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USDA Proposes Sweeping Reforms to Foreign Farmland Ownership Reporting and Penalties

USDA Proposes Sweeping Reforms to Foreign Farmland Ownership Reporting and Penalties

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed new administrative rules under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) to significantly broaden the scope of reportable interests and increase penalties for noncompliance. These proposed changes, which are expected to finalize in December 2026, aim to modernize AFIDA, which has seen little amendment since its 1978 enactment. The reforms include restructuring AFIDA's implementing regulations, expanding the definition of 'agricultural land' to include 'under cover' production, agricultural support services, research, conservation land, and even solar and wind power generation. Crucially, the proposed rule would reduce the lease exemption from 10 years to one year and eliminate it entirely for foreign adversaries. The definition of 'foreign person' would also expand, lowering the threshold for 'substantial control' of a domestic entity by foreign interests from 50% to 10% in aggregate, and removing it entirely for foreign adversaries. R...

Representative Lateefah Simon Introduces H.R. 10352, the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, to Expand Small Business Financing

Representative Lateefah Simon Introduces H.R. 10352, the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, to Expand Small Business Financing

Representative Lateefah Simon Introduces H.R. 10352, the 504 Program Level Flexibility Act, to Expand Small Business Financing

U.S. Congressman Chris Smith Calls for Reinstatement of Rule on Obamacare Abortion Coverage Transparency

U.S. Congressman Chris Smith Calls for Reinstatement of Rule on Obamacare Abortion Coverage Transparency

U.S. Congressman Chris Smith, who leads the congressional Pro-Life Caucus, is urging President Trump to reissue the Exchange Program Integrity Final Rule. This call follows a report from a nonpartisan federal watchdog, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found that nearly a third of Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans cover abortions. Specifically, 1,719 out of 6,655 qualified health plans offered on Obamacare exchanges cover “non-excepted abortion services,” meaning elective abortions not resulting from rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life. The report indicates that approximately 4.4 million Americans are enrolled in Obamacare plans that include abortion coverage. Congressman Smith asserts that the ACA currently fails to apply the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions except in specific circumstances, thereby allowing taxpayer dollars to subsidize these services. He also highlighted that some insurance issuers did not comply with the ACA’s consumer transp...

MPA and Unions Tout Jobs Gains From Federal Film Incentive: ‘The Story Is Undeniable’

MPA and Unions Tout Jobs Gains From Federal Film Incentive: ‘The Story Is Undeniable’

A coalition of unions joined with the Motion Picture Association on Tuesday to unveil a report showing that a federal film incentive would reverse the decline of domestic production and create 143,500 jobs per year. The MPA held a Zoom press conference with actor Jon Voight and Reps. Laura Friedman and Brian Jack, the bill’s […]

Representative Harriet Hageman Calls for Halting U.S. Funding to UN Agencies Led by CCP-Linked Officials

Representative Harriet Hageman Calls for Halting U.S. Funding to UN Agencies Led by CCP-Linked Officials

U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman has advocated for the U.S. government to cease funding United Nations agencies that are led by officials with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a recent interview with NTD, Representative Hageman asserted that the CCP has strategically placed its members in leadership positions within various UN organizations over several years. She contends that these individuals operate these agencies not for the benefit or objectives of the UN, but rather to serve the interests of the CCP. Representative Hageman is actively promoting legislative measures in the U.S. Congress to adjust funding mechanisms for UN agencies, specifically targeting those influenced by the CCP. She emphasized that no U.S. funds should be provided to UN agencies where officials with close ties to the CCP are in charge. Furthermore, she stated that leadership roles within UN agencies should be filled by individuals who align with U.S. values, such as freedom, human rights, and individual autonomy, ...

House Speaker Mike Johnson Dismisses Immediate AI Regulation, Prioritizes U.S. Innovation Over China

House Speaker Mike Johnson Dismisses Immediate AI Regulation, Prioritizes U.S. Innovation Over China

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has stated that Congress will not lead the charge on regulating artificial intelligence (AI) safety, emphasizing that any legislative action must be carefully considered. He suggested organizing a summit-style meeting involving lawmakers and tech leaders to discuss AI safety protocols. Johnson's remarks came as President Trump also dismissed urgent warnings about AI, with both leaders prioritizing U.S. innovation and competitiveness against China in the AI race. Johnson argued that if the U.S. were to slow down AI development, China would gain an advantage, posing a national security challenge. He stressed the need to balance national security with ensuring AI models are safe, without stifling American innovation. This stance follows calls from some industry leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, for a slowdown in AI development due to potential existential risks.

House Republicans Propose Overhaul of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Funding

House Republicans Propose Overhaul of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Funding

House Financial Services Committee Republicans are advancing legislation to significantly alter the funding and governance of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The centerpiece of this effort is H.R. 10184, the Consumer Financial Protection Accountability and Reform Act of 2026, co-sponsored by nearly 30 Republicans, including Rep. French Hill (R-AR-2). This bill aims to remove the CFPB's current funding mechanism, which draws directly from the Federal Reserve, and instead subject it to the congressional appropriations process. Additionally, the proposed legislation would establish an inspector general specifically for the CFPB. This move follows a discussion draft circulated by House Republicans and a roundtable discussion on modernizing consumer financial protection, which included Rep. French Hill and former CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger, alongside industry representatives.

Representative Thomas Massie Gains Republican Support for Epstein Files Transparency Act II

Representative Thomas Massie Gains Republican Support for Epstein Files Transparency Act II

U.S. Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky has secured the signature of Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina on a discharge petition for the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. This brings Massie closer to forcing a House floor vote on the legislation. Representative Nancy Mace, also a Republican from South Carolina, had previously signed the petition. With Representative Norman's signature, Massie now needs only one more Republican, assuming all Democrats sign, to reach the required 218 signatures to force the vote. The proposed legislation aims to grant state attorneys general access to unredacted files related to Jeffrey Epstein's case, enabling them to prosecute co-conspirators under state law, rather than relying solely on the federal system.

Trump Administration's Foreign Mineral and Oil Deals Face Legal Scrutiny and Historical Precedent of Failure

Trump Administration's Foreign Mineral and Oil Deals Face Legal Scrutiny and Historical Precedent of Failure

President Trump's administration has pursued agreements to control critical minerals and oil abroad, notably in Venezuela and Brazil, with the stated goals of securing supplies for the U.S. economy at low prices and potentially denying these resources to China. In Venezuela, an oil deal grants the U.S. access to approximately 20% of proven oil reserves, secured through a government perceived as beholden to President Trump. In Brazil, USA Rare Earth, a company partly owned by the U.S. government and funded by a U.S. government investment vehicle, acquired Serra Verde, a significant producer of critical minerals. This acquisition was made despite attempts by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to block it, though Lula has since fast-tracked legislation to establish new rules for critical mineral projects. Both deals involve the Pentagon, utilizing industrial-policy mechanisms like the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program and the Office of Strategic Capital, to take equity-like st...

Senator Tuberville Introduces 'Student Visa Integrity Act' to Address Student Visa Reporting Noncompliance

Senator Tuberville Introduces 'Student Visa Integrity Act' to Address Student Visa Reporting Noncompliance

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has introduced the 'Student Visa Integrity Act,' S. 2555, aimed at rectifying perceived unfairness and noncompliance in the student visa system. This proposed legislation seeks to impose monetary penalties on schools that fail to report required information, suspend their authority to issue I-20 forms until compliance is met, and ultimately terminate approval if noncompliance persists for over 180 days. The bill addresses a long-standing issue where schools are mandated to report foreign student information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) via the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Despite these reporting requirements, there has been a lack of effective enforcement mechanisms, leading to situations where schools might not face immediate consequences for noncompliance. A companion bill, H.R.7063, was introduced in the House by Representative Brandon Gill (R-Texas), but both bills have remained in committee.

J Street Launches $3 Million Campaign Against AIPAC-Backed Republican Candidates

J Street Launches $3 Million Campaign Against AIPAC-Backed Republican Candidates

J Street, a liberal Jewish Middle East advocacy group, has announced a $3 million super PAC investment aimed at defeating several Republican candidates who are backed by AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). This initiative marks J Street's largest super PAC expenditure in its history and represents a shift in strategy, as the organization typically endorses candidates rather than directly targeting opponents based on AIPAC endorsements. The campaign will focus on ads against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, and incumbent Representatives Max Miller (Ohio), Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin), Ryan Mackenzie (Pennsylvania), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa). J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami stated that these candidates were selected due to their competitive races, ideological distance from J Street's positions, and connections to efforts to deny or overturn the 2020 election results. This move comes amidst increasing scrutiny of AIPAC's influence and spen...

Senator Tommy Tuberville Stalls Military Promotions Over Abortion Policy, Impacting National Security

Senator Tommy Tuberville Stalls Military Promotions Over Abortion Policy, Impacting National Security

Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, has been blocking all high-level military promotions since February 2023. This action is a protest against new Pentagon policies that allow service members to access reproductive healthcare, including fully paid travel expenses for out-of-state abortions and up to three weeks of leave for abortion or fertility treatments. Historically, the Senate confirms noncontroversial military nominees, such as the Joint Chiefs, through unanimous consent. Tuberville's hold necessitates individual hearings and procedural votes for each nominee, consuming significant Senate floor time. This obstruction has led to tangible consequences, including the U.S. Marine Corps operating without a confirmed leader for the first time in over 150 years. Five members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are legally mandated to leave their positions over the next three months, starting July 11, further exacerbating the situation.