Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 3/13/2026-3/20/2026

Tackling Ticketmaster's Monopoly Supercharging Prices & Fees for Consumers

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), released a Minority staff report, entitled, "So Casually Cruel: How Ticketmaster's Monopoly Supercharges Prices and Fees," revealing new details about how Ticketmaster exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to grow its monopoly over live event ticketing and make concert-going unaffordable.

PSI's report comes after a years-long investigation into Ticketmaster and reveals new details about how the company leveraged its monopolistic control over ticketing and venues to drive up prices at every level. This report comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) pursues a settlement with Live Nation Entertainment that leaves American consumers vulnerable to ongoing anticompetitive harms from the practices described in the attached report.

In a note from the Ranking Member in the report, Blumenthal wrote, "The DOJ abruptly dropped its demand to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster after Ticketmaster hired lobbyists and fixers with deep ties to the Trump Administration, and instead settled for a meager fine, the divestment of a selection of venue booking agreements, and agreed to a few conditions on how it operates. This settlement will do little to protect musicians, their fans, and independent venues. Alarmingly, it may drive up prices and further cement Ticketmaster's monopoly. That's why today I am releasing the enclosed report of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which presents new information on the ways in which Ticketmaster abused its monopoly power to reap huge profits and push concert tickets farther out of reach for fans."

PSI's investigation spanned more than 112,000 pages of documents and seven years of comprehensive data compiled by Ticketmaster about its revenue and its 14 largest venues. A summary of PSI's key findings is below:

• Ticketmaster leveraged its control of the market to push artists to make tickets available on the resale market before they were available to the public, thereby driving up prices and increasing its own revenue.

• Although Ticketmaster claims artists and venues control ticket prices, the company pushed artists to aggressively expand the use of dynamic pricing, which resulted in steep price increases.

• Prior to highly publicized technical failures in 2021 and 2022, Ticketmaster executives knew that the company's focus on maximizing sales when demand was at its highest posed challenges for its technology.

Based on these findings, Blumenthal wrote to 27 state Attorneys General to urge them to reject the proposed settlement, and to stand for what the Department of Justice sought when they filed their complaint: breaking up Live Nation-Ticketmaster. Blumenthal's letters to state Attorneys General are available here.

The full text of PSI's Minority staff report is available here.

Blumenthal highlighted his report on Twitter/X.

"I'm releasing a PSI report, which presents new information on the ways Ticketmaster abused its monopoly power to reap huge profits & push concert ticket prices farther out of reach for fans. Despite the company's recurrent insistence that decisions about ticket prices & fees are largely out of its hands, Live Nation has exerted its enormous influence over venues & artists to increase fees & ticket prices. At each stage of this process, from primary tickets marked up by dynamic pricing algorithms, to secondary sales from consumers & ticket brokers, Ticketmaster has profited handsomely while Americans paid the price. My report's findings raise fresh concerns that the Trump admin's settlement with Live Nation will allow anti-consumer price gouging tactics to continue while doing little to protect musicians, their fans, & independent venues. The ticketing market is broken. Congress should set national rules protecting consumers in the primary & secondary markets, such as my BOSS & SWIFT Act. As important, it's time to break up Ticketmaster," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Pressing DHS Secretary Nominee on Violent, Unconstitutional Actions of DHS & ICE Agents

Blumenthal pressed Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), about excessive use of force by DHS agents and a secret U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy permitting agents to circumvent the Constitution's Fourth Amendment and enter Americans' homes without a standard judicial warrant.

"We are here because of a lawless and reckless agency that has broken into homes without judicial approval, shot United States citizens, detained them without any cause, and sometimes killed them. And I am looking for real substantive reform in that agency-as you and I have discussed, when you came to talk to me. A break with the past-with former Secretary Noem and with the White House, Steve Miller and others, who have used Kristi Noem in effect as a puppet to implement lawless policy," Blumenthal said.

In a reversal of previous DHS policy, Mullin stated that "a judicial warrant will be used to go into houses, into place of businesses unless we are pursuing someone that enters in that place."

Blumenthal continued, "A whistleblower testified to our hearing that in fact ICE agents had been instructed as part of their training to forcibly enter-I know you don't like the word 'break-in,' but forcibly enter is breaking into somebody's home, bashing down the door, terrorizing children. Instructed them to adopt this policy."

As Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Blumenthal has led an investigation into DHS's abuses. In December 2025, Blumenthal released a report examining the Trump Administration's extrajudicial immigration detentions of U.S. citizens. Blumenthal has also convened public forums to receive testimony from individuals who have experienced violent use of force by DHS agents.

The video of Blumenthal's exchange with Mullin is available here.

On Twitter/X, Blumenthal further called out Mullin for defending the violent tactics of immigration enforcement agents and called on Mullin to instruct ICE agents to uphold the Fourth Amendment.

"New nominee, same DHS defending violence against U.S. citizens. Senator Mullin doubled down on his belief that Renee Nicole Macklin Good's killing was seemingly justified," wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

"I'll hold Senator Mullin to his word that ICE agents will no longer be instructed to forcibly enter people's homes without a judicial warrant," wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

On the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee

The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee unanimously passed three veterans' bills authored by Ranking Member Blumenthal, including his Molly R. Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans Act-legislation to expand research on birth defects among descendants of toxic-exposed veterans.

"Almost every member of this Committee has had a part in one way or another in one or more of these bills…I want to say a particular thanks to Senator Murray, who has worked with me on the Molly Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans [Act], which requires research on the health effects on descendants of toxic-exposed veterans. I think the more we know about the impact of toxins on our veterans, whether it's on bases in this country or on battlefields abroad, the more we appreciate how these invisible wounds of war take their toll. And we need to do even more to keep faith with them," said Blumenthal during his opening remarks.

The Committee considered and passed the following bills authored by Senator Blumenthal:

Molly R. Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans Act - Legislation tocommission a health monitoring program to track birth defects among descendants of toxic-exposed veterans to help facilitate research related to such defects. While there has been some research on the link between birth defects and generational exposure to toxins and chemicals, there has yet to be comprehensive, government-led studies into the effects of toxic exposure on descendants of toxic-exposed veterans.

Obligations to Aberdeen's Trusted Heroes (OATH) Act - Legislation to ensure veterans who participated in secrecy oath programs receive the full benefits they have rightfully earned. This bill would make sure veterans who signed secrecy oaths, preventing them from disclosing injuries and illnesses connected to covert operations, can seek benefits retroactive to their discharge date-not the date they were released from their secrecy agreements.

Advancing VA's Emergency Response to (AVERT) Crises Act - Legislation to strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) response to natural disasters, pandemics, and other emergencies. It would help ensure continuity of VA medical care for veterans during emergencies and make sure the Department is better prepared to activate its Fourth Mission authority-VA's role in improving the nation's response to emergencies.

The Committee also considered and passed six additional bills co-led by Senator Blumenthal, including:

Guard and Reserve G.I. Bill Parity Act - Bipartisan legislation to expand GI Bill benefits to members of the National Guard and Reserve for every day in uniform, aligning with the benefits earned by their active-duty counterparts for the same military service.

Fisher House Availability Act - Bipartisan legislation to allow active-duty servicemembers, members of the reserve components, and their families to stay at VA Fisher Houses when traveling significant distances to receive care.

Veterans Prosthetics Advancement and Reform Act - Bipartisan legislation to ensure veterans receive more consistent, modernized access to prosthetic and rehabilitative items by requiring VA to develop a formulary of these essential medical devices and services.

A full list of the bills that cleared the Committee markup can be found here.

Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Derek Tran (D-CA) introduced the Carlton H. Ingram Veterans' Benefits Protection Act-legislation to protect veterans' disability benefits following an attempt from the Trump Administration to reduce benefits for veterans who rely on medications to manage their service-connected disabilities. Their legislation would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to award compensation benefits based on the true severity of veterans' disabilities, particularly when evidence indicates claimed disabilities are more severe during fare ups or without the use of medication.

"Veterans should never have to choose between taking life-improving medication or losing their earned benefits. Our legislation ensures that a veteran's disability rating is strictly based on that veteran's underlying condition. The Trump Administration's recent attempt to slash disability benefits for veterans was cruel and dangerous, and our bill will guarantee a future Administration cannot cut veterans' benefits in this way," said Ranking Member Blumenthal.

The lawmakers' Carlton H. Ingram Veterans' Benefits Protection Act would ensure no Administration could pursue a similar policy in the future, by requiring VA to discount the beneficial effects of medication when veterans are evaluated for their disability rating. This bill would make sure veterans who use medications will not fear losing benefits.

The full bill text can be found here.

Protecting College Athletes

Blumenthal urged Congress to pass his Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act, legislation to codify athletes' rights and protections in law, expand revenue for all schools, support women's and Olympic sports and bring much-needed stability to the college sports system. The bill was introduced in September and is led by Blumenthal, U.S Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ)

The Act, for the first time, gives all athletes Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rights, establishes uniform health and safety standards, protects scholarships and requires agents to register with a state and abide by clear contract requirements, including a 5 percent cap on fees. The bill provides new opportunities for schools to increase revenues for all sports by amending the Sports Broadcasting Act, and ensures all schools, not just the biggest and the richest, benefit from those increased resources. The legislation stops collectives from engaging in pay for play by requiring that any payments to students are for legitimate use of their NIL. For the millions of fans who care deeply about their college sports teams, the Act requires football and basketball games to be made available for free in schools' local media market and tackles transfer portal concerns.

"The Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement Act (SAFE Act) provides clear and enforceable rights and protections to college athletes," said Blumenthal. "For far too long, college athletes had their basic economic rights denied while the NCAA failed to protect their health, safety, and academic success. Our measure centers athletes' rights and wellbeing with real reforms while bringing schools the clarity they need and promoting women's and Olympic sports."

The full text of the bill is available here.

At a press conference in Hartford on Monday, Blumenthal highlighted his SAFE Act and the need for protections for college athletes.

Blumenthal highlighted the SAFE Act on Twitter/X.

"March Madness generates huge windfalls for schools, agents, & broadcast companies, but not athletes. Athletes deserve basic rights. That's why I've introduced the SAFE Act, which puts athletes first-providing protections, fairness, & transparency to these students," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal Bulletin

Blumenthal called on U.S. Central Command to aid U.S. Merchant Mariners stranded in Persian Gulf.

Blumenthal demanded the Trump Administration reinstate VOA Persian News Network and Radio Farda broadcast to Iran.

Blumenthal joined legislation to ensure settlements benefit consumers, workers, and small businesses-not special interests-after the weak Live Nation-Ticketmaster antitrust deal.

Blumenthal joined CNN to discuss the Pentagon's $200 billion request for more funding for the war in Iran.

Blumenthal released a statement on Revolution Wind Delivering First Power to New England Grid.

Blumenthal's bill to aid recovery of Nazi-confiscated art passed the House of Representatives unanimously.

Blumenthal called for action to protect consumers against skyrocketing gas prices because of Trump's war in Iran.

Blumenthal slammed ICE's deficient, defective training program.

Blumenthal highlighted the need for his legislation enacting guardrails for prediction market betting.

Blumenthal attended St. Patrick's Day Parades in New Haven and Milford.

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