House Republicans revealed the sweeping tax provisions for President Donald Trump’s big bill Monday, tallying at least $4.9 trillion in costs so far, partly paid for with reductions to Medicaid and other programs used by millions of Americans. The House Ways and Means Committee named its package ‘ ‘THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’’ in all capital letters, a nod to Trump himself. It seeks to extend the tax breaks approved during Trump’s first term — and boost the standard deduction, child tax credit and estate tax exemption — while adding new tax breaks on tipped wages, overtime pay, Social Security benefits and auto loans that Trump promised during his campaign for the White House. There’s also a tripling of the state and local tax deduction, called SALT, from $10,000 up to $30,000 for couples, which certain high-tax state GOP lawmakers from New York and California already rejected as too meager. Private universities would be hit with hefty new tax on their endowments, as much as 21%, as the Trump administration goes after the Ivy League and other campuses. Overall the package is touching off the biggest political debate over taxes, spending and the nation’s priorities in nearly a decade, echoing the GOP’s failed campaign to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, in 2017. And the costs are only preliminary, and expected to soar. “Republicans need to UNIFY,” Trump posted on social media before departing for a trip abroad to the Middle East. Trump said when he returns to Washington, “we will work together on any and all outstanding issues, but there shouldn’t be many — The Bill is GREAT. We have no alternative, WE MUST WIN!” But one key Republican, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, implored his party not to touch Medicaid, arguing that cutting health care to pay for tax breaks is both “morally wrong and politically suicidal.” “If Republicans want to be a working-class party — if we want to be a majority party — we must ignore calls to cut Medicaid and start delivering on America’s promise for America’s working people,” Hawley wrote in The New York Times. Round-the-clock work ahead As Republicans race toward House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Memorial Day deadline to pass Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, they are preparing to flood the zone with round-the-clock public hearings starting Tuesday and stitch the various sections together in what will become a massive package. The politics ahead are uncertain. The bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation said Monday that tax breaks would reduce revenue by $4.9 trillion over the decade — and that was before Trump’s new tax breaks were included. Texas Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, warned the price tag could climb to $20 trillion, piling onto the deficits and debt. “I sure hope House & Senate leadership are coming up with a backup plan,” Roy posted on social media, “…. because I’m not here to rack up an additional $20 trillion in debt over 10 years.” House Republicans have been huddling behind closed doors, working out final provisions in the 389-page bill. The legislation proposes to increase the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,500 for four years and adds new requirements focused on preventing undocumented immigrants from benefiting from the credit […]
A reservist who refused a summons to serve in Yehudah and Shomron was sentenced to five days in military prison, Kan News reported on Monday. Reserve soldier Daniel Yahalom, 32, from Haifa, currently a master’s student at Hebrew University, announced to his commanders that he “refuses to serve the occupation in the occupied West Bank and the ongoing war in Gaza.” During his trial, Yahalom said: “I refuse because I am no longer willing to take part in the IDF’s activity in Yehuda and Shomron, and because I see the current campaign in Gaza as clearly illegal. Therefore, I have a moral obligation to refuse.” About six months ago, a reservist was sentenced to two weeks’ suspended imprisonment for refusing to serve for similar reasons but Yahalom is the first reservist to sit in prison for refusal since the war in Gaza began. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
President Donald Trump announced his endorsement of Jack Ciattarelli for the Republican nomination for governor of New Jersey on Monday, a move that political analysts say effectively ends the competitive phase of the GOP primary race. Ciattarelli, a former assemblyman and the 2021 Republican gubernatorial nominee, was already leading his closest challenger, conservative radio host Bill Spadea, by approximately 30 percentage points in recent polls. In a post on X, Ciattarelli expressed gratitude for the endorsement, stating, “Truly humbled and honored to receive President Trump’s very strong endorsement today. It’s time to unite our party, win big in November, and make New Jersey affordable and safe again.” The endorsement, which comes less than a month before the June 10 primary, is seen as a decisive blow to Spadea and other candidates vying for the nomination. Trump’s backing carries significant weight in New Jersey’s Republican primary, particularly following his strong performance in the state during the 2024 presidential election, where he narrowed the Democratic margin to just six points, a 10-point improvement from 2020. Political insiders have long speculated that Trump’s endorsement could be a kingmaker in the race, given his influence over the party’s base. Ciattarelli’s commanding lead in the primary has been bolstered by his high name recognition, earned through his near-upset of Democratic Governor Phil Murphy in 2021, where he lost by just three percentage points. His campaign has focused on uniting the party, appealing to both moderate Republicans and the MAGA base, while emphasizing issues like affordability, public safety, and education reform. Ciattarelli’s meeting with Trump at his Bedminster golf club in March, followed by public displays of their interaction, including photos with Trump and Elon Musk, had already fueled speculation of an impending endorsement. Spadea, who has positioned himself as an “unapologetically pro-Trump” candidate, has struggled to close the gap despite his own meeting with Trump in Bedminster and a campaign centered on appealing to the MAGA base. His team has accused Ciattarelli of inconsistent loyalty to Trump, pointing to Ciattarelli’s past criticisms of the former president in 2016 and his donation to Chris Christie’s 2024 presidential campaign. However, Ciattarelli’s endorsement of Trump in 2024 and his strategic outreach to Trump voters have evidently swayed the former president. With Trump’s endorsement, Ciattarelli is now positioned as the overwhelming favorite to secure the Republican nomination. The primary winner will face the Democratic nominee in November, in a state where Republicans are optimistic about their chances following Trump’s 2024 gains and historical trends favoring the party out of power in gubernatorial elections. Ciattarelli’s campaign is already pivoting toward the general election, emphasizing a message of unity and electability. “My job is to make the case that I’m the only one that provides the only opportunity to win in November,” Ciattarelli said in a recent interview. Meanwhile, all eyes are now turning to the Democratic primary, where six viable candidates are vying for the nomination in a race that remains a total tossup. With no clear frontrunner and few reliable polls to provide insight, the Democratic contest is marked by uncertainty. The candidates, including a mix of state legislators, local officials, and prominent activists, have been aggressively campaigning across the state, but none have yet emerged as a dominant force. Political observers note that the lack of a standout […]
President Donald Trump’s agreement with China to temporarily slash tariffs for 90 days offered the world a bit of welcome relief. But what persists is a sense of uncertainty and the possibility that some damage from the trade war could already be done. The Trump administration agreed after talks this weekend in Switzerland to pare back its 145% in tariffs charged on imports from China to 30%. The Chinese government chose to reduce its retaliatory import taxes on U.S. goods from 125% to 10% while the sides continue to negotiate. Trump declared the de-escalation of the trade war a victory, saying he would soon chat with Chinese President Xi Jinping about how to preserve the financial relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Regardless, the tariffs are now elevated from when Trump took office and the scramble to respond to the White House’s mix of threats and olive branches might leave CEOs, investors and consumers uneasy and unwilling to take risks. Trump is going to keep tariffing The global economy is not going to back to January 19, 2025, the day before Trump became president. Even if he routinely changes the tariff rates, the U.S. president and his aides have made it clear that most imports will be taxed at a minimum of roughly 10%. The 10% figure has been Trump’s baseline. He gave it to most countries for a 90-day negotiating period after his April 2 “Liberation Day” tariff rollout caused a panic in the financial markets. He kept the 10% rate as part of the framework with the United Kingdom announced last week. And Trump’s new 30% tariff on Chinese goods includes 20% tied to China’s role in fentanyl and the 10% baseline applied elsewhere. “We have many deals coming down the line,” Trump said on Friday. “But we always have a baseline of 10%.” But Trump has also hinted that there could be exceptions. Sectoral tariffs of 25% on autos, steel and aluminum are still in place, with Trump stressing that pharmaceutical drugs will also soon face import taxes. Trump said Monday that he told House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to include tariff revenues when looking at how to pay for their planned income tax cuts. Reality can now anchor negotiations Taisu Zhang, a law professor who studies comparative legal and economic history at Yale University, said the chaos from last month probably was not for nothing. Both countries were testing their strengths, with Trump stressing the importance that foreign companies placed on accessing U.S. consumers and China emphasizing its resilience to an external shock. “As recently as February, both sides probably harbored unrealistic assumptions about each other’s economic or political weaknesses or intents,” Zhang said. “The Americans had an exaggerated sense of their own bargaining power to begin with, and the Chinese may have had an exaggerated sense of their security from American economic pressure.” “The best thing to come out of this agreement, therefore, seems to be a stronger sense of reality on both sides,” Zhang said. In that, Zhang said, it looks like the goals of the two countries align, with China consuming more and the U.S. manufacturing more. The stock market loved the news and could shape what happens next The world has seen that Trump remains wary […]
Lior Suchard, the world’s best mentalist and one of the world’s most famous Israelis, brings his dramatic sell-out show to Los Angeles on June 18. World-renowned master mentalist Lior Suchard, whose inexplicable feats have astounded sold-out audiences from India, and Russia to Australia and New York City, is preparing to unveil dramatic new material at his first-ever West Coast shows—at Los Angeles’ Saban Theatre on June 18 and San Francisco’s San Mateo Performing Arts Center on June 16. As one of the world’s most famous living Israelis, Suchard has never been shy about his roots. But since October 7th, he’s stood even taller. Appearing on the world’s premier late-night shows and television sitcoms, Lior used his international presence to advocate for Israel in the tragedy’s aftermath. In live performances worldwide, he wears his identity with pride. He’s taken celebrity leaders to visit patients at Tel Hashomer’s Sheba Medical Center, advocated for Israel with influential friends, and brought much-needed positivity, laughter, and motivation to Israel’s frontline soldiers. This one-night-only event on June 18th in Los Angeles will feature Lior’s classic feats of mind-reading and prediction, alongside material he’s spent years preparing for this night. “It’ll pull in the whole audience,” he says. “You’ll be thrilled and surprised.” Tickets are available now at https: https://liorsuchard.com/cal/ VIP and group ticket sales are available through Hatzolair.org/suchard, a volunteer network that provides emergency medical transportation to individuals in urgent need.
Eden Alexander’s grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, fought tirelessly for his release, both via diplomatic means and spiritual means, constantly davening, reciting Tehillim, and visiting the homes of Gedolim. She visited the home of HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky several times and the Rebbetzin spoke words of chizzuk and also told her that in one moment, Hakadosh Baruch Hu can make a neis and Eden can return. And sure enough, Eden’s release came as a shock to his parents when it was announced. On Monday, before Edan was released, she spoke to the press, during which she said: “Today is Pesach Sheini,” she said. “Edan was redeemed on Pesach Sheini.” She also opened her Sefer Tehillim and said: “This Tehillim is my weapon. I’m with my Tehillim all the time, day and night, and I daven. I’ll read to you now: “”מזמור לתודה, הריעו לה’ כל הארץ, עבדו את ה’ בשמחה, בואו לפניו ברננה…” She added,” I thank Hakadosh Baruch Hu on the good He granted us today. Thank you Hashem.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
This past Motzei Shabbos, a historic Melava Malka asifa brought together nearly 350 Roshei Chaburah from Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG) in Lakewood, representing over 300 chaburos across the yeshiva’s six campuses, 21 buildings, and 22 batei medrash. These roshei chaburos, pivotal in shaping the growth of the yeshiva’s talmidim, gathered for chizzuk under the guidance of BMG’s Roshei Yeshiva. The event featured powerful divrei chizuk from Rav Avraham Berenbaum shlit”a, son of Mir Yeshiva’s late Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon Rav Shmuel Berenbaum zt”l, and son-in-law of BMG Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon Rav Yisroel Neuman shlit”a. Rav Birnbaum spoke passionately about the unique shlichus and responsibility of a Rosh Chaburah. Chairman R’ Yosef Heineman delivered a special address on behalf of Adirei HaTorah, further illuminating the collective mission of upholding Torah. The evening concluded with inspiring divrei bracha from Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon Rav Yerucham Olshin shlit”a, followed by HaGaon Rav Chaim Ginzburg shlit”a, who was mechubad with leading Birchas Hamazon.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a first-in-the-nation executive order to block the federal government from collecting personal health data related to autism, a direct rebuke to the Trump administration. Democrat Pritzker, who has been one of the more vocal critics of Trump’s second administration, signed the order last week, saying he wanted to protect “dignity, privacy, and the freedom to live without fear of surveillance or discrimination.” It came two days after U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan to use data maintained by the National Institutes of Health, and claims submitted for Medicare and Medicaid coverage, to determine the causes of autism. While the agency did not release details of the plan, Kennedy promised it would follow “applicable privacy laws to protect Americans’ sensitive health information.” Prior to his rise to health secretary, Kennedy joined anti-vaccine advocates in claiming childhood vaccines are responsible for autism, but studies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others have ruled that out. Pritzker’s executive order bans state agencies from disclosing “personally identifiable autism-related data” outside of state government unless the person or their guardian gives consent, it’s required by legal action, it’s necessary to provide services such as employment or housing or is otherwise required by law. State contractors, vendors and grant recipients are also covered. “We are taking steps to ensure that our state remains a leader in protecting the rights of individuals with autism and all people with disabilities,” Pritzker said. Andy Shih, chief science officer for Autism Speaks, a national advocacy group funding research and services, said he’s unaware of a similar declaration elsewhere. And while Kennedy promises to abide by privacy guidelines, Shih said with advances in computational power and algorithmic thinking, what’s private data today might not be tomorrow. Government investigators could use some techniques to get more information than what is previously disclosed. In the wrong hands, it could be used against patients to deny them constitutionally protected rights. “There’s always that concern,” Shih said. “Being proactive to protect privacy, which is something we value as a society, this should be applauded.” Kennedy has previously said he wants to be able to announce by September some of the causes of autism, a complex brain disorder better known as autism spectrum disorder because it affects people differently. For some people, profound autism means being nonverbal or having intellectual disabilities, while milder cases might mean difficulty with social and emotional skills. Experts say Kennedy’s planned database isn’t appropriate to uncover autism’s causes in part because there’s no information about genetics. However, Shih noted that Health and Human Services’ announcement was about creating a platform to help understand a range of chronic illnesses, which he said could be useful. Shih added that linking data sets is a proven way of studying issues of health. He pointed to a study published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found dementia in significantly higher numbers among autistic adults over age 65 than the general population. It was achieved by linking numerical identifiers from two different data sets. (AP)
A year and seven months after they were evacuated in the wake of the October 7 assault, former residents of Gaza border communities up to four kilometers from the border were told not to return to their homes in the near future, Channel 12 News reported on Sunday evening. According to the report, security officials in the Gaza border area were recently told that due to the current preparations to expand the war in Gaza, the commander of the Southern Command, Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor has recommended against the return of residents to border communities at this stage. Some of these residents were slated to return to their homes at the beginning of this month, after an extended stay outside their communities since the beginning of the war. The Tkuma Directorate, which is overseeing the rehabilitation of southern and northern Israel, has even been fast-tracking the necessary infrastructure work to enable their return. However, due to Israel’s decision to expand the war, security officials made the decision that it would not be safe for the residents to return. As of now, a decision was made to delay the return of the residents until the end of June, but security officials estimate that if a broader war is launched, their return will be delayed again. However, Maj.-Gen. Yasor said that the residents who have already returned to their homes will not be evacuated again, even if the fighting intensifies, and the IDF is prepared to protect them. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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The federal agency tasked with protecting workers’ civil rights has moved to terminate a New York administrative judge who has resisted compliance with directives from the White House, including President Donald Trump’s executive order decreeing male and female as two “immutable” sexes. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in response to Trump’s order has moved to drop at least seven of its own pending cases representing transgender workers alleging discrimination, and is classifying all new gender identity-related discrimination cases as its lowest priority, signaling a major departure from its prior interpretation of civil rights law. EEOC Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz, who in February criticized the agency’s Trump-appointed head, Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, in an email copied to more than 1,000 colleagues, on Wednesday was placed on administrative leave. She also received notice that the EEOC leadership sought to fire her, accusing her of “profoundly unprofessional” conduct. “Of particular concern, your February email was ultimately circulated to multiple press outlets, potentially resulting in significant reputational harm to the agency,” according to the notice, which included a PDF of a March 10 article by The Associated Press on Ortiz along with other materials. An EEOC spokesperson said on Monday that the agency had no comment on Ortiz’s termination proceedings. Ortiz may reply to the dismissal notice within 15 days, and has the right to request a time extension, an attorney, a union representative, or another representative of her choosing, according to the document, which was acquired by The AP. “This proposed action does not pertain to the content of your disagreement with the Agency policy, but rather the disrespectful and disparaging manner in which you have conveyed your message,” the notice reads. A final decision will be issued after the reply period has passed. In her February mass-email criticizing the agency’s efforts to comply with Trump’s order, Ortiz wrote to Lucas that “You are not fit to be our chair much less hold a license to practice law,” adding: “I will not compromise my ethics and my duty to uphold the law.” The letter was leaked on Reddit, where it gained more than 10,000 “upvotes.” Many users cheered its author. The EEOC subsequently revoked her email privileges for about a week and issued her a written reprimand for “discourteous conduct.” Ortiz’s actions were cited in an April 18 White House proposal aimed to make it easier to fire some federal workers. It listed Ortiz as an example of bureaucrats who “use the protections the system gives them to oppose presidential policies and impose their own preferences.” Ortiz said she was unfazed after being called out by the nation’s highest office. Trump “just gave me an even bigger platform,” she said in an April 19 message to The AP. Since February, Ortiz said she has continued to “raise the alarm” and convey her opposition to the agency’s actions, including in an April 24 email to Lucas and several other internal email groups with the subject line, “If You’re Seeking Power, Here’s Power” and a link to Tears for Fears’ 1985 hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” “Take in the lyrics,” Ortiz wrote to Lucas. “Ponder what you’re allowing yourself to be a part of.” Her ability to send emails was again promptly revoked. Ortiz said she plans to fight the termination, and […]
The Times is reporting that President Trump is expected to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his visit this week to Saudi Arabia, with discussions expected to include the lifting of sanctions imposed against Syria during the Assad Regime.
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said today that the Biden administration is to blame for the ongoing air traffic control failures at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport.
U.S. stocks roared back on Monday after the U.S. and China agreed to temporarily slash tariffs following negotiations over the weekend in Switzerland, raising hopes a trade war won’t push the economy into a recession. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,160 points, or 2.8%, staying near its highs for most of the session with buying enthusiasm remaining strong. The S&P 500 popped 3.26%, bringing its gain since its April intraday low at the height of tariff pessimism to more than 20%. The benchmark has cut its year-to-date losses to just 0.6%. The Nasdaq Composite added 4.35%, as the initial China agreement sent technology stocks tied to the country — like Tesla and Apple — flying higher. It was the best day since April 9 for all three indexes.
The U.S. government advised American travelers age 60 and older not get a chikungunya vaccine as it investigates possible side effects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration posted notices late last week on the vaccine, Valneva’s Ixchiq. Chikungunya, spread by the bites of infected mosquitoes, is a debilitating tropical illness marked by fever and joint pain. About 100 to 200 cases are reported annually among U.S. travelers. Last year, the government began recommending the vaccine, which is made with weakened chikungunya virus, to U.S. adults who travel to countries where chikungunya is a problem. But last month, a panel of vaccine experts who advise the CDC heard about an investigation into six people 65 and older — most of them with other medical problems — who became ill with heart or brain symptoms less than a week after vaccination. More than 10 other similar cases have been reported in people from other countries. European regulators are also looking into the issue. The U.S. advisers voted to issue a precaution for people 65 and older about getting the vaccine. They also recommended that a second chikungunya vaccine — Bavarian Nordic’s Vimkunya — be made available for people age 12 and older who are traveling to countries where outbreaks of the mosquito-borne illness are occurring. CDC officials have not yet announced whether they will accept those recommendations. (AP)
Emotions run high as Edan meets his family for the first time in 1.5 years, and after unimaginable physical and emotional suffering at the hands of bloodthirsty terrorists.
