The GOP-led House voted on Wednesday to defund Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a Biden administration official who was impeached by the lower chamber earlier this year in a rebuke of his handling of the border crisis. A group of 193 Republican lawmakers voted to pass the amendment that Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sponsored for appropriations legislation that aims to provide tens of billions of dollars to the Homeland Security Department (DHS) in the next fiscal year. All voting Democrats, 172 of them, and one Republican opposed the measure. Seventy-two members, including 28 Republicans and 44 Democrats, did not cast a vote on the amendment when it was brought to the House floor. “The House just passed my amendment to defund the office of the DHS Secretary,” Biggs said in a post to X. “Alejandro Mayorkas — who was impeached earlier this year — doesn’t deserve a single penny from American taxpayers.” Reporter Anthony Adragna underscored it likely faces long odds. “Similar efforts have been adopted in the past, only to be stripped out as the House and Senate resolve differences between their versions of spending legislation,” he wrote for POLITICO. A different amendment from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), which would have reduced Mayorkas’ salary to $1, failed to pass. Another of her offerings to block DHS from partnering with the State Department for “Safe Mobility Offices” did succeed. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP House lawmakers approved the impeachment resolution by a 214-213 vote in mid-February, making Mayorkas the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached since 1876. Three Republican lawmakers broke ranks and joined Democrats in opposing it. The two articles they passed accused Mayorkas of “willfully and systemically” refusing to comply with federal immigration laws and alleged he “breached the public trust” with false statements and obstructing lawful oversight of DHS. However, in April, the Democrat-controlled Senate voted to quash the articles shortly after members of the upper chamber were sworn in as jurors and fought over how to conduct the trial. The impeachment managers did not even have a chance to speak. Back in January, Mayorkas claimed he was facing “false accusations” that “do not rattle me and do not divert me from the law enforcement and broader public service mission to which I have devoted most of my career and to which I remain devoted.”

Britney Spears’ sons Jayden James and Sean Preston have reportedly not reconciled with their pop star mom despite headlines claiming otherwise. Sources close to the 42-year-old singer shut down reports in the media that the “Womanizer” hitmaker and her kids have reconciled after not seeing each other for years, TMZ reported. A source with knowledge told the outlet that Spears only spoke to her 18 and 17-year-old sons on Mother’s Day and they have not spent time together in person in nearly three years, after they were granted the right to move to Hawaii with their dad, her ex-Kevin Federline, E! News noted. One source said that the kids haven’t ruled out the idea of reconciliation someday — “Years of aberrant behavior and troubling conduct can’t be easily erased.” “There’s no evidence things have gotten better,” the source added. Britney Spears Spoke to Her Sons on the Phone for Mother’s Day, Kevin Federline’s Lawyer Confirms: ‘Good Sign’ https://t.co/tWHXiXtMlj — People (@people) June 26, 2024 Federline’s attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan recently told Entertainment Tonight that his client is not opposed to the kids reconciling with the singer, claiming the boys have had “some” communications with her by phone. “Reconciliations and the reunification of relationships are difficult and take time,” Kaplan said. “They are sometimes complicated and always a lengthy process. The process has not really commenced, let alone [been] completed.” “The good thing is that the boys saw their mom was doing well and have a desire to speak with her,” the lawyer added. “There has been some telephonic communication between Britney and her sons, and we think that is a step in the right direction.” The two reports follow one from the Daily Mail claiming that they had spoken to a well connected family insider who said Spears and her teenage boys are “fully back on track,” alleging they have been speaking together for months and even allegedly had meet-ups in California. “Britney has been speaking to, and working on, her relationship with Sean Preston and Jayden for months now,’ the insider claimed. “The boys have so much love for their mother, as she does for them,” the insider added. “Things are fully back on track and they are looking forward to the future together.” “She has gone to Hawaii to see them and they have come to her house to spend time with her,” the source continued.  Britney and Kevin tied the knot in 2004. They welcomed one son in 2005 and the other in 2006. The pair’s divorce was finalized in 2007. In November 2021, a judge terminated Britney’s conservatorship, which had been in place for nearly 14 years. It was the singer’s dad, Jamie Spears, who was in charge of that. Related: Britney Spears’ Loved Ones Worry Another Conservatorship Is The Only Way To Keep ‘Violent’ Star Safe: Report

CNN hosts will moderate the presidential debate on Thursday — and why not? They have such amazing journalistic credibility. On Tuesday, CNN’s Sara Sidner interviewed a drag queen, a woman who dresses up as a man who dresses up as a woman. (This woman couldn’t just be a woman; she had to dress up as a man dressed up as a woman. We have moved beyond the boundaries of logic.) This person goes by Brigitte Bandit. During the interview, Bandit talked about how it’s a scary time to exist in America as a drag queen. Apparently, it’s not a scary enough time in America that Bandit can’t appear on national TV wearing drag. When I first saw this, I wondered which one of these people was the CNN anchor because CNN is so filled with clowns. A CNN anchor is interviewing a woman dressed up as a man dressed up as a cartoon woman whom we are all supposed to take very seriously. We are all supposed to worship before the power of drag and acknowledge that this is what the Founders saw when they enshrined the First Amendment. Brigitte Bandit pontificated: We already see so many attacks on our queer community. I already don’t feel safe in my own hometown, just dressed in drag like this. And it’s very scary for queer people to exist in a time where we see this kind of rhetoric being pushed by our lawmakers and the people who should care about other issues that actually affect the American people, other than attacking our community, our LGBTQIA+ community. It’s very disappointing and I hope for better for our country. Why would people look weirdly at this person? Why? Why would you give weird looks to that person walking down the street with those eyebrows, that plastic Barbie doll stewardess outfit from 1955, and that weird eye makeup — while being a man? Why would you look weirdly at that? WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show  But CNN has its own perspective on this. Sidner praised the look: “The queens are calling on lawmakers to pass a national equality act. It could amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act, providing explicit protections for LGBTQ individuals. Joining me now is drag queen and activist Brigitte Bandit. Thank you, darling. Wow, what a wonderful look you have this morning. I know that took you some time.” That’s a woman dressed as a man who is dressed as a woman. But it’s society that has a problem, folks. It’s society and our lack of tolerance. Bandit is “non-binary” and uses the personal pronouns “she,” “her,” “they,” and “them.” What a country we’ve created for ourselves. George Washington would have been so proud. Apparently CNN is.

Stephanie Rainey’s emotional performance of her original song Please Don’t Go was a moving experience for last night’s AGT audience. During the June 25th episode, the 36-year-old wowed the judges with a heartbreaking single that she wrote to help process the grief of losing her nephew just before he turned one. “It was the day before his first birthday, and he passed away,” she shared through tears. “It took me a long time to write a song about it.” The Irish singer explained that her entire career has been a roller coaster. And at one point, she lost her passion for music. So she decided to make something she believed in. “This song means more to me than I can actually, like, even describe,” she continued. Stephanie Rainey sang her heartbreaking lyrics with a deep sadness and truth that affected everyone in the audience, including Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel. “Please Don’t Go” Went Viral Before Stephanie Rainey Sang It For “AGT” While the AGT crowd is typically loud and interactive, there was no sound but her voice and music until she concluded. After she sang her last note, the auditorium erupted in a roaring standing applause. “Of all the new songs I’ve heard this year, this is the best by a mile,” Simon told Stephanie following her audition. “It’s real, and your voice is beautiful.” Please Don’t Go has touched millions of hearts since Stephanie penned it. “I made it in just a tiny room and put it up one Monday morning… and by the end of the day, it had one million views.” After earning four votes from the judges, Stephanie Rainey will compete in the live episodes. Follow her journey on America’s Got Talent on Tuesday nights on NBC at 8/7CT. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post “AGT” Singer Moves Entire Auditorium to Tears With What Simon Cowell Calls The Best Original Song Of The Year appeared first on InspireMore.

'a party fracture that pundits didn't see coming'

'a reason they have contempt for you'

'How do you get people this stupid in the media?'

'Supreme Court deserves to know the full story'

CNN stopped fact-checking President Joe Biden leading up to debate night

The Biden administration is under scrutiny for prioritizing medical care for noncitizens and illegal immigrants at the expense of service members and veterans. Inadequate care, restricted access to medical treatments, a complex filing process, and lengthy wait times are fueling the ongoing veteran suicide crisis. These issues impact military readiness and recruitment, evident in the collapse of recruiting numbers over the last four years in America’s military branches. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee member Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., have raised concerns about redirecting resources from wounded warriors and veterans to noncitizens. Since 2021, over 7 million illegal aliens have been encountered at America’s borders, both at official ports of entry and between them. This overwhelming volume has strained federal agencies, requiring resources from other agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs to help cover costs and/or workload. VA Deputy Assistant Secretary Terrence Hayes claimed, “At no time are any VA health care professionals or VA funds used for this purpose.” While this statement may be true, Hayes carefully chose his words to sidestep the question by specifically mentioning health care professionals. While the administration denies diverting funds directly from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the reality is VA administrative personnel are being diverted to process noncitizen claims and ensuring payments for noncitizen care instead of addressing long-standing problems that lower the quality of care for veterans. Despite improving wait times and mental health care access, veterans still wait almost three weeks to see a medical professional. This shortage affects VA processing times and appointment availability. Over 300,000 claims are backlogged, and more than 950,000 claims are pending for service members and veterans awaiting their final benefits package. Following the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the Biden administration directed the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate efforts across the federal government and redirect resources to support vulnerable Afghans under Operation Allies Welcome. These policy changes come when veteran care facilities like Walter Reed National Military Medical Center are understaffed and overburdened. As part of this directive, a medical ward and staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center were reallocated to treat Afghan nationals evacuated to the United States. Service members were moved to other areas throughout the hospital for recovery. While no wounded warrior went without care, our nation’s heroes are being pushed aside to prioritize individuals from other countries. Despite improving wait times and mental healthcare access, veterans still wait almost three weeks to see a medical professional. This shortage affects VA processing times and appointment availability. Over 300,000 claims are backlogged, and more than 950,000 claims are pending for servicemembers and veterans awaiting their final benefits package. The administration denies diverting funds directly from the Department of Veterans Affairs, but personnel within the VA system are tasked with processing claims and ensuring payments for non-citizen care. For over 20 years, the veteran community has faced a suicide epidemic due to an inadequate understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder, a lack of access to mental health care, and limited resources—with no signs of improvement. From 2001 to 2021, the United States lost 133,857 veterans to suicide, with no year reporting fewer than 6,000 successful attempts. Veterans are 1.6 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, making it the second leading cause of death among veterans under 45. But this is only half the story, as an additional 20 veterans die every day from non-suicidal self-inflicted injuries—with the most common being overdose deaths. Factoring in these self-inflicted deaths over the same period reveals the true scale of the VA’s failures in addressing suicide within the veteran community. Moreover, failing to fulfill our nation’s promises reduces the likelihood that people will choose a military career and that service members and veterans will recommend military service to others, making this a national security issue affecting U.S. military readiness and recruitment. Today’s Army recruits, over 80% coming from military families, see a direct link between the government’s failure to follow through for veterans and its impact on their own families. Benefits rank as the second highest reason for joining the service (26%). Since 2014, the Army has not met its recruitment goals. In fiscal year 2023, the military services collectively missed recruiting goals by approximately 41,000 recruits, despite lowering those goals as well as their recruitment standards. Bureaucracy, understaffing, and poor accountability at the VA already meant fewer veterans received necessary care. Now, add the fact that we are prioritizing the health care of noncitizens over them, and we are leaving our nation’s heroes unsupported. Sadly, in many cases, these individuals resort to suicide. If resources are diverted from veterans under the Biden administration, Congress must reaffirm its commitment to supporting veterans by supporting the “No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act” and exercising its power of the purse. Anything less would fail those who bravely served our nation. Without accountability on this issue, veterans will continue to take their own lives, military families will opt out of service, and the all-volunteer force will be at risk of disintegration—along with our national security. The post Administration Is Shifting Health Care Resources From Veterans to Illegal Aliens appeared first on The Daily Signal.