Here’s what’s in the spending bill that’s drawing the ire of Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy
Congressional leadership unveiled legislation Wednesday to punt the government funding deadline down the road, but that bill was pronounced dead only hours after it was revealed. It led to the intervention of Trump-allied conservatives like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, with Musk threatening to support a primary challenge to any Republican member of Congress who voted for the bill. It even prompted President-elect Trump to say he is “totally against” the legislation and insist any spending deal raise the debt ceiling before he gets into office, saving his administration the headache of doing so. The continuing resolution, or CR, was meant to kick the government funding deadline down the road by continuing spending at 2024 levels until March and buy more time for Congress to hash out a longer-term budget plan for fiscal year 2025. But it included 1,500 pages worth of policy and funding riders. With a national debt of $36 trillion and a deficit of $1.8 trillion deficit, conservatives are leery of CRs that don’t cut government spending to begin with. But they’ve argued only a “clean” CR without any riders attached could earn their vote. But others – Democrats and some Republicans – wanted policy and funding riders attached to get something done beyond the status quo. Here’s a look at all the provisions that prompted Musk and Ramaswamy to step in and insist Republicans kill the CR: A nearly 4% pay raise would line the pockets of lawmakers if the legislation were to pass: $6,600 extra per year on top of their $174,000 salary. That salary hasn’t been increased since 2009, but Congress created a program in 2022 allowing members of Congress to expense their food and lodging in Washington, D.C., while conducting official business. Some members have been pushing for a pay raise for years, arguing that if members aren’t paid more it means that only independently wealthy people will run for Congress. Others are worried about the optics of a pay raise with voters. Still, others just don’t think lawmakers deserve it. “The worst part of the CR was the pay raise for members. That money should be earned and right now it is just being taken,” said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., on X. The legislation also includes a provision stipulating that members of Congress do not have to participate in the health care system they wrote into law – the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. It would allow members to opt out of the program and instead participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The lawmaker mandate was a contentious debate during the passage of ObamaCare in 2009 and 2010, and for years Republicans tried to overturn the health care bill entirely. While the CR would exempt members from having to buy health care on the ObamaCare exchange, it would still require their staff to participate in it. CONGRESS UNVEILS BILL TO AVERT FRIDAY GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WITH OVER $100B IN DISASTER AID House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., whose job has come under renewed threat due to anger over the CR, has said he started with a “clean” CR plan but needed to add disaster relief for victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the southeastern part of the country. Some $100 billion for disaster relief was included, but some conservatives argue it should be paid for by cutting funding in other areas. The CR includes $8 billion for rebuilding the Baltimore area bridge, which collapsed earlier this year. Some conservatives don’t believe the federal government should be on the hook entirely for the bridge. “Guess what, folks? Even though the Francis Scott Key Bridge is privately owned, insured, and collects tolls, you still have the honor of footing 100% of the bill to have it repaired. Oh, and it will continue to collect tolls once it’s fixed,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., wrote on X. The plan would allow year-round sales of gasoline with ethanol up to 15%, a major win for the corn and ethanol lobbies. Currently, sales of E15 are blocked from June through September due to the high level of emissions it produces. Opposition to the E15 mandate is seemingly a more regional debate than ideological – southern Republicans from oil-producing states want to protect pure gasoline. Agricultural states want to protect farmers and their subsidies. DEMS COMPLAIN ‘PRESIDENT MUSK’ RUNNING THE SHOW ON GOP SPENDING DRAMA A State Department agency that Republicans accuse of adding Americans and news outlets to a blacklist for things like speculating the COVID-19 virus was a Chinese-engineered bioweapon would get a reauthorization under the bill. Musk previously described the Global Engagement Center (GEC) as being the “worst offender in US government censorship & media manipulation.” “They are a threat to our democracy,” Musk wrote in a subsequent post. Although the bill doesn’t specify its budget allocation, a previous Inspector General report showed the agency’s FY 2020 budget totaled $74.26 million, of which $60 million was appropriated by Congress. The legislation reauthorizes the farm bill for a year, offering $21 billion in disaster relief to farmers and another $10 billion in economic aid. Most conservatives say they aren’t necessarily against this, but think it should get a standalone vote and not be attached to the CR. Other seemingly unrelated riders are sprinkled throughout, such as a bill to establish data collection and reporting requirements concerning composting and recycling programs, and a bill related to transparency of hotel fees.
Rand Paul suggests replacing Mike Johnson with Elon Musk as Speaker of the House
The chaotic collapse of the continuing resolution spending bill is putting House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership under the spotlight and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has floated the idea of replacing him with Elon Musk, President-elect Trump’s pick to co-chair his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Paul took to Musk’s X Thursday morning to pitch the idea of the tech billionaire taking the House Speaker’s gavel, noting that the Speaker does not need to be a sitting member of Congress. “The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress… Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk… think about it… nothing’s impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka ‘uniparty,’ lose their ever-lovin’ minds),” wrote Paul, a staunchly libertarian conservative on fiscal matters. HOUSE GOP LEADERS SCRAMBLE FOR PLAN B AFTER TRUMP, MUSK LEAD CONSERVATIVE FURY AGAINST SPENDING BILL Musk, an outspoken critic of government waste, has weighed in on the spending bill debate and led a conservative revolt against the latest plan due to its bloated spending provisions – calling for lawmakers who supported the bill to lose their seats. “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk wrote on X. The legislation has angered conservatives, including President-elect Trump who also called for it to be scrapped. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., confirmed to reporters that the deal was dead while leaving the Capitol on Wednesday night. It came after GOP critics of the spending bill spent much of the day attacking Johnson’s handling of the issue. It’s unclear if Paul was serious in his suggestion or if the post was made with tongue-in-cheek. Democratic political strategist Jimmy Williams balked at the idea. “Senators should stick to Senating and House Members should stick to their Chamber,” Williams wrote on X. “No House Member gives a damn what a Senator thinks about who should be Speaker.” However, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., backed the idea. “I’d be open to supporting @elonmusk for Speaker of the House,” Greene wrote on X replying to Paul. “DOGE can only truly be accomplished by reigning in Congress to enact real government efficiency. The establishment needs to be shattered just like it was yesterday. This could be the way.” Johnson ascended to the speakership after former House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted late last year in a move initiated by eight Republican rebels, becoming the first House speaker to be voted out of the position in U.S. history. ‘SHELL SHOCKED’ KEVIN MCCARTHY WILL NOT RUN FOR HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN FOLLOWING REMOVAL House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D- N.Y., said last week that no Democrats will vote for Johnson’s bill, scheduled for Jan. 3. With Republicans set to hold a four–seat majority, Johnson retaining the gavel is not guaranteed. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said Wednesday that he won’t vote for Johnson, barring a “Christmas miracle.” Earlier this year, Massie supported Greene in pushing to remove Johnson from the speakership, but the vast majority of members in both parties ultimately voted to spike the ouster effort. With Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., saying she will no longer caucus with Republicans while remaining a registered Republican, that may reduce Johnson’s support to a single vote. Paul is not the only senator to weigh in on Johnson’s leadership. On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, took aim at the House Speaker for the chaotic situation playing out on Capitol Hill and suggested change. “It’s ridiculous. It’s a horrible plan. I can’t believe that Republican leadership ever cooked it up,” Hawley told Hannity. “Clearly, they didn’t talk to Trump about it, and I tell you what, we need to have a serious look at who’s leading this Congress because if this is the best they could do, I mean, it’s just it’s total incompetence, this is a disaster.” Hawley said the latest plan would saddle the incoming administration with a “terrible spending bill” and it would need to be revisited again in March. “Under this bill, they’d shut the government down again, have to do this all over again, have to raise the debt ceiling again later, the same year.” “This bill right here would add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit, and the worst part is, it is all for Dem priorities.” Fox News’ Danielle Wallace and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
BJP, Congress lock horns over scuffle on Parliament premises; file cross-complaints alleging…
Political clash between BJP and Congress intensified on Thursday, with leaders of both parties filing cross-complaints over an alleged scuffle on the Parliament premises. BJP MPs, led by Anurag Thakur, lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police against Rahul Gandhi for “assault and incitement.”
Dems complain ‘President Musk’ running the show on GOP spending drama
House Democrats fumed Thursday over the spending bill drama and what they characterized as the outsize influence of Elon Musk and others in President-elect Donald Trump’s orbit, after a bipartisan plan brokered by House Speaker Mike Johnson collapsed just hours earlier. Speaking to reporters outside a leadership meeting on Thursday, House Democrats expressed disappointment in Republicans for walking away from the negotiated argument, and many accused them of appearing to take clues from Elon Musk. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., labeled the billionaire X owner “President Musk” while speaking to reporters Thursday. “For the Republicans, for President Musk to come in at the last moment and blow up the deal is just intolerable,” Nadler said. “You have to negotiate, and you have to be able to enforce what you’re negotiating, and what was negotiated was a very good deal for the American people.” JOHNSON HIT WITH POSSIBLE SPEAKERSHIP RIVALS AS CONSERVATIVES REBEL OVER GOVERNMENT FUNDING PLAN Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said their caucus is “disappointed” in House Speaker Johnson, saying it appeared as though Musk is “president” and Trump “vice president.” This was echoed by Rep. Greg Casar, D-Tex. “My main question is just if Elon Musk is kind of cosplaying co-president here, I don’t know why Trump doesn’t just hand him the Oval Office.” “Speaker Johnson should maybe just hand Elon Musk the gavel if they just want that billionaire to run the country,” Casar told reporters outside a House Democrat leadership meeting. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INTERIM SPENDING BILL House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., was emotional as she expressed her frustration with the protracted negotiation and a changed debt ceiling agreement, saying that in her view, Republicans “need to do the right thing for once.” She noted that she has “thousands of neighbors” and others in her district who are waiting for disaster aid or for a Small Business Administration loan. “”Those are the loans that help people repair their homes. Those are the loans that help small businesses get back on their feet.” She noted that Republicans did not replenish those funds when they did the last spending bill, so in the meantime, these people “have been left out in the lurch.” “I just wanted to point out that this kind of chaos and dysfunction has real world impacts on hardworking people, and it’s irresponsible and wrong,” she said. Musk’s team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for a response to the comments on his role in the spending bill negotiations.
Alex Soros and Huma Abedin hold star-studded engagement party at Anna Wintour’s home: Photos
FIRST ON FOX: Several celebrities and media figures turned out in New York City on Wednesday night for liberal mega donor Alex Soros and former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin’s engagement party. Fox News Digital obtained photos of guests leaving the engagement party, which took place at the SoHo home of Vogue executive Anna Wintour, showing former President Bill Clinton and Hillary attending the party along with MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. Also in attendance were Hollywood couple Adrian Brody and Georgina Chapman, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and her husband, media mogul Barry Diller. Soros and Abedin announced their engagement on social media over the summer, with Soros sharing a photo of himself down on one knee. ELON MUSK WANTS TO MEET ALEX SOROS — AND SOROS SAYS HE’S OPEN TO IT “This happened…we couldn’t be happier, more grateful, or more in love,” Soros wrote in an Instagram post. Abedin, the 48-year-old longtime aide to former Secretary of State Clinton, revealed to the public earlier this year that she was getting romantic with the 38-year-old Soros in a Valentine’s Day post on Instagram, showing the pair cozying up behind a table full of roses at a restaurant booth in Paris. EX-CLINTON AIDE HUMA ABEDIN ENGAGED TO GEORGE SOROS’ SON The engagement of the progressive power couple comes seven years after she separated from her first husband, disgraced Democratic politician Anthony Weiner. She filed for divorce in 2017, although it was not finalized until years later. Abedin has been a staunch Clinton ally since she began interning for the former first lady in the White House back in 1996. She went on to work for her as a top aide in the State Department, the Clinton Foundation, as well as Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. She joined MSNBC in 2022. Soros, 39, has been making headlines ever since he took control of his father’s mammoth multibillion-dollar Open Society Foundations in June 2023. Since then, he has been jet-setting around and meeting with top Democratic officials, former President Clinton and even attending meetings with Pope Francis. Soros has also visited President Biden’s White House at least 20 times, records show. Soros has posted dozens of photos of himself and leading House and Senate Democrats since 2018. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California appear the most often on his social media feeds. He also posted a photo with Vice President Kamala Harris, writing, “Great to recently catch up with Madame Vice President, [Kamala Harris]!” Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Emma Woodhead contributed to this report
Trump cheers disqualification of ‘corrupt’ Fani Willis, says case is ‘entirely dead’
EXCLUSIVE: President-elect Trump reacted to the Georgia Court of Appeals decision to disqualify “corrupt” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her team, telling Fox News Digital that the case “is entirely dead” and that the “wonderful patriots who have been caught up in this for years” should “receive an apology.” The Georgia Court of Appeals on Thursday disqualified Willis and her team from prosecuting Trump and co-defendants in her election interference case. The court did not toss the indictment but declared that Willis and her team now have “no authority to proceed.” In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Trump said the “whole case has been a disgrace to justice.” “It was started by the Biden DOJ as an attack on his political opponent, Donald Trump,” he said, “They used anyone and anybody, and she has been disqualified, and her boyfriend has been disqualified, and they stole funds and went on trips.” Trump said the case “should not be allowed to go any further.” “There is no way such corrupt people can lead a case, and then it gets taken over by somebody else,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “It was a corrupt case, so how could it be taken over by someone else?” “The case has to be thrown out because it was started corruptly by an incompetent prosecutor who received millions of dollars through her boyfriend – who received it from her – and then they went on cruises all the time,” Trump said, referring to Willis’ relationship with a former special prosecutor on her team, Nathan Wade. Willis hired Wade, her alleged partner, to prosecute Trump and benefited financially from the relationship in the form of vacations the two took using funds that his law firm received for working the case. “Therefore, the case is entirely dead,” Trump said. “Everybody should receive an apology, including those wonderful patriots who have been caught up in this for years.” Willis’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Trump spokesman and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital that “in granting President Trump an overwhelming mandate, the American people have demanded an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and a swift dismissal of all the Witch Hunts against him.” “We look forward to uniting our country as President Trump Makes America Great Again,” Cheung said. Willis charged Trump out of her investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state. Trump was charged with one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges. And on Thursday, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that the trial court “erred by failing to disqualify DA Willis and her office.” “The remedy crafted by the trial court to prevent an ongoing appearance of impropriety did nothing to address the appearance of impropriety that existed at times when DA Willis was exercising her broad pretrial discretion about who to prosecute and what charges to bring,” the decision states. The court said while it recognizes that “an appearance of impropriety generally is not enough to support disqualification, this is the rare case in which disqualification is mandated and no other remedy will suffice to restore public confidence in the integrity of these proceedings.” “Accordingly, we reverse the trial court’s denial of the appellants’ motion to disqualify DA Willis and her office,” the filing states. “As we conclude that the elected district attorney is wholly disqualified from this case, ‘the assistant district attorneys – whose only power to prosecute a case is derived from the constitutional authority of the district attorney who appointed them – have no authority to proceed,’” the decision states.
Georgia appeals court disqualifies DA Fani Willis from Trump election interference case
A Georgia court of appeals disqualified Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting President-elect Trump in his election interference case on Thursday. The court did not go all the way to throw out Trump’s indictment, but Willis and the assistant DAs working in her office now have “no authority to proceed.” This is a breaking story. Check back soon for updates.
Tim Scott’s Senate campaign arm staff revealed ahead of crucial 2026 swing state races
FIRST ON FOX: The senior staff for the new National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) that will help incoming Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., in his quest to expand the GOP majority in 2026 were revealed on Thursday, and they include veterans of President-elect Donald Trump, Scott himself and former Vice President Mike Pence. Scott, who was chosen to lead the NRSC in the upcoming cycle, will be assisted by a slate of veteran GOP operatives. Jennifer DeCasper, Scott’s longtime chief of staff and top adviser, will be the next NRSC executive director. Stephen DeMaura will join her as deputy executive director. He served as Pence’s 2024 presidential campaign manager and has an extensive history of working with campaigns and outside groups to win elections. PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE HASN’T HEARD FROM WEST POINT SINCE EMPLOYEE ‘ERROR’ DENYING HIS ACCEPTANCE “Two years of complete Republican control is good, but four years of a Trump agenda is even better,” Scott said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Defending the majority, going on offense, and advancing President Trump’s agenda requires an elite team to execute at the highest levels. I’m excited about the organization we are building, the wins we will put on the board, and the results we will deliver for the American people.” “Jennifer DeCasper is an outstanding choice to lead the NRSC as Executive Director,” current NRSC Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont., said in a statement. “As a trusted advisor to Senator Tim Scott, she’s proven to be a master at navigating both politics and policy. Her strategic insight, relentless drive, and commitment to conservative principles make her uniquely equipped to help us keep and grow our hard-fought Senate majority.” MIKE LEE LOOKS TO HALT WELFARE FOR ILLEGALS GOING ON UNDER BIDEN WITH KEY BUDGET PROCESS Cara Mason, a Trump alum, will serve as finance director. Nathan Brand is joining the NRSC team as Scott’s senior adviser. The committee’s next political director will be Brendan Jaspers, who previously served as director of campaigns at the Club for Growth. The NRSC’s next communications director will be Joanna Rodriguez, who is currently running communications for Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb. Ricketts will be taking on the role of vice chair at the NRSC for the 2026 cycle as well. Additionally, veteran Senate staffer Brennen Britton will be the NRSC’s director of external affairs and the committee’s senior finance adviser will be Brittney Godoy, who has led Scott’s fundraising efforts in the past. FARM STATE REPUBLICANS APPEAR SKEPTICAL ABOUT RFK JR AMID HIS QUEST FOR HHS CONFIRMATION “It will take a team of seasoned, conservative operatives to ensure President Trump has a Senate majority for his entire term, and that’s exactly who Senator Scott has lined up,” said Ricketts in a statement. “I’m especially excited to see a member of my senior staff, Joanna Rodriguez, join the team. She will share her experience crafting winning, conservative messages with incumbents and challengers across the map. As an NRSC Vice Chair and in-cycle Senator, I’m confident this team will do whatever it takes to win races and champion President Trump’s agenda of prosperity and security.” The NRSC noted the value added by the wide range of political experience that each member of the team brings to the table, which they believe will help to maintain and grow a GOP Senate majority to work with Trump. RFK JR. SAYS HE PLANS TO ALSO MEET WITH DEMS IN BID TO GET CONFIRMED AS TRUMP HHS HEAD In 2026, there are several races expected to be competitive, including those for the seats of Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Susan Collins, R-Maine. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has made an aggressive case to her fellow Democrats to let her take on the role of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chairwoman during the same cycle. Central to her pitch has been her ability to speak effectively to voters in purple areas, which she says Democrats must do.
Trump says Mike Johnson will ‘easily remain speaker’ if he acts ‘decisively and tough’ on spending bill
EXCLUSIVE: President-elect Donald Trump told Fox News Digital that House Speaker Mike Johnson will “easily remain speaker” for the next Congress if he “acts decisively and tough” and eliminates “all of the traps being set by Democrats” in the spending package. Fox News Digital spoke exclusively with the president-elect Thursday morning, just hours after the bipartisan deal to avoid a partial government shutdown was killed. JOHNSON HIT WITH POSSIBLE SPEAKERSHIP RIVALS AS CONSERVATIVES REBEL OVER GOVERNMENT FUNDING PLAN “Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible,” Trump told Fox News Digital. Vice President-elect JD Vance met with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Wednesday night. The two spoke about the potential continuing resolution for about an hour. Vance said the two had a “productive conversation,” and said he believes they will “be able to solve some problems here” and will continue “working on it.” The chaos surrounding the effort to pass legislation to avert a government shutdown is putting the upcoming speaker vote in focus, as Johnson has struggled to keep the party fully united. But the president-elect told Fox News Digital that Johnson will “easily” keep his role as speaker. “If the speaker acts decisively, and tough, and gets rid of all of the traps being set by the Democrats, which will economically and, in other ways, destroy our country, he will easily remain speaker,” Trump told Fox News Digital. The speaker vote is set for Jan. 3, 2025. The now-dead-on-arrival 1,547-page bill was set to be a short-term extension of fiscal year (FY) 2024 government funding levels, aimed at giving lawmakers more time to agree on funding the rest of FY 2025 by the Friday deadline. MIKE JOHNSON WINS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT TO BE HOUSE SPEAKER AGAIN AFTER TRUMP ENDORSEMENT In addition to funding the government through March 14, the bill included more than $100 billion in disaster aid to help Americans affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene. It also included $10 billion in economic relief for farmers, as well as health care reform measures and a provision aimed at revitalizing Washington, D.C.’s RFK stadium and its surrounding campus. The bill also proposed a pay raise for members of Congress. Members of the House Freedom Caucus said they felt blindsided by what they saw as unrelated policy riders being added to the bill in last-minute negotiations. Several GOP lawmakers granted anonymity to speak freely said Johnson would see challenges to his speakership bid in early January over the matter. Sources said top Republicans like House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., were mentioned in early talks about alternatives. But a person close to Donalds told Fox News Digital in response, “At this time, the congressman has not made any statements regarding the future of House leadership.” And a spokesperson for Emmer told Fox News Digital, “Whip Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is focused on doing the job he was elected to do.” And a source close to Jordan told Fox News Digital that the Ohio Republican is “not interested in challenging Johnson.” Fox News Digital’s Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
‘Make America Healthy Again’ caucus launched by Sen Marshall after RFK Jr meeting
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., is launching a new caucus in the Senate on Thursday, named the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) caucus, to support the joint mission of President-elect Donald Trump and his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Marshall, a medical doctor who has practiced for more than 25 years, will lead the caucus as it works to promote healthy food, address widespread chronic diseases, encourage safer agricultural practices and work on expanding healthcare access. “The MAHA caucus is committed to improving health outcomes by prioritizing nutrition, providing access to affordable, nutrient-dense foods, and focusing on primary care availability to tackle the root causes of chronic diseases,” the Kansas Republican said in a statement. “With our ‘Food is Medicine’ approach, support from RFK Jr., and a shared goal to Make America Healthy Again, we aim to foster transparency, innovation, and a transformative agenda that builds a healthier, stronger nation.” PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE HASN’T HEARD FROM WEST POINT SINCE EMPLOYEE ‘ERROR’ DENYING HIS ACCEPTANCE Marshall is being joined in the new caucus by founding members Sens. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Rick Scott, R-Fla. According to the senator’s office, the MAHA caucus’ purpose will be to work alongside Kennedy, assuming that he is confirmed in the new Congress, and use legislation to ensure that Trump and Kennedy’s plan can be swiftly executed. The caucus will foster partnerships with stakeholders at the local, state and federal level in order to facilitate key MAHA initiatives, while also mobilizing support for its priorities and creating educational campaigns to spread nutritional awareness. MIKE LEE LOOKS TO HALT WELFARE FOR ILLEGALS GOING ON UNDER BIDEN WITH KEY BUDGET PROCESS After Kennedy suspended his independent presidential campaign earlier this year and subsequently endorsed Trump, the two announced that together they would work to “make America healthy again.” Following his election last month, Trump revealed his choice to nominate Kennedy to lead HHS and pursue that goal. The caucus’ creation comes as Kennedy continues to make the rounds on Capitol Hill, meeting with senators to shore up his confirmation support. Marshall, Tuberville and Scott were among those who met with him this week. FARM STATE REPUBLICANS APPEAR SKEPTICAL ABOUT RFK JR AMID HIS QUEST FOR HHS CONFIRMATION While many Republicans in the Senate have expressed support for Trump’s nominees across the board, including Kennedy, there are questions among some about his stance on vaccines, agriculture and abortion. Despite this, he has managed to address the concerns of some of the GOP lawmakers he has already met with. For example, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said Kennedy promised to restore certain pro-life policies at HHS. Tuberville told reporters prior to his meeting that he planned to discuss food production and agricultural policy with Kennedy. Following their discussion, he said Kennedy was aligned with Trump on protecting farmers and not over-regulating their livelihoods. RFK JR. SAYS HE PLANS TO ALSO MEET WITH DEMS IN BID TO GET CONFIRMED AS TRUMP HHS HEAD Kennedy is expected to conduct more meetings with senators on both sides of the aisle and will still need to address concerns, specifically those about his past comments on vaccine efficacy and how they will factor into his leadership at HHS. The former independent presidential candidate has long been a prominent vaccine skeptic. But, the HHS nominee said he wouldn’t do anything to take vaccines away from people.