Diana Harshbarger

Harshbarger Advances Landmark 2026 Farm Bill

Position: Congresswoman Harshbarger voted in favor of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which provides risk management tools for farmers, expands rural broadband and healthcare access, invests in agricultural research and innovation, strengthens crop insurance, and secures the agricultural supply chain.

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) today released the following statement after voting in favor of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, comprehensive legislation addressing the full breadth of American agriculture, rural communities, and food security: "Food security is national security, and today I voted yes on the 2026 Farm Bill to make sure America stays strong on both fronts," said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. "America's farmers are second to none, and we owe it to them to deliver on the programs that keep us ahead. Getting a Farm Bill across the finish line is no small feat, and today we got it done." The bipartisan Farm, Food, and National Security Act now heads to the Senate for further consideration. Key provisions include: Providing reliable risk management tools that protect against unpredictable prices, severe weather, and market disruptions. Expanding rural broadband connectivity to ensure families, farmers, and small businesses can compete in the modern digital economy. Protecting and expanding rural health care access by investing in telehealth, strengthening rural hospitals, and prioritizing mental and maternal health services. Investing in agricultural research and innovation—including precision agriculture, automation, and next-generation crop and livestock technologies—that improve efficiency and lower costs. Bolstering crop insurance to give farmers the certainty they need to plant, grow, and recover from losses. Securing America's food and agricultural supply chain against foreign threats by strengthening domestic production, expanding export markets, and reducing reliance on adversarial nations that seek to disrupt critical inputs, markets, and food security. CLICK HERE for a title-by-title overview of the 2026 Farm Bill. CLICK HERE for additional resources. ###

Harshbarger Applauds End to Democrat-Led DHS Shutdown

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) today released the following statement after passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 7147, the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, a critical step in ending the longest government shutdown in American history. “For 76 days, the men and women who protect this nation have been working without a durable paycheck. That is disgraceful, and Democrats own every bit of it,” said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. “I supported ending this shutdown because our frontline personnel deserve better, and our national security cannot afford another day of Democrat obstruction.” Republicans are pursuing a two-step funding strategy to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and restore full operations: Step one provides immediate appropriations to reopen DHS and ensure frontline personnel continue to be paid. This legislation funds key departmental components including the Coast Guard, TSA, FEMA, the Secret Service, and cybersecurity operations. Funding for ICE and full CBP border security operations are not included in this measure. Step two delivers full funding for ICE and CBP for the remainder of the Trump presidency. This will be achieved through the budget reconciliation process, which is already underway. Harshbarger emphasized the stark contrast between Republican action and Democrat obstruction, arguing that today's House action demonstrates Republicans' commitment to legislating responsibly while Democrats chose politics over the safety of the American people. "Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats dragged this shutdown out for months, holding our national security hostage while our adversaries watched and waited," Harshbarger continued. "Our Coast Guardsmen, TSA officers, and Secret Service agents—the same agents who stopped an assassination attempt on President Trump—were doing their jobs every single day without stable funding behind them. That ends today." ###

Harshbarger Advances Framework to Fully Fund ICE, Border Patrol for Remainder of the Trump Presidency

Position: Congresswoman Harshbarger supports full funding for ICE and Border Patrol through the remainder of the Trump presidency via the FY26 budget resolution, characterizing this as necessary to secure the border and reverse what she describes as open-border policies from the Biden administration.

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) released the following statement after voting in favor of S. Con. Res. 33, the FY26 budget resolution which will lay the foundation to fully fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). "After Senate Democrats voted to defund our homeland security sixteen times, House Republicans are doing what needs to be done to work around their roadblocks and keep America safe," said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. "East Tennesseans have paid the price for open borders: fentanyl flooding our communities, criminals released into our streets, and a border that was completely out of control under Biden. President Trump reversed that, and we are not going back. I proudly voted for this budget resolution to keep America secure, fund the agents protecting us, and make sure the Biden open borders era is gone for good." A budget resolution serves as a framework to set blueprints for federal spending, revenues, and deficits for the upcoming year. S. Con. Res. 33 allows Congress through the budget reconciliation process to sufficiently fund ICE and Border Patrol for 3.5 years, carrying through the remainder of Trump’s presidency. The budget resolution’s deficits are equal to 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in every year from 2029 to 2035. This is achieved through $9.7 trillion in savings over 10 years. Immigration Security Fast Facts: During the Biden administration there were: Over 11 million encounters with illegal aliens, including 8.3 million at the southern border of which over 5 million were released into the United States. 1.7 million border encounters involved "special interest aliens" i.e. people from countries that DHS has determined pose great national security and counterintelligence threats to the U.S., including Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Syria, and Turkey. 382 encounters with illegal aliens on the terror watchlist, and at least 99 of those were released into the U.S. Over 1.7 million "got-aways" i.e. illegal aliens that are known to have entered without ever being encountered or apprehended subsequently by law enforcement. Illegal crossings at our southern border have reached historic lows thanks to President Trump's leadership and Republican passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts: April 2026 was the eleventh month in a row that Border Patrol released zero illegal aliens into the interior of the country. In January 2026, Border Patrol apprehended only 6,073 illegal aliens—the fourth consecutive monthly decline and 93% below the FY1992–FY2024 average. In 2025, encounters with illegal aliens at the southern border fell to their lowest level since 1970. DHS arrested over 480,000 illegal aliens with criminal records in the past 12 months. Seventy percent of illegal aliens who have been detained under President Trump's second term have either a criminal conviction or pending criminal charge. CBP seized 583,000 pounds of illicit drugs nationwide over the past year. This included 12,027 pounds of fentanyl, 170,119 pounds of methamphetamine, and significant quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. ###

Harshbarger, Senator Marshall Introduce Bill to Ban Child Sex-Change Procedures with $100K Penalties

Position: The release advocates for federal legislation that would ban gender transition medical procedures on minors, impose civil penalties on providers, and establish a federal compensation fund for individuals who received such procedures.

Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) today introduced the Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors (STOP) Act, landmark federal legislation that bans gender transition procedures performed on minors, imposes strict civil penalties on perpetrators, and for the first time creates a federal compensation fund dedicated to helping victims recover. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) led the introduction in the Senate, with Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) as an original cosponsor. In the House, Representatives Addison McDowell (R-NC) and Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) joined Congresswoman Harshbarger as original cosponsors. “As a pharmacist and a mother, protecting patients—especially children—has always been my top priority,” said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. “The STOP Act draws a clear line: irreversible sex-rejecting procedures should not be performed on minors. It builds on Tennessee’s law, upheld by the Supreme Court, affirming that protecting children from these dangerous interventions is a compelling government interest. I’m proud to join Senator Roger Marshall in introducing this legislation to restore accountability, support those harmed, and put children’s safety first.” “Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger’s STOP Act is a commonsense step to protect children from irreversible harm. The woke ideology that has crept into our healthcare system, profiting off of misled youth, needs to be stopped in its tracks. We must safeguard our minors and support the victims of these disgusting procedures,” said Congressman Addison McDowell. "Vulnerable children have been increasingly pressured into life-altering sex change procedures, often leaving them with lasting physical and psychological damage. Sex change procedures that maim and sterilize minors are not healthcare, but child abuse. The STOP Act is a necessary fix to hold medical professionals accountable for the harm they cause children before their lives have even begun," said Congressman Marlin Stutzman. “As an OB-GYN with over two decades of clinical experience, I know firsthand what these irreversible procedures do to children,” said Senator Marshall. “These are not medical treatments — they are child abuse. The STOP Act sends a clear message: if you harm a child by performing these procedures, there will be serious consequences. Our children deserve nothing less.” “There are kids in America receiving life-altering gender surgeries before they graduate high school. There are kids being given hormone blockers that can cause bone loss, depression, and myriad other medical issues when they should be playing hopscotch and riding bikes,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Our kids deserve safe childhoods and informed consent, but instead they have harmful procedures pushed on them by predatory doctors who won’t have to live with the consequences. I’m proud to cosponsor the STOP Act to outlaw risky gender transition procedures on minors, empower victims to sue for damages, and award the penalty funds from criminal doctors to their victims as recovery compensation.” What the STOP Act Does: Prohibits any person from knowingly performing, attempting to perform, conspiring to perform, or otherwise aiding or abetting any gender transition procedure on a minor under age 18—including but not limited to puberty blockers, high-dose cross-sex hormones, mastectomies, hysterectomies, genital surgeries, and facial procedures. Imposes a civil monetary penalty of at least $100,000 per violation, collectible by the Attorney General, with employers and clinics also held accountable. Creates a private right of action for victims of gender transition procedures—or their parent, guardian, or caretaker if the victim was still a minor—to sue in federal court for damages. Establishes the "Victims of Gender Transition Procedures Compensation Fund" in the U.S. Treasury—funded by civil penalties collected from offenders—to provide grants to private nonprofits that assist individuals who are recovering. Background: Under intense pressure from radical gender ideologues, an estimated 14,000 minors have been manipulated into undergoing life-altering sex change procedures that leave them maimed, sterilized, and psychologically damaged. President Trump's 2025 executive order banning the use of federal funds for gender transition procedures on minors was a critical first step. The STOP Act codifies and strengthens those protections in permanent federal law. The STOP Act is endorsed by the American Principles Project (APP), Students for Life of America (SFLA), and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). CLICK HERE for the full text of the bill. ###

Harshbarger, Hawley Introduce Bill to Ban Chemical Abortion Drug

Position: The release advocates for federal legislation to ban mifepristone (the chemical abortion drug), withdraw FDA approval, and create a private right of action for women harmed by the drug, citing safety concerns and arguing that current regulatory safeguards are insufficient.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger introduced new legislation to ban the chemical abortion drug mifepristone and empower women harmed by the drug to sue its manufacturers. U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. "As a pharmacist for decades prior to now serving in U.S. House of Representatives, I believe every drug approved in the United States must meet the highest standards of safety, transparency, and medical oversight,” said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. “Yet the FDA under previous administrations has steadily dismantled critical safeguards surrounding the abortion drug mifepristone — removing in-person dispensing requirements, allowing the drug to be shipped through the mail, and limiting adverse event reporting so the most serious complications are no longer tracked. Evidence now suggests that real world risks to women are greater than the federal government has acknowledged. That’s why I’m proud to join Senator Hawley to introduce the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act that would restore accountability and help ensure that women’s health and safety — not politics — guide federal drug policy.” “The science is clear: the chemical abortion drug is inherently dangerous to women and prone to abuse. Yet major companies like Danco Laboratories are making billions off it,” said Senator Josh Hawley. “That’s why I am introducing new legislation to ban the use of mifepristone for abortion and empower women to sue its manufacturers. Congress must act now to protect the health and safety of women.” The chemical abortion drug, mifepristone, is not safe for women. One recent study found nearly 11% of women who use mifepristone experience sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging, an emergency room visit, or another serious adverse event within 45 days. New data indicates these complications were even more common after safety measures — such as in-person dispensing — were removed by President Biden. Corporate manufacturers of the abortion drug are profiting while women are harmed. The maker of mifepristone, Danco Laboratories, first registered in the Cayman Islands and received backing from prominent liberal billionaires, including George Soros and private equity managers. Its ownership structure is designed to evade scrutiny and escape liability. In 2022, the company’s CFO said investments in the company had been “extremely profitable.” Chemical abortion rates, and the harm to women, have only increased since then. The Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act would: Withdraw the FDA’s approval of mifepristone for abortion. Make distributing and labeling mifepristone for pregnancy termination violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Create a private right of action for women harmed by chemical abortion to sue manufacturers for damages. This legislation is supported by Susan B. Anthony Pro Life America, Family Research Council, Alliance Defending Freedom, Concerned Women for America, Live Action, Students for Life of America, Ethics and Public Policy Center, and the American Association of Pro Life OBGYNs. Read their statements of support here. Read the bill text of the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act here.

Harshbarger Issues Statement Following Vote to Advance FY 2026 Appropriations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger today voted in support of the Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act, helping send the bill to President Trump’s desk for his signature. Following the vote, Harshbarger issued the following statement: “This legislation restores fiscal responsibility to the appropriations process while delivering real reforms that lower costs for patients and families,” said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. “This package makes critical investments in our national defense, fully supports our troops, strengthens public safety, and includes meaningful PBM reforms to rein in abusive practices that drive up drug prices. It avoids a bloated omnibus, cuts wasteful spending, and advances an America First agenda that puts patients, taxpayers, and national security first. I’m proud to support responsible governance and to help move this bill to President Trump’s desk.” Following the vote, President Trump signed this funding package into law. Background: The FY 2026 funding package includes significant pharmacy benefit manager reforms championed by Congresswoman Harshbarger, a pharmacist and longtime leader in Congress on lowering prescription drug costs. Harshbarger has helped lead the charge to expose PBM abuses, introduce bipartisan reforms, and push these policies through the legislative process to protect independent pharmacies and ensure patients—not middlemen—come first. The legislation also includes provisions based on Congresswoman Harshbarger’s bipartisan United States–Abraham Accords Cooperation and Security Act, legislation she introduced to strengthen U.S. healthcare supply chains by deepening cooperation with trusted allies. These provisions support the establishment of a technical office within the Food and Drug Administration to help reduce America’s reliance on medical products manufactured in adversarial nations like China, while bolstering innovation, security, and resilience across the healthcare system.

Harshbarger Presses Insurance CEOs on Market Control, Vertical Integration, and Conflicts of Interest

Position: Harshbarger expresses concern that excessive consolidation and vertical integration in the health insurance industry are driving higher costs and reducing patient choice, and questions how independent providers and patients can compete fairly when single corporations control multiple segments of the healthcare system.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing with major health insurance CEOs, CongresswomanDiana Harshbarger, Vice Chair of the Subcommittee, pressed industry leaders on how excessive consolidation and vertical integration are driving higher costs and fewer choices for patients. Drawing on her experience as a pharmacist and business owner, Harshbarger challenged executives from UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health to explain how patients and independent providers can fairly compete when a single corporate entity controls insurance coverage, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacies, clinics, and the data that governs care decisions. Image

Harshbarger, Lee Re-Introduce Legislation to Cut Red Tape for Terminally Ill Americans

Position: The release advocates for legislation that would eliminate the five-month waiting period for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for terminally ill patients, allowing them immediate access to earned benefits in a fiscally responsible manner.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) re-introduced the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act in the House and Senate respectively, which would remove the burdensome waiting period for terminally ill patients' access to their Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program benefits. Americans who are unable to work due to a terminal illness qualify for SSDI, providing them with a monthly cash benefit. However, despite past reforms, most patients are still required to wait five months before receiving benefits — even when their life expectancy is shorter than the waiting period — leaving some Americans without any benefits during their lifetime. This critical legislation would eliminate this wearisome waiting period, allowing those suffering from terminal illnesses immediate access to their SSDI benefits, and do so in a fiscally responsible manner. “No one diagnosed with a terminal illness should spend their final months tangled in government red tape,” said Congresswoman Harshbarger. “At life’s most difficult moments, families deserve compassion, certainty, and peace of mind. This legislation ensures timely access to earned benefits while remaining fiscally responsible, and I’m proud to work with Senator Mike Lee to make it law.” “The current 5-month waiting period for disability benefits keeps terminally ill American workers from actually being able to use them in time,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Americans suffering from debilitating, life-threatening conditions need a better solution. The Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act will give workers a pathway to bypass the burdensome waiting period and receive the help they need for end-of-life care in a timely manner.” The legislation has strong support among patient advocacy groups, including the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR) and Patients Rising. “We applaud Representative Harshbarger and Senator Lee for their leadership on this important legislation. NOSSCR supports all efforts to eliminate or limit the 5-month exclusion period, but this is especially critical for the most vulnerable Americans who suffer from fatal diseases with no known cure and short life expectancies. Because many Social Security claimants die, lose savings or homes, and suffer as they wait for 5 months for their earned disability benefits.” – David Camp, Senior Policy Advisor, National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR). "For patients facing a terminal illness, time is a luxury they do not have. A five-month wait period for disability benefits is a bureaucratic cruelty. We applaud Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger and Senator Mike Lee for standing up for the most vulnerable with the Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act. This compassionate legislation empowers patients with the choice to access their earned benefits immediately, providing essential financial dignity and relief from the costs of end-of-life care when families need it most. We are grateful to Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger and Senator Mike Lee for their unwavering commitment to put patients first." – Terry Wilcox, Co-Founder and CEO, Patients Rising Background: TheImmediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act is a compassionate and fiscally responsible, good-government proposal to ensure that the most vulnerable Americans have quicker access to their earned SSDI benefits. The legislation would help relieve some of the stress and costs associated with end-of-life care, as well as make common-sense reforms to strengthen SSDI program integrity. Eligible disabled Americans would be those with a disease listed on the Social Security Compassionate Allowance List, suffer from a disease with no known cure, and have an average life expectancy of five years or less from the date of diagnosis. The Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act would: Give eligible disabled Americans the choice of immediately accessing their monthly SSDI cash benefits in exchange for a 7% reduction; or waiting the current five-month waiting period and receiving their normal full benefits Require any future additions to the Compassionate Allowance Initiative to be recommended by the Social Security Administration and approved by Congress Update the overpayment collection threshold for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) from $10 to 10 percent, aligning it with the overpayment threshold in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program Eliminate the ability of individuals to access at the same time both SSDI benefits and unemployment benefits The Social Security Administration currently lists 58 diseases that would qualify under the legislation for immediate access to SSDI. An analysis by the Social Security Office of the Chief Actuary (OCACT) concludes this legislation would save the Social Security program $5.6 billion over the next decade and would improve Social Security's long-term actuarial balance. A summary of the bill can be found here. Full bill text can be found here. Issues:Health Care