With the support of 210 Democrats‚ the Republican-led House of Representatives voted Saturday to approve President Joe Biden’s request for another $60 billion to aid Ukraine. After months of uncertainty‚ the bill now heads to the Senate for final approval. More Republicans opposed the Ukraine funding bill than supported it‚ racking up 112 votes against the measure compared to 101 in favor. The final vote was 311-112. Not a single Democrat voted against the bill. (See how your member voted on the bill.) House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-La.‚ attempted to put a positive spin on the legislation‚ despite his own party’s strong rebuke. “Even though it’s not the perfect legislation—it’s not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House‚ the Senate‚ and the White House—this is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances‚” Johnson said. Saturday’s vote ends a tumultuous week for Johnson‚ who now faces the prospect of losing his leadership post for choosing to prioritize Ukraine funding over border security. Three GOP lawmakers are sponsoring a motion to remove Johnson as speaker. The House speaker’s handling of foreign aid and U.S. border security has so incensed three fellow House Republicans‚ including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Thomas Massie of Kentucky—seen here at a news conference at the Capitol on Nov. 17‚ 2022—to call for his ouster as speaker. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) A separate border-related bill failed Saturday‚ although it was expected to be dead on arrival in the Senate. The House voted on five bills Saturday‚ which will now be sent in a consolidated legislative package for the Senate to approve. In February‚ senators voted 70-29 to approve Biden’s $95.3 billion supplemental spending request and are expected to vote on the revised House package next week. In addition to the Ukraine funding ($60.84 billion)‚ lawmakers also approved separate bills for Israel ($26.38 billion)‚ the Indo-Pacific ($8.12 billion)‚ and the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act‚ a bill that would impose more sanctions on China‚ Iran‚ and Russia. They also adopted a measure requiring TikTok’s parent company to sever ties with the Communist Chinese government or cease operations within the United States. The House voted Friday‚ 316-94‚ to combine the four bills into a single package that mirrors Biden’s original $95.3 billion request. Friday’s vote to consolidate the bills received unusually high opposition from Republicans‚ who are typically united on such procedural motions. In this case‚ 55 GOP lawmakers voted against the speaker’s consolidation plan along with 39 Democrats. &;gt;&;gt;&;gt; These 55 Republicans Voted Against Speaker Johnson’s Foreign Aid Scheme Losing that many Republican lawmakers on a rule vote is extremely uncommon in the House of Representatives. Such measures are typically party-line votes in which the minority party is united in opposition to the majority. As was the case with the rule vote on Friday‚ Johnson relied on House Democrats secure final passage of the Ukraine funding on Saturday. Heritage Action for America‚ the grassroots partner of The Heritage Foundation‚ which boasts 2 million activists nationwide‚ opposed the Ukraine bill. (Heritage founded The Daily Signal in 2014.) “The foreign aid package moving through the House this week is almost indistinguishable from the Senate’s failed supplemental spending bill House leadership claimed to oppose for months‚” Heritage Action President Dr. Kevin Roberts said. “While their position seems to have changed‚ ours is resolute: Conservatives have not‚ do not‚ and will not support another unaccountable‚ nearly $60 billion check for a foreign country to secure its border while our own lies dangerously wide-open.” &;gt;&;gt;&;gt; Speaker Johnson’s Shrewd Plan to Pass Biden’s Foreign Aid Package‚ Explained Roberts’ perspective was echoed by conservatives on Capitol Hill. “Speaker Johnson made it essentially impossible to vote for any of the bills before the House today without assisting in the effort to send $60 billion to Ukraine and up to $9 billion to Hamas‚” Sen. Mike Lee said. “He also made it impossible to condition any of those things on U.S. border security.” Speaker Johnson made it essentially impossible to vote for any of the bills before the House today without assisting in the effort to send $60 billion to Ukraine and up to $9 billion to Hamas.He also made it impossible to condition any of those things on U.S. border security.— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) April 20‚ 2024 “‘As much as it takes‚ as long as it takes’ is not a mission statement‚ but a recipe for disaster‚” Rep. Warren Davidson‚ R-Ohio‚ said. “Bad news does not get better with time. This is a plan to expand the war.” “As much as it takes‚ as long as it takes” is not a mission statement‚ but a recipe for disaster. Bad news does not get better with time. This is a plan to expand the war… https://t.co/OWprrq3aQY— Warren Davidson &;#63;&;#63; (@WarrenDavidson) April 20‚ 2024 “Our rules demand single subject bills for a reason‚” Rep. Greg Steube‚ R-Fla.‚ said. “‘Leadership’s’ foreign aid packages provide additional funds for Ukraine‚ Taiwan‚ &; more. Don’t be fooled‚ this is Chuck Schumer’s bill broken up in several votes.” 4/ More spending (without offsets) all while our southern border remains wide open. This is NOT America First. Is it too much to ask for Republican leadership in a Republican majority&;#63; Apparently so.— Congressman Greg Steube (@RepGregSteube) April 20‚ 2024 “This $60 billion for Ukraine is a debt we’re putting on our grandchildren and great-grandchildren‚” Rep. Tim Burchett‚ R-Tenn.‚ said. “We’ve already sent Ukraine $114 billion. No more.” This $60 billion for Ukraine is a debt we're putting on our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We've already sent Ukraine $114 billion. No more. pic.twitter.com/aVkYV065JJ— Rep. Tim Burchett (@RepTimBurchett) April 20‚ 2024 “I implore my colleagues to put America’s border security ahead of Ukraine’s‚” Rep. Keith Self‚ R-Texas‚ said. &;#63;Rep. Self speaks in opposition to the $60.8 billion Ukraine aid package:“I implore my colleagues to put America’s border security ahead of Ukraine’s.” pic.twitter.com/o8s8LnUwhR— Rep. Keith Self (@RepKeithSelf) April 20‚ 2024 Johnson’s office circulated talking points this week attempting to counter conservative criticism on the border‚ noting that Republicans passed the Secure the Border Act (HR 2) in May 2023. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer‚ D-N.Y.‚ has yet to bring to bring it up for consideration. “If Democrats cared about securing our border‚ they could take immediate action‚” Johnson’s memo stated. “Russia‚ Iran‚ and China’s current aggressions are the result of President Biden’s feckless foreign policies‚ and we cannot reward America’s adversaries because of Democrats’ refusal to take this issue seriously.” &;gt;&;gt;&;gt; In Congress‚ US Border Security Takes Back Seat to Foreign Bailouts Johnson’s office also touted differences between the House’s Ukraine bill and the earlier version adopted by the Senate‚ most notably‚ the inclusion of the REPO Act and economic aid in the form of a repayable loan. Both measures‚ however‚ have come under criticism. The REPO Act‚ which would transfer $4.95 billion worth of Russian assets to Ukraine‚ is “counterproductive and long-term problematic‚” according to a Heritage Foundation analysis. Not only does the bill give “unprecedented legal authorities” to the Biden administration‚ but it also poses risks to the U.S. economy and threatens to undermine the global finance system. The REPO Act will make it impossible for Donald Trump to engage in diplomacy in Europe during his second term. We need to kill this bill or at the very least make it sunset before the next Trump administration. pic.twitter.com/TegoP6HJjP— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) April 16‚ 2024 The loan‚ according to Heritage Action‚ gives the U.S. president “authority to cancel 50% of that debt after Nov. 15‚ 2024‚ and then can cancel the remaining 50% after January 2026.” Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago‚ the United States has allocated about $113 billion to Ukraine‚ averaging approximately $900 per American household. Despite this‚ the Biden administration persistently has sought an additional $60 billion from U.S. taxpayers to bolster efforts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “Beyond the absurdity of the Ukraine funding‚ which includes a fake ‘loan’ that is conveniently waivable two weeks after the election in November‚ the other bills in this package each have their own glaring issues‚” Roberts said in the Heritage Action statement. “The legislation to support our allies in Israel is being used as leverage to force through the whole package—but dangerously includes billions of dollars for corrupt NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]. The ‘REPO Act‚’ included to sweeten the overall deal‚ risks weakening the U.S. dollar and is a costly liability for taxpayers‚ and the critical TikTok bill has already been sent to the Senate.” Roberts added‚ “Heritage sees through the Swamp’s spin and will not absolve lawmakers of accountability. We know the American people won’t either.” The post Republicans Rebel Against $60 Billion Ukraine Aid Bill as House Passes Controversial Foreign Aid Package appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In the late hours of Friday‚ the US Senate approved the extension of the contentious FISA warrantless surveillance program‚ narrowly averting its expiration at the stroke of midnight. Effectively confirmed is what advocates describe as a fundamental pillar of America’s foreign intelligence-gathering procedures and civil liberties groups see it as a Fourth Amendment violation that has yet to be properly challenged. Senate majority leader and Democrat‚ Chuck Schumer‚ extolled this bipartisan decision: “Democrats and Republicans came together and did the right thing for our country’s safety.” He addressed the concerns surrounding the program’s expiration emphatically: “We all know one thing: letting FISA expire would be dangerous. It’s an important part of our national security‚ to stop acts of terror‚ drug trafficking‚ and violent extreme extremism.” A breakdown of which Senators voted in favor (or against) the controversial FISA renewal. While valuable for various factions‚ the FISA legislation has been the bane for numerous Republicans and Democrats‚ premised on the perception that it infringes on the constitutional right to privacy of Americans. The journey of the bill towards legislation was anything but smooth‚ facing resistance from House Republicans who departed from their party stance and blocked the bill thrice in the preceding five months. The tide turned last week in favor of the House passing the bill with a decisive vote count of 273-147 after the proposed span of the program was truncated from five years to a mere two years. The impending “risk” of not securing the FISA reauthorization‚ which was a reactionary product spawned in the aftermath of the dreaded 9/11 events‚ was urgently flagged by top-level Powers from multiple channels including the White House‚ intelligence bigwigs‚ and the chief members of the House intelligence committee. Detractors of the program‚ however‚ cite worries linked to the program’s lack of legal checks. While warrantless surveillance is only supposed to be carried out on non-citizens‚ time and time again‚ despite promises to stop‚ US citizens have been caught in the warrantless surveillance system. The post The Senate’s Eleventh-Hour Approval of The Warrantless Surveillance Program appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A bill targeting popular Chinese social media app TikTok has once again been approved by the US House of Representatives‚ this time shoe-horned into a comprehensive package addressing international affairs and foreign adversaries‚ including Russia. These broader repercussions make it difficult for the Senate to delay its assessment of the proposal. The bill‚ which came with an overwhelming support of 360-58 votes‚ along with other foreign aid propositions aims to address various international flashpoints‚ such as providing military assistance to Ukraine and Israel and sending relief aid to Gaza. Related: The Dangerous Language and First Amendment Challenges of the Rushed Anti-TikTok Bill Previously‚ a standalone version of the TikTok bill that won the House’s approval 352-65 last month had been languishing in the limbo of the Senate without a clear path forward. Its future appeared uncertain amid undecided sentiments from many senators. However‚ the shift in attitudes became palpable once the bill was strategically wedged into the foreign aid bundle. A contributing factor towards the change in attitude could be the updated language within the new bill that offers ByteDance‚ TikTok’s parent company‚ a more flexible deadline to finalize the sale of TikTok. While the previous proposal only provided a six-month window‚ the fresh legislation stretches the divestment period to up to nine months‚ with a potential extension of an additional three months at the President’s discretion. President Joe Biden has pledged to sign off on the TikTok legislation‚ provided it gets that far. The post TikTok “Ban” Is Reignited After Getting Wedged Into Ukraine and Israel Funding Bill appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Offering a fresh perspective on the fallout of a recent Sydney stabbing attack‚ residents have expressed their anger and mistrust toward the police who have insisted they alone should be the arbiter of truth in this incident. These sentiments stem from a press briefing given by New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb last Thursday. Webb‚ who was sharing information about a 16-year-old male being accused of terrorism following the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel of Christ The Good Shepherd Church‚ asserted that the police will be the utterly reliable source of updates. She warned against “misinformation‚” but decided not to elaborate on what she was alluding to. Display content from Twitter Click here to display content from Twitter. Learn more in Twitter’s privacy policy. Always display content from Twitter Open content directly “I also want to stress that there is misinformation being communicated across social media‚ and people should not share any of that information‚” Webb said. “The source of information should be from police and law enforcement authorities. And if people have concerns they should check our websites‚ our socials‚ and any other direct news from law enforcement about current information. If we have current credible information about any risk or threat to the community‚ we will let them know‚ we will share that with the community. But please be assured that police will be the source of truth and not social media and misinformation.” This attempt by the Australian police to monopolize control over the narrative of the incident has raised concerns among the online community about censorship‚ especially as the government has been pressuring online platforms to censor in recent days. The government has even gone as far as telling people to report their fellow citizens’ speech to the country’s chief censor. The post Orwellian Sydney Police: We Will Be the “Source of Truth” appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Elon Musk’s social media platform X is clashing with Australia’s online safety watchdog over a directive to remove content connected to an alleged church stabbing in Sydney. The incident‚ where a bishop was attacked during a live-streamed service‚ has raised concerns about censorship and freedom of speech. The pro-censorship eSafety Commissioner‚ Julie Inman Grant‚ issued notices to both X and Meta‚ the parent company of Facebook‚ requesting the removal of some posts about the violent attack. In response‚ Musk’s platform has indicated its intent to resist these orders‚ citing a commitment to free speech. Musk posted on Friday‚ highlighting his disapproval of what he termed “global content bans” enforced by Australia’s censorship authorities. Despite the threat of fines for non-compliance‚ X’s legal team maintains that the flagged posts do not violate the platform’s policies on violent content. X released a statement‚ shared by Musk‚ criticizing the order and describing the attack as a “horrific assault on free society.” The platform stated that it complied with the directive while challenging it legally‚ emphasizing that the eSafety Commission’s scope should be limited to Australian jurisdiction. According to X‚ demands for global take-downs represent an overreach of authority that undermines the principles of a free and open internet. The platform pointed out that while it doesn’t allow content praising violence or inciting further attacks‚ there is an ongoing public discourse about the event. They argue that attempts to suppress global conversations set a dangerous precedent‚ with broader implications for free speech. Local authorities‚ however‚ have taken a different stance. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb urged social media platforms to do more to prevent the spread of violent content‚ criticizing platforms for leaving harmful images online. Similarly‚ NSW Premier Chris Minns called for stricter penalties for social media companies that fail to act promptly on harmful content. Despite these concerns‚ X’s position reflects Musk’s broader commitment to preserving freedom of speech on social media platforms. This outlook has previously led to confrontations with various governments‚ including a recent conflict with a Brazilian Supreme Court judge over banned accounts. The post Australia Demands X Delete Content Surrounding Sydney Attack appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech‚ freedom from surveillance‚ and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter&;#63; Login here The post Recommended Open Source Email Servers appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Denver Illegal Migrants: Six Months Free Rent is 'Insufficient'

John Cleese is the master of both silly walks and sublime comedy takes. The Monty Python veteran is as feisty as ever at 84‚ slashing those attempting to crush comedy that breaks any kind of so-called rule. Cleese opened up to FIRE’s Greg Lukianoff about free speech‚ “The Life of Brian” and much more in a revealing chat. FIRE stands for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression‚ a group that often does what the ACLU once did – stands up for free speech. The comic legend recalled the reaction his 1979 film “The Life of Brian” and today’s Cancel Culture movement.      The former expressed itself in walkouts and furious letters tied to the rebellious comedy. Now&;#63; “It’s not just protest. It’s trying to get people fired‚” Cleese said‚ calling the Cancel Culture movement both “organized” and “totalitarian” in nature. It also stifles debate. To prove it‚ he brought up how he tried‚ in vain‚ to invite 14 “extreme woke” experts to expound on Lukianoff’s book‚ “The Coddling of the American Mind‚” on Cleese’s “The Dinosaur Show” program. All 14 refused. “One said‚ ‘the very fact that you’re going to discuss it is the problem‚'” Cleese recalled. “In other words‚ ‘we have a set of ideas and if you don’t agree with us on everything you hate us and we’re gonna try to get you fired. Crazy.”     Cancel Culture doesn’t just get innocent people fired. It makes them less funny. The same applies to any artistic endeavor. “The enemy of creativity is interruption‚” Cleese told Lukianoff. “And interruptions can come from inside as well as outside. And if the moment you think of something you think‚ ‘ooh will that offend someone‚’ you’ve interrupted yourself and it will stop the creative flow.” Cleese shared a personal perspective on free speech and how it opened up his world over the decades. “All moments in my life that have been important in forming my personality came when I suddenly had a realization that something I believed wasn’t the case‚” he said. “You can’t do that if the people around you are saying you can’t think like that.” Cleese holds out hope that Cancel Culture and the efforts to squelch speech won’t win in the end. He’s still not sure we’ve turned any corner on the woke movement‚ though. “A lot of people are very frightened of getting fired‚ and that’s awful‚ getting fired‚” he said. “There’s good and bad in all of us‚ and the moment you think you’re more perfect than you are‚ then that’s trouble … That’s why all this virtue signaling is so foolish now … they also need to know they have a nasty streak too.”

As the presidential election kicks into high gear‚ CBS Saturday Morning hit the road to seek the opinions of a group of people who will have zero impact on the results: the British‚ and more specifically‚ Brits who think Donald Trump is a racist and a misogynist. Michelle Miller kicked off the segment by reporting that “as Donald Trump has emerged as the likely Republican presidential nominee‚ Europe is increasingly watching with trepidation. The head of NATO says Trump is weakening the alliance‚ as president‚ Trump bristled at NATO allies‚ and now as a candidate has said he'd encourage Russia to do what it wants to a NATO country that isn't meeting its defense spending benchmarks. Holly Williams looks at how Europe and the U.K. are preparing for the possibility of a second Trump presidency.”     Miller was probably referring to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s February remarks where he warned that not explicitly promising to come to a NATO member’s aid weakens the alliance‚ but Miller was also cherry-picking. Stoltenberg has also repeatedly praised Trump’s ability to get the Europeans to increase their defense budgets while rebutting the hysterical claims from Trump’s critics that his election would be catastrophic for NATO. As for Williams’s pre-recorded man on the street segment‚ it began with a woman claiming that “he needs to be civilized. You know‚ you don’t‚ mob rule shouldn't be allowed to do things like that.” In a voiceover‚ Williams claimed that “in Europe‚ a second Trump presidency is viewed by many with fear and loathing.” A second woman claimed of a second Trump term‚ “I think it will be absolutely horrendous. I think it will be dreadful‚” while a third asked‚ “Why would anybody else vote for him again&;#63;” Meanwhile‚ a man asserted‚ “He just seems to be relatively misogynistic‚ racist‚ and anti-immigration on the whole‚ which isn't great.” Williams replied‚ “So‚ not a fan&;#63;” and the man affirmed that he was “not a fan.” Williams also recalled that “according to a recent poll‚ over 70 percent of people in the U.K. have an unfavorable view of Donald Trump.” If viewers were hoping for a similar segment full of Israeli men and women on the street discussing their U.S. presidential preferences‚ CBS was not going to give it to them. Here is a transcript for the April 20 show: CBS Saturday Morning 4/20/2024 8:17 AM ET MICHELLE MILLER: As Donald Trump has emerged as the likely Republican presidential nominee‚ Europe is increasingly watching with trepidation. The head of NATO says Trump is weakening the alliance‚ as president‚ Trump bristled at NATO allies‚ and now as a candidate has said he'd encourage Russia to do what it wants to a NATO country that isn't meeting its defense spending benchmarks. Holly Williams looks at how Europe and the U.K. are preparing for the possibility of a second Trump presidency. WOMAN: He needs to be civilized. You know‚ you don’t‚ mob rule shouldn't be allowed to do things like that. HOLLY WILLIAMS: In Europe a second Trump presidency is viewed by many with fear and loathing. WOMAN 2: I think it will be absolutely horrendous. I think it will be dreadful. WOMAN 3: With money‚ [unintelligible]‚ everything‚ just‚ why would anybody else vote for him again&;#63; MAN: He just seems to be relatively misogynistic‚ racist‚ and anti-immigration on the whole‚ which isn't great. WILLIAMS: So‚ not a fan&;#63; MAN: Not a fan. WILLIAMS: According to a recent poll‚ over 70 percent of people in the U.K. have an unfavorable view of Donald Trump.

Officials have warned that the increase in Adderall prescriptions could signal an opioid-like epidemic in the future‚ according to the Daily Mail. The Drug Enforcement Administration chief said that the sudden rise in new prescriptions could bring about high risk of abuse‚ similar to the opioid crisis.The drugs have a long list of serious side effects‚ including anxiety‚ seizures‚ insomnia‚ hallucinations‚ and psychosis. There have also been reports that the drugs could contribute to an increased risk of heart disease.&;quot;I'm not trying to be a doomsday here... It makes me feel like we're at the precipice of our next drug crisis in the United States‚&;quot; Matthew Strait said‚ who is the deputy assistant administrator in the diversion control division at the DEA.The Daily Mail reported that Adderall prescriptions went up during the pandemic‚ which could be caused by telehealth firms. Prescriptions for the drug jumped from 35.5 million in 2019 to 45 million in 2024.The DEA is reportedly working to stem how much of the drug is manufactured and how many people can access it. But this still does not address those who already have a valid prescription for the drug and still cannot obtain the medication.&;quot;DEA determined that the proposed APQs for amphetamine‚ lisdexamfetamine and methylphenidate are sufficient to supply legitimate medical needs‚ reserve stocks‚ and export requirements for 2024‚&;quot; the agency wrote in a March filing. However‚ CBS News reported that drugmakers have blamed the DEA's quotas for inhibiting their ability to manufacture the drugs to meet demand.&;quot;The production limit on the drug's active ingredient is one of the main drivers for our inability to fully supply the market‚&;quot; a spokesperson for Apotex said‚ a drugmaker for a Vyvanse generic.The report mentioned that while generic versions of Vyvanse received FDA approval for the first time year‚ almost all of the recently approved manufacturers said they are now facing shortages of lisdexamfetamine as they have tried to increase production.&;quot;We have not been able to obtain enough raw material to commercialize the product at full commercial scale‚ and we have used our full quota for calendar year 2023‚&;quot; the Apotex spokesperson said.It's been estimated that one in four American teens are abusing some form of prescription stimulants such as Adderall. The CDC has also reported that the percentage of children who have parent-reported ADHD has steadily increase over time.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;