream of the Democratic caucus, including the minority leader, suggesting a coordinated pre-session rollout timed to Labor Day.
• recessThe Senate remains in its August state work period; Gillibrand explicitly noted she will formally introduce the Don't STEAL Act "when the Senate returns to session later this month."
• silent breaksSen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has now been silent for 50 days — the longest quiet stretch among tracked senators — followed by Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-Okla., at 48 days and Sen. Roger F. Wicker, R-Miss., at 42 days.

Quiet desks

Senators with no release in two weeks or more.

• Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC50d
• Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-OK48d
• Sen. Roger F. Wicker, R-MS42d
• Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-MT28d
• Sen. Cynthia M. Lummis, R-WY27d
• Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY26d
• Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-CT23d
• Sen. John Barrasso, R-WY20d
• Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-TN20d
• Sen. Ron Johnson, R-WI17d