Here is the Heritage Take on the top issues today.
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Cash to Illegal Immigration Is the New Low in Biden’s Open-Borders Push – The Biden administration already has the worst record on immigration and border security in American history. But contemplating $450,000 payments to illegal aliens marks a new low. As Senator Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) has noted, the families of American soldiers who lose their lives fighting for our country get only $100,000. The amount an illegal-alien family receives could even far exceed the awards given to some 9/11 victims’ families, who were permanently separated from the loved ones when terrorists attacked our country. Experts: Mike Howell or Lora Ries

China builds mockups of U.S. Navy ships in area used for missile target practice – China's military has built mockups in the shape of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and other U.S. warships, possibly as training targets, in the desert of Xinjiang, satellite images by Maxar showed on Sunday. These mockups reflect China's efforts to build up anti-carrier capabilities, specifically against the U.S. Navy, as tensions remain high with Washington over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Expert: Brent Sadler

Xi Jinping is about to cement his hold on power in China – Those in Washington wondering how long they will have to put up with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his hardline policies are about to get a hint that they probably won’t like. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is holding its sixth plenary session of the 19th CCP Central Committee (Sixth Plenum) Nov. 8-11. On the agenda is a review of a historical resolution that is likely to further cement Xi’s hold on power and establish him as China’s paramount leader for years to come. Expert: Michael Cunningham

Democrats’ Bill shows How Not to Get Affordable, Innovative Prescription Drugs – So, the “price” for these drug price controls will end up being less discounting in Medicare drug plans and fewer low-priced generic competitors. A fundamentally different approach is needed. Rather than layering on more counterproductive government regulation, Congress should address government policies driving up prescription drug costs and making it harder to get drugs to market effectively. Expert: Ed Haislmaier

Future of Schools and Critical Race Theory After Youngkin’s Victory – In the wake of this most recent election, lawmakers should not only consider why the majority of votes were cast in a certain way, but how to govern well. A course is already marked that will protect children from racial discrimination in schools due to the application of critical race theory. Legislators would do well to follow it. Expert: Jonathon Butcher 

Were Biden’s Claims at COP26 Climate Change Summit Accurate? –  I think an environmentally resilient future is one in which our country’s finances are in good order, Americans aren’t crushed under the burden of federal debt and regulation, innovators have freedom from cronyism to develop their ideas and export those to the world. The choice between a healthy environment and economic growth is a false one, and instead these two are mutually achievable. Expert: Katie Tubb

With So-Called Build Back Better Bill, Socialist Health Care Agenda Is Closer Than You Think – Despite claims that negotiations among Democrats are leading to a smaller and less radical proposal, the latest version of the “Build Back Better” tax-and-spend bill still represents a massive government expansion in health care. As a matter of fact, almost all of the original health care provisions in the $3.5 trillion package remain in place and a full-blown government takeover remains in sight. Expert: Nina Schaefer

Democrats Are Planning to Give Wealthy Taxpayers a Huge Windfall of Cash – What the state and local tax deduction actually does is allow liberal state and local lawmakers who prefer bigger governments to raise taxes and shift up to a third of the cost onto federal taxpayers in other states. It’s not surprising to see which lawmakers are lobbying hardest for this provision when you consider the average state and local income and property taxes imposed on millionaires across the states are two to nine times as high in New York, New Jersey, and California as in Texas, Florida, Arizona, and West Virginia. Expert: Rachel Greszler