As the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate stalls on funding for Israel‚ the House of Representatives is introducing new legislation to succeed where the upper chamber of Congress is failing. The Washington Stand has obtained a copy of a letter House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-La.‚ is preparing to send to his colleagues. It reads‚ in part‚ “Next week‚ we will take up and pass a clean‚ standalone Israel supplemental package.” The letter continues‚ “During debate in the House and in numerous subsequent statements‚ Democrats made clear that their primary objection to the original House bill was with its offsets. The Senate will no longer have excuses‚ however misguided‚ against swift passage of this critical support for our ally.” In the letter‚ Johnson declares‚ “Given the Senate’s failure to move appropriate legislation in a timely fashion‚ and the perilous circumstances currently facing Israel‚ the House will continue to lead.” Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel‚ Senate Democrats have failed to approve military funding for the embattled nation‚ while simultaneously pushing continued funding for Ukraine. Under Johnson’s leadership‚ the House approved an aid package for Israel months ago‚ but the Democrat-controlled Senate has yet to approve it. Johnson had required funding for Ukraine and Israel to be passed in two separate votes‚ as a means of ensuring financial accountability and at least some degree of accountability for U.S. taxpayer dollars. Johnson’s initial proposal would have freed up funding for Israel and Ukraine by slashing the IRS’ budget‚ to the tune of billions of dollars. “There was a time when standing with Israel was bipartisan. Not any longer‚” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins in comments to The Washington Stand. “Among the first acts Speaker Johnson led the House in passing was critical funding for our key ally Israel. That measure has languished in the Senate for over three months with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer refusing to hold a hearing.” Perkins added‚ “Now‚ President [Joe] Biden is imposing sanctions on so-called Jewish settlers living in the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria. I applaud the House for taking the lead in supporting Israel.” On Thursday‚ Biden issued an executive order imposing economic sanctions and visa bans against four Israeli individuals in the West Bank‚ labeling them “settlers” and accusing them of torching cars and buildings and attacking Palestinians and even Israeli peace activists. According to U.S. officials‚ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the sanctions‚ reasserting Israel’s right to self-defense. Originally published by The Washington Stand Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Speaker Johnson to Introduce ‘Clean’ Israel Aid Package appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The United States must take more precautions to protect its military bases from spying by the Chinese Communist Party‚ two House chairmen told The Daily Signal on Monday.  “The CCP continues to surveil and probe American defenses even here on U.S. soil‚” Rep. Mike Gallagher‚ R-Wis.‚ chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party‚ told The Daily Signal in a written statement.  “That’s why we need to take commonsense precautions like preventing CCP-linked entities from purchasing land near our military bases or other national security-related infrastructure‚” Gallagher said. The Daily Signal first reported Friday on documents‚ obtained by The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Committee‚ that reveal over a dozen reported incidents of Chinese nationals who sent drones over Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam to take photos and video of points of entry at the Hawaii base. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.)  “We cannot allow the CCP to collect valuable intelligence here at home that they might leverage in the event of a crisis‚” Gallagher said of the Chinese Communist Party. In October‚ the House Oversight and Accountability Committee launched an investigation of Chinese espionage at U.S. military installations‚ Chairman James Comer‚ R-Ky.‚ said.   “Reports of Chinese espionage on U.S. soil are deeply concerning‚” Comer told The Daily Signal on Monday‚ adding: “The committee has met with department stakeholders [and] visited U.S. bases‚ and our investigation is ongoing. It is critical that we ensure the security of our most sensitive military installations and protect the service members operating within them.” Also in October‚ Comer joined Rep. Glenn Grothman‚ R-Wis.‚ chairman of House Oversight’s subcommittee on national security‚ the border‚ and foreign affairs‚ in sending a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Chinese nationals‚ sometimes posing as tourists‚ have repeatedly accessed‚ or attempted to access‚ U.S. military bases and other sensitive government facilities as often as one hundred times in recent years‚” the two lawmakers wrote Austin and Wray. Documents obtained by the Oversight Project from law enforcement at the Pearl Harbor military base include cases of Chinese nationals taking photos and video images of the base while claiming to be visitors.  For instance‚ when two Chinese nationals were stopped Oct. 29‚ “the subjects stated they are visiting Hawaii for two days and have no hotel room‚” according to a Navy record obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.  In September‚ Gallagher led a letter to Austin and Wray from Republican members of his select committee‚ requesting a briefing on China’s acting inside the United States to gain access to military‚ economic‚ and technological information. The select committee’s letter noted that potential Chinese agents “infiltrated a U.S. Army test range‚ accessed numerous missile sites‚ and used drone technology to surveil the grounds.”  The letter also said scuba divers believed to be from China were found near “a launch site for U.S. spy satellites and other sensitive military equipment.” Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Gallagher‚ Comer Sound Alarm on China’s Spying on Military Bases appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced‚ in an exclusive interview Monday with The Daily Signal‚ the launch of a public portal online for parents in the state’s public schools to submit and monitor content of concern to them.  “This is a tool to empower parents in their dealings with their own school system so they can better raise their kids‚ which is their job and not the schools’‚” Rokita‚ a Republican‚ said of the online portal. The past several years have seen national concern about public school systems hiding discriminatory and sexually or racially inappropriate content and policies from parents. Indiana is no exception.  Dozens of Indiana schools have incorporated critical race theory and gender transition plans without the consent of‚ much less the awareness of many Hoosier parents. Accuracy in Media last year released undercover videos in which several administrators at five Indiana public schools admitted to teaching critical race theory despite telling parents otherwise. At least two of those administrators since have stepped down or been placed on leave. A previous report by The Daily Signal exposed one Indiana school system’s hidden gender support plan‚ which required teachers to omit information about a student’s “gender transition” in conversations with his or her parents. The school system fired that whistleblower‚ a school counselor‚ for revealing the information; she is currently suing the district. As attorney general‚ Rokita outlined these “constituent concerns” as the rationale behind his office’s new “Eyes on Education” online portal‚ which would allow parents to submit policies‚ lesson plans‚ and other concerning matters to be reviewed by the Attorney General’s office and placed on a public database for other parents to see. The vision for the portal began to take shape around the end of 2021‚ Rokita told The Daily Signal: Parents were sending me lesson plans. This is around the time that we were calling out critical race theory and this social [and] emotional learning that was being taught to teachers and then teachers to the students‚ and it was corrupting the whole educational experience. Many teachers and administrators claimed that critical race theory and radical gender ideology were not being taught in public schools. But‚ using social media‚ many parents posted concerning videos‚ screenshots‚ lessons‚ and policies that showed otherwise. “So either these parents are part of a huge conspiracy and making all this stuff up‚ as the teachers and principals and school board members would have you believe‚” Rokita said‚ “or there’s really something going on—even in good ol’ Indiana. So we’ve been collecting these different submissions for about the last year and a half.” I asked Rokita what plans were in place to verify materials sent to the Indiana Attorney General’s Office—citing a situation in which many Hoosier parents were fooled by a hoax about litter boxes at a high school in Kokomo‚ Indiana. Rokita responded that “rumor mill” submissions would result in a call to the individual who submitted the material‚ followed up by a second look by his office’s investigators.  “We deal with very complex‚ complicated professional licensing issues‚ so to speak‚ and ten of thousands of other cases per year‚” Rokita responded. “We can get to the root of a liar‚ of a fake‚ pretty easy. But really it’s also for self-policing.” The attorney general said he thinks this is a job for the state superintendent of schools. But just like the Parents Bill of Rights document that Rokita launched in June 2021‚ he said‚ he took on this project because “no one’s picking up the mantle.” The theme of the entire project is transparency‚ Rokita said. If a school system disagrees with what has been posted by his office‚ the attorney general said‚ the “denial” also will be posted. “I’m not going to go and start investigating schools‚” Rokita said. “Number one‚ I don’t have the statutory authority to go in there. But this is going to be a portal‚ a transparent portal where we can cut through the rumor mill.” To cut through this “rumor mill‚” Rokita said‚ his office would post only primary documents and verified material‚ letters‚ and policies from the schools. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post EXCLUSIVE: Indiana AG Launches Portal for Parents to Monitor Public Schools’ Discriminatory Policies‚ Content appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Senate finally released its so-called border security bill on Sunday night.  The “compromise” bill between Democratic and Republican leadership would do little to stop the massive flow of illegal immigration across our border‚ and to top it off‚ it has been paired with $60 billion in funding for the war in Ukraine.  It appears to be “dead on arrival” in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives‚ and that’s almost certainly a good thing. The most effective measures for curbing illegal immigration‚ such as the “remain in Mexico” policy used under then-President Donald Trump‚ are entirely missing from the bill. Instead‚ it relies on a few half-measures that are unlikely to change the fundamentally toxic dynamic at the border. Even what seems to be the best part of the bill for those who want to secure the border is toothless. One of the provisions of the bill requires the border to be entirely shut down after 5‚000 border crossings in seven consecutive days or 8‚500 in one day. This policy would stay in place for three years. That sounds promising until you read the fine print‚ helpfully provided by Sen. Chris Murphy‚ D-Conn.‚ who bragged on X‚ formerly Twitter‚ about writing some of the immigration portions of the bill. The guy who wrote the bill confirming that the biggest selling point – the border will close after 5‚000 crossings! – is fake. Lmao. Dead. pic.twitter.com/SqxCfpNjjK— Rachel Bovard (@rachelbovard) February 5‚ 2024 The provision would still allow for 1‚400 asylum-seekers to cross the border at official entry points every day. That alone adds up to more than half a million people in a year‚ an enormous number. The bill prevents the federal government from using that limitation more than 270‚ 225‚ and 180 days in years one‚ two‚ and three‚ respectively. If the crisis continues to escalate‚ that limitation will have less and less effect. I’d recommend reading Murphy’s entire thread. It seems quite clear that this legislation has little to do with securing the border and more to do with ensuring that the pipeline of people coming across the border continues indefinitely and with fewer obstacles. Just what the American people wanted. 3/ A quicker‚ fairer asylum process. No more 10 yr wait. Claims processed in a non-detained‚ non-adversarial way in 6 months.A slightly higher asylum screening standard at the border.Also‚ no more waiting for work permits. Most asylum seekers can work immediately.— Chris Murphy ? (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 4‚ 2024 Is Murphy trying to embarrass the Republicans he’s been working with? Because that’s almost what this looks like. Proponents of the legislation say that it includes provisions to limit the Department of Homeland Security’s parole authority. Mass parole by the Biden administration has certainly been one of the biggest drivers of this crisis. The problem is that the bill actually codifies and expands the Department of Homeland Security’s parole abuse. It gives Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas—a man already facing impeachment over his role in the border crisis—wide latitude in using “humanitarian” and cultural justifications in case-by-case parole decisions. As for immigration parole authority‚ the bill basically says no parole for contiguous-country‚ land-border entries EXCEPT for case-by-case humanitarian reasons. This just restates the current law‚ which falsely USCIS claims to follow‚ with an exception for “unusual circumstances” pic.twitter.com/2QqbsCbQEV— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 5‚ 2024 It’s almost laughable to think that Mayorkas won’t continue to use those workarounds to continue the current sieve of a system. Besides the feeble limitations on the flow of illegal immigration‚ the bill also heaps a huge amount of money on the agencies and organizations that have fueled the border crisis. It provides a massive payday for nongovernmental organizations facilitating illegal immigration. In one section‚ it stipulates that $2.3 billion would be sent to “qualified organizations‚ including nonprofit entities” for what it calls “refugee and entrant assistance activities.” This is the same ORR that has lost THOUSANDS of children‚ and yet it’ll have access to a new pot of $2.3 billion—along with the same NGOs that have been encouraging more illegal immigration. Hmmm. pic.twitter.com/gFgFqQmMC9— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 5‚ 2024 It also has a section that would additionally provide the Federal Emergency Management Agency with up to $1.4 billion to distribute to NGOs if certain security hiring and deportation numbers are hit. Still reading‚ but his section of border bill jumped out to me. Authorizes $933 million to go to FEMA immediately for NGOs/municipalities. Another $350 million authorized only if ICE has increased detention beds to 46‚500‚ has hired 200 more deportation officers‚ if CBP has… pic.twitter.com/dCdk0aDGcp— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) February 5‚ 2024 Do higher deportation numbers necessarily mean that the government is trying to deter illegal immigration? Not really. That could just mean that the flow of illegal immigrants has increased. When the administration puts up a metaphorical “Come In‚ We’re Open‚” sign at the border‚ as one Florida judge characterized it last year‚ don’t expect the number of people trying to get into the country to abate. In total‚ this bill would provide $7 billion through federal grants provided by the departments of Homeland Security‚ State‚ Justice and Health and Human Services to sanctuary jurisdictions and NGOs facilitating illegal immigration. Those NGOs shouldn’t be getting more funding. They should be investigated and shut down. The bottom line is that the bill’s limitations on illegal immigration are shallow‚ but the facilitators are wide and deep. Opposition seems to be mounting quickly. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the legislation is “dead on arrival.” I’ve seen enough. This bill is even worse than we expected‚ and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created. As the lead Democrat negotiator proclaimed: Under this legislation‚ “the border never closes.”If this bill reaches the House‚ it will be…— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 5‚ 2024 Other House Republicans and a few dissenting Senate Republicans have weighed in fervently against it‚ too. Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts wrote that the bill “misses every single mark.” The Senate’s “border security” deal will not secure the border. It’s a multibillion-dollar bailout for sanctuary cities and corrupt NGOs—all tied to $60 billion more in unaccountable aid for Ukraine. This bill misses every single mark. Every conservative should vote no.— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) February 5‚ 2024 Hopefully‚ that will put an end to it‚ because if this immigration bill ever passed‚ it would represent a surrender to the permanent crisis created by the Biden administration. The path we are on is a complete invalidation of the notion that we are a sovereign‚ self-governing country. We are losing any notion of meaningful citizenship contingent on a pairing of secured rights and responsibilities. This is how we are actually losing our democracy. The border chaos really comes down to one simple factor. From the day Biden entered office on Jan. 20‚ 2021‚ he signaled that anyone requesting asylum would be let into the country and that he is simply unwilling to send people away. Biden’s border disaster isn’t incompetence or due to a lack of resources. It’s intentional.  That the Senate legislation is being touted in some circles as the “toughest” immigration bill ever only goes to show the unseriousness of this country’s political class about securing our border and putting an end to this manufactured crisis. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post ‘BORDER NEVER CLOSES’: Democrat ‘Outs’ Senate’s Immigration Bill appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Senate’s border funding bill released Sunday night would allocate $1.4 billion for nonprofit organizations that help migrants who enter the U.S. illegally. Page 67 of the 370-page bill contains a provision stating that $1.4 billion “shall be transferred to [the category of] ‘Federal Emergency Management Agency–Federal Assistance’ to support sheltering and related activities provided by non-federal entities through the Shelter Services Program.” The Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act [of] 2024 would allocate $118 billion in total‚ including $48 billion to aid Ukraine in its war with Russia and nearly $16 billion to aid Israel during its conflict with Hamas‚ until Dec. 31.  The Daily Caller first reported Jan. 24 that the Senate legislation would provide billions to such nongovernmental organizations. FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter program provides tens of millions of dollars every year for nongovernmental groups to help care for migrants‚ according to the agency’s website. The program received $130 million in fiscal year 2023 to support migrants and the homeless. The program’s funding is allocated to nonprofit organizations by a board of other private groups that includes United Way‚ Catholic Charities USA‚ The Salvation Army‚ the American Red Cross‚ the Jewish Federations of North America‚ and the National Council of Churches. Illegal aliens have streamed across the southern border in record numbers in recent years‚ with the Border Patrol recording more than 2.2 million encounters with these migrants in fiscal year 2022 and more than 2 million in fiscal year 2023‚ according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-Ky.‚ said he doesn’t believe the bill will address the situation at the southern border. It will be “dead on arrival” in the House‚ Johnson said Sunday evening. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Senate Border Bill Would Hand $1.4 Billion to Nonprofits That Help Illegal Migrants appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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Over the weekend‚ former Trump administration official Mike Gill succumbed to the gunshot wounds he received during a carjacking in Washington‚ D.C. last Monday. Gill’s death and the initial carjacking were of no interest to CBS News and their flagship morning and evening newscasts (CBS Mornings and CBS Evening News)‚ despite violent crime skyrocketing in the nation’s capital. And while ABC and NBC did cover those topics‚ they made sure to object to accusations crime was a major problem in America. “A former Trump official has died after being shot during a carjacking in Washington‚ D.C. It's the latest in a string of carjackings in the Capitol City and beyond. Many caught on camera‚” announced anchor Kate Snow on Sunday’s NBC Nightly News.     NBC correspondent Jesse Kirsch showed reverence to Gill‚ lamenting that‚ “Following a violent carjacking spree in and around the nation’s capital‚ tonight‚ Washington‚ D.C. is remembering a community leader.” But while he showed other recent viral videos of carjacking incidents from around the country‚ Kirsch proclaimed: “Despite these headlines‚ the latest FBI data actually shows an overall drop in violent crime from January through September last year‚ compared to 2022. That category includes carjackings.” But he would later admit that the nation’s capital defied that trend and even members of Congress were not immune: KIRSCH: Washington‚ D.C.‚ however‚ is not in line with the national trend of violent crimes decreasing. In October‚ a congressman was carjacked about a mile from the U.S. Capitol. REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX): I looked to the left and someone had a gun. To the right‚ someone had a gun. I had a third guy behind me. [Transition] You got to stay calm. KIRSCH: Last year‚ homicides‚ sex abuse‚ assaults with a dangerous weapon‚ and robberies were up in the city compared to 2022. An on-screen graphic showed that violent crimes in the district were skyrocketing. “The FBI data shows auto thefts‚ however‚ did increase in larger American cities‚” he admitted. Over on ABC’s World News Tonight‚ that same evening‚ anchor Linsey Davis noted that “A horrific series of crimes in the nation's capital is fueling fears of random violence in some urban areas.” “Tonight‚ Washington‚ D.C. on edge. A second man has died after a violent 11-hour crime spree‚” correspondent Em Nguyen reported. Nguyen also tried to paint the violence in D.C. as just an “outlier” among inner-city crime stats: While violent crimes were trending down nationally‚ according to the Major Cities Chiefs Association‚ Washington is an outlier. The Justice Department announcing last month a surge of law enforcement tools and resources to target those most responsible for crime and carjackings. “Police records show motor vehicle thefts spiked here 82 percent last year and homicides jumped by 35 percent‚” she admitted. Of course‚ neither ABC nor NBC cared to mention that D.C. was a wholly Democrat-controlled city and that their weak-on-crime polices were to blame. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s World News Tonight February 4‚ 2024 9:45:34 p.m. Eastern LINSEY DAVIS: A horrific series of crimes in the nation's capital is fueling fears of random violence in some urban areas. Overnight‚ a second victim‚ a former federal official died after being shot by one suspect whom police say went on an 11-hour crime spree across Washington‚ D.C. and Maryland. ABC’s Em Nguyen reports. [Cuts to video] EM NGUYEN: Tonight‚ Washington‚ D.C. on edge. A second man has died after a violent 11-hour crime spree. Police say Michael Gill‚ a 56-year-old father of three and former government official‚ was shot Monday night in an attempted carjacking. JEFFERY CARROLL (Metro Police‚ executive assistant chief): The driver of the vehicle exited and was found on the sidewalk when the officers arrived on the scene. NGUYEN: Gill most recently worked as the chief of staff for the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Trump and Obama administrations. Gill's wife‚ Christina saying in a statement‚ “His sudden departure has left a void in our lives that can never be filled. He leveraged warmth and humor to solve complicated policy problems. He will be dearly missed.” While violent crimes were trending down nationally‚ according to the major cities Chiefs Association‚ Washington is an outlier. The Justice Department's announcing last month a surge of law enforcement tools and resources to target those most responsible for crime and carjackings. Police records show motor vehicle thefts spiked here 82 percent last year and homicides jumped by 35 percent. One of just two cities that saw an increase. Authorities say the suspect‚ Artell Cunningham was killed in a police shootout Tuesday. He's also suspected of killing 35-year-old Alberto Vasquez junior. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: He didn't resist. He gave the guys the keys‚ his daughters will never get that chance to talk to him again. No graduations‚ no weddings‚ no nothing. [Cuts back to live] NGUYEN: And Lindsay police say there were a total of five carjacking incidents in this crime spree. Three in the district and two in Maryland. All connected to that one suspect. Lindsay. DAVIS: Really scary there. Em‚ thank you. NBC Nightly News February 4‚ 2024 6:44:48 p.m. Eastern KATE SNOW: A former Trump official has died after being shot during a carjacking in Washington‚ D.C. It's the latest in a string of carjackings in the Capitol City and beyond. Many caught on camera. Jesse Kirsch has details. [Cuts to video] JESSE KIRSCH: Following a violent carjacking spree in and around the nation’s capital‚ tonight‚ Washington‚ D.C. is remembering a community leader. The family of Mike Gill says he was shot Monday in his own vehicle and later died. His wife writing: “The father of three's sudden depart has left a void in our lives that can never be filled.” Last week’s series of attacks just the latest in a rash in the carjackings nationwide. In Oakland‚ California‚ this car swerved locking the road as the suspect gets out‚ pulling a gun on this approaching driver‚ who eventually drives away. And in near-by San Francisco‚ this car caught on camera flying through trees‚ flipping over‚ and crash-landing. That vehicle was also carjacked. Despite these headlines the latest FBI data actually shows an overall drop in violent crime from January through September last year‚ compared to 2022. That category includes carjackings. The FBI data shows auto thefts‚ however‚ did increase in larger American cities. Washington‚ D.C.‚ however‚ is not in line with the national trend of violent crimes decreasing. In October‚ a congressman was carjacked about a mile from the U.S. Capitol. REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D-TX): I looked to the left and someone had a gun. To the right‚ someone had a gun. I had a third guy behind me. [Transition] You got to stay calm. KIRSCH: Last year‚ homicides‚ sex abuse‚ assaults with a dangerous weapon‚ and robberies were up in the city compared to 2022. And now Washington is under the microscope again following the death of Gill‚ who had previously worked in the Trump administration. The former President writing‚ “Gill was a special person. His family and friends are devastated. The federal government must take of D.C.” Ongoing challenges for a major U.S. city that‚ tonight‚ is again reeling from senseless violence. Jesse Kirsch‚ NBC news.