Six household appliances that have taken heat from Biden’s crackdown on regulations
The Biden administration has made tightening efficiency standards for household appliances a target as he’s built out his climate agenda over the past four years. “Making common household appliances more efficient is one of the most effective ways to slash energy costs and cut harmful carbon emissions,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, who has spearheaded efforts to push households to adopt green energy alternatives, said in a statement. However, energy experts and manufacturers have warned that the Biden administration’s regulations would lead to more expensive household appliances that are far less effective than current models. “What these mandates – what these standards do is enforce a level of efficiency that doesn’t make sense,” said Ben Lieberman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. “And they compromise product quality. We’ve already seen this to an extent with the cost of clothes washer standards.” The Department of Energy (DOE) introduced a final rule in February imposing stricter energy standards for residential clothes washers (RCWs), such as washing machines and clothes dryers. HOUSE SET TO CHALLENGE BIDEN GREEN ENERGY STANDARDS FOR WASHING MACHINES WITH ‘LIBERTY IN LAUNDRY’ BILL VOTE Under the regulations, certain less-efficient models of washers and dryers would be barred from being sold, according to DOE. The department projected that the energy standards would collectively save American households $2.2 billion per year on utility bills while reducing nearly 71 million metric tons of “dangerous carbon dioxide emissions” over the next three decades. However, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers argued that DOE’s washing machine regulations “would have a disproportionate, negative impact on low-income households” by eliminating cheaper appliances from the market. “Despite misleading claims to the contrary, these proposals are intended for nothing more than promoting innovation and keeping money in the pockets of Americans everywhere without sacrificing the reliability and performance that consumers expect and rely on,” a spokesperson for the Department of Energy told Fox News Digital. “As evidenced in the Department’s testing and analysis, the proposed standards would not reduce product performance or negatively impact cleaning ability or cycle time.” In 2023, the EPA finalized a rule to accelerate a transition to more advanced refrigeration and cooling technologies that don’t use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and proposed a second rule to manage HFCs in existing products. HFCs are chemicals common in household appliances, such as refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning units. The rule, set to go into effect in 2025, aims to phase out HFCs to achieve an 85% reduction by 2036. But manufacturers reportedly privately predicted that the regulation would increase prices up to 20%, according to the Competitive Enterprise Institute. In February 2023, the DOE issued a proposal to target gas-powered stovetops, which was set to take effect in 2027 and affect 50% of current gas stove models. Under the 2023 proposal, DOE would have banned the future sale of gas stoves that consume more than 1,204 thousand kBtu per year. Restaurant owners have fumed over potential gas stove ban regulations. “The majority of New York City restaurants use gas. It’s the most common stove in a high-volume kitchen,” Peter Petti, executive chef at Upper East Side restaurant, Sojourn, told the New York Post. “Gas lets us do our job efficiently.” After facing pushback from Republicans and consumer advocacy groups, the DOE issued its final regulations, which will impact 3% of gas stove models, rather than the initial 50%. The Biden administration doubled efficiency standards for light bulbs, requiring manufacturers to raise the levels for common light bulbs from 45 lumens per watt to more than 120 lumens per watt, a nearly 170% increase. Only LED bulbs will be able to comply with the standards, not compact fluorescent bulbs. The DOE suggested that the regulations will slash greenhouse gas pollution by cutting 70 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over the next three decades. When it takes effect in 2028, the rule will knock most currently available LEDs off the market and increase the average price of the remaining ones from $2.98 to an estimated $5.68, an increase of $2.70 per bulb, according to Lieberman. Results from a Residential Energy Consumption Survey indicate that fewer than half of households reported using LEDs as their primary or exclusive lighting source. The DOE implemented efficiency regulations to prohibit new non-condensing gas furnaces by 2028, by requiring that non-weatherized gas furnaces achieve an annual fuel utilization efficiency of 95%. The American Gas Association, American Public Gas Association, National Propane Gas Association and manufacturer Thermo Products filed a lawsuit against DOE, claiming that costs could increase for 30% of senior-only households, 26% of low-income households and 27% of small business consumers if the regulation were to go into effect. “Yesterday, the Biden administration finalized a rule that would effectively ban natural gas furnaces and other gas furnaces that are found in more than half of U.S. households,” AGA Vice President of Energy Markets, Analysis, and Standards Richard Meyer told The National Desk in a statement. “In five years, around Christmas 2028, if you have to replace your gas furnace, you may be saddled with hundreds if not thousands of dollars of additional costs to upgrade that equipment to comply with this rule.” The Biden administration amended its energy conservation standards, putting into effect stricter energy standards for ceiling fans. According to an analysis from the DOE, the new rules would save households about $39 over the lifespan of the new energy-efficient fan, Fox Business previously reported. The regulation faced backlash from the House Small Business Committee, which claimed in a letter to the DOE secretary that it could put between 10% and 30% of small business ceiling fan manufacturers out of business. Biden’s appliance regulations could soon be in jeopardy, as President-elect Donald Trump is expected to overturn much of the current administration’s climate agenda when he assumes the presidency in 2025. Fox News’ Matteo Cina contributed to this report.
Watchdog releases report highlighting the worst ethics violations it saw from public officials in 2024
FIRST ON FOX: The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a conservative-leaning ethics watchdog, released a year-end round up of 2024’s worst ethics violations committed by public officials that the group investigated this year. The theme for this year’s report was ethics violations tied to efforts to win elected office. The violations ranged from failures to disclose financial information and violations of federal contribution limits, to “blatant” Hatch Act violations and officials seemingly using campaign funds for their own personal pleasure. FACT is a nonprofit based in the nation’s capital that was formed in 2014, and describes itself as “dedicated to promoting accountability, ethics, and transparency in government and civic arenas.” At the end of each year, the watchdog unveils its top ten worst violators. ‘COMPLETE INACTION’: CONGRESSIONAL ETHICS VIOLATORS OF 2023 HAVE YET TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, WATCHDOG SAYS “It is important to note the alarming detail that there is not one particular ethics rule implicated among them, rather they cover a wide variety of fronts, including the laws enforced by the Office of Special Counsel, the Federal Election Commission, and the Office of Congressional Ethics,” the 2024 report states. “It’s clear these top violators too often prioritize themselves over serving their constituents.” READ THE REPORT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: One of the examples FACT cited involved Wisconsin Democratic member of Congress, Gwen Moore, whose political action committee under her control spent 94.8% of its funds on things like food and travel, such as catering, food delivery, restaurants, hotels, a resort in California’s wine country and alcohol, according to the report. The report said that Moore’s leadership PAC spent almost eight-times more on this than it did on its required purpose of supporting candidates. Moore ultimately beat her GOP challenger in November by a wide margin, keeping her in control of the Milwaukee-area congressional district. The congresswoman’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Two other violations from the report included Hatch Act violations. The Hatch Act is aimed at ensuring that the government functions in a nonpartisan manner and bars certain public officials from engaging in political activities while they are on duty. FACT’s report charged President Joe Biden’s Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra, with sending “a blatant political email,” two months before November’s election, which was described in a media report at the time as “a sales pitch for Kamala Harris.” ‘WILLFUL COVERUP’: DEMOCRAT IN KEY HOUSE RACE HIT WITH ETHICS COMPLAINT THAT COULD DERAIL CAMPAIGN The official email from HHS was sent to people who signed up to receive updates on the government’s Medicare program, which means it could have reached up to 67.5 million recipients, according to FACT. While the email did not directly say “vote for Harris,” it lauded Harris for casting a tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, noting that the move from Harris served to lower healthcare costs. HHS did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Other ethics violations included in FACT’s round-up were several instances of misused or misrepresented campaign funds. The report highlighted outgoing Maryland Democratic Rep. David Trone, who earned backlash during this year’s election cycle for allegedly funding his campaign with money earned through his Total Wine empire despite claiming he had stepped away from his family’s wine business after being elected to Congress in 2018. Trone, who left the House to run for Maryland’s open Senate seat this year – losing in the primary – failed to disclose his interest in numerous Total Wine franchises in the lead up to the election, the report alleged. Representatives for Trone did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The report also claims that Rep.-elect Eugene Vindman, who recently took over Virginia’s seventh congressional district with a win last month, received campaign contributions significantly exceeding those allowed under federal law. VoteVets PAC, a political action committee supporting left-leaning veterans running for Congress, was reportedly engaging in illegal campaign work for Vindman’s campaign by acting as their press liaison. Vindman’s campaign manager did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Together, all of these examples and more lay out what FACT’s Executive Director Kendra Arnold called “a preview” of what elected officials are like when nobody is looking. “We uncover and file complaints on all types of ethics violations, but this year the ones committed in the campaign stage unfortunately stood out,” Arnold told Fox News Digital. “Of all the types of violations it could easily be argued that those committed to get into office are among the very worst.”
Trump names several new White House picks to work on AI, crypto and more: ‘America First Patriots’
President-elect Donald Trump unleashed a slew of nominations on Sunday night, naming several new people to serve in his forthcoming administration. In several Truth Social posts on Sunday, Trump introduced various experts to work in the White House on issues ranging from defense to technology to budgeting. The Republican leader began by naming Stephen Alexander Vaden as his nominee for deputy secretary of the Department of Agriculture. “In my First Term, Stephen was the General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture, and a Member of the Board of the Commodity Credit Corporation, where he won two cases before the United States Supreme Court, relocated and reorganized the Agencies that comprise the Department to better serve Rural America, and engaged in substantial regulatory reform,” Trump wrote in a post. “Stephen joined the USDA on Day One of my First Term, and left in December 2020 after I nominated him, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him, to continue to serve the American People as an Article III Judge on the Court of International Trade,” he added. “Judge Stephen Vaden resides in Union City, Tennessee, where he helps manage his family farm. Congratulations Stephen!” TRUMP NOMINATES PAIR TO HELP LEAD DOJ, ANNOUNCES FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PICK Trump followed up his first post by naming a “slate of America First Patriots” to work with Pete Hegseth, his nominee for secretary of defense and a former “Fox & Friends Weekend” co-host. Trump nominated Stephen Feinberg as the next deputy secretary of defense, and said Feinberg would “Help Make the Pentagon Great Again.” “An extremely successful businessman, Stephen is a Princeton graduate, who founded his company, Cerberus, in 1992,” Trump wrote. “In addition to his leadership at Cerberus, from 2018 to January 2021, Stephen served as Chairman of my Intelligence Advisory Board.” The president-elect went on to name Elbridge “Bridge” Colby as his pick for under secretary of defense for policy. “A highly respected advocate for our America First foreign and defense policy, Bridge will work closely with my outstanding Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to restore our Military power, and achieve my policy of PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Trump said, noting that Colby graduated from Harvard University and Yale Law School. “Bridge served with distinction in the Pentagon in my First Term, leading the effort on my landmark 2018 Defense strategy…and will make an excellent addition to my team, who will, Make America Great Again!” Trump then named Michael Duffey and Emil Michael as his picks for under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, and undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, respectively. “Mike will drive change at the Pentagon and, as a staunch proponent of an America First approach to our National Defense, will work to revitalize our Defense Industrial Base, and rebuild our Military,” Trump said of Duffey. Trump added that Emil Michael would “ensure that our Military has the most technologically sophisticated weapons in the World, while saving A LOT of money for our Taxpayers.” GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? “Emil is a graduate of Harvard University, and has a Law degree from Stanford,” Trump wrote. “He is a one of the most respected leaders in the Tech business, and will be a champion for the Troops, and our Great Country.” For his next defense-related picks, Trump announced Keith Bass as his nominee for assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, and that Joe Kasper would serve as chief of staff for the secretary of defense. Kasper worked in the first Trump administration in support roles, in addition to Capitol Hill. Bass, a retired Navy commander, would be “leading the charge to ensure our Troops are healthy, and receiving the best Medical Care possible,” Trump said. Next, Trump announced Scott Kupor as his pick for the director of the Office of Personnel Management. Trump noted that Kupor was the first employee at Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm where he is now a managing partner. “Scott will bring much needed reform to our federal workforce. Scott graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University, with a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy,” Trump wrote. “He also holds a Law degree, with distinction, from Stanford University. Congratulations Scott!” In his final bundle of nominations, the Republican president-elect announced his picks for tech-related roles. Trump began by naming Michael J.K. Kratsios as his new director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Kratsios, who will also serve as an assistant to the president for science and technology, holds a degree from Princeton University. Trump noted that he previously served as an under secretary of defense for research & engineering at the Pentagon, among other roles. LAWMAKERS REACT TO STOPGAP FUNDING AND AVERTING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Trump added that Dr. Lynne Parker will serve as executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and counselor to the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “Dr. Parker previously served as Deputy U.S. CTO, and Founding Director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office,” Trump said. “She received her PhD in Computer Science from MIT.” Trump’s last two picks were Bo Hines and Sriram Krishnan. Hines will be the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, which Trump described as a “a new advisory group composed of luminaries from the Crypto industry.” “In his new role, Bo will work with David to foster innovation and growth in the digital assets space, while ensuring industry leaders have the resources they need to succeed,” Trump wrote, adding that Krishnan will serve as senior policy advisor for artificial intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology,” Trump wrote. “Sriram started his career at Microsoft as a founding member of
China warns US to stop arming Taiwan after Biden approves $571M in military aid
China has warned the U.S. that it is making “dangerous moves” by providing Taiwan with an additional $571 million in defense materials, which was authorized by President Biden on Saturday. In addition to the $571 million approved by Biden, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Friday that $295 million in military sales had been approved for the self-ruled island of Taiwan. The sales and assistance from the U.S. are intended to help Taiwan defend itself, and possibly deter China from launching an attack. The Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement urging the U.S. to stop arming Taiwan and to cease what it referred to as “dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” according to a report from The Associated Press. TRUMP CABINET PICKS DELIGHT TAIWAN, SEND STRONG SIGNAL TO CHINA Biden’s approved $571 million in military assistance includes DoD materials and services along with military education and training for Taiwan. The funds are in addition to another $567 million that the president approved for the same purposes in September. The $295 million in military sales includes about $265 million for about 300 tactical radio systems and $30 million for 16 gun mounts. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a post on X that the two sales reaffirmed the U.S. government’s “commitment to our defense.” PHILIPPINES WARNS OF ‘RED LINE’ WITH BEIJING AMID HEIGHTENED TENSIONS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA Earlier this month, Taiwan defense officials raised concerns about a substantial deployment of Chinese naval ships and military planes, saying the build-up could eventually lead to war as tensions continue to rise in the region. Officials said China had sent about a dozen ships and 47 military planes to regional waters around the Taiwan Strait, as the nation braced for military drills following Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s recent overseas trip that included visits to Hawaii and Guam, an American territory. Lai, who has been in office since May, spoke with U.S. congressional leaders by phone while in Guam. CHINESE MILITARY MAKES MASSIVE DEPLOYMENT AROUND TAIWAN TO SEND ‘VERY SIMPLE’ MESSAGE Lai’s visit came weeks after the U.S. approved a potential $2 billion arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery of an advanced air defense missile system battle tested in Ukraine and radar systems. The potential package included three National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) and related equipment valued at up to $1.16 billion, according to the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The Chinese communist government has pledged to annex Taiwan, through military force if necessary, and sends ships and military planes near the island almost daily. The U.S. has repeatedly signaled its support for Taiwan through military deals, operations and diplomatic interactions with Taiwanese officials. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump nominates Callista Gingrich as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, announces other picks
President-elect Trump on Sunday named Callista Gingrich, wife to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, as one of his latest U.S. ambassador nominees. Writing on Truth Social, Trump wrote that he picked Gingrich to serve as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, citing her previous ambassadorial experience in his first administration. Gingrich, and the other ambassador nominees, will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. “Happily married to the Great Newt Gingrich, Callista previously served, with distinction, as my Ambassador to the Holy See,” Trump’s post read. “During her tenure, Callista worked to advance and defend international religious freedom, combat human trafficking, and provide humanitarian assistance around the World.” “Callista graduated, with honors, from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1988,” the Republican leader added. “Congratulations!” TRUMP NOMINATES PAIR TO HELP LEAD DOJ, ANNOUNCES FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PICK Trump later wrote that he has nominated Mauricio Claver-Carone as a U.S. special envoy for Latin America. Special envoy positions are different from ambassador roles, as they are shorter and typically meant to fulfill a specific mission. Trump cited “chaos and anarchy” at the U.S. southern border in his announcement about Claver-Carone. “It is time to restore order in our own hemisphere,” Trump wrote. “Mauricio knows the region, and how to put America’s interests FIRST.” GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? “He also knows the dire threats we face from illegal mass migration and fentanyl,” he added. “As the State Department’s Special Envoy, Mauricio will work tirelessly to protect the American People.” In a third post, Trump named Ken Howery, a co-founder of PayPal, as his pick for U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Howery previously served as a U.S. ambassador to Sweden, and Trump wrote that he “served our National brilliantly” in that role. “As a Co-Founder of PayPal and venture capital fund, Founders Fund, Ken turned American Innovation and Tech leadership into Global success stories, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad,” Trump explained. “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity…Thank you Ken, and congratulations!”
Trump reveals the exact time his admin will be ‘fully operational’ in first rally-style speech since election
President-elect Trump estimated the exact time his administration will be “fully operational” on Jan. 20 in his first rally-styled speech since his decisive win over Vice President Kamala Harris last month. “You just have a few days to wait. We’re going to be fully operational, I would say, by about 2:00 on the 20th,” Trump said from the AmericaFest stage. Trump took the stage of the Phoenix Convention Center Sunday as part of Turning Point’s annual AmericaFest – a four-day event billed as part of the “biggest conservative movement in the country” – where the president took a victory lap for his electoral win last month, and to also preview his administration in the waning days of the transition period. “The thing that brings people together is victory. It’s winning. And we had that for much of my first year. We had the most – we had the greatest economy in history, in our first term. We can now call it a first term. We had the greatest economy in the history of our country, maybe in the history of any country, frankly. And we had – we did things that nobody could have done. And we’re going to do them even better now. We’re going to be drilling, as we say, ‘drill, baby, drill.’ We’re going to drill, baby drill, but we’re going to be doing a lot more than drilling,” he said of his win and upcoming administration. TRUMP SET TO DELIVER FIRST RALLY-STYLED SPEECH SINCE DECISIVE ELECTION WIN: ‘BIGGEST CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT’ On Saturday evening, Trump issued a message on Truth Social, calling for the U.S. to regain control of the Panama Canal. He elaborated during his speech Sunday that “we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly and without question.” “A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. commerce and rapid deployment of the Navy from the Atlantic, all the way to the Pacific. It’s an incredible thing. And drastically cut shipping times down to U.S. ports by days and even weeks. The United States is the number one user of the Panama Canal, with over 72% of all transits heading to or from U.S. ports. Think of that. So we built it. We’re the ones that use it. They gave it away,” he said. The canal had been under American control since its construction was completed, and it began operations in 1914. It was handed over to Panama during President Jimmy Carter’s administration in 1977. Trump also previewed his upcoming administration, saying that in addition to carrying out the “largest deportation operation in American history,” his admin will also roll out an advertising campaign highlighting the evils of drug use, spotlighting fentanyl that flows across the border. “We’re going to do very big advertising campaigns, just like a campaign for running for president. We spend a lot of money, but it’ll be a very small amount of money, relatively. We’re going to advertise how bad drugs are for you, how bad they are. They ruin your look. They ruin your face. They ruin your skin. They ruin your teeth. If you want to have horrible teeth, take a lot of fentanyl. If you want to have skin that looks so terrible, take fentanyl,” he said. Efforts to bolster border security and deport illegal immigrants in the nation, Trump said, will also include efforts to secure the northern border. “Canada allows people and drugs to flood in through our northern border. You know, we have a northern border that’s not doing so well either. Likewise, people are coming in from Mexico in numbers that have never, ever been seen before. We had 21 million people come in over the past four years,” he said. WHITE HOUSE PRESSED ON BIDEN REFUSING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY AHEAD OF SHUTDOWN Trump’s speech on Sunday followed Congress avoiding a prolonged government shutdown early Saturday morning. Members of the House returned to the negotiating table last week after Trump and allies such as Elon Musk slammed a more than 1,500-page bill as “outrageous” and rife with excessive spending. Trump called on Republicans to suspend the debt limit as part of their talks to avert a government shutdown. The final bill, however, did not include a suspension of the debt ceiling. Trump has not spoken publicly since the bill’s passage, including on Sunday, although sources told Fox News that the incoming president is not that happy with the bill. In his speech, Trump again reaffirmed his support for former Fox News host Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense in his second administration, as Hegseth battles allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking while rallying support for his confirmation among senators. Hegseth has denied the allegations and vowed that he won’t drink “a drop of alcohol” if confirmed to Trump’s Cabinet. TRUMP NOMINATES TV PRODUCER, CREATOR OF ‘THE APPRENTICE,’ TO SERVE IN NEW ADMINISTRATION “To get wokeness out of our military and restore the unquestioned strength and fighting spirit of the American armed forces, I have appointed Pete Hegseth to be our next secretary of the defense. He’s going to be great. You know, I’ve interviewed with him a lot on Fox, and all he ever wanted to talk about was the military,” he said. Trump also celebrated his other Cabinet picks, including Pam Bondi as attorney general, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. “When you look at, like, autism from 25 years ago, and you look at it now, something’s going on. And I nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Think of it. Think of this: 25 years ago, autism, 1 in 10,000 children. Today it’s 1 in 36 children. Is something wrong? I think so, and Robert and I, we’re going to figure it out,” he said. TRUMP NOMINATES PAIR TO HELP LEAD DOJ, ANNOUNCES FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PICK The former and upcoming president continued in his speech with his typical campaign talking points,
GOP rep who hasn’t voted in months living in retirement facility: source
Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, has been living in a retirement facility, a source told Fox News on Sunday. The source also denied a local news report that said she was in a memory care facility. Granger, who is retiring at the end of this congressional term, has largely remained absent from the Capitol in recent months, having last cast votes on July 24. She was not present for over 54% of votes this year. The Dallas Express investigated the 81-year-old congresswoman’s absence, publishing a report on Friday that quoted a constituent of her district who said that Granger was residing in a memory care facility in Texas. The report was later picked up by other news outlets. Fox News spoke with a source from Granger’s office who denied that Granger was in a memory care unit. The source told Fox News that Granger is in a retirement facility where memory care is provided, though not in the memory care unit itself. HOUSE PASSES FUNDING BILL WITH JUST HOURS UNTIL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Granger released a statement to Fox News, saying that she has faced “health challenges” and is “deeply grateful for the outpouring of care and concern” over the weekend. “As many of my family, friends, and colleagues have known, I have been navigating some unforeseen health challenges over the past year,” Granger said in the statement. “However, since early September, my health challenges have progressed making frequent travel to Washington both difficult and unpredictable. During this time, my incredible staff has remained steadfast, continuing to deliver exceptional constituent services, as they have for the past 27 years.” Granger, who did not seek reelection for the coming term, has served in the House since 1997. She previously served as the first female mayor of Fort Worth, Texas. While Granger appears to not have cast a vote since July, she did return to the Capitol in November for the unveiling of her portrait as Appropriations Committee Chairwoman, and a reception that followed. House Speaker Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise both spoke at the event. GOP REP-ELECT OUTLINES HOW DOGE, TRUMP AGENDA WILL GET COUNTRY ‘BACK ON TRACK’: ‘NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL’ One senior Republican source told Fox News that Granger did not step down earlier due to the paper-thin GOP House majority. “Frankly, we needed the numbers,” the source told Fox News. The slim majority presents a challenge for the speaker of the 119th Congress, in which vote attendance could be the difference between success or defeat for Republicans. Fox News reached out to Johnson’s office for comment. Granger’s long absence was blasted by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., in a post on X. “Kay Granger’s long absence reveals the problem with a Congress that rewards seniority & relationships more than merit & ideas,” he wrote. “We have a sclerotic gerontocracy. We need term limits. We need to get big money out of politics so a new generation of Americans can run and serve.” Khanna was one of the few lawmakers who previously criticized what he referred to as the “gerontocracy.” In May 2023, he called on Democratic Rep. Dianne Feinstein, who was then aged 89, to step down as her own health issues kept her away from the Capitol. Feinstein died months later in September 2023.
Fetterman: Those hoping Trump fails are ‘rooting against the nation’
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., says he hopes President-elect Trump is successful, and spoke out against those who feel otherwise. Fetterman appeared Sunday on ABC’S “This Week.” His more than 10-minute sit-down segment was pre-recorded with co-anchor Jonathan Karl. “I’m not rooting against him,” the Democratic senator said. “If you’re rooting against the president, you are rooting against the nation. And and I’m not ever going to be where I want a president to fail. So, country first. I know that’s become maybe like a cliche, but it happens to be true.” The senator told Karl he never believed Trump’s movement was about fascism, while noting that it was Vice President Kamala Harris’ “prerogative” to call Trump a fascist during her campaign. FETTERMAN MEETS WITH TRUMP NOMINEES, PLEDGES ‘OPEN-MIND AND AN INFORMED OPINION’ FOR CONFIRMATION VOTES “Fascism, that’s not a word that regular people use, you know?” Fetterman said. “I think people are going to decide who is the candidate that’s going to protect and project, you know, my version of the American way of life, and that’s what happened.” Fetterman has been meeting with Trump’s Cabinet nominees, noting that his decision about whether to vote to confirm the candidates will stem from an open mind and informed perspective. FETTERMAN SAYS DEMS SHOULDN’T ‘FREAK OUT’ OVER EVERYTHING TRUMP DOES: ‘IT’S GOING TO BE 4 YEARS’ “I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees. That’s why I met with Elise Stefanik and Pete Hegseth, just wrapped with Tulsi Gabbard, and look forward to my meetings with others soon,” Fetterman declared in a post on X. “My votes will come from an open mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job,” he continued. More than a month ago, Fetterman said Democrats cannot afford to “freak out” over everything Trump says or does. He echoed that sentiment on Sunday, again mentioning that Trump has not even taken office yet. Fox News’ Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Sen. Rand Paul pledges to get Trump’s cabinet picks approved ‘as quickly as possible’
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Sunday said he “couldn’t be happier” with President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees, saying he will work to push them through as quickly as possible. When Paul was asked during an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” whether he would support all of Trump’s picks for his inner circle, the senator responded, “I couldn’t have picked better.” “The vast majority I will support on day one,” the senator said. “We’ll try to get Kristi Noem through Department of Homeland Security, Russ Vought for [Office of Management and Budget]. … I think in the first week you’ll have half a dozen of them approved in the first week.” Paul said that he will control one committee in charge of confirming the nominees, adding, “I pledge to get them through as quickly as possible.” TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TAKES SHAPE: PRESIDENT-ELECT COMPLETES TOP 15 CABINET PICKS Paul has said that he will chair the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee with the start of the new Congress in January. Trump has handpicked an array of establishment and unconventional officials for the 15 top posts in his Cabinet, including Health and Human Services pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FBI Director selection Kash Patel and Sen. Marco Rubio as the nominee for Secretary of State. ABC, CBS AND NBC EVENING NEWSCAST COVERAGE OF TRUMP’S CABINET PICKS ‘ALMOST UNIFORMLY NEGATIVE,’ STUDY FINDS Some of Trump’s picks proved controversial, such as Patel, Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard. In late November, Fox News Digital learned that nearly a dozen of Trump’s Cabinet nominees and other appointees tapped for the incoming administration were targeted with “violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them.”
‘Bargaining chip’: Trump allies dismantle Liz Warren’s claim GOP blocked childhood cancer research
Conservatives and allies of President-elect Trump are dismantling a narrative put forth by Democratic lawmakers such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren that Republicans blocked funding for childhood cancer research in the spending bill, pointing to a stand-alone bill that had languished in the Democratic-controlled Senate for months. Congress passed a pared-down spending bill early Saturday morning as the government careened toward a prolonged shutdown. The bill’s passage followed tech billionaire Elon Musk and other Trump allies slamming a more than 1,500-page piece of legislation earlier last week as “outrageous” and “full of excessive spending, special interest giveaways and pork barrel politics,” demanding lawmakers return to the negotiation table. The Senate advanced a third version of a short-term funding bill on Saturday morning, following negotiations that whittled down the legislation to not include measures such as providing lawmakers a pay raise. As negotiations were hashed out, Warren and other Democrats attempted to slam Republicans for allegedly blocking funding for childhood cancer research in the bill. TRUMP SET TO DELIVER FIRST RALLY-STYLED SPEECH SINCE DECISIVE ELECTION WIN: ‘BIGGEST CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT’ “We actually are now getting our first taste – this is it live and in living color – about what it means to have this DOGE,” Warren said on CNN as the government prepared to shut down on Friday evening. LAWMAKERS REACT TO STOPGAP FUNDING AND AVERTING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, is an upcoming presidential advisory committee that will be led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to cut excessive government spending and slash the size of the government under Trump’s second administration. “Right out here, and what that’s going to mean. And that’s where Elon Musk’s fingerprints are all over this. Because, for example, what this bill says is all, let’s get rid of funding for research on pediatric cancer. Let’s get rid of funding for research on early detection of cervical cancer and breast cancer. Let’s get rid of funding for research on children with Down Syndrome and on sickle cell anemia. Let’s get rid of those things so that we could make way for tax cuts for billionaires, that is Elon Musk’s notion of efficiency,” she continued. PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNS STOPGAP FUNDING BILL INTO LAW, NARROWLY AVERTING SHUTDOWN While the Democratic Party’s war room published a press release declaring: “Trump and his MAGA minions in Congress have decided to threaten a government shutdown for his political gain – and now they’ve stooped as low as cutting child cancer research.” “Lyin’ Liz Warren aka Pocahontas,” Musk shot back in response to Warren’s comments, referring to Trump’s common taunt against Warren. Other conservatives and Trump allies slammed the narrative that the GOP blocked funding for childhood cancer research, pointing to a stand-alone bill that passed in the Republican-led House in March, and had for months languished in the Democratic-led Senate. WHITE HOUSE PRESSED ON BIDEN REFUSING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY AHEAD OF SHUTDOWN “Elizabeth Warren repeats the lie that @elonmusk and Republicans blocked funding for child cancer research. A stand alone bill for child cancer research funding passed the Republican controlled House in March and got held up in the Democrat controlled Senate,” popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok posted in response to Warren’s CNN interview. “Democrats blocked funding for child cancer research.” The House passed a stand-alone bill on March 5, at a vote of 384-4, that allocated millions of dollars per year for pediatric research through 2028. The bill was delivered to the Senate on March 6, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had not taken action on the legislation, sparking condemnation from conservatives months later that Democrats used the research funding as a “bargaining chip.” TRUMP-BACKED SPENDING BILL GOES DOWN IN FLAMES AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS “Democrats are using children with cancer as political shields in the shutdown game to blame Republicans after using them as political shields to help defend all the slop Democrats wanted included in the bill. If this funding is so important, it can be passed on its own as a stand-alone bill. You know, like how the government is supposed to work, instead of cramming hundreds of useless proposals into the same bill as pediatric cancer research funding in a 1,500-page mess that no one actually reads so that you can attack anyone who doesn’t support the useless stuff by claiming they hate children with cancer,” an op-ed published in the Washington Examiner outlined. A review of the legislation shows that on Friday evening, the Senate passed the legislation by a voice vote, following condemnation targeting the GOP for allegedly blocking funding for the research. The legislation extends $12.6 million a year in cancer research funding through 2031. Fox News Digital reached out to Warren’s office for additional comment Sunday morning, but did not immediately receive a reply.