Dear Friend, 

Welcome back to the McBride Memo—my weekly dispatch on the work at hand, brewed strong for your Friday morning. This week reminded me why we fight—not with noise, but with facts, with results, and always, with Delaware at the center. From delivering lower energy costs and good-paying jobs, to standing up to political distractions and defending our shared priorities, I’ve been working hard to keep our focus where it belongs: on the people I serve.

1. One Big Thing: Big news, Delaware! This week, the House passed my provision with bipartisan support that’ll lead to new jobs and lower energy costs across our state of neighbors. How? By ensuring that Data Centers–large facilities that require a lot of water and energy to operate–are using new, Delaware-based technologies, that will reduce their water and energy usage. All in all, this means more jobs, more sustainability and grid resiliency, and lower energy costs for all of us. I’m going to continue working alongside my colleagues to get this across the finish line–and deliver for Delaware.

2. Driving The News: The MAGA base is fracturing over the Epstein Files—and for once, even some of Trump’s most loyal followers are seeing the cracks. For years, he’s peddled conspiracy theories, stoked fear, and twisted the truth for political gain.

But here’s the thing: when your platform is built on lies, even your own supporters start to notice the foundation crumbling. It’s not just hypocrisy—it’s manipulation. And Delawareans deserve leaders who deal in facts, not fantasy.

3. On The Floor: This week, I delivered three floor speeches—each one rooted in the stories and strength of Delawareans.

A school resource officer and Delaware’s Mentor of the Month, Officer Scisco is helping build a culture of safety, one relationship at a time. His advice to his mentee? “Stop, take a moment, and think.” Words we could all use these days. Check out the full speech here.

When a swimmer was in danger, six off-duty lifeguards raced through dangerous waters to save a life. Their bravery reflects the best of Delaware. You can watch my remarks here.

Finally, I shared about the press conference I hosted alongside Senators Coons that Blunt Rochester, and nutrition assistance leaders in Delaware last week. I spoke about the need for protecting against these cuts to SNAP and food assistance programs and highlighted the words of Elizabeth—a biochemist, widow, and mom—who called proposed SNAP cuts “theft, plain and simple.” Her story reminds us: hunger is a policy choice. And I’ll keep fighting it.  Watch the full speech here.

4. Legislative Priority: During a hearing this week on Trump’s foreign aid proposals, I pressed the State Department on devastating layoffs and a 71% staff cut to the anti-trafficking office. Their justification? That those workers were “just writing reports.” But trafficking hasn’t dropped 71%—and oversight can’t be outsourced to press conferences. I also challenged their $2.9 billion “America First Opportunity Fund”—a slush fund with no guardrails and plenty of red flags. You can see the full exchange here.

Also this week, the House voted—again—on Trump’s rescissions package. Let’s call it what it is: a budget cut that guts key domestic and global programs. Aid for Ukrainian civilians. Refugee support. Public broadcasting. Gone.

Paired with the heartless gutting of Medicaid and SNAP, slashing billions from these vital programs sends a clear message to families at home and the world: the U.S. does not prioritize the lifelines you count on.

Like I said in June: I won’t sit quietly while they claw back previously-approved funding our communities rely on. I’ll keep sounding the alarm and working on bipartisan solutions to combat this moral bankruptcy.

5. Our State of Neighbors: This week, I had the chance to meet with Delawareans who are building stronger communities, driving innovation, and pushing for policies rooted in dignity and common sense.

• I sat down with physical therapists from Delaware with the American Physical Therapy Association to talk about Medicare reforms and what it takes to help patients regain mobility, manage pain, and avoid unnecessary opioid use. Their message was clear: physical therapy is essential care, and it deserves fair coverage.
• Members of The HALO Trust, an organization that is shaping innovative solutions to locate and deactivate landmines, shared powerful updates on their work to make Ukrainian communities safe again.
• Housing advocates from Cinnaire joined me to discuss affordable housing in Wilmington and how we can preserve critical funding streams like the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and CDFI Fund—both under threat from Trump’s latest budget.
• Delaware’s Future Farmers of America brought optimism and a deep sense of purpose to our conversation about agricultural education. These young leaders are the next generation of environmental stewards and community builders, and their voices matter.
• Local brewers—including folks from Dogfish Head and Crooked Hammock—shared challenges facing their supply chains and what federal policy could do to help small craft brewers keep growing. Delaware’s beer scene isn’t just award-winning—it’s a job creator and a source of local pride.
• I heard from a Delaware-born expert Jena Murray from Medterra who is helping lead quality and safety policy for a national brand. She flagged how new proposals could effectively ban most hemp-derived products—and with them, thousands of small businesses. Regulation should be clear and consumer-first, not reactionary.
• Felician Services came by and shared their concerns about delayed victim services funding and what that means for survivors of trafficking. Federal support for these programs must be reliable and timely—lives depend on it.
• Finally, I met with students from Delaware Thespians who were in Washington for Arts Advocacy Day. Their excitement was infectious, and their message was simple: the arts belong in our schools and we must continue to provide funding to make sure the arts are accessible to all students. I couldn’t agree more.

Rep. McBride with members of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Rep. McBride meets with Delaware FFA.

A bit longer this week, but thank you for staying engaged, as always.

Stay in touch, and I'll do the same. Sarah McBride Delaware's Congresswoman

• Are you working in a STEM field in Delaware—or thinking about it? The new STAR Fund just launched to help folks like you pay down student loans while building a career here at home. Thanks to a partnership between the Delaware Division of Small Business and BioConnect DE, eligible workers in science, tech, engineering, math, and related fields can apply for up to $6,000 in tuition reimbursement over four years. Learn more and apply here!
• Congressional App Challenge: Calling all young coders! The Congressional App Challenge is now open to all middle and high school students in Delaware. This nationwide competition is a chance to flex your creativity, build real-world STEM skills, and develop your very own app. The winning app will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and featured at the national #HouseOfCode celebration. Learn more and get started here.
• Scholarship Opportunity: Students facing financial hurdles in their final year of school may be eligible for up to $2,500 through the Sallie Mae Fund’s Completing the Dream Scholarship, offered in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. These awards are designed to help cover unexpected costs that could prevent students from graduating. Applications are open now and will be accepted until December 1, 2025 — or until funds run out. Learn more: SallieMae.com.
• Service Academy Nominations: Our office is now accepting applications from Delaware students seeking nominations to our nation’s prestigious service academies! As a member of Congress, it is my honor to support these students in their efforts to serve our nation in uniform. The application deadline is October 15th and you can find more information on eligibility and application requirements here.
• Help navigating a federal agency: If you can't get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, our office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need. While we cannot guarantee you a favorable outcome, we will do our best to help you receive a fair and timely response to your problem. If you need help navigating a federal agency, please visit: mcbride.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency

Contact me

Click here to subscribe to my eNewsletter