The National Defense Authorization Act includes a provision aimed at defending conservative media.   The NDAA prohibits the Department of War from forming contracts for the purpose of advertising for military recruitment with “advertising firms like NewsGuard that blacklist conservative news sources,” according to the House Armed Services Committee summary of the bill.   “Major advertising agencies have been effectively censoring conservative media by blocking ads and their revenues. We applaud Congress for taking the stand to oppose such censorship when it comes military recruitment advertising,” Christine Czernejewski, membership director of The Independent Media Council, told The Daily Signal.  “The Congress acted to make sure all Americans see these ads—and stopping leftwing ratings groups like NewsGuard from targeting conservative media,” Czernejewski said, thanking members of Congress, such as Sens. Tommy Tuberville, R- Ala., Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Reps. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., Mike Rogers, R-Ala., for their leadership on the issue. NewsGuard collects data on thousands of news sources and rates the credibility of the platforms.   Some conservatives, including member of Congress, have previously raised concern over NewsGuard using its platform as a tool of censorship in the name of “combating misinformation.”  In 2024, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability conducted an investigation into the “impact of NewsGuard on protected First Amendment speech and its potential to serve as a nontransparent agent of censorship campaigns,” Committee Chairman James Comer said last October.   Last December, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized NewsGuard as an organization “under increasing scrutiny for its bias against conservative viewpoints.”   “NewsGuard rates many top conservative outlets as reliable, including for advertisers—the opposite of ‘blacklisting’ them,” NewsGuard COO Matt Skibinski told The Daily Signal. “Conservative brands rated ‘credible’ by NewsGuard include: Fox News, The Free Beacon, The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The New York Post, The National Review, Western Journal, Commentary, The Heritage Foundation, The Daily Signal, and many others,” Skibinski said, adding that “NewsGuard has never had any U.S. government contracts for placing military recruitment advertisements—nor do we have any plans to do so.” The 2026 NDAA is over 3,000 pages and includes $900 billion in funding for the Department of War and U.S. defense priorities.  The House is expected to vote Wednesday on the bill that includes a number of President Donald Trump’s key policy priorities, including codifying some of Trump’s executive orders into law.   “This year’s National Defense Authorization Act helps advance President Trump and Republicans’ Peace Through Strength Agenda by codifying 15 of President Trump’s executive orders, ending woke ideology at the Pentagon, securing the border, revitalizing the defense industrial base, and restoring the warrior ethos,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said.    Because the NDAA includes critical funding for American defense, it is considered a “must pass” bill and is expected to pass in the House and Senate before lawmakers leave Washington for the Christmas holiday.    The post NDAA Prohibits Department of War Contracts With Groups That ‘Blacklist Conservative News Sources’   appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A North Carolina teen painted a tribute to Charlie Kirk on her school’s “spirit rock,” and was promptly censored, according to Alliance Defending Freedom.   Now, Gabby Stout and her parents are suing the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education for violating the student’s First Amendment rights.   “[School officials] have unconstitutionally censored [Stout’s] speech that the First Amendment protects, retaliated against her for exercising her First Amendment rights,” the lawsuit states.   After the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, Stout, a junior at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, wanted to do something to honor the life of the conservative Christian leader.   “I admired his boldness in sharing and defending his Christian faith. I wanted to remind my classmates and community that Charlie was enjoying eternal life with his Savior, Jesus Christ,” Stout told The Daily Signal.   Stout called the school a few days after Kirk’s assassination and asked for permission to paint the campus “spirit rock,” which she and seen painted in the past with messages supporting a particular NFL team, or even Black Lives Matter.   According to Alliance Defending Freedom, the Christian legal group representing Stout, the school office told Stout on Sept. 12 that she had permission to paint the rock as long as the message did not contain profanity, a political message, or any vulgarity.   “Gabby [Stout] had told the school official that she was thinking of painting ‘something USA themed’ as well as ‘something for Charlie Kirk, who recently passed.’ The school official said, ‘That would be very nice,’” according to ADF senior counsel Travis Barham.   Stout, her parents, and two other students painted the large rock with the words “Freedom 1776” and “Live Like Kirk—John 11:25.”  “It was important to me to share my faith and to create a space where students could memorialize Charlie,” Stout recalled.   Hours later, Stout learned on social media that the school had ordered the “Live Like Kirk—John 11:25” message to be painted over.   The following day, a schoolwide email accused Stout of “vandalism” and informed the student body that law enforcement was conducting an investigation, according to ADF. The investigation included Stout being called out of class to write a statement detailing her actions. ADF reports that officials “forced her to show them her phone logs.”   “When they pulled me out of class, I felt scared and targeted,” Stout said. “They were punishing me for simply expressing my faith and my love for my country.”  According to ADF, the school officials did not obtain permission from Stout’s parents to go through the student’s phone, “nor did they inform the students or parents about their constitutional right to remain silent and contact an attorney during a criminal investigation.”   A few days later, the school issued a Spirit Rock Speech Code stating that only messages of “positive school spirit” that “uphold the inclusive values of our school community” are allowed on the rock.   “When the officials formally concluded that the student, her parents, and her friends had not committed vandalism, they quietly closed the investigation with no apology and then released a statement saying they never accused or investigated her of anything,” according to ADF.   The lawsuit claims school officials “unconstitutionally censored” Stout’s protected free speech and “retaliated against” the student for expressing her First Amendment rights.  “We do not comment on active litigation,” Sheri Costa, director of board communications for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, told The Daily Signal when asked about the lawsuit.   The suit has been filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.  “I’m taking a stand because I want to glorify God, and I don’t want other students to be punished for expressing their faith as I did,” Stout said. “Every student should feel safe sharing his or her beliefs without being shamed by school officials.”  The post Family Sues School After Teen ‘Censored’ for Tribute to Charlie Kirk appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether the death sentence applied to a convicted murderer represents cruel and unusual punishment based on his debatable intellectual disability. The state of Alabama argues that five IQ test scores for Joseph Clifton Smith, convicted of capital murder for the 1997 killing of Durk Van Dam, demonstrate that he isn’t disabled.  Smith’s five IQ tests revealed scores of 72, 74, 75, 74, and 78, which fell within or near the range associated with intellectual disability. Alabama and other states regard IQ scores of 70 or below to be the standard for judging intellectual disabilities. In Atkins v. Virginia (2002), the Supreme Court set three criteria for determining if someone is mentally competent to be executed: significantly subaverage intellectual functioning, significant deficits in adaptive behavior, and manifestation of these qualities before age 18. “Atkins created an exception for offenders known to be intellectually disabled, but Smith is not,” Alabama Principal Deputy Solicitor General Robert Overing told the justices.  Courts ‘Changed the Rules’ The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama vacated Smith’s death sentence and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld the district court ruling. These courts “changed the rules,” Overing argued. “They took the lowest score to represent a possibility that Smith’s IQ is 69,” he said. “Then, to the extent they considered other scores, they took each only in isolation, and moved the line to 75. These maneuvers expanded Atkins, and this court should reverse that expansion.” Smith is challenging his death sentence under the Eighth Amendment, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment. He also claims the sentence violates his 14th Amendment rights to due process and equal protection under the laws. Other Factors Seth Waxman, the U.S. solicitor general during the Clinton administration who is now representing Smith, asserted the relevance of factors beyond IQ tests. Waxman said Alabama law “requires courts to evaluate all provident evidence as to intellectual functioning offered by either side.” The lawyer cited Smith’s “grade school records, which showed that on every measure, he was two to four years below grade average, culminating in a diagnosis of mental retardation in the seventh grade.” The Trump administration has sided with the state of Alabama. Smith, now 55, beat Van Dam to death with a hammer and stole his boots and $140 from him in the 1997 crime, Reuters reported.  The Justices Weigh in “I think what you’ve done is shift this to be all about the IQ test in a way that is not supported by our case law,” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a President Joe Biden appointee, told Overing. After some back and forth, Overing explained his point.  “IQ is originally how intellectual disability was defined as a condition, and it’s always been the primary criterion, and states are allowed to take the best evidence of intelligence, and to make that the test,” the Alabama solicitor argued. Chief Justice John Roberts, an appointee of President George W. Bush, asked Waxman about a hypothetically wide divergence of scores. Justice Samuel Alito, another George W. Bush appointee, later asked about a hypothetical of four IQ test scores in the 90s, and one at 71.  Waxman said the court would hear expert testimony on the matter.  “There may very well be expert testimony, maybe even agreement, that the 71 is, in fact, the result of the inquiry, or that it is a statistical outlier, and taking into account other evidence relevant to intellectual functioning should be disregarded,” Waxman said. He stressed, however, that this isn’t the question in his client’s case. “What we have here are two experts who said four of the five scores are within the range of intellectual disability,” Waxman said. “The district court itself specifically found that, and so we’re not in that hypothetical range.” The post IQ on Death Row: Supreme Court Weighs Relevance of Convicted Killer’s Test Scores appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced the third interest rate cut of the year in a news conference Wednesday. “Today, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to lower our policy interest rate by a quarter percentage point,” Powell said. The rate cut brings the federal funds rate between 3.5% and 3.75%, following similar-sized rate cuts in September and October. “My colleagues and I remain squarely focused on achieving our dual mandate goals of maximum employment and stable prices for the benefit of the American people,” Powell added. Nine of the 12 Federal Open Market Committee members voted for the interest rate cut, while two regional Federal Reserve bank presidents dissented, saying they “preferred no change,” according to a news release. Fed Governor Stephen Miran, voted for a half-point cut, twice the rate the other committee members supported. Miran was recently appointed to the Federal Reserve by President Donald Trump, who has been demanding interests rates be brought down. Before heading to the Federal Reserve, Miran was the chairman of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors. According to NPR, this marked the first time in six years that an interest rate vote had been so divided. Powell also said the government shutdown, which was the longest in U.S. history, impacted the economy and the Federal Reserve’s ability to get economic data. “The temporary shutdown of the federal government has likely weighed on economic activity in the current quarter,” Powell continued, “but these effects should be mostly offset by higher growth next quarter, reflecting the reopening.” “Conditions in the labor market appear to be gradually cooling and inflation remains somewhat elevated,” Powell added. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates. The post BREAKING: Divided Federal Reserve Makes Money Move Ahead of Christmas appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton, a pro-abortion Democrat, says medically accurate information about the pre-born does not belong in Ohio Schools and education is sure to be a major issue in the gubernatorial election that looms closer. “Ohioans have made it clear that they don’t want national political battles playing out in our schools and classrooms,” Acton posted on X. “This decision by our Statehouse is doing exactly that – and subjecting some of our youngest kids to charged information that directly favors an agenda that Ohioans overwhelmingly voted against.” Ohioans have made it clear that they don’t want national political battles playing out in our schools and classrooms. This decision by our Statehouse is doing exactly that – and subjecting some of our youngest kids to charged information that directly favors an agenda that…— Dr. Amy Acton (@amyactonoh) November 20, 2025 But Republicans are accusing Acton of the very thing she opposed in her X post: playing politics with the classroom. The same day that Acton posted about Baby Olivia, the Fox News published an article that scrutinized the National Education Association for trainings that promoted LGBT ideology. Ohio state Rep. Melanie Miller, a Republican and the sponsor of the Baby Olivia Act in the Ohio House, referenced the NEA scandal in a conversation with The Daily Signal, calling Acton’s “double standard… infuriating.” Others in the Ohio Republican Party took note as well. “Amy Acton loves to lecture others about political battles in schools, but her silence on the NEA’s political agenda is deafening,” Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou told The Daily Signal. “If she truly opposes politics in the classroom, she should apply that standard consistently, not only when it suits her political beliefs. Ohioans deserve clear and honest answers.” The Daily Signal did not receive comment from the Acton campaign or the campaign for Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. What Is the Baby Olivia Act? The Baby Olivia Act would teach children medically accurate information on the preborn. Miller explained to The Daily Signal that some schools in Ohio are already teaching such information. According to the bill’s text, such legislation will “require human growth and development instruction in public schools.” “The Baby Olivia Act is a science-based resource that helps Ohio students learn accurate facts about prenatal development. It was built through bipartisan work focused on what’s best for kids, so it’s disappointing to see political agitators try to stir up controversy instead of supporting stronger classroom standards,” Miller added. The Baby Olivia video is available for viewing online, with more information about the video and an FAQ. The video to be shown in classrooms for grades 5-12 was produced by Live Action, a national pro-life group, with doctors and the Endowment of Human Development also involved. State Rep. Gary Click, a Ohio Republican who cosponsored the bill, replied abortion is what’s political, while “Life is science.” Abortion is political. Life is science. https://t.co/RVexuuFEOP— Rep Gary Click ?? ?? (@clickforohio) November 21, 2025 Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs at Live Action Noah Brandt provided a statement to The Daily Signal about such legislation, referring to its passage as “a bold step forward toward ensuring that our children are equipped with the factual knowledge they deserve about the miracle of life beginning at fertilization.” Miller focused on her bill providing flexibility to decide how the material will be taught in which class, as well as transparency for parents who can view the video and choose to opt out of their children viewing such material. A lesson on this subject matter, as Miller explained to The Daily Signal, will involve a three-minute ultrasound video showing development of major organs as well as the Baby Olivia video or a similar one showing the process of fertilization until the child is born. The state representative spoke of “a glimpse” into the womb and likened it to a National Geographic video. Brandt also said that he “commend[s]” Miller “and the courageous House members who stood for truth amid opposition,” while calling on state senators and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to approve the bill. “Ohio has the opportunity to join Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, and Tennessee as a beacon for life-affirming education,” Brandt concluded, referring to the other states where such legislation passed. She's talking about a bill that requires students be shown an educational video of a baby forming in the womb.Apparently porn and genderqueer is acceptable to Democrats in schools but showing a video on fetal development is a "national political battle in our schools." https://t.co/TnCDJPkncZ— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 20, 2025 Should the bill, pass the Ohio Senate and be signed into law by DeWine, it would do so after Ohio voters in 2023 approved a ballot initiative in favor of abortion access. Miller stressed that her bill “does not changing anything with this on the constitutional amendment whatsoever.” As she also offered to The Daily Signal, “I support what the voters chose. It’s not what I agree with, it’s wrong, but the people of Ohio made their voices heard.” The Daily Signal also reached out to the Ohio Democratic Party but did not hear back. What About Left-Wing Politics in the Classroom? Beyond the recent NEA scandal, reporting from the Washington Examiner has brought attention to the largest teachers union providing “a detailed race and gender ideology script for teachers” as well as a gender glossary and focus on pronouns. The NEA has called those who oppose their efforts “villains” and, when discussing “transgender youth,” also specifically mentioned efforts from state Republicans. The Daily Signal reached out to the NEA for comment but did not hear back. The post Dem Ohio Gubernatorial Candidate Says Science-Based Teaching on Unborn Does Not Belong in Classrooms appeared first on The Daily Signal.