Bipartisan panel urges Congress to toss out decades of trade policy they say China has been exploiting
A federal China commission released its sprawling yearly report to Congress on Tuesday, for the first time recommending lawmakers end China’s favored trade status and the provision that allows goods under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, established by Congress as a bipartisan entity to investigate and provide policy recommendations on China, is now directly advocating for Congress to end the Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) China has enjoyed since 2004. The committee will pitch its 83 policy recommendations to lawmakers on Tuesday, along with a report on China’s military capabilities, its threats to U.S. allies in the region and how it is exploiting U.S. policy for its own advancement. “For decades we have engaged in whack-a-mole policy working within international organizations and guidelines to address the increasing and ambitious efforts by China to skirt laws or take advantage of trade loopholes,” commission chair Robin Cleveland said. “In our hearing on the threats to American consumers this year we heard from administration and expert witnesses who were starkly clear: U.S. agencies do not know if the majority of packages coming from China include a baby toy painted with a toxic chemical—a counterfeit piece of clothing made with slave labor—or a pin head amount of fentanyl which is enough to kill the average citizen.” CHINA’S XI VOWS TO WORK WITH TRUMP DURING MEETING WITH BIDEN “While the administration has existing authority to shut down this flood of troubling products, we have a strong recommendation on legislative action that should strengthen safety and legal protections for consumers and manufacturers.” The commission also identified an urgent need for AI advancement in the U.S., calling on Congress to establish and fund a “Manhattan Project-like program” to acquire Artificial General Intelligence (AG) capability, defined as systems that would “surpass the sharpest human minds at every task.” The prospect of eliminating PNTR, which allowed low-cost Chinese goods to flood U.S. markets throughout the 2000s by giving the CCP the same trade benefits as U.S. allies, faces increasingly likely odds with Republican control of the House and Senate. Eliminating it would grant the president authority to assess and review whether greater tariffs are needed. President-elect Trump has vowed to drastically increase tariffs on Chinese-made goods. The report found that Chinese goods increasingly evade regulatory inspection and tariffs by coming in shipments valued under $800, taking advantage of the “de minimus” exemption in tariff law. TRUMP LOOMS LARGE AS BIDEN SET TO MEET CHINA’S XI DURING LATIN AMERICA SUMMITS Eliminating “de minimus” on e-commerce shipments would require Customs and Border Patrol to institute far greater oversight over small-dollar shipments, prompting a request for more resources in Congress. But the report found these shipments are often used to sneak fentanyl into the U.S. The U.S. has brought in around $4 million in Chinese goods shipped under “de minimus” per day this year, up from $3 million last year. Congress should also consider legislation to eliminate federal tax expenditures for investments in Chinese companies that are on the Commerce Department’s trade blacklist known as the Entity List, per the report. Such legislation could eliminate the preferential capital gains tax rate, the carried interest loophole or capital loss carry-forward provisions for companies that are believed to run afoul of U.S. interests or suspected to be stealing intellectual property. The report also recommended the U.S. bolster its export controls to deny China access to critical dual-use goods and technologies and ban imports of certain technologies controlled by Chinese entities, like autonomous humanoid robots and energy infrastructure products. It urged Congress to direct the administration to create an outbound investment office to oversee dollars flowing to investments in countries of concern and to amend laws to allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission mandatory recall authority over Chinese products. Throughout the year, China has increasingly tried to crack down on dissent and “sanctions proof” its economy, in preparation for a future of potential military or economic warfare with the West, the report noted. It conducted violent attacks on Philippine personnel operating within their own exclusive zone, tried to influence Taiwan’s democratic elections and incurred into Taiwanese air space over 2,300 times. It launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile test into the South Pacific in more than 40 years. Trump has begun to fill out his Cabinet with China hawks. On the campaign trail this year, Trump has proposed a 10% tariff on all U.S. imports and 60% on Chinese-made products. If Trump successfully raises tariffs to 60%, it could reduce China’s exports by $200 billion and cause a one percentage point drag on GDP, said Zhu Baoliang, a former chief economist at China’s economic planning agency, at a Citigroup conference. Last year, China exported about $500 billion worth of goods to the U.S., about 15% of all of its exports.
Trump judge still awaiting Manhattan DA’s sentencing recommendation
The Manhattan district attorney said a Bloomberg report on Tuesday morning claiming that Donald Trump’s sentencing for 34 criminal charges had been “adjourned” was incorrect. The wire was based on an automated schedule alert sent out by the court that stemmed from a court email from last week saying that all future dates had been stayed, according to the DA’s office. District Attorney Alvin Bragg is still slated to file a recommendation to Judge Juan Merchan on how to proceed. Merchan can move to either delay Trump’s sentencing until after he leaves the White House, can dismiss the conviction outright, or can grant a sentence of unconditional discharge, which would leave the conviction intact but free Trump from any prison time, fines, or probation. Trump was convicted in May by a Manhattan jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records, stemming from a case about payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, which could have landed him a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison. But the presidential race — and Trump’s victory — had thrown the timeline for court proceedings into a fog of uncertainty. Merchan granted a request from prosecutors earlier this month to stay all deadlines associated with the New York case, including a planned sentencing date of Nov. 26, in wake of Trump’s election victory. REPUBLICANS FILE 12 PENNSYLVANIA LAWSUITS IN ‘AGGRESSIVE’ PUSH TO END RECOUNT “The People agree that these are unprecedented circumstances,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said in their request, which he added would allow for prosecutors to better evaluate the impact of his election as president. Trump’s attorneys, who have pushed to vacate the charges against him completely, also backed the stay. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents should enjoy presumptive immunity from criminal prosecution for most actions taken as president, further complicating the path forward in the New York case. EVERY DECISION JUDGE MERCHAN HAS MADE HAS ‘FAVORED THE PROSECUTION,’ SAYS THINK TANK PRESIDENT The high court ruled that presidents are entitled to absolute immunity from any actions taken within the scope of “core constitutional powers” as commander-in-chief. A presumption of immunity also applies to other actions taken while holding office, they said. It is not clear whether a president is to be afforded the same level of constitutional protection for state convictions, however, and the matter has never been tested in court. Bragg’s office has insisted its case is focused solely on Trump’s personal behavior, not his actions as president. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly characterized the case as a politically motivated “witch hunt,” a refrain frequently used by the president-elect in an attempt to discredit his critics, political opponents, and prosecutors at the state and federal level. Even if Trump’s convictions were to be upheld, the president-elect has myriad ways to appeal the case or get the charges against him dismissed before the Nov. 26 sentencing hearing — making it all but certain he will face no time behind bars. EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to note that the Manhattan DA has confirmed the sentencing had not been adjourned.
Report: NY judge adjourns Trump hearing without explanation, delaying sentencing
Donald Trump’s sentencing for 34 criminal charges in the state of New York was abruptly adjourned by the court Tuesday, according to Bloomberg News, a decision that gives the presiding judge additional time to weigh how to proceed in the case. The reportedly delayed sentencing came on the same day that District Attorney Alvin Bragg was slated to file a recommendation to Judge Juan Merchan on how to proceed. Fox News was not able to independently confirm the reporting. The adjournment itself is not a dismissal of the charges against Trump. Rather, it takes a previously scheduled Nov. 26 sentencing date off the calendar as the court weighs how to proceed in considering the case against the president-elect. Next steps in the case remain unclear. Judge Merchan can move to either delay Trump’s sentencing until after he leaves the White House, can dismiss the conviction outright, or can grant a sentence of unconditional discharge, which would leave the conviction intact but free Trump from any prison time, fines, or probation. Trump was convicted in May by a Manhattan jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records, stemming from a case about payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, which could have landed him a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison. But the presidential race — and Trump’s victory — had thrown the timeline for court proceedings into a fog of uncertainty. The presiding judge in the New York case, Judge Juan Merchan, granted a request from prosecutors earlier this month to stay all deadlines associated with the New York case, including a planned sentencing date of Nov. 26, in wake of Trump’s election victory. REPUBLICANS FILE 12 PENNSYLVANIA LAWSUITS IN ‘AGGRESSIVE’ PUSH TO END RECOUNT “The People agree that these are unprecedented circumstances,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said in their request, which he added would allow for prosecutors to better evaluate the impact of his election as president. Trump’s attorneys, who have pushed to vacate the charges against him completely, also backed the stay. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents should enjoy presumptive immunity from criminal prosecution for most actions taken as president, further complicating the path forward in the New York case. EVERY DECISION JUDGE MERCHAN HAS MADE HAS ‘FAVORED THE PROSECUTION,’ SAYS THINK TANK PRESIDENT The high court ruled that presidents are entitled to absolute immunity from any actions taken within the scope of “core constitutional powers” as commander-in-chief. A presumption of immunity also applies to other actions taken while holding office, they said. It is not clear whether a president is to be afforded the same level of constitutional protection for state convictions, however, and the matter has never been tested in court. Bragg’s office has insisted its case is focused solely on Trump’s personal behavior, not his actions as president. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly characterized the case as a politically motivated “witch hunt,” a refrain frequently used by the president-elect in an attempt to discredit his critics, political opponents, and prosecutors at the state and federal level. Even if Trump’s convictions were to be upheld, the president-elect has myriad ways to appeal the case or get the charges against him dismissed before the Nov. 26 sentencing hearing — making it all but certain he will face no time behind bars. This is a breaking story. Updates to follow.
‘DOGE’ meets Congress: GOP lawmaker launches caucus to help Musk take on ‘Crazytown’
EXCLUSIVE: A Republican lawmaker has launched a new congressional caucus aimed at working hand-in-hand with President-elect Trump’s soon-to-be DOGE – Department of Government Efficiency. Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., said he dispatched a “Dear Colleague” letter overnight Tuesday seeking other lawmakers to join him. The practice is standard for members seeking co-sponsors of legislation. “Taking on Crazytown is no easy task,” Bean said. Thus far, Reps. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and Ralph Norman of South Carolina have joined the caucus. “Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will need partners in Congress to accomplish many of the cuts necessary to rein in the unelected bureaucrats who have had unchecked power for far too long.” BIDEN’S BORDER CRISIS ‘WREAKING HAVOC’ ON K-12 SCHOOLS: TOP LAWMAKER Bean said the national debt’s $36 trillion level “should be a wakeup call for all Americans.” “We must take action to avoid diving headfirst off the cliff of fiscal ruin… Our DOGE Caucus, will work closely with the Department of Government Efficiency to help rein in reckless spending and stop the abuse of taxpayer dollars.” Earlier this month, Trump tapped Musk and Ramaswamy to lead the “DOGE,” which the Tesla CEO has widely touted and begun soliciting civilian help for. Trump said last week he hopes DOGE will become the “Manhattan Project of our time” – in reference to J. Robert Oppenheimer’s secretive atom bomb endeavor during World War II. “Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of ‘DOGE’ for a very long time,” Trump said. In his letter to colleagues, Bean lamented the $6 billion per day the U.S. has borrowed during the Biden-Harris administration, and added that interest accruals on the debt currently exceed the nation’s entire Defense Department budget. “Republicans must live up to our principle of fiscal responsibility by reining in the spending that is driving both inflation and our unsustainable debt. The DOGE Caucus will bring together members from across our conference who are ready to rein-in unelected bureaucrats and end the over-regulation that has crippled American Main Street. “When Republicans stick together, we win,” Bean said. “Join us in reclaiming our country and Making America Great Again.” RAMASWAMY OUTLINES DOGE’S VISION In the immediate aftermath of his solicitation being circulated, a representative for Bean’s office said they are still waiting for other lawmakers to take part. Musk continued sharing examples of government waste he would like to see his new department take on, captioning “Drop the DOGE hammer” on X, formerly Twitter, above a retweet of a Washington Post headline reading “New report estimates U.S. fraud losses exceed $233 billion annually.” Musk also shared a clip Monday of Sen. Rand Paul, R–Ky., speaking about government waste and describing a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study that reportedly fed different types of booze to fish, captioned with a furrowed-brow emoji: “Gin to a sunfish versus tequila – which would make the sunfish more aggressive?” “Nearly a million dollars spent studying whether or not Japanese Quail, if you give ‘em cocaine… are more sexually promiscuous,” Paul added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Sounds like a job for DOGE!” the future department head said over the weekend of a report the Pentagon failed its seventh audit and was unable to account for part of its $824 billion budget. Trump recently said Musk and Ramaswamy’s work will help the next generation have a solvent future. “They will work together to liberate our Economy, and make the U.S. Government accountable to ‘We The People’,” he said on Nov. 12. Trump added at the time that his aspiration is for the department’s collaborative efforts to culminate on July 4, 2026, in concert with the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. Fox News Digital reached out to Trump, Musk and Ramaswamy via the transition team for additional comment.
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Wyoming judge strikes down state abortion laws, ruling them unconstitutional
A state judge knocked down two laws restricting abortion in Wyoming on Monday, ruling that they violated protections in the state’s constitution that allow patients to determine the health care choices that are best for them. The first law prohibited abortion entirely, with an exception for instances where the life of the mother is in jeopardy, or in cases involving rape or incest. The second law that was shot down was a first-of-its-kind ban on medication-induced abortions. Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens said that the two statutes “impede the fundamental right to make health care decisions for an entire class of people, pregnant women.” PENCE SAYS HE OPPOSES RFK JR’S NOMINATION FOR HHS SECRETARY BECAUSE OF HIS STANCE ON ABORTION “The Defendants have not established a compelling governmental interest to exclude pregnant women from fully realizing the protections afforded by the Wyoming Constitution during the entire term of their pregnancies, nor have the Defendants established that the Abortion Statutes accomplish their interest,” Owens wrote. “The Court concludes that the Abortion Statutes suspend a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions during the entire term of a pregnancy and are not reasonable or necessary to protect the health and general welfare of the people.” Owens previously put a hold on Wyoming’s bans last year while she heard arguments from both sides about the measures’ constitutionality, or lack thereof. HISTORIC CATHOLIC VOTE ‘DELIVERED ELECTION TO PRESIDENT TRUMP,’ SAYS CATHOLICVOTE PRESIDENT The bans were challenged by a group of women, including two obstetricians and two nonprofit organizations. “This is a wonderful day for the citizens of Wyoming — and women everywhere who should have control over their own bodies,” said Julie Burkhart, the president of Wellspring Health Access, one of the lawsuit’s plaintiffs. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The ruling comes after voters in seven states, earlier this month, passed ballot measures in support of reducing restrictions on abortions. Meanwhile, three states voted to keep their restrictions in place. Currently, 13 states are enforcing abortion bans with limited exceptions, while four states have bans that begin six weeks into a woman’s pregnancy, according to ABC News.
Mace faces backlash over effort to ban new transgender member of Congress from women’s bathrooms
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., clashed with her critics online Tuesday as she faces backlash for her resolution to bar men who identify as female from the women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill. Mace filed the resolution on Monday, which Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind first reported will prohibit “Members, officers, and employees of the House from using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” The resolution comes just as the first openly transgender lawmaker, Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, D-Del., is set to join Congress in January. McBride is a biological male who identifies and presents as a woman. “This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing,” McBride said in a statement. “We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars.” TRANSGENDER WOMEN TO BE BANNED FROM CAPITOL HILL FEMALE BATHROOMS UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP PROPOSAL “Delawareans sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible and that’s what I’m focused on,” added McBride. When online critics said Mace’s resolution was “clearly directed” at McBride, the South Carolina congresswoman confirmed that was her intention. “Yes and then some. Biological men do not have any rights to women’s private spaces. It’s perverted to think otherwise,” Mace posted on X in response to another user. “Also Sarah McBride doesn’t get a say here. I will always protect woman and girls. Period. Full stop. End of story.” REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE WANTS MEN BANNED FROM WOMEN’S SPACES IN ‘ALL TAXPAYER-FUNDED FACILITIES’ Her uncompromising position provoked McBride’s defenders to call Mace a bigot and a bully. Left-wing journalist Aaron Rupar shared a screenshot of Mace’s response and wrote, “Note how ‘concerns about fairness in sports’ has already transformed into unvarnished transphobic bigotry.” Mace responded, “Protecting women and girls isn’t bigotry, it’s common sense. I will stand in the brink to protect women’s rights from the far left radicals trying to erase us.” Harry Sisson, a Democratic content creator on TikTok, likewise accused Mace of “straight up bigotry and bullying.” Mace quoted his X post and wrote, “All these radical left men pushing other men into women’s private spaces shows you how sick they truly are – the Left will do whatever they can to harm women and girls. As a victim of abuse and as an advocate for other women abused by men, four words for you: Over My Dead Body.” DELAWARE DEMOCRAT SARAH MCBRIDE PROJECTED TO BECOME FIRST TRANSGENDER MEMBER OF CONGRESS: AP Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., called Mace’s effort to ban McBride from the ladies’ room “pathetic.” “What are you scared of, Nancy?” he asked. To which Mace quoted his reply and wrote, “I don’t want people with penis’s [sic] showing them off in our locker room.” In a follow-up post, Phillips asked, “Why wouldn’t we ‘allow’ our fellow citizens the right to use the damn toilet of the gender by which they live their lives? “You may not like it. I get it. But it’s still common sense and banning it seems un-American,” he continued. “So come-on patriots, let’s be cool with one another.” But Mace refused to back down. “As a victim of abuse, I know firsthand women are vulnerable; and I will stand in the way of anyone who violates our rights or who wants to set us back 100 years,” she wrote. Semafor politics reporter David Weigel observed that Mace’s position is a “shift” to the right after she supported a Republican alternative to the Democrat-backed Equality Act, which would have added sexual orientation and gender identity language to federal anti-discrimination law. The GOP’s “Fairness for All Act” would have extended civil rights protections to gay and transgender people but exempted religious institutions, nonprofit organizations and certain individuals. “I strongly support LGBTQ rights and equality,” Mace told the Washington Examiner in 2021. “No one should be discriminated against.” She went on to say gender issues are not “black-and-white.” “I do believe that religious liberty, the First Amendment, gay rights, and transgender equality can all coexist. I’m also a constitutionalist, and we have to ensure anti-discrimination laws don’t violate First Amendment rights or religious freedom,” Mace said at the time. “I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ,” she added. “Understanding how they feel and how they’ve been treated is important. Having been around gay, lesbian, and transgender people has informed my opinion over my lifetime.” Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Day before Maharashtra voting, BJP’s Vinod Tawde accused of distributing cash, poll body files case
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