July 17, 2025

Let’s dive in.

1. INTERVIEW: 15 House Republicans on second reconciliation, OBBB wins, and more

2. Heard on the Hill

3. EDITORIAL: Republicans should stop abusive “ultra-processed foods” lawsuits

4. Bice, Kelly introduce legislation to bring accountability to the Secret Service one year after Trump assassination attempt

5. New legislation aims to ensure SBA doesn’t discriminate against gun businesses

6. Rep. Riley Moore confident in first rescissions package, wants more to follow it

7. "Congress wins": Lawmakers vanquish Bad News Babes in annual Congressional Women's Softball Game

8. Lindsey Stirling's Kennedy Center performance scores rave reviews

9. K-STREET, 10,000 FEET: Club for Growth Foundation plan to stop national "Medicaid-for-All system”

10. OPINIONATED: Sen. Eric Schmitt calls for Emil Bove’s confirmation; Reps. Andy Harris and Russ Fulcher on the GOPspending doctrine; Rep. Gabe Evans on Crypto Week; Reps. Kevin Hern and Mike Flood on digital economy legislation; and the MRC’s Dan Schneider on NPR’s and PBS’ assault on Sen. Mitch McConnell’s judicial legacy.

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INTERVIEW: 15 House Republicans on second reconciliation, OBBB wins, and more

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• The Washington Reporter caught up with 15 House Republicans about what they’d like to see in a second reconciliation bill as well as the wins coming out of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB).

• Even after the OBBB passage, lawmakers are eager for more reconciliation. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R., Iowa) said that she’s “in favor of doing more than one reconciliation bill,” and that in future ones, she’d “like to see us do more stuff on reforming Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act so people have access to insurance.”

• Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R., Wis.) said that the OBBB “rocks for the 3rd District” — provisions like the provider tax were specifically important, but other provisions have made their way through the “pub culture” of Wisconsin, and people like what they see.

• Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R., Fla.), who dealt with Medicaid as the President of the Florida Senate, pointed to “pages 630-633 specifically” of the bill that “specifically” counter the “outright lies from the Democrats that we would take away these programs from the most vulnerable.”

Following the successful passage of a historic reconciliation bill, the Washington Reporter interviewed 15 House Republicans about the bill’s wins for their districts and what they want from the next reconciliation bill that could come as soon as this fall.

Even after the One Big, Beautiful Bill’s (OBBB) passage, lawmakers are eager for more reconciliation. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R., Iowa) said that she’s “in favor of doing more than one reconciliation bill,” and that in future ones, she’d “like to see us do more stuff on reforming Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act so people have access to insurance.”

“There are unequal provisions in the ACA that made it difficult by design for small businesses to offer insurance,” Miller-Meeks said. “I’d also like year-round E-15, since I’m from Iowa. We also want to also keep providers independent.”

Miller-Meeks added that she has been traversing town halls across her district, and union workers, law enforcement officers, and seniors have been thanking her for the work on the bill.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R., Wis.), a former Navy SEAL, was undeterred by the chaos of the first bill.

“I want to see a reconciliation bill once a month,” he said. “This helps us tackle waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Van Orden also said that the OBBB “rocks for the 3rd District” — provisions like the provider tax were specifically important, but other provisions have made their way through the “pub culture” of Wisconsin, and people like what they see.

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Heard on the Hill

• CHANGING THE STATE OF THINGS: The State Department is slashing thousands of jobs that are out of sync with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s vision for the department, it announced this week. “Reduction in Force plans have been tailored to preserve critical core functions,” the department noted. “These plans ensure that functions related to security, consular services, and regional desk responsibilities remain fully operational during and after the reorganization process. Care has been taken not to compromise core diplomatic functions, including diplomatic security, passport services and diplomats staffing country desks.”

• NEW MEDIA MASTERCLASS: The Republican Study Committee (RSC) made history by hosting the Hill’s first-ever New Media Row this week. The event, first covered by the Washington Reporter, was a “historic day,” RSC Chair, Rep. August Pfluger (R., Texas) told the Reporter. “RSC members connected directly with creators, influencers, and major personalities in conservative media reaching tens of millions of people across the country, showcasing the victories House Republicans have secured to deliver on the mandate set by voters on November 5th,” he said.

• TASK FORCE MEDIA: Rep. Mark Alford (R., Mo.), the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) Communications Strategy Task Force Chairman, told the Reporter that the RSC is here to make major moves. “In addition to delivering conservative policy wins time after time, we are circumventing the mainstream media to bring our commonsense message directly with the American people,” Alford — himself a former journalist — said. “As the Chairman of RSC’s Strategic Messaging Task Force, I’m proud to work with Chairman Pfluger to bring these innovative strategies to Republicans’ communications operation.”

• UNION BUSTING: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) and Rep. Mark Harris (R., N.C.) are calling for Congress to revoke the National Education Association’s (NEA) charter.

• BIG NUMBERS: Rep. Mike Haridopolos’s (R., Fla.) fundraising numbers caught our eye. Even before Haridopolos was first elected last year, he was a fundraising powerhouse, and his latest numbers are no exception. He pulled in $435,947 this quarter, and has over half a million dollars on hand. He’s also already given over $250,000 to the NRCC for this cycle.

• INCREDIBLE HAUL: Rep. Claudia Tenney (R., N.Y.) is no longer in a competitive district, but that hasn’t stopped her from raising over $1,000,000 across all of her entities in consecutive quarters. The Reporter previously covered how she’s donated almost $500,000 to expand the GOP majority across the country.

• COMEBACK KID: George P. Bush raised some eyebrows in D.C. this week when his Restore Trust PAC hosted a cocktail reception at the Old Ebbitt Grill just feet from the White House. Those spotted included Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R., Texas), Ralph Norman (R., S.C.) and Craig Goldman (R., Texas), along with John Gizzi, Bonnie Glick, Paul Foldi, Justin Sayfie, Matthew Foldi, Jessica Lycos, and Jorge Delgado.

• MANUFACTURING MANIA: The Department of Labor and Small Business Administration jointly announced that the two will work together to support domestic manufacturing and cultivate a pipeline of skilled workers to restore American industrial dominance.

• SESAME STREET SCANDAL: The now-infamous hack of Elmo’s X account did Sesame Street and PBS no favors this week when it came time to decision-making on the rescissions package, which clashes federal funding from liberal news outlets. “There’s a joke about cutting funding to Sesame Street and Elmo,” one White House source told the Reporter in the wake of Elmo’s not-safe-for-work hack.

• TORCH BEARER: Democrats are trying to flip Rep. Andy Barr’s (R., Ky.) now-open House seat, but a top GOP recruit, Dr. Ralph Alvarado, just joined the race. Alvarado is a Christian, husband, father, physician, and conservative fighter. His team includes two Trump-world veterans: Chip Englander and Michael Antonopoulos, we’re told.

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EDITORIAL: Republicans should stop abusive “ultra-processed Foods” lawsuits

by the Washington Reporter Editorial Board

The plaintiffs’ bar, long a financial engine for the left, has a new target to shake down: American food companies that make “ultra-processed foods.”

These frivolous claims threaten to enrich trial lawyers while driving up costs for Americans — in other words, inflation by litigation. Congressional Republicans should act swiftly to pre-empt this abuse.

For background, the left has started attacking food companies for making “ultra-processed foods” while dressing them up as consumer protection. After all, who could be against healthy food?

The problem is that the very term “ultra-processed foods” is a vague, pseudoscientific catch-all buzzword designed to be weaponized to vilify staples like cereals, snacks, and frozen meals that millions rely on for affordability and convenience. Are some “ultra-processed foods” unhealthy? Absolutely. But foods are healthy or unhealthy based on their nutritional contents, not whether they are “processed.”

The plaintiffs’ bar, flush with cash from past jackpot verdicts, sees an opportunity to extract billions from companies through settlements or judgments. This isn’t about public health, it’s about padding lawyers’ wallets. These same attorneys, who pour millions into Democratic campaigns and progressive causes, are using the courts to wage ideological warfare against American businesses while knowing full well the ripple effects will hit consumers hardest.

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EXCLUSIVE: Bice, Kelly introduce legislation to bring accountability to the Secret Service one year after Trump assassination attempt

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Reps. Stephanie Bice (R., Ok.) and Mike Kelly (R., Pa.) introduced legislation that would require the Secret Service to preserve all communications records for an extended period of time.

• The Secret Service Recording Accountability Act, exclusively obtained by the Washington Reporter, would also force the Secret Service to turn over recordings to relevant congressional committees in cases where someone under its care was harmed.

• Kelly, who represents Butler in Congress, is cosponsoring the bill with Bice. Kelly co-led the bipartisan congressional task force that investigated the assassination attempt.

• In the year since a Democratic Party donor tried and failed to assassinate Trump on air, Republicans have aimed to both get answers and deescalate tensions.

Rep. Stephanie Bice (R., Okla.) marked the anniversary of the failed attempt on President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania by taking action in Congress.

Bice introduced legislation that would require the Secret Service to preserve all communications records for an extended period of time.

The Secret Service Recording Accountability Act, exclusively obtained by the Washington Reporter, would also force the Secret Service to turn over recordings to relevant congressional committees in cases where someone under its care was harmed.

“This legislation is about restoring accountability to the Secret Service,” Bice explained. “After the attempted assassination of President Trump in 2024, a multitude of questions remained about whether the shooter had been seen and how he was allowed to climb a facility and take aim at the President of the United States.”

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EXCLUSIVE: New legislation aims to ensure SBA doesn’t discriminate against gun businesses

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Rep. Roger Williams (R., Texas), the chair of the House Committee on Small Business, is introducing the Equal Shot Act of 2025. The bill prevents the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its Administrator — currently filled by former Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler (R., Ga.) — from financial assistance discrimination against firearm-related businesses.

• The Equal Shot Act only applies to firearm-related businesses that meet the other eligibility requirements.

• Williams’s legislation is already supported by the NRA, Gun Owners of America (GOA), and the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR).

• During the Obama administration, the White House had a policy, dubbed “Operation Choke Point,” which was a “scheme to deny banking services to firearm businesses,” according to gun rights groups.

Rep. Roger Williams (R., Texas) is rolling out the House’s latest pro-Second Amendment legislation, according to a bill obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter.

Williams, the chair of the House Committee on Small Business, is introducing the Equal Shot Act of 2025, which prevents the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its Administrator — currently filled by former Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler (R., Ga.) — from financial assistance discrimination against firearm-related businesses.

“The Small Business Administration has no place deciding which small businesses succeed based on political preferences,” Williams said of his latest move. “The Equal Shot Act of 2025 makes sure firearm-related businesses are treated fairly and not penalized for supporting the Second Amendment.”

“These are law-abiding job creators who strengthen local economies across America, and they deserve the same equal access to federal resources as any other small business,” the Texas Republican continued.

The Equal Shot Act only applies to firearm-related businesses that meet the other eligibility requirements.

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EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Riley Moore confident in first rescissions package, wants more to follow it

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• Rep. Riley Moore spoke about his efforts on the latest episode of the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) Right to the Point podcast, alongside Wade Miller of the Center for Renewing America. Moore said he is particularly excited for the package’s cuts to the “left wing propaganda network,” including NPR and PBS.

• Moore, as the chair of the RSC’s Rescissions Working Group, has had a front row seat to the action, and he wants more of these once the first one is law.

• Congress’s rescissions package, which must be passed this week in order to take effect, also slashes billions of dollars from foreign aid. Moore clarified that most of the cuts are to woke propaganda, not to worthwhile expenditures.

• While $9 billion is a drop in the bucket given America’s fiscal standing, Moore is hopeful that this first package will have a “cumulative effect,” and that more are on the way.

The clock is ticking on the White House’s first rescissions package, and Rep. Riley Moore (R., W.Va.) is dead-set on making sure Congress gets it across the finish line.

Moore spoke about his efforts on the latest episode of the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) Right to the Point podcast, alongside Wade Miller of the Center for Renewing America. Moore said he is particularly excited for the package’s cuts to the “left wing propaganda network,” including NPR and PBS.

Moore, as the chair of the RSC’s Rescissions Working Group, has had a front row seat to the action, and he wants more of these once the first one is law.

For years, Democrats have argued that any cuts to PBS would be tantamount to killing Big Bird, but Miller explained that that’s not the case.

In fact, he said, “this only constitutes a very small portion of the funding that NPR and PBS get through all of their sources.” But the cuts still send a strong message.

“NPR’s CEO Katherine Maher has called President Trump a fascist and a deranged racist sociopath,” Miller said. “NPR’s survey of their D.C. editorial board found there were 87 registered Dems and zero registered Republicans.”

“And then NPR itself has requested and received money that was targeted at hiring not right of center voices, but just moderate voices, because even they recognize that their own broadcasting and journalism was extremely far-left biased,” he continued.

Congress’s rescissions package, which must be passed this week in order to take effect, also slashes billions of dollars from foreign aid. Moore clarified that most of the cuts are to woke propaganda, not to worthwhile expenditures.

“As it relates to the foreign aid aspect of this,” he said. “We’re not talking about digging wells and providing clean water and things like that. There's so many aspects of the foreign aid that take place in here that are where we’re trying to impose the worst cultural aspects of the United States, which would be some of these woke left agenda items, like transgender surgeries, on other countries.”

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SCOOP: "Congress wins": Lawmakers vanquish Bad News Babes in annual Congressional Women's Softball Game

by Matthew Foldi

Congress scored a rare, huge, and bipartisan win this week with its victory over the press.

In a rarity, Team Congress vanquished the Bad News Babes in the annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game (CWSG) by a score of 5-3.

D.C.’s horrible weather was one of the many MVPs for the lawmakers, resulting in the game being called early due to a torrential downpour.

Still, Team Congress was up 5-3 on the Bad News Babes, and that’s where the game ended.

Amidst the downpour, players and fans alike gathered indoors at Audi Field. This year’s game, the 15th of its kind, was the first one played on both the big field and the big screen.

Thanks to years of CWSG success, multiple networks aired the game so that the lawmakers’ constituents back home could watch them vanquish the journalists.

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SCOOP: Lindsey Stirling's Kennedy Center performance scores rave reviews

by Matthew Foldi

You may recognize award-winning electric violinist and dancer Lindsey Stirling from Dancing with the Stars or even from her attempt on America’s Got Talent, but one thing is certain: once you see her perform, you won’t forget her.

Stirling pirouetted onto the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater’s stage like a flame in a red dress, reminiscent of a flamenco dancer, and secured the attention of the crowd instantly, at a show attended by the Washington Reporter.

Both of her shows were sold out, the Center told the Reporter.

Under the leadership of both President Donald Trump and of Ambassador Richard Grenell, the Kennedy Center has undergone a renaissance of sorts, welcoming in family-friendly and faith-friendly programs for audiences of all ages and backgrounds while simultaneously rooting out DEI programming and righting the center’s finances.

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K-STREET, 10,000 FEET:

Club for Growth Foundation plan to stop national "Medicaid-for-All system"

by Matthew Foldi

THE LOWDOWN:

• State-based expansion of Medicaid programs is wasting billions of dollars and is “quietly driving the nation toward a de facto Medicaid-for-All system,” the Club for Growth Foundation is warning in a new report, obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter.

• At issue are the “seemingly endless Medicaid service extensions that often cater to niche provider markets and impose onerous coverage mandates that force higher provider taxes and reimbursement rates to maintain these new mandates.”

• The Club faults “state lawmakers in both parties” for “facilitating this hidden expansion with reckless abandon.”

• Congress’s One Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBB), which the Club supported, helps save Medicaid for future generations, according to its proponents. But expanding the program has three main concerns for the Club: new constituencies for Medicaid, new pressure to expand, and no limiting principle for expansion.

State-based expansion of Medicaid programs is wasting billions of dollars and is “quietly driving the nation toward a de facto Medicaid-for-All system,” the Club for Growth Foundation is warning in a new report, obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter.

“While expansion states barrel ahead, many non-expansion states have opened the floodgates to costly service expansions without formally adopting Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion,” the Foundation explained.

At issue are the “seemingly endless Medicaid service extensions that often cater to niche provider markets and impose onerous coverage mandates that force higher provider taxes and reimbursement rates to maintain these new mandates.”

The Club faults “state lawmakers in both parties” for “facilitating this hidden expansion with reckless abandon.”

Without significant reforms, the Club warns that Medicaid “will explode the federal deficit and debt as it consumes state budgets under the illusion of ‘saving money’ through its gimmick-riddled [Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)] scheme.”

Congress’s One Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBB), which the Club supported, helps save Medicaid for future generations, according to its proponents. But expanding the program has three main concerns for the Club: new constituencies for Medicaid, new pressure to expand, and no limiting principle for expansion.

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OPINIONATED

Op-Ed: Sen. Eric Schmitt: Confirm Emil Bove

by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R., Mo.)

Abraham Lincoln once said that “the people are the rightful masters of both Congresses, and courts — not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it.” President Donald Trump nominated Emil Bove to overthrow the left-wing activists who pervert our justice system. I fully support Bove and urge my colleagues to secure his nomination to the Third Circuit. He is a law man, through and through.

Bove’s commitment to the law is unimpeachable. He spent nine years as an Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he co-chaired the office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. He prosecuted the largest and most dangerous criminal conspiracies in the world, including Nicolás Maduro, the socialist dictator of Venezuela, and drug traffickers involved with the notorious “El Chapo.” He has the resolve we need to enforce the law faithfully and protect the American people from criminals.

It is precisely because of that record that the left fears him. We saw recently the lengths that the left is willing to go to preserve their grip on the judiciary. The New York Times just ran a baseless hit piece — whose only source is a disgruntled employee, Erez Reuveni — accusing Bove of encouraging defiance of court orders. As AG Bondi has noted, no one was ever asked to defy a court order. The only hard evidence the “whistleblower” provided was a few text messages and emails — which never mention Bove — demonstrating a general concern that he might be asked to defy court orders. He also personally signed 3 briefs arguing that DOJ had complied with all court orders, and his subsequent revisionist account arose only after he was fired because he violated his ethical duties to the department.

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Op-Ed: Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. and Rep. Russ Fulcher: Congress has a chance to show it’s serious about spending

by Reps. Andy Harris (R., Md) and Russ Fulcher (R., Idaho)

For decades, Washington has made a habit of talking about fiscal responsibility while doing the opposite. Our national debt has crossed $37 trillion. Interest payments are now on track to surpass defense spending. And yet, every time Congress is given an opportunity to reverse course, it flinches.

The current rescissions package — which is a process the president uses to request Congress to cancel or rescind previously appropriated funds — is a rare opportunity to do the right thing. It rolls back billions of dollars in unspent and wasteful federal funds, it doesn’t take away support from the truly vulnerable. It simply begins the long-overdue process of cleaning up the mess.

This is not a radical proposal. In fact, if Congress cannot bring itself to pass these basic, good-government reforms, it sends a dangerous message: that even the easiest savings are politically impossible. If we can’t trim unused funds and outdated subsidies, what hope is there for tackling the broader drivers of our fiscal crisis?

The House has already acted. We passed the rescissions package, which is now in the Senate for consideration. Every week of delay allows more waste to pile up, and makes clear to taxpayers that fiscal restraint remains more rhetoric than reality.

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Op-Ed: Rep. Gabe Evans: Crypto Week is a win for Colorado’s freedom and financial future

by Rep. Gabe Evans (R., Colo.)

In Colorado, we believe in freedom, opportunity, and a fair shot for anyone willing to work for it. From small business owners in Brighton to entrepreneurs in Greeley, Coloradans know that the government works best when it protects our liberties and then gets out of the way. That’s exactly the approach we need as America writes the rules of the road for the future of cryptocurrency.

This week is Crypto Week in Washington — and we’re finally making progress. Under President Donald Trump’s bold vision to make the United States the Bitcoin Superpower and Crypto Capital of the world, Congress is delivering on the promise of financial freedom and innovation.

For too long, America’s approach to crypto has been a mess of overregulation, legal threats, and confusing rules that pushed investment and opportunity overseas. When the USA does not lead, malicious foreign actors like the Chinese Communist Party will fill the vacuum. That changes now.

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Op-Ed: Rep. Kevin Hern and Rep. Mike Flood: Landmark legislation and a bright future for America’s digital economy

by Reps. Kevin Hern (R., Ok.) and Mike Flood (R., Neb.)

For the past four years, the digital asset industry was under assault by the Biden administration and SEC Chairman Gary Gensler’s hostile posture towards America’s emergent digital economy.

When President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance took office, they promised to work with Congress to update the law and usher in a new “golden age” for digital assets and blockchain technology.

This week, House Republicans are following through on that promise with the passage of three landmark bills that empower Americans over bureaucracy and keep the U.S. competitive in global markets.

The GENIUS Act provides a clear regulatory framework for dollar backed stablecoins, the CLARITY Act provides regulatory certainty for the broader digital asset marketplace, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act ensures that the Federal Reserve is prohibited from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) directly to Americans to protect citizens’ privacy and prevent future surveillance of Americans’ personal transactions.

All three bills will work together to fulfill President Trump’s promise to make America a hub for digital asset innovation.

Republicans understand the importance of blockchain technology to make payments more efficient, provide greater economic opportunity and build the next generation of the internet — Web 3.0. It is crucial that we turn the page from the backwards, anti-technology approach of the Biden administration and embrace the next generation of digital asset technology.

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Op-Ed: Dan Schneider: NPR and PBS’ biased assault on Mitch McConnell’s judicial legacy

by Dan Schneider

For decades, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) has been a towering figure in Kentucky and in Washington, D.C. His greatest accomplishment is the reshaping of the federal judiciary. No other person in a century deserves more credit than McConnell for restoring our courts to serve the interests of all Americans in the manner envisioned by our nation’s Founders. It is a legacy that will endure for generations.

It includes securing the appointments of judicial heavyweights like Justice Neil Gorsuch, empowering federal regulators like FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, and mentoring rising stars like Kentucky Attorneys General Russell Coleman and Daniel Cameron. Together, these efforts have fortified a constitutionalist foundation rooted in limited government and the rule of law.

But you wouldn’t know any of this from listening to NPR or watching PBS.

These taxpayer-funded mouthpieces for the left have relentlessly smeared McConnell’s achievements, painting his principled actions as cynical power plays. As McConnell nears the twilight of his Senate career, he should seize the opportunity to protect that legacy by supporting H.R. 4, a bill to rescind $1.1 billion in federal funding from NPR and PBS, which have used public dollars to wage war on conservatives, including McConnell himself.

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