No Blank Checks Without Transparency and Limits on Power

I’m writing as a constituent deeply concerned about the erosion of transparency, truth, and the rule of law in our country. I believe Congress has a duty to use every tool at its disposal—including the power of the purse—to demand accountability from the executive branch. As negotiations over government funding approach, I urge you to stand firm and publicly insist on the following accountability measures being addressed before any funding agreement is finalized: Full transparency on the Epstein case. The administration should release, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all Epstein-related documents—redacting only information that would identify or endanger victims—and explain any decisions to place Ghislaine Maxwell in unusually low-security conditions. Honesty about tariffs. The administration must stop misleading Americans by portraying tariffs as taxes paid by foreign countries. Congress should require accurate public accounting of who bears the cost of these policies. Respect for constitutional limits on force. Congress must reaffirm—through statute, appropriations language, and oversight—that federal troops or unidentified agents cannot be deployed into American cities against the will of governors, except where expressly authorized by law. These measures are about more than partisan politics; they’re about defending the basic norms of transparency, honesty, and civilian rule of law. If the administration refuses to engage in good-faith negotiations on these issues, the American people deserve to know exactly why—and members of Congress should make that refusal public and unmistakable. I know these are tough fights. But the stakes for our democracy are far higher than the discomfort of a budget standoff. Please be bold in using the power of the purse to defend transparency and the rule of law