Dear Friend, 

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

It's Fourth of July weekend in the First State — a time for parades, fireworks, family gatherings, and special moments to appreciate the communities we call home. This week’s memo covers a lot of ground: the costs Delaware families are still carrying, the neighbors whose futures are at stake, the practical work moving through Congress, and the people across our state who keep showing up for one another.

Here are five things you should know this week:  

One year ago today, House Republicans made their priorities painfully clear.

They passed President Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act to give massive tax cuts to his ultra-wealthy donors, paid for by the largest cuts to Medicaid in American history — forcing Americans to go without care and raising healthcare costs across the board.

There’s no mistaking the message they sent. Congressional Republicans chose billionaires over parents struggling to pay for groceries. They chose the well-connected over seniors trying to afford prescriptions. They chose cruelty and corruption over care and compassion. That is Trumpcare — when millions lose coverage, when Americans are forced to pay more for insurance, and when they have to drive longer and take more time off work to get care.

And one year in, my neighbors are living with the consequences.

Nearly 40,000 people in Delaware are projected to lose their healthcare. More than 18,000 Delawareans have already fallen off SNAP. And families across our state are paying nearly $2,000 more for basic needs under Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans.

Their Big Ugly Bill amounts to the single largest transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich in American history. The numbers don’t lie: While the highest-income families in America are expected to receive roughly $13,600 from tax cuts annually, the lowest-income families are projected to lose around $1,200 a year.

I voted against this immoral legislation a year ago, and today I remain determined to reverse its harmful effects. I’ll never stop pushing for policies that lower costs, protect care, and support families across the First State — especially in our rural communities — because Delawareans deserve a government that works for them, not just the wealthy and well-connected. 

For 250 years, each generation has been asked the same question: Will we expand the meaning of freedom and equality, or restrict it? Will we widen the circle of belonging, or pull it tighter around fewer people?

Donald Trump has spent his presidency trying to narrow our idea of who belongs in America. Who counts. Who’s protected. Who gets to build a life, raise a family, and call this country home.

This week, the Supreme Court rejected one of his most dangerous attempts: his effort to end birthright citizenship. That decision was a win for our Constitution, our democracy, and the basic promise of freedom and justice for all.

Yet, at the same time, the Court greenlit the administration’s actions to strip legal protections from Haitian and Syrian immigrants with Temporary Protected Status — people who registered, were vetted, trusted the process, and built their lives here legally.

Let’s be clear: this is Trump pulling the rug out from under families who’ve done everything our government has asked of them and undermines the very reason TPS exists. Stripping TPS from Haitian and Syrian families who fled instability and violence while their home countries are still unstable is cruel. It’s destabilizing. And it’s fundamentally at odds with who we are as Americans.

Here in Delaware, we know that the stakes of this decision aren’t abstract. Haitian Delawareans are caregivers, healthcare workers, farmworkers, small business owners, parents, neighbors, and friends. They strengthen our communities and power our economy.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t demonize or ostracize our way to stability. For 250 years, the American story has been about building and including, not destroying and dividing. My goal as your representative will always be to build on that legacy, so we can continue creating a more perfect Union. 

Now Congress must act to provide lasting protections for Haitian and Syrian TPS holders and build an immigration system that reflects our values — one rooted in dignity, safety, and decency.

Please know that if you or your family have been affected by the Supreme Court’s ruling, you can reach out to my office for assistance by clicking here.

We all know that artificial intelligence is an extremely consequential technology, but too many people still lack clear information about what it is and how to use AI tools safely. My bill, the READ AI Models Act, is designed to change that — and I’m excited to share that last week it passed the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee with unanimous support from both Democrats and Republicans. 

The READ AI Models Act directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create a  modular template — think of it like a nutrition label for AI models — that developers can use to create and share clear, consistent information about their AI tools. 

That kind of clarity is extremely important. While big companies have the staff and capacity to evaluate AI models on their own, smaller organizations may not. Making clear, reliable information easier to access helps level the playing field — allowing more people to compare tools, understand risks, ask the right questions, and make AI work for their specific needs.

School districts will be better positioned to serve their students. Small businesses will be better positioned to deliver for their customers. And local governments will be better positioned to show up for their constituents. 

Done right, AI has the potential to improve healthcare, support workers, strengthen commerce, and keep America competitive. But building that future will require practical, bipartisan solutions that protect innovation, build trust, and ensure this technology opens doors instead of widening divides. 

I’m proud of the READ AI Models Act because it strikes exactly that balance, and I’ll continue working to make sure AI serves families, students, workers, small businesses, patients, and communities across the First State — because every Delawarean deserves a future where technology maximizes their potential, not limits their opportunities. Check out my remarks in committee here!

Earlier this summer, the Trump administration proposed a dangerous new rule that would give his political appointees power to review and approve grants across the federal government. To prevent this partisan power grab, I’m proudly cosponsoring the Protect Local Funding Act.  

For decades, dedicated public servants have awarded federal grants based on need, evidence, and impact — not political loyalty. But the Trump administration’s new proposed rule would empower partisan political loyalists to overrule grant decisions made by career experts, peer reviewers, and subject matter specialists. This would effectively take a process built around merit and replace it with one that’s vulnerable to favoritism and political retaliation.

The Protect Local Funding Act would block the administration from implementing or enforcing its proposed rule and protect independent, merit-based grantmaking across the federal government. 

Preserving the integrity of our federal grant process is critically important. Federal grants support lifesaving medical research, public health programs, nonprofits, local governments, public safety, workforce development, disaster preparedness, and scientific innovation. Decisions in these arenas should be guided by facts and community need — not by whether a community or institution has fallen in or out of favor with the White House.

Good government shows up for people regardless of where they live, who they are, or how they vote. That’s the least my neighbors here in Delaware deserve — a federal government that treats every community with fairness and dignity. That’s the kind of government that I hope we can preserve, and that’s the kind of leadership I will continue to deliver. 

As we head into the Fourth of July weekend, I’ve been thinking a lot about what holds a country together. Traveling around Delaware, you all make the answer abundantly clear: our neighbors. People who choose, day after day, to look out for one another and care for each other.

At Limen Recovery + Wellness in Wilmington, I joined neighbors for their Life & Recovery Pride Month Celebration. Since 1969, Limen has been helping Delawareans recovering from substance use disorder, and this gathering was a beautiful reminder that healing and authenticity both become possible when people do not have to carry their burdens alone. Pride began as a demand for dignity, and recovery is so often a journey toward that same truth: that every person deserves love, support, and the chance to build a life not defined by their hardest day, but by their capacity to grow.

I also stopped by the St. Paul’s Catholic Church Gala in Wilmington. It was wonderful to be with parish leaders, members of the Latin American Community Center, the Delaware Hispanic Commission, and so many neighbors committed to sustaining a place where faith, culture, service, and belonging come together to help families feel rooted and supported. Communities like St. Paul underscore the care and connection that truly make Delaware a state of neighbors. 

I also made a quick trip to Philadelphia — yes, Pennsylvania, our lesser neighbor state, which we love anyway — for America’s 250th celebration. Standing in the birthplace of our nation, I was reminded that patriotism is not just pride in where we have been. It’s responsibility for where we go next. Delaware understands that responsibility well. We were first to ratify the Constitution, and generations of Delawareans — from the abolitionist and suffragist Mary Ann Shadd Cary to the civil rights champion Louis Redding — have worked tirelessly to push this nation forward and expand its circle of belonging. 

Have a happy and safe Fourth, Delaware! I hope our celebrations and reflections on America’s 250th birthday reaffirm our commitment to making America freer and fairer for each of our neighbors. And remember to stay cool and check in with one another.

Whatever you are up to this weekend, I hope it’s a good one.

Talk soon, Delaware.

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

• Stay cool during extreme heat: Our state is facing extreme temperatures this week. Remember to stay indoors if possible, stay hydrated, and stay connected with local guidance in the event of power outages. Find more resources and information on facing extreme heat from the Delaware Emergency Management Agency or PrepareDE here.
  
• 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.
• 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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