Richard Blumenthal

Reports of Starlink failing in Ukraine are deeply alarming— potentially crippling air defense against Russia’s murderous missiles & drones. Trump & Musk must be held accountable.

While Trump's war of choice with Iran drives fuel costs sky high for Americans, he's also waging war on offshore wind projects including New England's Revolution Wind. https://t.co/YiCzami1Kl

Action is imperative against animal abuse—as CT cases increase by 37 percent this year. My bipartisan legislation would provide stronger enforcement & better protection. Thank you CT Humane Society for priceless care & advocacy. https://t.co/uFzxtOEmwc

If there's one lesson from Trump's mindless warmongering, it's that we need to break our dependence on foreign imports of fossil fuels & embrace alternate sources of energy.

Russians call it “human safari.” Their slang for bomb-hunting civilians highlights their abject inhumanity. Another church hit last night— this time in Kramatorsk— killing parishioners.

Revolution Wind is expected to generate clean & affordable energy for thousands of CT homes in just a few weeks—Trump must back down & drop his unhinged & unwarranted opposition to these projects

I’m leading my colleagues in demanding the President rescind the disastrous Russian diesel deal. Appeasement spurs Putin to ignore serious peace talks, & the diesel debacle shows abject weakness. 1/ https://t.co/tVnx1wanso

A perfect storm—home heating oil nearly doubling in price, crushing families hit with higher costs for groceries, gas & everyday necessities. We must demand increased LIHEAP aid, despite Trump attempts to end it. A moral imperative. https://t.co/Spe2OTE3re

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Alan Armstrong (R-OK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and John Cornyn (R-TX) wrote President Donald Trump urging him to rescind his recent agreement with President Vladimir Putin to allow Russian-origin diesel fuel into global markets. “Granting Moscow the ability to sell Russian diesel freely in global markets damages American security interests and is a betrayal of the people of Ukraine, who continue to defend themselves from Putin’s murderous, illegal war. This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our Allies; it should be rescinded,” the senators wrote. The senators urged Trump to instead take swift action to implement sanctions authorized by the recently passed Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which President Trump signed into law in September. “These authorities require you to apply economic pressure on Russia and the chief enablers of its war, in particular China, and thereby enhance your negotiating position to bring a swift end to this ruinous conflict,” the senators wrote. The full text of the senators’ letter is available here and copied below. Dear Mr. President, Congress and the American people support ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which has cost hundreds of thousands of lives over the last four and a half years because Russia chose to invade its neighbor. A brokered peace, however, must be on just terms. It must uphold democratic values, the sovereignty and security of Ukraine, and their people’s right to choose their future. The deal you struck with President Vladamir Putin on October 9th will not achieve just ends, nor will it benefit Americans. The Treasury Department’s General License No. 135, which lifts sanctions on Russia’s diesel exports, only provides Putin with more fuel to finance his war machine and enables Russia to continue its brutal attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Granting Moscow the ability to sell Russian diesel freely in global markets damages American security interests and is a betrayal of the people of Ukraine, who continue to defend themselves from Putin’s murderous, illegal war. This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our Allies; it should be rescinded. We also recognize the urgent need to lower energy costs for American families and address the disruptions caused by the war with Iran. However, allowing Russian-origin diesel into global markets will offer limited to no relief to Americans. It will have a negligible impact on fuel prices, but the revenues the Kremlin will receive from this agreement will undoubtedly finance its desired war of attrition and advance its security cooperation with China, Iran, and North Korea. It will also endanger servicemembers operating overseas in support of Operation Epic Fury. Last month, Congress passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which you swiftly signed into law. Both chambers passed the legislation with resounding, bipartisan votes, clearly demonstrating our intent and granting you the authorities to broker a just and fair peace. These authorities require you to apply economic pressure on Russia and the chief enablers of its war, in particular China, and thereby enhance your negotiating position to bring a swift end to this ruinous conflict. For decades, America has stood as the bastion of freedom against tyranny, and American presidents have embodied our nation’s resistance to tyrants. Putin is a tyrant. Withdraw from this agreement, rescind General License No. 135, and execute the authorities provided under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. Maintain our legacy – and the duty America holds – as leader of the free world. -30-

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and U.S. Representative Mark Takano (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, wrote Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Doug Collins demanding answers about the ballooning cost of the VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program. Oracle’s contract for the VA EHRM program was recently modified, increasing the no-bid contract cost ceiling from $10 billion to more than $27 billion. “The Committees on Veterans’ Affairs in the House and Senate have worked closely with VA since the original contract was signed,” Blumenthal and Takano wrote. “VA’s decline in transparency, particularly regarding recent contract modifications, is extremely troubling.” On September 2, House Committee Democrats forced a vote to subpoena Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison and CEO Mike Sicilia for testimony at a congressional oversight hearing. Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL) pushed Ranking Member Takano and Democrats to withdraw the motion, but the committee ultimately approved it 19-0. Soon after, Blumenthal and Senate Committee Democratic members wrote Ellison and Sicilia demanding documents and an explanation for the cost increase. They backed the House subpoenas and asked Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) to hold a full-committee oversight hearing on the cost overruns, repeated delays, and patient safety concerns. The full text of the letter is copied below. Dear Secretary Collins: We write to express serious concerns regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) lack of transparency and cooperation in managing the Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program. Under the Trump administration, VA chose to rapidly accelerate the deployment of the Oracle Health product, despite no proven record of success and no assessment as to whether VA’s workforce and infrastructure could withstand such efforts. On August 11, 2026, VA quietly issued a modification to Oracle Health’s contract to deliver VA’s EHRM to all VA facilities. In this modification, VA extended the period of performance to the year 2031 and increased the contract ceiling by an amount that the Department chose to redact, though news reports indicate that this figure is over $17.5 billion dollars.2 Further, VA’s citation of “unanticipated complexities” as the rationale for nearly tripling the original contract remains unexplained. In light of the contract modification, and in preparation for the September 2, 2026, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on EHRM, Committee staff requested a number of documents on August 27, 2026. To date, those documents have not been received. We insist that VA immediately comply with that request, and in addition provide the following information: The complete and un-redacted contract modification document 36C10B18D5000 Modification P00008 and all associated documents; Documentation sufficient to explain the need for the increase, including detailed descriptions of the “unanticipated complexities”, and any related cost analysis or determination, including, but not limited to, the price negotiation memorandum; All communications, including emails, text messages, and memoranda, between VA and Oracle related to the contract increase; VA’s most recent Life Cycle Cost Estimate broken down by contract costs, infrastructure costs, and VA program costs; and, All documents related to the market research conducted by VA supporting its claim that no other software vendor could meet the Government’s requirements. Additionally, VA must provide written responses to the following: Who approved the ceiling increase and under whose direction? Who ordered the redaction of related documents and why? How did VA arrive at the new estimated contract ceiling? What assumptions informed this number? How will those assumptions effect the VA Medical Centers that have yet to go-live? What assurances does VA have that Oracle is not using veterans’ data to benefit its commercial products? If Oracle IS doing so, how is VA ensuring veterans’ privacy is protected and that VA receives appropriate compensation? Will VA commit to obtaining an independent total life-cycle cost estimate for EHRM? If so, by what date will that estimate be completed and provided to Congress? If not, why? Given that Oracle committed to absorbing the additional costs for the EHRM program contract, please provide an explanation for why VA is now footing these same costs? What analysis did VA conduct regarding elevated patient safety event reporting at go-live sites before accelerating the 2031 deployment timeline, and what were the findings? Given the VA’s plans to accelerate deployment, has VA conducted an assessment of the impacts of deployment pace on cost? We’ve heard concerns about Pay It Forward resources not being placed in areas with similar workflows, leaving these people unable to help frontline staff. How does VA match Pay It Forward employees to their assignments? How many employees rely on Information and Communications Technology, or ICT, or other reasonable accommodations to perform their roles and responsibilities at the Department? Was VA aware when it signed the original contract that Millenium was not Section 508 compliant? If so, why did VA sign it knowing the product was not compliant with federal law, and would limit disabled employees, including veterans, ability to do their jobs? Has VA’s Section 508 Office performed an assessment of how long it would take to make EHRM 508 compliant? If so, how much would these technical upgrades cost to ensure that this system is compliant with the law? What is VA’s plan to address Oracle’s lack of 508 compliance? The Committees on Veterans’ Affairs in the House and Senate have worked closely with VA since the original contract was signed. VA’s decline in transparency, particularly regarding recent contract modifications, is extremely troubling. As such, we demand that VA produce requested documents and written responses to the above questions no later than October 30, 2026. Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. John Harry, Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, at [email protected], and Ms. Katie Adams, Counsel, at [email protected]. -30-

I’m leading 12 of my colleagues demanding that Trump rescind the disastrous Russian diesel deal. It betrays American security interests & brave Ukrainians fighting Putin's bloody slaughter. https://t.co/mDomvFWhWs

The first test for peace talks is whether Putin respects an energy infrastructure truce. Zelenskyy has agreed. Putin continues bombing. Once again, he’s playing Trump for a fool & hoping to weaponize a freezing, starving, bloody winter against Ukraine. 2

Putting blood money in Putin’s pocket, Trump makes America complicit in Russia’s slaughtering innocent Ukrainians. https://t.co/l8IXu5I6R8

The additional diesel is tiny help to consumers but catastrophic harm in revenue to Putin’s murderous war machine. We must pummel Trump with public pressure to restore sanctions.

Trump’s latest investigative ploy is another sign that Yale & other schools need to stand strong— together— not bend & negotiate. https://t.co/45nOhLsDHW

More open disclosure, not concealment— insisting on legal rights & resisting all Trump’s bullying & threats. Appeasement is not a strategy.

In America, books like To Kill a Mockingbird are frequently banned. Banned Books Week serves as a reminder that we need to fight these restrictive policies that threaten freedom of expression & restrict access to information. https://t.co/jNYdrhANWd

Against all odds, they have weathered the storm & deserve our admiration as they defend the free world from Putin’s armies. The American people stand with Ukraine & President Zelenskyy. 3

The future of Ukraine belongs to the Ukrainian people alone. For 4 years, President Zelenskyy has led his people against Putin’s campaign of extermination. 2/

President Zelenskyy & Ukraine need & deserve magnified American support— not sabotaging insults. Recent Trump Administration threats undercut Ukraine’s brave fight & American security interests. 1/ https://t.co/YFQo00ncEh

ICE’s violent, warrantless dragnet must be stopped. ICE should be held to the same standards as our state & local police. That’s why I’m introducing a measure that will require a warrant for most immigration detentions. https://t.co/zTvxthiO6q

The President should rescind this agreement immediately. To the American companies considering taking Putin’s blood money: Congress is watching. 4

This poorly concealed attempt to mitigate the havoc caused by Trump’s illegal war in Iran will only benefit the Chinese & Russian economies & lead to the slaughter of more innocents in Ukraine. 2/

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the statement below following Donald Trump’s announcement that he had reached a deal with Vladimir Putin to lift sanctions on and obtain Russian diesel: “The President’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel is an embarrassment and makes us complicit in Putin’s war against Ukraine. This poorly concealed attempt to mitigate the havoc caused by Trump’s illegal war in Iran will only benefit the Chinese and Russian economies and lead to the slaughter of more innocents in Ukraine. This agreement with a murdering dictator is a stain on our nation’s character, an insult to Lindsey Graham’s memory, and directly contrary to Congress’s intent in our bipartisan sanctions bill. The President should rescind this agreement immediately. To the American companies considering taking Putin’s blood money: Congress is watching.” -30-

This agreement with a murdering dictator is a stain on our nation’s character, an insult to Lindsey Graham’s memory, & directly contrary to Congress’s intent in our bipartisan sanctions bill. 3/