Balint, Becca RSS Articles

Balint Urges FTC to Block $29.1 Billion Sysco-Restaurant Depot Merger

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

BRATTLEBORO, VT – Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) joined Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) and other colleagues in sending a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging rejection of Sysco Corporation’s proposed $29.1 billion acquisition of Jetro Restaurant Depot. Members warned that the merger would reduce competition, drive up costs for independent restaurants, and threaten small businesses that anchor local economies across the nation.

Across the country, independent restaurants are already facing mounting financial pressure, with food costs up 38 percent nationwide since 2019 and nearly half of restaurant operators reporting that their businesses were unprofitable in 2025. Sysco’s acquisition of Restaurant Depot would eliminate a critical source of price competition, leaving independent restaurant owners with fewer options to control costs and putting additional pressure on businesses already struggling to keep prices affordable for their customers.

“Independent restaurants are already struggling because of rising food costs,” said Rep. Becca Balint. “By buying Restaurant Depot, Sysco would eliminate a key source of competition that independent restaurants rely on to get a fair price on food and supplies. That means higher costs for local restaurants and more expensive meals for working families. We need regulators to be serious about pushing back against this wave of corporate consolidation so that people can afford to live their lives and so our small, local businesses can have a fair shot.”

“Independent restaurants are part of the fabric of Western New York. They employ our neighbors, support local suppliers, and give our communities places to come together. These small businesses are already being squeezed by rising food prices and operating costs, and they cannot afford another hit,” said Rep. Kennedy. “This merger would put even more power in the hands of a major distributor while taking away one of the few tools independent restaurants have to keep their costs down. When competition disappears, small businesses pay the price and those costs ultimately reach the families sitting down at the table. The FTC must stand up for independent businesses, protect competition, and reject this deal.”

“Independent restaurants are operating on razor-thin margins, and Restaurant Depot is one of the few tools they have to check broadline prices and keep their costs in line. We are grateful to Congressman Tim Kennedy for his leadership urging the FTC to reject Sysco's proposed acquisition of Restaurant Depot. When competition disappears from the supply chain, the consequences reach well beyond a restaurant’s doors putting farmers, local artisans and the economic stability of communities at risk.” Erika Polmar, Executive Director, Independent Restaurant Coalition

Lawmakers underscored the importance of protecting competition as families and small businesses continue to face affordability challenges. Allowing further consolidation in the foodservice supply chain would leave independent restaurants with fewer choices and less leverage to manage costs, threatening the local businesses and jobs that communities depend on.

Background

Restaurant Depot operates 167 warehouse locations across 35 states, serving more than 725,000 independent restaurants and foodservice operators. Its cash-and-carry model allows restaurant owners to compare prices directly with traditional wholesale distributors like Sysco and negotiate more competitive terms. This proposed acquisition would place both distribution channels under the same corporate ownership, eliminating an important check on pricing in the foodservice supply chain. Independent restaurants employ approximately 11 million workers nationwide and support more than five million additional jobs across supply chains that include farms, fisheries, dairies, equipment suppliers, and specialty food producers. By hiring locally, purchasing from local suppliers, and banking with local financial institutions, these businesses help sustain the communities they serve. The FTC has previously recognized the competitive risks of consolidation in foodservice distribution: in 2015, the Commission opposed Sysco’s proposed acquisition of US Foods, arguing that the merger would substantially reduce competition and likely increase prices for restaurants. After a federal district court granted the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction, the companies abandoned the deal.

Full text of the letter can be found here.

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NEW REPORT: WEAK TRUMP ANTITRUST ENFORCEMENT AND BACKROOM DEALS ARE DRIVING UP COSTS FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

TEXT OF REPORT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new report, Settling For Less: How Trump’s weak antitrust enforcement and backroom deals are driving up costs, a comprehensive review of the second Trump Administration’s record of toothless antitrust settlements, dismissed enforcement actions, and widespread approval of massive corporate mergers, apparently creating a pay-to-play system that drives up costs and hurts consumers.

Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) joined in releasing the report.

During his campaign, President Trump promised to “Make America Competitive Again” and lower costs “on day one.” Instead, the Trump Administration has repeatedly sided with giant corporations, in some cases after the corporations made contributions to Trump’s vanity projects, rather than standing up for working families.

The new report highlights how the Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have approved major mergers with little scrutiny, overridden enforcement recommendations from career staff, and pursued weak settlements favoring large corporations, often based on the influence of Trump-connected corporate lobbyists. The report also raises concerns about potential pay-to-play arrangements, revealing that many of the corporations benefitting from President Trump’s lax antitrust enforcement policies have contributed millions to President Trump’s political committees and Trump-affiliated projects. Specific topline findings of this investigation include:

The Trump Administration routinely rubber-stamps harmful corporate mergers that pose competition risks. Across real estate, media, telecommunications, retail, banking, airlines, health care, and entertainment industries, corporate giants have announced at least 330 large mergers totaling more than $2.2 trillion. These deals often cleared despite major antitrust concerns, serious warnings from expert career staff, and clear evidence that the mergers would harm consumers, workers, and small businesses.
- For example, following the Justice Department’s approval of the Compass-Anywhere Real Estate merger over warnings from competition experts, Compass took control of up to 70% of home sales in some areas. That massive market power allows the company to dictate rules, squeeze out local brokerages, and hurt everyday homebuyers and sellers.
The Trump Administration routinely settles or dismisses antitrust enforcement actions without meaningful remedies. The Administration has allowed giant corporations facing antitrust lawsuits to settle with relatively small fines, narrow behavioral promises, no admissions of wrongdoing, and little or no restitution for the working families and small businesses harmed by the alleged anticompetitive conduct. In some cases, the Administration has simply walked away from a lawsuit, allowing alleged anticompetitive conduct to continue unchallenged.
- In May 2024, the Justice Department and a bipartisan coalition of states filed an antitrust lawsuit to break up Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, alleging the company illegally monopolized the live entertainment industry and imposed inflated ticket prices and fees on millions of consumers. In 2025, Live Nation donated $500,000 to President Trump’s inaugural committee and brought on board a network of Trump-connected lobbyists and allies. Following meetings with Live Nation’s CEO and a reported phone call from President Trump directing the Justice Department to settle, the DOJ abruptly ended its lawsuit just one week into the trial. Instead of forcing a breakup of the company as originally sought, the government accepted a weak deal: minor rule changes at roughly twelve smaller venues and a fine equal to just four days of Live Nation’s revenue. If state Attorneys General had not decided to continue the case and ultimately won a jury verdict against Ticketmaster, millions of fans would have continued to be squeezed by ticket fees.
The Trump Administration’s weak antitrust enforcement appears to be driven by influence-peddling and is surrounded by a cloud of corruption. Corporations facing antitrust scrutiny have repeatedly hired lobbyists with ties to President Trump and senior Administration officials, made substantial contributions to President Trump’s political committees or vanity projects, and promised changes to their business models that are aligned with President Trump’s agenda in exchange for favorable enforcement decisions—mergers cleared, investigations dropped, or cases resolved through weak settlements. Combined, this recurring pattern suggests a pay-to-play system.
- Paramount hired Ballard Partners—a Trump-connected lobbying firm—while competing to acquire Warner Bros. Larry Ellison, the father of Paramount controlling owner David Ellison, donated $45 million to a political group supporting President Trump’s 2024 election efforts. The Ellisons appeared to have cultivated what has been described as a “cozy alliance of mutual back-scratching” with President Trump as they sought approval for the Paramount/Warner Bros. merger. Paramount ultimately won the bid, and the merger received DOJ approval.
The Trump Administration’s failure to enforce antitrust laws raises consumers’ costs and limits choice. Across five vital sectors of the American economy—food and groceries, consumer goods, housing, health care, and media and entertainment—working families and small businesses stand to bear the brunt of the Administration’s corporate giveaways and antitrust inaction.

“The evidence of the Administration’s antitrust failures is woven directly into the daily budget of American households. Average monthly grocery bills have climbed to an all-time high, with some sources estimating the bill for a family of four at $1,430 a month. Average monthly rent hit a record high during this Administration at $1,910/month. The monthly price of health insurance has surged over 25 percent from 2025 to 2026 alone. And total U.S. credit card debt has soared to an all-time high of $1.28 trillion, while a February 2026 survey found that 53 percent of Americans do not have sufficient savings to cover a $1,000 emergency expense,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Meanwhile, the corporations benefiting from the Administration’s weak antitrust enforcement are enjoying an unprecedented windfall… The verdict on the Administration’s antitrust record is clear: in a complete betrayal of President Trump’s campaign promise to lower costs “on day one,” federal enforcers have surrendered market oversight to corporate giants in industry after industry, leaving American families to pay the price,” concluded the lawmakers.

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Vermont Delegation Announces More Than $60 Million in New Federal Funding to Complete Vermont’s Western Corridor Rail Line

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

BURLINGTON, VT – U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today announced the delivery of $60.3 million in new federal funding, administered by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) to rehabilitate and complete approximately 60 miles of railway on Vermont’s Western Corridor rail line.

“Repairing and upgrading our transportation infrastructure is a win-win for Vermont’s rural communities. This federal funding will help improve safety and reliability on the Vermont Railway, and support the development of rural towns up and down the Western Corridor,” said the Vermont Delegation. “With this $60 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Western Corridor will be complete, and western Vermont will finally be connected to the New York Penn Station line.”

“This grant will support Vermont businesses who rely on rail to get their products to market regionally and nationally,” said Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn. “For bulk commodities, shipping by rail is often the most cost-effective, and upgrades to the Vermont Railway in western Vermont will enable our businesses to efficiently tap into the nation's major Class I railroads.”

This new funding will help replace rail, realign track, and upgrade ties, ballast, turnouts, and 22 at-grade crossings to enhance safety, improve system and service performance, and increase reliability of rail service in Vermont. The funding is made possible through DOT’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program.

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Rep. Balint Statement on Suspicious Letter Intended for Vermont Office

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

BRATTLEBORO, VT — Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) released the following statement after being notified by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service of a letter intended for her office that is being handled by authorities:

“We have been notified by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service that a letter intended for our office may contain a suspicious substance. We are working closely with postal inspectors and the appropriate law enforcement agencies to ensure the letter is safely intercepted and tested,” said Rep. Balint. “Threats against public servants are serious, and the safety of my staff and the Vermonters we serve is my priority. We are grateful to the postal inspectors and law enforcement officials working to address these incidents, and we will continue serving Vermonters while the investigation proceeds.”

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is coordinating the safe handling and testing of the letter, with the results and any further investigation to be handled by the appropriate federal authorities.

Rep. Balint’s office is coordinating with law enforcement and will share additional information if or when appropriate.

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Balint, McGovern Meet with Vermont and Massachusetts Businesses on U.S.-Canada Trade Tensions

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 04:00:00 GMT

BRATTLEBORO, VT — Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL) and Jim McGovern (MA-02) met with Vermont and Massachusetts business owners to discuss the economic consequences of Trump’s ongoing trade tensions with Canada. The roundtable, held in Brattleboro, included Canadian Consul General Bernadette Jordan and the Director of Economic Affairs from the Quebec Government Office in Boston, and gave business owners an opportunity to share how tariffs and unpredictable trade policy are negatively affecting their costs, customers, employees, and ability to plan for the future.

The meeting also underscored the importance of maintaining strong relationships between communities on both sides of the border. Business owners and regional stakeholders emphasized that cross-border commerce supports jobs, sustains rural industries, and connects families and communities throughout Vermont, Massachusetts, and the New England region.

“Vermont and Canada have been neighbors, partners, and friends for generations,” said Congresswoman Becca Balint. “As a part of this conversation, we heard directly from business owners who are paying the price for this administration’s reckless trade war. They are facing higher costs, losing customers, and putting plans for growth on hold because they can’t count on the rules staying the same. That uncertainty hurts workers, families, farmers, and small businesses across Vermont and broader New England. I’m grateful to Rep. McGovern for joining us in standing up for our regional economy. We need a stable, predictable trade relationship with Canada, and I’ll keep working with him and our partners across the region to push for a trade policy that reflects our shared economic interests and gives our businesses the stability they need to succeed.”

“Trump’s trade war with Canada is destroying American businesses and livelihoods,” said Congressman Jim McGovern. “It was heartbreaking to hear from small business owners in Massachusetts and Vermont about how these tariffs are devastating their businesses. Let’s be clear: Canada isn’t paying Trump’s tariff tax. American workers, families, and small businesses are. Trump’s tariffs are wrecking our economy, killing jobs, driving businesses to the brink, and damaging our relationship with one of our closest trading partners. Congresswoman Balint and I will keep fighting to overturn these illegal tariffs, protect our small businesses, and put working people first.”

New England’s regional economy is deeply connected to Canada through agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, tourism, and cross-border supply chains. Businesses participating in the discussion described additional costs ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, lost Canadian customers, delayed investments, and difficult decisions about staffing and production.

For many businesses, the uncertainty surrounding trade policy is compounding the financial strain. Companies are being forced to reconsider suppliers, absorb additional expenses, raise prices, delay investments and equipment upgrades, and devote significant staff time to navigating changing rules and pursuing tariff relief.

Representatives Balint and McGovern are committed to bringing the concerns raised during the discussion back to Washington and continuing to work toward a more stable U.S.-Canada trade relationship that supports New England’s workers and businesses.

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Vermont Congressional Delegation Announces Over $33.2 Million in Long-Awaited FEMA Funding to Support Flood Buyouts, Hazard Mitigation Across Vermont

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

BURLINGTON, VT – The Vermont Congressional Delegation, U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), today announced the delivery of over $33.2 million in new federal funding, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to support flood recovery and resiliency in Vermont.

This funding includes more than $27.6 million to support the buyout of at least 90 homes across Vermont that are located within a floodplain, at risk of landslide, or sustained irreparable damage from flooding in 2023 and 2024. Families who applied for buyouts will receive compensation for their property from the state of Vermont. The state will then demolish the structure and maintain the land as open green space in perpetuity. The additional $5.6 million in funding will support costs associated with the administration of Vermont’s Emergency Management and future hazard mitigation plans.

“Over the last several years, our office has worked with Vermonters who were uprooted from their homes and left to navigate the complicated FEMA grant-making process while waiting far too long for a path forward,” said Rep. Balint. “For many families, this funding will bring welcome—though bittersweet—closure after years of uncertainty. It will also provide real economic relief and give communities much needed resources to become more resilient to future flooding. I’m grateful to everyone who kept pushing to get these dollars out the door, and I’ll keep fighting to make sure Vermont gets the federal support it needs to recover and rebuild.”

“For too many Vermonters, our state’s recent floods are painful memories of homes washed away, livelihoods destroyed, roads and bridges decimated, and sadly, lives lost. There is no good reason that Vermonters should have to wait years to receive the help they need to recover and rebuild when disasters strike. Volunteers, town work crews, rescue teams, state and local employees and fellow Vermonters have done extraordinary work over the past three years to keep our communities safe, and this long-overdue federal funding will help make Vermont more resilient against the future floods and other climate impacts we unfortunately know are coming,” said Senator Sanders.

“To say that these buyouts are long-overdue is a massive understatement. We have Vermonters whose lives and livelihoods were in limbo for over three years as they waited for FEMA to act. These buyouts are a major step in the right direction, but our work helping folks recover from these floods isn’t over—not by a long shot,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll continue working with federal, state, and local partners to ensure flood-impacted Vermonters gets the support they need and deserve to rebuild their homes and lives.”

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Rep. Balint Introduces Bill to Strengthen Coordination Between 988 and 911 Call Centers

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), a member of Congress’s bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, and Doris Matsui (CA-7), a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, today introduced the 988 and 911 Integration Act. This bill, which is part of the larger, bipartisan 988 Implementation Act being introduced today by Reps. Doris Matsui (CA-7) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) would establish a panel, jointly convened by the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Justice, to make recommendations on integrating 988 and 911 services. The panel would include representatives from each segment of the crisis care response network including behavioral health professionals, law enforcement officers, and crisis response professionals, and would update its recommendations every five years.

In addition to Reps. Balint and Matsui, the 988 and 911 Integration Act is cosponsored by Reps. Lori Trahan (MA-3), Adam Smith (WA-9), Jennifer McClellan (VA-4), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL).

The panel established by the 988 and 911 Integration Act would:

Provide recommendations on technical and operational integration of the 988 and 911 call lines and appropriate response;
Establish training, staffing, and protocol requirements to ensure that 988 and 911 dispatch personnel respond appropriately to callers in crisis;
Ensure appropriate care is provided to members of particularly vulnerable communities, including Native Americans, veterans and service members; and,
Develop data collection and reporting standards to monitor outcomes for individuals who contact 911 and 988 in mental health crisis.

"Especially during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, I’m incredibly proud to be introducing the 988 and 911 Integration Act,” said Rep. Balint, a member of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus. “One of my top priorities in Congress is reducing stigma and taking real action to improve access to mental healthcare. We know that mental health affects not just individuals, but also their families and communities, too. This bill, alongside the broader 988 Implementation Act, would help local communities strengthen and better utilize 988 resources–a lifeline for those experiencing a behavioral health crisis–and bridge gaps in care in communities all over the country.”

Addressing the mental health and loneliness crises in American communities is one of Rep. Balint’s biggest priorities in Congress. She is focused on finding ways to address the systemic drivers of rising costs in the health care system. Rep. Balint has previously introduced health legislation that would increase the mental and behavioral health workforce pipeline to address shortages and provide increased payment for critical health services like EMS personnel providing care on scene.

The 988 and 911 Integration Act has been endorsed by: Active Minds, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), American Association on Health and Disability, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Group Psychotherapy Association, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare (AABH), Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), Connections Health Solutions, Crisis Text Line, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), Easterseals, Inc., Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice, Huntington's Disease Society of America, International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses, Lakeshore Foundation, Legal Action Center, NAMI, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National League for Nursing, Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), SMART Recovery, Steinberg Institute, Sycamores, The American Counseling Association, The Miles Hall Foundation, The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, The National Federation of Families, The Paramedic Foundation/American College of Paramedics/American Paramedic Association, The Trevor Project, Tourette Association of America, and Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC).

The full text of the 988 and 911 Integration Act can be found here. A one pager can be found here.

A section-by-section summary of the 988 Implementation Act can be found here. A summary of the individual bills within the package, including the 988 and 911 Integration Act can be found here.

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Vermont Congressional Delegation Calls on USPS to Address Persistent Shortfalls in Serving Vermonters

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Read and download the Delegation’s full letter to USPS Postmaster General Steiner.

BURLINGTON, VT – The Vermont Congressional Delegation, U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL), U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), urged the Postmaster General of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to address massive shortfalls in serving Vermonters, who have for years experienced postal delivery delays and egregious service issues. In their letter to USPS Postmaster General David Steiner, who was appointed in 2025, the Delegation outlined how many Vermonters have dealt with reduced deliveries and deteriorating service for several years, following adoption of the Trump Administration’s flawed Delivering for America Plan.

The Delegation emphasized that the significant Postal Service issues facing Vermonters stem from decisions made by USPS leadership: “As you know, the Postal Service’s Delivering for America ten-year plan was launched in 2021, supposedly to modernize and support the financial self-sustainability of the postal network. Five years into this plan, mail delivery service in Vermont is at an all-time low, staffing shortages in the state are pervasive, and USPS has not improved its financial outlook.”

“In the first half of 2026 alone, our offices have received over 2,000 constituent complaints about the USPS mail service. Many of our constituents currently receive just one or two mail deliveries per week. Some residential areas have received zero mail deliveries over consecutive weeks. Vermonters living in South Burlington and the greater Chittenden County region have experienced particularly egregious service issues,” the Delegation continued. “These service failures have a significant impact on Vermonters: tax documents and bills are received after they are due, holiday cards come after the holiday season, and most critically, residents are forced to go without medical care when their prescriptions are not received on time.

The Delegation also underscored that inconsistent mail delivery is impeding state government services in Vermont: “The Vermont Agency of Administration has reported two separate instances over the last year when entire batches of vehicle titles were mailed out from the state Postal Center, received by USPS, and subsequently lost in transit. These incidents not only create unnecessary administrative burdens for the state, they also present real security threats to customers’ most sensitive personal information. Given these repeated detrimental impacts on government services, we are greatly concerned about USPS’ ability to deliver election ballots timely, which are automatically mailed by the state to all registered voters in Vermont, before they are mailed back to town and city clerks’ offices in time to be counted for elections.”

“Insufficient staff and monthslong delays in hiring and onboarding staff, mean that Vermont postal workers are working 12 hour days, seven days a week to ensure Vermonters receive their mail. USPS’ centralization of hiring processes and decision-making, has taken away hiring authority from Vermont postmasters, contributing to the problem,” the Delegation continued. “We deeply appreciate the hard work of Vermont’s postal employees, who, despite limited resources, continue to serve with dedication. We appreciate that USPS’ Northern New England (NNE) District is focused on improving recruitment and retention, including by increasing the number of career fairs and hiring events across the state, but these measures alone cannot remedy the chronic operational deficiencies at USPS.”

The Vermont Delegation requested answers to the following questions by September 1, 2026:

USPS’ stated mission is “to provide the nation with reliable, affordable, universal mail service” six days per week. What percentage of households in Vermont are currently receiving six days of mail delivery per week?
How many open mail carrier roles across Vermont remain vacant and what is the average length of vacancy?
Will USPS meet its hiring goals in Vermont this year?
What is the average length of time for hired personnel to complete onboarding and begin work? Please provide data for Vermont and nationally.
What steps has USPS taken to shorten and streamline the hiring and onboarding processes? Are additional authorities or direction from Congress required to further improve efficient staff onboarding?
What is the average length of tenure for postal employees across Vermont?
In January 2026, USPS’ NNE District Office confirmed to the Vermont Congressional Delegation that Vermont lags behind its regional neighbors in new employee recruitment numbers. What resources or strategies have you committed directly to the NNE District to boost statewide hiring efforts?
Due to insufficient staffing and delivery route coverage, Vermont requires the expeditious approval of Contract Delivery Service (CDS) to ensure that mail arrives timely. What steps are you taking to ensure that, while long-term hiring efforts are underway, routes are approved for contract service to ensure adequate coverage?
What are the average on-time delivery rates for last-mile delivery for 2024 and 2025?
What are the average on-time delivery rates for standard mail delivery services for 2024 and 2025?
What steps has the Postal Service taken to ensure that all ballots are timely delivered to eligible voters?
What specific elements of the ten-year plan have you identified that need to be altered or abandoned to ensure USPS can fulfill its mission?
As part of your fleet modernization plan, how many new delivery vehicles will Vermont receive to facilitate mail delivery?

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Rep. Balint Introduces Legislation to Protect Kids from Addictive AI Chatbots

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Bill Text (PDF) | Section-by-Section Summary (PDF)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Becca Balint (VT-AL) today introduced the Addictive Design Act, legislation to protect young people from the mental health risks posed by AI chatbots designed to foster emotional attachment, compulsive use, and ultimately, addiction.

As AI chatbots become increasingly common in the lives of young people, a growing number of teenagers are turning to them for mental health support—even though most chatbots are not designed to respond safely to a youth experiencing a mental health crisis. At the same time, many AI chatbots use design features intended to keep users engaged and encourage them to form emotional relationships with the technology.

“Technology companies have spent years learning how to capture our attention and keep us engaged for as long as possible. They should not be allowed to apply those same tactics to vulnerable kids who may be turning to an AI chatbot during a mental health crisis,” said Rep. Balint. “As a parent to two teenagers, I have already seen the devastating consequences of a tech and social media industry that puts engagement and profit ahead of people’s well-being. We can't make the same mistake with AI. We need clear rules, research, and accountability before more families are forced to suffer the consequences.”

The Addictive Design Act would:

Ban AI chatbot companies from letting youth access an AI chatbot with design features known to increase addiction, unhealthy emotional attachment, and compulsive use;
Establish an interagency task force to make recommendations for addressing the mental health risks associated with AI chatbot use in youth, including unhealthy emotional attachment and addiction
Authorize $3 million to increase scientific research on the mental health risks associated with AI chatbot use in youth;
Authorize $5 million for parent and educator outreach programs around identifying mental health warning signs associated with AI chatbot use in youth;
Require covered entities to provide necessary data to grant-funded researchers studying the mental health impacts of AI chatbots, with penalties of up to $10 million for refusing to provide required data;
Authorize civil penalties of up to $5,000 per youth impacted for companies that make AI chatbots with addictive design features available to minors; and
Require companies that use age verification to minimize the data they collect and delete that data within 24 hours.

The bill defines addictive design features to include elements such as typing bubbles, avatars, storing and using personal information from previous conversations, requiring additional engagement or payment to continue conversations, maintaining conversations lasting longer than two hours, and impersonating a real person.

This legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Tom Suozzi (NY-3), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

The Addictive Design Act is endorsed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American Psychiatric Association, the Center for Health and Democracy, the Clinical Social Work Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and Public Citizen.

"Children deserve technology that serves them, but too often Big Tech is engineering AI companions to keep children emotionally dependent,” said J.B. Branch, Director of Federal AI Governance and Technology Policy at Public Citizen. “The Addictive Design Act recognizes a simple principle: when companies intentionally design AI to maximize attachment, they must also be accountable for the predictable harms that follow. This legislation is an important step toward putting children's well-being ahead AI engagement metrics."

"AI chatbots should never be designed to keep young people emotionally dependent or endlessly engaged at the expense of their mental health,” said Rachel Madley, PhD, Executive Director at the Center for Health and Democracy. “The Addictive Design Act takes an important step toward protecting children by prohibiting addictive AI design features, investing in research, and giving parents, educators, and policymakers the tools they need to address these emerging mental health risks before more families are harmed. Congress should pass it without delay."

“As artificial intelligence and virtual chatbots become increasingly prevalent in the lives of youth and young adults, it is critical that we better understand how these technologies, including design features intended to increase engagement and emotional connection may affect young people’s mental health and well-being,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A. Executive Vice President and Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “The Addictive Design Act is an important step toward strengthening youth suicide prevention by supporting research, strengthening understanding of emerging risks, and equipping parents, caregivers, and educators with the information and resources to have meaningful conversations that support young people’s mental health and safety.”

"AI is moving faster than we can regulate it,” says Heidi McIntosh, MSW, NASW Chief Operating Officer. “That means young people, who are still reeling from the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, search for resources to help them navigate their lives; they are bombarded with therapy chatbots. Without regulation, these programs will prey on young people's desire for emotional connection. The Addictive Design Act takes a stand by banning chatbot companies from letting minors access an AI chatbot with addictive features and creates scientific research opportunities and parent and educator outreach programs to continue to grow community competency on AI chatbots and their impact on youth mental health. The National Association of Social Workers is proud to endorse this bill as a major step toward protecting young people and their mental health.”

“AI has the potential to improve mental health care, but innovation must be grounded in evidence and designed to protect patients – especially children and adolescents,” said Dr. Marketa M. Wills, CEO and Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association. “AI chatbots should never replace the physician-patient relationship, which remains essential to safe, evidence-based, patient-centered care. By investing in research, convening experts to develop recommendations, and prohibiting addictive design features in chatbots available to youth, this bill takes an important step toward understanding AI’s effects and protecting young people.”

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Balint, Warren, Banks, and Cline File Bipartisan, Bicameral Resolution Directing the FTC to Investigate Corporate Roll-ups of Firetruck Manufacturers

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Resolution (PDF) | One Pager (PDF)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (D-Vt.) and Ben Cline (R-Va.), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.), filed a bipartisan, bicameral resolution directing the FTC to investigate serial acquisitions of firetruck manufacturers.

Following two decades of consolidation by private equity firms and larger manufacturers, a vast majority of the fire truck manufacturing industry is now controlled by just three companies. Since then:

Prices have skyrocketed. Fire truck prices have doubled over the last decade, far outpacing inflation for heavy-duty truck manufacturing over that time period. Manufacturers have also exploited their market power to implement “floating” prices, increasing the final price of a fire truck after it goes into production.
Manufacturing plants have shuttered. Dominant fire truck manufacturers have restricted supply by closing their own manufacturing facilities, even though demand for fire trucks has increased in recent years.
Delivery backlogs are growing. Since 2019, the lead times for fire truck delivery have nearly tripled, and fire departments are now facing delivery delays of up to five years.
Working conditions are unsafe. Higher prices and longer delivery times for fire trucks have prevented fire departments from replacing aging trucks, depriving fire fighters of the essential equipment required to work safely and effectively.

Rampant consolidation in the fire truck manufacturing industry is undermining public safety, squeezing fire departments’ budgets, and forcing taxpayers to bear the consequences.

The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes Congress, through a joint resolution passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, to direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate and report the facts relating to any alleged violations of antitrust law. However, Congress has not used this authority to order an FTC investigation since the Great Depression era.

This bipartisan joint resolution would revive that authority and direct the FTC to report to Congress within one year on:

The extent of anticompetitive practices and violations of antitrust law in the fire truck manufacturing industry, including price fixing, price gouging, serial acquisitions, and monopolization;
The monetary and other harms of anticompetitive practices and violations of antitrust law in the fire truck manufacturing industry on fire fighters, fire departments, states, municipalities, and small businesses; and
Recommendations for legislation or other remedial actions.

“Every community deserves to have the fire trucks it needs to keep people safe. But corporate consolidation has driven up prices considerably and left communities waiting years for this essential, lifesaving equipment,” said Representative Balint. “This is yet another example of why we need strong antitrust enforcement: a handful of powerful companies shouldn't be able to use their power to get richer by making it harder for communities to protect themselves.”

“When giant corporations and Wall Street investors buy up all the fire truck manufacturers, it’s a threat to public safety,” said Senator Warren. “There’s a growing, bipartisan consensus that Congress must stop a handful of corporations from dominating fire truck manufacturing and making it harder and tremendously more expensive to get fire trucks.”

“Anticompetitive practices are strong-arming our cities, wasting taxpayer dollars, and leaving firefighters without life-saving equipment. I’m proud to join this bipartisan investigation as we fight to put hardworking Indiana taxpayers first,” said Senator Banks.

“Too often, growing delivery backlogs in the fire truck manufacturing industry are leaving fire departments across the Commonwealth and our Nation without the necessary equipment first responders need to do their jobs safely and effectively. This bipartisan resolution takes an important first step to restore competition, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and ensure taxpayers and local fire departments receive fair value,” said Representative Cline.

This follows a bipartisan investigation led by Senators Warren and Banks into the harms of private equity roll-ups of fire truck manufacturers that they launched in April 2025.

Senator Warren also sounded the alarm on private equity’s consolidation of the fire truck manufacturing industry at a September 2025 hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Disaster Management, District of Columbia, and Census.

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the American Economic Liberties Project (AELP) have endorsed the resolution.

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