House Republican calls for yanking student visas of Chinese nationals
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., is pressing the State Department to yank F-1 and J-1 visas issued to Chinese students. “I write today to urge the immediate suspension and cancellation of all F-1 and J-1 student visas held by Chinese nationals currently studying at institutions of higher education across the United States, considering recently declassified intelligence detailing the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to interfere in American elections,” she wrote in a July 20 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department on Tuesday: “We generally do not comment on congressional correspondence,” a department spokesperson noted. “The Trump Administration is protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.” CHINA DISMISSES TRUMP ELECTION INTERFERENCE ACCUSATIONS AS ‘ENTIRELY FABRICATED,’ THREATENS COUNTERMEASURES President Donald Trump delivered an address to the nation last week in which he said documents “show that over a period of years, starting during the 2020 election cycle, the People’s Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history — resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files. “That information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, political party preferences, and other sensitive data that would be needed to register to vote, and engage in other nefarious activities, which is exactly what was happening,” he said. TRUMP RELEASES DECLASSIFIED ELECTION INTELLIGENCE, SAYS IT REVEALS ‘SHOCKING VULNERABILITIES’ In her letter to Rubio, Luna wrote, “As I stated publicly following the President’s address: every single Chinese student visa needs to be canceled immediately. This is a necessary and proportionate response to a documented state-sponsored effort to undermine the integrity of American elections.” ‘SHADOW GOVERNMENT’: TRUMP CLAIMS INTEL COMMUNITY BRAGGED ABOUT HIDING CHINESE MEDDLING “We urge the Department of State to immediately review and revoke all active Chinese national student visas, and to halt the issuance of new visas to Chinese nationals pending a full accounting of the extent of this infiltration and a comprehensive review of vetting procedures at our institutions of higher education,” she wrote.
Trump faces Republican rebellion over Daylight Saving Time as Senate bill nears dead end
President Donald Trump wants Congress to pass legislation that would give Americans a break from a twice-yearly nuisance, but the sun will likely set on the push in the Senate, where the issue is deeper than politics. The House passed its bill, the Sunshine Protection Act, last week to allow states to voluntarily observe Daylight Saving Time year-round, but the legislation is hitting a brick wall in the Senate. And it’s not the party aisle that’s defining the debate, it’s a horizontal line running through the United States that divides northern states versus southern states. TIME ENOUGH AT LAST: WHAT’S NEXT AFTER THE HOUSE PASSES BILL TO DO AWAY WITH DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME? “That is an issue in which there are passionate views on both sides,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said on whether the Senate would consider the bill. “So we’ll see,” he continued. “I mean, the House having acted on it now, we’ll see what the interest level is in the Senate. But I know that there are people who are willing to really slow things down over that issue.” Proponents argue that it’s an inconvenience in their states and are hungry for more daylight in the evening, while opponents say that it would force school-aged children to be in the dark for the beginning of the day. One of the most vocal opponents of the legislation is one of Trump’s own allies on Capitol Hill, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who last year declared that he would “always oppose” efforts for permanent Daylight Saving Time. HOUSE PASSES DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME REFORM AS TRUMP SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR ENDING CLOCK CHANGE A source in Cotton’s orbit told Fox News Digital that the lawmaker was “far from the only one who objects” to the bill, and noted that the legislation is more of a grandfather clause that requires states to have already passed an observance of permanent standard time before the Sunshine Protection Act becomes law. Hawaii and Arizona are the only two states that, by their own laws, observe permanent standard time, while no states observe a permanent Daylight Saving Time. It’s not the only time Congress has tried, either. “Congress has already tried changing to permanent Daylight Saving Time before,” the source said. “It was so thoroughly hated that Congress reversed course the following year — but almost no one knows that.” In the 1970s, lawmakers did enact a year-round Daylight Saving Time. But Americans rapidly soured on the change, especially parents whose children had to wait in the dark for the school bus. It was repealed about a year later. GOP CIVIL WAR ERUPTS OVER TRUMP’S LATEST AGENDA PUSH AS KEY REPUBLICANS THREATEN TO SINK MEGABILL “I can’t support a motion to go to Daylight Saving Time, because it means that the kids in South Dakota ended up going to school in the dark for about the first hour of classes for more than six months out of a year,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said. “So we can’t do that.” Proponents argue, however, that it’s a long-needed change. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., who originally introduced the Sunshine Protection Act alongside then-Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a decade ago, contended the push was “not a partisan issue, it’s a preference issue” that often fell along geographic lines. Still, he acknowledged resistance from parents concerned about their kids going to school in the dark. “This is left over from World War I when America was trying to save lamp oil. We’re doing OK on lamp oil now, so that’s not the issue on it,” Lankford said. “With streetlights, with different power and things, we have — we’re in a very different situation. And I talk to a lot of folks that say they are just sick of the time change. They want to be able to lock the clock.” And Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who introduced the legislation last year, cheered the House passing the bill. “It’s one of the most popular things in my state,” Scott said. “You wouldn’t believe how much I get asked about this.” Still, he acknowledged the resistance coming from the North. He argued that he couldn’t understand how “anybody could vote against it when the state could make their own decision.” “Give me the chance — I mean, look, in my state, the ability, we want to do it,” Scott said.
Dem ‘Epstein class’ attack backfires as top candidates funded by Epstein-tied billionaire
Democratic Senate candidates James Talarico and Jon Ossoff are facing scrutiny over significant donations from Reid Hoffman, a billionaire mega-investor with former associations to Jeffrey Epstein, after both accused Republicans of representing the billionaire “Epstein class” over working Americans. Both Talarico, running in Texas, and Ossoff, running in Georgia, have repeatedly criticized billionaires’ involvement in politics and charged Republicans with being beholden to the “Epstein class” instead of the American people. Meanwhile, Hoffman, a co-founder of LinkedIn who has previously admitted to spending a night on Epstein’s Caribbean island, has heavily invested in both campaigns. In the Texas Senate race, Hoffman has donated a whopping $11.5 million to the Talarico-aligned super political action committee (PAC), Lone Star Rising, according to the Texas Tribune. The outlet said the billionaire investor sunk $10 million to the PAC in June alone, accounting for nearly 80% of the group’s second-quarter fundraising. In Georgia, Hoffman donated the maximum legal amount, $7,000, to Ossoff’s campaign for the 2025-2026 cycle. “Democrats like Jon Ossoff and James Talarico vilify corporate billionaires in one breath and accept their cash in the next,” a GOP operative remarked to Fox News Digital, adding, “They’re fueling the same ‘money in politics’ gravy train they claim to oppose.” TALARICO TOUTS TEXAS ROOTS AS OUT-OF-STATE CASH POWERS SENATE CAMPAIGN Hoffman has not been charged with any wrongdoing related to his previous association with Epstein. Their first known meeting was on July 19, 2013, almost five years after Epstein pled guilty in Florida to state charges of soliciting prostitution and procuring a minor for prostitution. According to Massachusetts Institute of Technology records, Hoffman, then a member of the university’s Media Lab Advisory Council, met with Epstein along with other faculty members on campus. The next year, Hoffman visited Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James, and stayed overnight, the Wall Street Journal reported. Business Insider reported that in a recent podcast appearance, Hoffman admitted to staying one night at Epstein’s island as part of an MIT fundraising trip. Regarding his visit, he quipped, “Note to self: Google before going.” The Wall Street Journal reported that later in 2014, Hoffman sent Epstein ice cream, writing that it was for him or “for the girls.” ‘SHE SAW DOLLAR SIGNS’: FORMER OBAMA COUNSEL PRESSED OVER YEARS-LONG EPSTEIN TIES The two continued to maintain contact in the years that followed, with Hoffman and Epstein exchanging emails and Skype calls, according to the Wall Street Journal. Axios reported in 2019 that Hoffman hosted a dinner in 2015 at which Epstein was present along with other notable technology leaders, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Peter Thiel. The outlet reported that Hoffman apologized for his association with Epstein, saying that “by agreeing to participate in any fundraising activity where Epstein was present, I helped to repair his reputation and perpetuate injustice. For this, I am deeply regretful.” Meanwhile, Talarico has repeatedly criticized Republicans by using the “Epstein class” line. In one interview, he asserted, “The Epstein Class has no place in Texas.” On the campaign trail, Forbes reported Talarico charging that “the only minority destroying America is the billionaires.” His campaign website asserts that “billionaire mega-donors aren’t just buying yachts and jets — they’re buying power, and they’re using that power to rig our political system.” Fox News Digital reached out to Lone Star Rising, which has spent millions on pro-Talarico advertising, for comment on Hoffman’s $11.5 million in donations. JT Ennis, a spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign, remarked to Fox News Digital that “our campaign has no control over contributions to any super PAC,” adding, “federal law prohibits coordination between political campaigns and outside entities.” Ennis said that “anyone contributing to this movement is supporting a campaign that will tax billionaires more and limit their outsized political influence.” Meanwhile, he ripped into Talarico’s Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, saying, “The only way to get Big Money out of our politics is to reject politicians like Ken Paxton,” who he accused of “want[ing] corporations and billionaires to decide our elections, not Texans.” TALARICO SAYS THE DIVIDE IS ‘TOP VS. BOTTOM’ — THEN HEADS TO ONE OF AMERICA’S RICHEST DONOR ENCLAVES “While Ken Paxton works to enrich himself and his donors, James will remain the only candidate in this race fighting to ban super PACs, ban corporate PACs, ban congressional stock trading, and tax billionaires so we can fix this broken, corrupt political system,” said Ennis. Fox News Digital reached out to Paxton’s campaign for comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to the campaign for Ossoff, who criticized the Trump administration in a news statement earlier this year for having the “wealthiest Cabinet ever.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER Ossoff remarked in the statement, “We were told that MAGA was for working-class Americans. But this is a government of, by, and for the ultra-rich… this is the Epstein class, ruling our country. They are the elites they pretend to hate.” On the campaign trail, Ossoff has railed against American politics for “running on secret money, corporate money, billionaire money” and accused the Trump administration of taking “American corruption to spectacular new heights.” Besides Talarico and Ossoff, Hoffman is also known to have donated the maximum legal amount, $7,000, to the re-election campaign for Sen. Cory Booker, a prominent national Democrat from New Jersey. Fox News Digital reached out to Booker for comment.
Cuba built covert network inside America through spies, activists and universities, State Dept alleges
Cuba spent decades waging a covert campaign to infiltrate the United States through espionage and ideological influence, according to a new State Department report that calls Havana the “capital of 21st century communism.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the report is intended to expose what he described as Havana’s decades-long campaign against the United States. “For more than six decades, the Cuban regime has been the leading sponsor of radical leftism and Third Worldism in the United States,” Rubio wrote on X. “The State Department is exposing the full history of Cuban espionage and subversion in our country. The American people deserve to know.” TRUMP EXPANDS CUBA SANCTIONS BEYOND US COMPANIES IN MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGN ENABLERS Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, dismissed the report as political propaganda. In a statement posted on X, Rodríguez called it the State Department’s “latest fallacy” about Cuba and accused the Trump administration of manufacturing a pretext to continue what he described as Washington’s “cruel and criminal economic war” against the island. Without naming Rubio, he accused “that U.S. politician from South Florida” of concocting a “macabre plan” that advances only the interests “of those who have always paid him.” The 100-page report argues that Cuba’s campaign reached far beyond traditional espionage. It alleges that Havana cultivated American activists, recruited spies, supported revolutionary movements and built relationships with universities and advocacy groups as part of a long-term effort to undermine U.S. interests and spread communist ideology. “For nearly seven decades, the Cuban regime has waged a sustained campaign of subversion against the United States,” the report says. It alleges Cuban intelligence infiltrated “the top levels of the State Department, the National Security Council, and the Pentagon,” while also helping shape generations of left-wing political movements. INSIDE CUBA’S FOREIGN INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN: FROM THE ’60S VENCEREMOS BRIGADE TO A CALIFORNIA UNION HALL The report further alleges that Havana spent decades cultivating ties to American revolutionary and activist groups, including the Weather Underground, the Black Panthers, the Black Liberation Army and Puerto Rican militant organizations. The report claims that this network later expanded to include connections with Antifa, anti-ICE organizations, socialist groups and left-wing nonprofits. The report argues that Cuba’s greatest success came not through military force but through influence. It says the communist government built an international network of activists, academics, nonprofits and political organizations that continued spreading its revolutionary ideology long after the Soviet Union collapsed. The report points to several high-profile espionage cases, including convicted spies Victor Manuel Rocha, Ana Belén Montes, Walter Kendall Myers and members of the Wasp Network. ALLEGED CUBAN INFLUENCE OPERATIVE, FAMILY IN FEDERAL CUSTODY AFTER RUBIO REVOKES LEGAL STATUS It also cites former CIA counterintelligence chief James Olson, who called Cuba’s intelligence service “probably the most aggravating intelligence service I’ve ever worked against,” and warned, “The Cubans have penetrated our government… We only know the tip of the iceberg.” The report also claims Cuba viewed American colleges and universities as recruiting grounds, identifying politically sympathetic students who could later move into influential jobs in government or the private sector. It suggests the partnerships between the University of Havana and dozens of U.S. universities are examples of what it describes as long-term influence efforts. It also revisits Cuba’s ties to revolutionary movements across Latin America and says Havana provided sanctuary to American fugitives tied to militant groups. The report names organizations including the Venceremos Brigade, ICAP, the National Network on Cuba, the Democratic Socialists of America, Code Pink and the National Lawyers Guild, arguing they helped maintain pro-Cuba activism in the United States for decades. The report concludes that Cuba evolved from a Soviet ally into what it calls “the ideological capital of the modern radical left,” arguing the regime increasingly relied on espionage, political organizing and influence campaigns instead of conventional military power. Fox News Digital reached out to the Cuban Embassy in the U.S. for further comment but did not immediately hear back. Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz appeared on Fox News to warn that Cuba remains a national security threat and accused China and Russia of collecting information around U.S. military bases in Cuba. “The Cuban regime is not only a threat to its own people, it’s a national security threat, and this administration is not going to stand for it any longer,” Waltz said.
Trump’s backyard is becoming America’s biggest magnet for taxpayer wealth
One red county is emerging as America’s biggest winner in the race for people and prosperity, attracting more wealth from migrating taxpayers than any other county in the nation. The latest IRS migration data show President Donald Trump’s hometown of Palm Beach County, Florida, attracted more than $3 billion in taxable income from households moving in from other states, the largest gain of any county in the nation. Already one of the nation’s wealthiest areas, Palm Beach is also home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, which has been dubbed the Southern White House. The sunny Florida enclave has become an increasingly high-profile destination for political donors, business leaders and affluent residents, alongside Florida’s broader influx of high-income households. THE RED STATES RACING AHEAD IN AMERICA’S POWERFUL WEALTH BOOM — AND THE STATES FALLING BEHIND The latest IRS figures suggest that trend continues to favor lower-tax, fast-growing Sun Belt states over many of the nation’s largest coastal counties. The findings offer one of the clearest snapshots yet of where Americans, and their money, are moving. That’s important because the migration of higher-income households can have an outsized economic impact. They contribute more than just new neighbors, bringing paychecks, investments, businesses and spending power that can strengthen local economies while leaving behind smaller tax bases in the places they leave. The migration wasn’t limited to Palm Beach. Neighboring Collier County recorded the nation’s second-largest net gain in adjusted gross income at roughly $2.25 billion, with nearly all of that growth also driven by newcomers from outside Florida. Adjusted gross income (AGI) measures the taxable income reported on federal tax returns, making it one of the clearest indicators of how much earning power is moving from one place to another. Because higher-income households pay a disproportionate share of federal income taxes, changes in adjusted gross income can have an outsized effect on local tax bases, consumer spending and economic growth. BILLIONS IN TAXPAYER INCOME ARE LEAVING TWO ICONIC STATES — AS A NEW ECONOMIC MAP EMERGES Meanwhile, some of the nation’s largest metropolitan counties continued to lose both taxpayers and wealth through interstate migration. Los Angeles County, home to Hollywood and one of the nation’s largest economic engines, recorded the nation’s largest net loss of tax filers, shedding 17,496 returns. Those departing taxpayers took nearly $1.9 billion in adjusted gross income with them as they relocated to other states. Other major counties in California and New York also recorded significant taxpayer losses. Queens County, New York, lost 17,109 tax filers, followed by the Bronx (-16,319), Orange County, California (-11,618) and Suffolk County, New York (-10,434), highlighting the continued outflow from some of the nation’s largest coastal population centers. One county, however, stood out for a different reason. Manhattan recorded the nation’s largest net gain in interstate tax filers while simultaneously losing about $922 million in adjusted gross income, suggesting many of the households arriving earned less than the higher-income taxpayers who departed. AMERICA’S TOP DESTINATION FOR NEW TAXPAYERS IS QUIETLY GETTING POORER, IRS DATA REVEALS The contrast underscores that population growth and wealth growth are not always the same thing. While Manhattan added more new tax filers than any other county, Palm Beach and Collier captured billions more in taxable income, illustrating how the migration of affluent households can reshape local economies even when fewer people move. Trump officially moved his main residence from his longtime home of Manhattan to his estate in Palm Beach in 2019, while he was serving his first term in office. At the time of the move, he slammed New York City’s liberal policies and claimed he was “treated very badly” by political leaders in the state despite paying millions in taxes. In the years after his move, many of Trump’s wealthy inner circle also relocated to Palm Beach and some surrounding Florida counties. The Sunshine State has no state income tax and levies neither estate nor inheritance taxes, while New York’s top state income tax rate exceeds 10%. Taken together, the IRS figures suggest America’s economic center of gravity continues to shift south. As billions of dollars in taxable income flow toward Florida, Texas and other Sun Belt states, many of the nation’s traditional coastal economic powerhouses are losing not just residents — but some of their highest-earning taxpayers.
Seven killed, 19 others trapped inside as Sikkim tunnel collapses, natural gas hinders rescue operation
The landslide struck the Samardung tunnel on Monday afternoon, blocking the entrance and trapping workers inside. Rescue operations have been hampered by a methane gas leak caused by the landslide, making it unsafe for emergency crews to enter.
India-US Trade Deal: Why Punjab farmers are marching towards Delhi on July 21? Know their key concerns
According to Bandala, American farms run on thousands of acres with big subsidies, while most Indian farmers have only 2-2.5 acres and minimal aid.
Trump says first call with new UK PM Burnham went ‘very well,’ pledges US support
President Donald Trump said Monday that he spoke with Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, shortly after he took office, calling the conversation “very good.” Trump added that he and Burnham plan to meet in the “not too distant future” to discuss issues of mutual interest. During the call, the leaders touched on the longstanding U.S.-U.K. relationship and the challenges facing Burnham as he begins his time in office, with Trump pledging American support. “We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK,” Trump said. ANDY BURNHAM TAKES OVER AS UK PRIME MINISTER, CALLS FOR ‘NEW POLITICAL MODEL’ “The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help!” The pair also discussed North Sea oil, trade, the U.S.-U.K. military alliance and efforts to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said. Burnham’s office released a statement following the call, saying the prime minister looked forward to welcoming Trump to Manchester during a future visit. According to Downing Street, Trump updated Burnham on the situation in the Middle East, while Burnham reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to reopening the Strait of Hormuz safely. “The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s commitment to securing the movement of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to support global supply chains and drive down costs for businesses and families across the country,” the British office said. Burnham further emphasized that defense and security would remain the U.K.’s top priority alongside its allies. KEIR STARMER REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING STEPPING DOWN AS PM AND COULD ANNOUNCE TIMETABLE FOR DEPARTURE On the domestic front, Burnham emphasized that he will pursue reindustrialization efforts to drive economic growth across the country. Trump ultimately described the conversation as a major success. “The call was interesting, and went very well. I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED!” Trump said. Burnham became Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade on Monday, vowing to reshape a country that has cycled through a series of leaders in recent years. He succeeds Keir Starmer, who served as prime minister for just over two years after taking office in the summer of 2024. The two leaders have previously traded criticism. Before Burnham took office, Trump labeled him “extremely liberal,” while Burnham has been openly critical of the American president.
Rand Paul releases docs that reveal FBI halted border inspection of virus researcher over Wuhan lab links
Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were preparing to question a British zoologist and disease ecology expert upon his return to the United States from the World Health Organization’s investigation into the origins of COVID-19, before the FBI intervened and asked agents to stand down, according to files released Monday by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. “They told the public a COVID lab leak ‘wasn’t plausible,’” Rand wrote on X. “Their own private messages say otherwise. Today I’m launching The Reading Room where the public can review records related to my ongoing investigation – not just conclusions but the actual documents.” The documents show CBP’s National Targeting Center flagged Peter Daszak as “a high person of interest” ahead of his Feb. 5, 2021, arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Daszak, the former president of EcoHealth Alliance, was flagged because of more than 15 years of collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and his longstanding relationship with its lead researcher, Zhengli Shi, as well as his role as principal investigator on National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants funding bat coronavirus research in China. RAND PAUL BRINGS CIA WHISTLEBLOWER TO SENATE HEARING ALLEGING ‘DEEP STATE’ COVID-19 CONSPIRACY Much of the funding Daszak received was put toward gain-of-function research, the documents state. The documents highlight that the NIH had asked Daszak to retrieve the original type-specimen used by WIV for genetic analysis and return it to the U.S., as well as to explain several aspects of his collaboration with the lab, including providing related cell phone data. CBP officials planned to question Daszak on his activities in China, his contacts at the WIV, and whether he illegally collected or carried biological samples. TOP 4 EXPLOSIVE MOMENTS FROM CIA WHISTLEBLOWER’S TESTIMONY ON ALLEGED COVID-19 LAB LEAK COVER-UP Internal communications highlighted concerns regarding Daszak’s involvement in gain-of-function research and potential conflicts of interest involving federal grants. However, three days before his arrival in New York, CBP received a request from the FBI’s New York Field Office to halt the stop, and the inspection never happened. “FBI New York requested we do not stop the subject below,” the request states, according to the documents. MISSING SCIENTIST SCRUTINY REACHES FBI AS PATEL’S PROBE OF MYSTERY DISAPPEARANCES SET FOR ‘FINAL REPORT’ The records include detailed flight itineraries, proposed interrogation questions, and internal emails documenting the interagency disagreement over the search. “This isn’t the whole story. It’s the start of one,” Paul wrote in a lengthy thread on X. “The Reading Room will be updated on a rolling basis as the investigation continues.” At the time of the planned interception, Daszak headed the now-defunct EcoHealth Alliance, an American-based nonprofit that conducted research and outreach on the causes of emerging pandemic diseases, such as those originating in bats. He was a member of the 10-person WHO team that traveled to China to investigate the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Daszak had received public criticism regarding a potential conflict of interest for being included on the WHO investigative team despite his financial and professional ties to WIV. Daszak now heads Nature Health Global, a non-profit scientific organization focused on ecological research, public health, and pandemic prevention. Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI and Nature Health Global.
Johnson’s strategy to bypass Democrats’ SAVE Act blockade survives key vote, handing GOP big win
Speaker Mike Johnson’s latest bid to skirt Democrats’ opposition to an election integrity bill backed by President Donald Trump survived a key hurdle on Monday evening. The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act has faced significant headwinds in Congress despite having Trump’s full-throated support. While it passed the House, the legislation has struggled in the Senate where at least several Democratic votes are needed to break a filibuster and advance to final passage. But the new plan by Johnson, R-La., which would allow key parts of the bill to skirt Democrats entirely, is one step closer to getting a House-wide vote sometime this week. TRUMP INTERVENES AS HOUSE GOP REVOLT PUTS SAVE AMERICA ACT AT CENTER OF SPENDING SHOWDOWN Republicans would erase the need for any Democratic buy-in by putting key elements of the SAVE America Act into a larger budget reconciliation bill. The reconciliation process allows the party in power to pass sweeping fiscal policy reforms without input from their opposition by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage to line up with the House’s simple majority requirement. But there are strict guidelines for what can be in a reconciliation bill. Such legislation must deal with yearly federal spending and revenues, meaning issues that do not directly affect fiscal policy are generally excluded. House Republicans are aiming to use this reconciliation bill to fund states’ election integrity efforts, replenish military funding amid the U.S. war with Iran, and dole out aid to American farmers. GOP’S $95B DEFENSE PACKAGE SURVIVES CRITICAL HURDLE AMID FISCAL HAWK REVOLT In total, the legislation would set the stage for $95 billion in new federal spending across the next 10 years. The first chamber-wide step in the reconciliation process is to pass a framework that directs the relevant committees to then craft details dealing with their allocated budgets. Those details are then put back into a single sweeping bill that must pass the House and Senate before getting to Trump’s desk for his signature. Passing the House Rules Committee means the bill will see a chamber-wide test vote that, if adopted, will set the stage for lawmakers to debate the bill before a final vote. GOP CIVIL WAR ERUPTS OVER TRUMP’S LATEST AGENDA PUSH AS KEY REPUBLICANS THREATEN TO SINK MEGABILL That vote is expected to occur Tuesday afternoon, with the final vote taking place the following day at 3:30 p.m., according to a preliminary schedule obtained by Fox News Digital. Trump urged Republicans to advance the bill earlier Monday, arguing it would “get AS MUCH of THE SAVE AMERICA ACT as possible in a Budget Bill, along with aid to our incredible Farmers, and funding for our Military.” Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Republicans of trying to unfairly sway elections with their SAVE America Act push. “This is a phony issue that Donald Trump is creating. What’s amazing to me is that Donald Trump had the nerve to say to the Speaker of the House, who apparently didn’t object, that the most important thing that Republicans should focus on is voter suppression legislation, and that housing doesn’t matter, healthcare doesn’t matter, grocery bills don’t matter,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said earlier this year. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has repeatedly referred to the legislation as “Jim Crow 2.0.” “While the specific policies may have changed since the days of the Jim Crow South, the goal of the SAVE Act is the same: disenfranchising American citizens and making it harder for eligible people to vote, particularly low income Americans and people of color,” he said in February. Republicans argue that the SAVE America Act — which would implement federal voter ID requirements and a proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process — would make American elections safer and more secure.