January 10, 2026
Dear Friends,
On January 6, 2021, as Congress gathered to do its constitutional duty and certify the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump incited a violent mob to storm the U.S. Capitol and prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Earlier this week, we marked the fifth anniversary of that horrifying day — when Democrats and Republicans alike condemned Trump’s actions and pronounced it one of the darkest moments in American history. But last year, as President Trump used the first day of his second term in office to pardon nearly 1,600 of the insurrectionists who attacked our democracy that day, many of those same Republicans stood and applauded at this clear signal that worse was still to come — and this week, that signal became reality. As Trump launched an illegal occupation of a sovereign nation and his agents murdered an innocent woman in the street, we witnessed a terrifying new stage in this administration’s descent into authoritarianism.
Last Saturday, President Trump ordered U.S. forces to invade Venezuela and abduct its president — a brazen act of war against a sovereign nation — without even notifying Congress, let alone seeking its approval. Trump’s cronies have tried to justify this illegal power grab by invoking drug trafficking or the promotion of democracy. But as the President himself has said repeatedly, this invasion is simply about seizing control of Venezuela’s oil and natural resources and funneling the profits to oil executives and his billionaire friends. Trump refused to rule out deploying U.S. troops to enforce the occupation, warning it could last “years” and signaling a return to our disastrous nation-building experiments in the Middle East. And Trump’s imperial ambitions don’t stop with Venezuela.
This week, Trump escalated further — threatening to invade and occupy Greenland, the territory of a longstanding NATO ally, while calling for massive increases in military spending to support his expansionist agenda. When confronted with this reckless behavior, most GOP leaders have either actively cheered it on or dismissed it entirely. Instead of addressing the real concerns facing families in this country, from skyrocketing health care costs to tariff-driven inflation, Republicans are blindly following the President as he wastes your taxpayer dollars trying to conquer and govern other nations. And now, emboldened by that silence, Trump and his administration have turned those authoritarian tactics inward — unleashing them on our communities here at home.
Throughout the past year, Donald Trump has sent squads of ICE agents to terrorize communities across the nation — raiding homes, schools, and workplaces and detaining and deporting our neighbors without due process. On Wednesday, one such raid turned deadly when a masked ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good during an operation in a residential neighborhood in Minneapolis. Videos of the incident clearly show the 37-year-old mother of three attempting to drive away as she was murdered. Yet within minutes, Trump’s propaganda machine was outrageously smearing this innocent woman as a “domestic terrorist.”
Americans have had enough of this campaign of fear and demonization. Working families want a government that solves problems and keeps them safe, not one that manufactures chaos and carries out state-sanctioned violence. So, while Republicans continue to ignore their constituents and enable Trump’s growing authoritarianism, I’m joining state and local leaders in demanding a full investigation of this week’s shooting and an immediate withdrawal of ICE agents from our communities — and I won’t vote for any budget that fails to rein in ICE’s lawlessness and stop Trump’s endless wars.
In moments like these, when the President and the majority in Congress refuse to address the needs of the people they represent, it’s easy to feel discouraged about our ability to make positive change. But history shows that public pressure still makes a difference. In the past few months alone, sustained outcry from people across the nation has forced a sufficient number of Republicans to vote — against Trump’s wishes — to release the Epstein files and extend critical ACA subsidies that help families afford health care. If we continue to make our voices heard, we can still build a better future for ourselves and our children.
With that in mind, as we begin a new year and a new session of Congress, I want to hear directly from you about what you want Congress to prioritize in 2026. Please take a moment to click the image below and complete a brief survey to share your needs and concerns with me. No matter what the coming year brings, I will remain committed to standing up for our Capital Region communities and delivering results for the American people.
[Click above image to open survey in web browser]
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- Applications are now open for the EPA’s Fiscal Year 2026 Brownfields Multipurpose, Assessment, RLF, and Cleanup (MARC) Grants.
- EPA’s Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, tribes, and others to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse contaminated properties.
- You can visit the EPA’s website for more information about the Multipurpose, Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants.
- EPA also has pre-recorded videos providing an overview of the FY 2026 grant submission process, the Application Information Sheet, and threshold requirements.
- The deadline to submit your application is Wednesday, January 28th, 2026.
