Latest news with #DavidKustoff
Fox News
7 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Jewish Republican lawmaker talks antisemitism in America after deadly DC shooting
The deadly shooting outside Washington, D.C.'s Capital Jewish Museum has added to an ongoing conversation about antisemitism after Hamas' brutal Oct. 7 massacre. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were killed when leaving an event at the museum hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC). The suspected shooter, Elias Rodriguez, has since been charged with their murders. Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., is one of only four Jewish Republicans serving in Congress, placing him in a unique position when it comes to assessing antisemitism in America and how it has been politicized. "We know that antisemitism has been around for a very long time, and obviously, after October 7, 2023, it came to the forefront. It came out as strongly as it did, in part because colleges and universities allowed some pro-Palestinian and frankly some pro-Hamas protesters to preach hate and antisemitism—and they didn't do anything to stop it," Kustoff told Fox News Digital. The Tennessee congressman condemned the shooting in D.C., calling it "a horrific act of antisemitic terrorism." "Antisemitic violence has no place in our society. We must remain united in calling out and confronting this rising tide of hate," Kustoff wrote in a post on X. Kustoff said that in his district, which he described as "strongly Republican, strongly pro-Trump," there aren't many Jewish people. In fact, according to World Population Review, just under 30,000 Jews live in Tennessee, which has more than 7.3 million residents. Despite the small Jewish population, Kustoff told Fox News Digital that people in his district are "very supportive of Israel, very supportive of the U.S.'s relationship with Israel, and they love the Jewish people." However, Kustoff also said that Jewish people in his district have "real concerns about going to synagogue." Jewish institutions and community centers have had "to go above and beyond" in terms of security, according to Kustoff. The congressman spoke about an incident in 2023 when a man opened fire outside the Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South. The suspect was later identified as Joel Alejandro Bowman, who faces several charges, including attempted second-degree murder. Kustoff sees the issue of combating antisemitism as one that has received bipartisan support in Congress. He praised Democrats like Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill. — who are Jewish — for their support of Israel and its relationship with the U.S., calling them "true leaders." Kustoff also noted that, while they are not Jewish, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., have been vocal about their support for Israel. While Kustoff praised colleagues on both sides of the aisle, he also criticized members of Congress who have made "incendiary" remarks about Israel, saying such rhetoric "in effect helps to breed antisemitism." Kustoff spoke to Fox News Digital shortly after a video of outspoken Israel critic Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., refusing to condemn the murders of Lischinsky and Milgrim went viral. When asked about the incident, Kustoff said that "We get asked easy questions and difficult questions all the time as members of Congress. That was clearly an easy question to answer, and her constituents can make their own decisions." As chairman of the House-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group, Kustoff has had a close-up view of U.S.-Israel relations. He recalled his July 2024 trip to Israel, where he toured the site of the Nova Music Festival and a kibbutz that was attacked on Oct. 7, and met with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "[Netanyahu] told me that he knows that the American people are still very supportive of Israel and the Israeli people know that," Kustoff told Fox News Digital. "We talked about the instances on college campuses. In closing, his feeling was that a number of these students probably couldn't look at a map and know where Israel is located."
E&E News
20-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Reconciliation: GOP strips language targeting nonprofits; Trump talks pipelines
House Republicans axed a section of their party-line megabill Monday that would have given the Trump administration more power over nonprofits' tax-exempt status. The move happened ahead of President Donald Trump's meeting with GOP lawmakers Tuesday morning. His goal was to urge them to advance the tax cut, energy and national security budget reconciliation package as soon as possible. One point of contention delaying progress is the fate of climate law tax credits. Trump also discussed pipelines after leaders struck a provision on permitting. Advertisement When it comes to the language affecting nonprofits, the package had at one point included a measure to allow the Treasury secretary to revoke tax-exempt status for groups deemed to have supported terrorist organizations. Environmental group leaders sounded alarm bells that Trump could use such authority to punish organizations who countered his objectives. But the language was struck from the megabill in an updated version posted on the House Rules Committee's website Monday. A spokesperson for Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), who championed the proposal, said the language did not adhere to Senate rules requiring budget reconciliation legislation — meant to bypass the filibuster — to have a clear fiscal nexus. Kia Hamadanchy, senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the group was surprised to see the provision stripped out while the megabill moved through the House. They were expecting to have to appeal to the Senate parliamentarian. 'We're cautiously optimistic,' Hamadanchy said. 'It looks like we're OK on reconciliation, but the expectation is this will come back from the dead at some point, and we're going to have to continue to make sure it doesn't become law.' Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said that the elimination of the provision from the megabill is 'good news for all nonprofits.' Pipelines Republicans on Monday axed two measures that would have allowed accelerated permitting for pipeline developers willing to pay high fees. And they removed a number of funding clawbacks at the Department of Energy. Trump spoke about the need to accelerate pipeline permitting. The legislation still includes measures to accelerate National Environmental Policy Act reviews and natural gas exports. 'He talked about getting pipelines approved,' House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said. 'We've been trying to get some kind of approval on pipelines in the bill to expedite permitting. This has been a problem for a long time.' Asked whether stripped provisions could be inserted back in the legislation, Scalise demurred. 'We're going to go talk about what we're going to do to expedite permitting in America.' Tax credits Still up for debate is the future of clean energy credits established in the Democrats' 2022 climate law. Some GOP hardliners have said the current bill does not go far enough in repealing the credits. But over a dozen moderates want the bill revised to make the credits usable for a longer period of time. One of those lawmakers, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), who is also pushing for higher state and local tax deductions, said Trump did little to quell concerns. 'There's a lot of problems if they put the bill on the floor as is,' Garbarino said. Industry pressure has been increasing. The Solar Energy Industries Association launched a new campaign, Solar Under Threat, in response to GOP plans to scrap or limit Inflation Reduction Act incentives. On Tuesday, the American Clean Power Association released a report saying clean energy manufacturing pumps in $18 billion a year into the gross domestic product and that nearly three-quarters of new clean energy manufacturing plants are in red states. 'For American energy manufacturers to continue creating jobs and strengthening our economy, we need policy certainty,' ACP said, specifically naming the clean energy credits. Trump on Tuesday did not appear to be in a negotiating mood. Concerning divisions about Medicaid, the president said, 'Don't fuck around with Medicaid,' according to two Republicans granted anonymity to describe private conversations. Reporter Meredith Lee Hill contributed.
E&E News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- E&E News
Nonprofits fret ‘direct assault' from GOP tax plan
Nonprofits are warning against a provision in Republican tax legislation moving through the House that would make it easier for the Trump administration to strip organizations of their tax-exempt status. Language included in legislation that cleared the House Ways and Means Committee this week would give the Treasury secretary the authority to revoke tax-exempt status for groups deemed to have supported 'terrorist' organizations. The language mirrors legislation that passed in the House last year, which prompted a backlash from critics who warned an administration could abuse the authority. Advertisement 'The financing of terrorism and extremism should not have preferential treatment under the U.S. tax code. I think this should be a no-brainer,' Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), who introduced the bill, said last year.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Blue Oval City delay gives West Tennessee opportunity to prepare for the future
The recent decision to delay the opening of Blue Oval City, Ford's massive electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility, has created quite a stir in West Tennessee. The prospect of thousands of new well-paying jobs in a relatively short period of time has been heralded as an economic game-changer for the region. However, the delay may offer benefits for the state and the region that are worth considering. First, this pause provides an opportunity for regional infrastructure and workforce development to better-align with the demands of this project. Blue Oval City will definitely have a profound and transformational impact on the local economy. An influx of jobs and people of the magnitude projected for this project requires a robust infrastructure that can support both the facility and the surrounding communities. Roads, public transportation, housing, healthcare and educational resources will all be impacted by the arrival of this large workforce. The delay allows state and local governments to address these needs more thoroughly. The additional time provides Tennessee's leadership a chance to plan and invest in ways that will make West Tennessee an even more attractive place to live for newcomers and will provide a slower and more sustainable pace of growth for long-time residents. The delayed opening also allows the region to more effectively develop the talent pipeline necessary for Blue Oval City's long-term success. With time to establish partnerships between Ford, community colleges, universities and technical schools, Tennessee can cultivate and nurture a highly skilled workforce equipped to excel in high-tech, EV manufacturing jobs. West Tennessee institutions like Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) and local high schools have the chance to refine training programs, develop tailored certifications, and expand access to technical education that supports EV-related requirements. Opinion: Rep. David Kustoff: A blueprint to keep Tennessee competitive and prosperous This delay enables residents to prepare for stable, high-paying jobs, creating pathways for local talent to stay and thrive in their communities. As a workforce-aligned online nonprofit university with more than 5,400 current students throughout Tennessee, Western Governors University (WGU) plays a pivotal role in preparing skilled talent and offering educational partnerships, flexible learnings paths and industry-specific programs in fields such as information technology, cybersecurity and supply chain management, which are critical for EV manufacturing. The university's flexible, tech-forward, online model makes it easier for Tennesseans to upskill or transition into these high-demand roles without sacrificing current employment. The timeline shift allows for more engagement with local businesses that could play critical roles as suppliers and service providers for Blue Oval City. By cultivating relationships and resources, these small and medium-sized enterprises will have a greater opportunity to grow and participate in the economic boom that Blue Oval City is expected to bring. The delay can help these businesses prepare for expanded demand, thus ensuring they are ready to meet the needs of the new manufacturing hub and further fueling economic growth across West Tennessee. Finally, the delay offers an opportunity for Blue Oval City to be a model of sustainable development. As the project timeline extends, Ford and Tennessee have time to collaborate on eco-friendly practices and infrastructure improvements that will make Blue Oval City a benchmark in green manufacturing. Through sustainable energy sources, waste reduction and mindful water use, Blue Oval City can set a new standard in the automotive industry, further enhancing Tennessee's reputation as a leader in sustainable manufacturing. While delays are often seen as setbacks, this additional time gives Tennessee a unique opportunity to maximize Blue Oval City's benefits for the people of West Tennessee and the entire state. The result can be a more prepared workforce, strengthened infrastructure, empowered local businesses and a commitment to environmental responsibility. If managed well, this delay could transform West Tennessee into an even more vibrant hub of opportunity that propels growth and prosperity for the foreseeable future. Derriell Springfield resides in Jackson and is a partner success manager for Western Governors University. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Tennessee State University and his doctor of education degree from East Tennessee State University. This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Blue Oval City delay helps West TN with sustainable growth | Opinion
