Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 4/17/2026-4/24/2026

Slamming Senate Passage of Budget Resolution to Fund Lawless ICE & CBP

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement after the Senate approved a budget resolution that will allow Congressional Republicans to move ahead with billions of dollars in spending increases for Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customers & Border Protection (CBP) with no reforms:

"While the price of everything from fuel to food is skyrocketing, the Republican budget resolution puts the needs of the American people last," Blumenthal said. "Senate Republicans are willing to work overtime to deliver huge tax breaks to billionaires and siphon billions to ICE with no strings attached. When it comes to lowering costs for Americans, helping working families, or making good on our promises to veterans, Republicans say we can't afford it. The American people are watching."

Prior to the vote, Blumenthal spoke on the Senate Floor to slam the Republican budget resolution delivering $140 billion to ICE and CBP while blocking the bipartisan Major Richard Star Act over its costs.

"Senate Republican leadership has continuously refused to advance bipartisan legislation to deliver for combat-injured veterans," Blumenthal said. "They claim we cannot afford those benefits…that equate to one-fourteenth of the money Republicans want to send to ICE. The same Republicans who cannot find the time or the $13 billion to ensure our combat-injured veterans receive their full, earned benefits, they'll keep us here all night to spend $140 billion on ICE and CBP."

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 Department of Defense (DOD) retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments-leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees.

In his remarks, the Senator also highlighted how ICE and CBP's activities under the Trump Administration have harmed veterans and their families: "Over the past year, the Trump Administration has begun deportation proceedings for 34 former members of the military and 248 relatives of former military members. This number doesn't include the countless other former military members that have been swept up into detention by roving patrols and lawless arrests. These are real individuals who chose to wear the uniform, they are not abstract entities…As Republicans propose sending another $140 billion to ICE and CBP, I ask them if they share the same disregard for our troops and veterans or if they will join me in saying enough is enough."

Video of Blumenthal's floor remarks is available here.

On Twitter/X, Blumenthal further called out his Republican colleagues for their willingness to spend money on ICE and CBP without meaningful reforms instead of ensuring veterans receive the benefits they've earned.

"The same Republicans who cannot find the money to ensure combat-injured veterans receive their full, earned benefits, are chomping at the bit to spend $140 billion on ICE & CBP with no strings attached. Senate Republican leadership must stop blocking the Major Richard Star Act," wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

Standing with Parents to Fight for Kids Online Safety

Blumenthal joined more than 70 parents of children who died from Big Tech harms at the Capitol to hold a vigil and press conference, urging passage of legislation enacting stronger protections for children online.

"My name is Richard Blumenthal, and I am a United States Senator from Connecticut. But my main accomplishment in life is that I'm a father. So as I look at you, these parents and advocates, I know why I'm in this fight. I know why we must win this fight. I know why you will make the difference in this fight. It is about children. It is about your sons and daughters. It is about saving others from the tragic grief that brings you here today. It is unthinkable that you are here today because of losses that could have been prevented if Big Tech had not put profits over people-if Big Tech had not followed a business model that depended on more eyes for longer periods of time, more advertising revenue, and more profits. That business model must be changed. And what've we've learned is we cannot trust Big Tech to do it on its own. I am done trusting Big Tech," said Blumenthal. "We need more state laws, not fewer. We need stronger state laws, not weaker, and we need the Kids Online Safety Act, KOSA, this session of Congress. We are going to get it done, and the reason we are going to get it done is because of you."

CSPAN3's coverage of the vigil is available here, and a full video of the vigil is available here.

Blumenthal further highlighted the need for his Kids Online Safety Act on Twitter/X.

"A picture is worth 1,000 words. Parents who've lost kids because of Big Tech's predatory profit-driven use of algorithms gathered in a powerful vigil. They demanded Congress pass KOSA. So do I. Standing with them," wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

On the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee

Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Blumenthal joined veterans advocacy groups, including Common Defense and AFGE, to highlight the damage of the Trump Administration's cuts at VA and increasing wait times at various facilities across the country.

"The visible but also invisible wounds of war and the failure to care for them-particularly mental health-is absolutely egregious. Right now, Common Defense has shown 60 percent of all VA facilities have wait times in excess of VA's own targets for health care. There is no excuse for those kinds of delays. We need to speak up and raise the volume and the vehemence of this advocacy so that all of America is aware of this failure on the part of VA to meet its obligations-not just a legal obligation, it's not just a political obligation. It's a moral obligation. A great country keeps its promises, and the greatest county in the history of the world should keep its promises to its veterans-men and women who served and sacrificed with the promise they will receive adequate health care as well as all the other services VA is supposed to be providing. And the failure to do so is inexcusable," said Blumenthal.

Blumenthal further highlighted the egregious damage of VA cuts to our nation's veterans on Twitter/X.

Health care delayed is health care denied. Unconscionable & unacceptable, staffing cuts at the VA are resulting in reduced access to health care. Advocacy by Common Defense is elevating this cause & providing a voice to veterans across the country," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Calling for the Return of Abducted Ukrainian Children

Blumenthal joined Razom for Ukraine in partnership with the American Coalition for Ukraine at a press conference urging the Trump Administration to prioritize the return of abducted Ukrainian children. The press conference highlighted an installation of 20,000 stuffed teddy bears, each one representing a Ukrainian child abducted by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion. The installation forms a call to bring Ukrainian children back.

"What Putin is doing to tens of thousands of children is a war crime. It is criminal, and that is why I am working for a bipartisan bill in the United States Congress that says we will declare Vladimir Puring a war criminal if he does not return those children now," said Blumenthal. "What Vladimir Putin is doing here is not trying to take territory alone. He's trying to destroy a people. That is the purpose of abducting children-changing their names, reeducating them, killing their identities if not the children themselves, making sure that they never grow up speaking their own language, knowing their own religion and culture. We must defeat Russia, we must make sure that Ukraine is preserved as a nation, as a people, as a culture."

Blumenthal further highlighted the need to return the abducted children of Ukraine on Twitter/X.

"The image of these 20,000 bears is worth 20,000 words. Each bear represents a Ukrainian child that Russia has horrifically kidnapped. Returning these children to their families is an urgent imperative," wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal Bulletin

Blumenthal launched his Substack page.

Blumenthal announced Inspector General audit of DOJ's failure to release the full Epstein Files.

Blumenthal released a statement on the $369 million contract for RTX to build F135 engines.

Blumenthal released a statement on the release of a Cheshire High School student from ICE detention.

Blumenthal called out prediction markets' failure to address disputed and unclear bets.

Blumenthal pressed the Acting CDC Director on interference in the publication of COVID-19 vaccination report.

Blumenthal called for passage of the Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act on Earth Day.

Blumenthal honored the memory of Steve Dargan.

Blumenthal demanded DOJ & FTC take action to stop big food conglomerates from profiteering and driving prices even higher amid Iran war.

Blumenthal attended the ribbon cutting for New England Jewish Academy's new wing and playground.

Blumenthal attended the 63rd annual Greenwich Lions Club Pancake Breakfast.

Blumenthal attended the Fairfield County Juneteenth Grand Marshal's Ball in Trumbull.

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