Edward J. Markey
Senator for Massachusetts · Democratic · United States
“Nationals who have their Principal Residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions.'' Furthermore, the Procedural Notice updated the definition of ``Ineligible Person'' to include LPRs, ``including individuals with permanent (Unconditional) LPR status, and Conditional LPR status.'' An applicant borrower with any percentage…”
“Nationals who have their Principal Residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions.'' Furthermore, the Procedural Notice updated the definition of ``Ineligible Person'' to include LPRs, ``including individuals with permanent (Unconditional) LPR status, and Conditional LPR status.'' An applicant borrower with any percentage…”
“For example, prior to the 2026 Notices, LPRs who had their principal residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions could be 100 percent direct and/or indirect owners of applicant borrowers. Additionally, U.S. citizens, U.S.”
“For example, prior to the 2026 Notices, LPRs who had their principal residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions could be 100 percent direct and/or indirect owners of applicant borrowers. Additionally, U.S. citizens, U.S.”
“The 2026 Notices modified SBA's standard operating procedure (SOP) 50 10, Lender and Development Company Loan Programs, which contains SBA's loan origination policies and procedures governing its 7(a) and 504 loan programs.”
“The 2026 Notices modified SBA's standard operating procedure (SOP) 50 10, Lender and Development Company Loan Programs, which contains SBA's loan origination policies and procedures governing its 7(a) and 504 loan programs.”
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“Nationals who have their Principal Residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions.'' Furthermore, the Procedural Notice updated the definition of ``Ineligible Person'' to include LPRs, ``including individuals with permanent (Unconditional) LPR status, and Conditional LPR status.'' An applicant borrower with any percentage interest held by LPRs who did not completely divest their interest prior to the issuance of an SBA loan number would be ineligible for 7(a) and 504 loans under the revised criteria. The changes took effect on March 1, 2026, for 7(a) and 504 loans approved under delegated procedures, and for non-delegated 7(a) and 504 applications that entered Reviewer 1, or R1, status in SBA's online system on or after March 1, 2026. Finally, on March 31, 2026, SBA issued guidance clarifying the 2026 Notices (Guidance).”
“SBA stated that the purpose of the Procedural Notice was to advise SBA employees, 7(a) lenders, and CDCs that it was incorporating the changes announced in the Policy Notice into SOP 50 10 8. Under the revised SOP, Section A, Chapter 1, Paragraph F states that ``SBA financing is limited to business Applicants with 100% direct and/or indirect owners and SBA-required guarantors, all of whom must be U.S. Citizens or U.S.”
“LPRs would no longer be eligible to own any percentage interest in an applicant borrower, among other things. The Policy Notice notes that it made these changes consistent with 13 C.F.R. Sec. 120.100 and Executive Order No. 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The Executive Order states that it ``ensures that the Federal Government protects the American people by faithfully executing the immigration laws of the United States,'' and instructs the Office of Management and Budget to ensure that agencies take action to ``identify and stop the provision of any public benefits to any illegal alien not authorized to receive them.'' 13 C.F.R. Sec. 120.100 outlines the basic eligibility requirements for applicants for SBA business loans. Then, on February 11, 2026, SBA published the Procedural Notice.”
“These changes took effect for all 7(a) and 504 loan applications approved by SBA on or after January 1, 2026. Policy Notice and Procedural Notice In 2026, SBA issued Policy and Procedural Notices that further modified the eligibility and selection criteria for 7(a) and 504 loans. On February 2, 2026, SBA published the Policy Notice. The Policy Notice, which is also addressed to all SBA employees, 7(a) lenders, and CDCs, announced the rescission of the 2025 Procedural Notice, thereby removing the Five Percent Exception. Beginning March 1, 2026, 100 percent of all direct and/or indirect owners of a small business applicant were required to be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals who have their principal residence in the U.S., its territories, or possessions.”
“In particular, the 2025 Procedural Notice stated that while the general rule remained that 100 percent of all direct and/or indirect owners of applicant businesses must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or LPRs who have their principal residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions, the following groups would be allowed to have up to five percent direct and/or indirect ownership in a borrower in the aggregate: (1) Individuals who are not U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or LPRs, and are not ineligible persons but are instead foreign nationals living outside the U.S.; (2) U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or LPRs whose principal residence is outside the U.S., its territories, or possessions; and (3) aliens with conditional LPR status (collectively, the Five Percent Exception).”
“The SOP also requires that SBA lenders certify that no direct and/or indirect owner or guarantor is an ``Ineligible Person.'' In part, the SOP previously defined ineligible persons for the purpose of 7(a) and 504 loans as ``foreign nationals, those granted asylum, refugees, visa holders, nonimmigrant aliens under 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1101(a)(15), those under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals . . . and undocumented aliens who are in the U.S. illegally.'' On December 19, 2025, SBA issued Procedural Notice 5000- 872050 (2025 Procedural Notice). The 2025 Procedural Notice is addressed to all SBA employees, 7(a) lenders, and CDCs, and announced that, among other changes, SBA was revising Section A, Chapter 1, Paragraph F of SOP 50 10 8.”
“Prior to the changes made by the documents examined in this decision, the SOP stated that, among other things, ``SBA financing is limited to businesses with 100% direct and/or indirect owners and SBA-required guarantors . . . that are U.S. citizens, U.S. Nationals, or who are Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) (commonly referred to as ``green card holders''), and comply with the requirements in this Paragraph.'' All direct and indirect owners and guarantors were also required to [[Page S3930]] have their primary residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions.”
“must always start by reviewing the contents of this section.'' The SOP also states that ``7(a) Lenders must comply with the Core requirements in Section A and with the detailed guidance provided for each delivery method in the applicable chapter of Section B'' and that ``CDCs must comply with the Core requirements in Section A and with the detailed guidance provided for the delivery of 504 Loan Program loans.'' Chapter 1 of Section A outlines the primary applicant eligibility requirements for the 7(a) and 504 loan programs. In particular, Paragraph F of Chapter 1 provides additional information regarding the loan eligibility of businesses owned by non-U.S. citizens.”
“The most recent version of SOP 50 10, version 8, took effect on June 1, 2025 (SOP 50 10 8, or the SOP). The SOP provides requirements that lenders and CDCs must follow when administering loans under the 7(a) and 504 programs. For example, Section A of the SOP, entitled ``Core Requirements for All 7(a) and 504 Loans,'' states that ``7(a) Lenders and CDCs . . .”
“To implement its programs, SBA provides guidance to relevant parties--including lenders, SBA employees, and various agency partners--through several categories of documents. According to SBA, policy notices are used to convey a change in policy, while procedural notices are used to convey a change in process or procedures. Both policy notices and procedural notices may be permanent or temporary. SBA's SOPs are permanent directives that set forth the policies and procedures relating to SBA's programs and activities. SBA's regulations note that lenders must comply with loan program requirements for the 7(a) and 504 programs, which include SBA SOPs. SOP 50 10 SBA's SOP 50 10, Lender and Development Company Loan Programs, contains SBA's loan origination policies and procedures governing the 7(a) and 504 loan programs.”
“For most 7(a) loan programs, SBA guarantees up to 85 percent of loans of $150,000 or less, and up to 75 percent of loans above $150,000, except as otherwise authorized by law. Similarly, the 504 loan program provides long-term, fixed rate financing for major fixed assets that promote business growth and job creation. According to SBA, 504 loans are issued through a partnership with Certified Development Companies (CDC) and private sector third party lenders. CDCs are generally non-profit corporations certified and regulated by SBA to package, process, close, and service 504 loans. For 504 loans, up to 40 percent of the loan is covered by the CDC, and SBA guarantees 100 percent of that amount. The remainder of the 504 loan amount is financed through a contribution by the applicant small business and from third party lenders.”
“SBA did not provide a response with its views. background 7(a) and 504 Loans SBA guarantees loans to small businesses through several programs, including the 7(a) and 504 loan programs. In fiscal year 2025, SBA guaranteed approximately $45 billion in 7(a) and 504 loans to more than 85,000 small businesses. According to SBA, the 7(a) loan program is SBA's primary business loan program for providing financial assistance to small businesses. For 7(a) loans, a lender initiates the loan to a small business and, if SBA agrees to guarantee the loan, the lender funds and services the loan. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender and SBA share in the loss, if any, in accordance with the percentage guaranteed by SBA.”
“The 2026 Notices modified SBA's standard operating procedure (SOP) 50 10, Lender and Development Company Loan Programs, which contains SBA's loan origination policies and procedures governing its 7(a) and 504 loan programs. After the 2026 Notices took effect on March 1, 2026, 100 percent of all direct and/or indirect owners of a small business applicant were required to be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals who have their principal residence in the United States, its territories, or possessions. We received a request for a decision as to whether the 2026 Notices are a rule for purposes of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Our practice when rendering decisions is to contact the relevant agencies to obtain factual information and their legal views on the subject of the request. Accordingly, we reached out to SBA on March 3, 2026.”
“The Congressional Review Act (CRA) requires that before a rule can take effect, an agency must submit the rule to both the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as the Comptroller General. CRA adopts the definition of a rule under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) but excludes certain categories of rules from coverage. We conclude that the 2026 Notices meet the APA definition of a rule and no CRA exception applies. Therefore, the 2026 Notices are a rule subject to CRA's submission requirements. decision On February 2, 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a Policy Notice, and on February 11, 2026, SBA issued a Procedural Notice (together, the 2026 Notices).”
“Small Business Administration--Applicability of the Congressional Review Act to Policy and Procedural Notices Updating Citizenship and Residency Requirements for 7(a) and 504 Loans. File: B-338157. Date: July 1, 2026. digest In February 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a Policy Notice and a Procedural Notice (together, the 2026 Notices) that modified its standard operating procedures governing the 7(a) and 504 loan programs. Through the 2026 Notices, SBA began requiring that 100 percent of all direct and/or indirect owners of a small business applicant for one of the loan programs be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals who have their principal residence in the U.S., its territories, or possessions.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3929-S3931] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] U.S. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE DETERMINATION LETTER Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Government Accountability Office's determination letter on the matter of ``U.S. Small Business Administration--Applicability of the Congressional Review Act to Policy and Procedural Notices Updating Citizenship and Residency Requirements for 7(a) and 504 Loans,'' dated July 1, 2026, be printed in the Congressional Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Decision Matter of: U.S.”
“95, suspended food safety inspections after firing the Food and Drug Administration workers--food safety inspections, suspended in our country in 2025. No. 96, terminated $400 million in grants for AmeriCorps. No. 97, suspended refugee resettlement in our country for the first time. No. 98, arrested Judge Hannah Dugan, alleged that she helped an undocumented man avoid immigration enforcement. No. 99, increased funding for the Sentinel ICBM program, which, as it increases the risk of accidental launch, makes nuclear war more likely on our planet. And No. 100, deported children who are United States citizens. 100 days, 100 damages. This is where our country is right now, and this is what we must stand up and fight to prevent from becoming any worse. I yield the floor. ____________________”
“88, moved to sunset critical environmental regulations. No. 89, blocked $2.2 billion in Federal grant funding to Harvard. No. 90, froze public safety grants for public broadcasters in our country. No. 91, halted Federal leasing and permitting for wind projects in our country as they open our public lands for coal mining. No. 92, gutted permitting processes in order to fast-track dirty energy projects to reward his Big Oil and Gas and Coal cronies. No. 93, canceled $90 million in disaster prevention funding to Massachusetts alone. No. 94, put all staff on the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness on administrative leave, essentially shutting down the Agency that works on homelessness in our Nation. No.”
“That is occupational safety and health. No. 80, cut funding for the Head Start program. There are 800,000 young people in Head Start. Slashed that funding. No. 81, canceled more than 1,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grants totaling more than $363 million. No. 82, delayed broadband grant funding. No. 83, allowed a measles epidemic to spread uncontrolled across our country--a measles epidemic in 2025. No. 84, eliminated more than $880 million in Federal climate resilience aid that helps communities build disaster-resilient infrastructure. No. 85, opened America's public lands to new coal mining. No. 86, targeted State and local laws aimed at tackling the climate crisis. No. 87, moved to end lifesaving parole programs for Afghans and Ukrainians and Cubans and Haitians and Nicaraguans and Venezuelans. No.”
“The Trump administration has not charged her with a crime, has presented no evidence. The Trump administration must release Rumeysa now. No. 73, cut funding to help kids get vaccinated. No. 74, terminated collective bargaining for tens of thousands of Federal workers. No. 75, called to end funding for the broadcasters of the public broadcasting system of our country. No. 76, cut off $106 million in education funds for Massachusetts. No. 77, threatened a military attack against Iran, which could have set off a full-blown regional war in the Middle East. No. 78, fired nearly everyone who works on the low-income heating assistance program and their Federal staff--fired nearly everyone. No. 79, fired 870 workers at the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health, approximately two-thirds of their workforce.”
“64, wiped the Surgeon General's advisory calling gun violence a public health crisis--wiped. No. 65, called for the firing of judges who have disagreed with him, which clearly would violate the U.S. Constitution. No. 66, illegally fired the Democratic Commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission. No. 67, cut off legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings. No. 68, cut funding to fight the opioid epidemic in our country. It is still an epidemic. No. 69, threatened to block a media merger if CBS didn't change its reporting. No. 70, gave DOGE access to sensitive Small Business Administration data. No. 71, Signalgate. No. 72, abducted Rumeysa Ozturk off the streets of Somerville, MA--a graduate student whom I just visited in prison in Louisiana.”
“59, canceled the Local Food for Schools and Local Purchase Assistance Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ending subsidies that go directly to farmers for schools and costing Massachusetts alone and our farmers $18 million. No. 60, ordered the closure of the environmental justice offices at the Environmental Protection Agency and not just at headquarters but at all the regional EPA offices as well. No. 61, froze and announced the termination of the climate bank, the green bank funding. No. 62, froze $20 million in community change grant funding to improve air quality in Springfield, MA, the former asthma capital of the United States; and cut another $1 million from Massachusetts Department of Public Health to combat asthma rates in Western Massachusetts. No. 63, eliminated the Institute of Museum and Library Services. No.”
“50, fired more--this is unbelievable--than 2,400 National Park Service workers nationwide, including at Minute Man National Park, Springfield Armory, and Cape Cod National Seashore. No. 51, called to privatize the U.S. Postal Service, jeopardizing jobs and the fast, safe, and efficient delivery of our mail. No. 52, fired workers responsible for answering the Veterans' Administration Crisis Line. No. 53, worked with Republicans in Congress to gut Medicaid. No. 54, terminated hundreds of VA contracts, including those in cancer research and suicide prevention. No. 55, fired more than 1,000 NOAA employees nationwide. No. 56, gutted USAID and halted global humanitarian assistance. No. 57, fired 2,400 VA employees, with plans to cut 80,000 additional VA employees. No. 58, froze funding and canceled classes at the National Fire Academy. No.”
“41, tried to rename the Gulf of Mexico. No. 42, illegally rescinded $80 million in congressionally appropriated FEMA funding for New York City bank accounts. No. 43, fired--and then rehired--over 300 staffers at the National Nuclear Security Administration, jeopardizing [[Page S2721]] the security of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. No. 44, threatened to take over Canada. No. 45, weakened NATO by cozying up to Russia and alienating our allies. No. 46, cut Alzheimer's research, delaying breakthroughs that could find a cure for this tragic and deadly disease. No. 47, terminated the American Climate Corps. No. 48, cut hundreds of employees from the FAA. No. 49, fired more than 200 probationary FEMA workers. And No.”
“29, froze $10 billion in disaster funding as part of a bogus investigation into nonprofit support for undocumented immigrants. No. 30, cut cancer research funding. No. 31, cut diabetes research funding. No. 32, cut HIV-AIDS research funding. No. 33, cut heart disease research funding. No. 34, cut mental health research funding. No. 35, cut family caregiving research funding. No. 36, cut funding to recruit the next generation of health researchers, putting years of innovation at risk. No. 37, withdrew grant opportunities with the Office on Violence Against Women. No. 38, threatened providers, hospitals, and community health centers because of the type of care which they provide. No. 39, froze funding for community health centers in our country. No. 40, ordered the suspension of EV charging funding. No.”
“20, he froze the Clean School Bus Rebate funding, standing in the way of keeping our air clean for kids on buses in our country. No. 21, spread misinformation about vaccines and risked the health of millions of Americans. No. 22, he blamed a plane crash on DEI--irresponsible. No. 23, eliminated the public records office at the Centers for Disease Control. No. 24, scrubbed health data related to HIV from the CDC website. No. 25, allowed DOGE access to sensitive Treasury Department information about all Americans. No. 26, fired the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because he favors the interests of his billionaire buddies over those of American consumers. No. 27, gutted Federal protections for worker safety. No. 28, scrubbed the mention of climate change from any Federal Agency in our country. No.”
“10, disbanded the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which championed the first Federal gun safety legislation in more than 30 years. No. 11, repealed the Biden administration's AI protections for minority communities in our country. No. 12, he helped States refuse abortion care in life-threatening emergencies. No. 13, threatened to take over the Panama Canal. No. 14, he fired 18 inspectors general who work to eliminate government waste and fraud and abuse. No. 15, threatened to hold California wildlife aid hostage. No. 16, threatened to use military action against Greenland to take it by force and violate its sovereignty. No. 17, illegally fired two National Labor Relations Board officials. No. 18, banned transgender Americans from serving in the U.S. military. No. 19, restricted access to gender-affirming care. No.”
“3, pulled the United States out of the Paris climate agreement to save our planet. No. 4, created DOGE. No. 5, called to end birthright citizenship through an Executive order, which is unlawful because it cannot override the Constitution of the United States. No. 6, canceled nearly $400 million in funding to support communities' efforts to eliminate or reduce flood damage. No. 7, eliminated the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, which addresses greenhouse gas emissions from the health sector and facilitates interagency coordination to address climate change impacts on the public health of all 330 million Americans. No. 8, he attacked clean car regulations that save drivers money at the pump. No. 9, unleashed ICE at schools and hospitals and churches to threaten children and families. No.”
“He is hoping you don't notice that, every day, costs are rising, retirement savings are sinking, and families are living paycheck to paycheck and they are bearing the burden of the Trump world. He is relying on all of us to roll over, accept his absolute rule, and let him and his caviar Cabinet enjoy the circus while they pass a massive tax break for their billionaire buddies out of all of the programs that would serve every family in our country. So to help us all keep track here on the 100th day of the Trump Presidency, here are the 100 damages from Trump's 100 days: In his first 100 days, Donald Trump, No. 1, propped up Big Tech billionaires at his inauguration, right here in this building. No. 2, withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization. No.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 72 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)] [Senate] [Pages S2720-S2721] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FIRST 100 DAYS Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, 100 days ago, Donald Trump proclaimed ``the golden age of America begins now.'' But in 100 days, since Inauguration Day, ``King'' Donald has shown us that he sits on a throne of fool's gold--one built on empty votes, unfulfilled promises, and lie after lie after lie. In just over 3 months, ``King'' Donald's reign has rained down chaos and corruption and cuts and crisis on the American people. And he is counting on you not to pay attention.”
“My mother would always say that the planet is running a fever, and there are no emergency rooms for planets. That is where we are. It is the young generation who is leading us. It is the young generation who is saying: You must do something about climate change. It is the young generation who is saying: We must figure out a way of reducing this pollution that we are sending up into the atmosphere. Once again, the Republicans are bringing up another bill on the floor of the U.S. Senate that is going to dramatically increase pollution, and that is going into the lungs of every child, of every pregnant mother in our country, and it is absolutely irresponsible and absolutely unnecessary, except for the role that the oil and gas industry plays in the politics of the Republican Party. With that, I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER.”
“Once again, the Republicans are going to side with the oil and gas industry, and they are going to say: America can't figure out how to improve the efficiency of appliances in our Nation. That is what they are saying, but they are also saying the same thing about our automobiles: No, we can't figure out how to make them more efficient. That is what they are saying about wind and solar: No, we can't figure out how to deploy it in our country as an alternative to oil and gas. By the way, the story always comes back to that one issue--oil and gas and their money inside of this system--but the price is being paid by consumers who have to pay higher bills, and it is going to be a price that is paid by our planet, as it gets more and more dangerously hotter.”
“That is what energy efficiency is. It is working smarter, not harder. It is making the refrigerator, it is making the air conditioner, and it is making everything that we use more efficient so we need less electricity, because that is all our nuclear powerplants, our coal- burning plants, and wind and solar are. They are just ways of providing electricity for the air-conditioning, for the lighting, and for the heating. That is all it is. If we make it 25 percent more efficient, then, all of a sudden, we need 25 percent less electricity which is being generated and 25 percent less pollution that goes up into the air and into the lungs of the children in our Nation. That is what we are debating here today.”
“It locks in dirty fossil fuel use. It worsens pollution in frontline communities that are already burdened by asthma, heat, and high energy bills. We cannot slam the brakes on progress just for fossil fuel profits. A vote on this next resolution to overturn the updated standards for refrigerators and freezers is a vote against lower bills, against climate progress, and against consumer choice. We need to be investing in the future, not resurrecting the past. When my mother got disappointed in me when I was a boy--when I was 10 years old--my mother would just say: Eddy, you have to learn how to work smarter, not harder. Otherwise, your father and I are going to donate your brain to Harvard Medical School as a completely unused human organ. Ah, and what did she mean? She meant that you just had to be smarter and think the problem through.”
“This rule alone--the one we are going to vote on--would save businesses up to $4.6 billion over 30 years. These are savings that restaurants and grocery stores could pass on to their customers. And if you have ever worked in a kitchen, you know the importance of reliability and cost savings. Eliminating this rule would only inject further uncertainty into the market, punish forward-thinking manufacturers, and raise prices on the very businesses--especially small businesses--we say that we want to support. Energy efficiency isn't just an environmental solution; it is an economic one. It cuts costs for renters, for seniors, for small businesses, for schools, and municipal buildings. Make no mistake about it. Eliminating these standards is climate sabotage. Overturning even a few of them jeopardizes that future.”
“These appliance standards have also driven progress in States like Massachusetts, where strong State-level appliance efficiency programs are projected to cut energy costs by $13 million each year by 2044 for families and small businesses, while fighting climate change. Let's not forget that these rules have support from industry, but now they are the target of political theater out here on the Senate floor. It is not too late to act. We have one more appliance efficiency Congressional Review Act vote ahead of us. This is why I am urging my colleagues to vote no to overturn the Department of Energy's efficiency standards for commercial refrigerators and freezers. These standards update the minimum efficiency levels for new refrigerators and freezers at restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores that run 24/7, 365 days a year.”
“These updates were estimated to save households nearly $1 trillion annually over 30 years and save the average family at least $100 per year in lower utility bills. They were also estimated to cut approximately 2.5 billion metric tons of carbon emissions over 30 years. That is the equivalent of taking over 18 million gasoline- powered automobiles off the road each year for 30 years. That is bad, by the way. That is bad for the oil and gas industry, with fewer greenhouse gases going up, and less oil and gas being consumed. All of that is part of a very bad equation for the oil and gas industry, but it is catastrophic for families. It is catastrophic for our planet that the industries are allowed to dictate policies here on the floor of the U.S. Senate.”
“It says that you cannot have new options that make it possible for you to ensure that your family has the most modern, the most efficient air conditioning or lighting or refrigeration or stoves. No, we are going to lock you into 10-years-ago technology. We are going to lock you into 20-years-ago technology. That is a dream for the oil and gas industry--a dream. But for the consumer, no, they are the big loser because what [[Page S2696]] we are seeing over the years is after my law passed in 1987, the number of appliances which have been covered has quadrupled--four times as many are now covered. Former President Biden updated more than two dozen standards that have been delayed under the first Trump administration on behalf of the oil and gas industry.”
“So if you increase the efficiency by a third in air conditioners, you are dramatically reducing the need to have to build more electrical generating facilities in the country. Or maybe there is more electricity left over for the AI industry if you are working in a way that is trying to maximize American ingenuity. That is who we are. We make things that are smarter. Now, a lot of people--I would say the natural gas and oil industry at the top of the list--they don't want there to be progress. Why is that? Because the less efficient something is, the more energy, the more electricity that has to be consumed. That is their profit. But what does it do? It says to the consumer: You have to pay more for more electricity.”
“And that law ultimately did pass, and it covered 13 major appliances-- kitchen refrigerators, dryers, air conditioners, and, yes, commercial refrigerators. And since then, the number of appliances has more than quadrupled. Here is the way you should think about it. We need big electrical generating facilities all across the country. Everyone knows right now that AI is now going to be a huge drain on all of the electricity that we have in our country. So how do we handle that problem? Well, one of the ways of handling that problem is to say that refrigerators have to be more efficient in the amount of electricity which they consume. Light bulbs have to be more efficient. Air conditioning has to be more efficient. For example, in Texas, in the summer, 80 percent of peak demand for electricity is air conditioning.”
“Pick that one. Donald Trump's ridiculous culture war against energy-efficient appliances is a war against saving families money. The more efficient the appliance, the less money people pay in their electricity bill. The fact is that Federal appliance efficiency standards are one of the most successful climate and consumer savings programs in American history. And these standards have been around for decades. Back in 1987, I wrote the law. I am the author of the law that gave the Department of Energy the authority to set binding energy standards for appliances in America, which are supposed to be updated every 6 years. That is my law. It was signed into law as the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act. Now, I am going to be honest with you, Ronald Reagan vetoed it the first time because the oil and gas industry wanted him to veto it.”
“The rule didn't even change underlying efficiency standards. This vote comes after two additional votes earlier this month where Republicans repealed the Department of Energy's updated efficiency standards for gas-fired water heaters and walk-in coolers and freezers. Let's be clear: These votes are not about appliance freedom. They are about fossil fuel fascism. This is about corporate lobbyists putting profits over people and destroying decades of bipartisan energy efficiency progress. Having the information to make an informed decision about your appliance that your family wants to buy is about choice--your choice. Not Big Oil's choice, not Big Gas's choice--your choice. Here is the information. Make up your mind. Do you want one that is more efficient? There it is right in the middle of Best Buy, right there in the middle of the store.”
“Mr. President, I am here today to defend the standards for our appliances that save energy, that cut climate emissions. They reduce costs for American families and businesses. Yet Trump and his Republican allies are attacking these commonsense appliance efficiency standards. This morning's vote overturned the Department of Energy's updated energy labeling rule that would have made it easier for appliance manufacturers to test, to certify, and to label their products in a way that consumers can understand. Energy labels are like food nutrition labels but for your electricity bill. They empower consumers to choose cheaper, more efficient appliances. They drive competition. They create certainty. They help the American people make informed choices and avoid confusion. The rule that Republicans overturned was not a ban. It was not a mandate.”
“95, suspended food safety inspections after firing the Food and Drug Administration workers--food safety inspections, suspended in our country in 2025. No. 96, terminated $400 million in grants for AmeriCorps. No. 97, suspended refugee resettlement in our country for the first time. No. 98, arrested Judge Hannah Dugan, alleged that she helped an undocumented man avoid immigration enforcement. No. 99, increased funding for the Sentinel ICBM program, which, as it increases the risk of accidental launch, makes nuclear war more likely on our planet. And No. 100, deported children who are United States citizens. 100 days, 100 damages. This is where our country is right now, and this is what we must stand up and fight to prevent from becoming any worse. I yield the floor. ____________________”
“88, moved to sunset critical environmental regulations. No. 89, blocked $2.2 billion in Federal grant funding to Harvard. No. 90, froze public safety grants for public broadcasters in our country. No. 91, halted Federal leasing and permitting for wind projects in our country as they open our public lands for coal mining. No. 92, gutted permitting processes in order to fast-track dirty energy projects to reward his Big Oil and Gas and Coal cronies. No. 93, canceled $90 million in disaster prevention funding to Massachusetts alone. No. 94, put all staff on the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness on administrative leave, essentially shutting down the Agency that works on homelessness in our Nation. No.”
“That is occupational safety and health. No. 80, cut funding for the Head Start program. There are 800,000 young people in Head Start. Slashed that funding. No. 81, canceled more than 1,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grants totaling more than $363 million. No. 82, delayed broadband grant funding. No. 83, allowed a measles epidemic to spread uncontrolled across our country--a measles epidemic in 2025. No. 84, eliminated more than $880 million in Federal climate resilience aid that helps communities build disaster-resilient infrastructure. No. 85, opened America's public lands to new coal mining. No. 86, targeted State and local laws aimed at tackling the climate crisis. No. 87, moved to end lifesaving parole programs for Afghans and Ukrainians and Cubans and Haitians and Nicaraguans and Venezuelans. No.”
“The Trump administration has not charged her with a crime, has presented no evidence. The Trump administration must release Rumeysa now. No. 73, cut funding to help kids get vaccinated. No. 74, terminated collective bargaining for tens of thousands of Federal workers. No. 75, called to end funding for the broadcasters of the public broadcasting system of our country. No. 76, cut off $106 million in education funds for Massachusetts. No. 77, threatened a military attack against Iran, which could have set off a full-blown regional war in the Middle East. No. 78, fired nearly everyone who works on the low-income heating assistance program and their Federal staff--fired nearly everyone. No. 79, fired 870 workers at the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health, approximately two-thirds of their workforce.”
“64, wiped the Surgeon General's advisory calling gun violence a public health crisis--wiped. No. 65, called for the firing of judges who have disagreed with him, which clearly would violate the U.S. Constitution. No. 66, illegally fired the Democratic Commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission. No. 67, cut off legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings. No. 68, cut funding to fight the opioid epidemic in our country. It is still an epidemic. No. 69, threatened to block a media merger if CBS didn't change its reporting. No. 70, gave DOGE access to sensitive Small Business Administration data. No. 71, Signalgate. No. 72, abducted Rumeysa Ozturk off the streets of Somerville, MA--a graduate student whom I just visited in prison in Louisiana.”
“59, canceled the Local Food for Schools and Local Purchase Assistance Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ending subsidies that go directly to farmers for schools and costing Massachusetts alone and our farmers $18 million. No. 60, ordered the closure of the environmental justice offices at the Environmental Protection Agency and not just at headquarters but at all the regional EPA offices as well. No. 61, froze and announced the termination of the climate bank, the green bank funding. No. 62, froze $20 million in community change grant funding to improve air quality in Springfield, MA, the former asthma capital of the United States; and cut another $1 million from Massachusetts Department of Public Health to combat asthma rates in Western Massachusetts. No. 63, eliminated the Institute of Museum and Library Services. No.”
“50, fired more--this is unbelievable--than 2,400 National Park Service workers nationwide, including at Minute Man National Park, Springfield Armory, and Cape Cod National Seashore. No. 51, called to privatize the U.S. Postal Service, jeopardizing jobs and the fast, safe, and efficient delivery of our mail. No. 52, fired workers responsible for answering the Veterans' Administration Crisis Line. No. 53, worked with Republicans in Congress to gut Medicaid. No. 54, terminated hundreds of VA contracts, including those in cancer research and suicide prevention. No. 55, fired more than 1,000 NOAA employees nationwide. No. 56, gutted USAID and halted global humanitarian assistance. No. 57, fired 2,400 VA employees, with plans to cut 80,000 additional VA employees. No. 58, froze funding and canceled classes at the National Fire Academy. No.”