Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Ghislaine Maxwell makes clear she won't answer questions to Congress without a get-out-of-jail-free card and the world watches as Chump becomes more and more entangled with others who were close to Epstein.
Sunday was the Super Bowl. During the game, many commercials aired. Jennifer Bowers Bahney (MEDIAITE) reports on one:
The survivors of Jeffrey Epstein are making it clear that they’re not moving on from the sex trafficking scandal — despite President Donald Trump saying last week that he’d like Americans to “get on to something else.”
Trump appears in the files some 38,000 times but has not been charged with any wrongdoing. Also appearing in the files are current and former Trump officials Howard Lutnick, Steve Bannon, Elon Musk, John Phelan, Ben Black, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. None of these officials have been charged.
To get their point across, survivors of Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell released a public service announcement demanding answers from the Trump Justice Department.
“Survivors
are urging the Justice Department to explain why millions of pages
remain withheld, why survivors’ names and identifying information are
exposed, and to ensure full accountability for the perpetrators,” an
accompanying press release stated.
The PSA was produced by World Without Exploitation, a coalition working to end sexual exploitation.
It opens with the faces of Epstein survivors and the words, “On November 19, 2025, the Epstein Files Transparency Act was signed into law.”
The word “Transparency” was then blacked out, just like the redactions appearing in so many of the files released by the Department of Justice.
“3 million files still have not been released,” the spot continued, as more words were blacked out, and even the survivors’ mouths were covered with black smudges.
Yesterday Ghislaine Maxwell appeared before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee via an internet connection from Club Fed in Bryan, Texas -- a posh prison that Donald Chump moved her to last summer. Sarah Ewall-Wice (DAILY BEAST) reports:
Ghislaine Maxwell is refusing to answer questions from Congress about pedophile Jeffrey Epstein unless she is granted clemency by Donald Trump.
The convicted sex trafficker floated that both Trump and Bill Clinton were innocent on Monday, but she would not share any more than that.
The longtime Epstein accomplice instead invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to self-incriminate during a virtual appearance before the House Oversight Committee.
Her play for Trump’s help comes as the president has been facing accusations about his own relationship with the late disgraced financier.
[. . .]
“Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump. Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters,” Maxwell’s lawyer David Oscar Markus said.
Ahead of Maxwell's appearance, US House Rep Melanie Stansbury anticipated Maxwell would provide nothing. Jaja Agpalo (INQUISITR) noted:
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) didn’t bother with diplomatic phrasing on Sunday. In an interview on MSNBC’s The Weekend, she accused President Donald Trump of engaging in what is effectively an open-air transaction: purchasing the silence of the most dangerous witness in federal custody to insulate an administration she claims has become an “Epstein island afterparty.”
The chronology is, frankly, hard to overlook. Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. Yet, the way she is being held has sparked intense scrutiny.
Her sudden transfer to a low-security institution—the sort of ‘Club Fed’ arrangement usually reserved for tax dodgers, not traffickers—stunned the legal community. Stansbury views this ‘highly unusual’ leniency not as a glitch in the Bureau of Prisons, but as a wink from above.
“I think it’s very clear that she is seeking either commutation or a pardon of her sentence,” Stansbury noted. It is a conclusion that is difficult to dismiss when you look at President Donald Trump’s own track record. Donald Trump has previously made “off-handed” comments regarding a potential pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, dangling the prospect of freedom in plain sight.
Michael Gold (NEW YORK TIMES) notes:
Monday’s deposition took place as the Justice Department also began to make the unredacted versions of its investigative material into Mr. Epstein available to members of Congress. The department finished the release of the files last month.
After viewing the files, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, criticized the department for not yet sending to Congress a required document explaining the reasons for its redactions.
“I think that the Department of Justice has been in a cover-up mode for many months and has been trying to sweep the entire thing under the rug,” Mr. Raskin told reporters. He also called for more investigation, adding that “there’s no way you run a billion-dollar international child sex trafficking ring with just two people committing crimes.”
After viewing some redacted documents, the two lawmakers who led congressional efforts to pass a resolution that eventually compelled the department to release the Epstein files told reporters that they saw the names and photos of six men who they believe were implicated in Mr. Epstein’s charges on sex trafficking.
Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, and Representative Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, said during a news conference next to a Justice Department building in Washington that those people appear in a photo list of 20 individuals, which resembled “mug shots.” They also criticized the department for redacting those people’s identities in the troves of documents that have been released so far.
“There is no reason in our legislation that allows them to redact the names of those men,” Mr. Massie told reporters.
Mr. Khanna and Mr. Massie added that many documents they viewed on Monday were still redacted, which they said would mean that the files the Justice Department lawyers reviewed for release had already been redacted by either the F.B.I. or a grand jury. The resolution requires that such files to be released.
Howard Lutnick.
Jordain Carney )POLITICO) reports:
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is facing bipartisan calls to resign after he appeared in a recent batch of files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Sen.
But files recently released by the Justice Department suggest he continued his interactions with Epstein, including planning a visit several years later to Epstein’s Caribbean island.
“Lutnick’s lies about his business dealings with a convicted child sex offender, raise serious concerns about his judgement and ethics,” Schiff said. “Lutnick has no business being our Commerce Secretary, and he should resign immediately.”
[. . .]
Schiff is joining a bipartisan chorus of House members who have called in recent days for Lutnick to either resign or be fired — neither of which appears to be on the precipice of happening.
Rep.
THE GUARDIAN's Victoria Bekiempis adds:
Massie’s call for Lutnick’s resignation came a little more than a week after the US justice department released about 3m of its investigative files on Epstein in connection with the transparency law that the Kentucky congressman helped pass.
The disclosure revealed that the commerce secretary discussed visiting Epstein’s island in 2012 – four years after the disgraced financier was sentenced to 13 months in jail for procuring a minor for prostitution.
The Epstein and Lutnick-related emails show correspondence about travel arrangements and political fundraising, among other things. Lutnick and Epstein were neighbors on a particularly tony stretch of Manhattan’s Upper East Side neighborhood.
Epstein’s longtime assistant messaged Lutnick on 20 November 2012 that “Jeffrey Epstein understands you will be down in St Thomas some over the holidays,” referring to a Caribbean island. The assistant continued: “Jeffrey requested I please pass along some phone numbers to you so the two of you can possibly get together.”
Lutnick on 19 December 2012 emailed “Jeff” saying he and several others, including his wife and children, as well as several friends and their kids, were traveling to the Caribbean and on Lutnick’s boat.
Saturday, David McAfee (RAW STORY) noted:
A Trump cabinet member is in hot water on both side of the aisle after it was revealed that he may have lied about his ties to child sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein.
It was reported on Saturday that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was exposed in the most recent Epstein files release as being in business with Epstein until 2014, contradicting previous claims that he had cut ties with him much earlier.
That led one GOP lawmaker, Kentucky's Thomas Massie, to speak out on Saturday.
"According to legal documents and emails, Epstein and Lutnick did business together and Lutnick vacationed on Epstein’s island, LONG AFTER Lutnick claims they parted ways and after LONG AFTER Epstein was a known sex offender," Massie wrote.
A Democratic congressman then seized on that, sharing Massie's comment and adding, "Secretary Lutnick must resign."
Ted Lieu then added, "He’s despicable for vacationing on Epstein Island with child rapist Jeffrey Epstein. He’s despicable for going on national TV and lying about his relationship with Epstein."
Wow. What a shocker. Someone close to Chump with tighter connections to Epstein than the person ever publicly revealed. Marcia noted the same of "Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Ben Black, Trump’s personal pick to lead the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation." Rachel noted John Phelan on her MS NOW program last night.
Back to Lutnick, Daniel Ruetenik (CBS NEWS) notes:
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said he had "limited interactions" with Jeffrey Epstein, but documents show they were in business together as recently as 2014.
Lutnick and Epstein each signed on behalf of limited liability companies that agreed on Dec. 28, 2012, to acquire stakes in a now-shuttered advertising technology company called Adfin, documents released among the so-called Epstein files show.
Epstein and Lutnick's signatures appear on neighboring pages in the contract, with Epstein signing for his Southern Trust Company, Inc. and Lutnick for a limited liability company called CVAFH I. The documents list nine shareholders in total.
At THE NEW YORK TIMES, Michael Rothfeld notes:
The records directly contradict Mr. Lutnick’s assertion on a podcast last year that he had been so disgusted by Mr. Epstein during a 2005 visit to his townhouse that Mr. Lutnick had never set foot in a room with Mr. Epstein again.
“So I was never in the room with him socially, for business or even philanthropy,” Mr. Lutnick said in an interview on the podcast, “Pod Force One.” Reached briefly by phone last week, Mr. Lutnick said, “I spent zero time with him.”
[. . .]
The files suggest their relationship was mutual, with Mr. Epstein and Mr. Lutnick both initiating contact at different times. However, the records often lack context and might not document every interaction between the men.
In some cases, emails in the files simply reflect Mr. Epstein’s awareness of interesting tidbits about his neighbor, such as when Mr. Epstein’s lawyer pointed out that a main character in the television show “Billions” seemed to be based in part on Mr. Lutnick, or when his lawyer forwarded him an article about Mr. Lutnick’s lawsuit against a former assistant.
The Times reported last week that Mr. Lutnick and his family had planned a visit for Dec. 23, 2012, to Little St. James, Mr. Epstein’s private island off the coast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The next day, Mr. Epstein’s assistant forwarded Mr. Lutnick a message from Mr. Epstein: “Nice seeing you,” suggesting the visit took place.
But by then the two men had already been in steady contact. Mr. Epstein’s schedule for May 1, 2011, shows a 5 p.m. appointment for drinks with Mr. Lutnick, followed by a 6:30 p.m. dinner with the filmmaker Woody Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn. The records suggest the meetings were at Mr. Epstein’s home and that Mr. Lutnick left something behind there.
“The phone was Howard Lutnick’s, it has been collected,” one of Mr. Epstein’s employees emailed him the next day.
Chump is a liar. And he is surrounded by people who, like him, were very close to Epstein. Let's not forget Alex Acosta. He's the one who decided to downgrade the charges against Epstein to begin with. And he went on to become what? Oh, that's right, Chump's Secretary of Labor in Chump's first term as president. From WIKIPEDIA:
In 2005, police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Jeffrey Epstein after a parent reported that Epstein had sexually abused her 14-year-old daughter. In 2008, Acosta approved a controversial plea deal granting immunity from all federal criminal charges to Epstein.
As part of the plea deal, Epstein served 13 months in a minimum-security county jail.[2] He was also allowed to leave the facility up to 12 hours a day.[2]
From 2017 to 2019, Alexander Acosta served as the 27th United States secretary of labor. President Donald Trump nominated Acosta to be Labor Secretary on February 16, 2017, and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 27, 2017.
After Epstein's arrest in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges, Acosta faced criticism for his role in the 2008 non-prosecution agreement. He resigned from the Trump administration on July 19 and was replaced by Eugene Scalia.
As Ben notes on MEIDASTOUCH NEWS NETWORK today, Chump has repeatedly lied to the public about his relationships with Epstein and Maxwell and we now know that in 2006, he was calling them both evil when he ran to the police on them.
An important segment today on MS NOW's MORNING JOE.
Let's wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:
ICYMI: Senator Murray Secures Hundreds of Millions for Transportation & Housing Projects Across WA in Final Appropriations Bills; Boosts Funding for Medical Research, Housing, Child Care & More
ICYMI: Murray Secures Over $5 Billion for WA Priorities in Three-Bill Funding Package; Historic Funding for Hanford, $190 Million for Howard Hanson Dam, Rejecting Trump Cuts
Overall across 11 funding bills, Murray secures nearly $500 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for WA projects and helps set aside over $5 billion in programmatic funding for Washington state
As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray is uniquely positioned to fight for and protect federal funding priorities for Washington state; Murray fought hard to outright reject drastic cuts proposed by Trump and House Republicans to housing, medical research, public education, the environment, and more
Murray: “A lot of critics—they like to say, ‘Oh Patty, you’re such a bleeding heart. You care too much about child care and schools and the environment.’ Well, yeah. You bet I do. And you better believe that’s going to be reflected in how this federal government spends our taxpayer dollars. Trump might want money to build an arch that’s named after him, I want money to fund rental assistance and health care. So, I don’t care who calls me a bleeding heart, when it comes to fighting for Washington state, I don’t give an inch, and I bring back every single dollar for my constituents that I can—down to the penny.”
***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full floor speech***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to highlight major funding wins she secured for Washington state in the 2026 appropriations bills, including funding for public transportation, local infrastructure, affordable housing, child care, health care, and more.
Throughout negotiations as the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray fought to protect the programs and investments that matter most to working families in Washington state, and reject Trump’s draconian proposed cuts and defeated every Republican poison pill rider—protecting investments in public health, education, affordable housing, transportation, biomedical research, and more—while reasserting Congress’ power of the purse.
“I am here to be a voice for my people—the moms and dads who are both working full time jobs, and the people who had to take out loans to go to school. Moms and dads in tennis shoes have just as much right to be heard in how we spend our taxpayer dollars as the lobbyists who crowd the hallways here in DC. So that’s who I’m here to speak up for and make sure it gets heard when it comes to our nation’s spending bills. That is a power we all have—each and every Senator. We have the power of the purse. And this is why it is so important we use that power—and we defend it from Trump and Russ Vought,” said Senator Murray. “We saw last year, just how much damage they can do with a slush fund CR. Well, the bills this year show just how much good we can do when we refuse to leave the table, refuse to take no for an answer, and refuse to give up our power to President Trump.”
More information on the Energy and Water Development; Commerce,
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies appropriations bills can be found HERE.
More information on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; and Defense appropriations bills can be found HERE.
A full, searchable list of funded CDS projects is available HERE.
Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:
“Before I get started—I just have to say, how about those Seahawks!
“Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks on a very well-earned win in last night’s Super Bowl. We’re very excited to welcome them back home—and celebrate a hard-fought victory. Our players brought the grit, the 12s from every part of our state brought the heart, and now—our team is bringing home a trophy.
“I’m extra proud of my state today—and I will be introducing a resolution to commemorate this victory. It just goes to show: you can’t spell Washington state without a big W, and I’m not just talking about the Super Bowl!
“Because in the spending bills I negotiated—we have a lot more wins headed back home. As of last week, we have gotten 11 out of 12 spending bills for the year signed into law.
“Now, there is still some hard work ahead on the DHS spending bill to enact serious accountability measures, the abuses and violence are so blatant and alarming. We have got to rein in these agencies that are trampling Americans’ rights.
“But today, I want to talk about what the bills we did pass so far actually mean for folks back home in my home state of Washington.
“For one thing—they mean no more slush fund CR that lets Trump rob blue states like mine. Congress is reasserting its authority. These bills mean none of the drastic cuts that Trump and House Republicans were pushing.
“And for Washington state, these bills mean nearly $500 million in Congressionally Directed Spending and $5 billion in programmatic spending are headed our way, with much more in federal resources to come later in the form of competitive grants and formula funding. These are projects and programs that make a real, meaningful difference in lives across Washington state. I should know—I heard directly from these communities who requested this funding, and I fought side-by-side with them, to secure these investments during very tough negotiations.
“Now, some phrases like ‘Congressionally Directed Spending’—or CDS—can sound pretty vague, it’s another D.C. acronym. So, I want to take some time today to really spell out what I am bringing back to Washington state and make sure all the amazing things happening in our communities don’t stay buried in jargon! Because the reality is these are some of the most concrete projects we fund—with results you can go and see firsthand in our communities.
[ROAD SAFETY PROJECTS]
“And nothing demonstrates that better than literal concrete projects, or asphalt, as the case may be.
“In Clark County, I secured $2 million for Ridgefield to continue improvements along Royle Road. Just 15 minutes away from there, in Vancouver, I secured $2 million to help reconstruct a section of the Devine Road. Another 20 minutes east, in Washougal, I secured $2 million to replace one of the busiest rail crossings in our state with an underpass to separate trains from the vehicles which will reduce traffic for drivers, increase rail capacity, and improve safety for pedestrians.
“In Cowlitz County, I secured $2 million for safety improvements, like new sidewalks along Columbia Heights Road. This is going to be a huge relief to parents of many children who regularly walk along this road on their way to Columbia Heights Elementary School and Cascade Middle School.
“In Douglas County, I secured $10 million to help build the Wenatchi Landing Interchange which will increase traffic flow with new roundabouts, and increase safety with separate bike paths for pedestrians, and facilitating new housing and commercial developments across the river from the growing city of Wenatchee. Folks in Douglas County will tell you, this project is a big deal, and it’s going to mean hundreds of jobs.
“In Pierce County, I secured $2.5 million dollars to replace deteriorating roads on a key freight route to the Port of Tacoma, and over 300 businesses in the Manufacturing Industrial Center. In Pend Oreille County, I secured over $700,000 to help get Dike Road back open after spring runoff caused a devastating failure last year limiting access to the Kalispel reservation headquarters, and creating a very serious risk of leaving people stranded in an emergency.
“These kinds of crucial road repairs and upgrades aren’t the only way federal funds I secured will make it faster, and safer for Washington state families to get from point A to B.
[PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND TRADE]
“When it comes to buses, I secured $3 million in Snohomish County to support work on the Swift Gold Line, which will connect Everett and Arlington—two of the largest cities in that county. With stops in Marysville, at Everett Community College and more—this bus rapid transit line will help workers who are heading to the Cascade Industrial Center, students heading to Everett Community College and WSU Everett, and it connect North Snohomish to the rest of the regional network, and someday to light rail all the way to Seattle and Tacoma.
“When it comes to ferries, I secured nearly $2 million to help the Port of South Whidbey replace a dock on the South Marina with updated facilities. This would be a big step toward pedestrian ferry service between Clinton—on Whidbey Island—and Everett, something that has been proposed for a long time—and would make a big difference for commuters.
“In addition to CDS, I secured $25 million for federal urban ferry grants, and $20 million for rural ferry grants—and I made sure Washington State Ferries can compete for this funding. We all want ferries that run safely and on-time, and I’m thinking long-term here, I will continue fighting for major federal funding streams dedicated to supporting ferries—because for states like mine, it is really important for daily commuters.
“Now let’s talk about public transit—Ibelieve in public transit. Why? Because the people in Washington state have voted for it—again and again.
“And it works! Let’s look at Sound Transit in Seattle, Public transit
means you can get from your apartment on Capitol Hill, to your job at
UW, back down to dinner and boba in the International District.
Painless, no hassle public transit in your daily commute—that is the
dream for so many people in Washington state.
“Every time
we expand public transit, it means: more foot traffic for small
businesses, more ways to get to work without being crushed by traffic,
and more connections between our communities.
“How has that been possible? Well, in large part thanks to the Capital Investment Grants. Federal funding has helped us connect Lynnwood to Federal Way. And just next month, you’ll be able to take the train all the way across the lake to Bellevue and Redmond!
“Yet House Republicans wanted to cut those Capital Investment Grants by 98 percent! They wanted to basically obliterate federal funding for public transit.
“So, I said: No way.I don’t really think you could call House Republicans an unstoppable force—but I am certainly an immovable object when it comes to defending public transit.
I’ve gone to the mat for public transit since back when George W. Bush tried to defund Sound Transit in its earliest days.
“Now, we all know that Trump will use every tool possible to stall CIG projects,so I also made sure Congress wrote into law explicitly how this funding should be allocated to projects, to make certain Washington state gets its fair share, including $100 million dollars for the light rail component of the I-5 Bridge Replacement Program and $82 million for bus rapid transit in Spokane.
“Overall, fighting for this funding supports future projects down the line all across Washington state. And beyond public transit—Washington state is a proud hub of trade.
“Which is why I worked hard to secure $8 million to help Terminal 18, on Harbor Island, provide offshore power on site. Meaning that when vessels—like enormous shipping container boats—dock, they won’t have to run their engine to keep the lights on. They will be able to plug into the local power grid which will save money, reduce emissions, and improve air quality.
“And while these projects are making progress—other funds I secured are fueling research to chart a course for future improvements, like $1 million for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region Foundation to strengthen supply chains and logistics throughout our region and half a million dollars for the Puget Sound Regional Council so it can make sure its regular survey of the area’s travel behaviors and infrastructure needs—includes voices from allofour communities.
[WATERWAYS]
“Now, in Washingtons state, of course, infrastructure is not just our roads, bridges, and public transportation. It is our waterways—and our water systems as well!
“Which is why—when it comes to programmatic funding—I’m pleased to
say I secured a record $3.47 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust
Fund, and I included language that makes clear that states like
Washington are not to be shortchanged. We will get our fair share!
“This
has been a very long-fought battle, one I have fought for more than a
decade—but the tides turned in a major way back in 2024, and it is
nothing short of a sea change when it comes to annual funding for the
Ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
“I also secured crucial design funds for the Seattle Harbor project. That investment secures Seattle’s future as a global trade and maritime hub, supporting thousands of local jobs while enabling a new generation of cleaner, more efficient vessels to protect our Puget Sound ecosystem.
“I also secured funding for the Columbia River Turning Basins project. Southwest Washington’s economy moves on the water, but our river’s ‘parking’ and ‘turning’ spots are stuck in the past. This project is the final piece of the puzzle—making sure that the world’s ships can dock safely and our farmers’ grain reaches the sea faster.
“Now, I have to talk about investments I secured to address another element of managing our water resources, and that is especially top of mind after the devastating storms we saw last year—that is flood control.
“For example, funding for American Rivers and their crucial work supporting communities across our state to manage their flood plains and make our state flood resilient. Or funding to help model and monitor the Cowlitz and Toutle rivers—so cities nearby can evaluate their flood protection, and plan accordingly.
“And in addition to protecting our cities—we have to protect our ecosystems—which are irreplaceable, and our fish—which are truly a way of life in Washington state.
“Now—beyond CDS projects, I also stood my ground to defend several federal programs our state relies on, protecting the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund at $65 million—which Trump tried to eliminate entirely, and increasing funding for the Pacific Salmon account at the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Mitchell Act salmon Hatcheries, and EPA’s Puget Sound and Columbia River Basin Geographic Programs.
“As long as I am a Senator here in Washington, D.C.—our fish and our salmon have a voice in Congress. So when it comes to projects for our fish and the communities that rely on them, I secured funding for the Columbia River Fish Mitigation program, funding to remove the Bateman Island Causeway—it is work happening as we speak right now—which has blocked access for salmon migration, and left them vulnerable to invasive species, funding to install new irrigation lines, and remove existing irrigation diversions in Cowiche Creek—which will improve habitat for steelhead and Coho salmon, and funding to live up to our treaty obligations and bring our tribal fishing access sites on the Columbia River up to health and safety standards.
“And of course—I have to mention the $190 million I secured to continue our progress on the Howard Hanson Dam, something that is critical to our fish, our water supply, and flood resilience alike. This was a project Trump tried his hardest to cut. Last year, he straight-up robbed $500 million and gave it away to red states.
“But if the President wants to have a fight over our fish and our water on the Green River—make my day. This was a fight I fought—and I won—I secured a huge investment to get progress back on track at Howard Hanson, and I am not going stop fighting until we see this work through to the end.
[WATER INFRASTRUCTURE]
“And when it comes to pipes and water infrastructure, I worked hard to keep federal dollars flowing to communities across our state.
“I secured funding for projects to get our communities clean drinking water like building new pump and pressure stations for the city of Chelan to make sure the water system is reliable—even in power outages, removing PFAS contamination from a well in Moses Lake so it can provide safe, drinkable water to that community, replacing an old, iron water main in Redmond to reduce the risk of a break, and improve water quality, increasing the groundwater sources and pumping capacity in Sunnyside to improve reliability and avoid potential shortages, and making upgrades in Skamania County to improve resilience so our wildfires don’t cause dangerous water shortages.
“Of course, it’s not just bringing water into our communities that counts, I also secured funding for important waste water and sewage projects like eliminating failing septic tank systems in Wallace Heights and helping those homeowners connect to the county waste water system, upgrading sewer lines in Douglas County when they are removed for a major highway project, installing a new sewer line in Carbonado, and replacing century-old clay [pipes], replacing a failing water lift in Granite Falls that poses a safety hazard to a local elementary school there, and connecting the Samish Indian Nation’s Summit Park campus to the City of Anacortes’ sewer system.
[WORKFORCE TRAINING AND HIGHER EDUCATION]
“Of course, there is another important pipeline we need to be investing in as well—that is our skills pipeline, and there are several projects I helped fund in this bill that will help connect people with new skills and set them up to pursue promising careers.
“I secured funding for Workforce Southwest Washington—which aims to provide over 200 people with career services and case management, and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County—which is working to address health care workforce shortages by building a school-to-work partnership between local colleges, unions, and others.
“And when it comes to our colleges and universities: I secured funding for Northwest Indian College to help start its Cybersecurity Program, for Washington State University to develop coursework that better prepares students to pursue work in health care, and for Renton Technical College to strengthen its offerings in aerospace and manufacturing—this is a crucial field in the Kent Valley. Another program, at Green River College will help military members and their families overcome barriers to higher education.
[K-12 PROGRAMS]
“And let’s not forget our littlest learners!
“I secured funding for programs that help them learn and grow from expanding the Hands On Children’s Museum in Olympia—with a focus on preschools, camps, and a new Early Learning Center, to expanding Page Ahead’s statewide effort to fight learning loss with their summer reading program, called ‘Book Up Summer’ which provides kids books to read at no cost, and hosts book discussion nights for families, to supporting the 253 Skills Center—which is developing an interactive curriculum to teach hundreds of students about the maritime sector, or to replacing failing infrastructure at NatureBridge’s facilities in Olympic National Park—which gives students an incredible opportunity to explore one of our state’s amazing National Parks. And last but not least here—we funded a hands-on gardening program that helps young kids learn and grow along with their garden.
“When it comes to education policy, this President gets an ‘F’ from this former preschool teacher and former school board member. I ripped up Trump’s budget and made clear Congress would not abolish the Department of Education.
“Instead, we funded Washington state’s Title I schools. We continued to invest so students with disabilities can get the education they deserve. And we supported so many of the critical programs administered by the Department of Education.
“I’m sure this President would love nothing more than to tear apart our public education system and sell off the scraps to Betsy Devos—but not as long as former educators like me have anything to say about that.
“It’s not just little ones who we are going to help make big discoveries about the world.
[RESEARCH]
“Because I was able to secure funding for important research priorities across Washington state from modernizing the Kirsten Wind Tunnel testing facility and the radiocarbon lab at UW, to purchasing high-performance storage infrastructure that will bolster UW’s AI research, to establishing a new Scientific Research Center at WSU, that is focused on aquatic resources and ecosystems, to research on Orcas Islands tracking the health of killer whales and learning how we can best protect that endangered species.
“That’s not even considering all the medical funding we protected by rejecting Trump’s sabotage proposals, rejecting his 40% NIH cut, and instead increasing medical research.
“And it’s not even considering the funding we protected for Department of Energy research and for the National Science Foundation, which means we are continuing to invest in the groundbreaking work that is constantly happening at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and rejecting Trump’s attempt to close the LIGOfacility in the Tri-Cities.
[CHILD CARE]
“And of course, anyone who knows me knows I am always focused on child care, which is why I’m pleased to say that in addition to increasing funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant and Head Start, and protecting Preschool Development Grants, I was able to direct funds to several important child care initiatives in Washington state.
“From $6.2 million for the construction of the Bremerton Early Learning Center—which is going to be located near one of the largest employers in Kitsap County and provide a crucial new child care option for working families there, to over a million dollars for a program in Clark County, which is focused on increasing the supply of quality affordable child care, to $600,000 for the organization ‘Open Doors for Multicultural Families’ so it can work on starting up a new, early childhood education center at the Kent/Des-Moines Light Rail site.
[HOUSING]
“Now, if you believe like I do that a budget is a statement of your values, then President Trump’s budget was morally bankrupt. It ignored fiscal reality and human consequences.
“The President wanted to drastically cut funding and access for housing and homelessness programs—he effectively wanted to kick millions of people out on the street. And that is just plain wrong. Having a roof over your head is about as fundamental as it gets.
“So, I tore up the President’s budget. And instead, I secured a $4.1 billion—or 6 percent—increase in rental assistance and a $366 million increase in homeless assistance programs.
“It’s not everything, but you better believe it matters, and it will make a difference—so that is a win in my book.
“People deserve a safe place to sleep—they deserve help in
tough times. Housing and homelessness are a crisis in Washington state,
so I made certain to secure funding for very local projects to address
homelessness and increase affordable housing across Washington state.
“In
Seattle—this funding will support: 150 units of affordable housing
through the Low-Income Housing Institute, 181 units through Bellwether
Housing, 162 affordable housing units through the Seattle Indian
Services Commission, and another 500 through the City of Seattle’s Fort
Lawton redevelopment program.
“I also funded projects that will support 60 affordable housing units for seniors in Spokane, 40 new units—plus a library and a community center—in Kelso, 38 affordable housing units for families in the foster system in Renton, 20 affordable town home rentals at the Pea Patch Community Campus on Orcas Island, 12 sleeping units for homeless youth at the Shelton Family Center in Mason County, safety upgrades to retain 38 units for housing [for] Community Roots Housing, and a transit-friendly housing project focused on serving farm workers in [Lynden].
“And it’s not just housing we are building for people—it’s the wrap around services that help people get on their feet and stay on their feet when times are hard.
“In Vancouver, funding for the Council for the Homeless will support expansion of the Housing Solutions Center—so it can increase capacity and connect more families to housing and resources. And funding for the Akin Family Resource Center, will allow long needed renovations, including better storage space for family essentials like diapers and hygiene products, a behavioral health wing with a dozen large therapy rooms, and a community kitchen with an attached child care room, and more. All told, that will help double their capacity and continue their crucial work connecting struggling families to the resources they need.
“There’s also support in this bill for the United Way King County’s home grocery delivery program—which helps fill a crucial gap in food security. And funding for renovations at Partners Inland Northwest which operates the largest food pantry and clothing bank in Spokane County, and the largest free diaper bank in the Inland Northwest. This will help them renovate a new space to increase their warehouse capacity by over seven times and to give room to partner organizations that connect these families with other services.
[HEALTH CARE]
“To improve access to care for our rural communities, I secured funding to help expand and modernize the clinics for Surgical Services at Kittitas Valley Healthcare—which sees 4,500 patients annually.
“Another crucial challenge I know communities are continuing to struggle with is the mental health and substance use crisis. So, I fought hard to secure funding for several projects that tackle this head on.
“In Spokane County, the funds I passed will help convert an old public works property into a ‘23-hour Crisis Relief Center’ that will provide much-needed, continuous behavioral health care—like mental health care and substance use care.
“Additionally—I secured more funds for the Spokane Mobile Alternative Response Teams—or SMART program. SMART units free up police, fire fighters, and EMTs—by offering another response option for emergencies like overdoses and mental health crises. They already respond to 2,000 calls a year—increasing the capacity of the other first responders—and these funds will help build on that work.
“In King County, I secured funds for Seattle Children’s Hospital to provide a safe and comfortable space for kids in crisis, who are at risk of seriously harming themselves or taking their own lives, funds to help Seattle Fire Department’s Post-Overdose Response Team to provide wraparound services, and funds for the Seattle Indian Health Board’s new Thunderbird Treatment Center on Vashon Island which will provide crucial residential recovery care.
“In Whatcom County—I secured funding for the Lummi Indian Nation to establish a dedicated space for community members to hold Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
“The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will also get new funds to help expand a mobile medical unit to provide opioid use disorder treatment, primary care, behavioral health, and wrap-around services.
“Meanwhile, another mobile clinic I secured funds for will help put substance use treatment in reach of rural patients in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania counties.
“And there are still a lot of other projects I funded in these bills that will make their impact felt across the state. Funds for the Washington State Hospital Association will help improve maternal care in rural communities, through training, assistance, and simulations at 43 rural hospitals across our state. Funds for dental equipment at Sea Mar’s Community Health Center in Tacoma—will help establish a new dental school that will also serve Yakima and Kennewick—to help address a statewide dentist shortage.
“Funds for the Washington Recovery Alliance—which will help establish a network of regional coalitions to coordinate our response to substance use and mental health challenges across the state. Funds for Communities in Schools of Washington State—will help expand their mental health support network, which equips schools across our state with experts and resources to meet their students’ mental health care needs. And funds for the Washington Poison Center—which will update its emergency infrastructure and better serve the many families who call them for free lifesaving advice.
[MORE WASHINGTON STATE WINS]
“And let’s not forget some other incredible programs that support our communities which I fought to fund in this bill, we included funds for the Need of the Community Society—which provides young adults with disabilities the chance to enjoy the great outdoors—which we all love in Washington!
“I funded the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging Helpline—which offers crucial assistance to seniors across the state when English may not be their first language. I funded the Northwest Native Chamber Technical Assistance program—which gives no-cost business support to small business owners based on their needs, and the Seattle Good Business Network’s plan to establish a shared food facility to help small businesses, bakers, and professionals [access] the kitchen space they need to grow and thrive. I also fought to provide crucial funding to help the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center continue its important work getting survivors the support they need.
“And, I’m proud to say that, after years of fighting to stop Donald Trump from selling off our National Archives and records in Seattle during his first term, this year the tables have truly turned—as I secured $30 million in this bill for a new National Archives facility in the Seattle area, so we can better preserve Washington state’s rich Tribal and local history for generations to come.
“And of course I have to note that I was once again able to secure record funding for Hanford cleanup and resources to support the incredible workers who power that mission.
“A lot of Presidents have tried to cut corners when it comes to Hanford—I’ve always made sure to set them straight. I remind each and every one of them of our legal and moral obligation to Hanford. And if that doesn’t work—I’ve made sure to write the appropriate amount of resources we need for Hanford into our funding bill, and then I make sure the President signs that into law.
[CONCLUSION]
“I know I have been speaking for a while. So, while there are still many wins I haven’t covered yet, I will wrap it up. But for as long as I’ve been speaking—I can assure you—I fought for these programs much longer! And if I had to fight even longer still—my colleagues should know, and President Trump should definitely know—I won’t slow down a bit.
“You know, a lot of critics—they like to say, ‘Oh Patty, you’re such a bleeding heart. You care too much about child care and schools and the environment.’ Well, yeah. You bet I do. And you better believe that’s going to be reflected in how this federal government spends our taxpayer dollars. Trump might want money to build an arch that’s named after him, I want money to fund rental assistance and health care.
“So, I don’t care who calls me a bleeding heart, when it comes to fighting for Washington state, I don’t give an inch, and I bring back every single dollar for my constituents that I can—down to the penny.
“I am here to be a voice for my people—the moms and dads who are both working full time jobs, and the people who had to take out loans to go to school. Moms and dads in tennis shoes have just as much right to be heard in how we spend our taxpayer dollars as the lobbyists who crowd the hallways here in DC. So that’s who I’m here to speak up for and make sure it gets heard when it comes to our nation’s spending bills.
“That is a power we all have—each and every Senator. We have the power of the purse. And this is why it is so important we use that power—and we defend it from Trump and Russ Vought.
“We saw last year, just how much damage they can do with a slush fund CR. Well, the bills this year show just how much good we can do when we refuse to leave the table, refuse to take no for an answer, and refuse to give up our power to President Trump.”
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