As drug smuggling attempts persist at ports of entry along the southern border, a bipartisan duo in the House of Representatives is proposing legislation to make it easier for U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to do their jobs.

 H.R. 1924, the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act, would make sure image technicians and supervisors are hired at the ports to more closely examine cargo scans, a policy that proponents believe would speed up wait times and make it easier to catch drugs like fentanyl from heading into the U.S. 

The goal is to create a specific role for scanning to make it easier on already strained agents.

"The majority of the fentanyl that is intercepted is at the ports of entry because of the technology that we have," Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., who drafted H.R. 1924, told Fox News Digital. "Also because of the way that fentanyl looks and the way it gets transported, which are small pills and they can fit pretty much anywhere."

MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL LEADER EXTRADITED TO THE US TO FACE FEDERAL DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES

"Cars are taken apart and rebuilt around the fentanyl there. So when you've got these kinds of training positions, that enhances the security at the port of entry," the Arizona Republican continued, adding that the legislation comes from an idea floated by authorities on the ground. 

Much of the known drug trafficking done across the border is through the ports. The majority of convictions in recent years for smuggling fentanyl specifically have been American citizens, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

"Through this kind of scanning process where goods are flowing back and forth, we can prevent the crossing of illegal drugs and also speed up the process of the legal goods coming in," Ciscomani said. He also noted that the legislation could make certain ports optimal for increasing trade and reduce wait times, which could be hours.

BLUE STATE SHERIFF UNLEASHES ON 'UN-AMERICAN' SANCTUARY LAWS, MAKES SPECIAL OFFER TO HOMAN

The influx of migrants during the Biden administration put a strain on resources at the ports, which even led to longer lines as authorities were also trying to handle the wave of people crossing into the nation illegally. Despite the obstacles, CBP still seized over 21,000 pounds of fentanyl and over 158,000 pounds of meth along the southern border in fiscal year 2024 alone, according to the agency's data.

"When I think about Eastern North Carolina and so many families being devastated in particular by the fentanyl crisis, we have to do something. We have to take urgent steps. We have to, you know, put aside the partisan politics because this is hitting home literally. So when I went to the border, taking three trips to the border, and in particular the Tucson sector," Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., who's co-sponsoring the legislation, told Fox News Digital.

"They're gonna be able to do more inspections, and I believe that this is a pathway of actually saving lives," Davis added.

DHS SEC NOEM DOUBLES DOWN ON CALLS FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS TO SELF-DEPORT, ANNOUNCES ENFORCEMENT OF REGISTRY

H.R. 1294 has been referred to the House Homeland Security Committee, and it comes at a time when the Trump administration is undertaking a full-scale crackdown on the border crisis, which has led to praise from Republicans and backlash from Democrats. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that only 200 people were encountered by CBP trying to illegally cross on Saturday, the lowest daily figure in 15 years. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are ongoing across the country, with some even being held at Guantanamo Bay, and troops were sent down to the southern border shortly after President Donald Trump took office last month.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Meanwhile, the overall conversation remains heated on Capitol Hill. Democratic Rep. Janelle Bynum slammed another bill by Ciscomani, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Safety Act, as akin to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 for ramping up penalties for those "intentionally fleeing" law enforcement near the border. Yet, the bill ended up passing with some bipartisan support. 

There have been some bright spots of compromise despite broader disputes on the issue across the nation as well. Arizona Republican lawmakers and Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes are supporting a state bill that would give permission to local authorities to shoot down drones suspected of being operated by the cartels, which would likely hinder one tool the organizations use to smuggle illicit drugs. 

A top Republican in the Pennsylvania legislature is drafting plans for a Department of Government Efficiency modeled after the work of President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and congressional DOGE lawmakers, but with one major difference.

State Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, said in a Tuesday interview his plan entails PA DOGE being a legislative branch project, not that of the executive, which is currently helmed by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. 

At the federal level, Trump and Musk say they are working from the executive branch to slash government bureaucracy and inefficiency, but Mastriano said Pennsylvania’s legislature is the chief appropriator and therefore the fitting home for PA DOGE.

"It doesn't make any sense why we always defer to the executive branch seeing it for these kinds of decisions," said Mastriano, the 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee. 

LAWMAKERS DRAFT ‘DRAIN THE SWAMP’ ACT

"We have oversight of the purse strings. We control the budget. It only makes sense, therefore, that we have a DOGE by the legislature with oversight to make cuts where we can."

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Auditor General Timothy DeFoor would, however, have a say in some of its membership, he noted.

Mastriano, who ran as the 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee against Shapiro, said that when Musk unveiled his original DOGE proposal, he thought, "No kidding, we absolutely must have this in Pennsylvania."

The lawmaker, who is also a retired Army colonel and veteran of the Desert Storm Battle of 73 Easting – history's last major tank battle – said his DOGE committee plan was also inspired by his experiences with the federal military bureaucracy.

"I remember in the '80s when Reagan came in, and there was accountability done when reporters found out the U.S. Air Force had spent $800 on toilet seats for the airplanes and another case of a hammer [reportedly costing hundreds of dollars] that they wanted to buy – so that kind of fraud, waste, abuse has been extant throughout my career."

"And in DoD, we always had a fraud-waste-abuse hotline – then you see what Elon Musk is doing. We need that in Pennsylvania."

DOGE ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $1B IN SAVINGS

Mastriano added that if legislation to create PA DOGE is passed, it will be Shapiro’s "ultimate test" of bipartisanship to consider it.

In separate remarks to Chambersburg’s 103.7FM, Mastriano quipped that some state cabinet departments are run "like USAID" in that they take in a lot of money and put out very little of value – and would therefore be a prime target of PA DOGE.

Mastriano suggested PA DOGE is also the panacea to bloated executive budget proposals the legislature has been handed over the years. 

Under the proposal, three of PA DOGE’s 10 members would be House lawmakers, three would be senators, the state treasurer would name one member, the auditor general would name one member and two would be civilians.

Any ties would be broken by the state treasurer; currently Garrity – a Republican.

"This committee will have teeth," Mastriano said. "If the committee sees fraud, waste and abuse and decides to eliminate elements of the state budget or even departments within the state, they have the power to do so."

Fox News Digital reached out to leaders on the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee – which oversees and manages relationships within state government and would be the relevant panel should the DOGE plan come to fruition.

Chairman Jarrett Coleman, R-Allentown, told Fox News Digital it is "well past time to examine how state funds are being used."

Coleman said he will support any effort to highlight or minimize government waste.

"Oftentimes, I question whether or not elected officials would be so wasteful if it were their own money," he said.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The chairman, who is a pilot by trade, suggested DOGE could target what he described as a hefty executive branch tab for use of the state plane, which he dubbed "Shapiro-Davis Airlines; Operated by PennDOT."

Clint Barkdoll, a Waynesboro attorney, told NewsTalk 103.7 that he supports the idea of a Keystone DOGE.

"We need this at all levels of government, we’re seeing the benefits that it can bring. Obviously, if it’s set up in a way through the General Assembly, they don’t have to accept the recommendations," Barkdoll said.

"But why not have a body empaneled to make recommendations and make it a diverse group? Get some lay-people on there. It doesn’t have to be all elected officials: Get some business people."

The idea of having civilians on the board alongside public officials would offer wider insight into key issues and considerations, he said.

State Sen. Tina Tartaglione, D-Philadelphia, the ranking member on Coleman’s committee, did not respond to a comment request. 

Shapiro also declined comment.

FIRST ON FOX: A bipartisan group of 151 lawmakers is rallying around a resolution to support the Iranian resistance movement ahead of a hearing with an opposition leader. 

The resolution, led by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., expresses support for the Iranian people and their stated desire for a "democratic, secular and non-nuclear" Iran through regime change. 

"The developments of the past year have left no doubt that the source of terrorism and warmongering in the Middle East region is the theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran," the resolution reads. 

It calls out the Iranian regime’s oppressive practices, voices support for the opposition and calls on global leaders to continue imposing sanctions. 

WORLD BRACES FOR IMPACT OF TRUMP'S 'MAXIMUM PRESSURE' SANCTIONS TARGETING IRAN

"The efforts of Western countries over the past 45 years to change the behavior of this regime have failed, and the ultimate solution to ending the Iranian regime’s threats is the establishment of a secular, democratic, and pluralistic republic by the Iranian people and resistance."

President Donald Trump has been hesitant to throw U.S. efforts into regime change in Iran. "We can't get totally involved in all that. We can't run ourselves, let's face it," he told Iranian-American producer Patrick Bet-David in October. 

The resolution also claimed that in the first four months of Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidency, beginning July 28, 2024, some 500 prisoners, including political prisoners and at least 17 women, were executed, and hand amputations increased. 

The resolution also expressed support for Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a leading resistance group known as MEK to Iranians, and her 10-point plan to bring democracy, secular government and human rights to Iran. The plan, which has the support of 4,000 parliamentarians across the globe, calls for installing NCRI as a provisional government for six months to set up elections and a constituent assembly. 

It was introduced Wednesday ahead of a 2 p.m. hearing entitled "The Future of Iran" with the Congressional Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, where Rajavi – a top target of Iran’s terror plots and demonization – will give testimony. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN STOP IRAN'S MARCH TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS: 'RE-ESTABLISH CREDIBLE MILITARY THREAT', REPORT SAYS

The first Trump administration imposed harsh sanctions to bankrupt Iran but stayed away from messaging campaigns aimed at encouraging Iranian resistance. This time around, opposition supporters say the situation on the ground has changed – the regime is far weaker after Bashar al-Assad was forced out of power in Syria and Israel has decimated its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. Protests have again kicked up across the nation and threaten to spread if the financial crisis does not improve. 

Rajavi, in her opening remarks, will say that the Iranian regime is at its weakest point in decades. 

"​​The situation of the Iranian society is explosive. During its 46-year rule, the religious fascism has never been so weak and fragile," Rajavi is expected to say, according to remarks obtained by Fox News Digital. 

STATE, TREASURY DEPARTMENTS REIMPOSES 'MAXIMUM PRESSURE' SANCTIONS ON IRAN’S OIL TRADE

"The mullahs are surrounded from all sides: by a society that is filled with anger and rebellion, by Resistance Units, and by selfless and rebellious youth, because of its bankrupt economy and corruption in the government, particularly after the overthrow of the brutal dictatorship of Assad and the collapse of the regime’s "strategic depth" in the region."

The resolution is sure to rankle Ayatollah Ali Khameni, leader of the current Iranian regime, and supporters of Reza Pahlavi II, whose father ruled Iran in the 1970s, who want to see the younger Pahlavi cede power in Iran and deeply oppose the NCRI. 

Rajavi will call for the implementation of United Nations snapback sanctions that were eased under the 2015 nuclear deal, putting the regime under the Chapter VII charter of the U.N. as a threat to peace and formally recognizing the resistance's movement for regime change.

She will also pay tribute to two resistance leaders, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who have been sentenced to death on charges of "rebellion" and for being members of the MEK. The U.N. has called on Iran to halt their executions. The regime has executed 120,000 on political grounds over the past four decades, according to Rajavi.

The hearings come after the Trump administration pushed forward with its promise to return the U.S. to "maximum pressure" sanctions with new crackdowns on Iranian oil tankers. 

Trump has said he would "love to make a deal" with the nation’s clerical leaders, but Iran has insisted it will not engage in nuclear negotiations while the U.S. is imposing maximum pressure. 

"Iran's position regarding nuclear talks is clear, and we will not negotiate under pressure and sanctions," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said during a televised joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

"There is no possibility of direct negotiations with the U.S. as long as maximum pressure is being applied in this way."

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump has issued 73 executive orders since his return to the Oval Office in January, including at least six that directly affect parents and their children, according to a parental rights group that released a parent's guide to navigating the executive orders. 

"President Trump's Executive Orders have put parents back in the driver’s seat," American Parents Coalition’s Executive Director Alleigh Marré told Fox News Digital. "From rolling back President Biden’s radical changes to Title IX that required schools to let boys play in girls sports, to protecting kids from harmful gender interventions, parents are already better positioned to make decisions regarding the well-being of their children than they were just a month ago."

The coalition released a "lookout" parental notification system Wednesday that detailed six different executive orders that "enable parents to choose what is best for their children and to better protect kids." 

The lookout works as a guide to parents navigating the executive orders, including offering tips on how parents can keep up with the breakneck pace of the Trump administration’s executive orders, and working their way through Congress and at the state level. 

TRUMP SIGNS 'NO MEN IN WOMEN'S SPORTS' EXECUTIVE ORDER

The American Parents Coalition was established in 2024 to advocate for public policy favorable toward parental rights. 

"In this Lookout, American Parents Coalition seeks to keep parents informed and provide tips to stay in the loop about future changes made by the Trump Administration, Congress, and state legislatures," Marré added in comment to Fox Digital. 

The parental notification system focused on six Trump executive orders, providing an explainer for each and what the order actually means for parents. 

The six orders include: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports; Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling; Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families; Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation; Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal; Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government. 

PARENTS SHOULD BE TERRIFIED BY TIKTOK’S DANGEROUS INFLUENCE OVER OUR KIDS

For the executive order protecting children from chemical mutilation, for example, the coalition explained that it "ensures parents, not activists, make medical decisions for their children and protects children from irreversible procedures until they reach adulthood."

"Although there is more work to be done at the state level, parents can now feel reassured that schools, healthcare providers, and government programs will not bypass them in pushing gender transition interventions on their children," the lookout report continues. 

Trump’s bevy of executive orders related to transgender issues and children were long previewed on the campaign trail, as the then-candidate vowed that he would ban biological males from women’s sports and ban gender surgery procedures for children. 

MILLION-DOLLAR TV AD CAMPAIGN ACCUSES TIKTOK OF EXPOSING YOUNG PEOPLE CONTENT GLORIFYING SUICIDE, SELF-HARM

"On Day One, I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so-called ‘gender affirming care’ — ridiculous — a process that includes giving kids puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance, and ultimately performing surgery on minor children. Can you believe this?" Trump said in a campaign video in 2023 of his plan to "protect children from left-wing gender insanity." 

TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER ON PROTECTING WOMEN'S SPORTS DRAWS RESPONSE FROM NCAA

Outside of executive orders that directly address children and parents, Trump also signed an executive order that ends the weaponization of the federal government, including preventing agencies from targeting people based on their political beliefs. 

"Parents can advocate for their children’s education and rights without fear of government retaliation for speaking out," the lookout explained of how the order impacts parents. "Some parents critical of far-Left educational policies such as teaching (critical race theory), transgender bathrooms and sport policies have been ridiculed and even investigated by the FBI. This order is a win for free speech and puts parents into the driver’s seat of their children’s lives." 

The family of murdered Oklahoma City motel owner Barry Van Treese told Fox News Digital they are "confident" Richard Glossip will once again be found guilty after the Supreme Court tossed out his conviction and ordered a new trial. 

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a majority opinion Tuesday that "the prosecution violated its constitutional obligation to correct false testimony" in court proceedings against Glossip, who was convicted and sentenced to death following the 1997 killing. Prosecutors alleged that it was a murder-for-hire scheme. 

"The family remains confident that when that new trial is held, the jury will return the same verdict as in the first two trials: guilty of first-degree murder," Derek Van Treese, Barry’s son, said in a statement to Fox News Digital provided by the family’s lawyer, Paul Cassell. 

"The burning issue here is of process and procedure. The U.S. Supreme Court has concluded that one small bit of impeachment evidence should have been presented at Glossip’s trial and has remanded for a new trial," he continued. "Two juries have shown that the issue at hand isn't one of guilt or innocence, Glossip is clearly guilty of first-degree murder." 

SUPREME COURT TOSSES CONVICTION AND DEATH SENTENCE OF OKLAHOMA INMATE, ORDERS NEW TRIAL 

Derek Van Treese added that "For the last 10,276 days, we've been waiting for justice for the murder of Barry Van Treese." 

"As difficult as it may be to start fresh on a 28-year-old case, I hope that the Attorney General and the Oklahoma County District Attorney's office can begin to show the perseverance that our family has shown throughout this process," he also said. "We pray that they exhibit the fortitude to take politics out of the equation and process this case as it is, a death penalty case, and not take the easy road of a lesser charge. If they find themselves unable to shoulder the burden, they should recuse themselves and allow someone with the aptitude and skill necessary to prosecute this case so it can finally be laid to rest, once and for all." 

SOUTH CAROLINA DEATH ROW INMATE CHOOSES FIRING SQUAD AS EXECUTION METHOD 

Don Knight, Glossip's attorney, told the Associated Press that the Supreme Court’s ruling "was a victory for justice and fairness in our judicial system." 

"Rich and I opened the decision together on the phone this morning, knowing it would be a life-changing moment," his wife said in a text message to the AP following the Supreme Court’s announcement. "To say that we are overcome with emotion is an understatement. We are deeply grateful. Today is truly an answered prayer." 

Glossip, 62, is currently being held at the maximum-security Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, according to the AP. 

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond was quoted by the news agency as saying that Glossip will remain in custody, and he will now consult with the Oklahoma County district attorney over whether to try Glossip again and if the state should seek the death penalty or lesser charges. 

"I do not believe Richard Glossip is innocent," Drummond reportedly added, noting that "I have conferred with several members of the Van Treese family and given them my heartfelt sadness for where they are, where they find themselves." 

Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report. 

Rapper Fat Joe, who backed then-Vice President Kamala Harris for president last year, hailed President Donald Trump's move to sign an executive order on healthcare price transparency.  

But in his statement about the order, the entertainer did not specifically mention Trump by name.

"Today marks a brighter future in America now that an executive order on healthcare price transparency has been signed," Fat Joe declared in Tuesday posts on social media.

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO MAKE HEALTHCARE PRICES ‘TRANSPARENT’

"This issue was never about politics for me, it was about doing the right thing for every patient, worker, employer, and union across the country. The American healthcare system had been robbing all of us by hiding their prices and charging whatever they wanted. It was un-American and unethical. Now, we can celebrate this huge victory and a big thank you to @PowertoPatnts and all that supported"

Trump's order seeks to bolster an order he previously issued during his first term. 

CHRIS ‘MAD DOG’ RUSSO RIPS ‘NONSENSE’ ICE CUBE, FAT JOE WORLD SERIES PERFORMANCES: ‘GIVE ME A BASEBALL GAME!’

"Pursuant to Executive Order 13877 of June 24, 2019 (Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Healthcare to Put Patients First), my Administration issued paradigm-shifting regulations to put patients first by requiring hospitals and health plans to deliver meaningful price information to the American people," Trump's new order declares.

He asserted that former President Joe Biden's "Administration failed to take sufficient steps to fully enforce my Administration’s requirement that would end the opaque nature of drug prices by ensuring health plans publicly post the true prices they pay for prescription drugs."

The order calls for the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services secretaries to seek to swiftly "implement and enforce the healthcare price transparency regulations issued pursuant to Executive Order 13877 …"

5 MISTAKES THAT DOOMED KAMALA HARRIS' CAMPAIGN AGAINST TRUMP

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump's Labor Secretary pick, former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate. 

EXCLUSIVE: Sens. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., introduced a bill Wednesday that would require the annual presidential budget to include data on improper payments to federal agencies, taking a page out of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) playbook. 

"When federal agencies waste money, it means less money for essential services, national defense or deficit reduction," Ricketts, a member of the Senate DOGE Caucus, said. "Transparency brings accountability. My bipartisan bill will highlight where money is being misspent so we can combat waste and save taxpayer dollars."

The Improper Payments Transparency Act would require the president's annual budget request to include data on improper payments, which are defined under U.S. law as payments that should not have been made or were made in an incorrect amount. 

The act would require a description of the program on an improper payment report, including an explanation of why the improper payment occurred, data on improper payment trends and a corrective action plan agencies will take to limit improper payments.

NEW DOGE BILL WOULD TARGET MORE THAN $200B IN ANNUAL IMPROPER PAYMENTS FROM SAFETY NETS, LAWMAKER SAYS

"We owe it to the hardworking people of Nevada to make sure that the federal government is using their tax dollars efficiently and responsibly. Our bipartisan legislation will help to increase transparency and cut down on wasteful government spending. I’ll keep working to clean up Washington and look after American taxpayers’ hard-earned money," Rosen added. 

HOUSE DOGE HEARING ERUPTS OVER DEMOCRAT DEEMING TRUMP 'GRIFTER IN CHIEF,' REFERRING TO 'PRESIDENT MUSK'

About $2.8 trillion in improper payments have been made since 2003, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates, with about $236 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2023 and $161.6 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2024. The GAO found in Fiscal Year 2023 that 10 of 24 executive branch agencies required to report improper payments did not fully comply, so the cost of improper payments could be much higher. 

The Improper Payments Transparency Act was named one of the top bipartisan bills for taxpayers on the National Taxpayers Union's 2024 "No Brainers" List. 

While Republicans have been following Musk's lead on DOGE initiatives to cut wasteful government funding, Democrats have been calling for more transparency from President Donald Trump's administration. Ricketts and Rosen's bipartisan bill, which is independent of DOGE, could be an opportunity for senators to come together on the issue.

Another DOGE-inspired bill was introduced on the House side on Monday. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., is sponsoring the Payment Integrity Information Reform Act (PIIA) to target overpayments by the federal government. The bill seeks to improve payment integrity laws and target overpayments for social safety net programs. 

Meanwhile, the Senate DOGE Caucus was established in November 2024 by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa., "to identify and eliminate government waste." The Senate DOGE Caucus is working closely with Musk's DOGE to promote fiscal responsibility and reduce wasteful federal spending. 

Congress also established the Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency Caucus in the same month to support DOGE through legislative action. Additionally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., leads the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency for oversight on government efficiency efforts. 

Trump signed an executive order establishing the DOGE on Inauguration Day, directing Musk to lead the federal government's efforts "to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity." The Trump administration has since directed government agencies to comply with DOGE's departmental investigations.

DOGE's audits have led to mass layoffs and departures from the federal workforce and slashed federal programs to uncover billions of dollars in savings. Many Democrats have protested Trump's executive actions as Republicans have typically embraced the federal shake-up. 

A pro-life attorney alleged during a House hearing that the Biden administration's Department of Justice (DOJ) led a "systematic campaign" against pro-life protesters who were charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and sentenced to several years in prison in 2020.

Peter Breen, the executive vice president and head of litigation at the Christian nonprofit law firm Thomas More Society, testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight on Tuesday about the Biden administration's prosecution of 23 pro-life protesters, many of whom were part of a large-scale Washington, D.C., abortion clinic blockade. President Donald Trump pardoned all the activists in one of his first executive actions in January.

"The Biden DOJ engaged in a systematic campaign to abuse the power of the federal government against pro-life advocates, while that same DOJ ignored hundreds of acts of vandalism and violence against pro-life churches, pregnancy help centers, and other advocates," Breen said.

PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST PROSECUTED BY BIDEN DOJ REACTS TO TRUMP PARDON: 'I WANT TO GIVE HIM A HUG'

The hearing, titled, "Entering the Golden Age: Ending the Weaponization of the Justice Department," included testimonies from Chris Swecker, former FBI assistant director of the Criminal Investigations Unit, Jonathan Fahey, a legal partner at Holtzman Vogel, and Brendan Ballou, a federal prosecutor.

The Thomas More Society represented several of the 23 pro-life activists who were imprisoned during the 2020 demonstrations and urged Trump during his first few days in office to pardon them.

"They should not have been prosecuted," Trump said during the signing. "Many of them are elderly people. They should not have been prosecuted. This is a great honor to sign this."

Breen said the Trump administration's pardons sent a "powerful message." 

"On behalf of our clients and the pro-life movement as whole, we are thankful to President Trump for his recent pardons and to the members of this House who supported that effort," he said. "Those pardons sent a powerful message to the country, and especially to the millions of Americans in the pro-life movement, that the federal government should not be weaponized against Americans because of their sincere beliefs in the sanctity of human life."

PRO-LIFE ACTIVISTS FOUND GUILTY ON CONSPIRACY CHARGES FOR 2020 'RESCUE ACTION' AT DC CLINIC

Prosecutors from the DOJ's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia argued the pro-life activists violated the 1994 FACE Act, a federal law that prohibits physical force, threats of force or intentionally damaging property to prevent someone from obtaining or providing abortion services.

"Evidence presented at trial established that the defendants used force and physical obstruction to execute a clinic blockade that was organized by the group’s leaders," the Biden DOJ wrote in its announcement of several indictments. "The defendants’ forced entry into the clinic at the outset of the invasion resulted in injury to a clinic nurse. During the blockade, one patient had to climb through a receptionist window to access the clinic, while another laid in the hallway outside of the clinic in physical distress, unable to gain access to the clinic."

However, the FACE Act is now a target of the pro-life movement, as opponents of the law say it infringes on the First Amendment, restricts the freedom to protest and unfairly targets anti-abortion activists.

"Of course, we urge Congress to repeal the FACE Act, which is selectively and illegally enforced by pro-abortion presidential administrations," Breen said. "But in the immediate term, Congress has several other concrete steps it can take, working with the new Administration to define the proper scope of the laws and to defend the rights of pro-life Americans."

PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS PARDONED BY TRUMP, FOX CONFIRMS

House members and witnesses also spent much of the two-hour hearing discussing a Richmond FBI internal 2023 memo titled, "Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities." 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ for comment.

FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration will direct heads of agencies across the federal government to prepare to initiate "large-scale reductions in force" and develop reorganization plans by mid-March, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained the memo that will be sent Wednesday to agency heads by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Charles Ezell. The memo directs them to prepare to eliminate roles and submit plans for reorganization by March 13. 

TRUMP SIGNS ORDER INSTRUCTING DOGE TO MASSIVELY CUT FEDERAL WORKFORCE

The memo states, however, that government positions "necessary to meet law enforcement, border security, national security, immigration enforcement, or public safety responsibilities" are exempt from the order, as well as officials nominated and appointed to positions requiring presidential appointment or Senate confirmation, officials in the Executive Office of the President and U.S. Postal Service workers. 

The memo is titled "guidance on agency RIF and reorganization plans requested by implementing the president’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ workforce optimization initiative." 

"The federal government is costly, inefficient, and deeply in debt," the memo states. "At the same time, it is not producing results for the American public." 

"Instead, tax dollars are being siphoned off to fund unproductive and unnecessary programs that benefit radical interest groups while hurting hard-working American citizens," it continued. "The American people registered their verdict on the bloated, corrupt federal bureaucracy on November 5, 2024 by voting for President Trump and his promises to sweepingly reform the federal government." 

The memo points to the president’s February executive order, which directed agencies to "eliminate waste, bloat and insularity" in order to "empower American families, workers, taxpayers, and our system of Government itself." 

The memo provides guidance to agency heads about the reduction-in-force and reorganization plans, along with instructions for how those plans should be submitted to OMB and OPM. 

"President Trump required that ‘Agency Heads shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force, consistent with applicable law,’" the memo states, noting that agencies have to submit reorganization plans "no later than March 13, 2025." 

The reorganization plans, according to the memo, should provide "better service for the American people; increased productivity; a significant reduction in the number of full-time equivalent positions by eliminating positions that are not required; a reduced real property footprint; and reduced budget topline." 

IRS TO SLASH NEARLY 7K EMPLOYEES STARTING THURSDAY: REPORTS

OMB and OPM directed agency heads to focus on "maximum elimination of functions that are not statutorily mandated while driving the highest-quality, most efficient delivery of their statutorily-required functions."

OMB and OPM also directed agencies to consolidate areas of their organization charts that are "duplicative," and consolidate management layers "where unnecessary layers exist." 

They are also directing agencies to "maximally reduce the use of outside consultants and contractors." 

As for office space, the memo says agency heads should close or consolidate regional field offices and should align those closures or relocations of bureaus and offices with agency return-to-office actions "to avoid multiple relocation benefit costs for individual employees." 

The memo says "Phase 1" of reorganization plans should be submitted by March 13, with "Phase 2" being submitted by April 14. 

"Phase 2 plans shall outline a positive vision for more productive, efficient agency operations going forward," the memo explains. "Phase 2 plans should be planned for implementation by September 30, 2025." 

Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins unveiled a plan to lower egg prices in both the short and long term on Wednesday.

Rollins made the announcement during an appearance on Fox News' "America's Newsroom," saying President Donald Trump's administration is taking a multi-prong approach to combat the bird flu that has ravaged chicken populations and therefore sent the price of eggs skyrocketing. 

Rollins blamed the current high prices on a "long road" of overregulation going back to President Barack Obama's administration.

The Trump official also highlighted efforts to re-populate poultry farmers who were forced to slaughter most or all of their populations due to exposure to the virus, a policy Rollins says the administration is investigating.

EGG PRICES AREN'T COMING DOWN ANYTIME SOON, EXPERTS SAY

EGG FARMER HIT HARD BY BIRD FLU, DESCRIBES 'NIGHTMARE' OF LOSING 3 FLOCKS

When asked by host Dana Periono if it was time to revisit the policy of killing chickens, Rollins confirmed that the Trump administration is researching whether changing the policy would be effective.

"We are going to have some pilot programs across the country that work to prove that out," Rollins said. "The avian flu is an extremely fast-spreading virus, and within a couple of days it spreads so quickly that most of the chickens have died anyway. But there are some farms that are out there and that are willing to really try this."

WHITE HOUSE ECONOMIST GIVES PLAN TO CONTROL AVIAN FLU, LOWER EGG PRICES AFTER BIDEN ADMIN ‘KILLED CHICKENS’

Rollins says that in the short term, her agency is working to import eggs from other countries in order to meet demand and lower prices in the U.S. She stressed that such purchases are not a long-term solution, however.

The UK's greenhouse gas emissions should fall to 13% of 1990 levels by 2040, government advisors say.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) appeared to defy President Donald Trump’s executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO) after the U.S. agency said it would participate in a conference with the global organization.

The CDC confirmed this week that it will go ahead and partake in a biannual conference on the influenza vaccine led by the WHO.

"CDC will be actively participating virtually at the WHO vaccine consultation meeting for the recommendation of viruses for 2025-26 Northern Hemisphere Vaccine this week," a CDC spokesperson told Fox News. 

The agency did not clarify if it received an exemption from Trump’s executive order, which required all officials to stop working with the WHO. 

TRUMP OPEN TO CONSIDERING RE-ENTRY INTO WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: ‘THEY’D HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP'

Trump signed the executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO just hours after taking office last month. The president cited reasons such as WHO's "mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic," the "failure to adopt urgently needed reforms," and "unfairly onerous payments" forced on the U.S. 

CDC ORDERED TO IMMEDIATELY STOP COLLABORATING WITH WHO AFTER TRUMP BEGINS PROCESS FOR US WITHDRAWAL

Days after signing the order, Trump said during a Las Vegas rally that he was open to potentially rejoining the WHO if the global body were "to clean it up a bit."

The WHO issued a statement shortly after Trump's order, lamenting the president's decision and expressing hope that the U.S. will rethink the move.

During Trump's first term, in July 2020, he took steps to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO but his successor, former President Joe Biden, eventually reinstated the nation's participation in the global health initiative. 

Fox News Digital’s Alex Schemmel contributed to this report.

Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett caused a social media firestorm after telling Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk to "f--- off" in the latest example of her public opposition to the newly formed agency’s push to cut government waste and spending. 

"F--- off," Crockett told reporter Joe Gallina outside Capitol Hill on Tuesday when asked what she would tell Elon Musk if she could tell him anything.

Crockett’s reaction immediately drew blowback from conservatives on social media, who took issue with the liberal firebrand’s tone.

"The face of the American left, ladies and gentlemen," conservative account Johnny MAGA posted on X.

NEW DOGE BILL WOULD TARGET MORE THAN $200B IN ANNUAL IMPROPER PAYMENTS FROM SAFETY NETS, LAWMAKER SAYS

"Classy," conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted on X.

"Jasmine Crocket = trash," comedian Tim Young posted on X.

MEET THE FAR-LEFT GROUPS FUNDING ANTI-DOGE PROTESTS AT GOP OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

"Please make Jasmine Crockett the spokesperson of the Democrat Party," former GOP congressional candidate Kathleen Anderson posted on X.

"Classy as ever…," Washington Examiner White House correspondent Paul Bedard posted on X.

Crockett’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Many Democrats in Congress have been highly critical of Musk and DOGE, arguing that the billions in cuts the agency has announced are slashing important government resources and being done too quickly.

"DOGE is pretty cruel. Let's be blunt about that," Gov. Josh Green, D-Hawaii, said during a press conference last week with other Democratic governors. "These are people in our states that have worked long careers, very dedicated servants, and they're getting kicked out of their lives."

A recent poll, amplified by Musk on social media, suggests that a majority of the American people support DOGE's mission.

The Harvard CAPS-Harris poll revealed a majority of Americans support reducing wasteful government spending. Most voters agree there should be a government agency dedicated to efficiency and that DOGE is helping to make major spending cuts, the nonprobability-based poll found. 

Gov. Janet Mills of Maine is attempting to capitalize on her moment in the national spotlight after she got into a public dust-up with President Donald Trump last week over her state's defiance of his executive order demanding biological males who identify as transgender stay out of women's sports. 

The pair got into a verbal skirmish on Friday at the White House after Trump said the night prior that Maine would not receive any federal funding until it started taking action to prevent transgender women from competing on women's sports teams. 

"We're going to follow the law, sir. We'll see you in court," Mills said after Trump asked if she would comply with his order. "Enjoy your life after governor, because I don't think you'll be an elected official afterward," Trump shot back.

A Maine state representative confirmed to Fox News Digital that following the verbal skirmish on Friday, Mills began sending out mass fundraising texts to Maine residents that cited her altercation with Trump, which played out on national TV.

MAINE STATE REP TALKS ‘EXTREME’ TRANSGENDER ATHLETE POLICY

"On Friday at a bipartisan meeting of governors, Donald Trump threatened to deny Maine school children federal funding unless we fall in line with his personal demands," Mills' text campaign said. "He even stated that he was ‘the law,’ never mind Congress or the states. I told him we'd see him in court."

Mills went on to say that while Trump campaigned on lowering prices for everyday Americans, he is now using his new power to "punish his enemies."

"I want to make one thing clear: Maine will not be intimidated by the president's threats," the campaign said. "The work to push back against Trump and his agenda begins at the state level. Can you donate $10 to the Maine Democratic Party to make sure they have the resources to fight for our state?" 

The same week Trump threatened to withhold funding from Maine for not complying with his executive order on women's sports, a transgender woman who competed as a man until June last year won first place in the women's pole vault at Maine's Class B state indoor championship.

MAINE FEMALE ATHLETE ‘GRATEFUL’ FOR TRUMP'S FOCUS ON TRANS COMPETITORS AFTER LOCAL LEADERS ‘FAILED’ GIRLS

Maine's primary governing body for high school athletics, the Maine Principal's Association, confirmed that it did not intend to follow Trump's executive order after it came out. Rather, the association said they would defer to state law that makes it illegal to determine someone's athletic eligibility on the basis of their gender identity. 

Sarah Perry, a civil rights attorney who has extensive experience litigating Title IX issues, said that in addition to Trump's executive order, Maine is also flouting directives from the Department of Education and previously established precedent from a slew of cases that challenged former President Joe Biden's Title IX regulations allowing athletic eligibility to be determined by one's preferred gender identity. 

"Within six weeks [after Biden's Title IX ruling] we had 11 federal lawsuits brought by 26 states, in addition to a handful of others – the Biden administration has lost every time," Perry pointed out.

Perry added that besides the obvious risk of losing funding, these states also open themselves up to federal Title IX investigations, something she said could potentially force them to comply with Trump's demands.

Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to the governor's office for comment but did not hear back.

FIRST ON FOX: A pro-life medical group is urging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to reverse course on a recently passed state law that shields the identities of healthcare providers who prescribe and mail the abortion pill mifepristone.

In a letter to Hochul on Wednesday, the American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs (AAPLOG) said the law "recklessly endangers" patients who cannot follow up with their provider in the case of complications.

"Concealing doctors’ identity recklessly endangers the patients we’re meant to serve," the group wrote. "It compounds the risks of telehealth prescription of mifepristone without in-person consultations, and the barriers it creates to identifying prescribing physicians could mean the difference between life and death for patients."

NEW YORK GOV. HOCHUL SIGNS LAW PROTECTING ABORTION PILL PRESCRIBERS AFTER DOCTOR INDICTED IN LOUISIANA

Contact with the prescribing physician is an essential component of any follow-up care, the OBGYNs wrote, "which is so common and necessary with mifepristone that it was required as part of the original FDA approval." 

"Many irresponsibly understate the risks of drug-induced abortions, but the dangers for women who take it are all too real," the group wrote.

The group appealed for reconsidering the law, stating, "This new law makes doctors less accessible to the patients they’re serving" and "erects hurdles for patients with follow-up questions." They also warned it could introduce "time-consuming and potentially fatal roadblocks" to consultations in cases of complications.

Mifepristone, the most commonly used medication for medical abortions for up to 10 weeks gestation, is the first combination of an oral abortion. A second medication, misoprostol, is usually taken 24 to 48 hours later to expel the fetus. A dozen states have passed laws in the last year to restrict access to abortion pills.

NEW YORK GOV. HOCHUL FUELS HATE CRIME SPECULATION IN TRANSGENDER SLAYING; STATE POLICE FIND 'NO INDICATION'

"Women taking the drug may require transfusion, develop sepsis, or need surgery to complete their abortion," the OBGYNs wrote. 

"The rate of complication for drug-induced abortion is four times higher than for surgical abortions. In fact, 2.9-4.6 percent of patients taking the drug will need to be seen in the emergency room, as happened in the case of the Louisiana patient reported days before New York enacted its legislation."

AAPLOG Action Executive Director Rebecca Weaver told Fox News Digital the law is "essentially allowing pro- abortion states to override the pro-life states …  and allowing the mailing of the abortion drugs."

"It's kind of overriding and undercutting what Dobbs was prescribing to move forward after the overturning of Roe," Weaver said. 

REPUBLICANS RIP HOCHUL'S INFLATION REFUNDS: BRIBE TO MAKE NYERS LIKE HER

Hochul signed the legislation into law in early February following the indictment of New York physician Margaret Carpenter, her company and an associate by a grand jury in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. They were accused of using telemedicine to prescribe abortion pills to a minor who suffered complications.

The New York law, effective immediately, allows providers' names to be omitted from abortion pill packaging and bottles and instead replaced with the name of their healthcare practice. 

Louisiana authorities discovered the doctor's identity after it was found on the abortion pill label.

"After today, that will no longer happen," Hochul said at the bill signing.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul's office for comment.

The FBI is reportedly beginning an investigation into allegations that the agency, when headed by then-Director James Comey, launched a "honeypot" operation to infiltrate the 2016 Trump campaign with two female agents.

The Washington Times reported that the agency is looking into an alleged 2015 operation, which was revealed by a whistleblower in a disclosure to the House Judiciary Committee last year and was said to involve two agents acting as "honeypots" while traveling with the Trump team.

"Honeypots" typically refer to undercover agents who act romantically interested in a target in order to draw out information.

In the disclosure, a copy of which was obtained by Fox News Digital, the whistleblower is said to be an FBI employee and was involved in an "off-the-books" investigation targeting then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. The whistleblower reportedly claimed that they knew Comey had ordered a probe into Trump and had "personally directed it" shortly after Trump announced he was running for president. 

FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL VOWS TO RESTORE TRUST IN BUREAU, HUNT DOWN BAD ACTORS ‘IN EVERY CORNER OF THIS PLANET’ 

The whistleblower claimed two agents were inserted into the high levels of the campaign and were directed to act as "honeypots" and travel with Trump and his campaign staff. However, the investigation was allegedly closed because a media outlet obtained a photograph of one of the agents and was about to publish it. The whistleblower said they observed one or more employees being directed to never discuss the operation with anyone, including those involved in the operation. 

The Washington Times reported that the bureau, now headed by FBI Director Kash Patel, is looking for those employees. 

"The FBI has no comment," the agency told Fox News Digital when reached for comment on Wednesday.

HERE'S WHAT KASH PATEL'S FORMER COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING ABOUT HIM

Patel was sworn in as FBI director last week and promised to rebuild trust in the FBI and end what he saw as the politicization of the agency.

"The politicization of our justice system has eroded public trust — but that ends today," he told Fox News Digital. "Let good cops be cops," he said. "And rebuild trust in the FBI." 

"Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the bureau and our partners, we will rebuild an FBI the American people can be proud of," he said.

FBI IGNORED 'CLEAR WARNING SIGN' OF CLINTON-LED EFFORT TO 'MANIPULATE' BUREAU FOR 'POLITICAL PURPOSES'

Patel previously served as the chief investigator for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Throughout his investigation, he led the effort to uncover FISA abuse and exposed the FBI and the DOJ’s unlawful actions before federal court to illegally surveil Americans, including members of the 2016 Trump campaign. 

The alleged honeypot investigation is said to be separate from a 2016 FBI investigation, known as "Crossfire Hurricane," which investigated whether the Trump campaign was colluding with Russia to influence the outcome of the election. 

Trump fired Comey in May 2017. Days later, Robert Mueller was appointed as special counsel to take over the "Crossfire Hurricane" probe and investigate whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election cycle. That investigation yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the 2016 election.

Attorneys for New York City Mayor Eric Adams asked a U.S. judge to dismiss with prejudice all charges against their client on Wednesday, citing alleged prosecutorial misconduct and an "extraordinary" flurry of leaks that they argued would have violated Adams' right to a fair trial.

The filing comes nearly two weeks after the Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss the corruption case against Adams, and after the presiding judge in the case, U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, declined to immediately grant the request to do so.

In the new filing, Adams' legal team asked Judge Ho to grant the Justice Department's request to drop charges swiftly and prejudice, arguing that the actions by prosecutors had violated multiple statutory and court rules, including long-established Justice Department policies aimed at curbing prosecutorial misconduct. 

They also cited the "extraordinary" amount of leaked information from prosecutors that they argued would have violated Adams' right to a fair trial; noting in particular a Feb. 12 resignation letter by former acting U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon, which lawyers said would have "destroyed whatever presumption of innocence Mayor Adams had left."

TRUMP STRIPS SECURITY CLEARANCES FROM LAW FIRM TIED TO JACK SMITH CASES

"In addition to violating Mayor Adams’s fundamental constitutional rights and ability to receive a fair trial, the government’s leaks violated numerous statutory and court rules, including the Justice Department’s own longstanding policies aimed at curbing prosecutorial misconduct," they argued in the filing.

The charges against Adams will remain intact until Judge Ho agrees to dismiss them.

Adams was indicted last fall on five federal corruption and bribery charges tied to the alleged solicitation of illegal campaign contributions and the alleged receiving of luxury travel perks on behalf of Turkish foreign nationals, according to Justice Department documents.

Adams pleaded not guilty to all charges and has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. 

DEMOCRAT REP RITCHIE TORRES ENDORSES CUOMO FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR OVER ERIC ADAMS: REPORT

U.S. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove asked federal prosecutors earlier this month to drop all corruption charges against the mayor— an unusual move, and one that requires the formal sign-off of the presiding judge in the case. 

In the motion to dismiss, Bove said the legal proceedings against Adams were detracting from other Justice Department priorities, such as illegal immigration and violent crime. 

However, Judge Ho declined to immediately grant the motion to dismiss at a court hearing last week, telling Bove and Adams' legal team that he needed more time to further consider the facts.

Ho also appointed former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement to argue against the motion to dismiss and to look into the Justice Department's motives for dismissing the charges.

He has instructed legal briefs to be filed on March 7 and, if necessary, said there would be a hearing on March 14. 

"This is a very complicated situation, at least from where I sit," Ho said after the roughly 90-minute hearing last week, adding, "I’m not going to shoot from the hip right here on the bench." 

Not dropping the charges against Adams is highly unusual, and no U.S. appellate court has ever sided with a federal judge who declined to grant an unopposed motion to dismiss.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on its view of the new filing and if it agreed with the assertion that the case against Adams should be dismissed with prejudice.

The House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing on Tuesday was slated to discuss billions of dollars in government waste identified by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), but first devolved into chaos when one Democrat repeatedly referred to the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as "President Musk" and to President Donald Trump as the "grifter in chief." 

Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., kicked off the hearing by accusing Democrats of declining to participate with Republicans in their oversight plan. 

"Instead of working together that the Democrats informed us that they have amendments to the plan but are refusing to discuss them with me in advance. They kept any changes. They wanted a secret," Comer said in opening remarks. "Democrats have rejected every opportunity offered to contribute to the oversight plan. So how am I supposed to incorporate secret opinions that they refuse to share? You may be asking yourself, ‘Why would the Democrats do that?’ Democrats say they want to participate in oversight, but if that were true, why would they decline multiple opportunities to actually engage in the plan for that oversight? Because they don't want to participate. They want to stonewall and engage in theater." 

Comer further charged that Democrats "would rather hear themselves talk about President Trump and the evil Elon Musk than work together on actual oversight that the American people are demanding," adding that polling this week suggests "the American people overwhelmingly support the work President Trump and DOGE are doing." 

FEDERAL WATCHDOG RELEASES FIRST DOGE-ERA REPORT DETAILING AREAS OF GOVERNMENT PRONE TO FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE

Ranking Member Gerry Connolly, D-Va., shot back, criticizing the Republicans' oversight plan over what he deemed leniency toward the Trump administration. 

"The sins of omission in this plan are damning," Connolly contended. "My amendment would restore the committee's proper role as a watchdog, not a lapdog." 

Tensions across the aisle escalated when Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., addressed the committee. 

"People like the grifter in chief Trump and President Musk are openly using their public offices to enrich themselves to the tune of billions of dollars," Frost charged. "So if we want to look at waste, fraud and abuse, which I'm down to do, why is there a complete silence on the other side of the aisle about looking at the complete grifter that is the President of the United States and the richest man on the earth…. Why don't we investigate the real corruption?"

An objection was raised by Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., and Comer called a point of order. Frost contended he could refer to Elon Musk as the president and Connolly asserted that the First Amendment had not been suspended. 

Comer asked Frost if he would like to "revise" his remarks regarding the president, who is protected by House and committee rules of decorum, but Frost did not back down. 

"I'll say President Musk and grifter in chief Trump," Frost began, before another point of order was called.  

Committee members began to shout over one another, until Comer again gave Frost a chance to revise his statements.

WHITE HOUSE PUSHES BACK ON REPORT CLAIMING SOME CANCELED DOGE CONTRACTS WON'T SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY

"President Musk and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who is engaged in grifting of the American people, often use their public offices to enrich themselves," Frost said, until Comer stopped him. 

Addressing the motion against Frost for "disparaging the president," Comer told Frost, "If you're willing to request unanimous consent to withdraw the disparaging comments about President Trump, I guess you can disparage Elon Musk if you want." 

"I will withdraw grifter in chief," Frost said. "I will say the president's grifting because you spent the last two years saying President Biden was corrupt." 

"I can say that Trump is grifting. What I will withdraw is calling him grifter in chief," Frost added. 

Comer said Frost was barred from further participating in the hearing, but Connolly challenged the chair's ruling and called for a vote. 

It was voted that Frost's words should be taken down, and he was not permitted to speak for the rest of the hearing, but he interjected, "It's despicable that this committee is going to silence me." 

"Mr. Ranking Member, I'm going to have the sergeant remove him if he doesn't refrain," Comer said. 

Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., and other Democrats further shouted in defense of "free speech," before Comer again attempted to get the hearing back on course. 

"We have a hearing on waste, fraud and abuse that hasn't even begun," Comer said. "The organizational thing just normally lasts five or 10 minutes. We've been in here 35 minutes arguing over the same things…. We've got to get to business. If we want to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, we've got witnesses waiting. We have tried to do this. The debate has gone on well beyond what was expected." 

After about 40 minutes of back and forth, the hearing went into recess. When it returned, the committee heard from GAO Comptroller General Gene Dodaro regarding the watchdog's recommendations for DOGE.

Frost continued the feud online, writing in an X post, "James Comer can hide behind the Sergeant in Arms and try to have me removed, arrested, and silenced… But that’s not going to stop me from calling out Donald Trump’s grift and his bullsh--" 

"These snowflakes are really pissed off about me saying President Musk and calling Trump the Grifter-in-Chief. I guess the truth can be tough for some people," he added from his campaign account. 

All 58 recommendations of the Grenfell Tower public inquiry will be enacted, government says.

The Conservative leader says international agreements must not stop the UK acting in its national interest.