INTERNACIONAL
SCOOP: Biden-era grant program described as ‘gold bar’ scheme by Trump EPA administrator under scrutiny
FIRST ON FOX: Republicans in Congress are launching a probe into a Biden-era green energy grant program that sent billions in funding to climate groups tied to Democrats and former President Joe Biden’s allies.
GOP leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters to the eight nonprofits awarded grants from the $20 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), seeking answers to ensure the Biden Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) followed proper ethics and conflict of interest protocols in distributing the funds.
In February, the Trump administration’s EPA announced it would take steps to get the money back, citing concerns over a lack of oversight related to how the money was being disbursed. In the announcement, new EPA administrator Lee Zeldin cited comments from a former Biden EPA political appointee, who described disbursements made through GGRF as akin to «tossing gold bars off the Titanic,» because Biden officials were allegedly trying to get money out the door before Trump took over.
EPA ADMINISTRATOR ROLLS BACK 31 BIDEN-ERA REGULATIONS
A flag with the United States Environmental Protection Agency logo flies at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)
It was also revealed that $2 billion from GGRF went to a Stacy Abrams-linked group, Power Forward Communities, which had not been established until after the Biden administration announced the GGRF application process. Meanwhile, during Power Forward’s first few months of operations – prior to receiving the funding – the group reported just $100 in revenue.
Climate United, another group that received the most money from the GGRF, roughly $7 billion, currently staffs a former Biden climate advisor who worked during the last two years of the former president’s term. The same group is also run by a CEO with ties to the Obama administration and a board member who was among those invited to Biden’s signing ceremony for his multitrillion-dollar infrastructure bill in 2021.
Several GGRF grant recipients have ties to Democrats and Biden advisors, and some were reportedly founded shortly before or after the Biden administration announced the program. Meanwhile, these groups, according to Zeldin, had sole discretion on how to use the funds.
COMER PROBES NGOS THAT RECEIVED $20B IN BIDEN EPA GRANTS DESPITE ALMOST NO REVENUE: ‘SHADY DEAL’
Stacey Abrams is linked to a climate group that was granted $2 billion by the Biden administration. (Getty Images)
House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., alongside fellow committee members Reps. Gary Palmer of Alabama and Morgan Griffith of Virginia, both Republicans, said in a joint statement that their investigation into the GGRF recipients will be «key» to understanding whether these funds were allocated «fairly and impartially to qualified applicants,» while also helping to determine the manner in which the money has been used.
«The Committee has had concerns about the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program since its creation—including concerns about the program’s unusual structure, a potential lack of due diligence in selecting award recipients, and the recipients’ ability to manage the large influx of federal dollars they received from the EPA,» the lawmakers said in their statement.
«A recent Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing that examined these concerns coupled with the speed with which money was pushed out the door by the Biden Administration’s EPA heightened the Committee’s concerns and raised additional questions about certain Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund recipients.»
LEE ZELDIN STANDS FIRM ON EFFORTS TO CLAW BACK BIDEN-ERA EPA FUNDING: ‘I’M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE’
House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., left, alongside fellow committee members Reps. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., right, and Morgan Griffith, R-Va., said in a joint statement that their investigation into the GGRF recipients will be «key» to understanding whether the funds were allocated «fairly and impartially to qualified applicants,» while also helping to determine the manner in which the money has been used. (GETTY IMAGES/FOX NEWS)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Several of the groups that were recipients of GGRF money sued the Trump administration in March over its attempts to rake back the funds.
Subsequently, Obama-appointed Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order preventing the EPA from freezing $14 billion in GGRF funds awarded to three of the climate groups.
The Associate Press contributed to this report.
Investigations,Joe Biden,House Of Representatives,Politics
Actitud
Reflejo
INTERNACIONAL
HHS probing hospital over firing of nurse who blew whistle on minors getting gender treatments
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is probing «a major pediatric teaching hospital» over the alleged firing of a nurse who sought a religious exemption to avoid administering puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children.
«The Department will robustly enforce federal laws protecting these courageous whistleblowers, including laws that protect healthcare professionals from being forced to violate their religious beliefs or moral convictions,» Acting HHS OCR Director Anthony Archeval said in a statement.
While HHS has not confirmed the hospital’s identity, it is believed to be Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH) — the largest children’s hospital in the U.S. — as the investigation follows whistleblower nurse Vanessa Sivadge’s testimony on Capitol Hill. Sivadge first came forward publicly in June 2024 and was later fired in August 2024.
Protesters during a rally at Churchill Square in support of trans youth in Alberta following the ‘Sing With Love’ concert at McDougall United Church, on Feb. 11, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
DEMS SPAR WITH WHISTLEBLOWER WHO EXPOSED CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR PERFORMING TRANS SURGERIES ON MINORS
Sivadge told lawmakers that she had witnessed «disturbing trends and concerning practices» relating to the treatment of children diagnosed with gender dysphoria. She also said that she «observed the powerful and irreversible effects» of treatments that patients were told were «lifesaving.»
«I witnessed firsthand how doctors emotionally blackmailed parents by telling them that if they did not affirm their child’s false identity, their child would harm themselves. In particular, I was saddened to see young girls suffering from profound mental health struggles like depression and anxiety, many of whom had also suffered sexual abuse or trauma, persuaded by doctors at Texas Children’s that a hormone would resolve their gender confusion,» Sivadge told lawmakers.
Dr. Eithan Haim speaks to the media after appearing for an arraignment hearing Monday, June 17, 2024, in Houston. Haim, who calls himself a whistleblower on transgender care for minors has been indicted on federal charges of illegally obtaining private information on patients who were not under his care, with intent to cause harm to the nation’s largest pediatric hospital. He has pleaded not guilty. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
HOSPITALS WARNED THEY MUST PROTECT CHILDREN FROM CHEMICAL AND SURGICAL MUTILATION: HHS AGENCY MEMO
Dr. Eithan Haim, who was accused of violating HIPAA while in surgical training at Baylor College of Medicine, which is affiliated with TCH, also blew the whistle on the hospital for «lying about the existence of its transgender program.» The Biden DOJ brought charges against Haim for the alleged HIPAA violations, but the case was ultimately dropped under the Trump administration.
Haim claimed the hospital was engaging in fraudulent billing practices to hide the fact that it was carrying out transgender procedures on minors even though it was against Texas law. This included recording mastectomies as «breast reduction» surgeries and billing testosterone prescribed to a teen girl under a male diagnosis.
HHS memo reminds hospitals and providers about Trump’s policies forbidding child mutilation. (Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
In her testimony, Sivadge said that federal agents came to her home when investigating the whistleblower, now known to be Haim, because of her objections to transgender medicine. She described the interaction as intimidating and said that one of the special agents «effectively asked me to compromise my Christian beliefs and made veiled threats regarding my career and safety if I didn’t comply with their demands.»
Sivadge’s attorney filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on April 11, alleging that she «observed TCH doctors, after very little deliberation or critical analysis, embarking children on dangerous and often irreversible courses of ‘gender-affirming’ treatment.»
According to the complaint, TCH «temporarily» paused «gender-affirming services» for minors after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in February 2022 that such treatments could constitute child abuse. The treatments were banned in the state following the passage of a bill in May 2023, which went into effect in September 2023. According to Sivadge’s attorney, she asked to be transferred back to cardiology in May 2024, citing her religious beliefs.
Sivadge publicly blew the whistle on TCH on June 18, 2024, and was asked not to report to work the next day, according to the complaint. Just days later, on June 21, she was placed on administrative leave and was officially terminated in August 2024. TCH alleged that the termination of her employment was due to improper access to medical records.
On Jan. 28, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the «Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation» order, which prevents minors from undergoing transgender treatments. In accordance with this order, HHS has issued guidelines for prospective whistleblowers.
Fox News has reached out to TCH and HHS for comment.
Healthcare,Health,Donald Trump,Children’s Health,Health Policies
INTERNACIONAL
Ucrania y Estados Unidos quieren cerrar el acuerdo de explotación de minerales antes del 26 de abril
Ucrania y Estados Unidos aspiran a finalizar el acuerdo de explotación de recursos minerales antes del próximo 26 de abril y firmarlo “cuanto antes” a partir de esa fecha, según el texto del memorando de intención firmado la víspera y publicado este viernes por el Ministerio de Economía ucraniano.
Para ello, el primer ministro ucraniano, Denís Shmigal, viajará la próxima semana a la capital estadounidense para reunirse con el secretario del Tesoro de EEUU, Scott Bessent.
Según dijo este viernes el viceministro de Economía de Ucrania y representante comercial, Taras Kachká, la delegación ucraniana llegará en concreto el próximo jueves en Washington.
El fin del viaje es concluir las discusiones técnicas sobre el fondo de inversión para la reconstrucción de Ucrania que se creará en el marco del acuerdo.
Los equipos negociadores deben informar sobre los progresos antes del 26 de abril, con la intención de “completar las conversaciones para esa fecha y firmar cuanto antes” el acuerdo, según consta en el texto del memorando.
Kachká señaló que todo depende de cuán constructivo será el diálogo la próxima semana, pero el proyecto de acuerdo incluye “decenas de páginas” y algunos de los puntos más sensibles que no se podrán resolver a nivel técnico requerirán decisiones políticas.
Después la firma, la Rada Suprema (Parlamento) de Ucrania y el Congreso de EEUU deben aprobarlo.
El memorándum recoge que EEUU y Ucrania “pretenden establecer un fondo de inversión en la reconstrucción como parte de una alianza económica entre las dos poblaciones y los dos gobiernos”.
“Esperamos que el fondo se convierta en un instrumento eficaz para atraer inversiones en la reconstrucción de nuestro país, la modernización de la infraestructura, el apoyo a empresas y la creación de nuevas oportunidades económicas”, escribió el jueves en su cuenta de la red social X la ministra ucraniana de Economía, Yulia Sviridenko.
La ministra consideró “muy importante” que el memorándum recoja el “deseo de los estadounidenses de invertir con los ucranianos en una Ucrania libre, soberana y segura”.
En el texto se recoge que EEUU ha aportado una importante ayuda financiera y material a Ucrania desde la invasión rusa a gran escala en febrero de 2022 y reafirma que ambas partes buscan “una paz duradera” y una “fuerte alianza entre sus gentes y gobiernos”.
EEUU y Ucrania reconocen además la contribución de Ucrania “al fortalecimiento de la paz y la seguridad internacionales a través del abandono voluntario del tercer mayor arsenal nuclear” por parte de Kiev en 1994 en el Memorando de Budapest.
Otro punto importante para Ucrania era dejar claro que quiere evitar conflictos con sus compromisos y sus obligaciones con la Unión Europea (UE) en su camino hacia la adhesión, al igual que con las instituciones financieras internacionales y otros acreedores públicos.
El memorando sienta las bases para una futura cooperación en la explotación de recursos minerales ucranianos con la que EEUU quiere recuperar la ayuda prestada a Ucrania para hacer frente a Rusia.
El acuerdo preliminar, que se debía haber firmado en la fallida visita del presidente ucraniano, Volodimir Zelensky, a la Casa Blanca del 28 de febrero, preveía la creación de un fondo de inversión conjunto dominado por EEUU en el que se depositaría el 50% de los beneficios que genere la explotación de los recursos naturales ucranianos.
Aunque el acuerdo marco nunca llegó a firmarse, Washington presentó a Kiev a finales de marzo un nuevo documento con más detalles que pretendía obligar a Ucrania a reconocer como deuda el monto de la ayuda militar recibida como donación de EEUU.
Zelensky dejó claro que no aceptaría esta condición y, según medios ucranianos y estadounidenses, EEUU habría aceptado en las negociaciones eliminar algunas de las condiciones más desfavorables para Ucrania.
Kachká explicó que, no obstante, EEUU “ganará al menos tanto como la asistencia aportada” mediante ese fondo de inversión.
(Con información de EFE)
donald trump
Atención jubilados: qué hará el Gobierno para cumplir con la reforma previsional que exige el FMI
En plena ola de críticas, el problema que puede dejar a Mbappé sin final de Copa del Rey
Nintendo da una mala noticia a los jugadores y confirma que habrá un aumento de precios en Estados Unidos, pero sólo en accesorios de Switch 2
Cúneo Libarona apuntó contra Federici tras la polémica por la UIF: “Usaron el organismo para perseguir opositores”
Recuerdos de la pandemia: Los «negros del ataúd» cumplen cinco años
Los precios y un mensaje urgente para «Súper Caputo»: más allá de los alimentos, fuertes aumentos en otros rubros
Escándalo en EANA: Controladores denuncian abusos y amenazas de la PSA
PETA, animal rights groups praise Trump admin for phasing out ‘cruel tests on dogs’ and other animals
Cristina Kirchner dice que «no puede subsistir» sin su jubilación de privilegio y no consigue un juez que se la restituya
Andrés Malamud: “El tuit de Cristina es una confirmación de que es una minoría”
Mauricio Macri respaldó al Gobierno por ponerle fin al cepo, pero advirtió que “habrá una devaluación”
El peronismo busca modificar la ley que limita las reelecciones indefinidas de legisladores en PBA
Bolivia repite el guion del terrorismo de Estado electoral visto en Nicaragua y Venezuela
El presidente de Bolivia, Luis Arce, al atender a la prensa este lunes, 7 de abril, en La Paz (Bolivia)...
Marcelo Peretta lanzó su candidatura con fuertes críticas a la clase política: “La Legislatura sólo sirve
El sindicalista farmacéutico Marcelo Peretta oficializó su candidatura a legislador porteño con un encendido discurso en el que no ahorró...
Lo litigado, obliga: por qué Bolivia debe cumplir la decisión de la ONU sobre Luis Fernando Camacho
Luis Fernando Camacho (AP Foto/Juan Karita/Archivo) Esta semana, el Ministro de Justicia y el Procurador General del Estado de Bolivia...
-
POLITICA2 días agoEscándalo en EANA: Controladores denuncian abusos y amenazas de la PSA
-
POLITICA3 días agoEl peronismo busca modificar la ley que limita las reelecciones indefinidas de legisladores en PBA
-
ECONOMIA2 días ago«El que apuesta al dólar pierde»: el precio al que apunta Milei para ganarle la pulseada al mercado