43 Senators sign letter supporting demining funding
On April 28th, 2026, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) submitted a letter to the Senate State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Subcommittee requesting $290 million for the State Department’s Conventional Weapons Destruction (CWD) account in the FY27 budget, which would increase funding for humanitarian demining and weapons security programming around the world.
The letter, which was signed by 43 signatures, also requested $80 million for demining in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, which would support demining programs that are removing U.S. legacy ordnance from the Vietnam War – saving lives and promoting diplomacy and U.S. leadership in the region. The letter also requested additional funds for programs in Sri Lanka, Angola, and Zimbabwe, and sustained support for demining activities in Ukraine. HALO is grateful for Congress’s continued strong commitment to Conventional Weapons Destruction, which saves lives and promotes national and global security.
In roughly 40 countries, Conventional Weapons Destruction initiatives enhance safety, reinforce U.S. security partnerships, and support American soft power. Demining efforts directly benefit local populations worldwide, and U.S. flags displayed on demining equipment and protective gear are a clear, visible symbol of American leadership and impact.
These programs deliver concrete results within defined timelines, quickly restoring land to local communities, spurring economic growth, enabling trade, and contributing to lower global food costs. At the same time, CWD efforts prevent explosives and arms from falling into the hands of terrorist organizations, cartels, and other criminal groups by securing government stockpiles—safeguarding U.S. interests and promoting international stability.
Thank you to Senator Van Hollen for leading this letter and all the Senators who signed to support this lifesaving work.
Signatures on the FY27 Van Hollen Global Demining Letter include: Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Angus King Jr., Sen. Jack Reed, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Chris Murphy, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Adam Schiff, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Andy Kim, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Maggie Hassan, Sen. Ben Lujan, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Peter Welch, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Sen. John Ossoff, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Sen. Maria Cantwell, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Ruben Gallego, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Mark Kelly, and Sen. Mark Warner.
