Amid white supremacist scandal, far-right billionaire powerbrokers see historic election gains in Texas
All told, 11 of the 28 House candidates supported by Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks won their primaries outright, and another eight are headed to runoffs this May.
Ex-NBA player helps Kentucky bill for stutter treatment insurance advance
The Kentucky Senate voted on Thursday to expand insurance coverage for people seeking treatment for stuttering, and the bill’s sponsor credited a former basketball star with the assist. The Senate action to advance the bill came after Michael Kidd-Gilchrist endorsed the measure at a Senate committee hearing. Kidd-Gilchrist played on a national championship team at the University of Kentucky and then spent several years playing in the NBA. But it’s his willingness to open up about his own struggles with stuttering that won praise Thursday. TENNESSEE POLICE SEARCHING KENTUCKY LANDFILL IN CONNECTION WITH DISAPPEARANCE OF MISSING AUTISTIC TEEN “He’s a hero and a game-changer for using his position and his influence to do good for people that don’t have the resources that he had access to,” said Republican state Sen. Whitney Westerfield. Westerfield said his bill aims to help many more Kentuckians receive the treatment they need. “There are a lot of Kentuckians … who either don’t have coverage, have coverage and it’s limited by these arbitrary caps — say 20 visit therapy sessions and that’s it — regardless of what your need is,” he said. “You might need 10 times that many. But you can’t get it. And so unless you’ve got gold-plated coverage, and most Kentuckians don’t, you end up having to try to pay for it out of pocket.” As a result, many people don’t get the care they need. But his legislation aims to change that, he said The bill would eliminate those arbitrary caps and require greater coverage for stuttering services, he said. His Senate Bill 111 heads to the House next. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers. Kidd-Gilchrist pointed to his deep ties to Kentucky and his efforts to help other people struggling with stuttering in a recent op-ed published in the Lexington Herald-Leader. He wrote that he’s traveled the Bluegrass State to “hear testimonies” from people who stutter and advocate on their behalf. “I am pushing myself to use the very thing that can be a struggle — my voice — to speak up for the community I represent and whose voices often go unheard,” he said. “A primary obstacle to treatment for those who stutter is the way that insurance coverage is structured for this condition,” he added. He said there’s a “staggering lack of data” regarding the public’s awareness of those who stutter. “For children and adults who stutter to be set up for success in life and overall quality of life improvements, it is necessary that they be given access to all necessary procedures — from diagnosis to treatment to long-term speech therapy maintenance,” he wrote. Speech therapy is the mainstay of stuttering treatment. Globally, 70 million people stutter and President Joe Biden has spoken publicly about being mocked by classmates and a nun in Catholic school for his own speech impediment. He said overcoming it was one of the hardest things he’s ever done.
McCaul calls for dropping charges against Gold Star dad who protested State of the Union
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, called for the charges against the Gold Star father who interrupted President Biden’s State of the Union address to be dropped. Steve Nikoui, 51, is the father of Marine Corps Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui, one of the 13 U.S. service members killed when an ISIS-K suicide bomber detonated outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport during the U.S. military’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. He was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police on Thursday evening after shouting “Abbey Gate” multiple times from the House gallery during Biden’s speech. Abbey Gate was the location of the 2021 attack. McCaul revealed to reporters on Friday morning that Nikoui told him earlier about his intention to interrupt the address. DID BIDEN PASS OR FAIL? FORMER PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHWRITERS GRADE THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS “I talked to Steve prior to his announcement on the floor. I said, look, this is between you and your god and your conscience and your son, and the other families,” McCaul said. “I think they feel that their children have been completely, you know, blown off by this administration, the president’s never called to say ‘I’m sorry.’ And that is why he spoke up.” The senior Republican warned the Gold Star dad that he would likely be escorted off the House floor if he protested. “I didn’t encourage him to do it… it was his choice to make, and it was a powerful one,” McCaul said. HEROES OF KABUL: LANCE CPL. KAREEM NIKOUI BELIEVED AMERICA WAS WORTH FIGHTING FOR, FALLEN MARINE’S MOM SAYS Law enforcement said Nikoui was arrested on charges of crowding, obstructing or incommoding. He was a guest of Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla. McCaul called the charges “petty.” “I guess he resisted arrest, and I get that, I was a federal prosecutor many years, but in this type of case, I mean, the charges seem a little overbearing given the fact this is a man who lost his son in Abbey Gate to the bombing in a really screwed up situation,” McCaul said. BIDEN TARGETS TRUMP AND CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS IN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS The Texas Republican’s committee has been actively investigating the August 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal and the decisions that led to it. Fox News Digital reached out to Nikoui, U.S. Capitol Police, Mast’s office and Speaker Mike Johnson’s office, but did not immediately hear back.
Justice Department does not turn over Hur-Biden interview transcript despite House subpoena
The Justice Department has not turned over transcripts or audio recordings of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Biden despite a subpoena requesting that they were to be provided by Thursday, March 7, the House Judiciary Committee says. The development comes after Republicans leading an impeachment inquiry into the President’s mishandling of classified documents wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland in February notifying him of the subpoena. “We received a small production from DOJ but not the transcripts or audio that we need and requested,” House Judiciary Committee spokesman Russel Dye told Fox News on Friday. “Our staff has all necessary clearances to review the contents of the President’s interview, which dealt with materials found in unsecured areas like garages, closets and commercial office space. We are evaluating next steps.” A source familiar with the subpoena told Fox News late last month that the deadline to hand over the materials was March 7 at 9 a.m. ET. DOJ REVIEWING BIDEN, HUR INTERVIEW TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CLASSIFIED INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO HOUSE GOP DEMANDS A spokesperson from the Justice Department then said Thursday that “The Department has been in touch with the Committees and anticipated responding to their subpoenas today.” In the letter sent to Garland in February, which was signed by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, they wrote that their committees, “in coordination with the Ways and Means Committee, are investigating whether sufficient grounds exist to draft articles of impeachment against President Biden for consideration by the full House.” “The Committees are concerned that President Biden may have retained sensitive documents related to specific countries involving his family’s foreign business dealings,” they added. DOJ DEFENDS SPECIAL COUNSEL REPORT ON BIDEN’S MEMORY Hur, who released his report on the matter to the public in February after months of investigating, did not recommend criminal charges against Biden for mishandling and retaining classified documents and stated that he wouldn’t bring charges against Biden even if he were not in the Oval Office. Those records included classified documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other countries, among other records related to national security and foreign policy, which Hur said implicated “sensitive intelligence sources and methods.” Hur described Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory,” a description that has raised significant concerns for Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign. Hur will testify publicly about his report on March 12 before the House Judiciary Committee. Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
Republican lawmakers rally around Gold Star father arrested after heckling Biden at SOTU
Republican lawmakers mobilized behind the Gold Star father arrested after heckling President Biden during the State of the Union address on Thursday. Steve Nikoui, the father of a U.S. Marine killed by a suicide bomber during the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, stood up and repeatedly shouted, “Abbey Gate,” in reference to the attack at the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport that occurred during the military’s exit from the country. Nikoui shouted after Biden said, “America is safer today than when I took office.” Capitol Police escorted Nikoui out of Biden’s address and arrested him. Republicans have since taken to social media to rally around the Gold Star father. GOLD STAR DAD STEVE NIKOUI ARRESTED AFTER HECKLING BIDEN AT SOTU ADDRESS Florida Republican Rep. Brian Mast, who invited Nikoui to the address, criticized Biden after the ordeal. “Steve Nikoui, the father of fallen Marine LCpl. Kareem Nikoui, was my guest to {the State of the Union address],” Mast wrote on X. “He was arrested because he cried out to [Biden] to remember his son.” “Joe Biden has never honored those killed at the Abby Gate and still hails the catastrophic withdrawal as a success!” Mast said. Rep. Mike Waltz, also a Florida Republican, posted a picture of himself alongside Nikoui and took aim at Biden. DID BIDEN PASS OR FAIL? FORMER PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHWRITERS GRADE THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS “This Gold Star father – Steve Nikoui – lost his son Kareem Nikoui at Abbey Gate Afghanistan,” Waltz wrote on X. “Then Kareem’s older brother committed suicide over the loss.” “To this day, Biden has never apologized or said Kareem’s name in public,” he continued. “And Steve was ARRESTED for demanding Biden do so at SOTU. Seriously?” Likewise, California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa threw his support behind Nikoui. “I stand with the Gold Star families from Afghanistan — especially my friend Steve Nikoui. He gave the only poignant speech I heard last night,” Issa wrote on X Friday morning. “The President and First Lady will always honor the sacrifices of the 13 servicemembers who were killed in that attack,” a National Security Council spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “We mourn with them, we remember their loved ones, and we will continue to support these Gold Star families.” The surprise Abbey Gate attack killed 13 U.S. service members and injured at least 170 civilians — including Nikoui’s son, Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui. Nikoui was charged with crowding, obstructing or incommoding, a misdemeanor. He has since been released.
Wyoming bill to allow concealed carry in schools, government meetings heads to governor
A bill that would allow concealed carry of firearms in schools and government meetings is headed to Wyoming’s governor after clearing the state Legislature by a wide margin Thursday. What happens next is somewhat uncertain because Wyoming governors traditionally don’t say if they plan to sign or veto bills. Gov. Mark Gordon has not spoken publicly about the bill, but he is a Republican gun rights supporter. Wyoming is among the gun-friendliest states and the bill passed the state Senate 22-8 after supporters dismissed fears about allowing guns where they’re currently banned. RUPAUL BUILDING ‘FORTIFIED COMPOUND’ IN WYOMING, FEARS ‘MOMENTS AWAY FROM A F—ING CIVIL WAR’ People carry concealed guns in Wyoming all the time without stirring fear, said state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, a Republican from Cheyenne. “If people were afraid they wouldn’t go in all the stores around us. They wouldn’t go into any businesses around us. They would have to roll up the towns and close Wyoming down,” Bouchard said in floor debate. In Wyoming, gun owners haven’t needed a permit to carry guns openly or, since 2021, to carry a concealed firearm. Under the latest gun bill, open carry would still be prohibited in schools and government meetings, and K-12 students could not have guns at school. Guns would still be banned in jails, courts, police stations and hospitals, and on private property if that’s the owner’s wish. But concealed firearms would become permissible with a permit at the University of Wyoming and community colleges in areas not serving alcohol. They also would be allowed without a permit in government meetings including those of the Legislature. As with previous gun debates in Wyoming, lawmakers interpreted the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms permissively. “If we let school superintendents decide on this constitutional right, it won’t be long before they’re deciding on First Amendment rights,” said Sen. Troy McKeown, a Republican from Gillette. A handful of Wyoming districts have let school officials carry guns in schools since the state allowed it in 2017. States allowing permit holders to have concealed guns in schools include Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. One of Wyoming Senate’s two Democrats, Chris Rothfuss of Laramie, argued against the bill, saying he had not heard from teachers or students on the issue. He appealed to the Republican principle that government closest to the people governs best. “What this says to city councils, county commissioners, is your judgement is not good enough here,” Rothfuss said. The chamber’s other Democrat, Mike Gierau of Jackson, also voted against the bill, changing his vote to no after initially voting for it. The bill earlier cleared the state House 54-7, then failed in a Senate committee before being revived in a procedural vote to bring it to the full Senate.
Top House Republican announces support for Green Beret veteran looking to flip Virginia House seat
FIRST ON FOX: Former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret and combat veteran Derrick Anderson has landed an endorsement from another member of House leadership in his bid to flip one of the nation’s most competitive House seats from blue to red. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who currently serves as the House majority whip, announced Friday that he will support Anderson’s bid to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District. The district — currently held by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. — is one of the GOP’s top 2024 targets to try and strengthen the party’s narrow majority in the House. “Derrick Anderson is the conservative leader who will deliver for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District,” Emmer said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Derrick has earned support from military veterans, local sheriffs, and some of the strongest voices in the conservative movement because he will fight back against Joe Biden’s failed agenda.” Emmer added, “I look forward to helping Derrick win and growing our House Majority.” FORMER SPECIAL FORCES SOLDIER SEEKING TO FLIP VIRGINIA HOUSE SEAT LANDS VETERAN GOP LAWMAKER’S ENDORSEMENT Expressing his gratitude for the endorsement, Anderson, who launched his campaign last September, told Fox, “Whip Emmer’s conservative leadership has played a key role in electing Republicans to Congress and I appreciate his support and hard work.” “I look forward to working with him in Congress to help folks in Virginia’s 7th District improve their lives,” he added. “I served as a Special Forces Green Beret to help keep America safe and prosperous, and I’m running to do the same in Congress.” Emmer’s endorsement of Anderson comes after a handful of other GOP lawmakers who serve in leadership roles backed his candidacy. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Republican Conference chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., previously announced their support for Anderson in the race. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., who serves as chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, is also supporting Anderson’s bid. FORMER SPECIAL FORCES SOLDIER GETS ANOTHER BIG NAME ENDORSEMENT IN RACE TO FLIP SWING HOUSE SEAT FROM DEMS In addition to picking up support from those serving in House GOP leadership positions, Anderson has also received endorsements from several other veterans currently serving in Congress, including, among others, Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a former Navy SEAL; Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., an Army veteran; Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., a former Green Beret; Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., a former Army Ranger; Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, a former Air Force officer; Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, a former Navy captain; and Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., a former helicopter pilot for the U.S. Navy. Anderson, who served in the Army from 2006 to 2014 and deployed on six tours of duty throughout the Middle East as part of the Global War on Terror, launched his congressional campaign in September. He first ran for the seat in 2022 but narrowly lost the Republican primary to former congressional candidate Yesli Vega. Spanberger, a former CIA operative, went on to defeat Vega in the general election by just under 5%, securing her third term. In November, Spanberger announced she would not be seeking re-election to her post in the House and would instead make a run for governor of the state. Anderson is one of nine candidates vying for the Republican nomination for the district. Republicans currently hold a slim three-seat majority in the House of Representatives and are hoping to build on that next year, partly by capitalizing on the unpopularity of President Biden. The party gained control of the chamber following the 2022 midterm elections but performed below expectations. Fox News’ Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
Who is new Trump-backed RNC Chairman Michael Whatley?
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has a new leader now that former chair Ronna McDaniel has stepped aside, and committee members’ have cast their votes at the group’s spring meeting in Houston, Texas on Friday. North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley won that unanimous voice vote and will take the reins of a party struggling to undo its Democratic counterpart’s financial advantage as the November general election looms. Whatley has served as the North Carolina GOP chair since 2019, and also serves as the general counsel for the RNC. He was hand-picked by former President Donald Trump for the role, and has been strong supporter of the latter’s repeated claims that his 2020 election loss to President Biden was due to massive voter fraud. TRUMP SET TO TAKE OVER REPUBLICAN PARTY BY INSTALLING KEY ALLY, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW TO LEAD RNC One source told Fox News Digital last month that Whatley was specifically selected because he was “so powerful on election fraud” that year. That same source also told Fox that Whatley “kept the fraud down” in the state, “despite having a strong Democrat governor.” The source added that Trump is focused on ensuring the votes in the 2024 general election are “safe.” Prior to his work with the Republican Party, Whatley served as a federal law clerk, a senior official in the President George W. Bush administration and as the chief of staff for former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. He also served as a senior adviser to the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign, Florida Recount and Transition Teams, as well as the Trump-Pence campaign and transition teams. TRUMP CAMPAIGN REJECTS EFFORT TO HAVE RNC FOOT FORMER PRESIDENT’S LEGAL BILLS: ‘HARD NO’ New Hampshire GOP chair and former RNC committee member Chris Ager, who attended Friday’s meeting in Houston, told Fox News Digital Whatley was “a good choice” to lead the party. “The people at the RNC know and like Mike Whatley, so he’s a good choice and Lara Trump is a trusted adviser to the president, so why not give him the tools he needs to get the job done. If he trusts those people, let’s give him what he needs to get that win in November,” he said. Whatley will be joined by Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who was also elected by a unanimous voice vote to serve as co-chair. DEMS MOCK RNC FOR ‘DESPERATE’ FUNDRAISING DRIVE THAT INCLUDES STARK ADMISSION ON DNC’S MONEY ADVANTAGE Trump is also installing campaign adviser Chris LaCivita as RNC chief of staff. LaCivita, a longtime Republican strategist and RNC veteran, will continue to keep his role as one of the two top advisers steering Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The moves solidify Trump’s takeover of the RNC and effectively cement the reality of the past eight years — the GOP is the party of Trump. “Today, the RNC poured gasoline on a dumpster fire by promoting Trump-backed election denier Michael Whatley as their new leader,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Alex Floyd told Fox News Digital following Whatley’s election. “Whatley has embraced Donald Trump’s dangerous and extreme agenda, and is so out-of-touch he even broke with other GOP leaders and failed to denounce a white supremacist with neo-Nazi ties. This latest MAGA rebrand will not change the RNC’s dire fundraising issues or string of electoral losses, and Republicans will regret elevating a fringe election denier as chairman when he leads them to another Trump defeat in November,” he added. The RNC gathering, which was scheduled in the last couple of weeks, came in the same week Trump swept 14 of the 15 GOP primaries and caucuses on Super Tuesday — which moved him much closer to officially locking up the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. It also comes just two days after Trump’s last rival for the nomination — former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — dropped out of the race. Trump’s takeover of the RNC is far from controversial. It is traditional as a presidential election cycle moves from the primaries to the general election for the presumptive nominee of the party out of power to take control and merge operations. Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Oregon governor to sign bill recriminalizing illicit drugs, ending liberal experiment
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek will sign a bill recriminalizing small amounts of illicit drugs again, according to a statement from the governor’s office on Thursday, subsequently ending the liberal state’s short-lived drug policy. House Bill 4002 will reverse the short-lived Measure 110, a 2020 law that voters approved to decriminalize most illegal possession of controlled substance offenses and redirect much of the state’s marijuana tax revenue to fund grants for addiction services. “I intend to sign House Bill 4002 and the related prevention and treatment investments within the next 30 days. As governor, my focus is on implementation,” Kotek said in a statement Thursday. OREGON LAWMAKERS CONSIDER CHANGING BELOVED ANTI-URBAN SPRAWL LAW TO FIGHT HOUSING CRISIS Lawmakers made a U-turn on the controversial 2020 measure this week in the legislature, after addiction and overdose deaths skyrocketed in Oregon over the last two years. HB 4002 will now give illicit users an ultimatum: Be criminally charged or get treatment if caught with hard drugs like fentanyl and meth. It also makes the possession of small amounts of drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail. It enables police to confiscate the drugs and crack down on their use on sidewalks and in parks. Additionally, the bill aims to make it easier to prosecute people who sell drugs and increase access to addictive medication. LIBERAL OREGON U-TURNS, PASSES BILL TO RECRIMINALIZE HARD DRUGS AS OVERDOSE DEATHS SKYROCKET “My office will work closely with each implementing authority to set expectations, specifically in response to the Criminal Justice Center’s Racial Equity Impact Statement, which projected disproportionate impacts to communities of color and the accompanying concerns raised by advocates. House Bill 4002 will require persistent action and commitment from state and local government to uphold the intent that the legislature put forward: to balance treatment for individuals struggling with addiction and accountability,” the statement read. Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson last month declared a 90-day state of emergency for downtown Portland over the public health and public safety crisis fueled by fentanyl. CRISIS IN THE NORTHWEST: POLICE STRUGGLE AS FENTANYL’S GRIP IN RURAL OREGON BECOMES ‘NEXUS’ OF DAILY RESPONSES Portland private security guard Michael Bock told Fox News last month that fentanyl overdoses rose by 533% in Multnomah County, the state’s most populous county, between 2018 and 2022. Dealers act with “absolute impunity,” he said, and hand out drugs like they are a “7-Eleven.” “With this bill, we are doubling down on our commitment to make sure Oregonians have access to the treatment and care that they need,” said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber of Portland, one of the bill’s authors, adding that its passage will “be the start of real and transformative change for our justice system.” Fox News’ Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Americans exposed to nuclear radiation by government would be compensated under approved Senate bill
The Senate passed legislation Thursday that would compensate Americans exposed to radiation by the government by renewing a law initially passed more than three decades ago. The bill by Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., would expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include more people who believe that exposure caused their illnesses. While some Republicans have balked at the cost — an estimated $50 billion, according to Hawley’s office — the senators have argued that the government is at fault and should step up. Hawley stood outside the Senate before the vote with advocates for the legislation, several of whom have been diagnosed with cancers or who have family members who have been diagnosed. He said it’s “hard to look them in the eye” and say they were poisoned by their government, “but we’re not going to be there for you.” JAPAN AIMS TO EXTRACT SAMPLE FROM REMAINS OF COUNTRY’S WORST-EVER NUCLEAR DISASTER The bill passed the Senate 69-30, with 20 Republicans and all but two Democrats voting in favor. But its prospects in the House are uncertain. Uranium processing in the St. Louis area played a pivotal role in developing the nuclear weapons that helped bring an end to World War II and provided a key defense during the Cold War. But eight decades later, the region is still dealing with contamination at several sites. In July, an investigation published by The Associated Press, The Missouri Independent and MuckRock showed that the federal government and companies responsible for nuclear bomb production and atomic waste storage sites in the St. Louis area were aware of health risks, spills, improperly stored contaminants and other problems but often ignored them. While it is difficult to prove definitively that the waste caused residents’ illnesses, the advocates argue that there is more than enough evidence that it has sickened people in the area. “I am a two-time breast cancer survivor,” said Missouri state Rep. Chantelle Nickson-Clark, a Democrat who represents Florissant, an area that sits along the creek that was contaminated by nuclear waste in the 1960s. “I lost my mother to breast cancer, an aunt to breast cancer. Two cousins that are breast cancer survivors, a nephew that had a cancerous brain tumor and other genetic mutation deficiencies in my family. I’m here to represent a community that has been underserved, undervalued, underrepresented and unheard.” President Joe Biden signed an executive order in 2022 extending RECA for two years, but it expires in June. Hawley’s bill would extend the law for five years and expand coverage to include people in Missouri as well as Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alaska and Guam. The White House indicated Wednesday that Biden would sign the legislation. “The President believes we have a solemn obligation to address toxic exposure, especially among those who have been placed in harm’s way by the government’s actions,” the White House said in a statement. Others worried about the cost. The taxpayer advocacy group Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said that the legislation should include budget offsets to pay for it. Advocates have been fighting for years to expand the program to include more sites in the U.S. In New Mexico, residents in the communities surrounding the area where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945 — the top-secret Manhattan Project — were not warned of the radiological dangers and didn’t realize that an atomic blast was the source of the ash that was raining down upon them. That included families who lived off the land — growing crops, raising livestock and getting their drinking water from cisterns. Tina Cordova, a cancer survivor and founder of a group of New Mexico downwinders, talked about the wave of momentum for expanding the compensation program that has been building since “Oppenheimer,” a film about the development of the first atomic bomb, premiered last year. “You know, we are ground zero,” she said. “We’re where it all started. The origins of the whole nuclear program are in New Mexico, and we were the first people exposed to radiation as a result of an atomic bomb and to be left out for 79 years is just truly unacceptable.” Cordova has had many family members and friends die of cancer over the years. Thursday marked the 11th anniversary of her father’s death, and she said she was thankful to be in Washington to celebrate the vote. “People have been waiting for justice for far too long, and it’s just simply time to do the right thing,” she said. The vote was a rare up-or-down roll call on standalone legislation as Congress is busy trying to fund the government. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced that he would put the bill on the Senate floor last week amid negotiations on the spending package. Hawley would not say if he had threatened to hold up the spending bill over his legislation, which was included in a massive defense bill last year but stripped out at the last minute. But he said he had pledged to use “every tool at his disposal” to get the bill passed. Persuading the GOP-led House to take up and pass the legislation could be more difficult. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., is among those pushing for the measure. In St. Louis, nuclear waste stored near Lambert Airport made its way into Coldwater Creek in the 1960s. Many people who live near the meandering creek believe the contamination is responsible for cancers and other illnesses, though experts say connecting radiation exposure to illness is complicated. Cancer concerns also have been raised by people in nearby St. Charles County, Missouri, where uranium was processed and a large quarry became contaminated, resulting in a Superfund cleanup. In 2022, a St. Louis County grade school closed amid worries that contamination from Coldwater Creek got onto the playground and inside the building. The Army Corps of Engineers announced this week that it is testing a few homes near the creek after high