Connect with us

INTERNACIONAL

Senate weathers Dem opposition, advances first government funding bill

Published

on


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Senate Republicans and Democrats advanced the first set of spending bills through the upper chamber, despite signals from Democrats that they may block the government funding process.

Advertisement

In the days and weeks leading up to the vote, Senate Democrats warned that Republicans’ passage of highly partisan bills, like President Donald Trump’s $9 billion clawback package, had eaten away at the trust that girds the appropriations process.

DEMS SEEK RETALIATION OVER GOP CUTS AS THUNE CALLS FOR ‘COOPERATION’ ON FUNDING VOTE

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., heads to the Senate Chamber to vote on a bill on Jan. 22, 2025, in Washington. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

Advertisement

Still, after meeting behind closed-doors Tuesday afternoon, Democrats ultimately provided enough votes to advance the bill, which would fund military construction and the VA. The vote allows for lawmakers to make amendments and debate the bill.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after the meeting that Democrats were still gunning for a bipartisan spending deal, effectively opening the door for his conference to back the spending bill package for now. 

«We’re working together to get one,» Schumer said. «But the bottom line is, Republicans are making it much harder. Rescissions, impoundment, pocket rescissions directly undoes this.» 

Advertisement

The bill advanced on a 90 to 8 vote, with Schumer and the majority of Senate Democrats joining every Republican to open debate on the bill.

Democrats were largely frustrated with the passage of Trump’s rescissions package last week, which slashed funding from foreign aid and public broadcasting, arguing that doing so dissolved trust between the parties when it came to crafting spending bills.

CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS FACE BRUISING BATTLE TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Advertisement
Chuck Schumer

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Reuters)

They argued that reaching an agreement on a funding bill, only to see their priorities later stripped out through rescissions, shattered confidence in their Republican colleagues to stick to their word.

«There’s no doubt,» Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., a high-ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told Fox News Digital. «I mean, someone does one thing one day and undoes it the next day, that obviously creates issues with trust.»

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., opted to call his counterparts’ bluff, and put the bill on the floor. Failure to advance the the legislation could have signaled a rocky road ahead for funding the government and beating the Sept. 30 deadline to avert a partial government shutdown.

Advertisement

«Democrats have indicated that they’re so upset over a rescissions bill last week, which, by the way, cut one tenth of 1% of all federal spending, that somehow they could use that to shut down the appropriations process and therefore shut down the government,» Thune said. 

«We think that would be a big mistake, and hopefully they will think better of it and work with us, and we’re trying to give them what they’ve been asking for, [which] is a bipartisan appropriations process,» he continued.

Prior to the vote, Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, urged passage of the bill through the procedural hurdle, and noted that when she and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the panel, took the helm of the committee, they «committed to working together» on spending bills.  

Advertisement

She noted that when Democrats controlled the chamber, lawmakers didn’t get the same opportunity to consider spending bills, but acknowledged that it was still a «challenging legislative environment.»

«This is a fundamental responsibility of Congress, and I want to express my gratitude to Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Thune, for giving us the opportunity to bring the first of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills to the Senate floor,» she said.

‘ALL THE OPTIONS’: GOP EYES CUTTING AUGUST RECESS TO MOVE DOZENS OF TRUMP NOMINEES STALLED BY DEMS

Advertisement
Sen. John Fetterman closeup shot

Sen. John Fetterman during the sixth installment of The Senate Project moderated by FOX NEWS anchor Shannon Bream at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate on June 2, 2025, in Boston. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

But, passage of the first bill, and the ensuing amendment process leading to a final vote, does not guarantee that the appropriations process will go smoothly before the deadline hits in the next couple of months.

Congress has not passed spending bills through a process called regular order since the late 1990s and has typically relied on short government funding extensions, known as continuing resolutions, and year-end, colossal spending packages, known as omnibuses, to keep the lights on in Washington.

Disagreements over funding levels between the Senate and House, coupled with lingering questions about whether Schumer will continue to play ball with Republicans, could tee up another showdown around the September deadline.

Advertisement

Schumer said that he would have a confab with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and the top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations committees, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Murray, «to discuss the appropriations process in both the House and the Senate in the weeks ahead.» 

«With so much hard work ahead, the government funding deadline only less than 25 legislative days away, Republicans should be focused on working with us to deliver for American families,» he said. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Advertisement

Sen. John Fetterman, who earlier this year voted with Republicans and a handful of his Democratic colleagues to thwart a partial government shutdown, had a stern message for Senate Democrats that may want to obstruct the government funding process.

«I will never, ever vote to shut our government down,» the Pennsylvania Democrat told Fox News Digital. «That’s a core responsibility. And now we may not like a lot of these changes to things, and I don’t, but I’m saying that’s the way that democracy works.»

«And now shutting the government down, how could you do that and plunge our country into chaos,» he continued. 

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

INTERNACIONAL

Fiscal estadounidense busca averiguar qué más sabe Ghislaine Maxwell del caso Epstein: se reunirán pronto

Published

on



El fiscal general adjunto de los Estados Unidos, Todd Blanche, reveló este martes que inició los contactos para reunirse en la cárcel con la expareja del financista Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, para averiguar «¿Qué sabe?» en concreto en la trama de delitos sexuales que los llevaron a prisión y que salpicó a empresarios, nobles y dirigentes políticos de ese país y Europa.

El anuncio del segundo en ranking jerárquico del Departamento de Justicia obtuvo el visto bueno del presidente Donald Trump que consideró «apropiada» la medida, en medio del revuelo que sigue generando el caso.

Advertisement

«Nadie está por encima de la ley y ninguna pista está descartada», advirtió Blanche en el posteo que publicó este martes en redes sociales que generó sorpresa cuando informó que «por primera vez, el Departamento de Justicia contacta a Ghislaine Maxwell para preguntarle: ¿Qué sabe?».

Maxwell que tiene ciudadanía británica, francesa y estadounidense cumple una condena a 20 años de prisión como aparente cómplice y captadora en la trama de delitos de abuso sexuales con menores de edad por la cual también había sido sentenciado Epstein, quien terminó muerto en la cárcel en 2019 «por suicidio», según las autoridades.

Advertisement

«Por orden de (la fiscal general) Pam Bondi, he contactado a su abogado. Tengo la intención de reunirme con ella pronto», afirmó el adjunto.

La fiscal Bondi, cuyo accionar siempre es destacado por Trump, fue cuestionada recientemente por no cumplir su promesa de publicar toda la evidencia de los delitos que se le adjudican a Epstein, luego de que en un encuentro en la Casa Blanca se repartieran a influencers copias de la investigación en las que se esperaba encontrar un listado de celebridades afines al magnate que nunca apareció.

Blanche remarcó que tras hablar con el abogado de Maxwell tenía «la intención de reunirme con ella pronto. Nadie está por encima de la ley y ninguna pista está descartada«.

Advertisement

Además, en otro posteo en X, señaló que si Maxwell «tiene información sobre cualquier persona que haya cometido delitos contra víctimas, el FBI y el Departamento de Justicia escucharán lo que ella tenga que decir«.

Advertisement

En agosto de 2024, Blanche como abogado había defendido a Donald Trump ante los estados de Nueva York por las acusaciones que le había hecho una joven estrella porno por un supuesto contrato irregular con el magnate que llegó dos veces a la Presidencia.

El abogado de Maxwell, David Oscar Markus, confirmó que el contacto oficial y, según la cadena CNN, afirmó que su clienta «siempre testificará con veracidad».

Poco después del anuncio, Trump afirmó en una rueda de prensa en la Casa Blanca que no tenía conocimiento de la decisión de Blanche pero que le parece una acción «apropiada».

Advertisement

Y, volvió a cargar contra las críticas que recibe por el manejo del caso como la «continuación de la cacería de brujas» a la que dice ser sujeto.

El manejo del caso Epstein ha creado una inesperada crisis entre los miembros del movimiento Make America Great Again (MAGA) del presidente Trump, después de que el FBI y el Departamento de Justicia concluyeran en una investigación que el financiero no contaba con una «lista de clientes» famosos para chantajear y confirmaran su muerte por suicidio en 2019.

Los simpatizantes del presidente manifestaron su insatisfacción con la Administración del republicano, que había prometido en campaña publicar dicha lista, una supuesta agenda de cómplices de Epstein que incluiría a celebridades y políticos influyentes que ha sido por años el centro de numerosas teorías de conspiración de la ultraderecha.

Advertisement

Trump, quien ha defendido «el gran trabajo» de Bondi, ordenó al Departamento de Justicia divulgar todas las pruebas «creíbles» del caso para aplacar a su base.

«Este DOJ no rehuye las verdades incómodas, ni la responsabilidad de buscar justicia dondequiera que los hechos lo requieran», agregó este martes Blanche, quien defendió la validez de los hallazgos del DOJ y el FBI.

Y, remarcó que «en la reciente revisión exhaustiva de los archivos del FBI en el caso Epstein, no se descubrió ninguna prueba que permitiera iniciar una investigación contra terceros no acusados«.

Advertisement

La polémica sobre el caso fue avivada la semana pasada con la publicación por The Wall Street Journal de una supuesta carta de contenido «obsceno» enviada por Trump a Epstein durante los años en los que eran amigos, algo que el presidente ha negado categóricamente diciendo la nota es «falsa».

SMB con información de EFE



Estados Unidos,Jeffrey Epstein,Donald Trump,Últimas Noticias

Advertisement
Continue Reading

INTERNACIONAL

Ante la corrupción en el Ejército, el régimen de Xi Jinping recurre a la propaganda para contener la descomposición interna

Published

on


Ante la corrupción en el Ejército, el régimen de Xi Jinping recurre a la propaganda para contener la descomposición interna (REUTERS/Jason Lee/Archivo)

El Ejército Popular de Liberación (EPL) de China intensificó esta semana su campaña ideológica interna con la publicación de un editorial que insta a los cuadros políticos militares a “decir la verdad” y “enfrentar los problemas de frente”. El mensaje, difundido en el Diario del EPL, órgano oficial de las Fuerzas Armadas, forma parte de una estrategia propagandística que busca contener el desgaste institucional tras los múltiples escándalos de corrupción que han sacudido a la cúpula militar.

El ocultamiento de los problemas o el maquillaje de la realidad reflejan un carácter partidario impuro y motivaciones egoístas”, advierte el texto, publicado sin firma individual, pero atribuido a un comentarista oficial del diario. El artículo exige a los funcionarios políticos del Ejército —encargados de aplicar la línea ideológica del Partido Comunista— actuar con “moralidad e integridad” en un contexto marcado por purgas internas, ausencia de información y la caída de varios altos mandos por corrupción.

Advertisement

Los cuadros, sostiene el editorial, deben ser “luchadores, no caballeros”, una formulación que refuerza la visión autoritaria del régimen sobre el papel del liderazgo militar. Se invoca además la figura de Mao Zedong y otros líderes revolucionarios para legitimar la necesidad de “predicar con el ejemplo” en medio de lo que el propio texto califica como “riesgos superpuestos” para el Ejército.

La publicación llega apenas dos días después de que la Comisión Militar Central (CMC), máximo órgano castrense de China, emitiera nuevas directrices para reconstruir la credibilidad de las Fuerzas Armadas. El documento, también difundido por el Diario del EPL, establece “líneas rojas políticas” y limitaciones en las interacciones sociales de los oficiales, con el objetivo explícito de frenar redes de favores y tráfico de influencias.

Se invoca además la figura
Se invoca además la figura de Mao Zedong y otros líderes revolucionarios para legitimar la necesidad de “predicar con el ejemplo” en medio de lo que el propio texto califica como “riesgos superpuestos” para el Ejército (EFE/WU HONG/Archivo)

Aunque no se mencionan nombres, ambos textos aparecen en medio del silencio oficial sobre el paradero y la situación legal de figuras como el general He Weidong, uno de los oficiales de más alto rango que ha desaparecido del espacio público sin explicación. Tampoco se ha informado sobre las causas reales que llevaron a la caída de los dos últimos ministros de Defensa, reemplazados en medio de investigaciones internas cuya existencia no ha sido formalmente reconocida por las autoridades.

La falta de transparencia, sumada a la sustitución del debido proceso por campañas ideológicas, ha sido una constante en la gestión del Ejército bajo el liderazgo de Xi Jinping. En lugar de una rendición de cuentas abierta, el régimen ha optado por reforzar el control político mediante discursos de moral partidaria, publicaciones anónimas y referencias simbólicas a la historia del Partido.

Advertisement

La coincidencia entre el tono del editorial y las nuevas normas disciplinarias revela un patrón habitual en el sistema de propaganda del Partido Comunista Chino: el uso de medios oficiales para ejercer presión indirecta, consolidar el poder de la jerarquía política y silenciar cualquier forma de disidencia dentro del aparato militar.

Aunque no se mencionan nombres,
Aunque no se mencionan nombres, ambos textos aparecen en medio del silencio oficial sobre el paradero y la situación legal de figuras como el general He Weidong (izq), uno de los oficiales de más alto rango que ha desaparecido del espacio público sin explicación (REUTERS/Thomas Peter)

Lejos de ser un gesto de reforma, el llamado a la “honradez” y a la “verdad” se produce en un entorno donde la verdad institucional se decide desde arriba, sin mecanismos independientes ni espacio para el escrutinio público. En ese contexto, las apelaciones a la lealtad, la disciplina y la “pureza ideológica” funcionan como herramientas de blindaje para un régimen que prioriza la estabilidad política frente a la rendición de cuentas.

(Con información de EFE)

Advertisement
Continue Reading

INTERNACIONAL

ICE chief warns AI technology could lead to safety risks for agents: ‘Fringe organizations’

Published

on


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Far-left organizations could be using artificial intelligence and other technology to reveal the identity of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Advertisement

Lyons’ remarks come as Democrats in Congress recently proposed the VISIBLE Act, which would require clear identification of ICE agents and prevent masking of federal immigration authorities in public-facing circumstances.

«If legislation passes to try to unmask ICE agents, they are not allowed to wear them, it runs the risk of agitators, different groups, you know, these fringe organizations using reverse technology, AI, to try to dox their families, try to get their identity, their home addresses,»  Lyons said of the reaction from agents on the ground. «We’ve heard elected officials say there shouldn’t be any rest for ICE agents or their families.

«So they’re definitely concerned about that. They’re also concerned about their own well-being when they go out to effectuate these arrests because now we have to send more officers out into the communities because where we can send four or five to make arrests in the past, now we had to send up to eight or 10 just to protect the four that are making the arrests of one individual.»

Advertisement

MASSACHUSETTS BILL WOULD FORCE ICE AGENTS TO UNMASK

Residents surround federal and Border Patrol agents after an immigrant raid on Atlantic Boulevard in Bell, Calif., June 19, 2025.  (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

He added that the safety risk does require more resources when conducting arrests. When ICE was conducting operations in Los Angeles in June, President Donald Trump sent in the California National Guard to the city with the goal of protecting agents and quelling riots. That move was legally challenged by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Advertisement

«The Marines are withdrawing. This is another win for Los Angeles,» Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass posted to X Monday.

ICE agents have faced an 830% increase in assaults since last year, according to DHS. However, proponents of the VISIBLE Act have said it’s nessescary for accountability.

«For weeks, Americans have watched federal agents with no visible identification detain people off the streets and instill fear in communities across the country,» Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, said in a statement July 8. 

Advertisement

«Reports of individuals impersonating ICE officers have only increased the risk to public and officer safety. The lack of visible identification and uniform standards for immigration enforcement officers has created confusion, stoked fear and undermined public trust in law enforcement.»

DHS FIRES BACK AT DEMOCRATS FOR ‘BEYOND THE PALE’ RHETORIC AS ICE AGENTS FACE WAVE OF VIOLENT THREATS

10 suspects charged in Alvarado ICE ambush

Ten suspects were charged with attempted murder of a federal officer in an alleged July 4, 2025, ambush attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.  (Johnson County Sheriff’s Office)

«Assault could be anything from resisting arrest where they assault the officers, whether they’re kicking, grabbing officers. It could be something as dramatic as what we saw in Alvarado, Texas, where we had local police ambushed with firearms,» Lyons said.

Advertisement

«You saw it during the recent marijuana grow farm raid operation, where we had an individual firing a handgun at ICE officers, rocks thrown at them. It’s everything from verbal assault to physical assault to threats of bodily harm, deadly force. It’s run the whole gamut.»

Authorities have charged 12 people in an alleged anti-ICE attack at the Prairieland Detention Center on Independence Day, including ten for alleged attempted murder of federal officers and gun offenses. Reports have indicated that some planning occurred through a Signal group chat, and Lyons noted that this was likely planned by the Dallas area activists for some time.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE

Advertisement
ICE riots LA

«Death to ICE» is written on a garbage cart after multiple detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in downtown Los Angeles June 6, 2025.  (Reuters/Daniel Cole)

«Well, the FBI is doing a great job investigating it as a whole organized event,» Lyons said. «So, you saw where it was actually organized with social media, where you have organized people in a typical L-shaped ambush where you had escape vehicles. So, without getting too much into what the Department of Justice and the FBI do, there is definitely evidence that this was planned for a while, and it wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment protest. These were agitators focused on assaulting law enforcement officers and assaulting ICE.»

In terms of facing these coordinated efforts, the director said it’s a matter of planning and looking at the information available before conducting an operation.

ACTING ICE DIRECTOR CALLS MAYOR WU’S NEO-NAZI COMPARISON ‘DISGUSTING’ AMID INCREASE IN AGENT ASSAULTS

Advertisement
ice agents

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents look over lists of names and their hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse before making arrests June 27, 2025, in New York. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)

«What we’re doing is definitely working with all of our federal partners as well as the state partners that do coordinate with us what we use and all the intelligence that we have at our disposal to go ahead and try to find out as much about these groups and as much as about these organizations and these planned events that we can to let our officers and agents know in the field prior to going out,» Lyons said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

«So, we wanna make sure that officers are fully aware of what the situations they’re getting into, but we are also making sure that we’re properly staffed when we go out.»

Advertisement

In addition, he said recent funding from  the «big, beautiful bill» would be to try to bring back personnel that «retired early» under the Biden administration and look at veterans and officials at the local and state levels who «already have the training» to «beef up» staffing at the agency. 

Continue Reading

LO MAS LEIDO

Tendencias