Happy New Year 2025

Tag: lawmakers

7 lawmakers tapped for panel probing JFK assassination, Epstein, UFOs

Seven House Republicans have been named to a new task force dedicated to weighing the declassification of some of the U.S.’ most infamous “secrets.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., as expected, will lead the explosive panel – formally known as the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets. It will operate under the House Oversight Committee and its chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky.

The list, though short, signals House GOP leaders are letting the conference’s conservative wing take the wheel on this investigation.

In addition to Luna, the task force will also include members of the often rebellious House Freedom Caucus such as Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Eli Crane, R-Ariz., and Eric Burlison, R-Mo.

FBI UNCOVERS THOUSANDS OF UNDISCLOSED RECORDS CONNECTED TO JFK’S ASSASSINATION

Seven House Republicans have been named to a task force on “federal secrets.” (Fox News Digital/Getty/AP)

Also on the panel is Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who has made headlines on several culture war issues over the last year.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who frequently collaborates with Luna on issues relating to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) in Congress, is on the panel as well, as is first-term Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas.

“Bad day to be a classified government secret,” Mace wrote on X.

SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

Rep. Nancy Mace is part of the new federal secrets task force. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Congressional Integrity Project)

Burlison wrote on the site, “A Government cloaked in secrecy has been a tool for control.”

Luna pledged to seek “truth and transparency” in a written statement announcing the task force last week.

She pledged to “give Americans the answers they deserve” on the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jeffrey Epstein’s client list, COVID-19, UAPs, and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Luna said when announcing the list of members, “We have assembled a team of dedicated leaders who have consistently fought for transparency and full disclosure.”

The task force will answer to House Oversight and Accountability committee Chairman James Comer. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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“Our mission is simple: to ensure these documents are released swiftly and in their entirety, giving the American people the truth they deserve,” Luna said.

Comer said of the list, “Ensuring government transparency for the American people is a core mission of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.”

“The Republicans on Rep. Luna’s task force are steadfast champions of transparency, and I am confident they will vigorously pursue and deliver the truth on critical issues,” Comer said.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

February 18, 2025
Florida’s move from 2000s vexation to 2020s role model a blueprint for Arizona, lawmakers say

The 2000 presidential election was held up for weeks due to snafus across the state of Florida, and ultimately ended in a Supreme Court ruling effectively deciding that Texas Gov. George W. Bush would be named the victor.

In recent Arizona elections, voters and Republican politicians have complained of similarly grueling canvassing, wait times, alleged technical difficulties and a generally drawn-out process.

“How is it that Florida can have their results at 8:00 at night, and Arizona is the last in the country to report the electoral votes?” State Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, asked.

Petersen said that Arizona hopes to learn from Florida’s failures, and how it went from an unwittingly tardy linchpin in a historically narrow election to a well-oiled machine that counts 11 million votes more quickly than some smaller states.

AZ SENATE LEADER URGES BURGUM TO REVERSE OBAMA-BIDEN LAND GRAB AT URANIUM SITES

Petersen referenced what he called the “Florida model” that now restricts “late early” ballot drop-offs at county recorders’ offices – as Grand Canyon State voters could do so on Election Day while Floridians have only until the Friday before.

Tabulations of ballots will also occur on-site at offices, and address verification would occur every two to four years depending on the size of the Arizona county, he said.

Petersen said that such changes are necessary to restore public trust in the election process; something both states have historically struggled with.

In 2000, Bush supporters and conservative activists staged what became known as the “Brooks Brothers Riot” in Miami.

Longtime Republican consultant Roger Stone had reportedly help organize the group of well-coiffed protesters to converge on Miami-Dade County’s election office in hopes of halting the disputed ballot tabulations.

Bush later dubbed one participating lawmaker, then-Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y., “Congressman Kick-Ass” for his voraciousness that evening.

In Arizona in recent elections, right-wing activists, including commentator Alex Jones, converged on Phoenix election sites chanting, “1776” and demanding better oversight of the ballot count after allegations flew regarding problems with the long-winded canvassing.

Arizona Democrats, however, appear opposed to Republicans’ reform bill, claiming potential disenfranchisement among other critiques.

Gov. Katie Hobbs said that legislators are “attempting to jam through a partisan bill that guts vote-by-mail and makes it harder to vote.”

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“I offered common sense compromises to count votes faster, and they were rejected. I refuse to let extremists make it harder for Arizonans to vote.”

State Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, disagreed, saying on X that he has voted early every election since turning 18 and finds no such issues with the legislation.

“I’ve read this bill over and over again and fail to understand how it ‘guts vote by mail and makes it harder to vote,’ Shope said. “There’s literally nothing in the bill that makes it harder to vote. Sign the Bill.”

Christian Slater, a spokesperson for Hobbs, also criticized AZGOP Chair Gina Swoboda over the legislation, saying the administration tried to “negotiat[e] in good faith,” but that Republicans “refused common sense compromises to protect voting rights.”

Former Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., who retired from Congress to pursue a seat on the county board in Phoenix, said she supports the legislation, particularly from the vantage of her new role.

“As a Maricopa County supervisor, I know this legislation will help instill more confidence in our elections process,” Lesko said in a statement.

“Governor Hobbs should sign this bill – it’s the right thing to do for the future of Arizona elections.”

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Maricopa County – home to nearly two-thirds of the state’s population – would, under the legislation, see its early-vote deadline be set Friday evening prior to election day.

In the other 14 counties, voters who choose to “late early” vote would be required to show ID to county staff – so recorders could skip the time-consuming verification process that can delay the final count.

To push back on allegations of disenfranchisement, the bill would also provide for three days of early in-person voting running up to Election Day proper.

One of Lesko’s counterparts on the Maricopa board said the measure appears nonpartisan.

“This carefully crafted … legislation is a commonsense solution that ensures election integrity while expanding access by adding two extra days to an already nearly month-long early voting period,” said Supervisor Mark Stewart.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

February 15, 2025
CA lawmakers introduce bill protecting girls from trans athletes after state refuses to follow Trump’s order

After California took a stance refusing to follow President Donald Trump’s executive order banning trans athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, state Republicans are taking matters into their own hands.

On Friday, California lawmakers introduced three bills in the state legislature aimed to combat trans inclusion. One bill, which was introduced by Assemblymember Bill Essayli, focused specifically on sports. His bill would require that students use all school facilities only play on sports teams based on their biological sex and not their gender identity.

“We know the state of California is going to do everything it can to resist and avoid compliance with federal law, so it’s our role to try to force change at the state and local level,” Essayli said at a press conference outside the state capital building in Sacramento Friday.

Former San Jose State University volleyball coach, who was suspended and then let go from the program after filing a Title IX complaint over the school’s handling of a trans player last season, spoke at Friday’s press conference just days after her home was shot at. Batie-Smoose told Fox News Digital she believes she was “targetted.” Police have not determined a suspect or motive.

“We need to make sure there’s DNA testing and moving forward there’s only women playing in women’s sports,” Batie-Smoose said at the press conference. “We definitely need to continue this fight and make sure that laws and legislation is changed so that we can have safe spaces for women and women in sports.”

Essayli’s bill would reverse a current law in California that protects trans athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

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A law called AB 1266 has been in effect since 2014, and gives California students at scholastic and collegiate levels the right to “participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.”

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) said it will continue to follow that law, even after Trump’s executive order went into effect, in a previous statement provided to Fox News Digital.

The U.S. Department of Education announced earlier this week that it is launching a Title IX investigation into the CIF over potential Title IX violations for its refusal to comply with Trump’s order.

In addition, residents have held protests and threatened lawsuits in response to the CIF’s current stance.

Essayli’s bill is the second proposal that California has seen to address the issue in 2025 alone.

California State Assembly member Kate Sanchez announced on Jan. 7 that she is introducing a bill to ban trans athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

Sanchez will propose the Protect Girls’ Sports Act to the state legislature. Currently, 25 states have similar laws in effect.

TEEN GIRLS OPEN UP ON TRANS ATHLETE SCANDAL THAT TURNED THEIR HIGH SCHOOL INTO A CULTURE WAR BATTLEGROUND

“Young women who have spent years training and sacrificing to compete at the highest level are now forced to compete against individuals with undeniable biological advantages. It’s not just unfair – it’s disheartening and dangerous,” Sanchez said in a statement announcing the bill.

California’s enabling of trans athletes to compete with girls and women in the state has resulted in multiple controversies over the issue over the last year alone. Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, is currently embroiled in one of the most contentious local controversies on the issue.

A school board meeting by the Riverside Unified School District on Dec. 19 featured a parade of parents berating the board for allowing a trans athlete on the Martin Luther King girls’ cross-country team. A lawsuit filed by two girls on the team alleges that their T-shirts in protest of that player were compared to swastikas simply because they said “Save Girls Sports.”

The father of a girl who lost her varsity spot to the trans athlete previously told Fox News Digital that his daughter and other girls at the school were told “transgenders have more rights than cisgenders” by school administrators when they protested the athlete’s participation.

In San Diego, a middle school was recently thrust into local controversy because of a transgender student using the girls’ locker room. San Elijo Middle School previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital, crediting its enabling of the transgender student to access the girls’ locker room to the school’s obligation of following state law.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted against a measure to carry out the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which would prevent trans athletes from competing in girls’ sports or entering girls’ locker rooms, despite pleas from multiple parents at the meeting to take action to protect the girls at the school.

Meanwhile, Stone Ridge Christian High School’s girls’ volleyball team was scheduled to face San Francisco Waldorf in the Northern California Division 6 tournament but forfeited in an announcement just before the match over the presence of a trans athlete on the team.

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Transgender athlete supporter Kyle Harp, left, of Riverside holds the progress pride flag as “Save Girls Sports” supporters Lori Lopez and her dad Pete Pickering, both of Riverside, listen to the debate as they join the overflow crowd converging outside the Riverside Unified School District meeting Thursday night to debate the rights of transgender athletes to compete in high school sports Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Before that, a transgender volleyball player was booed and harassed at an Oct. 12 match between Notre Dame Belmont in Belmont, California, against Half Moon Bay High School, according to ABC 7. Half Moon Bay rostered the transgender athlete.

The two other bills that were introduced Friday, by Essayli and freshman Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, focus on empowering parents to remove their children from settings and situations that promote transgender ideology in public schools.

“Reestablishing the primacy of parental rights over dangerous indoctrination is a critical first step in reestablishing trust in our schools and educators,” Castillo said Friday.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

February 14, 2025
WATCH: Dem lawmakers answer USAID funding questions after bombshell report

WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers said they do not support cutting funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) when confronted by Fox News Digital about controversial spending, such as money ending up in the hands of terrorist-linked groups.

The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, recently started cutting funding from USAID as they slash costs across the federal government. During their sweep, it was revealed that U.S. dollars were ending up in the hands of terror-linked groups, such as funds reportedly providing “full funding” for al Qaeda terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki to attend college in Colorado, unearthed documents apparently show.

Fox News Digital asked Democratic lawmakers their thoughts about the controversial USAID funding, specifically the funding going to some terrorist-linked groups.

“USAID funding is authorized spending. Republicans and Democrats have agreed to those levels. We should honor those deals,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox.

USAID INSPECTOR GENERAL FIRED DAYS AFTER PUBLISHING REPORT CRITICAL OF AID PAUSE

Fox News Digital spoke to lawmakers about USAID funding on Capitol Hill. (Fox News Digital)

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said that while USAID funds “should never go to terrorist organizations,” he added that “Elon Musk has a real credibility gap” and that “almost all the claims as it relates to efficiency have been proven false.”

According to an analysis by the Middle East Forum, a U.S. conservative think tank, the USAID and State Department have funneled at least $122 million to groups aligned with designated terrorists and their supporters.

The think tank reported that among its top findings, USAID was found to have given more than $900,000 to a “Gaza-based terror charity” called Bayader Association for Environment and Development.

A White House report also identified millions of taxpayer dollars being spent on contraceptives and condoms that ended up in the hands of the Taliban, a terrorist group.

‘DESIGNATED TERRORISTS’: EXTREMIST GROUPS RAKED IN MILLIONS FROM USAID, MULTIYEAR STUDY REVEALS

“There’s no one in Congress who hates waste more than me,” Swalwell added. “And there’s nobody in Congress who wants to defeat the terrorists around the world more than me. So I will always be open-minded.”

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox that USAID funding should be honored because it was “authorized” by Congress. (Fox News Digital)

“USAID funding right now is being raided by Elon Musk, and I think we have to do a much better job of ensuring that funding isn’t cut,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. “Cutting any funding is horrific, and, of course, nobody wants to fund terrorism.”

Progressive Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, a member of “the Squad” of progressive lawmakers, said it is “perfectly reasonable” to look at specific USAID funding but that he opposes gutting the entire department.

“When people ask about specific programs and parts of USAID or other federal programs, we should look into those. We can have oversight. We can look, we can go and edit the budget and say we don’t want to spend on this, because this didn’t work and we do want to spend on that.”

Elon Musk speaks during an event in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025. (Alex Brandon)

“The problem that we have right now happening in this country isn’t just about USAID. It’s not just about the Department of Education. It’s that you have Elon Musk, a billionaire who makes billions of dollars off of the federal government, going and shutting down programs without a vote, without any transparency,” Casar said.

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Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey did not fully answer the question and walked away.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

February 14, 2025
MI cities, schools that don’t comply with immigration laws can’t get ‘pork,’ as lawmakers go around Whitmer

Michigan’s House of Representatives voted along party lines to pass a measure making municipalities and educational institutions that don’t fall in line with certain immigration enforcement measures ineligible for earmarked funding.

The measure — HR 19 — was adopted in a 56-50 vote that House leaders said will not require Democratic Gov. Getchen Whitmer’s blessing due to its categorization as a rule change and not legislation.

“An appropriations bill or conference report shall not be brought for a vote if it contains a legislatively-directed spending item for which the intended recipient is a municipality or university… that actively maintains any rule, policy, ordinance or resolution that would subvert immigration enforcement in any way or refuses to comply with federal immigration enforcement measures,” the text of the resolution reads.

The municipalities in question may, however, take the extra step to certify that their bylaws do not actually include language subverting immigration enforcement.

LAWMAKERS DEMAND ANSWERS FROM TOP MICHIGAN OFFICIAL OVER ALLEGED USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR ELECTIONEERING

Detroit is one Michigan city that could see a cutback in earmarked funding unless it changes its approach to immigration cooperation. (Reuters)

House Floor Leader Bryan Posthumus, R-Grand Rapids, said Thursday that if a local government wants taxpayer money, they need to start by following the law.

“We are committed to ensuring the safety of our communities and protecting the due process rights of our citizens,” Posthumus said.

“If you become a sanctuary jurisdiction, you’re not going to get pork projects,” added House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Kalamazoo.

“That means, you know, we’re not going to fund your splash-pads. We’re not going to fund your Zen centers. We’re not going to pay for your hip-hop academies,” said Hall, who sponsored the legislation.

“Now, we do have an obligation to do constitutional revenue sharing, and we will continue to do that… We’re just saying if you’re one of those municipalities that’s asking us to pay for your stadium or sports complex or your water park, don’t be a sanctuary city,” Hall went on in floor remarks.

LAWMAKERS SLAM SBA ‘STONEWALLING’ OVER MICHIGAN VOTER MEMO

Hall added that leaders of both Republican- and Democratic-led towns are sending letters agreeing to certify their compliance with the new rule.

“The people of Michigan have spoken. They do not want sanctuary jurisdictions in the state,” he said.

In remarks to Fox News Digital, Michigan’s House Democratic leader confirmed the measure won’t need Whitmer’s signature nor the approval of the Democrat-controlled state Senate, and blasted the move as a Republican “power grab.”

“Normally, these [resolutions] are used for routine business — like commemorating important events or passing the House Rules at the beginning of the legislative session,” said Rep. Ranjeev Puri of Canton.

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“HR 19 will insert chaos into the Budget process, and we are already seeing communities across the state panic over being denied necessary funding. Instead of fearmongering, Speaker Hall and the Republican caucus should focus on lowering the price of goods, mitigating the Trump Tariffs, and uplifting towns and cities across our great state,” Puri said.

While Whitmer could not be reached for comment, she has publicly shown a more moderate view on the subject of illegal immigration than other Democrats, telling reporters in 2024 that undocumented immigrants should not receive state assistance.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

February 14, 2025
Europe must invoke ‘snapback’ sanctions on Iran, US lawmakers say, as Trump resumes ‘maximum pressure’

FIRST ON FOX: Europe must reinstate harsh United Nations sanctions on Iran, U.S. lawmakers insisted in a new resolution that accused Tehran of repeated violations of the 2015 nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration.

The bipartisan legislation calls on the U.K., France and Germany to invoke “snapback” sanctions on Iran through the UN Security Council immediately – and follow the U.S.’s lead under President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” executive order to isolate Iran over its nuclear activity.

“Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism, and their actions have led to the murder of American servicemembers,” said Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., the number two Republican on Senate Foreign Relations Committee and lead sponsor of the bill, which has 11 cosponsors in the Senate.

“Iran’s possession of a nuclear weapon would threaten our security and the security of our allies. Snapback sanctions are key to ensuring that President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign is successful.”

IRAN’S COVERT NUCLEAR AGENCY FOUND OPERATING OUT OF TOP SPACE PROGRAM LAUNCH SITES

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visits the defense achievements exhibition in Tehran, Iran, February 12, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/ Handout via Reuters )

Reps. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., issued companion legislation in the House.

Under the 2015 Iran deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran evaded U.N., U.S. and E.U. sanctions in exchange for promises not to pursue a nuclear weapon. But Iran eventually cut off independent inspectors’ access to its sites and resumed nuclear activities.

A “snapback” provision of the agreement said that any of the nations privy to the deal – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, U.S. or Germany – could demand the export controls, travel bans and asset freezes be reimposed.

But the U.S. pulled out of the nuclear deal entirely under President Donald Trump’s first administration and imposed its own “maximum pressure” sanctions regime. The Biden administration subsequently issued sanctions waivers and toyed with the idea of returning to a nuclear deal with Iran, but ultimately those efforts faltered.

Tenney urged the European nations to invoke the snapback sanctions before the deal expires in October 2025.

“Invoking snapback sanctions will restore all the UN sanctions on Iran that were lifted by the Obama administration’s failed Iran nuclear deal,” she said.

Iran is “dramatically” accelerating enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, below the 90% needed for a nuclear weapon, according to U.N. nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi. Western states have said there is no civilian use for 60% uranium.

TRUMP REINSTATES ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN

“Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism, and their actions have led to the murder of American servicemembers,” Senator Pete Ricketts, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee and lead sponsor of the bill, said. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Britain, France and Germany told the U.N. Security Council in December they were ready to trigger the snapback of all international sanctions on Iran if necessary.

Trump himself said he was “torn” over a recent executive order that triggered harsh sanctions on Iran’s oil sector, adding that he was “unhappy to do it.”

“Hopefully, we’re not going to have to use it very much,” Trump told reporters.

But he reiterated, “We’re not going to let them get a nuclear weapon.”

Trump suggested first trying a “verified nuclear peace agreement” over military escalation. “I would much rather do a deal that’s not gonna hurt them,” the president told Fox News on Monday, adding that “I’d love to make a deal with them without bombing them.”

”No problem will be solved by negotiating with America,” said Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khameni, citing past “experience.”

Iran viewed the president’s remarks as a threat and took negotiations off the table.

”No problem will be solved by negotiating with America,” said Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khameni, citing past “experience.”

He called for the country to further develop its military capabilities.

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“We cannot be satisfied,” Khamenei said. “Say that we previously set a limit for the accuracy of our missiles, but we now feel this limit is no longer enough. We have to go forward.”

“Today, our defensive power is well known, our enemies are afraid of this. This is very important for our country,” he said.

February 13, 2025
Death tax repeal effort gets more than 200 Republican lawmakers on board

FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers are mounting a massive effort to repeal the federal inheritance tax, colloquially known as the “death tax.”

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, is leading more than 170 House Republicans on the “Death Tax Repeal Act,” which is also backed by the House’s top tax writer, Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo.

An inheritance or estate tax is levied upon the beneficiary who receives assets upon a person’s death. Republicans have long criticized the estate tax as a needless financial burden on grieving families, particularly hitting small family-owned businesses.

It comes as Republicans work on extending President Donald Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, whose provisions expire at the end of this year. Among the measures sunsetting in 2026 is a doubling of the estate tax exemption.

SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

Rep. Randy Feenstra and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are leading a new effort to repeal the federal estate tax (Getty Images)

Supporters of the federal estate tax point out that it affects a relatively small number of estates. Penalties are triggered for estates worth roughly $13.9 million at the time of death, according to the latest IRS data.

A counterpart bill in the Senate is being led by Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and is backed by 44 senators.

Both Feenstra and Thune argued it was an unnecessary tax that unfairly affected family farms and small businesses in their home states of Iowa, South Dakota and elsewhere.

BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS

It comes as Republicans work to extend President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts (AP/Alex Brandon)

“The death tax is an egregious double tax that unfairly targets American family farms and small businesses and directly threatens long-held farming traditions in rural Iowa and across the country,” Feenstra told Fox News Digital. “It is ridiculous that the federal government sends grieving families a massive tax bill when a loved one passes away.”

He said it amounted to “double taxation.”

“Family farms and ranches play a vital role in our economy and are the lifeblood of rural communities in South Dakota,” Thune told Fox News Digital.

“Losing even one of them to the death tax is one too many. It’s time to put an end to this punishing, burdensome tax once and for all so that family farms, ranches and small businesses can grow and thrive without costly estate planning or massive tax burdens that can threaten their viability.”

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If Republicans fail to extend Trump’s tax cuts before the end of this year, the estate tax would affect any estates worth roughly $7 million or more, according to Modern Wealth Law.

House Ways & Means Committee Republicans shared a memo late last year that said everyday American households could see taxes rise by over 20% if the tax cuts expired.

Feenstra and Thune’s bill would abolish the tax altogether, however.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

February 13, 2025
Big bank CEOs to meet with lawmakers on solutions to debanking

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., joins ‘The Bottom Line’ to discuss the Trump administration’s ‘refreshing’ approach to foreign politics and debanking.

The CEOs of several of America’s largest banks are set to meet Thursday on Capitol Hill with a group of senators in a roundtable on debanking issues in the wake of last week’s hearing on the subject.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank, Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf, U.S. Bank CEO Andrew Cecere, PNC CEO Bill Demchak and Truist CEO Bill Rogers are expected to attend the roundtable.

The meeting follows a pair of congressional hearings on debanking last week, which refers to the process by which banks close customers’ accounts, often in response to regulatory compliance concerns.

Businesses and individuals involved with the cryptocurrency and digital assets industry have faced debanking, as have cannabis businesses in states where marijuana is legal. Regulatory guidelines related to reputational risks have also led to debanking incidents involving the firearms industry and other conservative-aligned entities.

SENATE BANKING PANEL HEARS DEBANKING TESTIMONY: ‘EXTREMELY DISRUPTIVE’

Senators are set to meet with leading bank CEOs to discuss solutions to debanking issues. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)

President Donald Trump highlighted the issue of politically-motivated debanking in remarks to the World Economic Forum last month, where he publicly accused Bank of America of debanking conservatives while Moynihan was helping moderate a question-and-answer session with the president.

Moynihan spoke to FOX Business on his way into Thursday’s meeting and was asked about Trump’s allegations. He responded, “We bank everyone, thank you.”

Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and other banks have denied cutting off banking access to clients over political concerns.

TRUMP CONFRONTS BANK OF AMERICA CEO FOR NOT TAKING ‘CONSERVATIVE BUSINESS’

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan denied allegations the bank discriminates based on political views. (Cyril Marcilhacy/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Dimon called for more clarity about debanking in an appearance last month on the bank’s “Unshakeables” podcast.

“I think we should be allowed to tell you. … When we report stuff, the federal government should probably know about it, and there should be far cleaner lines about what we have to do and what we don’t have to do,” Dimon said. “We’ve been complaining about this for years. We need to fix it.”

MAJOR BANK CEO SAYS TRUMP’S FISCAL POLICIES MAKE US ‘THE NO.1 PLACE TO INVEST’ AGAIN

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has called for reforms to banking rules for more clarity around debanking decisions. (Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Senators from both sides of the aisle acknowledged the need for a solution to debanking issues at last week’s Senate Banking Committee hearing, with Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., saying they want to work on a bipartisan fix.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., previewed today’s meeting on FOX Business Network’s “The Bottom Line” on Wednesday, saying he’s “anxious to hear from all of them.” Cramer noted that he introduced legislation called the Fair Access to Banking Act which would look to address issues related to debanking and has 41 cosponsors in the Senate.

“I don’t want to require them to do certain things, but I want to prohibit them from being able to categorically discriminate against entire industries, whether it’s the oil and gas industry or the private industry, the munitions and firearm industry or the crypto industry or any number of industries that are legal and even constitutionally protected,” Cramer said.

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The big bank roundtable was first reported by Politico and has been confirmed by FOX Business.

FOX Business’ Chase Williams contributed to this report

February 13, 2025
GOP lawmakers introduce bill aimed at stopping trafficking of migrant children

Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, is joining GOP colleagues in the Senate by introducing legislation to protect unaccompanied migrant children from human traffickers.

“Over 300,000 unaccompanied migrant children effectively disappeared under the Biden administration, leaving them vulnerable to trafficking, abuse, and exploitation. Instead of ensuring their safety, these children are released with no follow-up, falling into the hands of cartels and criminals,” Luttrell said in a release announcing the Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2024.

Luttrell’s legislation is a companion to a bill introduced in the Senate by senators Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and aims to prevent further trafficking of migrant children by implementing proper vetting for adults who sponsor a child in the United States, including vetting for parents, immediate relatives and unrelated adults.

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Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, and the U.S. southern border. (Getty Images)

The bill will also require that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) take steps to vet all adults who will live in the home of a migrant child.

“It is terrifying to think that over 300,000 young, innocent children have been brought into this nation, potentially forced into unsafe conditions and at risk for human trafficking,” Scott said in the release. “As a parent or grandparent, it’s unimaginable to think what might happen to these children and that former President Joe Biden allowed this to happen by completely dismantling our immigration system and opening our southern border, completely ignoring the consequences or the tolls on human life.”

Luttrell’s bill seeks to beef up vetting of adults who sponsor a child in the United States to combat cross-border child trafficking. (Fox News)

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The bill aims to put multiple steps in place to prevent trafficking of children, including a prohibition on children being released to a sponsor who is in the U.S. illegally, unless the sponsor is the child’s legal guardian or a relative. The bill will also require authorities to complete a home visit prior to a child being released to the sponsor and calls for at least five additional unannounced home visits during the child’s first year in the country.

The legislation will also require reporting to Congress on actions being taken to account for current missing children, according to the release.

Children play near a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in May 2021. (Getty Images)

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“HHS must implement thorough vetting to ensure these children are placed with responsible adults — not predators,” Luttrell said. “President Biden’s border policies failed everyone, and this legislation will support the Trump administration’s efforts to course correct the disaster we were left with.”

Michael Lee is a writer for Fox News. Prior to joining Fox News, Michael worked for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has covered politics for more than eight years.

February 11, 2025
DOGE Caucus nabs over 100 House lawmakers despite Dem attacks on Musk

EXCLUSIVE: More than 100 congressional lawmakers have lined up behind the goal of cutting government waste, as Republicans and Democrats wage an aggressive ideological battle over the merits of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The Congressional DOGE Caucus was founded shortly after President Donald Trump tapped Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead an advisory panel on where the federal bureaucracy could be trimmed.

That effort is now being led by Musk alone, and it’s attracted fierce criticism from Democratic lawmakers who call him an unelected bureaucrat with too much control over the federal government despite no prior experience inside of it.

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The Congressional DOGE Caucus now has over 100 members, Fox News Digital was told. (House of Representatives/Getty)

But in the House, enthusiasm for the mission is still strong. Fox News Digital was told more than 100 members are part of the DOGE Caucus – which is more than one in five House lawmakers.

The group’s members are currently working on legislative items aimed at reducing government spending and forwarding specific items on Trump’s agenda, Fox News Digital was told.

The caucus, led by Reps. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., Pete Sessions, R-Texas, and House GOP Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore, R-Utah, has had two meetings so far.

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Rep. Aaron Bean is a DOGE Cuucus co-founder. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

During the second session, lawmakers were asked which of eight different working groups they wanted to be a part of, after which those groups would focus on finding areas to trim government waste in their designated areas.

Documents obtained by Fox News Digital after the second meeting showed the working groups are: “Retirement,” “safety net and family support,” “emergency supplementals,” “natural resources and permitting,” “homeland and legal,” “defense and [veterans affairs],” “workforce and infrastructure,” and “finance and government operations.”

Fox News Digital was told those member selections have been made, and the groups are “in full swing.”

President Donald Trump is pushing for a dramatic rollback in the federal government. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The caucus has seen significant interest from outside the Washington, D.C., Beltway as well, according to numbers shared with Fox News Digital.

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More than 40,000 people have reached out to the DOGE Caucus’ email tip line, and Fox News Digital was told that some ideas “for how to cut waste, fraud, and abuse” were shared with Musk’s DOGE team.

A source in the room during the group’s previous meeting told Fox News Digital that Bean also challenged lawmakers to introduce at least one bill each aimed at cutting government waste.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

February 10, 2025