House Speaker Mike Johnson removes Intelligence Chair Rep. Mike Turner
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., removed Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, as chair of the House Intelligence Committee. President-elect Donald Trump backed the move, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that he “directly weighed in on the decision.”
However, shortly after the decision, a reporter asked Johnson if Trump had an opinion on the matter. Johnson responded, “This is not a President Trump decision. This is a House decision, and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman. He did a great job.”
Johnson added with a newly sworn-in Congress, “We just need fresh horses in some of these places.” He praised Turner for serving valiantly under difficult circumstances.
People close to Trump told The Journal that Turner often held traditional foreign policy views that clashed with Trump’s “America First” agenda. Turner has been a strong advocate for sending aid to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, something the incoming president has been critical of—he instead wants the fighting to end.
The House Intelligence Committee oversees the U.S. intelligence community, ensuring that intelligence agencies and operations are effective, lawful and aligned with national interests. The committee has the authority to investigate intelligence-related matters, including abuses of power, intelligence failures, or concerns about the transparency of intelligence operations.
The committee’s work often requires members to handle classified information and work closely with executive agencies. Despite being removed as its chair, Johnson said he hopes Turner remains a member of the Intelligence Committee.
It is unclear who will replace Turner, but Johnson said a successor would be named on Thursday, Jan. 16.
Johnson says Capitol will raise flags to full-staff for Trump inauguration
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., says the U.S. Capitol will fly its flags at full-staff during President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week. President Joe Biden ordered flags at half-staff during 30 days of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter, who died last month. The U.S. flag code requires the practice after the deaths of presidents.
“On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump,” Johnson said in a statement. “The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter.”
Johnson is not the first high-profile official to order flags at full-staff for the inauguration. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar order on Monday, Jan. 13, requiring flags at the Texas State Capitol and state office buildings to be at full-staff throughout Inauguration Day.
President-elect Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club flew its flag at full-staff Monday. However, it did not violate the U.S. flag code because Mar-a-Lago is a private residence. Like President Biden, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also issued an order directing U.S. flags in the Sunshine State to fly at half-staff through Jan. 28.
The president-elect also paid his respects to Carter in the Capitol Rotunda and attended his state funeral last week.
Republicans may place conditions on California wildfire aid
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Republicans may place conditions on aid for California wildfire victims to counter what he called bad governance that may have made the disaster worse. State and local officials are being criticized for their response to the fires that have burned more than 40,000 acres and killed at least 24 people.
“We have to make sure there are safeguards on the precious Treasury of the American people,” Johnson said. “There are natural disasters, of course. But if they are made much worse by human error and deliberate policy choices that were unwise and were stated as such at the time, then I think that’s something that needs to be carefully regarded.”
Republicans are considering multiple options for approving recovery funding that would cover areas in and around Los Angeles. They could attach the disaster relief to a debt limit extension. They may also include the aid in the government funding bill, which Congress has to pass before March 14.
“We don’t want to play games in any way. This is not politics,” Johnson said. “We need sound public policy and we need states to follow common sense. They have not done that in many respects in California.”
“It is outrageous for Speaker Johnson to try to tie conditions onto this disaster relief or to tie disaster aid to unrelated concepts like the debt ceiling,” Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., said. “We should not be leveraging the pain and suffering of our fellow Americans to try to force through policy changes.”
Democratic leadership said Johnson’s plan is an indication that Republicans require help from Democrats to authorize the federal government to borrow more money.
“Because what Speaker Johnson is doing, he does not have the votes to raise the debt limit, so he is trying to do everything he can so Donald Trump can have a victory,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said.
Congress approved $110 billion for the disaster relief fund in December, so FEMA has enough to address immediate needs. But getting enough money to rebuild will require a formal estimate and a supplemental disaster request from the White House.
Republicans will increase debt limit in reconciliation bill to avoid Democrats
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Congress will increase the debt limit in a budget reconciliation bill House Republicans hope to pass next month. The clock is ticking. If Congress doesn’t increase the debt limit, the nation will default on its bills, causing widespread economic consequences.
The debt limit is the maximum amount of money the federal government is authorized to borrow to pay its bills. The nation hit the ceiling on Jan. 1. However, the Treasury Department can avoid a loan default for a number of months by moving money around from nonessential accounts.
Budget reconciliation packages amend spending that has already been approved by Congress. Lawmakers cannot increase the baseline number, they can only adjust what it’s being used for.
Reconciliation bills require only a simple majority for approval in both chambers, so Republicans have the numbers to do it without any input from Democrats. That’s exactly what Speaker Johnson says they plan to do.
“If it runs through regular order and regular process … then you have to have both parties negotiating, and we feel like we’re in a better stead to do it ourselves,” Johnson said.
Johnson explained the Republican Party’s philosophy regarding spending and the debt ceiling. He said raising the borrowing limit will not be an excuse to spend more than the government’s revenue, which is currently happening.
“Our intention and our mission is to reduce the size and scope of government, to reduce spending in a meaningful way so that we can restore fiscal sanity and get our country back on the right track,” Johnson said.
“So raising the debt limit is a necessary step so that we don’t give the appearance that we’re going to default in some way on the nation’s debt, that’s important to the bond markets and the stability of the dollar and all the rest,” he continued.
There are a number of measures Republicans hope to include in the reconciliation package but everything has to be related to the budget. The Senate parliamentarian can remove items from the bill if they determine it is not budget-related.
Republicans want to expand oil drilling in the Arctic, repeal electric vehicle subsidies and rescind tailpipe emissions rules. In addition, some Republicans want to restore state and local tax deductions, which they repealed in the 2017 tax bill.
“The thing that’s interesting about the whole state and local tax deduction issue is that the Republicans burn the house down and now want to pretend that they’re firefighters. Are you kidding me?” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said. “The state and local tax deduction was obliterated as part of the GOP tax scam in 2017.”
President-elect Donald Trump is meeting with Senate Republicans the night of Wednesday, Jan. 8, to discuss the budget reconciliation package. It’s a top priority and House Republicans hope to pass it out of their chamber by February.
Wildfires force thousands to evacuate Southern California
Three massive wildfires are burning out of control in Southern California, putting thousands of homes at risk. And President-elect Donald Trump shares his plans to acquire Greenland, the Panama Canal and bring Canada as the 51st state. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
Southern California wildfires force thousands to evacuate
Three separate wildfires are burning in the Los Angeles, California, area, and there is no end in sight, as strong winds are fueling the flames. The most extreme of the three is the Palisades Fire, which spans nearly 3,000 acres and has already forced 30,000 residents to evacuate.
Cities surrounding Pacific Palisades, including Malibu, issued evacuation orders. Officials there told all residents to prepare to leave their homes, whether they were under evacuation orders or not since the inferno was moving so quickly.
All hands are on deck to fight the #PalisadesFire in Southern California. California is deeply grateful for the brave firefighters & first responders battling the blaze.
We will continue to mobilize resources and support local communities as they respond to this severe weather. pic.twitter.com/JZrYy85e4z
The neighboring city of Santa Monica also issued an evacuation order for the northern part of the city. It also closed the area to the public, warning of an immediate threat to life.
As thousands of firefighters continue to battle the flames, authorities work to find the fire’s cause.
A second wildfire, dubbed the Eaton Fire, burns near Pasadena. A city spokeswoman said it has “created its own firestorm” with flying embers igniting at least a dozen other spot fires.
So far, the Eaton Fire has consumed about 1,000 acres. It engulfed homes and forced more than 100 people to evacuate from a nursing home — some in wheelchairs and on gurneys. A federal disaster declaration is now in effect for the Eaton Fire.
Crews are also battling the Hurst Fire about 100 acres in the San Fernando Valley, which is in the northern part of Los Angeles County. The Hurst Fire also prompted evacuation orders.
The Los Angeles County canceled schools in 19 districts Wednesday, Jan. 8. Plus, more than 200,000 people are without access to power, either because of the powerful Santa Ana winds or because a utility provider turned off electricity to prevent additional fires.
The forecast called for the winds to continue for days, producing gusts that could top 100 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills.
Biden administration asks federal appeals court to block 9/11 plea deals
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The controversial deal would spare Mohammed from the death penalty for his role in planning the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
The deadly attack rocked the U.S. and began the war on terrorism.
In court filings Tuesday, Jan. 7, the Justice Department argued the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and two co-defendants in the 9/11 attacks.
It said the government would be denied a chance for a public trial and the opportunity to “seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world.”
The Defense Department negotiated and approved the plea deal but later revoked it.
However, attorneys for the defendants argued the deal was already legally in effect and that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began the administration’s efforts to throw it out, acted too late.
Mohammed is set to enter his guilty plea on Friday, Jan. 10, if the appeal is not granted. His co-defendants, accused of lesser roles in 9/11, are due to enter theirs next week.
Harris, Johnson deliver eulogies for President Jimmy Carter
The 39th president died last week at the age of 100.
Carter’s body had been lying in repose since Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta before being transported Tuesday morning to Washington D.C.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson each delivered a eulogy during Tuesday’s ceremony
“We all know that his care for humanity didn’t stop at building homes,” Johnson said. “In the face of illness, President Jimmy Carter brought lifesaving medicine. In the face of conflict, he brokered peace. In the face of discrimination, he reminded us that we are all made in the image of God. If you were to ask him why he did it all, he would likely point to his faith.”
Harris highlighted Carter’s faith. She said, “James Earl Carter, Jr. loved our country. He lived his faith. He served the people. And he left the world better than he found it.”
Carter’s body will lie in state through Thursday morning, Jan. 9, and then be taken to the National Cathedral for a state funeral. Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy.
Trump suggests using military, economic force to expand America
In a wide-ranging press conference from Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump touched on a bunch of topics, including a $20 billion foreign investment to build data centers in the U.S. He also talked about his plans to revoke Biden’s recent ban on offshore oil and natural gas drilling as well as expansion strategies for the United States.
Trump reiterated his goals of acquiring the Panama Canal, which has been under Panama’s sole control since 1999, and Greenland, a territory of Denmark.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is leading an American delegation currently in Greenland, though the country’s prime minister said he is there as “a private individual.”
The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s remarks Tuesday, saying Greenland was not for sale.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede reiterated this point, saying “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Our future and fight for independence is our business.”
A reporter asked the president-elect if he can assure that he would not use any military force to take control of either the Panama Canal or Greenland.
“I can’t assure you, you’re talking about Panama and Greenland,” Trump replied. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two but, I can say this we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for a military. I’m not going to commit to that now.”
In response to those remarks, the prime minister of Denmark called the United States its country’s “closest ally” and did not believe the U.S. would use any force to secure Greenland. Panama’s foreign minister repeated earlier comments from the country’s president that the sovereignty of the Panama Canal is not negotiable.
“[I’d use] economic force because Canada and the United States — that would really be something,” he said. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like. It would also be much better for national security. Don’t forget, we basically protect Canada.”
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his response in a post on X saying, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.”The president-elect also spoke of one more geographical goal of his in the upcoming term: to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, saying it “has a beautiful ring to it.”
Not long after his remarks, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said she directed her staff to begin drafting legislation for the name change.
Police: Former soldier used AI to plan Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion attack
New details are emerging about the man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Las Vegas police said Tuesday the attacker used generative AI, including ChatGPT to plan the attack.
An investigation into former soldier Matthew Livelsberger, 37, found his search history on ChatGPT included questions about firearms and explosives. Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor has more details on the investigation into the Cybertruck explosion.
Girl Scout cookie season begins, 2 flavors discontinued
Girl Scout cookie season has arrived. The annual tradition is meant to teach young girls about entrepreneurial skills through selling boxes of cookies.
Almost everyone has a favorite, of course, but if yours is Girl Scout S’mores or Toast-Yay! Cookies — bad news. The Girl Scouts plan to retire those two flavors later this year.
The organization said discontinuing those two flavors may lead to something new and delicious.
Congress to certify Trump’s win; Biden issues warning to ‘not forget’ riots
Congress prepares to re-affirm President-elect Donald Trump as the next president of the United States on the fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots. And after a weekend of blizzard-like conditions in the Plains and Midwest, a major winter storm aims for the East Coast. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Congress to certify Trump’s win; Biden issues warning to ‘not forget’ Jan. 6 riots
Senators and members of the House of Representatives will gather to tally the electoral votes of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., confirming Trump will be the 47th president of the United States.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Jan. 5, House Speaker Mike Johnson said a major winter storm heading toward the area would not prevent the congressional joint session from counting the electoral votes.
Monday’s joint session comes four years after the certification of votes affirming President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. Biden’s certification turned into chaos when rioters stormed the Capitol, looking to prevent then-Vice President Mike Pence from presiding over the certification. Many rioters insisted the election was stolen from Trump.
This year, Vice President Kamala Harris will oversee the electoral count of the election she lost and declare Trump the winner. Harris already conceded the race to Trump after he won 312 electoral college votes, surpassing the 270 needed to win the presidency. Harris won 226 votes.
Following the 2021 Capitol attack, Congress passed the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022. This act clarified that the vice president does not have the power to determine, accept, reject or adjudicate the vote results.
On Sunday, Biden spoke to new Democratic members of Congress about the events that unfolded in 2021 and the importance of the date.
“Tomorrow’s Jan. 6; we gather to certify the results of a free and fair presidential election and ensure a peaceful transfer of power,” Biden said. “It’s a day that [for] most of our history we took for granted, the sixth, but I hope we never take it for granted again.”
Biden wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post on Sunday. In it, he told Americans that while some may no longer want to mention what happened four years ago, it cannot be forgotten.
“We should be proud that our democracy withstood this assault. And we should be glad we will not see such a shameful attack again this year…” he wrote. “The election will be certified peacefully. I have invited the incoming president to the White House on the morning of Jan. 20, and I will be present for his inauguration that afternoon. But on this day, we cannot forget.”
Monday’s proceedings are the last official opportunity for any member of Congress to object to the electoral votes. Following the certification, Trump will be sworn into office on Jan. 20 for his second term. He vowed to pardon those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 riots.
Biden signs Social Security Fairness Act into law
Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law Sunday. It’s expected to be one of the last major pieces of legislation of his term.
Today, I signed legislation expanding Social Security benefits for millions of teachers, firefighters, nurses, police officers, other public employees, and their spouses and survivors.
The law repeals a rule that limited certain public sector job retirees who collect pensions — such as firefighters, teachers, postal workers and police officers — from also claiming social security benefits.
The new law also eliminates limits on the benefits that surviving spouses can receive after they die.
The Senate passed the bill in December after the House approved it in November with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign this week: Reports
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce his resignation as early as Monday, according to multiple news outlets. It comes as his party, the Liberal Party, is set to hold its national caucus meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
Last month, Trudeau’s finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, publicly announced her resignation in a letter criticizing the prime minister. Since then, calls for his resignation have grown publicly and privately within his own party.
This is just the latest in a series of recent political struggles for the prime minister. In September, Trudeau faced a no-confidence vote in parliament, which later failed.
Trudeau and Trump have been locked in a public back-and-forth over tariffs with Trump threatening to put a 25% levy on Canadian imports.
Details emerge about New Orleans suspect’s actions in weeks before attack
More details emerged about the man authorities said killed 14 people and injured dozens more when he drove a rented truck into a crowd of revelers in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
The FBI said Sunday the attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, visited the city twice in the weeks leading up to the deadly act of terrorism and recorded video of the area using Meta Smart Glasses.
The glasses allow users to record video hands-free and can also livestream on Meta platforms. Investigators said Jabbar wore the glasses to capture video while he rode a bicycle through the city’s French Quarter. He reportedly wore the glasses during the attack on Bourbon Street but was not livestreaming.
Authorities also believe Jabbar set fire to a short-term rental house in New Orleans where investigators found bomb-making material. They said he planted two bombs in the French Quarter before the truck attack but neither detonated.
Jabbar was killed after opening fire on responding police officers.
Millions of Americans under blizzard alerts as winter storm moves east
A major winter storm will continue to move through the Mid-Atlantic region today, followed by dangerously cold temperatures spreading across the central and eastern U.S. pic.twitter.com/sogRlbC6Y9
Major cities like Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia are preparing for snowy and icy conditions Monday and into Tuesday, Jan. 7. Meanwhile, parts of Virginia are expecting 5 to 12 inches of snow.
Impacts of this weather system could also be felt in the South, with severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes and damaging winds expected to hit Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other southern states Monday night.
2025 Golden Globes crown best in movies, television
The 2025 Golden Globes rolled out the red carpet Sunday night for the best and brightest stars of film and television — but only a select few walked away with awards.
In the movie categories, the big winners were the films “Emilia Pérez” and “The Brutalist.” “Emilia Pérez” won four awards, including best musical or comedy. “The Brutalist” took home best drama and two other awards.
Over on the TV side of things, “Shōgun” topped the competition with four awards, including Best TV Drama. “Hacks” won Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy.
It was an especially memorable night for actress Demi Moore, who won her first acting award. She won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for her role as an aging Hollywood star who undergoes a cloning procedure in “The Substance.”
Mike Johnson reelected speaker after convincing holdouts
Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., was reelected speaker of the House Friday, Jan. 3, after he convinced multiple holdouts to change their votes. Johnson received 218 votes, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., received 215.
Before Friday, there were multiple Republicans who said they either would not support Johnson or were keeping their options open.
Members proposed deals that would help Johnson reclaim the gavel like appointing conservative Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, as chairman of the rules committee.
Johnson made clear that was not in the cards.
“I don’t make deals with anyone, there’s no quid pro quo here,” Johnson told reporters. “I don’t do anything in exchange for a vote other than commit to make this institution work as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
Johnson did however convince Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., to vote for him, with a list of commitments that was a near mirror image to the list of demands she released earlier in the week, which she said were requirements to earn her support.
Create a group of independent experts to work with the Department of Government Efficiency and congressional committees on spending reform.
Task the working group with reviewing government audits and create a report for public release.
Request House Committees perform authorizations and appropriations reviews to expose “irresponsible or illegal practices” within government agencies.
Republicans were eager to elect a speaker before Monday, Jan. 6, when Congress is scheduled to certify President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory. Had they not elected a speaker, they would not have been allowed to move forward with the certification.
Thank you, President Trump!
Today is a new day in America.
Congressional Republicans must stay united to quickly deliver President Trump’s America First agenda.
South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president after standoff
The FBI unveils more information about the man who drove a truck into a New Orleans crowd on New Year’s Day, killing more than a dozen. And multiple reports indicate President Joe Biden could make a big decision on the proposed takeover of U.S. Steel. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president after standoff
After an hours-long standoff, South Korean investigators suspended efforts to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The standoff between South Korea’s anti-corruption agency and the presidential security service lasted nearly six hours at Yoon’s presidential residence Friday, Jan. 3.
The agency called off its agents due to concerns for their safety after the presidential security service and Yoon’s supporters blocked them from entering Yoon’s residence.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, defied investigators’ attempts to question him for weeks in connection with the short-lived period of martial law he imposed at the beginning of December.
A Seoul court issued a warrant for Yoon’s detention Tuesday, Dec. 31, but enforcing it is complicated. Yoon’s lawyers, who filed a challenge to the warrant Thursday, Jan. 2, said it could not be implemented at his residence due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge.
The anti-corruption agency said it would discuss the next steps but did not immediately say whether it would make another attempt to detain Yoon. The warrant for his detention is valid for one week.
New Orleans attack investigation continues as city hosts Sugar Bowl
The FBI now believes the suspect in a deadly New Orleans truck attack on New Year’s Day likely acted alone. The agency said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, killed 15 people and injured dozens more early Wednesday, Jan 1, after driving into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the city’s French Quarter.
The agency called the attack “a deliberate act of terror,” and said Jabbar was “100 percent inspired” by the radical Islamic terror group ISIS.
The FBI concluded this after conducting hundreds of interviews, reviewing phone calls, social media accounts and electronic devices connected to the suspect.
Investigators said there appears to be no “definitive link” between the New Orleans attack and the explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas at this time.
Law enforcement investigating the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas identified the man who carried out the attack as Matthew Alan Livelsberger on Thursday, Jan. 2.
Livelsberger was an active-duty U.S. Army Green Beret. He was reportedly on leave at the time of the attack.
Authorities identified Livelsberger’s burned body by matching his tattoos.
Back in New Orleans, life started to return to normal Thursday as the city hosted the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome. Plus, visitors were once again allowed back into the French Quarter.
Notre Dame went head-to-head with the Georgia Bulldogs and came out on top. With Notre Dame’s victory, the college football playoff semifinals are now set.
The Fighting Irish will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl next Thursday, Jan. 9. Texas will meet Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
The two winners will play in the National Championship game on Monday, Jan. 20. It will be the first championship game since the NCAA went to a 12-team playoff format.
2 dead, 19 hurt after small plane crashes into California building
Two people are dead and 19 more injured after a small plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing building in southern California on Thursday.
The people who died were believed to have been on the plane while those injured were among the 200 or so people inside the building. Paramedics transported 11 people to the hospital and treated eight others at the scene.
The crash occurred about half a mile from the Fullerton Municipal Airport. Investigators are working to learn what led up to the incident.
Biden to block Nippon Steel’s bid to take over US Steel: Reports
President Joe Biden decided to block Nippon Steel’s bid to purchase U.S. Steel due to national security risks, according to multiple reports. Biden is expected to announce his decision as early as Friday, reports said.
Senior advisers warned Biden that the U.S. rejecting the Japanese corporation’s $14.9 billion offer could damage relations between the two countries.
Biden’s decision comes after the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment could not conclude the risks of Nippon’s offer, leaving the decision up to the White House.
While U.S. Steel shareholders backed the takeover, the proposed deal faced opposition from union members and politicians.
President-elect Donald Trump, who a group of American steelworkers backed during his campaign, also vowed to block the deal when he takes office later this month.
Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel indicated they would take legal action if the federal government blocked the deal.
119th Congress begins Friday with GOP taking control of House and Senate
The 119th Congress starts Friday with Republicans in full control of the House and Senate for the first time since 2019. The new term, which lasts two years, begins when House members are sworn in.
Despite narrowly hanging on to the GOP majority 219-215, Rep. Mike Johnson’s speakership hangs in the balance. At least one Republican said he would not back Johnson and others expressed concerns about his leadership.
Johnson received a major boost this week when Trump publicly backed Johnson.
In the Senate, Republicans will officially take the reins after flipping the majority in the November election. The new Senate Majority Leader will be Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.
Golden Globes kick off award season this Sunday
Hollywood’s award season officially kicks off Sunday, Jan. 5, with the Golden Globes.
Nominees include Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Angelina Jolie.
Movies looking to win big include “A Complete Unknown,” “Emilia Perez,” “Wicked” and “The Brutalist.”
“The Bear,” “Shogun,” “Nobody Wants This” and “Only Murders in the Building” are among the television series looking to take home trophies.
Comedian Nikki Glaser, who hosted the Tom Brady roast, will lead the award ceremony. This year, the Golden Globes will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
New House rules will prevent Democrats from ousting Speaker Johnson
House Republicans are making it nearly impossible for Democrats to oust the speaker of the House during the 119th Congress. The 36-page rules package that will govern the chamber’s operations for the next two years makes clear that any motion to remove the speaker needs to come from a Republican.
The new rules specifically state that a privileged motion to vacate must be offered by a member of the majority party who is joined by eight co-sponsors, also in the majority party.
Previously, any single member could trigger this action. That’s what former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., did to then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in 2023, which caused the House to shut down for three weeks as Republicans worked to elect their new leader.
Democrats aren’t happy about the new rule and say it will shield Johnson from accountability to the entire chamber.
“This makes it clear that they have no intention of working together to find common ground. Instead of electing a Speaker of the House, they have decided to elect a Speaker of the Republican Conference—held hostage by their most extreme members,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said in a statement.
McGovern is the top Democrat on the rules committee and added, “This election was close, and Republicans lost seats. The American people want us to work together.”
This will disincentivize Democrats from saving Johnson if a group of nine or more Republicans file to remove him. In May, Democrats helped him stay in power after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., tried to remove him.
Just before Christmas, Democrats said they would not help him again after he backtracked on a previously agreed spending bill and brought forward a proposal from President-elect Donald Trump, which ultimately failed. The rules package cannot be approved until the speaker is elected.
Rep. Spartz releases list of demands for Johnson to earn her speaker vote
Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., has released a list of demands for Mike Johnson, R-La., to earn her vote for House speaker. The pair met Monday, Dec. 30, to discuss the speaker election coming up on Friday, Jan. 3, where every vote will count due to a razor-thin Republican majority.
Spartz’s demands were all related to fiscal policy. She released a statement with an illustration that portrayed the U.S. as the Titanic and the national debt as the iceberg.
“Our next speaker must show courageous leadership to get our country back on track before this “Titanic” strikes an iceberg at any moment,” Spartz stated. “Severe fiscal calamities often lead to unrest and more government control.”
She said the next speaker must create at least temporary structures in the House for authorizations, reconciliation offset policies and spending audits.
Authorizations are Congress’ seal of approval to establish, continue or modify an agency or program.
Reconciliation offset policies are attempts by Congress to go through the budget and eliminate a dollar spent on something that’s considered no longer necessary for every new dollar it authorizes.
Spending audits are already conducted to check for waste, fraud and abuse within departments and agencies. However most agencies, like the Pentagon, fail their audits and can’t keep track of the money they spend and assets they buy.
Johnson needs an outright majority to win the gavel, meaning he can lose two or three votes depending on how many members are present. Spartz said if Johnson comes up short, there are others who are interested in running, but they won’t say so publicly because they don’t want to hurt Johnson’s chances.
“We will have a speaker, I have no doubt about that and we’ll have a good speaker,” Spartz said on Fox. “But I think the speaker needs to have commitments to the American people to deliver on the agenda.”
If the House fails to elect a speaker before Monday, Jan. 6, it will delay the certification of the presidential election. In a worst case scenario, Congress doesn’t certify the election before Jan. 20 and Donald Trump’s inauguration is delayed.
It took Republicans three weeks to elect Johnson after Kevin McCarthy was ousted, so if history repeats itself, Trump will be sworn in late.