Trahan, Lori RSS Articles

Trahan Demands Release of 14-Year-Old Marlborough Resident Detained by Federal Immigration Agents

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) demanded the immediate release of a 14-year-old Marlborough resident who was detained yesterday by U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents:

“Yesterday, a 14-year-old girl from Marlborough was detained by federal immigration agents. A child with no criminal history was taken into custody in an apparent overnight attempt to use her as a hostage to coerce her father into turning himself in for deportation. As a mother to 15- and 11-year old daughters, I am furious. This is not immigration enforcement. It’s the deliberate targeting of a child to inflict maximum pain on her family.”

"Two months ago, ICE detained five-year-old Liam Ramos in Minnesota under similar circumstances. The nation watched in horror as a little boy with a blue bunny hat and Spiderman backpack was taken into custody by federal immigration authorities. The ordeal was so heinous that a federal judge ordered his release and called it ‘cruel’ and ‘bereft of human decency.’ But now, federal immigration agents seem to be doing it again, this time here in Massachusetts.”

“I am demanding her immediate release. She should be returned home to her family this afternoon and able to go back to school tomorrow. In the meantime, DHS must abandon its clearly adopted policy of using children as bait to detain and deport family members and instead focus its efforts on violent criminals.”

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Trahan Statement on U.S. Military Strikes in Iran

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump announced significant U.S. military strikes on Iran:

“President Trump is drawing the United States into another foreign conflict, returning American servicemembers to the Middle East once again less than five years after the end of our 20-year War in Afghanistan. The American people deserve answers. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to decide whether our nation goes to war – and that responsibility cannot be bypassed. Any military action against Iran must be openly debated and authorized by Congress.”

“I’m praying for the safety of our servicemembers in the region who have been placed in harm’s way yet again and for their families who have already borne enormous sacrifice. Like all Americans, they were told just 10 months ago – when Trump ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites – that Iran’s nuclear capability was set back years as a result. Now, we’re being told something altogether different: that those strikes failed, and that Iran may be more dangerous than ever. Our men and women in uniform deserve a clear mission, defined objectives, and a strategy that protects U.S. interests and regional stability without sliding into another forever war.”

“Every dollar and every American servicemember committed to an open-ended conflict abroad is a dollar and a life not invested here at home – in the families already stretched thin at the grocery store, on their utilities, and at the doctor’s office. At a moment of real economic pressure, driven in part by reckless policies advanced by this administration, the last thing our country needs is a costly war launched without congressional debate or a clear strategy. I will continue pressing for transparency and oppose any unilateral rush to war that puts politics ahead of our troops and the wellbeing of the American people.”

Trahan Unveils Report Outlining Bipartisan Path to Update the Privacy Act

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) released a new staff report titled Privacy, Trust, and Effective Government: A Bipartisan Blueprint for Modernizing the Privacy Act. The report was developed following extensive stakeholder input submitted in response to a Request for Information (RFI) Trahan circulated in 2025 examining potential updates to the Privacy Act of 1974.

The report comes amid growing concerns about the federal government’s handling of Americans’ sensitive personal data, including recent incidents that have exposed weaknesses in existing privacy protections and oversight mechanisms.

“The Privacy Act was written for a world of file cabinets and mainframe computers, not one defined by cloud storage, data brokers, and AI,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Americans should be able to trust that their personal information is handled responsibly by their government. This report lays out practical, commonsense updates to strengthen privacy protections, restore public trust, and ensure the federal government can operate effectively in the digital age.”

The staff report outlines a bipartisan framework to modernize the Privacy Act of 1974, including recommendations to:

Strengthen limits on the collection, use, and sharing of Americans’ sensitive personal data.
Update definitions and safeguards to reflect modern systems, technologies, and practices.
Improve transparency so individuals can understand how their data is used by the federal government.
Enhance oversight mechanisms to prevent misuse of personal information.
Bolster enforcement to ensure timely and meaningful redress when abuse occurs.
Right-size requirements to promote compliance while enabling effective government operations.

Enacted more than 50 years ago, the Privacy Act of 1974 has not kept pace with the scale, speed, or complexity of how the federal government now collects and uses personal data. As agencies increasingly rely on digital systems and third-party contractors, outdated protections leave Americans vulnerable to privacy abuses while hindering responsible data processing and eroding trust in government.

The report is intended to inform bipartisan, bicameral efforts to modernize federal privacy law and ensure that government data practices meet the expectations of the American people in the 21st century.

A copy of the report released today can be accessed HERE.

This report is the latest step in Trahan’s push for government privacy reform. Its release follows efforts Trahan has led regarding DOGE’s alleged mishandling of Americans’ sensitive data housed in the Treasury Department’s payment system and separately at the National Labor Relations Board and Department of Interior. Trahan has similarly led House Democrats in investigating the Trump Administration’s data consolidation efforts at key benefits agencies . In March 2025, Trahan issued her RFI to rewrite the Privacy Act for the first time since its passage in 1974.

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Trahan, Massachusetts Members Demand Accountability After Trump Administration Moves to Dismantle ARPA-H Investor Catalyst Hub

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, was joined by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Representatives Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Richard E. Neal (MA-01) in demanding immediate answers from the Trump Administration following reports that the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has issued a stop-work order and notice of intent to terminate and wind down the ARPA-H Investor Catalyst Hub.

In a letter to President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the lawmakers called for an immediate explanation and justification for the decision, warning it could disrupt lifesaving biomedical innovation and waste years of federal investment.

“Terminating the Investor Catalyst Hub’s work at this stage would be a profound mistake and a blatant waste of taxpayer dollars and federal investment,” the lawmakers wrote. “Halting this work now would squander years of progress, disrupt momentum across multiple ARPA-H programs, and undermine the agency’s core mission of translating high-impact research into treatments and cures that reach the American people.”

The Investor Catalyst Hub, based in the greater Boston area, plays a central role in ensuring promising innovations successfully transition from federal research investment into real-world treatments and cures. The Hub was strategically located in Massachusetts because of the Commonwealth’s globally recognized life sciences and biotechnology ecosystem, and unmatched concentration of research institutions, hospitals, and health innovators.

Congress recently reaffirmed its commitment to ARPA-H by appropriating $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2026 funding to accelerate high-impact biomedical innovation and strengthen pathways that move breakthroughs from discovery to deployment. The delegation noted that the Investor Catalyst Hub has been fully operational for two years and is already supporting projects focused on improving cancer surgery, expanding hospital-level care to rural communities, and advancing the diagnosis and treatment of lymphatic diseases.

“With Congress' support, the Investor Catalyst Hub was created precisely to ensure that ARPA-H–funded breakthroughs do not stall out in the lab but instead move efficiently toward real-world deployment,” the lawmakers continued.

The members requested a congressional briefing, a clear justification for the decision, and a detailed contingency plan explaining how ARPA-H will maintain continuity of the Investor Catalyst Hub’s work. They asked the Administration to respond no later than February 13, 2026.

A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.

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Trahan’s Lifesaving Children’s Health Bills Signed into Law

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, celebrated the signing of two of her bipartisan children’s health bills into law after they were passed as part of a larger health care package. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act and the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act represent years of work to break down insurance barriers and ensure children with serious and complex medical needs can access lifesaving care without delay.

“For far too long, children battling rare diseases have been left to fend for themselves in a slow, complex health care system that underinvests in the treatments and cures they need while burying their families in paperwork, delays, and denials,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “These bills change that. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act cuts through red tape so children can receive lifesaving treatments without delay, and the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act ensures continued investment in therapies for rare pediatric diseases. Together, they give families hope and children a fighting chance.”

First introduced by Trahan in 2023, the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act addresses harmful delays caused by insurance prior authorization requirements for children with complex and chronic conditions. The bill streamlines approval processes for pediatric specialists and treatments, helping ensure that children battling rare diseases can receive timely, often lifesaving care without families facing repeated denials or dangerous treatment delays.

The Creating Hope Reauthorization Act, which Trahan has worked to advance since first introducing the legislation in 2024, renews and improves the Creating Hope Priority Review Voucher program, a highly successful initiative that has helped bring new therapies and treatments to market for children with medical conditions that historically lacked investment. Reauthorizing the program ensures continued progress toward cures for rare childhood diseases that might otherwise be overlooked.

Both bills were developed in close partnership with families, patient advocates, researchers, and pediatric providers, and gained bipartisan support as Trahan worked across multiple Congresses to reintroduce, refine, and advance the legislation.

“Children with cancer have no time to waste when it comes to getting the right treatment. Delays can be dangerous—or even deadly,” said E. Anders Kolb, MD, President and CEO of Blood Cancer United. “That’s why the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is so crucial: it spares families from needless delays when time is of the essence. We are incredibly grateful to Representative Trahan for her leadership on this life-saving legislation.”

“NORD is grateful to see rare disease priorities, including the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act, signed into law by the President as part of the Labor-HHS spending bill. Reauthorizing the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher program is a vital step to incentivize the development of treatments for children with rare and life-threatening conditions. We thank Rep. Lori Trahan and all the champions of this bill for their leadership on behalf of rare disease families nationwide,” said National Organization for Rare Disorders CEO Pamela Gavin.

“The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is a real solution to a real problem faced by children and the providers who care for them. It will make the process easier for children in the Medicaid and CHIP programs with medical complexity who need to cross state lines for care and for their families, who often face barriers in accessing care in a timely manner,” said Boston Children’s Hospital CEO Dr. Kevin Churchwell. “Boston Children’s joined with more than 200 diverse stakeholders, including peer hospitals and patient advocacy groups, in advancing this policy solution. It is heartening to see this thoughtful and bipartisan measure pass through the Congress and be signed into law. This exciting development will help to remove barriers that often lead to worse outcomes for children and higher healthcare costs. I am so grateful to U.S. Congresswomen Trahan and Miller-Meeks for their leadership in the House and U.S. Senators Grassley and Bennet in the Senate.”

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Trahan Secures Passage of Additional $7.5 Million for Third District Projects

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) announced that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation including more than $7.5 million in federal funding she secured for critical community projects across Massachusetts’ Third Congressional District.

“Families across our district deserve safe roads, dependable infrastructure, and real opportunities to build a better life for themselves and their children,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This funding will make everyday life better for residents in communities large and small by improving safety, strengthening local infrastructure, and creating pathways to economic opportunity. My team and I remain focused on cutting through the noise in Washington to deliver results like these investments that will make a tangible difference across the Third District.”

The funding will support infrastructure upgrades, public safety improvements, workforce training, and community development initiatives in cities and towns throughout the district. This new round of investments builds on the $5 million in federal funding Congresswoman Trahan secured passage of earlier this month, which was passed in the Senate and signed into law last week.

The projects funded through this legislation include:

City of Lowell’s Priority Intersection Project: $2,000,000
City of Lawrence’s Bridge Restoration Project: $1,200,000
City of Haverhill’s Merrimack Downtown Redevelopment Project: $1,000,000
City of Fitchburg’s Water Street Gateway Corridor Sidewalk and Lighting Replacement Project: $850,000
City of Methuen’s Intersection Safety Improvement Projects: $850,000
UMass Lowell’s Strategic Property Acquisition in Support of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC): $850,000
Mount Wachusett Community College’s North Central Massachusetts Automotive Technician Training Center Expansion Project: $850,000
City of Marlborough’s Bolton Street (Route 85) and Union Street Intersection Improvement Project: $250,000
City of Gardner’s Community Center Project: $250,000
Town of Boxborough’s Sheltered Bus Stops for Boxborough/Acton Inter-Town Bus Service: $250,000

The investments passed today now move to the Senate for further consideration.

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Trahan, Valadao Lead Reintroduction of Bipartisan Bill to Save Essential Health Systems

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, and Congressman David Valadao (R-CA-22) reintroduced the Reinforcing Essential Health Systems for Communities Act, bipartisan legislation to formally recognize “essential health systems” in federal law and unlock new pathways for federal funding and support for safety net hospitals that care for large numbers of uninsured and low-income patients.

“The hospitals that care for our most vulnerable neighbors are doing more with less every single day,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “By reintroducing the Reinforcing Essential Health Systems for Communities Act, we’re reaffirming our commitment to ensuring these hospitals are better positioned to receive the resources they need to keep their doors open and their communities healthy. This bill gives Congress a smarter, fairer way to direct support to the health systems that serve as lifelines in cities and towns across the country.”

“Central Valley hospitals play a vital role in caring for our communities, but they can’t do that without the resources they need,” said Congressman Valadao. “The bipartisan Reinforcing Essential Health Systems for Communities Act helps better identify rural and underserved hospitals that require critical investments, making it easier to direct federal resources where they’re needed most. Ensuring Central Valley families have access to affordable, quality healthcare is my top priority, and I’ll continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance commonsense solutions to meet that goal.”

Essential health systems are foundational to local health care infrastructure, particularly in communities where access to care depends on hospitals that shoulder a disproportionate share of Medicaid, low-income Medicare, and uninsured patients. Despite providing, on average, five times more uncompensated care than other hospitals, these facilities remain chronically underfunded and face ongoing challenges maintaining services and meeting community needs.

To better support these hospitals, the Reinforcing Essential Health Systems for Communities Act would establish a new “essential health systems” designation in federal law. This designation would allow policymakers to more effectively target federal funding, health equity initiatives, and public health resources to nonprofit hospitals that serve historically under-resourced communities.

Hospitals would qualify as “essential health systems” by meeting one of the following criteria for at least two out the past three years:

The hospital’s patients are at least 35% low-income, based on Medicaid use and low-income Medicare patients.
The hospital provides at least 0.05% of all unpaid hospital care in the entire country, making it one of the hospitals delivering the most uncompensated care nationwide.
The hospital is in the top 16% of providers in their state that serve low-income and/or unpaid care.

Under this definition, 17 hospitals in Massachusetts would qualify as essential health systems and become eligible for additional federal support, including Lowell General Hospital, Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital, and UMass Memorial Medical Center.

“We applaud Congresswoman Trahan’s leadership in advancing a federal ‘essential hospital’ designation to recognize hospitals that anchor our health care safety net,” said Amy Hoey, RN, President of Tufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital. “Safety net hospitals operate on razor-thin margins while serving our most vulnerable neighbors, including patients that are low-income and uninsured, and sustaining critical community programs. This designation rightly acknowledges their indispensable role in public health.”

“As a regional community health system and a vital safety-net provider in the Merrimack Valley, we strongly support the proposed legislation to establish an Essential Health Systems designation,” said Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital President & CEO Diana L. Richardson. “By recognizing essential providers through this legislation, Congress can ensure that Essential Health Systems like Merrimack Health remain open, resilient, and able to meet growing patient needs now and in the future. We are grateful to Congresswoman Trahan for leading this important effort in our region and the nation.

“UMass Memorial Health is proud to serve all patients across Central Massachusetts, regardless of their insurance status, income level, or ability to pay. As an Essential MassHealth Hospital, our dedicated caregivers work every day to address systemic barriers to care and provide the high-quality health services our communities deserve,” said UMass Memorial Health President and CEO Dr. Eric Dickson. “Creating a federal essential health systems designation would help protect access to care for our communities’ most vulnerable residents and ensure that systems like UMass Memorial Health have the resources to continue providing life-saving services long into the future.”

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House Mental Health & Addiction Treatment Leaders Demand Immediate SAMHSA Funding Restoration

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, leaders of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force and the Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus led a bipartisan group of 100 House members demanding the Trump administration reverse its decision to terminate thousands of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grants that fund local mental health and addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery programs across the country.

According to reports, roughly 2,800 SAMHSA grant termination notices were issued nationwide, cutting off funding for critical community programs effective January 13, 2026.

“Addressing mental health and substance use disorders is a bipartisan priority and should never be treated as a partisan issue,” the lawmakers wrote. “Every state relies on SAMHSA funding to respond to pressing mental health and addiction challenges, and abruptly pulling these resources will cause real harm to individuals, families, and communities.”

The letter was spearheaded by Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), Paul D. Tonko (D-NY-20), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Donald Beyer (D-VA-08), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA-02), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), and Kim Schrier (D-WA-08).

The members emphasized that Congress has worked on a bipartisan basis to reduce stigma, expand access to care, and strengthen prevention and recovery efforts nationwide. They warned that the administration’s action directly undermines those efforts and jeopardizes lifesaving services.

The letter urges the administration to immediately rescind all grant terminations and ensure that SAMHSA programs continue to serve their congressionally intended purpose of delivering critical mental health and addiction resources to communities in need. The lawmakers also requested detailed information from the administration by January 16, 2026, including the total number of grants terminated, the programs affected, and the specific rationale for each termination. They further questioned how the cancellations align with the recently signed SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, which reauthorized many of these programs for five years.

“The need for mental health and substance use disorder services has never been greater,” the members continued. “Too many people across the country are already struggling to access care. This decision only makes that crisis worse.”

The members stressed that they will continue to press the administration until the grants are fully restored and communities receive the support Congress intended.

A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.

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Trahan Secures House Passage of $5 Million for Third District Projects

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) secured House passage of $5,118,000 in federal funding for five critical community projects across Massachusetts’ Third District. The investments will support major infrastructure upgrades in Lowell, Littleton, Groton, and Westford, while expanding access to addiction recovery services through The Phoenix in Lawrence and surrounding communities.

“Our communities deserve safe water, reliable infrastructure, and support for people working to overcome addiction. That’s why I spent the past year working with local leaders and my colleagues in Congress to cut through the gridlock and turn local priorities into real federal investments. These investments will make our cities and towns healthier and safer places to call home, and I look forward to working with our Senate partners to advance them into law,” said Congresswoman Trahan.

The funding passed by the House of Representatives includes:

$1,092,000 for the City of Lowell Centralville Sewer Separation Project
$1,092,000 for the Town of Littleton Common Sewer System Expansion Project
$1,092,000 for the Town of Groton Regional Water System Expansion PFAS Mitigation Project
$1,092,000 for the Town of Westford PFAS Treatment Infrastructure Project
$750,000 for The Phoenix Essex County Community Reentry Project

After careful consultation with local leaders, Congresswoman Trahan requested the inclusion of these funds to address pressing infrastructure and public health needs across the Third District. The projects were included in two government funding bills, both of which passed the House with bipartisan support.

The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.

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Trahan Supports Bipartisan Legislation to End the GOP Health Care Crisis

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, voted to pass the bipartisan Breaking the Gridlock Act, legislation that would end the Republican-driven health care price hike by extending Affordable Care Act premium tax credits for three years and helping millions of Americans afford their health coverage.

“Republicans broke our health care system, exploding costs for hardworking families so they could pay for a tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest in our country,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Today’s bipartisan vote in the House sends a clear message to the GOP-controlled Senate – pass this legislation immediately and save Americans’ health care.”

As of January 1, 2026, Republicans in Washington allowed critical Affordable Care Act premium tax credits to expire, driving up health insurance costs for millions of Americans who purchase coverage on their own. The impact has been immediate and severe, hitting working families, small business owners, and the self-employed with dramatic premium increases they cannot afford. In Massachusetts alone, an estimated 328,000 people were set to see their health care costs rise, including 65,400 individuals at risk of losing coverage altogether.

Despite months of efforts by House Democrats to prevent this crisis before the end of 2025, Republicans in Congress rejected every opportunity to reach a bipartisan agreement to protect Americans’ health care. Instead, they approved the longest government shutdown in history and later advanced supplemental legislation that would have resulted in an additional 100,000 Americans losing their health coverage.

In December, House Democrats filed a discharge petition to extend the ACA premium tax credits for three years. That effort secured the required 218 signatures to bring the Breaking the Gridlock Act to the House floor, leading to today’s vote. Seventeen Republicans joined all House Democrats in passing the legislation, sending the bill to the Senate for further consideration.

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WINTERFEST FEB. 21 - 22, 2020

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Lowell's annual Winterfest weekend in downtown Lowell is a fun event featuring everything from a carousel and ice-skating to an all-you-can-eat chocolate festival.

Click here to learn more