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Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to the authority of Congress and the States to regulate contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections and to enact public financing systems for political campaigns.
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Blumenthal & Scott Lead Reintroduction of Bipartisan College Mental Health Legislation | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senators Blumenthal and Scott support legislation requiring the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate on evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention plans for colleges and universities to implement.
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tim Scott (R-SC) led a bipartisan group of six senators in reintroducing legislation to improve mental health on college campuses. The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act would support institutions of higher education in developing and implementing comprehensive mental health and suicide prevention plans, helping to improve college students’ mental health.
“This legislation ensures universities have the tools they need to provide quality care and support to students struggling with their mental health. Our country is facing a severe youth mental health crisis, with more and more college students experiencing anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. This bill addresses that emergency by increasing the resources available to universities to support students when they need it most,” said Blumenthal.
“Education is the key to opportunity in America, and the environment and support our kids receive from cradle to college is just as important as what is being taught in the classroom,” said Scott. “This legislation prioritizes a student’s well-being and academic success by promoting collaboration and planning between federal agencies and colleges and universities. This bill will help address the growing mental health crisis by making sure all students have the opportunity to pursue their studies in a safe and supportive environment.”
To address our country’s youth mental health crisis, the Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act would amend the Higher Education Act. Specifically, the bill would require the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collaborate and create evidence-based mental health plans that colleges and universities may use to promote positive mental health and address mental health crises among their students. These plans would align with strategies recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Suicide Prevention Resource Center, specifically its nine-part Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Prevention.
In the U.S. Senate, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).
The legislation is endorsed by The Jed Foundation (JED).
“As stewards of protecting the emotional health of teens and young adults, The Jed Foundation is proud to endorse this timely legislation. The data is clear: mental health is a key factor in college degree completion, and a significant contributor to students leaving school before finishing their degrees. Effective suicide prevention requires a comprehensive approach that integrates training, resources, and postvention services. This bill will help guide colleges and universities in building the campus systems, infrastructures, and evidence-based policies needed to ensure the strongest possible support for student well-being and success,” said Dr. Zainab Okolo, LCMFT - SVP of Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations, The Jed Foundation (JED).
Text of the updated bill is available here.
Blumenthal Demands Answers From Trump's Hand-Picked Construction Firm For Withholding True Cost of White House Ballroom | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senator Blumenthal is demanding transparency from Clark Construction regarding cost overruns on the White House ballroom project, asserting that the President misrepresented project costs to the public and that taxpayers are bearing more than half of the $600 million total cost.
Recent reporting reveals that, despite Trump’s claims, ballroom will cost $600 million with taxpayers paying more than half
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), today demanded records and information from Clark Construction, the construction firm working on President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project in light of reporting from The Washington Post that the cost of the project has ballooned to $600 million.
As Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal is leading an investigation into President Trump’s East Wing Project. In October, he pressed Clark Construction for answers about the firm’s involvement in the project and the terms of its contract with the White House.
Citing Clark Construction’s response to his initial inquiry, Blumenthal wrote, “Clark Construction’s response was entirely inadequate, providing no answers regarding the circumstances under which it was selected, the terms of its contracts, or the estimated costs of the project. Yet recent reporting reveals that your own internal estimate for the White House ballroom construction and East Wing demolition project has risen to $600 million, with taxpayers responsible for more than half of the total costs.”
Blumenthal continued, “The President has repeatedly and continuously asserted that the project would be completed without cost to taxpayers. The President has also been forced to repeatedly revise the expected cost of the project, first presenting an estimate of $200 million in July 2025, then $300 million in October 2025, and then $400 million in December 2025. This week’s revelations seem to show that the President was lying to the American public at every turn. Cost estimates obtained by The Washington Post indicate that your cost estimates for the project, which had been provided to the White House from the inception of the project, were always higher than the President admitted to the public and always contemplated the use of substantial taxpayer funds.”
The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Clark Construction is available here and below.
7500 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 200
On October 28, 2025, I wrote to Clark Construction requesting information regarding its selection as the lead builder of President Trump’s ballroom.[1] Clark Construction’s response was entirely inadequate, providing no answers regarding the circumstances under which it was selected, the terms of its contracts, or the estimated costs of the project.[2] Yet recent reporting reveals that your own internal estimate for the White House ballroom construction and East Wing demolition project has risen to $600 million, with taxpayers responsible for more than half of the total costs.[3] I therefore write to reiterate my October 28 requests and seek additional information about the ballooning costs and scope of this project as part of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations’ ongoing inquiry into President Trump’s White House demolition project.
The President has repeatedly and continuously asserted that the project would be completed without cost to taxpayers. The President has also been forced to repeatedly revise the expected cost of the project, first presenting an estimate of $200 million in July 2025, then $300 million in October 2025, and then $400 million in December 2025. [4] This week’s revelations seem to show that the President was lying to the American public at every turn. Cost estimates obtained by the Washington Post indicate that your cost estimates for the project, which had been provided to the White House from the inception of the project, were always higher than the President admitted to the public and always contemplated the use of substantial taxpayer funds. These cost estimates have now reportedly ballooned once again to $600 million. The scope of this project has apparently also expanded, reportedly to include a bunker with bomb shelters and major medical facilities.[5] The President’s claims underscore the importance of Clark Construction’s cooperation with the Subcommittee’s inquiry.
As Clark Construction has failed to produce any meaningful information in response to my October 28, 2025 letter, I reiterate those requests, including but not limited to my request that Clark Construction provide the Subcommittee with monthly updates on cost estimates for the White House construction project. In addition, please confirm that Clark Construction has and will continue to preserve all documents, records,[6] and communications[7] related to the planning, financing, and construction of the White House ballroom and East Wing, as requested in my October 28 letter.
Additionally, please provide responses to the following questions by July 1, 2026:
Please contact the Subcommittee if you have any questions about responding to these requests.
[1] Letter from the Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations to Robert D. Moser, CEO, Clark Construction Group, LLC (Oct. 28, 2025), https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025-10-28-Letter-from-Blumenthal-to-Clark-Construction.pdf.
[2] Letter from Grey Callaham, SVP, Legal, Clark Construction Group, LLC to Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations (Nov. 12, 2025) (on file with the Subcommittee). On May 4, 2026, I wrote again, requesting details on how your firm obtained a lucrative contract to renovate the park across the street from the White House. Letter from the Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations to Robert D. Moser, CEO, Clark Construction Group, LLC (May. 4, 2026), https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2026-5-4_sen_blumenthal_letter_to_clark_ceo_moser.pdf. Clark Construction has failed to adequately respond to that letter as well, providing little more than a pro forma response. Letter from Grey Callaham, SVP, Legal, Clark Construction Group, LLC to Hon. Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, S. Permanent Subcomm. on Investigations (May 15, 2026) (on file with the Subcommittee).
[3] Sarah Blaskey and Jonathan O’Connell, Records reveal $600M estimate for Trump’s ballroom project, with half from taxpayers, Washington Post (June 16, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/06/16/records-reveal-600m-estimate-trumps-ballroom-project-with-half-taxpayers/.
[4] Id.; Kevin Liptak, Construction on Trump’s $200 million White House ballroom to begin in September (Jul 31, 2025) https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/31/politics/white-house-ballroom-construction.
[5] Sarah Blaskey and Jonathan O’Connell, Records reveal $600M estimate for Trump’s ballroom project, with half from taxpayers, Washington Post (June 16, 2026), https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/06/16/records-reveal-600m-estimate-trumps-ballroom-project-with-half-taxpayers/.
ICYMI Video: Blumenthal Marks DACA Anniversary, Calls on Trump Administration to Halt Unlawful Detention of Dreamers | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senator Blumenthal opposes the Trump Administration's actions against DACA, calling for the resumption of renewable application reviews and an end to detention and deportation of DACA recipients. He argues that DACA recipients have strengthened American communities and the economy.
[WASHINGTON, DC] – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate Floor to commemorate the fourteenth anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Amid the Trump Administration’s repeated attacks on DACA, Blumenthal called on the Administration to immediately resume the review of renewable applications and halt the unlawful detention and deportation of DACA recipients.
“I’m honored to join my colleagues this afternoon in celebrating the Deferred Action for Children Arrivals, or DACA, program, and its absolutely historic impact on our country. But also, to mourn and to express outrage at the all-out assault launched against this program by the Trump Administration. The point of it, once again, seems to be cruelty, purposeful, relentless cruelty, which we’ve seen in the implementation of immigration practices in so many different ways by this administration,” said Blumenthal.
Blumenthal highlighted the positive impact of Dreamers on Connecticut and on communities across the country: “DACA, since its creation 14 years ago, has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people. People who came to this country as infants or young children. And it’s given them the opportunity to work, to contribute, to educate, support their families, and contribute to this great country. There are nurses, doctors, engineers. They’ve strengthened America. DACA has strengthened America. In Connecticut alone, DACA recipients contribute to our economy and enrich our communities. And yet, despite the enormous, obvious indisputable benefits of this program, the Trump Administration has declared war on DACA.”
Blumenthal continued, slamming the Trump Administration for its efforts to undermine the DACA program: “Again, the point seems to be cruelty. The administration has slow-walked DACA renewals, they’ve purposefully allowed Dreamers’ work authorizations to expire, through no fault of their own. Cruelty and stupidity—because they are harming the employers who depend on those DACA workers and the skills that they bring to jobs every day.”
“DACA recipients embody the values we celebrate as America: hard work, resilience, commitment to our country and to building a better America. Let’s provide Dreamers with the respect and dignity and future they have earned,” Blumenthal concluded.
A video of Blumenthal’s remarks is available here. The full transcript of Blumenthal’s remarks is available below.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Thank you, Mr. President. I’m honored to join my colleagues this afternoon in celebrating the Deferred Action for Children Arrivals, or DACA, program, and its absolutely historic impact on our country. But also, to mourn and to express outrage at the all-out assault launched against this program by the Trump Administration. The point of it, once again, seems to be cruelty, purposeful, relentless cruelty, which we’ve seen in the implementation of immigration practices in so many different ways by this administration.
Just this morning, literally, this morning, I participated in the announcement of a lawsuit against the government by a woman who was seized from her car, taking her children to school a year ago, leaving her children unattended in the car, shackled, sent to a detention center, and then, summarily deported, without even a shred of due process. And she is suing the United States government, because she is still in Mexico, separated from her two young children, at the time, 13 and 8 years old. As well as her husband. She was on the screen today, from Mexico, heartbreaking, as her two children listened to her in the Yale Law School conference room where the lawsuit was announced. This kind of cruelty should have no place in our great country. I don't recognize the America that separates a mother from her children without any reason -- she has no criminal record. She's been in this country for 15 years, her two children are American citizens, because they were born here. Cruelty and stupidity.
DACA, since its creation 14 years ago, has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people. People who came to this country as infants or young children. And it’s given them the opportunity to work, to contribute, to educate, support their families, contribute to this great country. There are nurses, doctors, engineers. They’ve strengthened America. DACA has strengthened America. In Connecticut alone, DACA recipients contribute to our economy and enrich our communities. And yet, despite the enormous, obvious indisputable benefits of this program, the Trump Administration has declared war on DACA.
Again, the point seems to be cruelty. The administration has slow-walked DACA renewals, they’ve purposefully allowed Dreamers’ work authorizations to expire, through no fault of their own. Cruelty and stupidity—because they are harming the employers who depend on those DACA workers and the skills that they bring to jobs every day. The Department of Education has investigated five universities that offer financial help to DACA recipients. What purpose does it serve to punish universities for developing talent that will then serve our country? In the latest affront to legal protections, the board of immigration appeals has ruled that DACA status alone will not shield Dreamers from deportation, despite the fact that DACA is a mechanism of deferred action. I mentioned the title in the first sentence of my remarks here, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, because the point is action is deferred, and now, the administration is defying the law and common sense in this policy of stupidity and cruelty.
As a result of these illegal policy changes, DACA recipients have not only lost their sense of safety and security, but in some cases, their freedom. And their place in this country. It's the only place they call home. English is the only language many of them speak. And we are depriving them of that sense of home, and security, and safety. I’'ll just give you one example. Jose in Connecticut, he’s a DACA recipient, he came to Connecticut from Mexico when he was young. Thanks to DACA, he was able to put himself through college while working full-time and he built a successful career at a Fortune 500 company, he’s worked there for 12 years. And now, because of the Trump Administration's efforts to delay renewal requests at USCIS, Jose’s DACA status and his work permit, have not been renewed. No fault of his own. Jose lost the job, he lost that job that he held for 12 years, and today, he’s struggling to pay his bills. He faces eviction.
What purpose does it serve to drive him into financial peril, and even bankruptcy? To deprive his employer of his skills? To, in effect, make him homeless? President Trump's treatment of DACA recipients is the latest failure of his promise that his immigration efforts would focus on the worst of the worst. Americans like the idea of deporting dangerous criminals, people who have been convicted of crimes. Not Nancy Martinez who was separated from her children while going to work in her car, having committed to crime—no crime. Not Jose, who is the opposite of the worst of the worst, a productive person doing good work at a good corporation over 12 years. These DACA recipients like Jose are far from the worst of the worst, they are our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and friends. They are some of the best, not the worst of us.
We’re not talking here about securing our borders. We’re not talking about deporting dangerous criminals, we are talking about rolling back and reversing progress that has been made on behalf of young people who are here through no choice of their own. They were brought here. And they call America home because it is their home. I call on the Trump Administration to resume prompt review of renewable applications and halt unlawful detention and deportation of DACA recipients. I'm under no illusions that my calling on it to do so is going to automatically have an effect on this cruel and stupid set of policies and practices, but I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will heed this peril, this danger to America, and that they will come together with us and say on a bipartisan basis, an assault on DACA makes no sense for America. It is not the America that we recognize. And as we approach our 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity to reflect on who we are and equally important who we aspire to be. Who do we want to be? That has always been America. It isn’t only about what America’s done or who we are today.
America’s an idea, an aspiration and a future. DACA recipients embody the values we celebrate as America: hard work, resilience, commitment to our country and to building a better America. Let’s provide Dreamers with the respect and dignity and future they have earned. Thank you, Mr. President.
Blumenthal & Warren Press FAA on Private Equity's Influence in the Aviation Maintenance Industry, Raising Costs for Consumers | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senators Blumenthal and Warren urge the FAA to investigate private equity's growing influence in aviation maintenance, arguing that PE consolidation drives higher costs for consumers, reduces competition, strains training programs, and creates potential safety risks through workforce pressures.
“The effects of PE consolidation ripple beyond the aviation workforce and into consumers’ pockets.”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) wrote to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford urging the FAA to investigate private equity’s (PE) growing influence in the aviation maintenance sector. Recent reporting reveals that PE investors have flooded the aviation maintenance industry over the last five years, driving a record number of acquisitions and consolidations. In today’s letter, Blumenthal and Warren call on the FAA to investigate the role PE is playing in the aviation maintenance sector, ultimately leading to increased costs for consumers and growing safety concerns.
Blumenthal and Warren highlighted how PE’s acquisition of aviation maintenance training programs both puts an unnecessary strain on aspiring aviation mechanics and ultimately leads to higher prices for consumers, writing, “As we have seen in other industries, PE acquisitions and consolidations in technical training spaces often lead to aggressive cost-cutting and price increases that are borne by students, workers, and ultimately consumers… These higher tuition costs can force many students into greater debt burdens and discourage others from pursuing careers in aviation maintenance altogether. These obstacles likely contribute to the one-third of aviation maintenance training seats that reportedly remain unfilled despite extraordinary labor demand.”
The Senators also emphasized how PE’s influence on the broader Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector of the aviation maintenance industry creates potential safety risks, writing, “Much of this activity has been driven by PE “buy-and-build” strategies, where firms acquire and consolidate smaller regional MRO providers into larger corporate platforms. This PE strategy can reduce opportunities for unionized labor, localized training, and apprenticeship pathways, and increase financial and operational pressures on workers… These pressures on workers, including increased overtime demands, accelerated maintenance turnaround times, and fewer opportunities for hands-on training and supervision, increase maintenance-related risk, posing potential safety concerns for passengers.”
“The effects of PE consolidation ripple beyond the aviation workforce and into consumers’ pockets. Across industries, PE firms often pursue strategies focused on increasing revenue, reducing costs, and generating returns for investors, frequently through acquisitions and consolidation. This leads to reduced competition and increased market concentration, which contributes to higher training costs, rising maintenance expenses, and increased costs throughout the aviation industry. These costs are ultimately passed on to consumers through higher airfare and other travel-related expenses,” concluded the Senators.
The full text of the Senators’ letter can be found here and below.
We write to you with grave concern about the role private equity (PE) may be playing in the aviation maintenance sector, ultimately leading to increased consumer costs and potential safety concerns.
The future of our aviation industry depends on talented workers having access to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools (AMTS). Recognizing the critical role aviation mechanics play in maintaining the nation's aviation system, the PE industry has increasingly targeted FAA-aviation maintenance schools as investment opportunities. PE acquisitions of AMTS follow a common, often problematic PE strategy: acquire a training institution, expand its valuation through consolidations, and ultimately exit through a sale to a larger corporate platform.
For example, MIAT College of Technology, a major aviation mechanic training school in the Midwest, was historically backed by PE firm HCP & Company before being sold in 2021 to Universal Technical Institute (UTI), a publicly traded company.[1] Likewise, Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM), the nation’s largest network of FAA-certified AMTS programs, which trains more than 20 percent of domestic aircraft maintenance students, has received backing from PE and investment groups, including a $50 million investment from Ohana Capital Partners in 2024.[2] In addition, PE firm Sterling Partners acquired Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology—one of the nation’s largest AMTS programs—in 2013 and has continued expanding its footprint through acquisitions and consolidations in recent years.[3] This trend is apparent across the industry: in 2019, AIM acquired the historic Teterboro School of Aeronautics, which was considered the nation’s oldest aircraft maintenance school, and in 2025, UTI engaged in consolidation across its Houston campuses.[4]
As we have seen in other industries, PE acquisitions and consolidations in technical training spaces often lead to aggressive cost-cutting and price increases that are borne by students, workers, and ultimately consumers. The same detrimental strategies appear to be increasing the cost of attending PE-owned AMTS. Tuition at an FAA-certified public AMTS costs, on average, between $5,000 and $15,000, but tuition at an FAA-certified private AMTS costs between $30,000 and $50,000 for obtaining the same FAA certifications.[5] These higher tuition costs can force many students into greater debt burdens and discourage others from pursuing careers in aviation maintenance altogether. These obstacles likely contribute to the one-third of aviation maintenance training seats that reportedly remain unfilled despite extraordinary labor demand.[6]
PE’s impact on the aviation mechanic workforce extends beyond AMTS programs and into the broader Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) sector. MROs provide critical “on-the-ground” training and employment opportunities for aviation mechanics, including pathways for aspiring mechanics who do not attend an AMTS and instead opt to complete months of practical training. According to a recent PitchBook report tracking investment activity, PE investors have flooded the aviation MRO industry over the last five years, driving a record number of deals.[7] From 2024 to 2025, there were at least 65 mergers and acquisitions in the MRO aviation sector, primarily driven by PE.[8] In fact, in the first half of 2025, PE-led deals made up nearly 20 percent of all mergers and acquisitions activity in the aviation MRO sector.[9] The trend has continued in 2026: On May 5, 2026, GenNx360 Capital Partners, a New York-based PE firm, announced the sale of its portfolio company, Precision Aviation Group, Inc., a major MRO services business, to VSE Corporation for $2 billion.[10]
Much of this activity has been driven by PE “buy-and-build” strategies, where firms acquire and consolidate smaller regional MRO providers into larger corporate platforms. This PE strategy can reduce opportunities for unionized labor, localized training, and apprenticeship pathways, and increase financial and operational pressures on workers. In fact, industry reports indicate aviation maintenance employers are struggling to retain workers, particularly younger mechanics, with one analyst reporting frontline labor attrition rates of 11.5 percent in North America — the highest globally.[11] These pressures on workers, including increased overtime demands, accelerated maintenance turnaround times, and fewer opportunities for hands-on training and supervision, increase maintenance-related risk, posing potential safety concerns for passengers.
The effects of PE consolidation ripple beyond the aviation workforce and into consumers’ pockets. Across industries, PE firms often pursue strategies focused on increasing revenue, reducing costs, and generating returns for investors, frequently through acquisitions and consolidation. This leads to reduced competition and increased market concentration, which contributes to higher training costs, rising maintenance expenses, and increased costs throughout the aviation industry. These costs are ultimately passed on to consumers through higher airfare and other travel-related expenses. In fact, since the post-pandemic travel rebound, domestic airline ticket prices have seen sharp periods of growth, with fares climbing by as much as 20 to 25 percent—far outpacing inflation.[12] At a time when PE firms are increasingly influencing both ends of the aviation mechanic workforce pipeline: the schools that train future mechanics and the MRO providers that help develop and employ them in the field, we are concerned that PE's influence may be increasing costs throughout the aviation maintenance ecosystem, reducing access to training opportunities, and creating workforce and safety risks that warrant further review.
We urge the FAA to assess how PE acquisition, ownership, and consolidation may be raising costs for consumers and increasing maintenance-related safety risks. In order to gain a deeper understanding of this issue, please provide detailed responses to the following questions by July 14, 2026:
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
[1] Faegre Drinker, “HCP & Co. Sells MIAT College of Technology to Universal Technical Institute Inc.,” November 2021, https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/services/experience/2021/11/hcp--co-sells-miat-college-of-technology-to-universal-technical-institute-inc
[2] Pitchbook, “Aviation Institute of Maintenance Overview,” accessed May 14, 2026, https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/531040-96#faqs; Pitchbook, “Ohana Capital Partners Overview,” accessed May 15, 2026, https://pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/529006-33#overview
[3] Sterling Partners, “Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology,” accessed May 14, 2026, https://sterlingpartners.com/company/spartan-college-aeronautics-technology/
[4] Spartan, “Spartan Education Group Expands Reach with Acquisition of Illinois Aviation Academy,” October 17, 2023, https://www.spartan.edu/news/spartan-education-group-expands-reach-with-acquisition-of-illinois-aviation-academy/; Aviation Institute of Maintenance, “Population Growth at Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Teterboro Prompts Relocation to Larger Facility in Hasbrouck Heights,” July 26, 2023, https://news.aviation.edu/population-growth-at-aviation-institute-of-maintenance-in-teterboro-prompts-relocation-to-larger-facility-in-hasbrouck-heights/; Sofia Gonzalez, “Universal Technical Institute brings changes to Houston trade school after MIAT acquisition,” December 12, 2023, https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/12/12/universal-technical-institute-consolidation.html
[5] U.S. Aviation Academy, “How Much Does Aircraft Mechanic School Cost?” https://www.usaviationacademy.com/resource-center/aircraft-mechanic-school-cost/
[6] Allison Pohle, “Aircraft Technicians Make Six Figures and Airlines Can’t Find Enough of Them,” The Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2026, https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/aircraft-technicians-make-six-figures-and-airlines-cant-find-enough-of-them-efdb798c
[7] Katya Schwenk, “Private Equity is Getting Into the Airplane Repair Business,” Jacobin, April 7, 2025, https://jacobin.com/2025/04/airplane-maintenance-private-equity-safety/
[8] Meridian Capital, “MRO and Aftermarket M&A Industry Update,” Winter 2025, Meridian Capital, https://meridianib.com/wp-content/uploads/Meridian-Capital-MRO-and-Aftermarket-MA-Industry-Update-Winter-2025_vF.pdf
[9] Alex Derber, “MRO Memo: Private Equity Continues MRO Investment,” January 9, 2026 https://aviationweek.com/mro/aircraft-propulsion/mro-memo-private-equity-continues-mro-investments
[10] Edward Lopez, “GenNx360 Capital Partners Completes Sale of Precision Aviation Group to VSE Corporation for Approximately $2.025 Billion in Cash and Equity,” Business Wire, May 12, 2026, https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512000455/en/GenNx360-Capital-Partners-Completes-Sale-of-Precision-Aviation-Group-to-VSE-Corporation-for-Approximately-%242.025-Billion-in-Cash-and-Equity.
[11] Derek Costanza, Turbulence in MRO Growth, Oliver Wyman, 2024, https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/insights/2024/apr/mro-survey-2024-aviation-mro-grows-amid-rising-costs-supply-chain-woes.html ;Derek Costanza, “Not Enough Aviation Mechanics” Oliver Wyman, 2022, https://arsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/OW-2023WorkforceAnalysis-Technicians.pdf
[12] Brett Holzhauer, “Airline ticket prices are up 25%, outpacing inflation — here are the ways you can still save,” CNBC Select, June 15, 2026, https://www.cnbc.com/select/airline-ticket-prices-are-up-25-percent-why-and-how-to-save/
Blumenthal Releases Report On Trump's Gutting of Consumer Protections | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senator Blumenthal opposes the Trump Administration's rollback of consumer financial protections, including weakened overdraft fee restrictions and increased credit card late fees, and advocates for legislation to restore and enshrine these protections.
Trump is making life more expensive for ordinary Americans by weakening overdraft fee restrictions, increasing credit card late fees & more
[Hartford, CT] — Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal released a report entitled Trump’s Reality: Unaffordability and Financial Instability that details how President Trump and Congressional Republicans have drastically weakened consumer protections and are risking the stability of our financial system to enrich big banks at the expense of hardworking Americans.
“When President Trump said he “loves inflation” and doesn’t “think about Americans’ financial situation,” his policies reflect that. President Trump has put the special interests of the ultra-wealthy, including big banks, first, raising costs for American families and jeopardizing our economy,” Blumenthal writes in the report.
As costs for gas, groceries, housing and health care are skyrocketing thanks to the Trump Administration, Americans are feeling the financial squeeze. According to a Politico Poll from May 2026, 53 percent of Americans believe the cost of living is the highest they can remember.
At the same time, Trump continues to enact policies that take money — an estimated $21 billion annually — out of Americans pockets including:
Blumenthal’s report recommends a swift reversal of many of these rules and the passage of legislation to enshrine certain consumer protections into law including the Credit Card Fairness Act, the Buy Now Pay Later Protection Act of 2025, and the Homeowners’ Escrow Savings Act.
The full report is available here.
Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 6/5/2026-6/12/2026 | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senator Blumenthal supports increased defense investments in Connecticut's defense industrial base and enhanced benefits for servicemembers and veterans, but opposes the overall NDAA due to concerns about wasteful spending and an unauthorized military conflict.
Championing Wins for Connecticut in National Defense Authorization Bill
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the Committee’s approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027. The NDAA includes a number of provisions championed by Blumenthal to promote our nation’s safety and security, including supporting Connecticut’s defense industrial base, investing in advanced technologies, and promoting the well-being of servicemembers and veterans. Citing concerns that his Republican colleagues have included wasteful spending in the NDAA, Blumenthal ultimately voted against the bill. The NDAA passed out of Committee by a vote of 18-9 and will now move to the full Senate for consideration.
“This measure significantly enhances Connecticut’s vital role as an arsenal of democracy. I am proud of important provisions I advanced to support our state’s defense industrial base— manufacturers, suppliers, and skilled workers. Particularly important are investments in new technologies, including unmanned vehicles that I have seen perform so impactfully in my visits to Ukraine. I have fought as well for provisions that do right by our men and women in uniform— better housing and health care, for example— resources they need and deserve. At my urging, this measure helps keep faith with our allies, reaffirming our common commitment to preserving freedom and deterring aggression. Unfortunately, this NDAA has been vastly inflated by unnecessary, wasteful military programs that I cannot support. In too many ways, it is essentially a blank check for an administration that disregards and denigrates the real, urgent needs of Americans, and conducts an illegal, costly war without required Congressional approval. I cannot in good conscience support a hugely expanded $1.15 trillion military spending package while the President continues an unlawful Iran war, defying Congress and the Constitution,” said Blumenthal.
Standing up for Major Richard Star and combat-injured veterans, Blumenthal fought to end the unjust offset that denies combat-injured veterans full access to both their earned retirement pay and disability benefits, offering multiple paths to provide long-overdue relief. While these efforts were blocked, Blumenthal remains committed to ensuring that wounded servicemembers receive the benefits they earned through their sacrifice.
As a member of the Committee tasked with crafting the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2027, Blumenthal successfully advocated for the inclusion of several provisions that invest in Connecticut-based manufacturers and suppliers of vital national security interests, including:
Securing More Than $67.8 Billion in Defense Programs Supporting Connecticut Manufacturers and Suppliers: The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2027 includes more than $67.8 billion in defense programs supporting Connecticut manufacturers, suppliers, workers, and the state’s critical role in America’s national security. Among the Connecticut priorities supported in the FY2027 NDAA:
Blumenthal also fought for key provisions to support servicemembers and improve defense policy, including:
Codifying the Independence of Stars and Stripes: Blumenthal secured landmark protections for the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, ensuring that the trusted news source for servicemembers and military families remains free from censorship, propaganda, and interference from the chain of command.
Addressing Mold in Military Housing: After years of oversight and advocacy, Blumenthal secured sweeping reforms to confront the scourge of toxic mold and unsafe conditions in military housing. The legislation imposes enforceable standards, independent inspections, and stronger accountability measures to safeguard the health and readiness of servicemembers and their families.
Advocating for Ukraine: Blumenthal fought to ensure that the hard-earned lessons of Ukraine’s battlefield are rapidly translated into capabilities for U.S. forces, securing provisions to strengthen drone and counter-drone innovation and deepen cooperation with Ukraine on emerging technologies. He led and secured language directing the Department of Defense to identify ways to accelerate production of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, helping protect civilians from Russian missile and drone attacks. The legislation extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2029 and increases authorized funding to $750 million. Furthermore, the legislation also safeguards America’s commitment to Europe by preventing precipitous troop withdrawals.
Protecting Professional Military Education: Blumenthal fought to safeguard servicemembers’ access to world-class educational opportunities, supporting provisions that prevent abrupt cancellations of partnerships with accredited universities and ensure Congress receives advance notice and justification before programs are terminated.
Supporting Servicemembers with Increased Pay: Blumenthal championed provisions in recognition of the sacrifice of servicemembers and their essential contributions to our nation’s safety and security. This year’s NDAA authorizes a 3.6 percent pay raise for all military members.
On the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, asked for unanimous consent to pass the Major Richard Star Act—bipartisan legislation to deliver 59,000 combat-injured veterans their full military benefits. Senate Republicans have now blocked this legislation six times, despite its overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and support from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“The United States is at war at this moment. I’m here to talk about the cost of war that should include the cost of caring for our veterans, because they are the ones that fight our wars…We’re failing to pay the cost of war for more than 50 thousand combat-injured veterans. The Major Richard Star Act is our legislation to fix this injustice and finally deliver combat-injured veterans their full military benefits…Not only has this [bill] received bipartisan support from the United States Congress, but in a hearing where I questioned him, the Secretary of Defense joined in supporting us, and said very simply, ‘we support the Major Richard Star Act.’ We support the Major Richard Star Act—without an offset. Because the Major Richard Star Act has no offset,” said Blumenthal.
U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) this week blocked Blumenthal’s motion to pass the legislation by unanimous consent. In response, Blumenthal offered a compromise motion that would have set up a single roll call vote on the bill at a 60-vote threshold. Paul also blocked this motion—denying a bill with 79 cosponsors a single vote.
Blumenthal slammed the hypocrisy of Senate Republicans for blocking the Major Richard Star Act over cost concerns while spending hundreds of billions on the Iran War: “Opponents have claimed that our nation cannot afford this bill and demand that we offset it by cutting benefits from other disabled veterans. And they are acquiescing in spending billions of dollars a day on the president’s war of choice in the Middle East.”
Blumenthal concluded by asking Republicans to allow a vote on the legislation and demanding any offset come from the Department of Defense—not from cutting veterans’ benefits: “I'm asking for a vote…That's all I am asking. We have 80 members of the United States Senate cosponsoring this bill. The Secretary of Defense has endorsed it. Veterans’ Service Organizations are unanimously in favor of it. The United States Congress paying for plenty of programs without demanding an offset. I'm simply asking that a program for disabled veterans be treated in the same way. Contrary to what my colleague says, this is not a VA Program. It is not a veterans’ program. This is a Department of Defense program—retirement pay, disability benefits. Secretary Hegseth supports this bill without an offset. But if Republicans insist on treating the Major Richard Star Act differently, then, at the very least, the money to pay for the wounds of war, the wounds of war, that are occurring right now, 400—at least 400—members of the military have been injured in some way so far in the Iran War, should come from the Department of Defense.”
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) previously blocked Blumenthal’s attempts to advance the Major Richard Star Act in October and March, citing cost concerns. This legislation has overwhelming support from the majority of both chambers of Congress, with 79 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate and 334 bipartisan cosponsors in the House. It also has received support from Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth. “As I have said in the past to other organizations, we support the Richard Star Act,” said Hegseth at a Senate Armed Service Committee hearing in April.
The Major Richard Star Act is bipartisan legislation to fix an injustice preventing combat-injured veterans from receiving their full military benefits. Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their DoD retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments—leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees.
A video of Blumenthal’s remarks is available here.
Blumenthal further called for support for the Major Richard Star Act on Twitter/X.
“80 bipartisan senators support the Major Richard Star Act. Secretary Pete Hegseth has endorsed it. DOD says they can afford it. Senate Republicans must stop blocking this bill,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.
Republicans unveiled a nearly 600-page veterans bill that includes a provision to fund the Major Richard Star Act by slashing benefits for other disabled veterans. Republicans’ proposal, S. 4744 - Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, includes up to $57 billion in cuts over the next 10 years for veterans currently eligible to receive disability benefits for tinnitus and sleep apnea to offset the costs of this legislation.
“Correcting this injustice for combat-injured veterans should be done without depriving other veterans of benefits they need and deserve which this Republican package would do,” said Blumenthal. “If Republicans insist on an offset in funding, which actually is unnecessary, then it should come from the Department of Defense, which has trillions of dollars available. In fact, the relevant programs are part of the Department of Defense, not VA. The resources to pay for these wounds of war could come from the Department of Defense, not other disabled veterans. I will continue to fight for the Major Richard Star Act.”
Blumenthal amplified veterans’ voices on Substack, calling for passage of the Major Richard Star Act.
“My Republican colleagues need to listen to veterans. We must pass the Major Richard Star Act to ensure combat-injured veterans receive the benefits they have rightfully earned & deserve—a measure that Senate Republicans have blocked 6 times now,” wrote Blumenthal on Substack.
Blumenthal further called out his Republican colleagues for their plan to fund the Major Richard Star Act by cutting benefits for other disabled veterans on Twitter/X.
“To pass the Major Richard Star Act we shouldn’t have to cut benefits from other veterans. Republicans are blocking a vote with this false narrative,” wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.
Rejecting Todd Blanche as Attorney General
Blumenthal joined legal experts and advocates for a press conference calling on his Senate colleagues to reject Todd Blanche as U.S. Attorney General, highlighting how Blanche is unfit to serve as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.
“Let me just get right to the point—we’ve been talking about Todd Blanche as Trump’s personal lawyer. He is really Trump’s personal fixer. Todd Blanche has disregarded the law and enabled his President to break the law—as well as others in the Administration. That is what Todd Blanche is doing instead of enforcing the law. He is promoting law breaking,” said Blumenthal. “I think the word corruption summarizes, in one word, the reason why Todd Blanche should not be Attorney general. Corruption is his middle name and it is having an impact on you, taxpayers, voters, on your daily lives, on the cost of living, on anti-trust enforcement, on secret deals that take taxpayer money away. It’s not a victimless or costless crime, the kind of corruption he’s enabling.”
A video of the full press conference is available here.
Blumenthal reacted to reports of President Trump nominating Blanche as U.S. Attorney General on Twitter/X.
“Blanche is the most disgraceful, corrupt nominee for AG in American history. Instead of enforcing the law, he has championed Trump’s breaking it. Nothing has been too shamefully low, degrading & disgracing the entire DOJ. He’ll have a torturous confirmation—with ferocious opposition from me & others. It should be bipartisan,” wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.
Demanding Answers After National Park Service Rubberstamps Trump Construction Projects
Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), demanded answers from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Acting Director of the National Park Service (NPS) Jessica Bowron about the NPS’s persistent lack of transparency in its efforts to advance President Trump’s various construction projects throughout the nation’s capital.
In a letter to Burgum and Bowron, Blumenthal wrote, “Your disregard for legal process and public interest has been apparent in projects ranging from the construction of a White House Ballroom and triumphal arch to the resealing of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and expansion of the Rock Creek Tennis Center.”
Blumenthal continued, “Regular reports have revealed significant problems in the renovation or construction of monuments and spaces across the Washington, D.C. area. These drastic changes appear to be subject to the President’s latest whims: for example, just last week President Trump announced without warning that he is also considering adding a promenade connecting the Potomac River to the Lincoln Memorial. While it is important that we maintain our national landmarks as they age, the scale, cost, and permanence of these projects has revealed troubling patterns of waste, fraud, and abuse across these episodes.”
“NPS’s mission is to ‘preserve[] unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations,’ not to run roughshod over the law in order to help the current President benefit his friends and alter our cultural heritage however he sees fit,” Blumenthal concluded.
As Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal led an investigation into President Trump’s East Wing project, writing to each of the reported donors to the ballroom, as well as donors previously kept secret by the White House, to seek information about the terms of their donations and any potential deals made in exchange for contributions.
Blumenthal has also demanded answers from the lead architect, construction firm, and engineering firm selected to work on President Trump’s ballroom and pressed Clark Construction, the firm selected to build the ballroom, for details after it was awarded a no-bid contract to make repairs to the public fountains in Lafayette Square across the street from the White House.
The full text of today’s letter is available here.
Blumenthal introduced the Right to Record Act.
Blumenthal demanded the U.S. Department of Transportation finalize rule to prevent deaths in hot cars.
Blumenthal slammed the CFTC for being a tool of Kalshi and Polymarket, encouraging addictive gambling, fraudulent bets, and national security risks.
Blumenthal slammed Trump’s judicial nominees for perpetuating the lie that the Capitol was not attacked on January 6th and for refusing to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election.
Blumenthal highlighted letters delivered by Ms. Rachel from children who have been detained at Dilley Immigration Detention Center.
Blumenthal slammed insurance companies for putting profits over patient well-being.
Blumenthal called out Trump’s Sunday Night Fight and UFC Claw construction.
Blumenthal celebrated Pride Month.
Blumenthal attended the Middletown Pride Parade.
Blumenthal attended Catherine’s Butterfly Party, the largest single day pet adoption event in CT—a legacy of Catherine Hubbard who tragically lost her life at Sandy Hook.
Blumenthal attended the Danbury Portuguese Day Parade.
Blumenthal attended New Haven’s Freddy Fixer Parade.
Blumenthal highlighted his Right to Record Act.
Blumenthal highlighted the dangers of hot cars.
Blumenthal Champions Wins For Connecticut in National Defense Authorization Bill | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senator Blumenthal secured defense funding for Connecticut manufacturers and advanced technologies, and championed provisions supporting servicemembers and veterans. However, he opposed the overall bill due to concerns about wasteful spending and the administration's unauthorized military actions.
Blumenthal secures more than $67.8 billion in defense programs supporting CT manufacturers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today after the Committee’s approval of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027. The NDAA includes a number of provisions championed by Blumenthal to promote our nation’s safety and security, including supporting Connecticut’s defense industrial base, investing in advanced technologies, and promoting the well-being of servicemembers and veterans. Citing concerns that his Republican colleagues have included wasteful spending in the NDAA, Blumenthal ultimately voted against the bill. The NDAA passed out of Committee by a vote of 18-9 and will now move to the full Senate for consideration.
“This measure significantly enhances Connecticut’s vital role as an arsenal of democracy. I am proud of important provisions I advanced to support our state’s defense industrial base— manufacturers, suppliers, and skilled workers. Particularly important are investments in new technologies, including unmanned vehicles that I have seen perform so impactfully in my visits to Ukraine. I have fought as well for provisions that do right by our men and women in uniform— better housing and health care, for example— resources they need and deserve. At my urging, this measure helps keep faith with our allies, reaffirming our common commitment to preserving freedom and deterring aggression. Unfortunately, this NDAA has been vastly inflated by unnecessary, wasteful military programs that I cannot support. In too many ways, it is essentially a blank check for an administration that disregards and denigrates the real, urgent needs of Americans, and conducts an illegal, costly war without required Congressional approval. I cannot in good conscience support a hugely expanded $1.15 trillion military spending package while the President continues an unlawful Iran war, defying Congress and the Constitution,” said Blumenthal.
Standing up for Major Richard Star and combat-injured veterans, Blumenthal fought to end the unjust offset that denies combat-injured veterans full access to both their earned retirement pay and disability benefits, offering multiple paths to provide long-overdue relief. While these efforts were blocked, Blumenthal remains committed to ensuring that wounded servicemembers receive the benefits they earned through their sacrifice.
As a member of the Committee tasked with crafting the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2027, Blumenthal successfully advocated for the inclusion of several provisions that invest in Connecticut-based manufacturers and suppliers of vital national security interests, including:
Securing More Than $67.8 Billion in Defense Programs Supporting Connecticut Manufacturers and Suppliers: The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2027 includes more than $67.8 billion in defense programs supporting Connecticut manufacturers, suppliers, workers, and the state’s critical role in America’s national security. Among the Connecticut priorities supported in the FY2027 NDAA:
Blumenthal also fought for key provisions to support servicemembers and improve defense policy, including:
Codifying the Independence of Stars and Stripes: Blumenthal secured landmark protections for the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, ensuring that the trusted news source for servicemembers and military families remains free from censorship, propaganda, and interference from the chain of command.
Addressing Mold in Military Housing: After years of oversight and advocacy, Blumenthal secured sweeping reforms to confront the scourge of toxic mold and unsafe conditions in military housing. The legislation imposes enforceable standards, independent inspections, and stronger accountability measures to safeguard the health and readiness of servicemembers and their families.
Advocating for Ukraine: Blumenthal fought to ensure that the hard-earned lessons of Ukraine’s battlefield are rapidly translated into capabilities for U.S. forces, securing provisions to strengthen drone and counter-drone innovation and deepen cooperation with Ukraine on emerging technologies. He led and secured language directing the Department of Defense to identify ways to accelerate production of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, helping protect civilians from Russian missile and drone attacks. The legislation extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2029 and increases authorized funding to $750 million. Furthermore, the legislation also safeguards America’s commitment to Europe by preventing precipitous troop withdrawals.
Protecting Professional Military Education: Blumenthal fought to safeguard servicemembers’ access to world-class educational opportunities, supporting provisions that prevent abrupt cancellations of partnerships with accredited universities and ensure Congress receives advance notice and justification before programs are terminated.
Supporting Servicemembers with Increased Pay: Blumenthal championed provisions in recognition of the sacrifice of servicemembers and their essential contributions to our nation’s safety and security. This year’s NDAA authorizes a 3.6 percent pay raise for all military members.
On Endangered Species Day, Blumenthal & Grijalva Introduce Legislation to Protect At-Risk Wildlife | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Blumenthal and Grijalva introduced legislation to establish dedicated federal funding ($5 million annually through 2032 for each of four species groups) for conservation and recovery of critically endangered wildlife, including North American butterflies, Pacific Island plants, freshwater mussels, and Southwest desert fish.
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Adelita S. Grijalva (D-AZ) today introduced the Extinction Prevention Act, legislation that would provide much-needed funding for some of the country’s most imperiled yet vastly underfunded wildlife species.
“This legislation recognizes that saving wildlife from extinction requires more than just rhetoric—real resources are essential,” said Blumenthal. “Endangered species and their habitats can be sustained, but only if we back words with action.”
“As the loss of biodiversity accelerates at an alarming rate, we cannot afford to keep treating conservation as an afterthought,” said Grijalva. “The Extinction Prevention Act makes long-overdue investments in some of the most imperiled and overlooked species in our country, from North American butterflies to Southwest desert fish that are uniquely adapted to survive in some of the harshest environments on Earth. In Arizona and across the Southwest, these native fish species are already facing devastating threats from drought, water scarcity, habitat destruction, and climate change. We have a responsibility to future generations to make sure we do not lose these species forever.”
This legislation would create four separate funds of $5 million per year through Fiscal Year 2032 with the purpose of providing financial assistance to projects that help conserve and recover four groups of species: North American butterflies, Pacific Island plants, freshwater mussels, and Southwest desert fish. Habitat protection for these species is chronically underfunded despite them being among the species most at risk of extinction:
Targeted funds under the legislation would support on-the-ground conservation projects to stabilize and save from extinction the most critically endangered species from each of the four groups. States, Tribes, research institutions, nonprofit organizations, wildlife management authorities, and others may apply for these funds.
The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and endorsed by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Animal Welfare Institute, the American Bird Conservancy, the Endangered Species Coalition, and the Sierra Club.
“Some of America’s most amazing and vulnerable species are rapidly disappearing for the appalling reason that we’ve failed to invest in their recovery,” said Stephanie Kurose, deputy director of government affairs at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Extinction Prevention Act will help deliver the emergency support needed to save the most critically endangered animals and plants that make up our natural heritage. We’re so thankful to Sen. Blumenthal and the other sponsors for helping to give these species a fighting chance.”
Text of the Senate legislation can be found here.
Blumenthal Probes No-Bid Contract Awarded to Trump’s Hand-Picked Company to Paint Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as Project Cost Balloons to $13.1 Million | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senator Blumenthal is investigating a no-bid federal contract awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings for a Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool painting project, raising concerns about cost overruns (from $1.8M to $13.1M), the contractor's lack of relevant experience, and potential misuse of taxpayer funds to benefit the President's associates without congressional authorization.
“The American people deserve to know whether excess taxpayer dollars are being used—without the authorization of Congress—to reward the President’s preferred partners and desecrate national landmarks.”
[WASHINGTON, DC] — U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), is seeking answers about troubling no-bid contracts awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings (Atlantic Industrial) to paint the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue as demanded by President Trump. In a letter sent today to Curtis E. Wood, Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Industrial, Blumental raised concerns after recent reporting from
“Reports detail that, like so many of President Trump’s recent vanity projects, costs on this restoration have ballooned, rising from the $1.8 million President Trump promised publicly to $13.1 million as of May 8, 2027. These reports have also highlighted that Atlantic Industrial has never before been awarded a federal contract and has no discernable history of handling projects similar to the Reflecting Pool, instead boasting a website detailing that Atlantic Industrial ‘specializes in waterproofing highway culverts, pipes, roofs and chemical and water storage tanks,’” Blumenthal wrote.
Blumenthal continued, “The ballooning payments to Atlantic Industrial and Atlantic Industrial’s lack of any obvious qualifications for the Reflecting Pool project raise troubling questions about whether excess taxpayer dollars are (yet again) being diverted to President Trump’s manifestly unqualified friends and associates.”
“The American people deserve to know whether excess taxpayer dollars are being used—without the authorization of Congress—to reward the President’s preferred partners and desecrate national landmarks,” Blumenthal concluded.
As Ranking Member of PSI, Blumenthal has led an inquiry into President Trump’s pet projects, including the White House ballroom. As part of this inquiry, Blumenthal has written to the project’s lead architect, construction firm, and engineering firm, and pressed Clark Construction, the firm selected to build the ballroom, for details after it was awarded a no-bid contract to make repairs to the public fountains in Lafayette Square across the street from the White House.
The full text of Blumenthal’s letter to Atlantic Industrial is available here and below.
I write regarding troubling new reports concerning a no-bid contract awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, LLC (“Atlantic Industrial”) to paint the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue—a color it has never before been painted while serving as the backdrop to our nation’s 250-year history.[1] Reports detail that, like so many of President Trump’s recent vanity projects, costs on this restoration have ballooned, rising from the $1.8 million President Trump promised publicly to $13.1 million as of May 8, 2027.[2] These reports have also highlighted that Atlantic Industrial has never before been awarded a federal contract and has no discernable history of handling projects similar to the Reflecting Pool, instead boasting a website detailing that Atlantic Industrial “specializes in waterproofing highway culverts, pipes, roofs and chemical and water storage tanks.”[3] The ballooning payments to Atlantic Industrial and Atlantic Industrial’s lack of any obvious qualifications for the Reflecting Pool project raise troubling questions about whether excess taxpayer dollars are (yet again) being diverted to President Trump’s manifestly unqualified friends and associates.
The background details regarding this contract continue to be especially confusing and demand a public inquiry. First, new reports detail that these ballooning costs apparently match the exact amount requested by Atlantic Industrial from the beginning. Specifically, although President Trump told the public that the project would only cost $1.8 million, Atlantic Industrial reportedly submitted a proposal to the government last month that matched the current contract’s value down to the dollar and included a 20 percent profit margin.[4] Second, just days ago President Trump suddenly claimed he had no relationship with Atlantic Industrial after having last month claimed that the firm had been hired for this work because he had a “guy who’s unbelievable at doing swimming pools” who could renovate the Reflecting Pool.[5]
The American people deserve to know whether excess taxpayer dollars are being used—without the authorization of Congress—to reward the President’s preferred partners and desecrate national landmarks. To assist the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in its inquiry, please preserve all documents, records,[6] and communications[7] related to your firm’s participation in the renovation of Lafayette Park, and please provide specific responses to the following questions by May 28, 2026:
Please contact the Subcommittee if you have any questions about responding to these requests.
[1] David Fahrenthold and Luke Broadwater, The No-Bid Contract That Is Turning Washington’s Reflecting Pool Blue, N.Y. Times (May 8, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/us/politics/reflecting-pool-trump-contract.html.
[2] David Fahrenthold and Luke Broadwater, Reflecting Pool Repairs to Cost $13.1 Million. Trump Had Promised $1.8 Million, N.Y. Times (May 11, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/us/politics/reflecting-pool-paint-contract-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.h1A.j6hb.THJ3M2QckWZy&smid=url-share.
[3] Fahrenthold and Broadwater, supra note 1.
[4] Fahrenthold and Broadwater, supra note 2.
[5] Mallory Wilson, Trump changes story on Reflecting Pool contractor, The Hill (May 12, 2026), https://thehill.com/homenews/5874959-reflecting-pool-trump-contractor/.
[6] For purposes of this request, “records” include any written, recorded, or graphic material of any kind, including letters, memoranda, reports, notes, electronic data (emails, email attachments, and any other electronically-created or stored information), direct messages, chats, calendar entries, inter-office communications, meeting minutes, phone/voice mail or recordings/records of verbal communications, and drafts (whether or not they resulted in final documents).
[7] For purposes of this request, “communications” include any records, as defined above, transmitted in any way between two or more individuals or entities.
Blumenthal Joins Democratic Senate Colleagues to Kill Trump's Executive Order Restricting Vote by Mail & Press USPS on Unconstitutional EO | U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut
Position: Senator Blumenthal supports legislation to block President Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting and nullify directives to the USPS and DHS regarding voter eligibility lists, arguing the order is unconstitutional and an illegal overreach of executive power over elections.
[Hartford, CT] — Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined his Democratic Senate Colleagues to introduce the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act (Absentee MVP Act), legislation to protect the integrity of American elections, and Americans’ right to vote by mail, by blocking President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional executive order attacking mail and absentee ballots.
The Absentee MVP Act would nullify Trump’s unlawful March 31 executive order that aims to illegally re-write federal election rules by ordering the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to build state-by-state rosters of voting-age American citizens and granting USPS sweeping new authority to decide which of those voters may cast ballots by mail. Under the order, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) can reject and refuse delivery of lawful ballots unless states comply with newly established federal eligibility lists. Those who do not comply with these restrictions would face serious consequences: election officials, mail carriers, and others who send or deliver ballots to voters the administration considers ineligible could face criminal charges and states and local governments risk forfeiting federal funding.
The Absentee MVP Act would stop Trump’s blatant elections power grab by prohibiting the USPS, DHS and any other executive agency from spending funds to implement the directives in the President’s unconstitutional executive order.
“President Trump’s Executive Order is yet another power grab to take control of our elections illegally,” said Blumenthal. “By manipulating the U.S. Postal Service to restrict mail-in ballots, this administration is undermining the Constitutional framework that protects free and fair elections. I am proud to support this legislation to stop this illegal overreach and ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot without interference.”
“The Constitution is clear. Elections belong to Congress and the states, not the President. You do not protect them by building federal lists out of flawed data,” said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President and Board Chairman.
“President Trump was transparent when he issued an executive order clearly intended to disenfranchise a large bloc of voters from the voting rolls. By making it more difficult for voters to cast ballots, he hopes to increase the odds for Republican election victories. His anti-voting obstacle is unfair, un-American, and must be repealed. Public Citizen strongly supports Senator Padilla's legislation to do precisely that,” said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen.
“Every American deserves to have their voice heard and their vote counted. The Constitution gives States and Congress — not the President — authority over federal elections,” said Andrew Warren, Deputy Legal Director of Democracy Defenders Action. “We commend Senator Padilla for his leadership in introducing the Absentee and Mail Voter Protection Act, and we urge Congress to pass this important legislation to prevent the President from interfering in our elections.”
“No president — Trump or any to come — should be able to change the rules of an election in order to keep power and disenfranchise eligible voters. This bill pushes back on the Trump Administration’s illegal executive order that attempts to do just that. It is a strong, forward-looking step to protect the integrity of our elections and ensure voters decide elections, not politicians,” said Cole Leiter, Executive Director, Americans Against Government Censorship.
“For generations, service members have relied on mail and absentee ballots to exercise the rights they serve to defend. This legislation protects that lifeline and makes clear that no administration should be able to undermine access to the ballot for political gain. Our democracy is strongest when every eligible voter can participate without fear or interference,” said Janessa Goldbeck, Marine Corps Veteran and CEO, Vet Voice Foundation.
“Vote by mail works so well it’s how President Trump chose to vote this very year,” said Common Cause’s President & CEO Virginia Kase Solomón. “That’s why President Trump’s mail voting executive order is absurd. What this order is really designed to do is give him the power to handpick voters based on who supports his agenda in an effort to shield his party from accountability at the ballot box. Common Cause and our more than 1 million members urge Congress to pass Senator Padilla’s Absentee MVP Act now so every voter can cast a ballot freely and fairly.”
“NALC appreciates Sens. Peters, Padilla and Durbin's leadership in fighting to protect Americans' access to mail-in ballots,” NALC President Brian L. Renfroe said. “Voting by mail is safe, secure and makes it easier for tens of millions of Americans to participate in our democracy. As this executive order is considered in the courts, NALC supports this legislation that focuses on protecting Americans’ right to vote by mail.”
In addition to Blumenthal, the legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
Full text for the Absentee MVP Act is available here.
Source: GDELT 2.0 GKG, filtered to a curated list of national outlets. Inclusion is not endorsement; opinion pieces and reported news are mixed.
Recent stock activity
Periodic transaction reports filed under the STOCK Act — disclosed by the rep, sourced from public filings.
No disclosed trades on record.
Source: open-data mirrors of the Senate eFD and House Clerk financial-disclosure systems. Disclosure within 30 days of trade is required by law (45 for spouse/dependent trades).
Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
4.NARRAGANSETT BAY PACOther2 contributionsRegional PAC based in Rhode Island — specific advocacy focus not inferable from the name.AI · low$10,000
5.COZEN O'CONNOR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
6.COMMON GROUND PAC2 contributions$10,000
7.SMART SOLUTIONS PAC2 contributions$10,000
8.FORWARD TOGETHER PACIdeological2 contributionsProgressive-aligned PAC — backs candidates and causes aligned with Democratic and progressive priorities, though specific policy focus is not clear from the name alone.AI · low$10,000
9.DEMOCRACY ENGINE, INC. PAC1 contribution$5,800
10.TZEDEK PAC1 contribution$5,000
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.MACHINE INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH INST.$7,600
2.GRANITE TELECOM$7,000
3.AMPHENOL CORP$7,000
4.AURORA INNOVATION$6,600
5.RED+BLUE STRATEGIES$5,000
6.INVARIANT$4,000
7.TARPLIN DOWNS & YOUNG LLC$4,000
8.AKIN GUMP$4,000
9.KLEIN/JOHNSON GROUP$4,000
10.KELLEY DRYE & WARREN$3,500
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.
