Before the International Space Station was launched into orbit in 1998, the U.S. signed a document with several other countries to agree to the peaceful use of the orbital laboratory. The agreement included Russia, Japan, Canada and 11 European countries. China was left out of the plan. 

Nearly a decade later, China expressed interest in joining those on board the space station. The European Space Agency signaled support for the addition, along with South Korea. The final decision was ultimately opposed by the United States. 

"I think you'll have to understand that Congress gave us very clear direction in 2011," NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said. "Any bilateral cooperation with China had to be certified as not sharing any information that would give China some kind of an advantage." 

In 2011, Congress included in a spending bill direction to prohibit collaboration between NASA and China when it comes to some scientific research, including in space. Lawmakers argued China’s program was secretive and too closely tied to its military.

NASA FINALIZES STRATEGY FOR HUMAN PRESENCE IN SPACE

"I think there's no question they're an economic competitor and they're also a competitor for leadership geopolitically," Melroy said. 

China began developing its own space station. It launched and deorbited a pair of short-term space labs between 2011 and 2018. It launched the first part of its Tiangong Space Station, which translates to Heavenly Palace, in 2011. 

"We're laser-focused on China now. China is a threat. We're in a new space race," said President of International and Space Stations at Voyager Space Jeffrey Manber.

Voyager is one of three companies contracted by NASA that is working to develop a new space station. Voyager says it is on pace to launch its Starlab in 2028. There are some fears that NASA will face funding cuts. If there are delays for the companies designing the next space stations, NASA will deorbit the space station without a replacement ready to go. 

Melroy insists the agency will not let China be the sole operator of a space station in orbit, but the storyline resonates with that of the space shuttle program. 

The American-made space shuttle was the world’s first reusable aircraft. It launched like a rocket and landed like an airplane. In 2004, then-President George W. Bush announced a new space initiative, which included retiring the shuttle by 2010 and conducting the first manned mission on a new spacecraft no later than 2014. 

NASA FINALIZES STRATEGY FOR HUMAN PRESENCE IN SPACE

"The Crew Exploration Vehicle will be capable of ferrying astronauts and scientists to the space station after the shuttle is retired," Bush said in 2004. 

The government considered several contractors to develop the vehicle under the constellation program. Over the next several years, program delays and funding issues led the Obama administration to eliminate the program from its 2011 budget. 

"Pursuing this new strategy will require that we revise the old strategy. In part, this is because the old strategy, including the Constellation program, was not fulfilling its promise in many ways," then-President Barack Obama said in April 2010. 

The administration instead directed more than $6 billion to support commercial companies building spacecraft. The shuttle program came to an end a year later. American-made rockets were still not yet available. The U.S. was forced to rely on Russia for continued space travel. 

"It was tough times. I think it was the right decision. The shuttle's time had come to an end. We needed to make a strategic investment in our own industry to develop the capability to take humans to space," Melroy said. "There were a lot of people who thought we'd canceled the space program."

NASA would finally launch an American-made rocket that could carry humans to the space station, nine years after the shuttle’s retirement. It was a delay of six years from Bush’s initial projection. The 2020 SpaceX launch also marked the first of a commercial rocket on U.S. soil. 

ELON MUSK MOVES TO MAKE STARBASE, TEXAS, THE OFFICIAL ‘GATEWAY TO MARS’

As NASA faces the same prospect once again, officials insist they have a different strategy for competition in space with China. 

"I think it's different in the sense that we are still the leader. We intend to remain the leader. We intend to remain the partner of choice. We work very well with our international partners, and they want to continue to work with us," Melroy said. 

Only Chinese Taikonauts have visited the Tiangong Space Station. The country has expressed openness to hosting astronauts from other countries. Beijing has increased cooperation with Sweden, Russia and Italy. In recent months, China’s first International Payload launched on a Chinese commercial rocket. It included Oman’s first satellite, which is equipped with artificial intelligence for urban planning, forestry monitoring and disaster management. 

If China becomes the only permanent presence in space, international partners could be forced to rely on Taikonauts for long-term needs in low Earth orbit. Commercial companies could also be forced to do the same. 

"We do have to be somewhat careful about technology transfer and how do we actually connect with international firms to make sure that we're not sort of giving away things associated with it," Arkisys CEO Dave Barnhart said. 

California-based Arkisys is working on a robotic servicing port for companies to use while in orbit. 

"We can provide either the cargo, the supplies, the robotic manipulation capability, the fuel, whatever's required to support a servicing architecture," Barnhart said. 

Barnhart added the port could help keep the U.S. competitive in space if a commercial station is not ready to go when the space station is decommissioned. While the port would be robotic and not have humans onboard, it would still give the U.S. a form of permanent presence.

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"We actually hope that we will be a bridge between when the [space station] is decommissioned and when the new commercial space stations are up there," Barnhart said. "We are autonomous, we can move much faster. We can allow different orbital transfer vehicles to come in, to bring cargo, to bring fuel, to bring new payloads."

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.

**NOTE: The Fox News Politics Newsletter will take a break tomorrow for the New Year's Day holiday. We will return Thursday, Jan. 2. From all of us at Fox News Politics, Happy New Year!**

Here's what's happening…

- Learning Curve: The new players in Congress

- How border security dominated US politics and 2024, and sealed an election

- 10 rising stars in Democratic, Republican parties expected to emerge in 2025

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she and President-elect Trump "had a great meeting to discuss our shared priorities" for his upcoming term, despite their previously contentious relationship that hit a fever pitch in 2020 during the George Floyd riots. 

"President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation," Bowser said. 

The Democratic mayor said she and Trump "discussed areas for the collaboration between local and federal government, especially around our federal workforce, underutilized federal buildings, parks and green spaces, and infrastructure."…Read more

RUBY MOUNTAINS: Biden moving to ban oil and gas leases for 20 years in Nevada region, just weeks before Trump inauguration…Read more

UNDER FIRE: Dems urge Biden to extend controversial immigrant program; Trump says he'll cut it…Read more

CHILL THROUGH EU: Ukraine receives US natural gas shipment for the first time amid fresh supply fears…Read more

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: Trump gives Johnson 'complete and total endorsement' ahead of Speakership fight…Read more

DEBT DILEMMA: Bernie Sanders plans to spearhead legislation on key Trump proposal…Read more

VERDICT IS IN: North Dakota senator's son to serve 28 years in prison for crash that killed deputy…Read more

ON ICE: ICE shuts down programs offering services to illegal immigrants, citing ‘immense’ costs…Read more

'LAWFARE...MUST END': Georgia AG urges state Supreme Court to reject DA Willis’ appeal in Trump case…Read more

PENTAGON: The Pentagon chief loses bid to reject 9/11 plea deals…Read more

9/11 PLEA DEALS STAND: Military Appeals Court rules Defense Sec Austin cannot rescind 9/11 plea deals…Read more

'COUNTERPRODUCTIVE': Hochul's polluters pay bill could result in regressive costs for working families: economists…Read more

Get the latest updates on the Trump presidential transition, incoming Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

China was behind a "major" hack of the Treasury Department, the Biden administration said Monday, gaining access to unclassified documents and the workstations of government employees. 

After a year fraught with hacking across all government agencies, China experts say it’s time to get serious about thwarting adversarial espionage. 

"The latest intrusion should not come as a surprise. For too long, the CCP has paid no real price for its increasingly aggressive intrusions into our homeland and networks," Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., chairman of the House China Select Committee, told Fox News Digital. 

"It is time for Congress and the incoming Trump administration to impose escalating costs to deter the CCP." 

It’s not yet clear what exactly the hackers were seeking. The Treasury houses sensitive data about global financial systems, as well as estimates about China’s ailing economy. It also carries out sanctions on Chinese companies, as well as those aiding Russia in the war on Ukraine.

"Even though the Treasury says the Chinese only got unclassified documents, we’ve got to remember that a hack of the Treasury sends shudders not just across the U.S., but across the world. Countries rely on the dollar, can you rely on the stability of the American financial markets?" said China expert Gordon Chang. 

CHINA DIRECTS LARGEST MILITARY BUILD-UP SINCE 1930S NAZI GERMANY, EXPERT WARNS, CITING PENTAGON REPORT

Treasury was notified by a service provider of the breach on Dec. 8, and all systems affected were taken offline. China called the accusation that it was behind the act "baseless" and said it "consistently opposes all forms of hacking."

Despite China’s denial, the Treasury insisted a Chinese state-sponsored actor was behind the attack. Chang suggested Xi may have intended to get caught to send a message to the world. 

"We can't actually exclude the possibility that the Chinese wanted to be caught because they wanted to actually create uncertainty around the world. They wanted to show the world that the United States is not safe — their networks are not good, the Chinese control them at will."

STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASK SCOTUS TO UPHOLD TIKTOK DIVEST-OR-BAN LAW AMID TRUMP REQUEST TO PAUSE BAN

Just weeks ago, President-elect Donald Trump seemed to be making an attempt to smooth over relations with China with an invitation to President Xi Jinping for his inauguration. But the recent hacking attempt suggests such efforts might be futile, according to Chang. 

"American presidents had tried preemptive concessions to China for decades. They've not resulted in benefits to us. And the reason is because the Chinese don't reciprocate them," he said.

Earlier this year, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s communications were intercepted by Chinese intelligence, just as she was making determinations about new export controls on semiconductors and other key technology. The same hacking group also targeted officials at the State Department and members of Congress.

And the Treasury hack comes just as the Biden administration is grappling with one of China’s biggest attacks on American infrastructure in history, dubbed Salt Typhoon. 

A Chinese intelligence group infiltrated nine U.S. telecommunications giants and gained access to the private text messages and phone calls of Americans, including senior government officials and prominent political figures. 

The Salt Typhoon hackers also gained access to an exhaustive list of phone numbers the Justice Department had wiretapped to monitor people suspected of espionage, granting them insight into which Chinese spies the U.S. had caught onto and which they had missed.

The onslaught of cyberattacks has prompted frustration — and raised questions — about cybersecurity and why America's adversaries are able to penetrate U.S. government systems with regularity.

"The American people should be angry at the Chinese for hacking us, but they should be outraged at our political leaders because our political leaders know what's going on. They have the means to protect us, and they have decided not to do so," said Chang. 

Last week, incoming national security adviser Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., suggested the U.S. needed to not only play defense but go on offense to the attacks. 

"We have to stop trying to just play better and better defense," he told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo. "We need to start going on offense."

"We need to start imposing consequences for those that are stealing our technology, spying on us, and now with a program called Volt Typhoon, is putting cyber time bombs on our critical infrastructure, like our water, our grid and our ports," Waltz said.

"America can’t afford to just play defense on cyber anymore. We’ve got to go on the offensive and impose COSTS on those who are stealing our technology and attacking our infrastructure," he added on X.

Trump has proposed a 60% tariff on U.S. imports from China. Last month, the Biden administration issued its most stringent crackdown yet on China's semiconductor industry with the intent of hindering its ability to develop AI for modern military uses.

A controversial immigration program that has been in place for decades has recently become a hot-button issue as it looks likely to be axed or severely limited by the incoming Trump administration, and Democrats are calling on President Biden to take moves to preserve it.

Temporary Protected Status is a program established in the 1990s that allows the government to designate countries unsafe for nationals to return to, granting nationals already in the U.S. work permits and protection from deportation if they are here illegally or if their legal status expires.

The Biden administration designated or re-designated a number of countries for TPS, including Venezuela, Haiti, Afghanistan and others, allowing hundreds of thousands of nationals to remain in the U.S. as a result. There are currently 17 countries designated for TPS.

‘LEGAL AUTHORITY’: SENATE DEMS DEMAND BIDEN EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AHEAD OF TRUMP ADMIN 

The first Trump administration sought to wind down TPS for a number of countries, but it was caught up in a yearslong court battle launched by left-wing civil rights groups on the matter.

TPS again became a major issue in 2024 as Republicans and conservatives drew attention to mass migration via humanitarian parole from Haiti. Migrants were coming in via the use of the CBP One app and a program that allowed up to 30,000 migrants from four countries a month into the U.S. They could then be eligible for TPS if they arrived before the country was re-designated.

There were widespread reports of Haitian migrants flooding towns in Ohio and elsewhere, which were picked up by former President Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Trump promised to revoke TPS for Haiti earlier this year. 

"It’s been overrun. You can’t do that to people. I’d revoke [TPS], and I’d bring [the migrants] back to their country," he told NewsNation when speaking about Springfield, Ohio.

Vance described TPS as a "government edict saying that you’re not allowed to deport people anymore." Conservatives have long complained that continued extensions of TPS mean it is not "temporary" as it claims to be.

DEM SENATOR URGES BIDEN TO EXTEND PROTECTIONS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN: ‘NOBODY IS SAFE’

Republicans have made moves to restrict the program in Congress. Sen.-elect Jim Banks, R-Ind., introduced a bill that restricts TPS designations by requiring Congress to approve them for 12-month terms and requiring additional moves by Congress to extend them. Trump has promised to launch a mass deportation operation, and restrictions on TPS and other immigration benefits are expected to accompany that.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

With that looming, Democrats have been urging Biden to extend protections under TPS and other programs to blunt the impact of the incoming administration.

"We write now because the window to secure and finalize your administration’s policies is closing rapidly," Democrats led by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Biden in a letter this month.

"We urge you to act decisively between now and the inauguration of the President-elect to complete the important work of the past four years and protect immigrant families."

So far, however, there's been no movement on TPS by the Biden administration nor any indication that redesignations or extensions are imminent.

A military appeals court ruled on Tuesday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin cannot rescind the plea deals of detainees at Guantanamo Bay including alleged 9/11 architect Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, Fox News has learned.

The court opinion, which has not been formally published yet, said the plea deals reached by military prosecutors and defense attorneys were valid and enforceable, and that Austin exceeded his authority when he later tried to nullify them.

The Pentagon has the option of going next to the D.C. Circuit federal appeals court for emergency review, but the court docket did not show any filings as of Tuesday afternoon.

JUDGE RESTORES CONTROVERSIAL 9/11 TERRORIST PLEA DEALS INVOLVING KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED: REPORT

A hearing is scheduled next week at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where Mohammad and two other defendants could plead guilty in separate hearings, with the death penalty removed as a possible punishment.

The plea deals in the long-running case against the terrorists were struck over the summer and approved by the top official of the Gitmo military commission.

LAWMAKERS, FAMILIES OF 9/11 VICTIMS REACT TO PLEA DEAL WITH TERRORISTS: 'SLAP IN THE FACE'

The plea deals have been condemned by a number of 9/11 victims and U.S. politicians. 

"Joe Biden, Kamala Harris have weaponized the Department of Justice to go after their political opponents, but they’re cutting a sweetheart deal with 9/11 terrorists," now Vice President-elect JD Vance said at the time.

The Pentagon revoked the deals in July. "Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three pretrial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024," a letter from Austin states. 

This is a developing news story. Please check back for updates. Fox News' Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.

Ukraine has received its first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the U.S., energy company officials confirmed this week— a positive development for Kyiv as it moves to ramp up its purchases of U.S. supplies and protect against broader supply concerns in the region.

Ukraine’s private energy company, DTEK, confirmed it has received some 100 million cubic meters of U.S. LNG in the shipment, which the U.S. shipped to an LNG regasification terminal in Greece. 

BIDEN'S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES NEW MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR AID PACKAGES FOR UKRAINE

The news comes after Ukraine’s DTEK inked a supply deal with U.S.-based LNG supplier Venture Global in June.

The DTEK contract is the first significant LNG contract to be struck between Ukraine and the U.S. and will allow Ukraine to purchase an "unspecificed" amount of LNG from Venture Global through 2026. The companies also signed a separate 20-year agreement, in keeping with traditional longer-term LNG supply contracts.

The news comes just hours before Russian gas giant, Gazprom, is slated to halt all piped gas deliveries shipped through Ukrainian pipelines to other European countries, following the expiration of its five-year contract.

GERMANY ACCUSES ELON MUSK OF TRYING TO INTERFERE IN ITS NATIONAL ELECTIONS

Ukraine itself does not purchase Russian gas supplies. However, the European Union (EU) remains heavily dependent on imported gas, including from Russia.

Even after the abrupt throttling of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, the EU depends on piped Russian gas for roughly 5% of its total gas imports— sparking fresh fears as to how the bloc might cope in the event of a supply emergency or colder-than-expected winter. 

In the interim, Ukrainian officials said, they hope the additional U.S. supplies can help fill in the gap and help ease any near-term supply crises in the EU.

"Cargoes like this are not only providing the region with a flexible and secure source of power, but are further eroding Russia’s influence over our energy system," DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko said in a statement. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said he will push forward new legislation to cap credit card interest rates to 10%, which is something President-elect Donald Trump said he wanted to do temporarily on the campaign trail. 

"During the recent campaign Donald Trump proposed a 10% cap on credit card interest rates. Great idea. Let’s see if he supports the legislation that I will introduce to do just that," Sanders wrote on X. 

DEM SENATOR REVEALS HOW SHE NARROWLY WON KEY STATE THAT TRUMP FLIPPED: ‘BE PRACTICAL TO FIND RESULTS'

While campaigning in New York before winning the election against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump threw his support behind a "temporary cap on credit card interest rates." 

"We’re going to cap it at around 10%. We can’t let them make 25 and 30%."

REPUBLICANS HAMMER BIDEN FOR FEDERAL DEATH ROW REPRIEVES AHEAD OF LEAVING OFFICE

Trump framed the temporary policy as something to help Americans as they "catch up." 

The amount of credit card debt held by Americans rose to $1.17 trillion in the third quarter of 2024, per MarketWatch. 

According to data from Lending Tree, the average credit card interest rate in December was 24.43%, MarketWatch also reported. 

Regarding whether the president-elect still intends to implement this policy after he debuted it in September, transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital in a statement, "The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver."

Sanders' office did not answer whether the cap in his legislation would be temporary, as Trump said, when asked for comment by Fox News Digital. 

TOP TRUMP AIDES JOIN GROUP PREPPING TO SHORE UP SUPPORT FOR MAGA AGENDA DURING SECOND TERM

While Trump backed such a temporary cap, Republicans have often opposed policies that could be harmful to businesses and restrict the availability of credit cards. 

In fact, top Trump ally and incoming Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., was a top opponent of efforts during the Biden administration to crack down on late fees and further regulate the credit card industry. 

SENATE PASSES BILL TO STOP SHUTDOWN, SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DESK

Earlier this year, Scott explained that the administration's rule to cap credit card late fees would "decrease the availability of credit card products for those who need it most, raise rates for many borrowers who carry a balance but pay on time, and increase the likelihood of late payments across the board."

Scott's office declined to comment on a potential 10% interest rate cap. 

A military appeals court has ruled against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's effort to throw out the plea deals reached for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants in the 9/11 attacks, a U.S. official said.

The decision puts back on track the agreements that would have the three men plead guilty to one of the deadliest attacks on the United States in exchange for being spared the possibility of the death penalty. The attacks by al-Qaida killed nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001, and helped spur U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq in what the George W. Bush administration called its war on terror.

The military appeals court released its ruling Monday night, according to the U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Military prosecutors and defense attorneys for Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the attacks, and two co-defendants reached the plea agreements after two years of government-approved negotiations. The deals were announced late last summer.

PETE HEGSETH SAYS HE HASN'T HEARD FROM WEST POINT SINCE EMPLOYEE 'ERROR' DENYING HIS ACCEPTANCE

Supporters of the plea agreements see them as a way of resolving the legally troubled case against the men at the U.S. military commission at Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba. Pretrial hearings for Mohammed, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi have been underway for more than a decade.

Much of the focus of pretrial arguments has been on how torture of the men while in CIA custody in the first years after their detention may taint the overall evidence in the case.

Within days of news of the plea deal this summer, Austin issued a brief order saying he was nullifying them.

He cited the gravity of the 9/11 attacks in saying that as defense secretary, he should decide on any plea agreements that would spare the defendants the possibility of execution.

Defense lawyers said Austin had no legal authority to reject a decision already approved by the Guantanamo court's top authority and said the move amounted to unlawful interference in the case.

The military judge hearing the 9/11 case, Air Force Col. Matthew McCall, had agreed that Austin lacked standing to throw out the plea bargains after they were underway. That had set up the Defense Department's appeal to the military appeals court.

TOM COTTON DEMANDS DOD RECORDS ON BORDER-WALL MATERIAL SALES BE PRESERVED

Austin now has the option of taking his effort to throw out the plea deals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Separately, the Pentagon said it had repatriated one of the longest-held detainees at the Guantanamo military prison, a Tunisian man who U.S. authorities approved for transfer more than a decade ago.

Ridah bin Saleh al-Yazidi's return to Tunisia leaves 26 men at Guantanamo. That's down from a peak population of about 700 Muslim men detained abroad and brought to the prison in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Al-Yazidi's repatriation leaves 14 men awaiting transfer to other countries after U.S. authorities waived any prosecution and cleared them as security risks.

The Biden administration, pressed by rights groups to free remaining Guantanamo detainees held without charge, transferred out three other men this month. The U.S. says it is searching for suitable and stable countries willing to receive the remaining 14.

In a statement, the U.S. military said it had worked with authorities in Tunisia for the "responsible transfer" of al-Yazidi. He had been a prisoner at Guantanamo since 2002, when the U.S. began sending Muslim detainees taken abroad there.

Al-Yazidi is the last of a dozen Tunisian men once held at Guantanamo.

Of those remaining at Guantanamo, seven — including Mohammed and his 9/11 co-defendants — face active cases. Two others of the 26 total have been convicted and sentenced by the military commission.

California Republican leaders appeared to mock Gov. Gavin Newsom’s fiery response to a critical analysis of his handling of the Golden State’s homelessness crisis, saying that any increase in homelessness is not admirable.

State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones criticized Newsom, calling the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s year-end Homelessness Assessment Report an indictment of his capabilities.

"Gavin Newsom literally lost track of the $27 billion he spent on the homeless crisis," Jones said, citing the report as listing California first in homelessness, with an increase of 3% to 187,000.

CA VOTERS NARROWLY REJECT $18/HR MINIMUM WAGE

"Today’s HUD report makes it clear that instead of solving the problem, Newsom’s endless spending ‘solution’ has only made it worse," said Jones, R-San Diego.

In a recent statement, Newsom’s office indicated the state "distributed $24 billion to local governments to address homelessness through numerous state programs."

"All that money is accounted for," the statement continued, appearing to reference the funds Jones had claimed were "lost."

"The audit showed that previously not all state programs required locals to report how those dollars improved homelessness for the most recent years and lacked data to compare the effectiveness of one program versus another. That’s been fixed. 

"This administration has added strong accountability and reporting requirements for local governments that receive state funding. Any notion that we don’t know where the money went is preposterous, and that’s not what the audit reported," the statement said.

The report also cited that Illinois, Wyoming, Hawaii and Colorado were the states where family homelessness doubled or worse.

BRIAN W. JONES: SUPER SANCTUARY IMMIGRATION POLICY THREATENS LIVES AND AIDS VIOLENT CRIMINALS

A statement from the Republican caucus of the California State Assembly keyed into Newsom’s recent thorough defense against an op-ed in the outlet CalMatters that made similar criticisms.

"In case you missed it, Governor Newsom’s office threw a tantrum over a column… that broke down his history of failure on homelessness," the caucus, led by Assemblyman James Gallagher of Yuba City, collectively wrote.

The CalMatters op-ed claimed Newsom’s handling of the homelessness crisis will be a key point of attack for his prospective 2028 Democratic presidential primary challengers if he chooses to seek higher office then.

The column cited Newsom as saying "what’s happening on the streets has to be a top priority," and reported he indicated a willingness to hold local officials accountable as well.

"People have to see and feel the progress and the change…" Newsom said, according to the column.

Gallagher’s caucus then cited Newsom’s response to the column, which consisted of a series of pointed posts.

"Given the sheer population size of California, to talk about homelessness without any of the broader context or how this administration's efforts compare to the prior is a disservice to Californians, plain and simple," Newsom’s office’s account wrote on X.

ICE  DEPORTATIONS CATCH UP TO TRUMP-ERA IN FY 2024 AS BIDEN ADMIN COMES TO A CLOSE 

"As the Governor has said many times, the work is far from over and urgency and results at the local level are needed more than ever. It's why new accountability tools have been put in place, for quicker results. It's also a longer-term effort -- through implementation of Prop 1, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, the just approved BH-Connect waiver all of which are aimed at addressing the systemic issues of homelessness but not yet fully online."

Newsom’s office also posted that unsheltered homelessness grew four times faster during the waning years of Gov. Edmund "Jerry" Brown’s administration than under his.

"The number of unsheltered homeless increased by 13.83% during the Newsom Administration (2019-2023), compared to an increase of 51.79% in the five-year period prior to the administration (2015-2019)," the post read.

California’s 14% homelessness increase in 2023 also fell below the national increase of 21%, the governor’s office added in the statement released just before this year's numbers.

In 2024, California saw a homelessness increase of 3%, according to a weekend statement released by Newsom’s office. The rate bests 40 other states, the release said. 

Assembly Republicans responded to Newsom’s original comments.

"Since the governor is committed to gaslighting on this issue, we’ll state the obvious: an increase of 20% is not progress," their statement read.

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Jones, the Senate minority leader, cited Friday that he co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to change California’s homelessness policies and focus on "compassionate enforcement" of encampment violations.

One of his proposals from this past term, which did not make it to Newsom’s desk, focused on existing state law deeming "lodging" in a public or private place without permission to be disorderly conduct.

The bill would have delayed any indictment on that count for 72 hours after first notice and imposed a "state-mandated local program" for homeless individuals in those situations.

In a separate statement, Newsom said no American should be without a place to call home:

"Homelessness continues to rise and increase at ever-higher numbers nationwide, but we are seeing signs of progress in California," he said.

"We have turned the tide on a decades-long increase in homelessness – but we have more work to do. California‘s plan is ambitious and challenging but the data is proving that it is not impossible: our strategies are making a positive difference."

Data also showed other large-population states like New York, Florida, Illinois and Texas also suffered a higher growth in unsheltered homelessness than California's, which the governor's office said was under one percent.

The Biden administration is attempting to implement last-minute restrictions on oil and gas drilling in the west just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

On Monday, the Department of the Interior announced plans to pursue a 20-year ban on oil and gas leases in 264,000 acres of Nevada's Ruby Mountains.

The administration submitted an application to withdraw the acreage from any potential leasing, which initiated a two-year ban on new mineral leases in the area during the approval process. The proposal now heads into a 90-day public comment period, which will fall under the Trump administration. 

"The Ruby Mountains are an iconic landscape with exceptional recreation opportunities and valuable fish and wildlife habitat worth preserving for the future," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. "Today’s action honors the voices of Tribal communities and conservation and sportsmen’s groups and marks another important step to protect a treasured landscape."   

‘WRONG-HEADED’: ENERGY INDUSTRY LEADERS BLAST BIDEN ADMIN REPORT ON NATURAL GAS EXPORTS

The Biden administration's lease limitation does not put restrictions on mining in the region.

SCOTUS HEARS ARGUMENTS IN CASE THAT COULD RESHAPE ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

During Trump's first administration, the Forest Service conducted a study to determine whether 54,000 acres could be leased for oil and gas drilling in the Ruby Mountains. 

The proposal was eventually rejected in 2019 after the public comment period saw "thousands of comments from the local area, the state of Nevada, and from across the nation" opposing the idea, according to William Dunkelberger, the forest supervisor who signed the decision.

Jenna Padilla, the geologist for the Humboldt-Toiyabe Ruby Mountains ranger district at the time, said that geological surveys "show there is low to no potential for oil" in the region, the LA Times reported in 2018.

It is unclear whether the Trump administration will consider potential leases in the region, but such actions could face roadblocks following the Biden administration's new proposal.

A New York democratic bill aimed at charging oil and gas companies for pollution could result in regressive costs for working families in the state, energy and economic experts tell Fox News Digital.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed the Climate Change Superfund Act, a bill that seeks to charge polluters up to $75 billion for pollution dating from 2000 to 2018. The money will reportedly be used to fund projects rebuilding infrastructure damaged by weather over the years.

While the bill seeks to fine large corporations, some economists say that such actions will result in higher prices for some New Yorkers.

"It’s heartwarming to see Governor Hochul finally acknowledge what energy advocates have long understood: the best way for humanity to thrive is through adaptation to a changing climate. By signing this bill, she’s effectively endorsed that philosophy—though in the most counterproductive way possible," Jason Isaac, CEO and founder of The American Energy Institute, said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. 

BIDEN SETS ECONOMY-WIDE CLIMATE TARGET: REDUCING EMISSIONS 66% IN 2035 FROM 2005 LEVELS

"Instead of incentivizing innovation, this legislation piles billions in new costs onto energy producers, punishing the very industry that keeps the light and heat on for New Yorkers," Isaac continued. "The real tragedy here isn’t just the higher energy costs for working families; it’s watching businesses and residents flee a state that refuses to adapt its own bloated policies to economic reality."

"The result will be higher energy costs for households, families, and small businesses in one of the most expensive states to live in the country," Trisha Curtis, economist at the American Energy Institute, said. "With no plan to address the broader economic consequences, this law will drive people, businesses, and state revenue out of New York and into other more competitive states."

O.H. Skinner is the executive director of the Alliance for Consumers, a Phoenix-based nonprofit committed to ensuring consumer protection efforts, class action lawsuits, and attorney general enforcement actions are consistent with the rule of law. He is also a member of the Washington, D.C.-based Federalist Society. 

FIVE WAYS TRUMP COULD DISMANTLE BIDEN'S CLIMATE AGENDA

Skinner called the bill "the latest attempt by left-wing politicians in New York to drive reliable energy production out of existence and force everyone to abide by their preferred Progressive Lifestyle Choices."

"This policy will do nothing except raise energy prices for hardworking Americans and decrease our standard of living, while progressive elites pat themselves on the back for punishing disfavored industries," Skinner told Fox.

"Whether it's charging citizens to drive into their own city, banning new gas appliances, or foisting a massive new tax bound to significantly raise the price of energy, hardly a day goes by that New York government doesn't implement ESG policies that make their citizens' lives quantifiably worse," said Consumers’ Research Executive Director Will Hild.

Fox News contributor David Webb said that the bill is "going to cost New Yorkers."

"If you're an energy company, you're already guilty. They're just going to decide over the next decade how they're going to charge you for your guilt," Webb told "Fox & Friends First," calling Hochul a "far left governor" that is "bound to this ideology."

However, proponents praised the legislation for requiring companies to pay for fossil fuel pollution in the state.

"By signing the Climate Change Superfund Act, Gov. Hochul is addressing the financial burden placed on New Yorkers by the fossil fuel companies," said Richard Schrader, Director of New York Government Affairs at Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit environmental organization. "It’s a key example of what putting fiscal fairness and environmental justice front and center looks like."

In total, 38 firms reportedly deemed carbon polluters will be on the hook, such as American oil giants Exxon and Chevron, as well as the UK's Shell and BP.

Vermont remains the only other state to adopt similar pieces of legislation.

The bill comes just weeks after Hochul rolled out a plan to offer payments of up to $840 to New York residents who switch out their washing machines for a green alternative.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she and President-elect Trump "had a great meeting to discuss our shared priorities" for his upcoming term, despite their previously contentious relationship that hit a fever pitch in 2020 during the George Floyd riots. 

"President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation," Bowser said. 

The Democratic mayor said she and Trump "discussed areas for the collaboration between local and federal government, especially around our federal workforce, underutilized federal buildings, parks and green spaces, and infrastructure." 

"I am optimistic that we will continue to find common ground with the President during his second term, and we look forward to supporting a successful inauguration on January 20," she added. 

NYPD OPERATING IN 'HEIGHTENED THREAT ENVIRONMENT' IN ADVANCE OF NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION

The statement's tone is a far cry from Bowser's messaging related to Trump four years ago, when the mayor declared that a portion of the street leading up to the White House that protesters spray-painted to read "Defund the Police" would be officially recognized by the District of Columbia as "Black Lives Matter Plaza." Bowser and Trump publicly sparred over the use of the federal law enforcement to quell the riots and protests that engulfed the nation's capital, as well as other American cities. 

As for Bowser's reference to the "federal workforce," congressional staffers and even a member of Congress, have fallen victim to carjackings and other violent crimes over the past year.

Just weeks ago, a congressional staffer from Texas was targeted by a group of armed men who held up about a dozen other people during the morning commute in Washington, the Washington Post reported.

Trump made it a promise on the campaign trail this year that he would revitalize D.C. and other American cities that he says have deteriorated in recent years under progressive policies that have fueled violent crime and emboldened offenders.

"We will rebuild our cities, including our capital in Washington DC, which has become a very dangerous and badly managed place. We're going to make them safe, clean and beautiful again. We will teach our children to love our country, to honor our history, and to always respect our great American flag," Trump said at his sold-out rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

D.C. saw the largest surge in violent crime between 2022 and 2023 compared to any other large city in the country, WUSA reported in June, citing Department of Justice data highlighted by the Major Cities Chiefs Association earlier this year.

 DC VIOLENT CRIME DIPS 35% IN 2024, REACHES 30-YEAR LOW: US ATTORNEY

D.C. police and public safety officials on Monday, however, touted how violent crime in the capital in 2024 is on a record downward trajectory. 

Since 2023, homicides in Washington have declined by 32%, violent crime has dropped by 35% and overall crime is down 15%, DC Police Chief Pamela Smith and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah announced. 

The 35% dip in year-over-year crime constitutes a new 30-year low for D.C., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Mathew Graves noted earlier this month.

Smith on Monday championed better use of technology, crediting how "the mayor approved the increase of CCTV cameras across the city." 

The chief also said a sweeping D.C. crime bill enacted earlier this year served as a "morale booster" for officers, who expressed how they feel like they "could police again" with returned or new tools to use on the streets. 

The bill also made it easier for judges to order pre-trial detention. 

Appiah, meanwhile, admitted that holding suspects accused of violent crimes ahead of trial – as opposed to releasing them back onto the street to re-offend – has contributed to the about-face. 

"Those who commit violent crime, particularly with guns, sometimes need to be held pre-trial," Appiah said, according to WRC-TV. 

The son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., will spend decades in prison after he was convicted of killing a sheriff's deputy in a crash while fleeing law enforcement.

Ian Cramer, 43, will serve 28 years in prison for the death of 53-year-old Mercer County Sheriff's Deputy Paul Martin, which took place on Dec. 6, 2023.

State District Judge Bobbi Weiler sentenced Cramer to 38 years with 10 suspended, three years of probation and credit for time served. She said he probably will not serve the entire sentence since these are not mandatory minimums, according to The Associated Press.

"These are not mandatory minimums, which means that you're probably going to serve a small portion of that 28 years and be out on parole, so that'll ... give you an opportunity to have a second chance that Deputy Martin does not have, nor does his family have," Weiler said, adding that he seek treatment for addiction and mental health.

NORTH DAKOTA SENATOR SAYS SON WAS INVOLVED IN POLICE CHASE, CRASH THAT KILLED SHERIFF'S DEPUTY

Mercer County State's Attorney Todd Schwarz said Cramer admitted to using methamphetamine and bath salts the day of the incident, and was experiencing long-term effects of "taking drugs to put himself into a mentally ill state."

The day of the crash, Cramer's mother was taking him to a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota, because of mental health concerns. When she got out of the car, he slid over into the driver's seat and drove off, smashing through a closed door in the hospital's ambulance bay.

Deputies confronted him in Hazen, about 70 miles away from Bismarck, but Cramer continued to drive, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. Law enforcement deployed spiked devices, which flattened two tires, but did not stop him.

The crash took place when Cramer swerved to avoid more spikes and hit Martin's patrol vehicle head on. The deputy was pronounced dead at the hospital.

NORTH DAKOTA SENATOR'S SON FACES UPGRADED CHARGE IN CRASH THAT KILLED SHERIFF'S DEPUTY

Cramer initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in April, but changed his plea to guilty in September.

The charges included homicide while fleeing a police officer, fleeing a police officer, preventing arrest, reckless endangerment, driving under suspension, possession of meth, possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

The homicide charge alone carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Cramer's mother, Kris, apologized in court on Monday and said she feels "responsible for what happened" the day Martin was killed, The AP reported.

Sen. Cramer has said previously that his son "suffers from serious mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations." He told reporters on Monday that while he commends the officers, court and jail, he is "somewhat disappointed that mental health is so casually dismissed both by the court and by the prosecutor."

The senator, who was re-elected to a second term in November, said everyone, including his son, is aware that "they were his choices that led to this, whatever they may be, under whatever condition, choices that go back many years."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As Rep. Annie Kuster of New Hampshire finishes up her tenure in the House of Representatives this week after a dozen years of representing New Hampshire in Congress, she has a message for some of her older colleagues.

"Some of my colleagues in the House of Representatives who have been in Congress for decades, and they get very comfortable in districts that are deep, deep blue. They haven't had a challenging election in a long time," Kuster told Fox News Digital.

The 68-year-old Kuster, who won election and re-election six times in swing state New Hampshire's competitive Second Congressional District, decided against running again for another term in 2024, partly because she felt it was time for a new generation of House Democrat leaders to take over and that she wanted to set an example.

"I did want to lead by example. I felt that 12 years was a good length of time to put my shoulder to the wheel and work hard for working families and veterans and farmers and save the planet and protect women's rights. These were all important to me. But I think the generational change that is going on in the House Democratic Caucus is really important," she emphasized.

TRUMP'S CONVINCING WIN SETS UP HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR HOUSE REPUBLICANS IN 2026

Kuster pointed to the generational shift among House Democrats with the overthrow of senior committee leaders in the weeks since November's election, when the party lost control of the White House and Senate majority and narrowly failed to regain control of the House.

Pointing to some of her House Democrat colleagues in their 70s or 80s, Kuster said "they served their country well, but I don't think there's any shame in stepping down and saying there are other people that can do this job."

HOUSE DEMOCRAT CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH FOX NEWS

But Kuster highlighted that she was not referring to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who takes over in January as the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The former governor, who turns 78 next month, is considering running for re-election for a fourth six-year term in the Senate when she’s up in 2026.

"Let me just clarify. I'm not talking about Sen. Shaheen. I hope she will run for another term," Kuster said. "I think she’s at the top of her game and doing an extraordinary job."

Kuster says another reason she decided against seeking re-election was due to her time-consuming efforts as chair of the New Democrat Coalition.

"It's sort of the center left, pragmatic, get the job done, work across the aisle; I call it the can-do caucus," she said.

Kuster noted that the New Democrat Coalition has "both a policy arm and a political arm, and so one of the reasons that I was stepping down is that I was doing a great deal of travel all across the country recruiting candidates to run for the House, and then raising resources and supporting their campaigns with strategy and consultants and communications, and just spending a lot of time on it, myself, welcoming them and helping them."

THESE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028

Kuster highlighted that while her party suffered major setbacks in the 2024 elections, "[A]mong the New Democrat candidates, we protected 20 out of 22 current members who were challenged in tough races. We call them the front line, and we will be welcoming 25 new members of the New Democrat coalition. It's going to be up to 110 members."

"We flipped nine seats from what we call red to blue, and most of those were won by [President-elect Donald] Trump, but our candidates outperformed the top of the ticket," she said.

Kuster said "the message that we had was successful" and that the message focused on "lowering costs, about bringing people together to get the job done. We focused in on safety and security, not just immigration and the border, but crime in the community and gun violence in the schools."

"We also talked about democracy, and we also talked about women's reproductive health, but we really leaned in on costs and the economy and where the voters have the greatest concern. And so, it's a message that I think will resonate," she added.

Kuster said she's going to spend the next two years helping fellow Democrats as they reach for the House majority in 2026.

"My north star is for the Democrats to win back the House," she said.

Kuster added that she wants to help "create the next generation of Democratic leaders" who advocate for a "center-left, pragmatic approach, working across the aisle getting the job done. I know from this cycle that that was very, very successful, and that's where we won the seats."

Several political figures on both sides of the aisle increased their profile in 2024 and are primed to become key voices in their respective parties in 2025 and beyond.

Democrats suffered a major blow in 2024, in a year that saw President Biden bow out of the political race and be replaced by VP Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who lost both the Electoral College and popular vote in November. Going forward, several Democrats are expected to fill that leadership void heading into the midterms.’

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Shapiro was widely considered to be the strongest vice presidential candidate to join the Harris ticket this summer, and Harris received criticism for her decision to select Walz instead. Shapiro, viewed as a moderate by some, has been governor of the state since January 2023 and will face a re-election test in 2026 before any potential 2028 run.

HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY EVENTUALLY RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028

Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes make it a key state in presidential elections, making Shapiro’s position as governor of that state an appealing attribute for any presidential candidate.

"Probably the biggest winner on election night," Mike Manzo of Triad Strategies told ABC 27 last month. "If 2026 turns out to be a bad midterm for the Republicans, (Shapiro’s) sitting on the top of the ticket for in Pennsylvania. You know, so if he runs away with that the following January, he’s in Iowa."

House Rep. Pat Ryan 

Ryan, who represents New York’s 18th Congressional District, was considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents heading into the November election but defeated his Republican challenger by 14 points in a swing district.

Since the election, Ryan has been one of the most outspoken Democrats on the subject of what went wrong for his party in November.

"First and foremost, if you're using the words ‘moderate’ or ‘progressive’ you're missing the whole f***ing point," Ryan wrote on X. "It's not ideological. It's about who fights for the people vs. who further empowers and enables the elites."

"Most importantly, I told folks exactly who it was that was ripping them off, and I grounded it locally. It's the billionaires and big corporations making record-breaking profits while the rest of us struggle."

GOP REP-ELECT OUTLINES HOW DOGE, TRUMP AGENDA WILL GET COUNTRY 'BACK ON TRACK': 'NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL'

Ryan wrote, "It's not enough to throw these seemingly disparate policies at people. We must articulate a unifying principle, and clearly tell folks who’s at fault.  For me, it was Freedom. and Patriotism. And the fault lies with the same elites, in both parties, who've run this country for far too long."

Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks 

Alsobrooks, who previously served as the chief executive of Prince George’s County in the suburbs of the nation’s capital, defeated popular Republican Larry Hogan by 11 points in the Maryland Senate race, becoming the first Black candidate to win a Maryland Senate race.

Alsobrooks campaigned heavily on gun control and abortion and won the clear support of women, Black and Latino voters, urban voters and college graduates over Hogan, according to AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of more than 3,700 voters in the state. Even though Alsobrooks underperformed Vice President Harris among suburban and moderate voters, majorities backed her over Hogan in the heavily blue state.

"At times we struggle together, and we work to build a better future for all of our children," Alsobrooks said after her victory in November. "And to those Marylanders whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote, but I want you to know that I hear your voice, and I will be your senator, too."

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore

Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, is also believed to be a rising voice in the Democratic Party after being elected as the state’s first Black governor in 2022.

Moore, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and a Rhodes scholar, served as a captain in the Army before spending time as an investment banker and has labeled himself a "social moderate and strong fiscal conservative."

'UNIFIED GOVERNMENT': INCOMING HOUSE REPUBLICAN REVEALS AGENDA FOR NEW CONGRESS AFTER OUSTING DEM INCUMBENT

Moore’s leadership was thrust into the national spotlight this year when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Baltimore harbor, causing a collapse that took the lives of six construction workers.

In a post on X after the disaster, Moore said, "We are Maryland tough. We are Baltimore strong. In the face of danger, we hold out. In the face of heartbreak, we come together, and we come back stronger. That is what we’ve always done. That’s what we will continue to do."

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

While Newsom is not a political newcomer, he is expected to be one of the top candidates to run for president on the Democrat side in 2028 after establishing himself as one of the top surrogates for Biden and Harris during the last presidential cycle. 

Newsom, who has served as California governor since 2019, is term limited once his current tenure ends in January 2027. 

Republicans will enter the new year with control of the White House and Congress as the party prepares for four years of Trump’s leadership, while other Republicans will rise to become leaders in the party as the attention shifts to determining which voices will shape the party in the years to come during and post-Trump’s term.

KASPARIAN OF 'YOUNG TURKS' EXPLODES AT POSSIBILITY OF HARRIS BECOMING CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR: 'I'M GONNA MOVE!'

Vice President-elect JD Vance

Vance, 40, will be the presumptive frontrunner for president in 2028 given his position as Trump’s vice president and is expected to be one of the more prominent voices in the Republican Party over the next few years.

"The vice president will be in the catbird seat. No question about it," longtime Republican consultant Dave Carney told Fox News Digital last month. Carney, a veteran of numerous Republican presidential campaigns over the past four decades, said that Vance "is the guy to beat."

David Kochel, another longtime GOP strategist with plenty of presidential campaign experience, told Fox News that Vance is the frontrunner due to "the size and the scope of last week's victory and the implied passing of the torch from Donald Trump."

House Rep. Byron Donalds

Donalds, who has represented Florida’s 19th Congressional District since 2019, was a top surrogate for Trump on the campaign trail in 2024 and many believed he was on the short list of vice presidential candidates.

The Florida congressman has been an outspoken voice on cable news promoting Trump’s agenda and has also been one of the most prominent voices pushing back against the media’s attacks on Trump, often appearing on liberal networks defending the president-elect in hostile environments.

Donalds served on the Financial Services Committee and the Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability in the 118th Congress and was a member of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus, Freedom Caucus, and Republican Study Committee.

Senator-elect Bernie Moreno

Cleveland area businessman Bernie Moreno ended Dem. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s 17-year tenure in the Senate in November in a state Trump carried by 11 points. 

Since being elected senator, Moreno has established himself as one of Trump’s most loyal allies and was the first freshman senator to publicly defend and support Trump’s Cabinet picks and is expected to be one of Trump’s top representatives in Congress. 

Moreno, a supporter of term limits, has pledged to only serve two six-year terms in the Senate.

Representative-elect Abraham Hamadeh

Hamadeh previously served as a prosecutor and Army intelligence officer before being elected to represent Arizona’s 8th Congressional District in November.

The 33-year old, born to Syrian immigrants, has been a vocal supporter of Trump and the "Make America Great Again Agenda" and he told Fox News Digital last month that he and fellow Republicans will "hit the ground running with something very historic in the first hundred days."

Hamadeh is set to serve on both the Veterans Affairs Committee and Armed Services Committee in the 119th Congress. 

"I am honored to serve on the Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committees—two assignments I intentionally sought because our veterans and military deserve leaders who will fight for them," Hamadeh told Fox News Digital in a statement about his committee assignments. "Putting America first starts with defending our homeland and honoring our veterans and their families."

"Throughout my campaign, I made a promise to bring veterans’ issues to the forefront of our national priorities, and today, I am proud to fulfill that promise. This is a ‘promises made, promises kept’ moment as I lead the charge to honor our military leaders, support those who have served our nation, and ensure our veterans receive the care and respect they’ve earned. Serving those who served us is not just my duty—it’s a privilege."

Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur believed to have a net worth of around $1 billion, burst onto the political scene in 2023 after throwing his hat into the 2024 presidential race before dropping out in January 2024 and quickly becoming a top surrogate for Trump's campaign.

Ramaswamy was appointed to co-lead, along with Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency, which will focus its efforts on trimming federal spending when the new administration takes over in January.

The 39-year-old native of southwest Ohio has been floated as a contender to replace outgoing Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ramaswamy hasn't ruled out that possibility and has said he is open to considering it. 

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Immigration and border security were two issues that dominated news coverage and political debate in 2024, likely helping to decide the presidential election, as both candidates sought to present themselves as the best to tackle a historic border crisis and the consequences of the crisis were felt across the country.

In January, the U.S. remained in the throes of a migrant crisis that had exploded in 2021 and continued to roil the country throughout 2022 and 2023. In December 2023, encounters at the southern border hit a new record with more than 250,000 encounters in a single month.

It was a month that saw top Cabinet officials head to Mexico to attempt to persuade Mexican officials to do more to stop the flood of migrants heading north. As the presidential race, as well as congressional races, got into full swing in the early months of 2024, it became clear that the issue was likely to dominate the news cycle. Then-candidate Donald Trump promised to launch a mass deportation operation if elected, while President Biden touted a sharp drop in encounters since the beginning of the year as he also signed an executive order limiting asylum entries in June.

HOW HARRIS WAS DOGGED BY BORDER CZAR LABEL, PAST IMMIGRATION VIEWS DURING FAILED CAMPAIGN

A potential breakthrough emerged in February when Republicans and Democrats announced a border security bill in the Senate. The package gained the support of the Biden administration but quickly drew opposition from conservatives as well as some liberal Democrats.

The bill included increased funding for border agencies as well as an emergency authority to shut down entries at the southern border when encounters exceed a rolling seven-day average of 5,000 encounters. It would also expedite work permits for migrants and tighten asylum screening language.

Conservatives said the bill would codify high-border encounters, but the Biden administration and both the Biden and Harris campaigns would cite the bill as a bipartisan solution to the crisis that former President Donald Trump was rejecting for political purposes. 

MIGRANT CRIME WAVE DURING BIDEN-HARRIS ADMIN UNDER SCRUTINY AMID SERIES OF ASSAULTS, MURDERS: A TIMELINE

Tragically, 2024 saw a number of high-profile crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants, bringing the issue to the radar of even more voters.

In February, the death of Laken Riley, a Georgia college student, would bring the issue of migrant crime back to the headlines. Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant who had been released into the U.S. in 2022, was charged with her murder.

In July, two illegal immigrants were arrested on capital murder charges in the death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston. The men are accused of luring her under a bridge, tying her up and killing her before throwing her body into a river. 

While immigration activists would point to stats suggesting that immigrants commit fewer crimes than American citizens, those talking points appeared to do little to stem the outrage about the deaths of people at the hands of illegal immigrants who conservatives argued shouldn't have been let into the country in the first place.

When President Biden announced he would not seek re-election, Vice President Harris became the nominee. Immediately, attention was drawn to her record leading the administration’s tackling of "root causes" of migration, a task that led her to be dubbed "the border czar" by some in the media and Republicans.

She therefore became a target for questions over the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis, but she faced additional pressure over her past radical positions on immigration she held during her 2019 presidential campaign. Her support for gender transition surgery for detained migrants hit the headlines and was used as a weapon against her by Republicans.

She would also move away from past statements in which she called for the decriminalization of illegal border crossings and for the closing of immigration detention centers. She had also mulled ICE starting again "from scratch."

A Harris campaign adviser told Fox during the campaign that her positions have been "shaped by three years of effective governance as part of the Biden-Harris administration."

The Biden administration’s use of humanitarian parole to bring in thousands of migrants via the CBP One app, both at the southern border and by approving their travel into the U.S. from four countries, blew up during election season amid reports about how Haitian migrants were affecting towns throughout the U.S.

Trump repeated claims about Haitian migrants eating cats and dogs in Ohio during the presidential debate, marking one of the more viral moments of the debate with Harris.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

While that claim was unsubstantiated, the impact of mass migration on towns in Ohio and elsewhere continued to be an issue until Election Day.

With the Trump-Harris Election Day line-up set, polls consistently showed Trump with a yawning gap over Harris on suitability to handle the border crisis and illegal immigration, while voters also cited it as a top issue for them – often only second behind the economy.

Harris repeatedly hammered Trump on his failure to support the bipartisan border security bill, but the gap never really closed between the two as Trump continued to assign the border crisis to her leadership as "border czar."

Trump would ultimately win the November election, and as he accepted victory, he reiterated his promise to voters.

"We're going to fix our borders. We're going to fix everything about our country," he said.

Every two years, the period between the November election and when the new Congress begins is often the busiest swath of time for covering Congress.

Reporters are trying to figure out who won their elections and who lost. The existing Congress is back, attempting to prevent a government shutdown and often plowing through a landscape of other major legislation. There are often leadership elections. For instance, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., defeated Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., to succeed outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as the top GOP leader in the Senate. Thune begins as Majority Leader Friday afternoon. We still don’t know how much of a struggle House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., faces returning to the Speaker’s suite. It took former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., 15 rounds before he claimed the Speaker’s gavel in 2023.

Time management is a problem for me with so much going on. The new Congress starts at noon on January 3. So I spend the time between the election and the beginning of the new Congress learning, studying and memorizing the faces and biographies of as many incoming lawmakers as possible.

It’s time-consuming. It’s a challenge distinguishing some rookies from one another. Even getting the names and pronunciations right.

REP. VICTORIA SPARTZ DEMANDS 'ASSURANCES' SPEAKER JOHNSON 'WON'T SELL US OUT TO THE SWAMP'

It’s quite a learning curve.

This process intensifies during the holidays. It’s the final ramp-up to the launch of things on January 3.

Some people are easier to learn than others. Sens. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., were household names in the House before joining the Senate. In fact, they’ve already become senators. Other new senators are high-profile because they ran in competitive races. Think Sens.-elect Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., and Dave McCormick, R-Penn. Sen.-elect Jim Justice, R-W.V., didn’t face a challenging race to join the Senate. But Justice cut a national profile before winning – as did his constant canine companion Babydog.

But the real adventure is learning all of the new House Members.

The House is an enormous place. 435 people. Some new faces stand out in the House. But many are obscure. And it’s especially hard to learn some of them if they didn’t encounter a competitive race or were relative unknowns.

The House begins with 62 new Members plus non-voting delegates on Friday. My mission is to learn them all. 

My daily workout routine is a good opportunity for this. After all, the pace of Congress is kind of like a treadmill. But for my purposes, learning the freshman class is more like an elliptical. I go through the list of faces and names over and over again – as my legs churn each morning. I rotate through the entire House roster at least twice. I then carry the list to the stationary bike and study more there.

Some names are more prominent than others. For instance, Rep.-elect Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, was known before the election. He defeated Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, in a close race this fall. In addition, his surname is steeped in American political history – but mostly with the Democratic Party. His uncle is former Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska. His grandfather, the late Rep. Nick Begich, D-Alaska, was killed in a 1972 plane crash with late House Majority Leader Hale Boggs, D-La. Boggs is the father of late ABC and NPR journalist Cokie Roberts.

TRUMP GIVES JOHNSON 'COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT' AHEAD OF SPEAKERSHIP FIGHT

I try to meet as many Members of the incoming freshman class as possible. But as I wrote earlier, bandwidth is limited. The freshmen all descend on the Capitol complex during this zany period after the election for orientation. There just aren’t enough minutes in the day.

But I was grabbing a drink with a good friend at The Monocle, a legendary Capitol Hill watering hole, a few weeks ago. I saw former Sen. Begich walk in – but couldn’t get his attention to say hello. A few moments later, the Congressman-elect walked by. I grabbed him by the arm, introduced myself and gave him a business card. 

Trust me: it is easier to memorize the freshman class if you meet members in person. And I was proud of myself for being able to pick out Rep.-elect Begich in a crowd – based on my studies.

I spent a little time chatting with Reps.-elect Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., and Dave Taylor, R-Ohio. So I’m confident in knowing those members.

Then there are people who left Congress – and are back. Such is the case with former Reps. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., and Cleo Fields, D-La. Stutzman served in Congress just a few years ago and is returning. Fields served in the House nearly three decades ago in the 1990s when he was in his thirties.

I mentioned delegates a bit earlier.

Del.-elect Kimberlyn King-Hinds, R-Northern Mariana Islands, comes to Washington as a freshman in a few days. She succeeds retiring Del. Kilili Sablan, D-Northern Mariana Islands. I have not met King-Hinds yet. But multiple photos passed around show her wearing a tropical floral headpiece. I don’t know if that’s what King-Hinds wears all the time. But such apparel would make it easier to recognize King-Hinds.

For instance, the signature cowboy hat worn by Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., makes her stand out. 

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Then there are the pronunciations. Not every name is as easy as Rep.-elect Tim Moore, R-N.C., or Rep.-elect Gabe Evans, R-Colo. Try Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va. It’s pronounced soo-bruh-MAHN—yum. The surname of Rep.-elect Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., is pronounced HAMM-uh-day. And the aforementioned Julie Fedorchak says her last name fedd-ORR-check. 

I conscripted Fox News Radio reporter Ryan Schmelz to quiz me on the backgrounds of some of the freshman – as well as match photos with names. I had no problem guessing correctly when Schmelz showed me the photo of Rep.-elect Sarah Elfreth, D-Md. She succeeds retiring Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md. 

But I stumbled when Schmelz pointed to a picture of Rep.-elect Maxine Dexter, D-Ore. I immediately knew the Congresswoman elect was named "Maxine." I was positive she was a Democrat and hailed from Oregon. I even knew who she was succeeding: retiring Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. But I didn’t get the last name. I wanted to say "Deeter." But I knew that wasn’t right.

So, Schmelz stumped me there.

But that’s the learning process. And even though I didn’t know Dexter then, you can bet I won’t forget her now.

And look forward to meeting her. I have known her predecessor for years. 

But frankly, you don’t really learn the Members by studying a book. You learn them by seeing them in the hall. Chatting with them in the Speaker’s Lobby. Interacting with them in interviews. Seeing how they do in hearings. You watch how they handle themselves on the floor.

And the best way to learn them?

Observing how they vote and perform as a Member of Congress.

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