Press Releases
Warren, Grassley Probe CFTC Chair Behnam's Interactions and Meetings with Sam Bankman-Fried
Washington, D.C. - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, sent a letter to Rostin Behnam, Chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), requesting an accounting of all meetings and correspondence between Chair Behnam and Sam Bankman-Fried during his tenure as Chair. “Mr. Bankman-Fried was sentenced last month to 25 years in … Continue Reading
April 15, 2024
Warren, Whitehouse Demand Explanation for U.S. Chamber of Commerce Lawsuit to Stop CFPB Late Fees Rule
Washington, D.C. - Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) wrote to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) demanding an explanation for their decision to sue the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) over its rule that caps most credit card fees at $8 and their defense of credit card companies’ exploitative late fee practices. The Chamber filed a lawsuit just two days after the CFPB finalized the rule, which was estimated to save consumers as much as $10 … Continue Reading
April 15, 2024
Warren, Senators Applaud Success of Direct File Pilot During the 2024 Tax Filing Season, Highlight Rave Reviews, Millions of Dollars in Refunds Claimed and Filing Fees Saved
The IRS Direct File pilot is open through April 15 in 11 of the 12 pilot states, with Massachusetts giving taxpayers through April 17 to file their taxes. IRS Direct File Pilot (Website) Washington, D.C. - As the 2024 Tax Filing season comes to a close, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) issued the following statement and led fellow senators in celebrating the completion of the first Direct File pilot program in twelve states, including Massachusetts: “The Direct File pilot … Continue Reading
April 15, 2024
On Tax Day, Warren Blasts Intuit for Deceptive TurboTax Ads and Junk Fees, Urges the FTC to Continue Cracking Down
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Chair Lina M. Khan of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), blasting Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, for continuing to relentlessly upsell TurboTax users despite numerous FTC and state lawsuits and settlements. Senator Warren applauded the FTC’s oversight of Intuit, and urged the Commission to continue to take action to protect taxpayers from tax preparation companies that pile junk fees onto users.. “Filing taxes … Continue Reading
April 12, 2024
ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Highlights How Low Reimbursement for Primary Care and Administrative Complexity in Value-Based Care Drive Corporatization and Consolidation
Washington, D.C. - At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) warned about the dangers of corporatization in health care and explained how Medicare payment policy has forced more physicians to sell their practices to private equity, insurance companies, and other corporate entities. Senator Warren pointed out an alarming increase in buyouts of physician practices and how corporate consolidation increases costs and lowers quality of care. Senator … Continue Reading
April 11, 2024
ICYMI: Chairing Economic Policy Subcommittee, Warren Highlighted MOHELA’s Failures During Return to Repayment and Its Impact on Borrowers, Urged Accountability
MOHELA, the exclusive servicer for the PSLF program, failed to deliver timely billing statements to 2.5 million borrowers, sent incorrect billing statements to 280,0000 borrowers, and implemented a “call deflection” scheme after making those errors — harming borrowers who sought help. Video of Hearing Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, chairing a hearing of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a hearing … Continue Reading
April 11, 2024
ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Secures Commitment from Special Operations Commander to Address Blast Overpressure Exposure for Service Members
Washington, D.C. - At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) raised serious concerns about service members’ exposure to blast overpressure from firing weapons, which can cause traumatic brain injuries and other harm, and called on the Commander of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to seriously address blast overpressure exposure. Special Operations Forces are one of the communities at the greatest risk for blast overpressure exposure, … Continue Reading
April 11, 2024
Warren, Ernst, Khanna, Senators Announce Bipartisan Bill to Mitigate Blast Overpressure and Protect Service Members
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, introduced the Blast Overpressure Safety Act - bipartisan legislation that would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to enact a variety of measures to help mitigate and protect service members from blast overpressure. Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) will … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
Chairing Hearing, Warren Slams MOHELA for Failures During Return to Repayment, Impact on Borrowers
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), chair of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy, led a hearing on student loan servicer Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri (MOHELA) and its failures during borrowers’ return to repayment, including MOHELA’s mismanagement of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The hearing follows a new report, released today by Senator Warren, which revealed 3.9 million billing … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
New Report from Warren, Blumenthal, Markey, Van Hollen Reveals Over 3.9 Million Student Loan Servicer Billing Errors During Return to Repayment
Report - Servicing Scandals: Student Loan Servicers’ Failures During Return to Repayment Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released a new report: Servicing Scandals: Student Loan Servicers’ Failures During Return to Repayment, which reveals a decades-long pattern of student loan servicer incompetence and misconduct that has affected millions of borrowers nationwide. The … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
Warren, Wyden Call on Education Department Contractor General Dynamics to Provide Answers on Failures of New FAFSA Launch
Washington, D.C - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chair of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to the CEO of General Dynamics seeking answers on the company’s role in the “bungled launch” of the new Free Application for the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In the letter, the Senators note how the new FAFSA has been riddled with technical issues, many of which remain unresolved, and how the failures are hurting students despite the company’s promises to … Continue Reading
April 10, 2024
Warren, Markey, Massachusetts Delegation Announce Over $22 Million in Federal Funding for Boston Logan Airport
Boston, MA - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and members of the Massachusetts delegation celebrate the announcement that General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport in Boston will receive $22.1 million in federal funding for infrastructure improvements. These projects are funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, which passed in November of 2021. “Boston Logan is a vital hub for travelers in … Continue Reading
April 09, 2024
At Hearing, Warren Calls for Closing Gaps in Crypto Anti-Money Laundering Rules As Treasury Requested
Washington, D.C. - At a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Adewale Adeyemo about gaps in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules that allow sanctioned entities like Iran to earn revenue processing crypto transactions. Senator Warren highlighted that validators, middlemen between the payer and receiver in crypto transactions, are not subject to the same AML rules as the traditional … Continue Reading
April 09, 2024
At Hearing, Warren Slams Israel’s Disregard for Aid Workers and Civilians, Urges DoD Sec. Austin to Strengthen Civilian Harm Prevention Efforts
Washington, D.C. —Today, at a hearing of the Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, on Israel’s disregard for civilians and aid workers and the need for the Department of Defense to continue to strengthen its civilian harm mitigation and prevention efforts. At the hearing, Senator Warren questioned Secretary Austin on whether he believed an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah — the last refuge of Palestinians with … Continue Reading
April 09, 2024
Warren Urges House Financial Services Committee to Protect Consumers, Financial Stability, and National Security As They Consider Stablecoin Regulations
Washington, D.C. - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to the House Financial Services Committee Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) urging them to include strong rules that protect consumers, financial stability, and our national security in any upcoming legislation related to stablecoins. The Committee’s work to develop a stablecoin regulatory framework comes as the crypto industry was on track to spend record amounts on lobbying last … Continue Reading
April 08, 2024
Senator Warren Encourages Massachusetts Fire Departments to Apply for Federal Funding Grants
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Municipal Association, encouraging them to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) new round of Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) to provide direct federal funding for fire departments in Massachusetts. The funding would help hire new firefighters, retain current … Continue Reading
April 08, 2024
Warren, Casten, Escobar, 23 Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration to Finalize Climate Risk Disclosure Rule for Federal Contractors
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representatives Sean Casten (D-Ill.), co-chair of the House Sustainable Investment Caucus, and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, led their colleagues in a letter to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council, composed of the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and the National Aeronautics and … Continue Reading
April 08, 2024
Warren, Markey, MA Delegation Urge FTC and DOJ to Closely Scrutinize Sale of Steward Physician Group to Optum
Boston, MA - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and the entire Massachusetts delegation sent a letter to Lina Khan, Chair of the FTC, and Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, on UnitedHealth Group’s proposed acquisition of Steward Health Care’s physician group, Stewardship Health. The letter calls for FTC and DOJ to closely scrutinize the deal, and oppose it if it would drive up health care costs or reduce patients’ … Continue Reading
April 04, 2024
Warren, Merkley, Senators Call on Biden Administration to Supply Desperately Needed Medical Supplies to Gaza
Washington, D.C. - United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) sent a letter to President Joe Biden, asking his administration to drastically increase its supply of desperately needed medicine and medical equipment to hospitals in Gaza. In February, the senators called on the administration to immediately implement Operation Gaza Relief to provide humanitarian aid to … Continue Reading
April 03, 2024
ICYMI: Warren’s Opening Remarks at Senate Hearing in Boston: Steward Health Care is a clear-cut case of private equity exploiting for-profit health care.
“Turning private equity loose in our health care system kills people.” “We need accountability here, and law enforcement authorities should carefully review every aspect of this fiasco. We also need to change the law. Private equity should not be allowed to loot one business after another, and I have introduced the most comprehensive bill to overhaul the private equity industry.” Link to Livestream Boston, MA - Today, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) delivered remarks at a … Continue Reading
