Washington Reporter Rep. Mike Rogers gets major reinforcements, Sen. Tom Cotton
helps ODNI Bill Pulte out, Rep. Tim Moore wants to reform home ownership, and
more! Rep. Mike Rogers gets major reinforcements, Sen. Tom Cotton helps ODNI
Bill Pulte out, Rep. Tim Moore wants to reform home ownership, and more! ‌ ‌ ‌
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June 25th, 2026


In This Edition

[1] INTERVIEW: The Electronic Payments Coalition’s Richard Hunt explains how
credit cards drive the economy
[2] Heard on the Hill
[3] EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Tim Moore uses National Homeownership Month to reform 529
savings plans
[4] EXCLUSIVE: Abdul El-Sayed is “too radical for Michigan,” new NRSC ad claims
[5] EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Tom Cotton blocks Democratic effort to undermine Director
Pulte’s DNI reform
[6] EXCLUSIVE: Seven-figure ad campaign pitches Mike Rogers as the superhero
Michigan needs
[7] SCOOP: Gov. Greg Gianforte wants anti-hunting activists to “stay out of
Montana”
[8] SCOOP: Sen. Alan Armstrong rolls out plan to “get America building again,”
flexing his industry clout on permitting reform
[9] OPINIONATED: Rep. Buddy Carter on why the Left needs to rediscover
patriotism,Mason Lynaugh about the importance of the CLARITY Act, and Dylan
Rosnick about OSHA regulations

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1 INTERVIEW The Electronic Payments Coalition’s Richard Hunt explains how
credit cards drive the economy By: Matthew Foldi When Richard Hunt started as
the executive chairman of the Electronic Payments Coalition (EPC), he committed
to doing the job for three months. Three years later, he is still running the
show, which has kept him at the forefront of one of the most contentious
battles on Capitol Hill: the fight to stop Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D., Ill.)
signature legislation, the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA). Hunt is one of
the most deeply-respected advocates in Washington, known for his bluntness, his
integrity, and his ability to use the entire advocacy ecosystem from public
affairs to lobbying.

In his latest interview with the Washington Reporter, Hunt noted that the
CCCA has lost almost all of its GOP support. When he assumed his role as the
head of EPC, future Vice President JD Vance was still supporting it. Now, he
said that the opposition remains “bipartisan.”

“There’s only one Republican United States senator who’s supportive of this,
and that is Roger Marshall,” he said. “I think there are one or two in the
United States House of Representatives out of 217, so there is great bipartisan
opposition to this bill.”

While Durbin is retiring at the end of this Congress, Hunt predicts other
Democratic Senators will pick up his baton if the bill remains unpassed. “I
think the corporate mega stores are doing everything they can to make sure that
this legacy of disaster, in my opinion, continues,” he said. Finish Reading →
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2 HEARD ON THE HILL Heard on the Hill THE MORE YOU KNOW: Congressional offices
received polling memos from Americans for Health Excellence about how voters
want action on the cost of health insurance. PLATNER PROBLEMS: Rep. Seth
Moulton (D., Mass.) knocked away a voter’s phone when asked if he would endorse
Graham Platner. DSA TAKEOVER: Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) is sounding alarm
bells about the Democrats’ primaries in New York. Fetterman called several of
the winners “Anti-Israel. Anti-America. Anti-Western Civilization.” Fetterman
noted that he is alone in his party in condemning them. “Why am I the only
Democrat in the U.S. Senate that refuses to excuse this or defend any of those
self-identified communists?” he asked. WFW WIN: Winning for Women won big in
South Carolina’s 1st District, where it was one of the first groups to back
Jenny Costa Honeycutt in the primary to succeed Rep. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.).
MILESTONE HIT: Gas prices are now averaging below $4 a gallon across most of
America. Businessman Steve Forbes has a prescription for how to keep it that
way. “Government interference will not lower gas prices,” Forbes noted.
“President Trump’s tax cuts, deregulation, and America First energy policies
are working. Gas is down 60 cents/gallon in a month to $3.93 according to the
AAA. Under Biden in June 2022? $4.94. That’s real money back in your pocket.”
RED LINE DRAWN: President Donald Trump said that it would be “unacceptable” for
Iran to levy “any kind of fees on shipping.” GUN RIGHTS WIN: The Supreme Court
struck down “Hawaii’s attempt to limit Second Amendment rights and end-run the
Bruen decision,” as Judicial Crisis Network’s Carrie Severino noted. NEW GIG:
Rep. Brian Jack (R., Ga.) told theWashington Reporter that he’s excited to see
his former colleague, Kamran Daravi, join Thorn Run Partners. BIG BIRTHDAY WEEK:
Happy birthday to Savannah Russell, Steven Cheung, and Kaelan Deese! Share
This → <[link removed]>



3 EXCLUSIVE Rep. Tim Moore uses National Homeownership Month to reform 529
savings plans By: Matthew Foldi Rep. Tim Moore (R., N.C.) is spending National
Homeownership Month by working to reform America’s housing system.

In order to do that, Moore rolled out the Unlocking Homeownership Act
alongside Rep. Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.) that would allow first time homebuyers to
use funds from 529 savings plans without incurring any tax penalties. Their
bill was obtained first by theWashington Reporter.

Right now, 529 accounts are mainly used for certain education expenses, and
withdrawals from 529s are often subjected to taxes and penalties. If Moore and
Lawler get their way, that will be a thing of the past.

“Too many young families feel like homeownership is moving further out of
reach despite doing everything right,” Moore told theReporter. “This
legislation recognizes that Americans who have saved responsibly should have
more flexibility in how they use those savings when purchasing their first
home.” Finish Reading →
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4 EXCLUSIVE Abdul El-Sayed is “too radical for Michigan,” new NRSC ad claims
By: Matthew Foldi Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is surging in
some primary polls in Michigan, but he’s also gotten a spate of bad headlines
in recent weeks — and a new ad campaign obtained exclusively by theWashington
Reporter is going to follow him all around Michigan in the coming days.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is prebutting El-Sayed’s
upcoming statewide swing by releasing an ad urging voters to “reject Abdul
El-Sayed.”

“Too radical for Michigan,” the NRSC ad adds. “Too radical for the U.S.
Senate.”

The ad also hits El-Sayed for his ties to “anti-Israel radical Hasan Piker,”
for wanting to “abolish ICE,” and for “call[ing] to abolish private health
insurance and [for] championing socialist tax hikes with Senator Bernie
Sanders.” Finish Reading →
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5 EXCLUSIVE Sen. Tom Cotton blocks Democratic effort to undermine Director
Pulte’s DNI reform By: Washington Reporter Editors Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.)
on Wednesday successfullyblocked <[link removed]>
a Democratic effort to undermine the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence, arguing that ongoing reforms under Acting DNI Director Bill Pulte
should be allowed to continue without congressional interference.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Cotton defended efforts to shrink and
streamline the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which was
created after the September 11 attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence
agencies.

“The ODNI needs to be downsized and streamlined,” Cotton said, arguing that
the office has expanded well beyond its original mission and accumulated
unnecessary bureaucracy over the last two decades.

Cotton said he recently spoke with Acting DNI Director Bill Pulte and found
broad agreement on returning the office to its original size, scope, and
mission. According to Cotton, Pulte is working to move intelligence personnel
detailed to ODNI back to their home agencies and reduce layers of bureaucracy
that have developed over time. Finish Reading →
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6 EXCLUSIVE Seven-figure ad campaign pitches Mike Rogers as the superhero
Michigan needs By: Matthew Foldi In Michigan, Democrats are finding themselves
increasingly at odds with each other during a contentious and expensive Senate
primary. On the Republican side, former Rep. Mike Rogers (R., Mich.) has had
the field cleared for months thanks to an early endorsement from President
Donald Trump.

Now, Rogers is getting a seven-figure boost from Great Lakes Conservatives
Fund (GLCF), which argues in a new ad, obtained exclusively by theWashington
Reporter, that Rogers is just the superhero that Michigan needs.

GLCF’s new ad <[link removed]>, “Superpowers,”
builds off of the Buff Mike Rogers image that his campaign has been pitching,
ever since an AI meme of Rogers at a parade went supersonically viral.

“Can Mike Rogers leap tall buildings?” the Marvel-esque ad asks. “Maybe with
a running start. Can he bring jobs back to Michigan and make housing more
affordable? Yes. Michigan born and raised. Factory worker. Army veteran. Law
enforcement officer. Mike Rogers’s superpower is he understands Michigan
workers he’ll fight to bring jobs home, expand skilled trades training, and
build more housing. Michigan doesn’t need a superhero. We need a fighter. Like
Mike Rogers.” Finish Reading →
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7 SCOOP Gov. Greg Gianforte wants anti-hunting activists to “stay out of
Montana” By: Matthew Foldi Gov. Greg Gianforte (R., Mont.) is sounding the
alarm about a ballot measure in Oregon that he says could criminalize licensed
hunting and fishing, calling the proposal “absolutely crazy.” Gianforte, the
Chair of the Republican Governors Association (RGA), weighing in on Oregon
Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), elevates the measure, potentially causing a
headache for Portland Democrats.

“Did you hear what they’re trying to do in Oregon?” Gianforte said in a new
video obtained by theWashington Reporter. “They are literally trying to outlaw
hunting and fishing – that’s absolutely crazy. Here in Montana, hunting and
fishing is integral to our way of life. To all those Oregonians who want to
outlaw hunting and fishing, please stay out of Montana.”

IP28 would, if passed, eliminate fishing and hunting licenses and criminalize
hunters, fishers, anglers, trappers, farmers, and ranchers, because it would
remove exemptions from these activities from animal cruelty laws.

The measure is being pushed heavily by animal rights activists, but faces
local opposition from groups like the Oregon Hunters Association, which warns
that it would “remove legal exemptions protecting hunting, fishing, trapping,
and farming from Oregon’s animal abuse statutes — turning nearly one million
Oregonians into criminals.” The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
estimates that hunting and fishing generate almost $2 billion in economic
revenue for they state. Finish Reading →
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8 SCOOP Sen. Alan Armstrong rolls out plan to “get America building again,”
flexing his industry clout on permitting reform By: Matthew Foldi The newest
member of the Senate — someone most political insiders had never heard of three
months ago — flexed his industry clout with a full house on Capitol Hill for an
in-depth discussion on energy security and the urgent need for permitting
reform.

Just months ago, now-Sen. Alan Armstrong (R., Okla.), was the CEO of the
Williams Companies. But, he found himself serving as America’s newest senator
following then-Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s (R., Okla.) ascension to serve as the
new Secretary of Homeland Security. Throughout his event, he showed that he
knows what he’s talking about when it comes to oil and gas. Armstrong spent
nearly 40 years at Williams, starting as an engineer building pipelines in the
1980s, before spending the past 13 years as CEO.

That industry expertise sets Armstrong apart from all of his colleagues.
What’s remarkable is how he’s used that firsthand knowledge in his new role as
Oklahoma’s junior senator with a single-track focus on passing permitting
reform to help not only the oil and gas industry he came from, but also the
entire energy sector and critical infrastructure buildouts.

Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.), the Senate’s Majority Whip, said at
Armstrong’s event that he is “focused like a laser beam. Most senators are
focused like a disco ball, shining all over the place.” Finish Reading →
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9 OPINIONATED
Op-Ed: Rep. Buddy Carter: It is time for liberals to rediscover patriotism By:
Rep. Buddy Carter It might be a party in the USA, but not everyone is
celebrating.

As America marks our 250th anniversary, an interesting phenomenon is playing
out: World Cup tourists are falling in love with a nation that the Left
increasingly disdains.

For a party that consistently bemoans "privilege," their failure to see and
appreciate their own is becoming a defining story of this pivotal moment in our
nation’s history. Finish Reading →
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Op-Ed: Mason Lynaugh: Congress is getting market structure right. For millions
of Americans, now it’s time to get it done. By: Mason Lynaugh If the saying
“good things come to those who wait” is true, then the 52 million Americans who
own, build, or invest in digital assets are overdue for some very good things.

After months of negotiations on Capitol Hill, we’re on the verge of the
Senate scheduling a vote for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which would
finally provide the regulatory framework and clear “rules of the road” that the
American crypto community has been operating without for years. Finish Reading →

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Op-Ed: Dylan Rosnick: President Trump should protect small businesses from
invasive federal temperature mandates By: Dylan Rosnick 2025 was historic for
small businesses, highlighted by the 20 percent Small Business Deduction being
made permanent and the temporary relief from complying with the Beneficial
Ownership Information (BOI) reporting mandate.

Members of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) are
grateful for this tax certainty and regulatory relief, noting that these
accomplishments provide owners across the country with more flexibility to
confidently grow their small businesses — even as they continue to pressure
Congress to permanently repeal the BOI mandate and destroy all data already
submitted by U.S. businesses. Finish Reading →
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