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Dear Friend,
Welcome to this week’s McBride Memo—my dispatch to you from D.C. and Delaware. This was Congress’ final week in session before the holiday break and the New Year and, as most weeks in D.C. are, it was full of working to combat both action and inaction that stands to harm Delawareans. Here are five quick(ish) things:
1. One Big Thing: This week, Speaker Johnson proved that he was uninterested in ensuring that 40,000 Delawareans maintain their access to affordable health care. I, along with hundreds of Democrats and a handful of Republicans, signed a bipartisan discharge petition that would have protected these premiums for the next three years. I have said it before and will continue to say: families should not be faced with having to choose between seeking the care they need and making ends meet. At a moment when prices are already too high, making a 60-year-old couple’s annual premium increase by 400% is unconscionable.
This was the last week of legislative business before the New Year, when these premiums officially expire. The Speaker could have brought our bipartisan measure to the floor and ensured that Congress took action to protect the health care that thousands of my neighbors and millions of Americans depend on. His inaction sends a clear message: that your access to affordable and reliable care is not the priority of Speaker Johnson and his conference.
The premium hikes that my colleagues and I have been warning about for months will soon hit families up and down Delaware, and I take that seriously. Your stories are not forgotten, and this is not the end of this fight. I will continue fighting to ensure that my neighbors are not breaking the bank to survive.
2. Driving the News: Last week I noted my concern about the disturbing lack of oversight that Congress has exercised over the lethal attacks on vessels off the coast of Venezuela.
This week, I voted in favor of two bills which make clear that the President lacks the authority to conduct them. Both of these bills were focused on reasserting Congress’ constitutional authority in matters of war and peace. Unfortunately, both of these measures failed because Congressional Republicans refused to buck the President publicly.
This is not just about foreign policy. This is about who we are and the role we play on the international stage. Delawareans understand that military decisions often have real-world impact in our communities. As home to Dover Air Force Base, it is often our neighbors who are asked to carry out actions in defense of our nation and allies. We owe those neighbors leadership that is careful and measured—not careless and cruel.
I will continue working to bring transparency to our defensive operations, because no matter how you feel about the President, we can all agree that our democratic system requires accountability to the rule of law.
3. ICYMI: This week, I joined SiriusXM’s Julie Mason Show to reflect on my first year in Congress—what we’ve accomplished, what’s ahead and why I’m staying focused on lowering costs and defending care.
I shared some major milestones from the past 11 months:
- Introducing more bipartisan legislation than any other freshman member of Congress;
- Returning nearly $4 million to Delawareans through casework;Restoring $1 billion in home health funding after a successful bipartisan push.
But I also warned of what’s coming if Congress doesn’t act: we are in the beginning stages of a $1 trillion ticking time bomb in the American health care system.
At the end of this year, the ACA’s Enhanced Premium Tax Credits are set to expire, sending monthly premiums soaring for millions of families. And soon after, the Trump administration’s Medicaid cuts will take effect—stripping coverage from millions more and putting pressure on hospitals, caregivers, and everyone else trying to afford care.
We’re living under Trumpcare now — and the consequences will hit families hard. Listen to the full interview here.
4. Legislative Priority: This week, I proudly joined Reps. Quigley, Jayapal, and Foushee to reintroduce the PROTECT Immigration Act—a bill to end the 287(g) program that deputizes local police to enforce federal immigration law.
Under the Trump administration, this program expanded nearly 900%, turning routine traffic stops into immigration enforcement actions and fueling due process violations, racial profiling, and wrongful detentions. It’s putting families in fear and distracting from real public safety priorities.
The PROTECT Immigration Act makes clear: immigration enforcement should remain under the jurisdiction of federal agents, not local police who should remain focused on keeping our communities safe. Delawareans across the state - our neighbors, friends, and community members - should not have to live in fear of being deported while dropping their child off at school, shopping for groceries, driving to work, or visiting the doctor’s office. Above all, this bill will return to every member of our community the confidence to seek help when they most need it from local law enforcement officers.
You can watch my full remarks on reintroduction here.
5. Our State of Neighbors: As you know well, there is nothing that fills me up quite like time with my neighbors. I was thrilled to join some of my neighbors in celebrating a few small wonders. Here are a few of those meetings:
I joined students and staff from Delaware Futures for their Table of Hope community dinner—a reminder that opportunity starts with showing up for one another. With recent government shutdowns and cuts to food assistance hitting families hard, this gathering was about more than a meal. Delaware Futures’ work provides academic support, mentorship, and college and career readiness to students across all three counties shows what’s possible when we invest in young people with dignity and consistency. Their results speak for themselves, and I’m grateful for the chance to listen, encourage, and spend time with students who are building their futures right here in Delaware.
At the Delaware Farm Bureau’s 81st Annual Banquet in Dover, I had the chance to connect with farmers and agricultural leaders who keep our state fed, employed, and rooted. Delaware’s farm families are navigating real challenges—from rising costs to uncertainty created by trade policy—and their message was clear: they need stability, fairness, and a Farm Bill that protects those who grow our food. Nights like this are a reminder that agriculture isn’t just the backbone of Delaware—it’s a way of life, and our policies should reflect that.
I joined Senators Coons and Blunt Rochester at Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County to celebrate the impact of federal funding that helped transform their Opportunity Hub and launch Goodwill Connect. Thanks to this investment, hundreds of Delawareans are getting personalized job training, digital skills, and real pathways to employment — with nearly 200 already placed in jobs paying family-sustaining wages. This is what it looks like when federal dollars meet local leadership: people-centered workforce development that opens doors and builds economic mobility right here at home.
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| Rep. McBride, Senator Coons, and Senator Blunt Rochester with Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County. |
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| Rep. McBride at the Delaware Farm Bureau's annual banquet. |
| Stay in touch, and I'll do the same. |
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| Sarah McBride |
| Delaware's Congresswoman |
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- Summer seminar at the United States Air Force Academy—The Summer Seminar at the US Air Force Academy gives high school juniors in the summer before their senior year to spend five days living the immersive experience of an Academy cadet! There are three sessions in the month of June, and applications close January 15th! Learn more and apply here.
- Small Business Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available now—As a result of the April 1, 2025 drought, small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in Kent and New Castle county can apply for low interest federal disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration until December 8! Funds from these loans can be used to pay fixed debts, amend payroll and accounts payable expenses, and other bills. Funding is available even if the business did not sustain physical damages as a result of the disaster. Learn more and apply here.
- Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health coverage is officially open! From November 1 through January 15, Delawareans can visit HealthCare.gov to enroll, review, or update their 2025 plans. Even if you’re happy with your current coverage, take a few minutes to explore new options– premiums and benefits can change each year. Need help? Call 1-800-318-2596, visit HealthCare.gov or reach out to our office for support.
- Health Insurance Premium Program (HIPP) – If you’re struggling to afford your health insurance premiums while managing kidney failure, The American Kidney Fund’s (AKF) Health Insurance Premium Program (HIPP) may be able to help. AKF’s national program provides grants to help dialysis and transplant patients pay their monthly premiums—ensuring continued access to life-saving care. Learn more and see if you qualify here.
- Are you an innovative small business seeking investment? Delaware’s Division of Small Business is racing toward its year-end goal in the “Race to $14M” initiative—working to award every remaining dollar of federal State Small Business Credit Initiative funds by December 31. Nearly $10 million has already been invested in homegrown innovators like Aternium, BioCurie, and Versogen, fueling clean energy, biotech, and data breakthroughs right here in Delaware. These investments mean more jobs, stronger startups, and a brighter economic future for our state. Learn more at de.gov/ssbci!
- 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!
- 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: https://mcbride.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency
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