Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 4/18/25-4/25/25

Calling Out Trump's Taxes & Rising Prices

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U. S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined local grocers in New Haven to discuss the impact on businesses and consumers from increased tariffs amid the Trump Administration's ongoing trade war. While many grocery stores have not yet had to increase prices, many are struggling to prepare for higher costs amid the uncertainty.

"We're here because the people of Connecticut are going to see hurt and hardship as a result of the trade war begun by Donald Trump. Trump has begun this trade war without any strategy for ending it, and like all wars, there will be victims-the people of New Haven, the people of Connecticut and America. They will be the victims of soaring, astronomic price increases because those taxes are going to be imposed on products they need. It will be a tragedy and travesty that threatens to slide the United States towards recession. Right now, tariffs will hurt all Americans. It is a self-inflicted wound that could slide us towards recession in addition to impacting so hurtfully and harmfully everyday Americans," said Blumenthal.

Blumenthal attended a press conference with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong regarding the multistate lawsuit Connecticut joined that is suing to block the Trump Administration's tariffs. Blumenthal further slammed President Trump's tariffs and the harms they will have on American consumers while highlighting importance of the lawsuit.

"It's a last resort," he said. "It's done because the harm is so grievous and urgent and the lawbreaking is so clear and blatant that there's no choice but to go to court and say to the president of the United States, you are breaking the law. You are hurting people, you're harming them and you are creating a burden for the people of Connecticut whose wellbeing we represent."

Slamming the Trump Administration's Environmental Rollbacks

Blumenthal joined environmental advocates on Earth Day to slam recent environmental rollbacks announced by the Trump Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin.

Recently, President Trump signed an executive order illegally instructing the U.S. Department of Justice to identify and block the enforcement of state and local laws that tackle climate change including efforts to cut climate pollution, hold corporate polluters accountable, and advance environmental justice initiatives. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has launched an attack on the environment, recently announcing a series of 31 actions that would eliminate anti-pollution and climate change regulations, including the "Good Neighbor" rule that protects Connecticut and other downwind states from air pollution emitted by other states. Blumenthal has written to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin calling out his assault on the central mission of the agency he was appointed to lead and calling on him to halt his attacks.

"Today, we face, in our nation's capital, an Administration that is increasingly hostile to our environment-in fact, just weeks ago, issued an edict through the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, rolling back 31 separate regulations, like the Good Neighbor Rule. The Good Neighbor Rule and others are being rolled back by an Administration that is dysfunctional, dystopian, and just plain dumb. Because environmental action is solid economics-it saves money. It's solid health policy- it prevents illness and disease. And it's solid politics. It's good politics because the American people, on Earth Day and every day, want clean air and clean water and other environmental benefits that we have an obligation to preserve," said Blumenthal.

Fighting Trump's Assault on the Rule of Law

Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, pressed five top law firms for answers regarding their capitulation to President Donald Trump through deals made with him in order to avoid executive orders targeting firms for representing clients and hiring lawyers President Trump dislikes. In letters sent to Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP ("A&O Shearman"); Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP (Cadwalader); Latham & Watkins LLP ("Latham"); Simpson Thatcher & Bartlet LLP ("Simpson Thacher"); and Kirkland & Ellis LLP (Kirkland), Blumenthal and Raskin demanded information and records from the law firms pertaining to President Trump's executive orders. This letter comes after a previous letter from Blumenthal and Raskin to six law firms striking deals with President Trump.

"The President's executive orders targeting law firms are part of a broader effort by President Trump to use the powers of the presidency to intimidate and silence his perceived enemies. Beyond their specific constitutional infirmities, these executive orders are an open attack on the rule of law, which guarantees the equality of all citizens before the law and prevents the vindictive and arbitrary abuse of government power," wrote Blumenthal and Raskin. "These executive orders seek to impose harsh penalties on lawyers for the causes and clients they represent. This express form of viewpoint discrimination-a classic violation of First Amendment rights-runs counter to American values that have been the bedrock of our democracy and the legal profession since the founding era, when lawyer and later President John Adams defended British soldiers accused of participating in the Boston Massacre. The same basic principles of fairness and the best defense for all are still cherished by the legal profession and constitutional patriots today."

The full text of the letter sent to Cadwalader is available here. Similar letters were sent to A&O Shearman, Latham & Watkins, Simpson Thatcher, and Kirkland & Ellis.

On the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee

Blumenthal, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, released a statement slamming Secretary Doug Collins' establishment of an Anti-Christian Bias Task Force at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Collins sent out an all-employee email announcing the establishment of the Task Force, and requesting all VA employees submit names, dates, and locations of anti-Christian discrimination.

"While religious discrimination must be forbidden and fought, this internal VA memo lacks any factual basis or rationale. It raises the specter of dividing the veteran community and favoring some religions over others. Since our nation's birth, veterans have fought and died to preserve our freedoms- including to live free from religious intolerance or interference by government. The First Amendment ensures that all religions and faiths are treated equally, with full freedom of worship. The government should be vigilant never to endorse or favor one religion above others. All veterans deserve equal respect and dignity."

Blumenthal spoke at a rally in Detroit, Michigan with members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to oppose deleterious cuts to the VA harming veterans' health care, benefits, and employment.

On Twitter/X, Blumenthal further slammed the Trump Administration for the cuts, freezes, and firings at the VA hurting veterans and their families.

"I'm proud to visit MI to stand with AFSCME members, vets & workers to say "NO" to Musk/Trump's cruel, unlawful firings, funding cuts, hiring freezes & more that betray our nation's heroes. Together, we'll keep fighting against Republican's harmful cuts," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal hosted a roundtable with Connecticut veterans to learn about their concerns and discuss his initiatives to support veterans as the Trump Administration continues to decimate the VA.

"We are going through a crisis, the VA in Washington, I don't want to sugarcoat it. The VA in Connecticut, as far as I can tell, is still functioning at a very high level. There is a lot of fear about the impacts of the freezes on funding and hiring and the cuts in resources," said Blumenthal. "The level of anxiety, as many of you have suggested, is very high. If there's going to be elimination of waste, it has to be done thoughtfully, carefully,"

Pushing Back Against Catastrophic Cuts to Medicaid

Blumenthal joined SEIU 119 and long-term care workers in Hartford to discuss how the Trump Administration's proposal to gut Medicaid endangers thousands of care worker jobs in Connecticut. More than 16,000 adults over the age of 65 receive Medicaid covered long term care in Connecticut nursing homes. The workers who care for these individuals are paid through Medicaid but are fearful that if the Trump Administration follows through on plans to cut $880 billion from the program that they will lose their jobs. There is already an acute shortage of nursing home workers in Connecticut.

On Twitter/X, Blumenthal called for increased support for care workers whose jobs are in jeopardy due to the Trump Administration's proposed cuts to Medicaid.

"Care workers need our support-a livable wage & job security-not the slashing & trashing of Medicaid. Honored to speak with members of SEIU 1199 about the tremendous obstacles that need to be overcome as serious cuts to Medicaid loom large," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal Bulletin

Blumenthal released a statement on the death of Pope Francis.

Blumenthal slammed the termination of a critical cruise line sanitation program amid growing reports of illness outbreaks

Blumenthal denounced the Trump Administration's attack on Connecticut libraries, museums, art and humanities.

Blumenthal slammed the Trump Administration for undercutting programs that support US manufacturing.

Blumenthal called out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for his sharing of sensitive U.S. attack details in another Signal chat.

Blumenthal pushed back against the Trump Administration's cuts to programs that prevent cancer and other work-related fatal conditions for firefighters.

Blumenthal called for an investigation into lapses, delays, and other problems in Social Security.

Blumenthal joined CNN to discuss the attacks in Ukraine and the state of a peace deal in addition to Trump's meme coin.

Blumenthal demanded answers from President Trump regarding his exploitation of antisemitism to target universities.

Blumenthal released a statement on the Trump Administration's reinstatement of student visas.

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