Texas Legislature on verge of completely banning THC products after key House vote
The House on Wednesday approved the ban, after previously considering proposals to preserve the industry by tightening regulations.
Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ heads to House-wide vote after key committee victory
President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” could be headed for a House-wide vote as soon as Wednesday night after its approval by a key committee in an 8-4 vote. The House Rules Committee, the gatekeeper for most legislation before it gets to the full chamber, first met at 1 a.m. Wednesday to advance the massive bill in time for Speaker Mike Johnson’s Memorial Day deadline for sending it to the Senate. The panel adjourned shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday after all four Democrats voted against the measure and all present Republicans voted for it. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, was the lone lawmaker to miss the vote. Proceedings crept on for hours as Democrats on the committee repeatedly accursed Republicans of trying to move the bill “in the dead of night” and of trying to raise costs for working class families at the expense of the wealthy. WHITE HOUSE URGES IMMEDIATE VOTE ON GOP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ Democratic lawmakers also dragged out the process with dozens of amendments that stretched from early Tuesday well into Wednesday. Republicans, meanwhile, contended the bill is aimed at boosting small businesses, farmers, and low- and middle-income families, while reducing waste, fraud, and abuse in the government safety net. In a sign of the meeting’s high stakes, Johnson, R-La., himself visited with committee Republicans shortly before 1 a.m. and then again just after sunrise. But the committee kicked off its meeting to advance the bill with several key outstanding issues – blue state Republicans pushing for a raise in state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps, and conservatives demanding stricter work requirement rules for Medicaid as well as a full repeal of green energy subsidies granted in former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). A long-awaited amendment to the legislation aimed at fixing those issues debuted around 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening. HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS HEADING TO WHITE HOUSE AFTER DELAY PLAY ON TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ The amendment would speed up the implementation of Medicaid work requirements for certain able-bodied recipients from 2029 to December 2026, and award states that did not follow Obamacare-era expansion plans with more federal dollars. It would also end a host of green energy tax subsidies by 2028 if they did not demonstrate relatively quick return on investment. Democrats, meanwhile, accused Republicans of hastily trying to change the legislation without proper notice. Johnson told Fox News Digital during his Wednesday 1 a.m. that he was “very close” to a deal with divided House GOP factions. Returning from that meeting, Johnson signaled the House would press ahead with its vote either late Wednesday or early Thursday. But the legislation’s passage through the House Rules Committee does not necessarily mean it will fare well in a House-wide vote. A pair of House Rules Committee members, Roy and Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., and were two of the conservative House Freedom Caucus members who had called for the House-wide vote to be delayed on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the White House bore down hard on those rebels, demanding a vote “immediately” in an official statement of policy that backed the House GOP bill. Several of those fiscal hawks were more optimistic after a meeting at the White House with Trump and Johnson, however. Republicans are working to pass Trump’s policies on tax, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt all in one massive bill via the budget reconciliation process. Budget reconciliation lowers the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, thereby allowing the party in power to skirt the minority — in this case, Democrats — to pass sweeping pieces of legislation, provided they deal with the federal budget, taxation or the national debt. House Republicans are hoping to advance Trump’s bill through the House and Senate by the Fourth of July.
Indian Railways big update: New all-in-one app launched, here’s how it will help commuters
Indian railways have introduced an all-in-one rail app ‘Swarail App’ to make travelling easier and convenient for the passengers. Earlier travellers used to juggle around multiple apps, to book tickets, to order food and to check the status of the trains.
$12 billion added to congressional spending bill to reimburse states like Texas for border spending
The U.S. House is poised to vote on the massive budget reconciliation bill imminently which also includes preservation of 2017 tax cuts and changes to Medicaid and SNAP.
House Republicans nearing vote on Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’
House Republicans believe they are close to passing Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill. After the meeting at the White House, with the president and members of the Freedom Caucus, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) suggested that the House could vote in the overnight on the Big, Beautiful Bill. But it quickly became apparent that was a physical – and parliamentary – impossibility. GOP REBEL MUTINY THREATENS TO DERAIL TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ BEFORE KEY COMMITTEE HURDLE House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) later introduced a “manager’s amendment” to make final changes to the bill. Those alterations were designed to coax holdouts to vote yes. It’s now likely that the House debates the bill in the early hours of Thursday with a vote in perhaps the late morning. But Democratic dilatory tactics could further delay passage of the bill. It’s possible Democrats could engineer protest votes to “adjourn” the House. Calls to “adjourn” hold special privileges in the House and require immediate consideration. A USER’S MANUAL TO WHERE WE STAND WITH THE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) could also take advantage of a special debate time on the floor to “filibuster” the measure. Top House leaders from both parties are afforded what’s called the “Magic Minute.” That’s where they are allotted a “minute” to speak on an issue. But the House really allows them to speak as long as they wish out of deference to their position. Then-House Minority Leader and future Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) set the record for the longest speech in November, 2021, delaying considering of former President Biden’s “Build Back Better” Act. McCarthy spoke for eight hours and 32 minutes. TRUMP’S ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ FACES CRUCIAL HOURS AS JOHNSON COURTS FREEDOM CAUCUS The House Freedom Caucus seems much more satisfied with the upcoming changes to the bill. Especially after the meeting with the president. But here is the main reason the House wants to move this as quickly as possible: Republicans don’t want the bill to fester. Problems develop the longer this sits out there. So when you think you have the votes, you put it on the floor and force the issue. There could also be attendance problems later on Thursday or beyond. This subject has been jawboned to death for weeks. Johnson said weeks ago he wanted this passed by Memorial Day. So Johnson – and President Trump – want GOPers who are skeptical or holdouts to put up or shut up. You do that by putting the bill on the floor and requiring a vote. That said, it’s possible the GOP leadership might not have the votes ahead of the actual roll call vote. So calling a vote applies pressure on those holdouts. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) used to “grow” the vote on the House floor. In other words, they would start the vote – not having all the ducks in order – and then “grow” the vote during the actual roll call and cajoling or twisting arms. The same may happen today. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Also, if the vote is a little shy of passage, Republican leaders could hold the vote open and then single out those Republicans who have either voted no or have not cast ballots. Then the leadership can really turn up the heat and accuse them of not supporting the president’s agenda. If push comes to shove, they can then have the President weigh in and use his powers to coax those holdouts to vote yes. Here’s the long-term outlook: If the House passes the bill, this goes to the Senate. This will be a project which will consume most of June. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) wants this done by July 4. But the question is what the Senate actually produces. The House and Senate must be on the same page. If the Senate crafts a different legislative product, then this must return to the House to sync up. Either the House eats what the Senate put together. Or the House and Senate must blend their differing versions together into a single, unified bill. That could take most of July. Remember that this bill includes an increase in the debt ceiling. The Treasury says Congress must lift the debt ceiling by early August.
Trump Gold Card visa program to launch online within weeks, commerce secretary says
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Wednesday that the Trump Gold Card, which makes it possible for any foreigner to buy a visa for $5 million, will be available online within weeks. Lutnick was a guest at Axios’ streamed event, Building the Future, Wednesday, where he was interviewed by company co-founder Mike Allen about several topics, including President Donald Trump’s offering of a Gold Card. In March, Trump said the Gold Card would go on sale “very, very soon,” explaining it would be like a green card, “but better and more sophisticated.” He said the newest path to citizenship in the U.S. would allow the “most successful job-creating people from all over the world to buy a path to citizenship.” Allen asked Lutnick when the $5 million Gold Card would be available, and Lutnick said he expected a website called trumpcard.gov to be up and running in about a week. TRUMP VOWS TO REFUND, DEPORT ANY ‘UNSAVORY’ IMMIGRANTS WHO TRY FOR CITIZENSHIP UNDER POTENTIAL ‘GOLD CARD’ “The details of that will come soon after, but people can start to register. And all that will come over a matter of the next weeks — not month, weeks,” Lutnick said. He also shared a story about a recent “great dinner” in the Middle East with about 400 people. During the dinner, Lutnick said, he had his phone out when one of the senior leaders walked by and asked why his phone was out. “I go, ‘I am selling him cards,’” Lutnick said. “So, basically everyone I meet who’s not an American is going to want to buy the card if they have the fiscal capacity.” TRUMP CONTINUES TO PUSH ALTERNATIVE TO CONTROVERSIAL VISA AMID CONCERNS ABOUT CHINESE INFLUENCE He acknowledged that not everyone will be able to afford a Gold Card, but it will be available to those who can afford to help America pay off its debt. “Why wouldn’t they want a plan B that says God forbid something bad happens, you come to the airport in America and the person in immigration says, ‘Welcome home.’ Right? As opposed to, ‘Where the heck am I going if something bad’s happening in my country,’” Lutnick continued. He noted that everyone will be vetted for a card, adding those who come in with $5 million for a visa are going to be “great people who are going to come and bring businesses and opportunity to America. And they’re going to pay $5 million.” Lutnick offered one more hypothetical scenario, saying if 200,000 people purchase the Gold Card for $5 million, that’s $1 trillion. TRUMP TOUTS $5 MILLION ‘GOLD CARD’ AS NEW PATH TO CITIZENSHIP “Remember, we get 280,000 visas per year now for free, not counting the 20 million people who broke into this country for nothing under Biden,” Lutnick said. “And, so, I want you to think about that. We give it away for free and said Donald Trump’s gonna bring in a trillion dollars for what purpose? To make America better. And it makes perfect sense to me.” TRUMP’S ‘GOLD CARD’ VISA COULD INVITE FRAUD, NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS: EXPERT Trump has previously touted his plan before to attract the world’s wealthiest to become U.S. citizens, though it comes at a time when he is both clamping down on illegal migration and as universities are increasingly in the spotlight amid soaring school costs and crippling student loans. After Trump’s announcement in March, Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, warned it could invite fraud. “Any immigration benefit draws fraud. … People are willing to do anything and say just about anything to come to the U.S.,” Ries told Fox News Digital. In an interview in February with Fox News’ Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier on “Special Report,” Lutnick said all candidates will be “deeply vetted.” “These are vetted people,” Lutnick told Baier. “These are going to be great global citizens who are going to bring entrepreneurial spirit, capacity and growth to America. If one of them comes in, think of the jobs they are going to bring with them, the businesses they are going to bring with them, and they are going to pay American taxes as well. So, this is huge money for America.” Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
This man played key role in Kargil war, worked as IAS officer, sacked by former PM, father of THIS famous Union Minister
S. Jaishankar’s father K Subrahmanyam made a powerful impact on the India’s defence matters. He was a remarkable IAS officer and a pro-nationalist. He is regarded as India’s biggest national security strategists. He played a pivotal role in India’s nuclear strategy.
Water bills face deadline threat as Texas lawmakers negotiate spending priorities
Gov. Greg Abbott and other leaders have called for a major investment to save the state’s water supply. How to spend the money has caused friction at the Capitol.
Army reveals 2-phase plan to remove service members with gender dysphoria
The Army on Wednesday said it is approaching its second phase of separation with service members experiencing gender dysphoria, an initiative that follows the Trump administration’s directive of prioritizing military excellence and readiness. A new memo issued by Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and obtained by Fox News Digital outlines two phases in the separation process, the first of which will be completed at the beginning of June. The first phase, which ends June 6, allows service members who have been diagnosed with or have a history of gender dysphoria to identify themselves and volunteer to separate from the military branch, an Army spokesperson told Fox Digital. PENTAGON CEASES GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENTS AS IT MOVES TO BOOT TRANS TROOPS Once a service member notifies an immediate commander, that commander will then notify a superior, initiating the separation process. Soldiers who reached a threshold for years of service qualify for voluntary separation pay or double the pay a service member would get by separating from the Army for various reasons, the spokesperson said. HEGSETH BANS FUTURE TRANS SOLDIERS, MAKES SWEEPING CHANGES FOR CURRENT ONES However, they will not qualify for separation pay if they have not reached the years of service, if there is pending administrative action against them or if they are facing Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) code infractions. In the case of pending administrative action against them, their discharge may also not be honorable. The Army said those who volunteer for separation, but do not qualify, will still be separated and afforded benefits; they will only forfeit the additional separation pay, according to the spokesperson. After the June 6 deadline for voluntary separation, the Army will enter the involuntary separation phase. In the second phase, “there will be means of identifying those who did not want to self-identify,” the spokesperson said. HEGSETH ORDERS DEADLINE FOR TRANS SERVICE MEMBERS TO LEAVE MILITARY: ‘OUT AT THE DOD’ The spokesperson said soldiers’ records, prior to the new policy, reflected service members’ sex at birth. Once they are identified, a separation process will begin. TRANSGENDER SAILORS, MARINES OFFERED BENEFITS TO VOLUNTARILY LEAVE SERVICE OR FACE BEING KICKED OUT “Regardless of potential outcome, every service member will be treated with dignity and respect, however this shakes out,” the spokesperson said. Driscoll’s guidance comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order Jan. 27, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth heeded Trump’s executive order with a memo outlining what the Department of Defense needed to do to comply.
Fox News’ Peter Doocy reveals history of questioning Biden’s mental fitness
Fox News’ Peter Doocy has some unique insight on former President Joe Biden as questions continue to persist about whether there was a coverup to hide his declining mental state while serving as commander-in-chief. Doocy, a senior White House correspondent, posted multiple videos to X on Wednesday showing him questioning Biden and the White House about the then-president’s cognitive decline. “I have some unique insight on President Biden, having dedicated six years of my life to covering him,” he wrote. “If you are wondering why nobody asked about his mental fitness, and why nobody asked if White House staffers were covering up his decline… then you weren’t paying attention.” WASHINGTON POST URGES CONGRESS TO ACT TO PREVENT ANOTHER COVER-UP OF PRESIDENT’S HEALTH AMID BIDEN REVELATIONS In one video, Doocy is seen questioning Biden about Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report that concluded that one of the reasons Biden wasn’t charged for his handling of classified Obama-era documents found in his former office and at home was because he was a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” “I’m well-meaning and I’m an elderly man and I know what the hell I’m doing. I put this country back on its feet. I don’t need his recommendation,” Biden replied. Doocy then asked how bad Biden’s memory was and would he be able to continue to serve as president. “My memory is so bad, I let you speak,” Biden shot back. Much of the media has been criticized for its reluctance to question Biden or the White House about his health concerns. The former president’s health is once again in the headlines after CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson’s new book, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” was released on Tuesday. The book alleges that Biden’s inner circle concealed his cognitive decline for years and was released just days after news broke that Biden had been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. In one instance, during a news briefing, Doocy questioned then-White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about a campaign event in which Biden was present. “At a fundraiser this week, President Biden told donors about how Charlottesville inspired his campaign, and according to the pool, a few mins later he told the story again nearly word for word. What’s up with that?” CBS NEWS REPORTER SAYS WSJ’S ‘COURAGEOUS’ 2024 REPORT ON BIDEN’S DECLINE SHOULD HAVE WON THE PULITZER “What I can tell you is, and I’m going to be careful not to talk about it because this was a campaign event,… the president was making very clear why he decided to run in 2019,” Jean-Pierre responded. In another briefing, Jean-Pierre said Biden was making a “light-hearted joke” and “speaking off the cuff” when she was asked by Doocy about Biden’s remarks that his “health is fine. It’s just his brain.” In another video, Jean-Pierre was asked about Biden’s gaffe when he appeared to mix up French President Emmanuel Macron with François Mitterrand, the former president of France who died in 1996. “How is President Biden ever going to convince the three-quarters of voters who are worried about his physical and mental health that he’s OK even though in Las Vegas he told a story about recently talking to a French president who died in 1996?” WALL STREET JOURNAL CALLS OUT TAPPER FOR SNEERING AT PAPER’S STORY ABOUT BIDEN’S DECLINE “I’m not even going to go down that rabbit hole with you,” she replied. Doocy also asked if Biden had been tested for Parkinson’s Disease or dementia following his disastrous debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump. “What we shared with you was comprehensive, but he’s had a full physical. We’ve shown the results of those this past three years,” Jean-Pierre said. “We showed it just four months ago, and it is in line with what we have done, similar to President Obama, similar to George W. Bush. We are committed to continue to be transparent. We are committed to continue to show the results of those physicals, and look, it’s the president’s medical team that makes a decision.” In another briefing, Jean-Pierre was questioned about why Biden was treated by White House staffers “like a baby.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “No one treated the president of the United States, the commander-in-chief, like a baby,” she replied. “That’s a ridiculous claim.” Fox News Digital’s Kristine Parks contributed to this report.