Bill would protect veterans, military spouses, and VA employees targeted in DOGE’s cuts WASHINGTON – In response to President Donald Trump’s mass terminations of federal veteran employees and attempts to slash Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care and benefits, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced the Putting Veterans First Act —comprehensive legislation to protect veterans, military spouses, and VA employees indiscriminately targeted in the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) cuts at VA and across the federal government.  Thursday, Senators Gallego, Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), hosted a press conference on the importance of this legislation.   “The Trump Administration needs to step up and stop

Sen. Gallego, bipartisan colleagues introduced the legislation in January WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate passed the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act, backed by Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ). The legislation permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act and gives law enforcement the tools they need to keep extremely lethal and dangerous drugs off our streets and streamline scientific research on these substances. The bill will now head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.  “I’m thrilled that the bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act has passed because it brings us one step closer to tackling the fentanyl crisis that

WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA)introduced the bipartisan Social Security Overpayment Relief Act to limit the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) overpayment lookback period to ten years. This bill protects Social Security recipients – including 1.4 million Arizonans – from the burden of having to pay back funds that arise from overpayment errors on the part of SSA.   See coverage below:  Arizona Republic: Gallego bill would cap what seniors owe Social Security for overpayments. Here’s how [Russ Wiles, 3/13/25]  Seniors and others who receive excessive Social Security benefits in error would not face the risk of repaying the money from more than a decade, under