Dear Friend, 

Welcome back to the McBride Memo — my weekly dispatch to Delawareans. 

This week, we’re marking three months of a war that never should have started, watching more corruption and self-enrichment from this administration, and lifting up Delawareans who keep showing us what service looks like. Here are five quick things:

 Three months into President Trump’s war with Iran, one thing is clear: this conflict was reckless and illegal on day one, and it has only grown more costly, more chaotic, and more dangerous since.

We have heard the ups and downs. The supposed breakthroughs. The “almost-there” negotiations. The confident claims that a deal was right around the corner. But reporting suggests what many of us have feared: our leverage is weakening, our munitions are being drained, and the administration still has not secured the agreement the President keeps promising.

That matters to military families in Delaware wondering what comes next. It matters to workers and small businesses watching uncertainty drive up costs. It matters to every family already squeezed by the rising cost of groceries, gas, housing, and health care.

This week offered another reminder of just how unstable this situation remains, with the conflict swinging between reports of a potential resolution and renewed threats of escalation. No president should be able to drag this country into another forever war with a tweet, dismiss the consequences here at home, and then pretend that instability is strength.

Delawareans deserve a foreign policy rooted in diplomacy and accountability. I’ll continue to push for transparency and an end to this war — because my neighbors deserve honesty.

 While families across Delaware are still asking when costs will come down, President Trump and his family seem singularly focused on something else: themselves.

The latest reporting about Trump appointees pushing for a $250 bill bearing the President’s face is yet another example of their complete disregard for the challenges everyday Americans are facing. We are witnessing an administration that too often resembles a vanity project rather than an exercise in public service.

Their priorities? Putting a living president on American currency. Building a massive arch in Washington. Spending taxpayer dollars on a gilded ballroom.

At a time when people are working harder and falling further behind, the President and his family continue to use public power for personal brand-building and self-enrichment that continues to balloon their personal wealth. It is a misuse of public trust. It is an embarrassment to the office. And it is a betrayal of what government is supposed to be.

In Delaware, we know public service is not about putting your face on money. It is about making sure seniors can access Social Security, veterans can receive the benefits they earned, parents can afford child care, and workers can come home safely with a decent paycheck.

That is the standard I will keep working toward: substance over spectacle, service over self-interest, and a government that remembers who it is supposed to serve.

 I was proud to sign on to a legislative maneuver that would force a vote on the House floor on the Major Richard Star Act, bipartisan legislation that would fix an unfair penalty facing many combat-wounded veterans.

Right now, some medically retired veterans are forced to give up part — or even all — of their military retirement pay simply because they also receive disability compensation from the VA. That makes no sense. Retirement pay honors service. Disability compensation helps address the long-term effects of injuries sustained in service. Veterans and their families earned both.

The Major Richard Star Act would end this dollar-for-dollar offset for combat-injured medical retirees and allow them to receive the full benefits they earned.

This is exactly the kind of issue where government should be able to do the right thing. Our veterans should not have to send email after email, year after year, asking Congress to keep a promise that should have been kept from the start.

I am a proud cosponsor of this bill, and I’ll keep supporting every effort to get it to the floor. Because when someone serves our country and comes home with injuries from that service, they deserve a system that supports them — not one that makes them fight through more red tape just to receive what they have earned.

Last week, I demanded answers from the State Department on the future of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and arms control policy. With the expiration of New START earlier this year, the world lost the last remaining treaty limiting the two largest nuclear arsenals on earth.

At a moment when this administration’s war with Iran is destabilizing the region and increasing the risk of nuclear proliferation, the United States cannot afford to walk away from diplomacy, transparency, and verifiable arms control.

I urged the State Department to re-engage in serious bilateral and multilateral diplomacy — including with Russia, China, and other partners — and pressed them to brief Congress on what progress was made at the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference. I also called for a clear accounting of what new or renewed agreements may still be possible.

Because when global rules break down, the world becomes more dangerous. And when countries begin to believe nuclear weapons are the only way to protect themselves, every family, every servicemember, and every community is less safe. Real strength is not measured by how many conflicts we start; it is measured by our ability to keep Americans safe at home and abroad and to prevent a new nuclear arms race.

You can read my letter to the State Department here.

Everywhere I went this week, Delawareans reminded me what real service looks like. Not speeches and slogans, just people showing up for one another, solving problems, and keeping our state of neighbors strong.

I sat down with Lucretia Young from AARP Delaware to talk about the issues that matter most to older Delawareans and family caregivers: protecting Social Security, strengthening Medicare and Medicaid, supporting paid leave, and making sure seniors can age with dignity in the communities they love. Delaware has one of the oldest populations per capita in the country, so this work is personal here. No one should spend a lifetime paying into a system only to be met with delays, cuts, scams, or confusion when they need help most.

I also met with Delaware faith leaders and advocates from the Friends Committee on National Legislation for a thoughtful conversation about humanitarian conditions in Gaza, medical access, diplomacy, and the need for congressional oversight. These are painful and urgent issues, and I am grateful to the faith leaders who approached the conversation with moral seriousness and compassion. Their message was clear: protecting innocent life, expanding humanitarian access, and pursuing peace must remain central to American leadership.

At Laborers Local 199, I had the chance to spend time with union members and hear directly from workers about wages, benefits, health care, retirement security, and the future of good-paying construction and infrastructure jobs in Delaware. When workers can organize, bargain, train, and build safely, Delaware is stronger for it, and I’m proud to stand with unions across our state in their efforts to fight for fairer worker protections each day. 

And finally, this week we said goodbye to Mayor Mike Purzycki — a friend, mentor, and deeply dedicated public servant whose impact on Wilmington and Delaware will be felt for generations. Mike led with confidence and compassion, with honesty and humor, and always with Wilmington in his heart. From the Eastside to the Highlands to the Riverfront, his vision helped shape a stronger, more vibrant city. My prayers remain with Bette, their children, and everyone who loved him.

Weeks like this remind me that public service is measured by what we do for people, not what we build for ourselves. That was true in Mike’s life. It is true in every union hall, church basement, senior center, and neighborhood across Delaware. And it is the standard I’ll keep carrying with me.

Talk soon, Delaware.

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

• Service Academy Nominations: Our office is 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.
• Are you prepared? Our office will be partnering with state and local partners to provide an Emergency Preparedness Fair! If you do not have an emergency preparedness plan, this is a great opportunity to hear from community experts about how to stay vigilant. Learn more and RSVP 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 winner will also be invited to the national #HouseOfCode celebration in D.C! Learn more and get started 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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