House Republicans on track to pass spending bills Biden says he’ll veto
House Republicans are on track to approve three government funding bills during the week of June 23. Not one bill has a chance at becoming law because President Biden said he’d veto them.
“President Biden doesn’t have to worry about vetoing them because they’re never going to get to his desk because the Senate’s not going to take any of it,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said.
Republicans are working to approve funding for the Homeland Security, State and Defense departments this week.
The GOP is moving forward on a party line basis and included measures that would be considered poison pills for Democrats. For instance, the Defense spending bill bans funds from being used for gender affirming care. The Homeland Security bill includes $600 million for border wall construction and cuts funding to nonprofits that shelter immigrants.
“We aren’t going for outrageously conservative things, we’re actually already having to compromise,” Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., said. “And for Biden in an election year to veto those things when he hasn’t done anything on the southern border, when he hasn’t done anything in decreasing regulation, decreasing the size of government.”
Defense and non-defense spending was supposed to increase 1%, but the State and Foreign Operations bill includes an 11% cut.
“I think it needs to go back to honor the deal that was made around the time of the debt ceiling and be be clear that we have divided government here and there probably some things that we wouldn’t necessarily agree on, but the upper limits were set and we should stick to those,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said.
However, talk of vetos may be premature. When the two chambers are divided between Democratic and Republican control, as they are now, both sides pass bills that fit their values and then they head to the negotiating table.
“The spending bills will go over to the Senate, the Senate will come back, we’ll conference them with the Senate if the Senate wants to get their act together and participate in this,” Rep. John Duarte, R-Calif., said. “And then we’ll send back a conference bill to Joe Biden.”
There are 12 bills that fund the federal government. Speaker Mike Johnson wants them all approved in the House before Congress leaves for the August recess. When Congress returns in the second week of September, members only have three weeks until they leave again to campaign for the entire month of October.
Trump visits Republicans on Capitol Hill, says he wants to eliminate taxes on tips
Former President Donald Trump visited Capitol Hill Thursday, June 13, to meet with House and Senate Republicans in two separate meetings. Lawmakers inside the room told Straight Arrow News that Trump discussed his 2024 campaign strategy and policy.
“We have great unity, we have great common sense, a lot of very smart people in this room and a lot of people that love our country,” Trump said after his meeting with senators.
Lawmakers were quick to talk about the former president’s new idea to end taxes on tips.
“Just remove all taxes on tips is basically what he said,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., said. “You don’t need a bunch of Harvard lawyers and accountants in there to tell me to do that.”
The former president also spoke about foreign policy. According to one representative, Trump said he wants to end support for foreign wars, specifically Ukraine, and increase financial support for members of the U.S. military.
“Trump reflected on the fact that it is a travesty in our country that you’ve got troops who are on food stamps, who are not even getting minimum wage when you look at the hours that they’re putting in, and he lamented the fact that we’re sending $60 billion to Ukraine and we’re not paying our troops more,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said. “So President Trump was explicitly a critic of the Ukraine aid and a supporter of the increases in pay for American troops.”
On border security, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said Republicans would make another attempt to get HR 2 signed into law. That bill is the Republicans’ border security bill which they passed in the House but could not move any further. The bill would limit the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to grant immigrant parole and restart border wall construction. However, it also included other measures that critics called harsh.
“We’ve already passed HR 2, our border security plan,” Greene said. “President Trump supports it. I think that would be something that he would get passed literally in his first few days of office.”
Amidst the tight security, there were two small groups of Trump supporters and very loud protesters. Many of the protesters were Palestinian and shouted that the lawmakers were racist Zionists as they left the meeting.
This was Trump’s first time back to the Capitol since the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Some Democrats criticized his appearance.
“Today, the instigator of an insurrection is returning to the scene of the crime,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told Politico. “January 6th was a crime against the Capitol, that saw Nazi and Confederate flags flying under the dome that Lincoln built. It was a crime against the Constitution and its peaceful transfer of power, in a desperate attempt to cling to power.”
Multiple reporters from foreign outlets asked lawmakers if they too think Trump was returning to the scene of a crime.
“No, it’s not a crime scene man,” Burchett said. “If you think some guy with horns is going to take over our country, ma’am, you need to go back to whatever news source you’re from.”
Republicans also said Trump will be holding at least 100 tele-town halls for members this election season as the GOP attempts to keep its House majority and win a majority in the Senate.
The invitation was extended by the top leaders of the House and Senate.
“The existential challenges we face, including the growing partnership between Iran, Russia, and China, threaten the security, peace and prosperity of our countries and of free people around the world,” Johnson, Chuck Schumer, D-NY., McConnell and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in the letter. “To build on our enduring relationship and to highlight America’s solidarity with Israel, we invite you to share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, combatting terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”
Initially, there was confusion over the date, but it was clarified that the address would be on July 24, avoiding the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.
The visit comes as tension grows between Netanyahu and the Biden administration. While the White House continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself, it has been critical of their army’s operations and the number of reported civilian causalities.
Some Democrats, like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., have expressed opposition and plan to boycott the speech.
“I am very moved to have the privilege of representing Israel before both houses of Congress and to present the truth about our just war against those who seek to destroy us to the representatives of the American people and the entire world,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Congressman’s 6-year-old steals show during his father’s speech
As the Tennessee lawmaker was delivering his serious speech criticizing last week’s verdict in former President Donald Trump’s trial, cameras captured his young son starting to make not-so-serious faces behind his dad.
After the speech was broadcast live on C-SPAN, little Guy Rose’s facial expressions and hand gestures soon turned into countless memes and videos, turning the recent kindergarten graduate into a social media star.
Rep. Rose said his son is with him for the week. In a social media post of his own, explained the origins of his son’s behavior saying, “This is what I get for telling my son, Guy, to smile at the camera for his little brother.”
Congressional staffers protest Israel vote, Republican calls for them to be fired
A group of House staffers protested on the steps of the Capitol Thursday, May 16, as lawmakers voted on and ultimately approved the Israel Security Assistance Support Act inside. If it were signed into law, the bill would prohibit the Defense Department from delaying or canceling congressionally approved military aid to Israel.
The staffers called on President Joe Biden and Congress to immediately end U.S. support for Israel.
“We have answered hundreds of thousands of messages from constituents demanding an immediate cease-fire, a surge of humanitarian aid and the release of all hostages,” Sam Elghanayan, a staffer for Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said. “Instead, disclosures to Congress indicate that the Biden administration is sending $1 billion in additional weapons to Israel and has yet to commit to a meaningful freeze of weapons transfers to Israel.”
As the protesters walked back to their offices, Republican lawmakers countered with American flags and reiterated their support for Israel and the legislation.
“Israel ought to have the right to have America’s unconditional support in its pursuit of those who caused October 7,” Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., said.
Reporters asked some of those representatives what the best way for staffers to protest would be. The question drew a blunt answer from Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.
“Well with all due respect, the American people didn’t elect these staffers, they elected their representatives,” Lawler said. “Their representatives are here, they have a right to vote how they want. If these staffers don’t like that, then they should resign. That would be their best way to protest. They have no business taking taxpayer money, which is what they’re doing when they come during work hours to protest, and wasting that taxpayer money to voice their opinion that, frankly, nobody asked them for.”
“Should they be fired?” a reporter asked.
“Yes, they should be fired immediately,” Lawler said.
The protests were for a bill that has a low chance of becoming a law. The Senate is not likely to vote on it and President Biden said he would veto it. However, House Republicans brought the bill forward anyway to make vulnerable Democrats take a tough vote.
Garland could be held in contempt as Biden asserts executive privilege over Hur recording
House Republicans are moving to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for failing to turn over the audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur. The move came after the president asserted executive privilege over the recordings.
Counselor to the president Edward Siskel informed the House Judiciary and Oversight committees of the president’s decision in a letter Thursday, May 15. That notice came hours before the committees’ meetings to move the contempt resolution to the House floor.
“The President has a duty to safeguard the integrity and independence of Executive Branch law enforcement functions and protect them from undue partisan interference that could weaken those functions in the future,” Siskel wrote.
The Republican chairmen received the transcript of Hur’s interview with President Biden. Additionally, they received Hur’s full report into the president’s handling of classified documents found at his home and personal office. The chairmen still want the audio recordings.
“This last minute invocation does not change the fact that the attorney general has not complied with our subpoena,” Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said.
“Clearly President Biden and his advisors fear releasing the audio recordings of his interview because it will again reaffirm to the American people that President Biden’s mental state is in decline,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said in a statement. “The House Oversight Committee requires these recordings as part of our investigation of President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.”
Democrats contend the audio recordings are unnecessary because the Department of Justice (DOJ) cooperated with the committees. According to Democrats, the DOJ handed over 92,000 documents and made dozens of witnesses available for interviews.
“Chairman Jordan claims that he needs these records to understand the pauses, pace, and tone of the conversation,” Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said during a hearing on the contempt resolution. “This is absurd and clearly pretextual, and in any event, does not outweigh the substantial concerns expressed by the president and the department.”
After the contempt resolution moves out of the committees, it still needs to be approved by the full House. There is not a vote scheduled yet.
Is a bill to require proof of citizenship for voting necessary?
A new House bill is reigniting the debate over whether noncitizens voting in U.S. elections is a big issue. The two major political parties have two different conclusions and politically biased news organizations are covering the issue in very different ways.
The bill would require a person to provide proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections. Republicans argued the bill aims to make elections more secure and implement safeguards to ensure noncitizens cannot vote.
Those opposing the bill argue it is a non-issue because there are already laws in place that make it illegal to vote if you are a noncitizen. Democrats contend the bill will further fuel election fraud claims that were rampant after the last presidential election.
The two parties stand in stark contrast and that’s made clear in recent headlines about noncitizen voting. News outlets with a left-leaning bias tie the SAVE Act to Donald Trump and portray the proposal as unnecessary.
The Associated Press: “Noncitizen voting isn’t an issue in federal elections, regardless of conspiracy theories. Here’s why.”
Reuters: “US Republicans target noncitizen voting, as Trump keeps up false voter fraud claims.”
The Washington Post: “The 2020-was-stolen crew is here to stoke fears of noncitizen voters.”
News outlets with a right-leaning bias tie the SAVE Act to illegal immigration increasing the number of noncitizens and portray noncitizen voting as a prevalent issue.
The Federalist: “Republicans Introduce SAVE Act To Block Illegal Aliens From Voting In U.S. Elections.”
The Washington Times:“Noncitizens caught voting in U.S. elections — here’s how they did it.”
FOX News: “House GOP eyes election safeguards to block ‘dangerously high number’ of illegal immigrants from voting.”
Here’s what Straight Arrow News found while researching on the topic.
It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, according to The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The NVRA requires a person to sign a document under penalty of perjury certifying that they are a U.S. citizen. However, there is also no federal system in place that verifies whether a voter is telling the truth.
Data available shows no proof of widespread voter fraud by noncitizens, though the data is limited.
A study by the Brennan Center, conducted after the 2016 election and published in 2017, is widely cited in reports about noncitizen voting, including in the AP and Reuters articles.
The study found only a few dozen cases out of millions that involved noncitizens potentially casting votes.
However, the study had limitations. Researchers conducted phone interviews with election officials in 44 counties out of more than 3,000 in the U.S., according to the study.
The study said the numerical responses given by the officials could be inaccurate as well. The report lists that factor under the “accounting for limitations” section of the study.
“The safeguards described were insufficient for preventing or identifying the registration of ineligible people,” the study said.
In conclusion, the number of known instances of noncitizens voting is extremely low, however, it’s not easy to track, according to some election officials.
The SAVE Act proposal, though igniting a divisive debate, is likely to go nowhere in Congress. The bill could pass the House where Republicans have the majority, but it would have slim chances to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Additionally, it is almost a surety President Biden would not sign it.
While lawmakers figure out whether to pass the law, Americans have already been polled on the issue.
Biden says US will not supply weapons to Israel for Rafah operation
President Joe Biden says the U.S. will not supply certain weapons to Israel should the country launch its major offensive on Rafah. And Democrats and Republicans come together to save the speaker of the House from being voted out. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Bidensays US will not supply weapons to Israel for Rafah operation
President Joe Biden has warned the United States will not supply Israel with certain weapons and artillery shells if the Israeli army proceeds with its major military operation in Rafah. Biden made these comments during an interview with CNN on Wednesday, May 8, following the U.S.’ decision to withhold a shipment of thousands of bombs to Israel due to growing differences over Israel’s tactics in Gaza.
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“Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” Biden said. “I’ve made it clear that if they go into Rafah, they haven’t gone on Rafah yet, if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, a deal with the city, deal with that problem.”
Despite the warning, Biden affirmed that the U.S. remains committed to Israel’s security, particularly in terms of supporting the Iron Dome defense system and Israel’s ability to defend itself against future attacks.
Though the Israeli military moved into Rafah starting on Tuesday, May 7, both the White House and Israel have described it as a limited operation. Biden told CNN that Israel’s current actions in Rafah have not crossed his red line, but he has cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. will not support the operation if it extends into populated areas.
Biden administration expected to propose change in asylum system
Reports indicate the proposed rule would enable immigration officials to quickly deport migrants who illegally crossed the border and are ineligible for asylum. Those targeted would be individuals deemed a national security risk or a danger to public safety.
The new rule could see migrants barred from asylum and deported within days, or even hours, of their arrival — a process that currently can take years. The rule would still require finalization at a later date.
Lawyer: Airman killed by Florida deputy who burst into wrong apartment
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Senior Airman Roger Fortson was on a FaceTime call with a woman when deputies, responding to a disturbance at the Okaloosa County apartment complex, forced entry into his unit.
According to Crump, and based on the woman’s account, a deputy shot Fortson six times upon seeing him armed with a gun. Crump said Forston legally owned the weapon. Fortson later died at a hospital.
In a statement, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy acted in self-defense after encountering an armed man. Authorities have not yet commented on Crump’s claims, but the sheriff posted on Facebook asking the community for patience as they work to understand the facts of the case.
Crump is calling for transparency in the investigation and asking authorities to release the body cam video to the airman’s family.
The deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave.
House Speaker Mike Johnson survives attempt to oust him
Eleven Republicans voted against tabling Greene’s resolution. Greene expressed no surprise at the outcome but did not indicate whether she would attempt to remove Johnson again.
Johnson — joking with reporters after the vote — referred to the event as “just another Wednesday on Capitol Hill.” He thanked his colleagues for their support and described Greene’s efforts as misguided.
In remarks to the press, Johnson stated, “Hopefully this is the end of the personality politics and the frivolous character assassination that has defined the 118th Congress. It’s regrettable. It’s not who we are as Americans, and we’re better than this. We need to get beyond it.”
Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery to offer bundled streaming service
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are collaborating once again, this time to offer a new bundle that includes their Disney Plus, Hulu and Max streaming services.
The bundle will be available for purchase on the platforms’ websites and will be offered in versions with and without ads. Set to launch this summer, the pricing details have yet to be announced.
Olympic torch arrives in France ahead of Paris Summer Games
With just over two months until the Paris Summer Games, the Olympic torch has arrived in France, greeted with significant celebration. After being lit in Greece 11 days earlier, the flame reached the French port city of Marseille on Wednesday, May 8.
There, two Olympians assisted in bringing it ashore before popular French rapper Jul lit the Olympic cauldron. Local officials estimate that a crowd of about 225,000 people attended the event, which was secured by approximately 7,000 law enforcement officers.
US gray wolves in danger of being taken off endangered species list
In a narrow vote, the U.S House Representatives approved a bill to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list across the lower 48 states. The measure, introduced by Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., was largely supported by Republicans but also backed by a handful of Democrats.
The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate where it faces an uncertain future. In addition, the White House expressed its opposition and argued against Congress determining species recovery.
The debate surrounding the bill reflects a national discourse on the wolves’ future. On one side, some hunters and farmers claim the species is stable and have long voiced concerns over wolf attacks on game species and livestock, and some have also advocated for legalized wolf hunting.
Yet, conservationists argue that the wolf population remains vulnerable after decades of near extinction. They emphasize the species fragile status and warn against premature removal of protections.
This bill follows previous efforts to dismantle wolf protection laws. In 2011, Congress removed Endangered Species Act protection for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, and the Trump administration extended this to the rest of the continental United States in 2020. Trump’s move was later challenged in court and blocked by a federal judge. However, the judge did keep the removal of protections for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains.
Republicans largely hailed the bill as a conservation success, arguing that wolves have recovered adequately. Democrats, however, remained skeptical, insisting that the species still requires protection from humans.
The bill passed the House 209-205, with a few Democrats crossing the aisle. Yet, despite this narrow victory, its fate in the Senate could be a bigger hurdle. Even if it does pass the Senate, President Joe Biden has threatened to veto the legislation.
The first seven jurors are selected in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial, and historic rain in the United Arab Emirates leads to major flooding at the Dubai airport and across the region. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
First 7 jurors selected in Trump hush money trial
The second day of the first criminal trial against a former U.S. president saw seven jurors selected, with opening arguments expected soon. Former President Donald Trump observed the process in a Manhattan courtroom as the first seven jurors for his hush money trial were chosen after debate over prospective jurors’ social media postings and their ability to be fair and credible.
The selected jurors include a salesman originally from Ireland who will serve as the foreman, an oncology nurse, two attorneys, an IT consultant from Puerto Rico, an ELA teacher and a software engineer for Disney.
Another 96 prospective jurors were sworn in before proceedings ended Tuesday, April 17. They will return Thursday, April 18, with today being an off day for the trial. The judge indicated that the full jury might be seated by week’s end, with opening arguments potentially beginning Monday, April 22.
Senators swear in as jurors Wednesday, April 17, for the impeachment trial against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The Senate will issue a summons to Mayorkas, informing him of the charges and requesting a written response; he is not required to appear.
House Republicans have charged Mayorkas with failing to enforce immigration laws and betraying public trust. House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the need for a full trial to hold those responsible for the border crisis accountable.
Mayorkas, DHS and Democrats have called the charges baseless. With Democrats controlling the Senate, they are expected to attempt to dismiss the charges this week before full arguments are presented.
Columbia University president to testify on antisemitism on campus
Four months after a congressional hearing on antisemitism on college campuses led to the resignation of two Ivy League presidents, the president of Columbia University, Minouche Shafik, is set to appear before that same committee Wednesday, April 17.
Shafik, who was scheduled to testify at the House Education and Workforce Committee’s December hearing but could not due to a scheduling conflict, will respond to questioning on the university’s response to rising campus conflicts since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
In an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal titled “What I Plan to Tell Congress Tomorrow,” Shafik wrote of balancing free speech with protecting students, stating that “calling for the genocide of a people — whether they are Israelis or Palestinians, Jews, Muslims or anyone else — has no place in a university community.”
Bob Graham, former U.S. senator and Florida governor, dead at 87
Bob Graham, a prominent figure in Florida politics and a former U.S. senator, has died at 87 in Gainesville. He served as Florida’s governor from 1979 to 1987 and was a U.S. senator until 2005, focusing on education, the environment and immigration.
Known for his practical political style and “work days,” where he performed jobs like a short-order cook and bellhop to connect with voters, Graham also made an unsuccessful bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, emphasizing his opposition to the Iraq war.
Heavy rain leads to ‘historic weather event’ in United Arab Emirates
Historic flooding in the United Arab Emirates has led to the closure of Dubai’s airport and schools canceling classes. The rain began late Monday, and by Tuesday night, Dubai had received more than 6 inches of rain in over 24 hours, far surpassing the city’s average annual rainfall of just over 3 inches.
At least one person was killed in the floodwaters. The state-run news agency described the rainfall as a “historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.” The storm also affected other parts of the Middle East, causing at least 19 deaths in Oman.
Participant Media shutting down after 20 years
After 20 years, Participant Media is closing its doors, the company’s founder Jeff Skoll announced Tuesday. The decision affects around 100 employees. Since its inception in 2004, Participant Media has been dedicated to creating films and TV shows aimed at inspiring social change.
The studio was behind Oscar-winning projects like “Spotlight” and “Green Book,” as well as films such as “Lincoln” and “Wonder,” the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” and the Netflix series “When They See Us.”
In total, Participant won 21 Academy Awards and 18 Emmy Awards during its 20-year run.