Here is what conservatives need to know this week. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has released a new report that describes the disastrous economic effects of a $15 federal minimum wage. Also, the National Defense Authorization Act is being bogged down in partisan squabbling, with proposed amendments and budgeting items that constrict our military’s ability to act on current crises and prepare for future conflicts. In addition, The Heritage Foundation is launching a new video series with Sen. Rick Scott on exactly how the government wastes your money, and how we can fix it. Take notes, we have your conservative policy solutions right here. —Grace Garner

New report devastates the $15 minimum wage
The House of Representatives will likely vote on a federal $15 minimum wage this week, and a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office describes how devastating such regulation could be. Heritage research fellow Rachel Greszler explains, “The report confirms what even liberal economists caution: A $15 minimum wage would ‘risk undesirable and unintended consequences’ and lead to a survival-of-the-fittest labor market, where only the highest-skilled workers come out on top.” Read Greszler’s full description of the report.

Partisan posturing hinders defense bill
Historically, the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act passes with few issues. That record may be broken this year, putting the safety of our nation at risk. Proposed House amendments include measures that would prevent the Department of Defense from assisting with the border crisis and require the Pentagon to focus more of its limited resources on climate change. In addition, some portions of the act are simply a poor uses of funds, like funding the purchase of nonideal aircrafts and prohibiting allocation of funds for low-yield nuclear weapons. “This is a misguided approach that would weaken our defense in the near term,” explains Heritage expert Frederico Bartels. Read the full analyses on the NDAA from Heritage military experts James Carafano and Bartels.

Washington is wasting your money
In the first installment of this new video series on government waste, Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and Heritage Foundation expert Justin Bogie reveal how the U.S. government spent over $150 billion in improper payments last year alone, basically throwing that money out the window. “In 2018, the federal government actually paid out almost a billion dollars in Social Security benefits to people who were actually no longer living,” Bogie explains, in just one example of how our national debt and wasteful spending have become a huge problem. Watch the video.

This week on the Heritage Explains podcast, Lee Edwards, a leading conservative historian and Heritage's Distinguished Fellow in Conservative Thought, in the B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics, breaks down some of the fundamental principles of socialism that are carefully omitted by the mainstream media and the left. Listen to the podcast.

Tuesday at 10 a.m., Heritage will host a conversation with two former Islamic extremists about pathways in and out of Islamism. Featured speakers include Maajid Nawaz, founding chairman of Quilliam, and Mohammed Khalid, a counter-extremist activist. Watch the event.

Tuesday at noon, Heritage will co-host an event with the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women and James Wilson Institute about the Kavanaugh confirmation and the future of the Supreme Court. Featured speakers include “Justice in Trial” authors Carrie Severino and Mollie Hemingway. Watch the event.

Tuesday at 2 p.m., Heritage will host an event about the natural law foundation of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion in conjunction with the second annual International Religious Freedom Ministerial. The featured speaker is Robert George, McCormick professor of jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Watch the event.

Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., Heritage will host an event examining “Medicare for All.” Featured speakers include Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, ranking member on the subcommittee on health and Committee on Energy and Commerce for the United States House of Representatives, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., co-chairman of the Rural Health Care Coalition and Down Syndrome Caucus. Watch the event.

James Carafano, vice president of Heritage’s Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy and E.W. Richardson fellow, joined Fox News’ “America’s News HQ” to discuss the former Iran nuclear deal. Watch the interview.

Joel Griffith, a research fellow in Heritage’s Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, joined CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to discuss middle-class Americans compared to other country’s’ citizens. Watch the interview.

John Malcolm, vice president of Heritage’s Institute for Constitutional Government, joined Fox Business’ “The Evening Edit” to discuss the Mueller report. Watch the interview.

Rob Bluey, vice president of communications and executive editor for The Daily Signal, joined “Fox News @ Night” to discuss the president’s social media summit that he recently attended. Watch the interview.