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House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Sunday that he will deliver a bipartisan housing affordability bill to President Donald Trump on Monday, signaling that the legislation will move forward despite Trump’s recent refusal to sign it until Congress advances a separate voter ID proposal.

Speaking during a televised interview, the Louisiana Republican expressed confidence that the measure’s path to becoming law is now clear.

“It’s passed by both chambers. I’m sending it to him on Monday, and it will become law,” Johnson said.

The announcement comes just days after Trump unexpectedly canceled a planned White House signing ceremony for the housing bill. The president delayed action on the legislation in an effort to pressure congressional Republicans to pass the SAVE America Act, a controversial election security measure.

The proposed legislation would require voters to present photo identification in federal elections, require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, and direct states to provide their voter registration rolls to the federal government.

Although the House approved the measure in February, it has remained stalled in the Senate amid strong Democratic opposition.

Johnson met with Trump on Thursday to discuss possible strategies for advancing the voter ID legislation while also arranging a new timetable for signing the housing bill.

Many Trump allies have advocated incorporating the SAVE America Act into a budget reconciliation package, which could be approved in the Senate with a simple Republican majority of 51 votes. They have also urged Senate leaders to override the parliamentarian if the voting measure is again ruled ineligible for reconciliation, as occurred earlier this year.

Democrats have sharply criticized the proposal, arguing that the voter ID requirements would make it more difficult for thousands of Americans—particularly those living in heavily Democratic areas—to cast ballots.

Because the housing affordability bill has already cleared both the House and Senate, it can still become law regardless of whether Trump signs it. Under the Constitution, the president has 10 days after receiving the legislation to either sign or veto it. If he takes neither action within that period, the bill automatically becomes law without his signature.

Johnson also said he has spoken with Senate Majority Leader John Thune about moving the voter ID legislation through the upper chamber.

“He’s got a big challenge on his hands, of course, and I’ve encouraged him to do everything possible within his power to move it. I believe he will,” Johnson said. “We’ll send them over a provision that fits.”

{Matzav.com}

Planned negotiations between the United States and Iran, which were scheduled to resume in Switzerland this weekend, have been canceled as military clashes between the two countries continue to escalate, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the latest round of talks was called off because of the ongoing hostilities, casting uncertainty over efforts to advance negotiations beyond the preliminary agreement reached earlier this month.

The development came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Iran holds exclusive authority over maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz under the preliminary agreement reached with President Donald Trump. He warned that attempts to bypass Iran’s authority could trigger additional confrontations similar to those seen in recent days.

Araghchi’s remarks directly contradict the U.S. position that the agreement does not grant Iran control over the vital international waterway and that commercial vessels should not require Iranian permission to transit the strait.

His comments followed several days of military exchanges between Iran and the United States. The latest fighting began after Iranian forces attacked a vessel attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while navigating near the coast of Oman. Tehran, which has sought to redirect maritime traffic to a separate route closer to its own coastline, had warned ships against using the alternative shipping lane.

The renewed violence has unnerved shipping companies and raised fresh doubts about the reopening of one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. The disruption threatens one of the principal achievements of President Trump’s preliminary agreement with Iran, which envisioned moving negotiations into a second phase focused on more contentious issues, including Tehran’s nuclear program.

The negotiations had been expected to resume in Switzerland later this week but have now been postponed indefinitely because of the fighting, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal.

“Managing and fully restoring maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is Iran’s responsibility,” Araghchi said. “No other country or entity has responsibility or authority in this matter.”

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz warned that Washington would respond forcefully to any additional attacks on commercial shipping.

“If the Iranian regime thinks for a moment that President Trump will sit idly by, stand idly by, while Iran continues to attack international shipping without response or our bases without response, they are greatly mistaken,” Waltz said on Fox News. “And they have seen that loud and clear over the last several nights.”

In recent days, Iran attacked two commercial vessels—a container ship and an oil tanker transporting Qatari crude. The United States responded with strikes against Iranian communications facilities, drone sites, and missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz. Iran subsequently expanded the conflict by launching attacks against Kuwait and Bahrain.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Reb Meyer Greisman z”l, a beloved machzik Torah and baal tzedakah, who was niftar following a serious illness. He was 75. He leaves behind a legacy of extraordinary generosity, quiet chesed, and unwavering dedication to the Torah world.

In recent months, countless tefillos were recited on his behalf as family, friends, and members of the broader community fervently hoped for his recovery. Despite those heartfelt tefillos, Reb Meyer was called to his eternal reward, leaving a profound void in the lives of all who knew him.

Reb Meyer originally lived in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and, in recent years, resettled in Jackson, NJ.

For many years, Reb Meyer was recognized as one of the community’s outstanding supporters of Torah. He gave generously—and often quietly—to an extraordinary range of mosdos, yeshivos, kollelim, organizations, and individuals in need. Whether the cause involved Torah learning, chinuch, chesed, or helping a family through difficult times, Reb Meyer was among those who could always be counted upon to respond with remarkable generosity.

Those who knew him speak not only of his philanthropy, but of the warmth with which it was offered. He possessed a heart of gold, always looking for ways to help another person, often without seeking recognition or acknowledgment. His kindness extended far beyond financial assistance; he offered encouragement, friendship, and genuine concern for the well-being of others. His life was a reflection of selfless giving and sincere compassion.

He leaves behind a distinguished family who continue to walk in his path of Torah, chesed, and tzedakah. They carry forward the values that defined his life and stand as a living testament to the enduring legacy he built.

He is survived by his wife; his children, Duvie Greisman, Moshe Greisman, Chaya Bienstock, Ariella Zicherman, Peri Parnes, and Shirah Sochaczewski; and many grandchildren.

The levayah will take place today at 4:30 p.m. at the Congregation Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel, located at 613 Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood, New Jersey. The aron will then be flown to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah there.

Watch the levayah live HERE.

Passcode: 363069

Yehi zichro baruch.

President Joe Biden returned to the political spotlight Saturday night, delivering a speech attacking President Trump at a Democratic Party gathering in Maryland before appearing uncertain about how to leave the stage at the conclusion of his remarks.

Appearing at the Maryland Democratic Party’s Fight Back & Win summit outside Baltimore, Biden defended his presidency while launching a series of attacks against Trump. The event marked another public appearance for the 83-year-old after Democrats ended his 2024 reelection campaign following his widely criticized debate performance against Trump.

During the speech, Biden accused Trump of engaging in the “deliberate distraction – destruction of NATO” and mocked plans for a new White House ballroom, dismissing it as a “vanity project.”

After wrapping up his remarks with a familiar message about America’s resilience, Biden hesitated onstage as he searched for the correct exit.

He looked toward the side of the stage for direction, gestured in two separate directions while trying to determine where to go, and ultimately left by walking off with his back facing the audience.

The Maryland appearance, held at the Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, came only days after Biden attended the opening of the Barack Obama presidential library in Chicago.

That event also ended awkwardly for the former president. As the program concluded, Biden appeared uncertain about where to go and called out, “Where’s my granddaughter?” while approaching the podium. At various points during the event, he was escorted by former first lady Jill Biden.

Reading from a teleprompter throughout Saturday night’s address, Biden occasionally squinted at the screen and coughed several times during the opening portion of his speech. He repeatedly criticized the president, who defeated him in the 2024 election after Biden had won the White House in 2020.

“Have you noticed that Americans are saying the economy under the Biden administration is a hell of a lot better than under Trump?” he told party faithful in the deep blue state.

Continuing his criticism, Biden said, “It’s not just his vanity projects – tearing down the East Wing of the White House making room for his ballroom. Putting his name on the Kennedy Center. Building an arch in his own honor. Even hiring his own pool guy to fix the reflecting pool. Woah – what a loser,” drawing applause from the audience.

He also said it was “simply stunning to me” that Trump made “billions of dollars” after returning to the White House, adding that “he has no shame.”

The latest incident added to a series of well-publicized moments in which Biden appeared to struggle with stage directions during his presidency, including a widely discussed G7 photo opportunity in Italy in 2024.

Although he addressed national issues and criticized Trump, Biden did not mention the ongoing ideological divisions within the Democratic Party following victories by democratic socialist candidates in three New York primary elections.

Biden is currently undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer.

Meanwhile, former first lady Jill Biden has increased her public appearances while promoting her new book, in which she disclosed that she initially feared Biden might be “having a stroke” during his difficult 2024 presidential debate performance.

Hunter Biden has also become increasingly active online, using social media to promote his artwork while responding to critics of his father. In one recent post, he challenged Donald Trump Jr. to a cage match and criticized the UFC event that was held on the South Lawn of the White House.

{Matzav.com}

The full text of a proposed law aimed at suspending the arrests of bnei yeshiva for avoiding the army has been revealed, outlining a dramatic compromise that would temporarily halt criminal proceedings against thousands of bnei yeshivah while imposing unprecedented oversight and enforcement measures on yeshivos.

Under the proposed legislation, thousands of bnei yeshivah whose legal status expired following the lapse of the previous draft law would receive retroactive legal relief. At the same time, the bill would establish an extensive monitoring system designed to ensure compliance within the yeshivah world.

The proposal calls for a temporary 90-day emergency measure during which no arrests or criminal investigations would be carried out against eligible military-age individuals who failed to report for induction, provided they take steps to regularize their status within the time frame established by the law.

A key feature of the plan is the creation of a special three-member military committee that would review individual applications. The panel would be headed by an officer holding the rank of major general, appointed by the Military Advocate General, and would also include the deputy head of the IDF Personnel Directorate. Eligible applicants would be required to submit their requests within 30 days of the law taking effect.

To qualify for protection under the law, a bochur would have to submit an application accompanied by a sworn affidavit from his rosh yeshivah, confirming that he had been learning consistently beginning on July 1, 2023, or from the date his military obligation took effect. While the committee reviews the application, no indictments for draft evasion or failure to report could be filed, ongoing criminal proceedings would be suspended, and enforcement of existing court rulings would be frozen.

If the committee determines that the applicant met the required learning standards, all criminal proceedings against him would be formally dismissed. The proposal is intended to resolve the legal uncertainty surrounding thousands of bnei yeshivah whose exemptions expired but who maintain that they continued learning uninterrupted.

The relief offered by the bill is coupled with significantly stricter eligibility requirements. To qualify as a recognized talmid yeshivah, an individual would be required to maintain a schedule of at least 45 hours of weekly Torah study in a yeshivah, or 40 hours per week in a kollel. The proposal also bars participants from engaging in any employment or outside occupation while claiming that status.

Both the talmid and the rosh yeshivah would be required to sign legally binding affidavits under Israel’s Evidence Ordinance. In addition, every rosh yeshivah would be obligated to notify the IDF by the 14th of each month regarding any student who no longer meets the eligibility requirements. The provision would place ongoing responsibility on yeshivah administrations not only to certify enrollment initially, but also to monitor attendance and compliance continuously.

Perhaps the most far-reaching provision in the draft legislation concerns oversight of the yeshivos themselves. Authorized inspectors would be required to conduct physical attendance audits at every recognized yeshivah at least once every three months, while the defense minister would be obligated to submit quarterly reports detailing the inspection results to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

According to the proposal, if inspectors determine that at least 20 percent of a yeshivah’s students are repeatedly absent, the institution would first receive a formal warning. If the problem persists, the yeshivah would be removed from the Defense Ministry’s list of recognized institutions. Such a move could automatically revoke the draft deferments of all its students, forcing them either to transfer to another approved yeshivah or become subject to military service.

The legislation also requires Israel’s Education Ministry to provide the IDF with information on graduates of chareidi educational institutions, enabling the military to more accurately measure annual enlistment targets instead of relying solely on reports submitted by the yeshivos.

Deliberations on the draft law are expected to begin Tuesday and continue over the following two weeks as lawmakers seek to advance the measure toward final approval in the Knesset. The proposal already faces legal opposition, with critics arguing that the temporary freeze on arrests could face significant challenges before Israel’s High Court of Justice.

{Matzav.com}

Prosecutors in Yerushalayim have filed indictments against three city residents accused of throwing rocks from the roof of a hotel at chareidi demonstrators below. One of the defendants, an armed security guard employed at the hotel, is accused of facilitating the attack by allowing the others access to the rooftop.

According to the indictment, the investigation was launched by Yerushalayim’s Moriah Police Station after authorities received reports and video footage of an incident that took place on June 1, 2026. During the incident, rocks were allegedly thrown from the roof of a hotel at chareidi protesters gathered on the nearby roadway.

Police investigators collected witness testimony and additional evidence, including video footage that allegedly shows the suspects throwing rocks at the demonstrators as well as at passing vehicles. The indictment further alleges that one of the defendants was seen smashing a large rock on the rooftop to create smaller stones that could be thrown more easily.

Prosecutors also allege that the hotel’s armed security guard unlocked the door leading to the rooftop, enabling the other two defendants to gain access. According to the indictment, he remained nearby while the rocks were being thrown, failed to intervene to stop the attack, and did not report the incident to authorities, despite his responsibilities as a security guard.

Following the completion of the investigation and the gathering of what police described as sufficient evidence, the Yerushalayim District Prosecution Unit filed formal indictments against all three defendants in court.

{Matzav.com}