Congress feeling heat from groups demanding ban on contracts with Chinese firm taking Americans’ DNA
Congress is feeling the heat from more than a dozen conservative groups that are calling for the passage of a National Defense Appropriations Act (NDAA) amendment to government contracts with a Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-linked biotech firm. Sixteen conservative groups sent a letter to senators and House lawmakers, calling on them to pass the NDAA provision to ban contracts with “adversarial biotech companies,” specifically China’s Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI). The amendments are led by Republicans Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin. CONGRESS WEIGHS BAN ON GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS FOR ‘ADVERSARIAL BIOTECH COMPANIES’ LIKE CHINA’S BGI Gallagher, chairman of the House Select Committee on the CCP, told Fox News Digital that BGI “collects genetic data on people all over the world, to include that of pregnant women, and uses it for research with the Chinese military.” “The CCP will undoubtedly use the genetic data collected by BGI to further its malign aggression, potentially even to develop a bioweapon used to target the American people,” Gallagher warned. “The good news is that Congress can do something about it.” “Senator Hagerty and I are working to prohibit the U.S. government and those that contract with the U.S. government from acquiring genetic sequencing equipment from BGI and its subsidiaries in this year’s National Defense Authorization Amendment (NDAA),” he continued. “I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers of Congress to protect Americans’ sensitive health information and include this critical provision in the final bill,” Gallagher added. The groups who signed onto the letter include Heritage Action, Americans for Limited Government, the Benjamin Rush Institute, and Frontiers of Freedom, among many others. In their Nov. 17 letter, the groups say the provisions “would establish necessary safeguards to ensure that Americans’ genomic information is protected from potentially malign actors seeking to amass and leverage this sensitive personal information to achieve economic and national security goals.” “U.S. leadership in the area of biotechnology and genomic data is critical,” the groups wrote. “The power of the genome is only just now beginning to be fully understood, with its applications for population level healthcare, targeted therapies for oncology and other conditions, agriculture, and biodefense growing each day.” “Genomic data is important on an individual level, where it is among the most personal data a person has, and on a population level, where it can provide information on an entire race, or sub-race of individuals in a way that can explain why [populations] are susceptible to certain viruses and respond to certain environmental factors.” “In the wrong hands, genomic data can also be used for genetic surveillance or societal control of minority populations,” the groups warned. The conservative groups noted the “important economic and national security implications of leadership in biotechnology and genomic data” and that the CCP has “prioritized it for state support, including in its Made in China 2025 Plan.” The groups also wrote that “there is ample evidence that the CCP and its biotechnology national champions like” BGI and WuXi Biologics “are engaged in a systematic campaign to collect as much personal genomic data as possible to achieve the Party’s objectives.” “As recently reported by the Washington Post, China has been engaged in a genomic data collection effort for the past decade, ‘with a vast and growing government-owned repository that now includes genetic data drawn from millions of people around the world,’” the letter reads. “These efforts received a major boost from the COVID-19 pandemic when Chinese companies and institutes provided free or low-cost COVID-19 testing kits, laboratories, or gene-sequencing machines around the world to facilitate their efforts,” it continues. The groups also wrote that the U.S. government “has long recognized the threat posed by BGI and other Chinese biotech champions” and that the Trump administration’s Department of Commerce “placed BGI-controlled companies on the entity list” in 2020 because “they were ‘conducting genetic analyses used to further the repression of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the [Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region].’” Additionally, the groups noted the Biden administration added “more BGI affiliates to the entity list for posing a significant risk of contribution to Chinese government surveillance and risk of diversion to China’s military programs.” The groups said the NDAA provisions from Gallagher and Hagerty “takes an important step to protect American biotechnology by prohibiting the U.S. government and those that contract with the U.S. government from acquiring genetic sequencing equipment” from BGI and its subsidiaries. “This is critical to thwart China’s broad data collection efforts, which threaten U.S. economic and national security leadership,” they wrote.
Internal docs show Biden admin waived taxpayer safeguards to boost offshore wind project
EXCLUSIVE: The Biden administration quietly granted a request from an energy firm developing an offshore wind project off the coast of Massachusetts to waive development fees designed to safeguard taxpayers, according to internal documents reviewed by Fox News Digital. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) informed Vineyard Wind that it had waived a financial assurance for decommissioning costs fee in a June 15, 2021, letter obtained by watchdog group Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT). Federal statute mandates that developers pay that fee prior to construction on their lease, a potentially hefty fee designed to guarantee federal property is returned to its original state after a lessee departs its lease. “At the same time the Department of the Interior was looking at forcing greater and more expensive bonding requirements on holders of long-standing oil and gas leases, they were relaxing these requirements on the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind energy producer, one that just coincidentally happened to be a client of their incoming #2,” PPT Director Michael Chamberlain told Fox News Digital. “If you want to talk about bad optics, I don’t see how they could be any worse than right here,” he said. “For an administration touting itself as the most ethical in history, this represents yet another incident in which Secretary Haaland’s Interior appears to have a tough time living up to that standard.” BIDEN’S WAR ON OIL DRILLING THREATENS TO KILL HIS OWN GREEN ENERGY GOALS: ‘A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY’ Chamberlain noted that former Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beadreau, the second-highest ranked official at the Department of the Interior (DOI) which houses BOEM, had, according to his 2021 financial disclosure form, previously represented Vineyard Wind on legal matters while serving as a partner at the firm Latham & Watkins. Just one week after BOEM approved Vineyard Wind’s request to waive the development fee, Beaudreau departed Latham & Watkins and was sworn in at DOI. In an email to Fox News Digital, Beadreau, who left DOI in late October for another firm, said he wasn’t involved in the request to waive the fee and that a question about his past role posing a conflict of interest was therefore not applicable. BIDEN ADMIN IS RUSHING TO INDUSTRIALIZE US OCEANS TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE: ‘ENVIRONMENTAL WRECKING BALL’ According to the documents obtained by PPT, BOEM said Vineyard Wind wouldn’t be required to pay the development fee until 15 years after the project enters operations under its 20-year power purchase agreements. The documents indicate that Vineyard Wind first submitted the request in December 2017, but that the Trump administration rejected it, forcing the developer to resubmit it in March 2021. In its June 2021 letter to Vineyard Wind, BOEM explained it would waive the fee because the project included risk reduction factors including insurance policies to cover any catastrophic event that damages operations, use of proven wind turbine technology, and the use of power purchase agreements “with guaranteed electricity sales prices that, coupled with the consistent supply of wind energy, ensure a predictable income over the life of the project.” The letter also stated that the “regulatory departure” would reduce Vineyard Wind’s financial assurance burden, enabling the developer to invest freed-up capital in construction and enabling the project to enter operations sooner. In addition, it explained the fee was waived also because it “promotes the production and transmission of energy from a source other than oil and gas.” And Meredith Lilley, an energy program specialist at BOEM, acknowledged in an internal email at the time, also obtained by PPT, that waiving the fee by August 2021 was vital to ensure Vineyard Wind could “secure financing and achieve financial close.” The 800-megawatt Massachusetts project — a joint venture between Danish energy developer Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and New England utility services company Avangrid — was first proposed years ago, but was fast-tracked once President Biden entered office. In May 2021, the DOI formally approved the project, marking the first utility-scale offshore wind farm to receive federal approval. Then, in July 2021, BOEM approved Vineyard Wind’s construction and operations plan and, four months later, DOI Secretary Deb Haaland joined then-Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and other officials for the commemorative groundbreaking of the project in Barnstable, Massachusetts. APPEALS COURT FORCES BIDEN ADMIN TO HOLD OFFSHORE OIL LEASE SALE WITHOUT ECO RESTRICTIONS “Vineyard Wind 1 represents a historic milestone for advancing our nation’s clean energy production. This project and others across the country will create robust and sustainable economies that lift up communities and support good-paying jobs, while also ensuring future generations have a livable planet,” Haaland said during the ceremony on Nov. 18, 2021. “The Interior Department is committed to responsibly accelerating our nation’s transition to a clean energy future, and doing so in coordination with our partners, stakeholders, Tribes and ocean users to avoid and reduce potential impacts as much as we can,” she continued. Since BOEM’s approval of Vineyard Wind, it has green-lit five other utility-scale offshore wind farms as part of Biden’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. However, one of those projects, the offshore New Jersey project Ocean Wind 1, was axed by its developer in October due to various economic factors. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has taken aim at the oil and gas industry. Despite waiving development fees associated with green energy production, the DOI unveiled a plan in July to revise bonding requirements, royalty rates and minimum bids for onshore fossil fuel leasing, an action that will raise costs for developers. “Amidst a global energy crisis, this action from the Department of the Interior is yet another attempt to add even more barriers to future energy production, increases uncertainty for producers and may further discourage oil and natural gas investment,” Holly Hopkins, the vice president of upstream policy at the American Petroleum Institute, said in a statement at the time. “This is a concerning approach from an administration that has repeatedly acted to restrict essential energy development.” BOEM and Vineyard Wind didn’t respond to requests
Former NFL player launches bid for newly drawn Alabama congressional district in potential blow to Dems
FIRST ON FOX: An Alabama football star who went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) is looking to earn support from voters in Alabama’s newly drawn 2nd Congressional District as he seeks election to the U.S. House. Wallace Gilberry, a Republican, will formally announce his candidacy in the race Wednesday morning. A native of Bay Minette, Alabama, Gilberry told Fox News Digital he’s looking to “fire” President Biden and push back against liberal Democrats’ hold on Black Americans as a voting bloc. “I’m running because Joe Biden and the liberal politicians have let down my community and failed Alabama. Folks here at home are hurting and too many politicians don’t understand that – I see it every day,” he said. “My mission is simple: we’ve got to fire Joe Biden, beat back the liberals who have held down the Black community for too long, put the people of Alabama first, and help President Donald J. Trump Make America Great Again.” ALABAMA REJECTED CCP-TIED EV COMPANY’S PROJECT THAT BLUE STATES EVENTUALLY GREEN-LIT Alabama’s Second Congressional District, which previously covered southeast Alabama, now extends across the lower portion of the state from the Georgia line to the Mississippi line. Montgomery County and a northwest portion of Mobile County are included in the majority-Black district, which has a Black voting age population of nearly 50%. Black voters remain a strong Democratic constituency in the Yellowhammer State, and the new district will favor Democrats as both parties battle for control of the House in 2024. However, Gilberry, an All-SEC standout at the University of Alabama who spent nine seasons in the NFL with various teams as a defensive end, believes he’s the candidate who’s got what it takes to defeat his challengers and come out on top. “Out-of-touch, out-of-state Democrats wasted all kinds of time and money trying to buy themselves another seat in Congress because they take Black folks for granted and think we will all just vote Democrat. Problem for them is that Alabama can’t be bought,” he said. “A Black man is going to win this race – but it’ll be me, a conservative Republican who puts Alabama first.” Recognizing the current state of the economy and financial issues that have plagued thousands of American families, Gilberry, one of five children who was raised by his great-grandmother and a single mom, said he’s focused on “lifting up” Alabamians and providing opportunities for minority children “that go beyond sports.” FEDERAL COURT SELECTS NEW ALABAMA CONGRESSIONAL MAP, LIKELY HANDING DEMOCRATS A SEAT AT NEXT HOUSE ELECTION “My focus is on lifting up the people of Alabama. I’ve been blessed with incredible success, success that came from playing football. I’m running to have a platform to help create opportunities for young men who look like me that go beyond sports,” he said. “More jobs at local businesses, helping entrepreneurs thrive, keeping our communities safe. In order to do that we have to get rid of career politicians, get rid of Joe Biden, and elect people focused on putting the people of Alabama first.” “I’m going to win this race by telling the truth and doing what’s right for Alabama, it’s pretty simple,” added Gilberry. Gilberry, who spent nine seasons playing in the NFL before returning home to Alabama and reinvesting in his community, has seen his fair share of cultural and social issues on the national stage. Highlighting two issues that have arisen in recent history, Gilberry slammed the attempted eradication of female sports, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement over its protest of kneeling during the national anthem. “BLM has way more in common with the KKK than they do MLK,” Gilberry said. “While others were kneeling during the national anthem, my team was standing. We were united as a team, while others were focused on media attention and self-promotion – it was wrong then and it’s wrong now. I’ll always stand to honor those who keep us free.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Allowing men to compete against women, that’s ‘abolishment’ of women’s sports, plain and simple. And we should never allow men into girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms. We have to protect women and girls; we can’t let a sex offender put on a wig and lipstick and say he’s a female,” he added. Gilberry, who grew up a Democrat before establishing his own beliefs about the political system, joins a crowded field of nearly two dozen challengers. All in all, 13 Democrats and eight Republicans have qualified to run for the seat.
House to advance election security overhaul as 2024 heats up
House Republicans are making a renewed effort at strengthening American election security just weeks before the 2024 races formally kick off. The Committee on House Administration is holding a meeting on Thursday to advance seven different bills that touch on elections at the federal, state and local level. “It’s just some commonsense reforms that we have an opportunity to put forward that strengthen the integrity of our elections,” committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. FOX NEWS POLL: SUPPORT FOR TRUMP HITS 62% IN GOP PRIMARY Among the set of bills are measures to allow states to require proof of citizenship when someone registers to vote by mail, mandating the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration communicate information to states to help them verify citizenship of people registered to vote, and a bill to repeal a Washington, D.C., law allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections, as well as others. Democrats have broadly opposed GOP election security efforts, accusing Republicans of trying to make it harder to vote. But Steil said he believed the D.C. measure in particular should be a bipartisan push. BLACK VOTERS SAY THEY’RE TURNING AWAY FROM ‘WEAK’ BIDEN IN 2024: ‘HE DIDN’T CHANGE ANYTHING’ “When we had a joint hearing with Oversight… we went back and forth, and when we explained what the D.C. law does, that it would allow, you know, foreign nationals working with foreign embassies in D.C. who have been here for 30 days to vote for mayor, even Democrats at the hearing said well… I could agree with you there,” he said. “The idea that we’re going to allow non-citizens to vote in our nation’s capital for the mayor of Washington, D.C., sounds as ridiculous as it is.” Steil said another of the bills, which would prohibit foreign nationals from making political contributions in elections or on ballot initiatives and public referendums, should be a “no brainer” for Democrats to support. “There’s effectively what I view as a loophole in the law that bans foreign contributions to federal candidates… federal candidates, you can’t accept foreign money… But it’s not the case right now for ballot initiatives. And so we’re putting that in place to, again, strengthen the integrity of our elections, prevent foreign interference.” UTAH REPUBLICAN SEEKING TO REPLACE ROMNEY ACCUSED OF FALSIFYING ENDORSEMENTS, STRONG-ARMING GOP FOR SUPPORT The Thursday committee meeting will be about a month and a half before the Jan. 15 Iowa caucus, when Republican voters will participate in the first contest of the 2024 presidential election. Democrats are holding their first primary in South Carolina in early February. Steil had introduced those bills as part of a larger package called the American Confidence in Elections Act in July. He told Fox News Digital that his committee would now be advancing them as individual bills to give at least part of the package a greater chance of passing – and to get Democrats on the record. “The standalone legislation, I think, also gives us an opportunity to either, A, put the Dems on the record that they disagree with it, or B, pass it through the House and force the Senate to act on this, because these are issues that are overwhelmingly supported by the American population,” Steil said. However, he would not directly answer whether he believed voter fraud or election insecurity played a significant role in the 2020 and 2022 elections. “I think we have an opportunity to enhance people’s confidence in the election,” Steil said instead. “So, I think what we see is people across the country don’t have a level of competence that I think we could instill by further strengthening our elections. This is about building confidence, and you build confidence by enhancing election integrity.”
Haley, bolstered by the backing of a major conservative group, is having a moment on the campaign trail
In front of a standing room only crowd on a chilly late autumn evening in the state that holds the first primary in the Republican presidential nominating calendar, Nikki Haley was making her case. The former South Carolina governor who later served as ambassador to the United Nations in former President Donald Trump’s administration was arguing that she’s more electable than her former boss in a 2024 general election matchup against President Biden. “If you look at the national polls and you look at electability, you see that Trump is pretty much even with Biden. On a good day, he might be two points up. In every poll, we beat Biden by 10 to 13 points,” Haley claimed at her Tuesday evening town hall at the historic opera house in Derry, New Hampshire. Electability was a factor in the decision by Americans for Prosperity Action, the political wing of the influential and deep-pocketed fiscally conservative network founded by the billionaire Koch Brothers, to endorse Haley. BIG BOOST: HALEY LANDS THE BACKING OF A CONSERVATIVE GRASSROOTS ARMY The announcement Tuesday morning by the AFP Action, which has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars and mobilize its formidable grassroots operation to help push the Republican Party past Trump, was a setback to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Haley’s enjoyed momentum in the polls in recent months, thanks in part to well-received performances in the first three GOP presidential primary debates. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: TRUMP HOLDS COMMANDING LEAD WITH 50 DAYS TO GO UNTIL IOWA CAUCUSES She has leapfrogged DeSantis for second place in New Hampshire and in her home state, which holds the first southern contest. And she’s pulled even with DeSantis in some of the latest polls in Iowa, whose caucuses kick off the GOP nominating calendar on Jan. 15. But Haley and DeSantis remain far behind Trump, who continues to hold a commanding lead over the rest of the field as the former president makes his third straight White House run. The AFP Action endorsement should help Haley, whose lean campaign lacks the grassroots outreach and organizational strength that DeSantis can count on courtesy of the DeSantis-aligned super PAC Never Back Down. The endorsement by AFP Action Haley comes with the group’s powerful direct-mail and field operations, as well as a major ad blitz in the early voting states. “Organizationally speaking – it’s significant. This is muscle. This is political dollars and door knocking. It will help,” Republican consultant Matthew Bartlett, who splits his time between New Hampshire and the nation’s capital, told Fox News. GAME ON IN IOWA AS DESANTIS AND HALEY BATTLE FOR SECOND PLACE BEHIND TRUMP Haley, addressing the crowd, asked “how many of you are here to hear me for the first time?” A lot of folks in the audience raised their hands. “There’s a lot of new people coming out and seeing Nikki,” longtime GOP strategist Rick Wiley, who’s steering Haley’s operation in New Hampshire, told Fox News. Wiley said it was a sign that Haley’s message is resonating. “You can see the volunteers grabbing their information,” Wiley said as he pointed to the crowd of first-time attendees. “We have RSVP’s and we’re going to put them to work.” Haley arrived in New Hampshire after drawing roughly 2,500 people to a campaign event Monday evening in her home state. While the audience of some 325 on Tuesday evening didn’t compare to the South Carolina gathering, it was one of her largest crowds to date in the Granite State. Among those attending was Republican state Sen. William Gannon, who endorsed Haley earlier this autumn. Referencing the crowd, Gannon emphasized “they like Nikki. She’s warm. She’s personable. We have candidates who could possibly win a primary. These people know that she can win next November.” Also in the audience were two former U.S. senators. “She’s been a chief executive. She knows what kind of legislation is necessary to get an economy going. She’s a fiscal conservative,” former Sen. John E. Sununu told Fox News. “I think if she can convey those concepts of letting people make decisions for themselves, getting the country moving forward and not looking back, then I think she’s going to do well in New Hampshire.” Sununu, the son of former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu and the older brother to current Gov. Chris Sununu, said he remains neutral in the GOP presidential nomination race, but is considering endorsing and helping support a candidate. “Like every other voter in New Hampshire, I’m excited about the primary,” he said. Former Sen. Gordon Humphrey told Fox News that he’s “leaning towards Nikki Haley. I think she’s far and away the best of all the candidates.” Humphrey, a vocal anti-Trump Republican turned independent, pointed to what he described as Haley’s “heavyweight experience” as a governor and in foreign policy and national security through her tenure as ambassador to the United Nations. “She’s well-spoken. She has personality and charisma, sparkle, energy, dynamism,” he touted. While she’s riding a political wave, Haley remains far behind Trump. But Bartlett emphasized “what is important – on a cold night like this, opening up the doors. Doing an old-fashioned town hall. Taking questions. Introducing yourself to voters. She is doing everything right…She’s got some granite heels, and we’re going to see how far they can climb the mountain here.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
New York Sen. Schumer to give major address on rise of antisemitism in US: ‘crisis’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to give a major address on Wednesday addressing soaring antisemitism in the U.S. amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. In a Tuesday afternoon post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Democratic leader said “antisemitism is a crisis in the country.” JON LOVITZ SAYS ANTISEMITISM HE’S EXPERIENCED IN HOLLYWOOD ‘IS FROM OTHER JEWS’ “As the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, I feel compelled to speak about it,” he said. “I’ll be giving a major address on it tomorrow.” Antisemitism has proliferated across the United States – much like the rest of the world – since Oct. 7, when Hamas-led forces crossed the Israel-Gaza border while residents were sleeping, dragging people into the street, taking some hostages, while beheading and killing others. Around 1,200 Israelis were killed in the attack, with thousands more wounded and many taken hostage by Hamas, and raped, tortured, and murdered. Much of the increase in antisemitic rhetoric and attacks has occurred at some of the country’s leading institutions and universities. According to a recent Anti-Defamation survey, there were more than 830 documented antisemitic incidents across the U.S. between Oct. 7, 2023 and Nov. 7, 2023 – or an average of nearly 28 antisemitic incidents a day.
‘Squad’ votes on Israel’s right to exist, condemning Hamas reveal division in far-left group
The House of Representatives’ Tuesday votes on reaffirming Israel’s right to exist and condemning the terrorist group Hamas revealed division among members of the far-left “Squad.” Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich, and Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., were the only members of the radical eight-person group to not vote in favor of H. Res. 888, which centered on Israel’s existence. Tlaib was the only House member who chose to vote “present,” while Bush didn’t vote. Bush similarly didn’t vote on H. Res. 793, which condemned Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 attack against Israel and demanded the immediate release of its remaining hostages taken in the attack. However, Tlaib joined the rest of her “Squad” colleagues in voting for the resolution despite her past refusal to condemn the attack. ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS DISRUPT BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING TO CALL FOR PALESTINIAN UPRISING: ‘INTIFADA REVOLUTION’ After the vote, Tlaib told Fox News Digital in a statement that “both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live with democracy, safety, peace, and human dignity.” “This resolution that ignores the existence of the Palestinian people brings us no closer to peaceful coexistence. It’s important to recognize that Palestinians also have a right to coexist with Israelis in their historic homeland, with equal rights and freedom, rather than living under racial segregation or being subjugated as second-class citizens. This resolution falls short of that,” she said. “Israel does not have a right to carry out illegal occupation and apartheid—which will never lead to a just and lasting peace. Unfortunately, this resolution is a one-sided attempt to rewrite history, contributes to the ongoing erasure of Palestinians by not even acknowledging their existence, and fails to recognize the historical and ongoing Nakba in which countless Palestinians have been and are actively being killed, displaced, and driven from their homes,” she added. FORMER OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME AFTER CONFRONTATION WITH NYC FOOD CART VENDOR Fox News Digital has reached out to Bush for comment. H. Res. 793 passed in a 414-0 vote while H. Res. 888 passed 412-1. Both needed a two-thirds majority to pass. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the sole “No” vote against H. Res. 888, citing the language within the legislation. “I agree with the title ‘Reaffirming the State of Israel’s Right to Exist’ and much of the language, but I’m voting No on the resolution because it equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism. Antisemitism is deplorable, but expanding it to include criticism of Israel is not helpful,” he wrote in a post on X following the vote. WATCH: BIDEN SHIFTS BLAME AWAY FROM ADMINISTRATION AFTER ADMITTING PRICES ‘STILL TOO HIGH’ In addition to Bush, a number of other members from both parties also didn’t vote for either resolution, although it wasn’t immediately clear why. The “Squad’s” general support for the resolutions appears to be a sharp turn from where most of the group was in the weeks following Hamas’ attack when all but one member voted against a resolution condemning antisemitism on American college campuses. Tlaib faced the sharpest criticism for her respond to the attacks after she repeatedly refused to condemn them and tripled down on her debunked claim that Israel was responsible for the explosion at a Gaza hospital that reportedly killed hundreds of people. The House ultimately voted to censure Tlaib earlier this month for “promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.” The punishment, while largely symbolic, was a formal public rebuke of her comments.
Electric vehicle demand falls short of manufacturer and dealership expectations
Electric vehicle sales have risen significantly over the years. That trend is expected to continue with the market on track to surpass 1 million sales for the first time ever this year. Those numbers, however, are not meeting the expectations of manufacturers, car dealers and President Biden. “Major auto companies are preparing for 50% of future sales to be electric vehicles by 2030, 100% by 2035,” Biden said during remarks on rising prices in June 2022. Now several companies are readjusting their targets and slowing production, even with the rise in vehicles on the road. “It has a lot to do with electric vehicles, adoption and the segments of the adoption,” said Kevin Book, managing director of Clearview Energy Partners. MORE THAN 3,000 AUTO DEALERS SIGN LETTER OPPOSING BIDEN’S ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATE “The first buyers, the early adopters, the one-percenters are only so much of the market. And then there are also the big users, the drivers for whom the sticker price matters less than the fuel price, folks like Uber drivers. For the rest of us, it’s asking an awful lot of us to pay more so that we can drive shorter distances and have longer fueling times.” Car dealers are also warning Biden’s goal may be too ambitious. More than 3,000 dealerships signed a letter calling on the White House to slow proposed regulations that mandate battery electric vehicle production and distribution. “While the goals of the regulations are admirable, they require consumer acceptance to become a reality,” the letter said. “With each passing day, it becomes more apparent that this attempted electric vehicle mandate is unrealistic based on current and forecasted customer demand. Already, electric vehicles are stacking up on our lots, which is our best indicator of customer demand in the marketplace.” Electric vehicles made up just under 1% of all vehicle registrations in 2022. When looking at registrations over the past five years, the number of EVs on the road has increased significantly. Since 2017, registrations in the U.S. have grown by nearly 547%. “It’s really important to talk about this today because electric vehicles are for certain customers who don’t travel long distances, use it more (in a) commuting atmosphere, that are wealthier,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said on “Special Report” in September. “The F-150 Lightning is the bestselling electric pickup in the U.S. And for those customers, it works great, but it’s not for everyone. We’re going to offer customers a choice.” Ford has since said it is slowing production of its F-150 Lightning pickup. It’s also pausing construction at a Kentucky battery factory and postponing $12 billion in planned spending on EV production. “There’s a lot of oversupply right now, so consumers have more options,” Cox Automotive Industry Insights director Stephanie Valdez Streaty said. “A year ago from today, there’s 50 more models that consumers can buy.” Hybrid cars are also adding to the competition to shift away from gas. Registrations have increased over the years and now make up 2% of the vehicle market share. NEW REPORT UNMASKS TRUE COSTS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATES: ‘REMAIN MORE EXPENSIVE’ “It seems very likely that the United States is going to electrify its transportation substantially, but maybe not as soon as hoped,” Book said. “There’s a lot more of us who care about our turn signals than our virtue signals. General Motors is delaying the release of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Electric pickups by one year. Tesla is also holding off on production at its planned factory in Mexico. “Enthusiasm has stalled,” the coalition of car dealers wrote. “Today, the supply of unsold BEVs (battery electric vehicles) is surging, as they are not selling nearly as fast as they are arriving at our dealerships — even with deep price cuts, manufacturer incentives, and generous government incentives.” The Inflation Reduction Act created a $7,500 clean vehicle tax credit for owners of new electric vehicles. The IRS states on its website that the vehicle must be purchased after April 18, 2023, and must meet critical mineral and battery components to qualify for the credit. “One big thing which I think we need to continue to do is educate,” Valdez Streaty said. “Consumers are confused about the Inflation Reduction Act. What does it mean? What’s eligible?” Some lawmakers have criticized the Biden administration for pushing auto dealers and manufacturers to transition to electric too quickly and without enough incentives to get consumers to bite. “They were so aggressive on this. They’re way, way out over their skis,” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said. “You can’t even bribe the public with $7,500. They’re not there yet. It’s a good product. They’ll get there eventually. But I’m not getting rid of my gasoline car anytime soon, I can assure you.” The credit often doesn’t make up for the price difference between EVs and gas-powered cars. U.S. News and World Report lists Chevy’s Bolt EUV as the most affordable new electric car. Its price tag of $27,800 is still nearly $12,000 more than the most affordable new gas car, the Nissan Versa. “The price premium still exists in spite of that tax credit,” Book said. “So, when you have a higher price for mobility, what you’re going to see are really two things — a slower uptake by price sensitive drivers, which I think we’re seeing, and also longer retention of existing cars, which means old gas guzzlers staying on the road longer and potentially polluting more.” The federal government also offers a credit of up to $4,000 for used electric cars. There are also some state and local incentives available. “I think incentives are key, but I also think that the industry will need to continue to build and create models that are in that under $30,000,” Valdez Streaty said. AAA estimates fuel and maintenance is cheaper for electric vehicle owners. About 15,000 miles worth of electricity costs an average of $546 while gasoline costs around 130% more, over $1,200. Annual maintenance for an EV is estimated
National Christmas Tree topples to the ground at White House: ‘Perfectly summing up Joe Biden’s presidency’
After the White House’s Christmas tree succumbed to high winds and toppled over, some took to social media saying it was a metaphor for the state of the current administration. The White House’s National Christmas Tree, a towering 40-foot Norway spruce, toppled to the ground on Tuesday afternoon, with conservative commentators quick to point out the irony of the situation. “National Christmas tree falls DOWN,” the Republican House Committee on the Judiciary wrote in an X post. “Perfectly summing up Joe Biden’s presidency.” The fallen tree comes just two days before the annual tree lighting ceremony with President Biden. WHITE HOUSE SCRAPS CHRISTMAS FIREPLACE STOCKINGS AFTER BIDEN ACKNOWLEGES GRANDCHILD FOR FIRST TIME Benny Johnson, a conservative talk-show host, said that the tree tumbling to the ground was “so fitting.” “Biden’s White House Christmas tree got blown over by the wind,” Johnson wrote in an X post. “So fitting for this administration.” “They can’t even get the little things right,” conservative radio host Mike Sperrazza replied. WATCH: BIDEN OFFICIAL BUTCHERS POPULAR PHRASE COINED BY RONALD REAGAN ABOUT GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN EVERYDAY LIFE According to Jasmine Shanti, the Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist from the National Weather Service, the towering tree fell over at about 1p.m. ET, during a strong wind gust. The tree, which is from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, was quickly assessed by NPS personnel and returned to its upright position as of 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening.
California to pay millions to clear homeless camps, state senator says residents being gaslighted
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said the state will make nearly $300 million available to local municipalities to clear out homeless encampments and move the homeless into housing. The funds will go to the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, to remove camps on state property and assist the homeless with resources and finding other places to live. “I think we can all agree that we need to do more to clean up encampments,” Newsom said in a virtual news briefing. “We weren’t just cleaning up encampments – out of sight, out of mind – and displacing people, removing people, but that we’re trying to resolve the underlying issues in the first place and actually support people in getting them back on their feet to self-sufficiency,” he added. CALIFORNIA CITY REMOVES HOMELESS IN BEAUTIFICATION BEFORE BIDEN’S SUMMIT WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT XI He added that the funds are not a “blank check” and that cities and counties will be expected to reach certain benchmarks and goals. Caltrans says it welcomes the funds to help clean up camps near freeways, park and rides and bike paths. “Caltrans is working to connect people experiencing homelessness on its right of way to move to a more secure and stable housing situation offered by local partners,” Alisa Becerra, a Caltrans deputy director, told Fox San Francisco. California state Sen. Brian Dahle, a Republican, pushed back on statements by Newsom that he cleared more than 5,600 homeless encampments across the state. “The governor didn’t clear these homeless encampments — they just moved them down the street,” he said. “California spends more tax dollars per homeless person than we do on our students. The homeless crisis is a national embarrassment. This governor needs to focus on real results instead of chasing presidential aspirations and gas-lighting Californians.” OREGON COUNTY LOST $1 BILLION IN 2020 AS RESIDENTS FLED CRIME, HOMELESSNESS: ‘IT’S LIKE PORTLAND DIED’ Homelessness has long been a top issue for California voters and elected officials. Residents and business owners have often complained of large encampments blocking sidewalks, creating more crime and being a haven for open-air drug use. San Francisco recently removed homeless camps around the city ahead of last week’s vital U.S.-China summit in which President Biden met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. While many applauded the effort, others voiced frustration of the cleanup to glam up the streets. “At first I thought… the media was making a way bigger deal out of this than it needed to be,” CrossFit Golden Gate gym owner Danielle Rabkin told “FOX & Friends First“. “Of course, we needed to clean high-security zones. But then I realized they were cleaning outside those high-security zones. And then that Newsom clip surfaced, and it was abundantly obvious that they were cleaning because of optics and not security.” Newsom has admitted the beautification project was prompted by the visitation of world leaders. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I know folks are saying, ‘Oh they’re just cleaning up this place because all those fancy leaders are coming to town.’ That’s true, because it’s true — but it’s also true for months and months and months before APEC [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit], we’ve been having conversations,” the governor said. “It is extremely frustrating,” Rabkin said of the remarks. “He doesn’t care about having clean streets for the constituents he serves. But at the snap of the fingers, things are clean. Just in time for this conference.”