Latest news with #LizHuston
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's Social Security Reforms: Faster, Tax-Free Benefits For Seniors
President Donald Trump has delivered on his promise to strengthen Social Security, implementing sweeping reforms that have dramatically reduced wait times and improved services for 72 million beneficiaries. The overhaul comes as Social Security marks its 90th anniversary, with the administration touting technological upgrades and the elimination of taxes on benefits for most seniors. 'While Democrats flail and peddle lies about Social Security, President Trump is demonstrating his unbreakable commitment to protecting and strengthening this vital program,' said White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston, adding, Trump has 'Made Social Security Great Again.' The agency now handles 70% more calls than last year while cutting average wait times from 30 minutes to just six. Field office wait times have dropped 23%. Trump's signature 'One Big Beautiful Bill' eliminated taxes on Social Security benefits for most recipients, fulfilling a key campaign pledge. The legislation became law earlier this year. Major technology improvements include 24/7 online account access, eliminating the previous 29-hour weekly downtime. The change enabled 280,000 additional customers to access accounts in the first two weeks alone. The administration has slashed disability claim backlogs by 26% from last year's record high. Average processing time decreased by five days, while disability hearing wait times fell by 60 days. Over 3.1 million payments totaling $17 billion reached eligible beneficiaries under the Social Security Fairness Act five months ahead of schedule. The agency identified more than $1 billion in cost savings this fiscal year. It also addressed billions in improper payments through new accountability measures. All field offices are now fully staffed, with employees returning to five-day workweeks for the first time in years. Innovative phone technology upgrades have reached 92% of field offices. A new payroll information exchange system will transmit data directly from providers, potentially saving billions over the next decade.
Bloomberg
30-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
White House Seeks ‘Swift Confirmation' of Brian Quintenz for CFTC
The White House reiterated support for Brian Quintenz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, after a Senate committee delayed a vote on his nomination earlier this week. 'He will help execute President Trump's mission of making America the crypto capital of the world and we look forward to his swift confirmation,' White House spokeswoman Liz Huston said in a statement.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump begins summer on a hot streak
President Trump is entering the Fourth of July holiday on a hot streak, racking up wins with Supreme Court rulings, foreign policy, low border crossings and potentially a massive reconciliation bill containing key pieces of his agenda to top it all off. The string of positive developments for Trump comes as he continues to consolidate power within the Republican Party and as Democrats struggle to unify and settle on a coherent message to criticize the White House. 'President Trump is delivering win after win for the American people, and we are the hottest nation in the world,' White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement. 'The One, Big, Beautiful Bill is going to pass, Iran's nuclear capabilities are obliterated, the stock market is at record highs, the border is the most secure its ever been, and the Supreme Court just ended nationwide injunctions that were being abused to halt the rest of the America First agenda,' Huston said. 'Thanks to President Trump — the Golden Age of America is here.' Trump allies also argued that the series of political wins underscores how the president's second term in office has been defined more by rapid results and Trump's own dominance, rather than infighting and chaos. 'He's had the best seven to 10 days of his presidency of either term,' said Ford O'Connell, a GOP strategist. O'Connell said Trump's foreign policy deliverables — strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, increased commitments from NATO allies and a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — were especially impressive. Trump's recent winning streak arguably began when his administration carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21. Like many of Trump's decisions, the move drew initial skepticism from Democrats and even some GOP allies who worried the president was getting the U.S. entangled in a foreign conflict and risking escalation in the Middle East. Trump's initial claim that the strikes had 'obliterated' the Iranian facilities has also come under scrutiny. But Trump's strategy appeared to pay off after he announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that has held for roughly a week. Trump followed that foreign policy win with another when he traveled to the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where member countries announced they would increase their commitments to defense spending. NATO's secretary-general credited Trump, who has long complained about other allies not paying more, with making the move happen. The president on Tuesday announced Israel had agreed to conditions to finalize a 60-day ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip. He urged Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza, to take the deal. Such a breakthrough would mark yet another foreign policy win for Trump, though a lasting agreement between the two sides has been elusive. On trade, Trump racked up another win when Canada walked back plans for a digital tax that would hit U.S. tech companies. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt touted that Canada had 'caved' to Trump, who had threatened to cut off trade talks. The president on Wednesday also announced the framework of a trade agreement with Vietnam, a potentially significant boost ahead of a self-imposed July 9 deadline to reach trade deals with other countries before imposing higher tariffs. Domestically, Trump has also seen things go his way. The Supreme Court last week handed Trump a victory when it stopped judges from issuing nationwide injunctions that block his executive order narrowing birthright citizenship. While the ruling does not fully settle Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship, it curtails the power of lower-level judges whom the White House has routinely attacked as 'radical' or partisan. Trump has also gotten good news on the border, which was arguably the central issue of his 2024 campaign. The number of migrants who were detained crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally hit a record low in June at just more than 6,000, according to government data first published by CBS News. The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a massive tax and spending package containing key parts of Trump's agenda, could serve as icing on the cake. The Senate passed a version of the bill on Tuesday after hours of debate, sending it back to the House for final passage. The bill would extend the tax cuts Trump signed into law in 2017, includes a provision eliminating taxes on tipped wages that Trump proposed on the campaign trail, and would provide additional funding for border security, another key aspect of Trump's agenda. But hurdles remain before the bill reaches Trump's desk, and the president's long-stated goal of signing it by the Fourth of July appears to be slipping. There are several Republicans who have raised concerns and signaled they are not sold on the final product yet, citing issues with how the Senate version adds to the deficit. Trump and his allies expect the bill to pass in the end, arguing most House lawmakers don't want to risk being the target of the president's ire. 'Big day today. Hopefully we get this thing worked out,' Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said Wednesday after a meeting at the White House with other House conservatives. 'The president answered all our questions, was very informative. JD Vance was there. This was a very good day.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
From New York to Arizona, migrant facilities shuttering in wake of Trump's border crackdown
Migrant shelters in the United States are closing their doors in large numbers as the border crisis has waned significantly. In January, two shelters shuttered in Pima County, Arizona, according to the Arizona Daily Star. In San Diego, the Jewish Family Service closed its shelter in February, specifically citing policy changes like the CBP One app going away as part of the reason for its closure. In Texas, the San Antonio-based Migrant Resource Center that opened in 2022 closed in February due to the plunge in people crossing into the United States, according to Texas Public Radio. On the East Coast, New York City closed 63 migrant shelters this year, according to PIX11, and Massachusetts is down to four shelters from over 120 in 2024, according to NBC 10 Boston. The outlet reported that 24 of the Massachusetts shelters closed their doors this week. "President Trump ended Joe Biden's illegal alien invasion and ushered in the most secure border ever. Migrant shelters are shuttering because illegal aliens are no longer being released into our great country – that's the Trump Effect," White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The White House is also touting that processing facilities along the border have closed, as the United States Customs and Border Protection told Fox News Digital in May that all of its "soft-sided" facilities in Texas, California and Arizona have shut down. "Due to the unprecedented drop in apprehensions of illegal aliens as a result of the President's recent executive actions, CBP is not operating any temporary, soft-sided processing facilities where illegal aliens have been held in specific locations along the southwest border. CBP no longer has a need for them as illegal aliens are being quickly removed," a CBP spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time. "The U.S. Border Patrol has full capability to manage the detention of apprehended aliens in USBP's permanent facilities. Manpower and other resources dedicated to temporary processing facilities will be redirected toward other priorities and will speed CBP's progress in gaining operational control over the southwest border," the spokesperson added. In Mexico, there has also been a reported drop in people seeking to come to the U.S. illegally. The latest border numbers revealed that numbers remain significantly lower than they were compared with the Biden administration, as there were only 6,070 southern border apprehensions in June by Border Patrol, and there were zero releases in May or June. On June 28, there were only 137 encounters at the southern border, according to CBP data. The comments from the White House come as the House is in its closing hours of deciding on the Trump-backed reconciliation bill, which includes major funding for the president's border and immigration agenda totaling out to roughly $170 billion, according to Reuters. Billions will go toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement as the agency ramps up its deportation efforts, including a goal of hiring at least 10,000 more agents, according to the White House. In addition, the bill seeks to more than double the detention capacity for those in deportation proceedings and fund further border wall construction, according to Reuters. "Once the One, Big, Beautiful Bill is passed, this historic border security progress will be made permanent and the largest mass deportation campaign in American history will be carried out," Huston added. Unsurprisingly, not everybody is on board with the immigration measures outlined. "A deportation machine will be unleashed on steroids," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies said during his lengthy House floor speech on Thursday.
The Hill
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Trump begins summer on a hot streak
President Trump is entering the Fourth of July holiday on a hot streak, racking up wins with Supreme Court rulings, foreign policy, low border crossings and potentially a massive reconciliation bill containing key pieces of his agenda to top it all off. The string of positive developments for Trump comes as he continues to consolidate power within the Republican Party and as Democrats struggle to unify and settle on a coherent message to criticize the White House. 'President Trump is delivering win after win for the American people, and we are the hottest nation in the world,' White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement. 'The One, Big, Beautiful Bill is going to pass, Iran's nuclear capabilities are obliterated, the stock market is at record highs, the border is the most secure its ever been, and the Supreme Court just ended nationwide injunctions that were being abused to halt the rest of the America First agenda,' Huston said. 'Thanks to President Trump — the Golden Age of America is here.' Trump allies also argued that the series of political wins underscores how the president's second term in office has been defined more by rapid results and Trump's own dominance, rather than infighting and chaos. 'He's had the best seven to 10 days of his presidency of either term,' said Ford O'Connell, a GOP strategist. O'Connell said Trump's foreign policy deliverables — strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, increased commitments from NATO allies and a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — were especially impressive. Trump's recent winning streak arguably began when his administration carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21. Like many of Trump's decisions, the move drew initial skepticism from Democrats and even some GOP allies who worried the president was getting the U.S. entangled in a foreign conflict and risking escalation in the Middle East. Trump's initial claim that the strikes had 'obliterated' the Iranian facilities has also come under scrutiny. But Trump's strategy appeared to pay off after he announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that has held for roughly a week. Trump followed that foreign policy win with another when he traveled to the NATO summit in the Netherlands, where member countries announced they would increase their commitments to defense spending. NATO's secretary-general credited Trump, who has long complained about other allies not paying more, with making the move happen. The president on Tuesday announced Israel had agreed to conditions to finalize a 60-day ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip. He urged Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza, to take the deal. Such a breakthrough would mark yet another foreign policy win for Trump, though a lasting agreement between the two sides has been elusive. On trade, Trump racked up another win when Canada walked back plans for a digital tax that would hit U.S. tech companies. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt touted that Canada had 'caved' to Trump, who had threatened to cut off trade talks. The president on Wednesday also announced the framework of a trade agreement with Vietnam, a potentially significant boost ahead of a self-imposed July 9 deadline to reach trade deals with other countries before imposing higher tariffs. Domestically, Trump has also seen things go his way. The Supreme Court last week handed Trump a victory when it stopped judges from issuing nationwide injunctions that block his executive order narrowing birthright citizenship. While the ruling does not fully settle Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship, it curtails the power of lower-level judges whom the White House has routinely attacked as 'radical' or partisan. Trump has also gotten good news on the border, which was arguably the central issue of his 2024 campaign. The number of migrants who were detained crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally hit a record low in June at just more than 6,000, according to government data first published by CBS News. The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a massive tax and spending package containing key parts of Trump's agenda, could serve as icing on the cake. The Senate passed a version of the bill on Tuesday after hours of debate, sending it back to the House for final passage. The bill would extend the tax cuts Trump signed into law in 2017, includes a provision eliminating taxes on tipped wages that Trump proposed on the campaign trail, and would provide additional funding for border security, another key aspect of Trump's agenda. But hurdles remain before the bill reaches Trump's desk, and the president's long-stated goal of signing it by the Fourth of July appears to be slipping. There are several Republicans who have raised concerns and signaled they are not sold on the final product yet, citing issues with how the Senate version adds to the deficit. Trump and his allies expect the bill to pass in the end, arguing most House lawmakers don't want to risk being the target of the president's ire. 'Big day today. Hopefully we get this thing worked out,' Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said Wednesday after a meeting at the White House with other House conservatives. 'The president answered all our questions, was very informative. JD Vance was there. This was a very good day.'
