Big Beautiful Bill Provisions That Could Be Stripped Out in the Senate
With the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' pending before the Senate, several provisions may be stripped out in what is known as a 'Byrd Bath.'
The Byrd Rule, named for the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), restricts reconciliation bills, like the one the congressional GOP is looking to pass, to deal with matters related to the budget.
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Epstein's Lawyer Reveals Whether The Sex Offender Had 'Damaging Information' On Trump After Elon Musk's Bold Claim
Jeffrey Epstein's lawyer has publicly addressed speculations that the deceased sex offender had compromising information on President Donald Trump. There's been an uproar on social media concerning the nature of Trump's relationship with Epstein after Elon Musk alleged the president was the reason why the files had not yet been released. Donald Trump and Elon Musk have suffered a broken relationship following his controversial One Big Beautiful Bill, and the tech guru has wasted no time in taking swipes at him. A lawyer for Jeffrey Epstein, David Schoen, has addressed speculations suggesting the disgraced financier had some dirt on President Donald Trump. According to TMZ, Schoen revealed that Epstein told him he did not have any dirt on Trump and that he would have used it if he did. Schoen said, "What I can say definitively is that I discussed this subject with Mr. Epstein at a time when it would have been in his best interests to implicate others, and he made clear that Donald Trump did nothing wrong and that he had no damaging information against him." The financier, who had ties to celebrities, politicians, and royalty, was arrested on multiple disturbing charges and was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges before he died by suicide in 2019. Although there are pictures making the rounds on social media in which Trump was seen partying with Epstein, Schoen maintained that he didn't do anything wrong. Taking to his X account, the attorney wrote: "I was hired to lead Jeffrey Epstein's defense as his criminal lawyer 9 days before he died. He sought my advice for months before that. I can say authoritatively, unequivocally, and definitively that he had no information to hurt President Trump. I specifically asked him!" In a reply to another tweet restating his claims, Schoen said he can "unequivocally" state that President Trump "never did anything wrong with Jeffrey Epstein." It comes after Elon Musk dropped the "bomb," alleging Trump was on Epstein's list and that was "the real reason they have not been made public." Trump and Musk enjoyed a working relationship prior to the November elections, after which the billionaire tech guru was given the mandate to spearhead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), responsible for cutting federal government spending. However, they have now fallen out with each other following Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, which Musk has since labeled a "disgusting abomination." "I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore," Musk wrote on X. "This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination." "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it," the billionaire continued, adding that the bill "will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America [sic] citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt." In another explosive tweet, Musk claimed that Trump couldn't have won the 2024 elections without him. "Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House, and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate," Musk said. He added: "Such ingratitude." Meanwhile, Trump has maintained an unbothered perspective on Musk's disturbing allegations, telling CNN that he won't be speaking to him in the near future. "I'm not even thinking about Elon. He's got a problem. The poor guy's got a problem," Trump said. According to the news outlet, he was asked if he'd been on a call with the SpaceX boss, to which the president replied: "No. I won't be speaking to him for a while, I guess, but I wish him well." Trump previously maintained that he was still on the best of terms with Musk and that the tech billionaire is still a part of his team. "Elon is not really leaving," he said during Musk's send-off party last week. "He's going to be back and forth." The White House has thrown its weight behind the bill that has caused a fallout between Musk and Trump. The "Big, Beautiful Bill" was passed in late May ahead of Memorial Day, but was met with disapproval from two Republicans, citing insufficient spending cuts and rising national debt, per Fox News. "Look, the president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing when asked about Musk's criticism. "It doesn't change the president's opinion. This is one big, beautiful bill and he's sticking to it," she added.
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Power bills in California have jumped nearly 50% in four years. Democrats think they have solutions
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Bipartisan group of Georgia lawmakers pushes back on proposed federal 10-year ban on state AI limits
Six Georgia lawmakers joined more than 250 of their colleagues nationwide to ask Congress not to hamper their ability to regulate artificial intelligence. Midjourney/AI-generated art A bipartisan group of state lawmakers, including six from Georgia, is calling on Congress to cut a provision out of the massive federal spending bill that freezes state regulations on artificial intelligence for 10 years. 'As state lawmakers and policymakers, we regularly hear from constituents about the rise of online harms and the impacts of AI on our communities,' the lawmakers wrote. 'In an increasingly fraught digital environment, young people are facing new threats online, seniors are targeted by the emergence of AI-generated scams, and workers and creators face new challenges in an AI-integrated economy. Over the next decade, AI will raise some of the most important public policy questions of our time, and it is critical that state policymakers maintain the ability to respond.' The Georgia signers were Sen. John Albers of Roswell and Reps. Todd Jones of South Forsyth and Gary Richardson of Evans, who are all Republicans, as well as Democratic Reps. Scott Holcomb and Tanya Miller of Atlanta and Sam Park of Lawrenceville. In all, 261 legislators from all 50 states signed the letter. Georgia lawmakers from both chambers met over the summer last year to discuss potential AI regulations. Albers, who chairs the Senate AI study committee, often stressed that he did not wish to overregulate, saying that he saw lawmakers' duty as balancing protections for Georgians with creating a friendly environment for businesses. During this year's legislative session, no major AI bills passed into law, including broadly popular provisions like increasing penalties for using AI to create child pornography or deceptive 'deep fake' campaign advertisements. An Albers bill intended to create a new state advisory board on artificial intelligence and to require local governments to report on their use of the technology died in the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee on the advice of Suwanee GOP Congressman Rich McCormick. Then-committee chair Brandon Beach, who now serves as U.S. Treasurer, said at the time that McCormick told him not to take any action on AI because Congress would take care of it. Senators created a new committee this year to examine artificial intelligence and digital currency, but members have not yet been appointed and no hearing dates have been set. The GOP's megabill, which has become the cornerstone of President Donald Trump's domestic agenda, passed the House by a single vote and is now in the hands of the Senate. Getting the legislation through the House was a challenge the first time, with factions within the Republican Party at odds over the size of cuts to federal programs and the expected increase in the deficit. The new focus of the AI provision could prove to be another sticking point. Members of the House including Rome Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene have indicated they were not aware of the regulation ban when they voted for the bill and will not support it when it comes back to the House unless the rule is removed. 'I voted for President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill because it delivers his MAGA campaign promises and he endorses the bill and wants Congress to pass it in order to fund his MAGA agenda,' Greene said on social media. 'Do I love the price tag? NO. But I want OUR policies funded. I campaigned across the country for YEARS with Trump, more than any member of Congress, and the man NEVER said he would destroy state rights for 10 years to let AI tech companies run rampant!!! TAKE IT OUT OR I'M VOTING NO WHEN IT COMES BACK TO THE HOUSE!!!!!' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
