Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz admitted to broadly supporting censorship during the vice presidential debate Tuesday, the Federalist reported. The revelation from Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate went largely unnoticed.
There were many takeaways from the debate that pitted the Democrat Walz against GOP Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who is former President Donald Trump's running mate. One of the notable contrasts between the two candidates came from how they viewed the First Amendment.
Vance was speaking about Democrats' increasing use of censorship to silence ideas they don't like. Rather than confirm free speech rights, Walz told Vance, "You can’t yell fire in a crowded theater."
CBS News moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan asked about the peaceful transfer of power should the election not go Trump's way. Vance was out in front of the issue, stating that the true "threat to democracy" comes from censorship.
"The most sacred right under the United States democracy is the First Amendment. You yourself have said there’s no First Amendment right to misinformation," Vance said.
Walz attempted to speak over him, but Vance continued that Harris "wants to use the power of government and Big Tech to silence people from speaking their minds. That is a threat to democracy that will long outlive this present political moment," Vance pointed out.
"I would like Democrats and Republicans to both reject censorship. Let’s persuade one another. Let’s argue about ideas, and then let’s come together afterwards," Vance pressed.
"You can’t yell 'fire' in a crowded theater. That’s the test. That’s the Supreme Court test," Walz insisted.
Walz's response is part of Democrats' effort to label censorship as anything but what it is. As Vance pointed out, the left was routinely censoring speech far from the kind covered under the Supreme Court decision.
"Tim. Fire in a crowded theater? You guys wanted to kick people off of Facebook for saying that toddlers should not wear masks," Vance pointed out of the pandemic-era censorship.
"That is criticizing the policies of the government, which is the right of every American," Vance added. Walz went on to note that he doesn't "run Facebook," but the message was loud and clear.
Democrats like Walz and Harris have no problem stripping people of their free speech rights if they're saying something they don't like. They can pretend that a skirmish at the Capitol was the true threat to democracy, but the Bill of Rights was never attacked that day.
Rep. Brian Mast is calling for the Department of Veterans Affairs "to immediately fire the employees" who accessed the health records of vice presidential hopefuls Tim Walz and JD Vance, Fox News reported. The Florida Republican has also urged the FBI to investigate whether there was international interference.
A report Monday revealed that at least a dozen employees had been caught accessing confidential records for Walz, the Democratic Minnesota governor, and Vance, the Republican Senator from Ohio. These individuals are currently under investigation.
Mast, head of Veterans for Trump, sent a letter to the VA Secretary Denis McDonough demanding swift action. "I urge you to buck the employee union of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and immediately fire the employees who were caught snooping into the private medical records of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz – who are both running to be vice president," Mast wrote.
"VA employees know this is not permitted. As a combat-injured veteran, I rely on the VA for my medical care. This isn’t just a legal misstep; it’s a breach that undermines veterans’ confidence in the VA and raises serious questions about the professionalism of VA personnel," Mast added.
As Mast pointed out, the VA now has a trust problem after at least a dozen employees dug into files where they had no business. One of the employees was a physician, and another a contractor who reportedly "spent extended time" looking at the files, among others.
"Dismissing these employees and referring them to the Justice Department for prosecution, provided there is evidence that laws were broken, is the first step the VA must take to restore credibility. Furthermore, I urge you to fully brief Congress on how this violation of privacy transpired and implement new guidelines to prevent such acts from occurring in the future," Mast wrote.
Mast believes this also warrants an FBI investigation. "Given the recent foreign meddling in our elections – like Iran's assassination plots against President Trump – I also request your department coordinate with the FBI to ensure Senator Vance and Governor Walz’s medical information was neither shared with foreign operatives nor accessed on their behalf," Mast wrote.
"Safeguarding sensitive information about our public officials is critical to national security and the integrity of our democracy," Mast added. The intelligence agencies have reported threats from the "big three foreign influence actors, Russia, Iran, and China are all trying by some measure to exacerbate divisions in U.S. society for their own benefit, and see election periods as moments of vulnerability."
The Florida lawmaker serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was in the U.S. Army for 12 years. He was severely injured in Afghanistan and lost both legs due to injuries sustained in the line of duty as a bomb disposal expert.
VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes responded to the reports in a statement Monday. He wrote that the agency has "reported to law enforcement allegations that VA personnel may have improperly accessed Veteran records" as it takes "the privacy of the Veterans we serve very seriously and have strict policies in place to protect their records."
Hayes added, "Any attempt to improperly access Veteran records by VA personnel is unacceptable and will not be tolerated." However, the VA has not been forthcoming with any other information since then.
There's no indication why these records were accessed and what was contained in them. Notably, Walz's military service has been an issue in the campaign.
The Democratic governor has often implied that he was a combat veteran, the Washington Examiner reported. However, while serving with the National Guard, Walz retired just as his unit was about to deploy, which many see as a cowardly move.
Whether it was curiosity or political espionage, there's no excuse for anyone not directly involved in the care of Walz and Vance to access these records. The veterans who served our nation proudly deserve better, especially those who are running for high office.
Former President Donald Trump received the endorsement of over 200 retired admirals and generals, Breitbart reported. In a letter Monday, these decorated military members said America’s "future is at stake" in this election.
The organization behind the letter, Flag Officers 4 America, called the upcoming presidential race the "most important election since our Nation was founded." The letter slammed President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for their policies that they believe threaten America's future.
They believe that Trump is the only choice. "The undersigned retired Generals and Admirals are endorsing Donald J. Trump for president in 2024 because he is a proven leader who will secure our border, repulse our adversaries, revitalize our economy, and keep America safe and strong," the letter began.
More than 200 retired flag officers endorse @realDonaldTrump in an open letter: pic.twitter.com/hvVMtMys9n
— Kristina Wong 🇺🇸 (@kristina_wong) October 1, 2024
The letter went on to state all of the problems America is facing because of the Democrats' poor leadership. "Today, our Nation has never been more divided as the cultural war, supported by the Democratic party, divides our citizens into conflicting groups," the letter said.
"Recent evidence is the widespread riots on university campuses with students and faculty supporting terrorist organizations, Hamas and Hezbollah, blatantly flying their flags on American soil and burning our U.S. national flag," it said, just to name a few problems. They warned that America's adversaries could take advantage of the instability.
The letter said this has become "the most serious and the most challenging threats since the end of World War II. The United States could in short order be drawn into a war across multiple theaters with peer and near-peer adversaries, and it could lose."
The retired generals and admirals noted that "the Heritage Foundation rated the overall strength of our military as 'weak'" in its assessment. This combination makes the situation dire if a strong leader like Trump is not there to turn things around.
They blamed "divisive social engineering programs embodied in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the expense of warfighting readiness" while "China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, and global terrorists are rapidly expanding their capabilities and aggressiveness," the letter said. "This did not happen during Donald Trump’s presidency."
The letter went on to blame specific policies the Biden-Harris administration has enacted for current crises. With Harris already the vice president, a vote for her would mean more of the same.
They first cited the "perilous situation" created by the "influx of countless millions of unvetted illegals from 160 countries, including ~100,000 Chinese, most of military age, plus thousands of criminals and terrorists, place America at great risk," the letter said. "Future terrorist attacks of some size and fashion on U.S. soil are a near certainty. Border security is national security.
They also noted the ballooning deficit and rising inflation under Biden and Harris. "Inflation caused by the Administration’s policies, affect national defense because it decreases the money available to properly equip, train, arm and size our military," the leaders said.
Lastly, the influential military members cited the coverup of Biden's dementia as he still serves as president. "For the past 3.5 years, the CINC’s/President’s obvious impairments have been deliberately concealed and denied by the Vice President and others, placing politics above national security," they noted.
These decorated heroes are correct that this election will be extraordinarily consequential. It's imperative that Trump takes the White House while there's still a chance to clean up this mess that Biden and Harris have made.
Legal analyst Glenn Kirschner says "all bets are off" if the Supreme Court reviews former President Donald Trump's Florida case dismissal, Newsweek reported. The Trump-hating pundit believes that the conservative-majority high court will side with the former president even if a lower appeals court does not.
Trump has been battling several state and federal charges related to his supposed effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. The Supreme Court gave him a break when it decided 6-3 that much of his conduct fell under presidential immunity.
The former president and current GOP presidential candidate caught another break after his Florida classified documents case. In July, the case was dismissed due to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon's ruling that special counsel Jack Smith, who brought the charges, was not properly appointed.
Smith appealed, and Kirschner is "confident" that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit will overturn Cannon's ruling. However, he had little faith that the Supreme Court would back that decision as he railed against the justices.
Kirschner believes the appeals court could undo Cannon's move to nullify Smith's case against Trump. "Maybe they will even sua sponte, on their own, say, now that we've reversed the case and reinstated the prosecution against Donald Trump, we are directing that it be assigned to a different judge, not Judge Cannon," he speculated.
"That wouldn't surprise me either," Kirschner added. However, the NBC News and MSNBC contributor said that would change if the appeal reached the high court.
He could not hide his severe bias against the former president and the Trump-appointed Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh. "We know that all bets are off when it comes to what that radical right-wing six-justice block of the Supreme Court will do to try to continue to help Donald Trump," Kirschner claimed.
Once that was out of his system, Kirschner conceded there was a chance that the dismissal could be overturned and that decision upheld upon review. "Every other judge who has decided this issue has ruled that special counsel, independent prosecutors, are lawful and constitutional and we've been using special counsel in one form or another since the 1800s," Kirschner told Newsweek the next day.
"So, to upend all of that would be surprising, though the Supreme Court upended other things in surprising ways recently," Kirschner said. He added that since "Judge Cannon basically ignored or tried to dance her way around that Supreme Court ruling," her ruling might not survive a Supreme Court review regardless.
Kirschner seems committed to the idea that Trump could still face prosecution over the classified documents case. He and others who spend their lives on a crusade against Trump are still holding out hope that they can punish the former president in some way.
Unfortunately for them, Trump has seemed to evade nearly every lawfare attack. Even in his so-called "hush money" case in New York, where he was convicted of 34 felony counts, Trump will not be sentenced before the 2024 election, CNN reported last month.
Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the case, said he was trying to avoid the appearance of election interference. Per Trump's legal team's request, the sentencing hearing will now take place on Nov. 26.
"Adjourning decision on the motion and sentencing, if such is required, should dispel any suggestion that the Court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to, or to create a disadvantage for, any political party and or any candidate for any office," Merchan wrote in his ruling. Although this was indeed the right decision, it has defanged the leftists' attempt to sway the race.
It's possible that Cannon's decision to dismiss will eventually be overturned, but it won't matter by then. Trump is clear until Election Day, and the American people will decide his fate rather than the courts, a fact that surely outrages enemies like Kuschner.
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) said on ABC's This Week on Sunday that Democrat vice presidential nominee Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's folksy persona is an act and that he has been a "disaster" for his state.
Emmer said, "Tim’s been a complete disaster in Minnesota, and what’s happened is he’s so good at being this folksy, nice, kind of down-to-earth guy until people get to know him and his policies. I don’t know if you know this, but his whole congressional district where he played this character for several years of being kind of a folksy, AG-friendly outdoorsman, he lost it in both of his gubernatorial races, and the last one almost by ten points. He’s not well liked because once you get to know the real Tim Walz, he’s like Gavin Newsom in a flannel shirt.”
Co-anchor Martha Raddatz pointed out that Emmer has been playing Walz in Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (OH)'s debate prep ahead of the vice presidential debate on Tuesday in New York City, hosted by CBS News.
Emmer said he had known Walz for 20 years and had worked to copy his mannerisms and phrases so Vance knew what he would be facing.
Emmer praised Vance during the interview.
“I can tell you he’s got the issues on his side," Emmer said. "He can talk about the economy that Donald Trump fixed and that Harris and Biden broke. He can talk about the border that Trump fixed, and that they broke. He can talk about peace and stability around the world which they don’t even have a clue. They’ve caused all of this disruption, and once he understands that Tim Walz is just going to try and deflect and go into this folksy whatever, he’ll hold him accountable. I think JD can do a great job.”
When Raddatz tried to defend Walz, Emmer pointed out that Harris's instant 10-point lead upon being installed without a vote dropped by half when she chose Walz as her running mate.
Raddatz said that Walz had a higher approval rating than Vance, but Emmer said that "snapshot polls" don't tell the real story.
"I think J.D. is very likeable and I think he’s well liked," Emmer insisted. "And I don’t buy into these snapshot polls that are being done for a specific reason. If you’re not willing to – to agree that Tim Walz, once people get to know who he is and they know what his policies are, he’s more radical than Kamala Harris."
People do not like him once they get to know him, Emmer added. "And J.D. will expose that on Tuesday."
Raddatz's next gotcha question was about Republican nominee former President Donald Trump's recent statement that Harris is "mentally disabled."
"Do you approve of that kind of language?" she asked.
Emmer redirected, saying he wanted to "focus on the issues" instead of answering the question.
It was a smart move, but the debate hosts are sure to harp on that point endlessly during the debate to distract from the fact that Harris was part of an administration that has caused economic problems, let millions of migrants into the country, and has views way out of mainstream society on many issues.
Despite her largely unsuccessful attempts to distance herself from her role in the Biden administration's border policies, Vice President Kamala Harris paid a visit to Arizona on Friday to tout what she claimed were her bona fides on the issue of immigration and to slam those of Donald Trump.
Harris' visit to Douglas, Arizona, however, was not the public relations success her campaign likely hoped, as the Democratic Party nominee drew criticism from all corners, including from former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, as Breitbart reports, for what was described as a craven, opportunistic photo-op designed to mislead the American people.
Despite helping preside over record levels of illegal immigration since taking office alongside Joe Biden in 2021, Harris traveled to the border Friday and attempted to portray herself as ready and willing to crack down on the problem if elected to the top job in November.
As Fox News noted, Harris told those assembled at the Cochise County College Douglas campus, “Those who cross our borders unlawfully will be apprehended and removed and barred from reentering for five years.”
The vice president continued, “We will pursue more severe criminal charges against repeat violators and if someone does not make an asylum request at a legal point of entry and instead crosses our border unlawfully, they will be barred from receiving asylum.”
“While we understand that many people are desperate to migrate to the United States, our system must be orderly and secure,” Harris insisted, before suggesting that Trump “tanked” what she claimed was the “strongest border security bill we have seen in decades” and boasting about her promises to get “results” with regard to illegal immigration.
One prominent figure who was far from impressed with Harris's southern sojourn was Gabbard, herself a former Democrat who has since become a strong Trump campaign surrogate.
“Shameless. No other way to describe Kamala Harris' photo op at Southern Border, promising to secure it after allowing 10+ million illegal aliens in the past 3.5 years as border czar,” Gabbard said.
The former lawmaker continued her critique, saying, “A shameless person feels no shame because they have no conscience. That's Kamala Harris.”
Gabbard was not alone in her disgust over Harris' trip to Arizona, with the union representing border patrol agents also taking aim at what was viewed by some as a crass political stunt.
As the New York Post reports, the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) issued a series of social media posts critical of Harris on Friday, lambasting what they portrayed as her gross hypocrisy on the issue at hand.
“Vice President Harris has ignored the border problem she created for over three years. She goes down there for 20 minutes for a photo op and decides to repeat some of the things the NBPC has said before,” the union began. “But again, where has she been the last 3 ½ years?”
The union added, “VP Harris asserted in Arizona that CPB needed more resources. We have apprehended over 8 million illegal immigrants over the last 4 years and now you realize we need more help 38 days before the election,”
Though the optics of the visit -- including the flashy jewelry worn by Harris -- were clearly controversial, whether the Democratic nominee will succeed in erasing her past inaction on what millions of voters view as the most critical issue of the race is something that remains to be seen.
Marc Lotter, strategic communications director for former President Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, believes there is no reason to debate Vice President Kamala Harris now that Trump is winning in the polls, Breitbart reported. Harris has called for a repeat faceoff but will not agree to Trump's terms for the second debate.
Lotter was speaking to Ari Melber on MSNBC's The Beat Thursday when he was asked about Harris' public challenge for another debate with Trump. "Join me on the debate stage," Harris has said on the campaign trail.
"Let’s have another debate. There’s more to talk about, and the voters of America deserve to hear the conversations that I think we should be having," Harris claimed.
Trump has not agreed to that second debate, which Harris has wielded as proof she won the first debate. However, Lotter believes that Trump is correct to avoid another debate with Harris after the last one.
Lotter said that Harris' unwillingness to move to a more friendly network confirms Trump's rationale for denying her challenge. "He was willing to accept a debate on Fox, and the Harris’ team declined that," Lotter said.
"I don’t see a reason why he needs to get back up on stage with her. He’s actually still ahead in this race," Lotter pointed out.
"Kamala Harris is about 5 points back of where Joe Biden was at this time in 2020. And she’s three to four, maybe five points back in all of the key battleground states," Lotter added.
"She’s actually even polling worse than Hillary Clinton was at this point in 2016. So I think if you’re Donald Trump, you look at it, you see, 'I’m in the lead. Why do I want to give her another bite at the apple?'" Lotter said of Trump's thinking.
During the debate on Sept. 10, Harris appeared to have a better showing than Trump. However, it was undoubtedly due to the disparate treatment ABC News gave the vice president.
The debate that aired on the Disney-owned network was an embarrassingly partisan hit job. As the New York Post noted afterward, Trump was fact-checked five times, while Harris faced zero pushback from the moderators.
The vice president lied about Trump's abortion stance, his so-called allegiance to the Project 2025 plan, the fact that there are U.S. service members in combat zones, and many others. She got away with all of it while David Muir and Linsey Davis attacked Trump.
In his remarks from Trump Tower Thursday, the former president pointed out that the network had agreed not to fact-check the candidates during the debate, according to Fox News. "We had a deal where that wouldn't happen," Trump said.
"You could do whatever you wanted as soon as the debate was over, but he did it in total violation of what our agreement was. And a lot of people standing right over there [as he looked toward his staff] will tell you exactly what it was, will show you what it was. David Muir has lost all credibility," Trump said.
If the media were doing its job, Trump would be compelled to debate his policies with his Democratic opponent. Considering how well he's doing in the polls and how poorly he was treated, it's the right move for Trump to decline.
Eduardo Xol, an actor and designer on the 2000s television hit Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, has died, Fox News reported. The 58-year-old succumbed to injuries from a stabbing that occurred 10 days prior at his Palm Springs home.
On Sept. 10, the Palm Springs Police Department responded to a call from a man in distress. When police arrived at the scene, they found a severely injured Xol.
He told officers he had been stabbed but did not offer the name of the alleged attacker at the time. However, the perpetrator would become known hours later after Richard Joseph Gonzales called to report that he'd been assaulted.
Investigators put the clues together and ultimately charged Gonzales as the suspect in Xol's stabbing. He was initially charged with attempted murder, which has since been changed to homicide due to Xol's death.
No motive has been released for the reality TV star's murder. However, additional information from the Bay Area Reporter could shed some additional light on the circumstances of the crime.
It was around 5:41 a.m. when police were called to Xol's apartment, located on the 400 block of E. Arenas Road in Palm Springs, California. The Bay Area Reporter noted this is "where most of the gay bars and gay-focused businesses in the city are situated."
Xol, who was born Eduardo Torres, was a gay man, though it is unknown if this had anything to do with the crime. Investigators would get a break in the case at 9:13 a.m., when Gonzales called the police to report that he had been assaulted the night before.
The call from Gonzales came from an area about a mile east of where the attack on Xol allegedly occurred. Police said the two men were "associates" but did not elaborate on the nature of their relationship.
Authorities have not disclosed how they pieced together Gonzales' alleged involvement in Xol's murder. However, he's been booked and jailed without bail, awaiting his first hearing on Dec. 18.
Xol's family shared a touching statement to Fox News Digital. "We are heartbroken at the tragic loss of our beloved Eduardo Xol. As his family, we know that his kindness has touched the lives of so many," the family wrote.
"We ask for that kindness returned now allowing our privacy to be respected as we process our grief," the family said, adding that they were requesting donations to the Lupus Foundation of America in lieu of flowers. Xol's younger sister suffers from lupus.
Friend Richard Pérez-Feria similarly expressed grief and love for Xol in an Instagram post. "Please don’t ask me how or why at this point…what matters most is who he was: A talented, beautiful, passionate friend, brother, son and partner," Pérez-Feria wrote.
Xol, a native of Los Angeles, was best known for his participation in ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in the second season of the series. He also starred in Spanish-language telenovelas and had a role in the 1998 film "Bravo."
Sadly, Xol's life came to such a violent and tragic end before his time. While his contribution to the entertainment world is important, the lives he touched offscreen will be his legacy.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) called on embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams to resign, Breitbart reported. Adams and several officials surrounding him have been under investigation for corruption.
On Wednesday, Ocasio-Cortez posted to X, formerly Twitter, calling for Adams to step down because of the investigations. "I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City," she wrote.
"The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign," Ocasio-Cortez concluded.
I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City.
The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.
For the good of the city, he should resign.…
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 25, 2024
Over the last year, the FBI has raided the homes of several New York City officials as part of a probe into Adams' "2021 campaign." Those officials included New York City Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Philip Banks and New York City First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright.
Other raids have already resulted in the resignations of New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks and New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin. Still, even after Ocasio-Cortez's post gained traction, Adams shot back in a statement that he wasn't going anywhere.
He mentioned race and vowed to stay in office despite the investigations. "For anyone who self-righteously claims people charged with serious crimes should not be in jail to now say that the second Black mayor of New York should resign because of rumors and innuendo — without even a single charge being filed — is the height of hypocrisy," Adams claimed.
"I am leading this city to protect it from exactly that kind of phony politics. The people of this city elected me to fight for them, and I will stay and fight no matter what," he added.
Unfortunately for Adams, it seems he might not get that chance after all. The day following this back-and-forth with Ocasio-Cortez, the New York Post reported that an indictment against Adams was unsealed.
The mayor's words ring hollow following the release of the 57-page indictment document alleging he received $123,000 in inducements from foreign nationals. "In 2014, Eric Adams, the defendant, became Brooklyn Borough President," the document stated.
"Thereafter, for nearly a decade, Adams sought and accepted improper valuable benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him." The indictment laid out the scheme whereby these kickbacks bankrolled Adams's lifestyle.
"As Adams’s prominence and power grew, his foreign-national benefactors sought to cash in on their corrupt relationships with him, particularly when, in 2021, it became clear that Adams would become New York City’s mayor. Adams agreed, providing favorable treatment in exchange for the illicit benefits he received," the indictment said.
Adams was treated to "free hotel rooms, flights on Turkey’s national airline, and meals at high-end restaurants." All he had to do in return was remove any red tape in building the Turkish Consulate.
In a development that rocks Congress, Ocasio-Cortez may be right on an issue for once. If these allegations are true against these officials, Adams and all of his Democratic cronies need to go.
The "Building Chips in America Act of 2023" has passed in the House and Senate and will go to President Joe Biden for signing, The Center Square reported. If passed, it would streamline the process of approving American manufacturers to build semiconductors.
The bill passed the House of Representatives on Monday by a 257-125 vote. It has already received a unanimous nod in the Senate and just needs Biden's signature to become law.
The legislation was a bipartisan effort initiated by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly. Both lawmakers see it as necessary to make the U.S. less dependent on China for the important technology.
The new bill builds on the CHIPS and Science Act of 2021. "Today’s announcement that the Department of Commerce has finalized the first commercial CHIPS Incentives award with Polar Semiconductor marks the next phase of the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act and demonstrates how we continue to deliver on the Investing in American agenda," Biden said in a statement.
Moving semiconductor manufacturing stateside is a boon for national security and sovereignty. Most lawmakers seemed to understand this when voting for the bill.
The bill's co-sponsors focused on independence from China as a key benefit. "I’m proud to have led this effort with Senator Mark Kelly to streamline environmental permitting for semiconductor factories, a crucial step in onshoring jobs and making our country less dependent on China for semiconductors critical to national defense," Cruz said in a statement.
Much of the manufacturing of these chips also happens in Tawain, an island nation with its own sovereignty under threat from China. The Building Chips in America Act of 2023 is also being touted for creating jobs.
Texas GOP Rep. Michael McCaul, who was one of the lawmakers who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, championed the manifold benefits of the bill. "I introduced the CHIPS for America Act because — as President Trump’s national security team told me — there’s no time to waste in boosting domestic semiconductor chip production," McCaul said.
"The Building Chips in America Act will cement the intention of the CHIPS Act by ensuring timely production of these critical national security assets, creating thousands of American manufacturing jobs in the process. I am proud the House passed this crucial bill, which will solidify the United States’ global leadership in the semiconductor industry," the lawmaker added.
Despite the enthusiasm for the bill on Capitol Hill, environmental groups have hammered Biden, Politico reported. The Building Chips in America Act has eliminated many environmental requirements that would slow down the construction of these semiconductor manufacturing facilities.
Environmental groups believe that's a mistake. On Monday, the Sierra Club and more than two dozen environmental protection organizations sent a letter to Biden warning that if he signed the legislation, it would be bad for his legacy and the environment.
"President Biden should veto this. I expect he will veto it," Harry Manin, deputy deputy legislative director of industrial policy at the Sierra Club, told Politico. Labor groups are also concerned about new manufacturing facilities that could be unsafe for workers.
“It’s a missed opportunity. We don’t want to see the legacy of the CHIPS and Science Act being workers getting sick because of toxic chemicals on the job, or children in nearby schools and communities getting sick because of air pollution, or residents with poisoned wells and aquifers," warned Judith Barish, who coordinates a coalition of labor and environmental groups under CHIPS Communities United.