Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) lead a bipartisan coalition including Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing legislation to reauthorize the independent, bipartisan United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today. The bipartisan bill would ensure the commission, set to expire on September 30, 2026, can continue its work to monitor religious freedom around the world. 

Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after President Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Noem approved more than $165.9 million in funding to North Carolina for Public Assistance (PA) grant projects to reimburse incurred costs from the COVID-19 Pandemic and for disaster recovery following Hurricane Helene