Dear Friend, 

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

This week brought more than a few reminders of why this work matters. From standing against the misuse of taxpayer dollars and demanding accountability from ICE, to honoring the legacy of John Lewis and spending time with some inspiring Delawareans, there is a lot to cover.

Here are five things you should know:  

This week, House Republicans released a new budget proposal that would give President Trump $73 billion for his reckless war in Iran — that’s just one piece of his unprecedented request to hand Pete Hegseth’s Department of Defense $1.5 trillion. That’s a 44% increase in defense spending, all while Americans here at home are struggling to afford their bills.

Budgets are more than numbers on a page. They are a statement of values — and once again, congressional Republicans are making their priorities painfully clear.

This is the same congressional majority that cut healthcare and food assistance for thousands of Delawareans. They told families across the First State there was no money to feed children or make life more affordable. But now, they’ve found tens of billions of dollars to continue funding an illegal war the majority of Americans don’t support and Congress never approved. 

My neighbors are already paying the price for this administration’s immoral funding decisions. They’re spending more on gas and groceries. The last thing they should be asked to do is finance another foreign war while they can barely afford to live in the communities they call home.  

I will oppose this proposal and continue pushing Congress to invest in the needs of the people we serve, because Delawareans deserve a budget that lowers costs, protects care, and improves lives — not one that spikes prices and greenlights chaos on the global stage.

Within seven days, two people were shot and killed by federal immigration officers.

In Texas, ICE agents killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo on his way to work. Days later in Maine, ICE agents killed Joan Sebastian Guerrero just outside his home. Both men were husbands and fathers. And neither was the intended target of ICE’s operations. 

This is what happens when armed federal agents are given sweeping power, billions of dollars, limited training, and virtually no accountability: lives are senselessly stolen by our government. 

Americans are not safer when untrained paramilitary forces parade down their streets. They’re not safer when their ethnicity makes them a target for intimidation or violence. And they’re certainly not safer if armed officers commit crimes with no consequences.

ICE has descended on our communities, used deadly force, and lied about their actions to cover for their incompetence. Roving patrols and unchecked profiling need to be stopped. Officers who commit crimes must be prosecuted. And Congress cannot keep handing ICE billions while its leadership obstructs oversight and evades accountability. 

I’ve opposed funding for Trump’s heartless immigration regime, and will continue working alongside my Democratic colleagues to bring an end to ICE’s deadly and inhumane enforcement tactics.

I’m also calling for independent investigations into the killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero, because we need a full accounting of the events that led to their deaths. Delawareans deserve a government that keeps our communities safe while respecting the rule of law and defending the dignity of every person in our state of neighbors.

This week, I took to the House floor to honor a leader who showed us in practice what good and necessary trouble looks like: Congressman John Lewis.

Six years ago today, we lost Congressman Lewis — the Conscience of the Congress and a giant of the Civil Rights Movement. He risked his life to secure the right to vote, expand equality, and ensure Black Americans could fully participate in our democracy.

But the work he devoted his life to remains under attack. We are facing renewed efforts to make it harder for Americans to vote, intimidate election officials, undermine confidence in our elections, and weaken Black political representation.

That is why I went to the floor not only to remember Congressman Lewis, but to recommit myself to the fight he helped lead. His legacy demands more than admiration. It demands action.

Congressman Lewis understood that hope is not reserved for moments when progress feels inevitable. Hope matters most when the reasons for despair feel greatest. He believed in the capacity of people to change — and, therefore, in the capacity of our country to change.

Remembering Congressman Lewis means defending the right to vote he worked so hard to secure. It means refusing to surrender to cynicism when democracy is tested. And it means continuing to get into good and necessary trouble until every American can participate fully and equally in our democracy. 

Earlier this summer, I warned that the Trump administration was trying to replace merit-based federal grants with a system vulnerable to political favoritism. This week, I, alongside several of my Democratic colleagues, sounded the alarm about what that power grab could mean for America’s farmers and Delaware’s agricultural community.

Agricultural research helps farmers protect livestock, improve harvests, lower costs, and strengthen our food supply. Those investments often take years to pay off, and they depend on stable partnerships between federal agencies, universities, researchers, and farmers.

But the administration’s proposed rule would give political appointees more power to suspend or terminate grants and steer funding toward partisan priorities. That kind of instability would slow innovation, raise costs, and make it harder for farmers to prepare for threats like avian flu and New World screwworm.

The price of that politicization would be especially high here in Delaware, where agriculture is more than an industry — it’s a central part of our economy, our identity, and the livelihoods of families across the First State. Delaware’s farmers and agricultural researchers are indispensable, and they should not have to wonder whether critical funding will disappear because their university, community, or state has fallen out of favor with the White House.

That is why my colleagues and I are urging OMB to withdraw this dangerous rule and protect the independent, evidence-based research partnerships that American agriculture depends on. Funding decisions should be guided by facts, need, and impact — not political loyalty.

Delaware’s farmers deserve stability — to be able to plan for the future, respond to new threats, and keep food on our tables. I’ll keep fighting to make sure politics never gets in the way of that critically important work.

Everywhere I went this week, Delawareans reminded me that the future of our state is being shaped every day by people who are willing to learn, lead, serve, and care for the communities they call home.

I met with Delaware’s Future Farmers of America state officer team during their visit to Washington. These young leaders represent more than 4,000 FFA members across our state, and they spoke with me about the importance of agricultural education, career and technical education, and leadership development. Their passion for service and commitment to Delaware’s agricultural economy left me feeling inspired and excited about the future of farming in Delaware.

I also joined the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays for a visit to Thompson Island, where we toured the first phase of a living shoreline project designed to protect this important natural and cultural site. By reducing erosion, improving water quality in Rehoboth Bay, and restoring habitat for horseshoe crabs, terrapins, and other wildlife, this project shows how thoughtful stewardship can strengthen both our environment and our communities. 

Later, I joined Senator Coons and Senator Blunt Rochester to cheer on our staff softball teams in a game we’ve affectionately dubbed the annual Delaware Duel. Folks from my office compete with Team Coons — so I may not have been an entirely neutral observer — but it was such a fun evening and a meaningful way to celebrate the people who work hard every day on behalf of our state.

Today, I visited G’s DElights, a women-owned, mom-run startup in Lewes working to reduce food waste and create new opportunities for Delaware farmers. Raelynn and Michele Grogan rescue surplus crops from local farms and use freeze-drying technology to turn them into small-batch products for restaurants and other businesses. They are also developing a platform designed to connect farmers’ excess harvests with chefs, processors, and buyers who can put them to good use. Their work is a great example of how local innovation can support our farms, strengthen our food system, and ensure good food doesn’t go to waste.

This week was a reminder of the many ways Delawareans show up for one another. I’ll keep carrying that example with me in Washington — and continue pushing for policies that treat every person and every community with dignity and respect.

Thank you for reading along and allowing me to do this work.

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

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

• Ready, Set, Retire!: Preparing for retirement can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to navigate this transition alone. On Thursday, August 20, my office and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors will host a free financial literacy event for Delawareans age 55 and older at the Georgetown CHEER Community Center. Attendees can hear from state and local experts on Medicare, Medicaid, elder law, consumer protection, long-term care, and more. The event runs from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. RSVP is encouraged but not required. Learn more and RSVP 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 15 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

Contact me

Click here to subscribe to my eNewsletter