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Rep. Jason Smith says no tax raises in second reconciliation, Rep. Marlin Stutzman on Big Three passive firms
White House tells us why Eli Lilly’s Virginia expansion is critical, Reps. Bill Huizenga and Pat Harrigan roll out bills with us, a Dem Senate candidate reverses course after our inquiry, and more
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September 19th, 2025
Let’s dive in.
INTERVIEW: Rep. Jason Smith nixes any tax raises in possible second reconciliation, discusses Trump’s trade wins, and how OBBB delivers for farmers
INTERVIEW: Rep. Marlin Stutzman on second reconciliation, Big Three passive firms, and Charlie Kirk's legacy
INTERVIEW: Ambassador Richard Grenell touts Parade's financial success, invites Harvey Fierstein to the Kennedy Center, and explains why Disney is frustrated with Lin-Manuel Miranda
Heard on the Hill
EDITORIAL: President Trump and Attorney General Bondi lead the way protecting kids from illegal vapes
EXCLUSIVE: White House touts Eli Lilly's "new multi-billion dollar drug manufacturing plant" in Virginia
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Huizenga releases plan to pay ICE and Border Patrol if Democrats shut the government down
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Pat Harrigan wants to ban automated speed cameras on highways
EXCLUSIVE: Democratic candidate reverses fundraising course in Maine following Washington Reporter story
EXCLUSIVE: Three law enforcement agencies investigating death threat targeting Trump, senior administration official
SCOOP: FBI Director backs Sen. Cruz’s Stop FUNDERs Act following Charlie Kirk's assassination
SCOOP: House Financial Services Hearing puts large index firms on notice: “shareholder value, not politics”
SCOOP: Rep. Mike Flood's latest move could get Rep. Ilhan Omar expelled
SCOOP: New ad campaign wants Trump, Bondi to defend American investors against Argentine takeover of energy company
SCOOP: Marco Rubio plans drastic overhaul of U.S. asylum system at United Nations conference
OPINIONATED: Rep. Mike Simpson on how President Trump and congressional Republicans are delivering for working families, Rep. Tim Walberg and Heather Reams on Michigan leading the nuclear resurgence, and Bonnie Glick on peace leading to prosperity through President Trump's Abraham Accords
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INTERVIEW: Rep. Jason Smith nixes any tax raises in possible second reconciliation, discusses Trump’s trade wins, and how OBBB delivers for farmers
by Matthew Foldi
Rep. Jason Smith (R., Mo.), the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, told the Washington Reporter in an interview that he wants no tax hikes in any potential second reconciliation package.
“When the Democrats controlled the White House, the House, and the Senate in the first two years of the Biden administration, they passed three different reconciliation bills — two that became law,” Smith said. “In none of those did they ever do anything to increase the top rate that they complained about that we preserved, or increase the corporate rate. They controlled everything, and they couldn't do it. So why would we need their help?”
Reconciliation is, of course, nothing new to the Missouri lawmaker. Smith spent much of recess visiting farms in almost every county he represents in Congress, and he said that the message America’s farmers want to send to President Donald Trump is clear: “thank you for the tax certainty that was within the One Big, Beautiful Bill [OBBB].”
Smith said, while people don’t think of Section 199A of the tax code as relating to farmers, the reality is that “98 percent of all farms are pass-through entities that use the 199A deduction. And that's huge, because that would have meant their tax rate would be around 43.4 percent or 23 to 28 percent, and that's big.”
“The National Federation of Independent Business owners says that provision alone will lead to one million new jobs being created a year for the next 10 years, just by having that permanency,” Smith said.
INTERVIEW: Rep. Marlin Stutzman on second reconciliation, Big Three passive firms, and Charlie Kirk's legacy
by Matthew Foldi
Should Congress embark on a second — or even third — reconciliation package this Congress, Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R., Ind.) wants it to include “tax policy items [and] housing policy items,” both of which he told the Washington Reporter in an interview will play heavy roles in the 2026 midterm elections.
“There are a lot of people who would like to see interest rates reduced to spur the activity in the economy, and those are pieces that we're going to focus on, and then any other reforms and government spending cuts that we could do, or that the administration would find and ask for those, are all important pieces to look at,” he said, adding that Congress may need to tackle trade if the Supreme Court rules against President Donald Trump in a tariffs case.
“Another thing, though, that is going to be interesting to see — and I hope the Supreme Court rules in favor of the administration on the tariff policy — but there's a chance that we may have to even move tariff policy through a reconciliation package,” he said.
But, hours after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Stutzman said that he believes that “the Charlie Kirk assassination is going to be part of people's psyche coming into the 2026 election.”
INTERVIEW: Ambassador Richard Grenell touts Parade's financial success, invites Harvey Fierstein to the Kennedy Center, and explains why Disney is frustrated with Lin-Manuel Miranda
by Matthew Foldi
Ambassador Richard Grenell hasn’t even helmed the Kennedy Center for a year, but he’s already turned the ship around in a lot of ways, slashing DEI programming, correcting the legendary arts center’s previous “criminal” financial mismanagement, and — perhaps above all — making clear day in and day out that “everyone is welcome here.”
In an interview with the Washington Reporter, held at the red carpet event for The Sound of Music, Grenell dove into successes of recent programming, how Disney is getting fed up with Lin-Manuel Miranda after the controversial actor canceled Hamilton at the Kennedy Center, and told actor Harvey Fierstein, once more, that he is welcome at the Kennedy Center.
“As the President the Kennedy Center, I have to tell you that I'm always thinking about the modeling and the financials and overall how popular shows were, and I have to tell you — there's a little bit of news for you — that Parade made money,” Grenell said, referring to the powerful musical about the lawless lynching of a Jewish businessman who was framed for a murder he didn’t commit in early 20th century Atlanta.
Heard on the Hill
WATCH OUT, UN: Hours after the Washington Reporter published a story, SCOOP: Pressure on Senate to stay in session to confirm Mike Waltz, Sen. John Thune (R., S.D.) filed cloture on Mike Waltz’s nomination to be United Nations Ambassador. Trump advisor Jason Miller, who was leading the confirm Waltz charge, immediately celebrated the news. “This move to reject Cryin’ Chuck’s Democrat obstruction & help Trump get his int’l team in place for #UNGA2025 is the support POTUS needed! Now we just need the Senate GOP to stay in DC & VOTE on Mike Waltz!,” Miller tweeted after the news.
CASH BACK KING: Rep. Bill Huizenga (R., Mich.) recovered over $7 million for his constituents last month. How impressive is this? His colleague, Rep. Hillary Scholten (D., Mich.), for example, brought back a paltry $260,000.
CDC ON THE HOT SEAT: Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R., Ala.) addressed the controversy with recently-fired CDC Director Susan Monarez by calling her a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” this week. “She came to my office about a month ago before her hearing — totally different. Today, she came in couldn't remember things…I asked her a question about, ‘Okay, you got a CDC website. You were told by the President of United States to take all the DEI woke nonsense out of it because this should be about health.’ She said she did. I go back to my office 30 minutes later — it's still up…Tell the truth about what you believe in…She forgot who her boss was, which was Secretary Kennedy and President Trump. She didn't do anything that he or either one of them asked her to do, and it was a tragedy. It's just unfortunate she sold herself as somebody that was going to do something for the American people, but she changed her ways and didn’t do anything. She needed to be fired.”
SPOTTED: The International Franchise Association hosted its annual D.C. advocacy summit, featuring over 400 members of the franchise community who traveled from around the country to hear from to an action-packed line-up of speakers, including Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler, Sen. Roger Marshall (R., Kansas), Reps. Kevin Hern (R., Okla.), Hillary Scholten (D., Mich.) and Don Davis (D., N.C.), CNN Commentator Scott Jennings, and more.
SCHUMER SHUTDOWN: The Senate Republican Conference has been working in overdrive to call out Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for his role in shutting down the government.
NEW AI POWERPLAYER: President Trump's trip to the UK included an announcement of AI investments in the UK from Nvidia, Open AI, and $2 billion from CoreWeave — the recently-public AI powerhouse that has been winning praise on Capitol Hill for being on the cutting edge of hyperscaling. A Senate source praised the CoreWeave announcement saying, "when President Trump gets to announce a $2 billion U.S. investment in the UK during a UK trip, that's a win for everyone.”
A message from our sponsor.
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We must protect American leadership in the life sciences and avoid damaging drug pricing policies. Meanwhile, China is making significant strides in clinical trials, drug approvals and new breakthroughs. Now is the time to strengthen American innovation, not hinder it. Learn more.
EDITORIAL: President Trump and Attorney General Bondi lead the way protecting kids from illegal vapes
by the Washington Reporter Editorial Board
The Washington Reporter was one of the first outlets to call for action against the flood of illegal vapes that have flooded our streets and targeted children. And now, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has acted under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi, seizing hundreds of thousands of illegal vapes that have plagued our communities and endangered our children.
This is a major win for parents, it’s a blow to China and the illegal vape retailers (some of whom have ties to national security threats), and the Reporter applauds this decisive action.
Illegal vapes have been such an egregious problem that it is stunning the Biden administration failed to act. Even if the Biden team didn’t care about the vapes targeting children, for political reasons alone the FDA or DOJ under the past administration should have done something. Instead, Biden’s team stood by as tens of millions of illegal vapes flooded schools.
One particularly egregious example, illegal vapes have LED lighting and bluetooth capabilities to target vulnerable teens. There’s another illegal vape called “Sad Boy” flavored as “funnel cake.” This is all illegal.
EXCLUSIVE: White House touts Eli Lilly's "new multi-billion dollar drug manufacturing plant" in Virginia
by Matthew Foldi
President Donald Trump’s domestic policy agenda saw a multi-billion dollar vote of confidence from one of America’s biggest companies.
Eli Lilly announced plans to build a $5 billion manufacturing facility just outside of Richmond — and the Trump administration immediately celebrated the announcement, with a spokeswoman tying the move to the “pro-growth policies” of Trump and congressional Republicans.
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Huizenga releases plan to pay ICE and Border Patrol if Democrats shut the government down
by Matthew Foldi
While Senate and House Democrats are increasingly agitating for a government shut down at the end of the month, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R., Mich.) has a plan to ensure that the Americans working to secure the border don’t see a pay cut.
Huizenga’s legislation, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act of 2026, was obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, and, if passed, it will ensure that the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) personnel who defend America’s border don’t see a pay cut in the event of a government shutdown at the end of the month.
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Pat Harrigan wants to ban automated speed cameras on highways
by Matthew Foldi
Rep. Pat Harrigan (R., N.C.) is rolling out legislation, obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter, to address a problem that every driver has encountered: automated speed cameras.
Harrigan’s new legislation, the Freedom from Automated Speed Enforcement Act, would slash ten percent of federal highway funds to states that employ automated speed cameras to ticket drivers.
The North Carolinian’s rationale is simple. “Automated speed cameras aren’t about safety — they’re about revenue,” he said. “These systems hand out mass fines without context, without discretion, and without due process. They don’t stop reckless drivers, they don’t engage with the community, and they don’t make our roads safer.”
EXCLUSIVE: Democratic candidate reverses fundraising course in Maine following Washington Reporter story
by Matthew Foldi
Graham Platner, a far-left, anti-Israel Democrat running against Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine), made a complete about-face on his fundraising tactics, following a report from the Washington Reporter about how he bashes anti-”fascist” fundraising texts while sending anti-”fascist” fundraising texts.
Now, however, Platner is singing a different tune. In a new fundraising text message, obtained by the Reporter, Platner tells potential donors that “nothing pisses me off more than getting a fundraising text from Democrats talking about how they're fighting fascism,” he wrote. “Because it's such B.S. We're not idiots. Everyone knows most of them aren't doing jack right now to fight back.”
EXCLUSIVE: Three law enforcement agencies investigating death threat targeting Trump, senior administration official
by Matthew Foldi
Three law enforcement agencies — the FBI, Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Secret Service — are investigating a death threat targeting both President Donald Trump and a senior official in his administration, a source familiar with the matter told the Washington Reporter.
The death threats emanated from an Instagram story, on which a Midwestern woman posted about the need to “8647,” referring to the need to assassinate the president, along with a photo of the senior administration official, whom the Reporter is declining to name.
SCOOP: FBI Director backs Sen. Cruz’s Stop FUNDERs Act following Charlie Kirk's assassination
by Matthew Foldi
FBI Director Kash Patel made waves during his first of two hearing on the Hill this week, but one particularly important exchange flew under the radar.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) asked Patel if it “would aid your ability to prosecute these matters if Congress passed into law the Stop FUNDERs Act and if rioting was added to the list of predicate offenses for RICO,” to which Patel replied “yes.”
SCOOP: House Financial Services Hearing puts large index firms on notice: “shareholder value, not politics”
by Matthew Foldi
A recent hearing, titled Proxy Power and Proposal Abuse: Reforming Rule 14a-8 to Protect Shareholder Value, scrutinized Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 — which governs shareholder participation in corporate governance.
“As our securities laws were being considered during the Great Depression and years after, corporate governance policymakers sought to ensure that stockholders had an active voice over any entrenched management, inattentive directors, or a controlling group,” Hill explained during the hearing.
SCOOP: Rep. Mike Flood's latest move could get Rep. Ilhan Omar expelled
by Matthew Foldi
Following Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D., Minn.) repeated tirades against Charlie Kirk after his assassination, Rep. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.) introduced a measure to censure the lawmaker.
Mace’s measure narrowly failed after four Republicans, including Rep. Mike Flood (R., Neb.), joined with all Democrats to table it. But Flood’s move to table the resolution is in no way an endorsement of Omar’s conduct.
SCOOP: New ad campaign wants Trump, Bondi to defend American investors against Argentine takeover of energy company
by Matthew Foldi
A new ad campaign launched by The Energy Alliance and obtained by the Washington Reporter urges the Trump administration to defend American investors in the long-running legal battle over Argentina’s 2012 takeover of YPF, the country’s largest energy company.
When Argentina captured a controlling stake in YPF — a company once listed on the New York Stock Exchange — it left American shareholders and investment firms with devastating losses and little recourse to recover their lost capital. Plaintiffs in the case argue the Argentine government violated its legal duties to its investors when it expropriated the company and neglected to buy out their shares.
SCOOP: Marco Rubio plans drastic overhaul of U.S. asylum system at United Nations conference
by Matthew Foldi
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team at the State Department are poised to drastically overhaul the way America approaches global refugee problems.
During next week’s United Nations General Assembly, Rubio and his deputies will announce plans to follow through on what many of them told the Senate they plan to do during their confirmation hearing.
OPINIONATED
Op-Ed: Rep. Mike Simpson: President Trump and congressional Republicans are delivering for working families across America
by Rep. Mike Simpson
Families across Idaho and our nation are keeping more of their hard-earned money thanks to the largest tax cut for working and middle-class families in American history. Just over two months ago, House Republicans sent President Donald Trump’s full, common sense, policy agenda to his desk, and now it’s the law of the land.
This policy agenda encompassed everything the president ran on and won with. From border security to growing the economy and unleashing energy independence to bolstering national security, House Republicans and President Trump delivered win after win — we are putting money back in the pockets of hardworking families.
Op-Ed: Rep. Tim Walberg and Heather Reams: Michigan is leading the nuclear resurgence
by Rep. Tim Walberg and Heather Reams
Washington can learn a few things from the Great Lakes State when it comes to accelerating energy deployments. With the U.S. expanding domestic manufacturing and competing in the global AI race, our nation needs more energy.
As two leaders in federal energy policy, we appreciate Michigan working to meet this moment through an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy, so that families, communities, and businesses can enjoy affordable, reliable, and resilient power.
Op-Ed: Bonnie Glick: Five years later, President Trump's Abraham Accords show that peace really does lead to prosperity
by Bonnie Glick
Five years ago, President Donald Trump made the historic announcement that Israel would normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. Thus two historic peace treaties were signed on the White House lawn with President Trump pulling off the master negotiation of peace between Arabs and Israelis at a scale never seen before.
But two countries at once was not enough for the president. He further brought Morocco to the peace table with Israel and, in an unimaginable move, he brokered peace between Israel and Sudan. Sadly, the price of peace may have been too much for Sudanese radicals, as the peace-making government in Khartoum was overthrown in a coup d’etat. But lasting peace between Israel and three Arab countries has stood the rocky test of time over the past five years.
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About the Washington Reporter
We created the Washington Reporter to give Republicans in Congress an outlet for insights to help you succeed, and to cover the toughest policy fights that don't get the attention they deserve.
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