Capitol Report Full Broadcast (Dec. 4)

Good evening and welcome to the Capitol Report on Entity Television. I'm Steve Lance. Here's a look at what's coming up. The CEO of a major U.S. insurance company shot and killed in Manhattan earlier this morning. What we know so far. Illegal trafficking arrests in Tennessee. What's next for border security? Senator Marsha Blackburn will share her insights on Trump's upcoming term and her plan to collaborate with Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk on government efficiency. And coming up, the Supreme Court today weighing in on the controversial issue of gender transitioning for minors. Our legal correspondent Arlene Richards lays out the arguments in the case. And what do Americans think about this? Sam Wong hears from the folks out in D.C. This is Capitol Report, live from our global headquarters in our nation's capital. Here's Steve Lance. And a shocking homicide at the highest levels of corporate America. The leader of one of the largest health care providers in the nation was shot and killed this morning in the middle of Manhattan. A manhunt now for the shooter underway. Entity's Chris Beers has the story. The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was shot in the back and leg right behind me at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan just before 7 a.m. this morning. At 7.12 a.m., he was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital. The shooter fled the scene on foot and then got on a city bike and headed up to Central Park. It appears that the shooter does have a certain level of skill because he approached the victim from behind and took multiple shots while walking towards him. The gun actually malfunctioned in the middle of his shooting, allegedly, and he fixed it very quickly and continued to shoot. Here's NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish. 50-year-old Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in what appears, at this early stage of our investigation, to be a brazen targeted attack. This does not appear to be a random act of violence. The victim was in New York City to speak at an investor conference. NYPD Chief Detective Joseph Kenney said the shooter arrived at the scene of the crime five minutes before the CEO. The victim left his hotel alone and crossed the street to the conference center at 6.44 a.m. He was shot moments after that. Responders received a call about the incident at 6.46 a.m. and arrived at the scene two minutes later. The shooter appears to be a light-skinned male. He's wearing a light brown or cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and a very distinctive gray backpack. The shooter steps onto the sidewalk from behind the car. He ignores numerous other pedestrians, approaches the victim from behind, and shoots him in the back. Detective Kenney went on to say the motive of the shooter is not yet known. There are multiple entrances to the Hilton Hotel, one of the largest hotels in the city. That's another indicator this was a premeditated attack because the shooter could have gone in any one of them. According to multiple media reports, Thompson's wife Paulette said the CEO had been receiving threats prior to the shooting. Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target. The suspect fled first on foot, then on an e-bike, and was last seen in Central Park on Center Drive early this morning. UnitedHealthcare is one of the largest private insurers in the United States, and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, is the ninth largest company in the world by revenue. The shooting occurred just hours before the scheduled lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Authorities said the lighting will not be affected. Chris Beers, NTD News. Could local law enforcement play a role in deporting illegal immigrants? Joining us now is Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, who proposed legislation to allow just that. We'll also discuss with her Trump's second term agenda and how Congress can collaborate with the Department of Government Efficiency. Senator Marsha Blackburn, thank you so much for joining. Good to join you. Thank you. Senator, four individuals just recently charged with illegal sex trafficking in Chattanooga, Tennessee, including one identified as a member of the Tren de Aragua gang. What is your reaction to this? And how would your CLEAR Act, your new legislation, address such issues if passed into law? Well, thank you for bringing attention to the issue. And I think one of the things that we hear a lot from people is, how is it that every town's become a border town in every state a border state? And of course, it is because this administration has had that wide open border, and they've not been doing the proper vetting of people that are trying to come into the country. Because of this, you have Venezuela that pretty much opened their prisons and sent those prisoners here. And Tren de Aragua is a prison gang. It is a very violent prison gang. And we found out from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that Tren de Aragua was operating in the major cities in Tennessee. And as you said, there were gang members that were arrested in Chattanooga. Now, we know that they are focused on the human trafficking sector when they are in Tennessee. The CLEAR Act would allow local law enforcement, when they apprehend someone that's in the country illegally, they could detain that individual, move to prosecution if they choose to, or call ICE. And when ICE is called, they have to come within 48 hours, pick up that person, and deport that person. Likewise, my bill would deny Department of Justice funds to any of these cities that are sanctuary cities and that are refusing to work with the federal government to deport and remove these criminal illegal aliens. Senator, there's really a lot of work to be done with regard to the border and everything associated with it. What are some of your biggest concerns right now at the border, with the border? And what changes do you expect to see once President-elect Trump takes office? Once President Trump takes office, you are going to see a lot more presence on that southern border. And the message will be sent to people, if you're trying to come here, you're going to be going home. You're going to see President Trump work with Canada, work with Mexico to have that safe third country place where they would wait until they see if they have a valid asylum claim or the ability to actually enter the country. Senator, speaking of President Trump, you've been meeting with many of his nominees for his cabinet. You're set to meet with Pam Bondi and Doug Collins. What do you hope to discuss with some of these folks? Pam Bondi is someone that I have known for years and have had the opportunity to work with her. She has done such a great job during her time as the AG in Florida. And before that, she was a prosecutor. What I want to know is how she's going to approach the Department of Justice in recentering that department on its mission. Pam Bondi knows how to root out corruption. She'll do a great job of recentering it. Senator, you mentioned putting forth legislation that will actually freeze federal salaries and hiring until recommendations from the new commission, the Department of Government Efficiency can be put into place. I want to play a clip from your interview with Vivek Ramaswamy on your program and get your reaction. To look at areas under the executive branch through executive action that we can actually put an end to a lot of the money that hasn't been authorized by Congress, but it's still being spent. So with this said, what is your reaction to Vivek going to be spearheading that and how you plan to get involved in this effort? Yes, indeed. I am looking forward to being involved in this effort. And one of the things that is so terribly important on this is that members of Congress bring forward ideas. Many of us have worked on rooting out waste, fraud and abuse for years. And because of that, we know where you'll be able to find some of these programs that have outlived their usefulness. And freezing federal hiring and freezing federal salaries is an important first step in that. You know, if you freeze, you're spending your salaries, you're hiring while you work toward getting executive orders and legislation done that would reduce the size of the federal government. This is going to help you have a good footing and get going on that process. Senator Marshall Blackburn, really appreciate your insights today. Good to be with you. Thank you. The Supreme Court today hearing oral arguments on the state of Tennessee's restrictions on gender transition procedures for minors. Our legal correspondent Arlene Richards breaks down the arguments. The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard an appeal from transgender teens and the federal government who say Tennessee's ban on their gender transition procedures is illegal. The court considered whether a state law that bans puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for transgender minors discriminates on the basis of sex. The law makes exceptions for minors who need treatment for other reasons. Plaintiffs argued that children born male are permitted to receive testosterone treatments, but children born female are not. They say minors who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria or experiencing gender identity issues need appropriate treatment to prevent serious psychological and physical harm. The Biden administration claims the law violates the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. Tennessee's attorney general argued there is uncertainty around certain risks and benefits of gender transition procedures for minors. Risks include infertility, heart disease and cancer. They say the medical treatments prohibited by the law have very little scientific support for their effectiveness. Chief Justice John Roberts expressed concern about the medical issues involved. Here it seems to me that the medical issues are much more heavily involved than in many of the cases that you look to. Of course, we are not the best situated to address issues like that, unlike in, you know, like Morales and Craig Reborn and some of the other ones. Overall, the justices seem split on whether the 14th Amendment protects transgender individuals. Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned the impact on women's and girls' sports. And I want to ask in particular about one thing. If you prevail here on the standard of review, what would that mean for women's and girls' sports in particular? Would transgender athletes have a constitutional right, as you see it, to play in women's and girls' sports, basketball, swimming, volleyball, track, etc.? Arlene Richards, NTD News. Meanwhile, outside of the Supreme Court, parents and activists are making their voices heard about the potential dangers of gender transition procedures. NTD's Sam Wong was right outside of the Supreme Court to hear from the crowd. For the first time on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing a Tennessee measure that prevents transgender youth from accessing puberty blockers and hormone therapy. The court's decision could have implications for roughly half of the states in the U.S. Kids on puberty blockers and hormone treatments for gender dysphoria face serious risks of losing their fertility forever, of losing their sexual function forever, of dealing with medical conditions for the rest of their lives. The Constitution allows the states to protect kids from unproven life-altering procedures based on uncertain science. A state law now in the national spotlight. Tennessee is one among 26 states that prohibit medical professionals from performing gender transition procedures on minors. The measure has encountered legal pushback from activists and the Biden administration, but some argue gender transition procedures for minors are inappropriate and can do irreparable harm. Children are children. Their brains aren't fully developed. They are not able to make a decision, a lifelong decision, non-reversible decision. And that's why Tennessee and these other states have needed to step in to pass laws to make sure that these gender clinics that are driven by profit are not harming our children and pushing them towards this medicalized path. The transgender issue has long been a topic of discussion among families across the country. In July, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that requires schools to withhold a student's sexual orientation from their parents. To some, it has escalated to a battle over their child's custody. My name is Harrison Tinsley. I'm a dad. I saved my son from gender ideology and won full custody in California. I love my son. I love kids and I just want to protect kids and fight for the truth. They stripped me of all my father's rights and all my parental rights when my son was three years old. Not at one time has Children's Hospital ever come to the father to ask the father what he thinks is going on with his son. The Supreme Court will decide whether Tennessee's measure is constitutional and the verdict is expected to be reached by next summer. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Sam Wong, NTD News. The French Prime Minister's government collapsing in a no-confidence vote. What happens next as France navigates an unprecedented political crisis? The United States welcoming South Korean President Yun's decision to withdraw his martial law decree. What the White House is saying about the state of democracy in the close U.S. ally and what it's warning about a war with China. That and more when we return. One in five children worldwide are faced with the reality of living without food. No family dinners, no special treats, not enough energy to play. All around the world, hunger is affecting children's physical and mental health. Toddlers are suffering from acute malnutrition, which stunts their growth. Kids are forced to drop out of school so they can help support their families. Conflict, inflation and climate have ignited the worst famine in our lifetime. And we are fed up. Fed up that hunger devours dreams. Fed up that hunger destroys joy. Fed up with the fact that hunger eats childhood. Help us feed the futures of children all over the world by visiting give2save.org for as little as $10 a month. You can join Save the Children as we support children and families in desperate need of our help. Now is the time to get fed up and give back. When you join the cause, your $10 monthly donation can help communities in need of life-saving treatments and nutrients. Prevent children from dropping out of school. Support our work with communities and governments to help children go from short-term surviving to long-term thriving. And now, thanks to special government grants, every dollar you give can multiply up to 10 times the impact. That means more food, water, medicine and help for kids around the world. You'll also receive a free tote bag to share your support for children in need. Having your childhood eaten away by hunger is unimaginable. Get fed up. Call us now or visit give2save.org today. I'm excited to announce our Christmas extravaganza is finally here. Get this season's flannel sheets for as low as $59.98. They won't last long, so get them while you can. Our famous MySlippers, they haven't been on sale for over a year. Regularly $119.98, now only $59.98. Our six-piece towel sets are back in stock. With extremely limited quantities, only $29.98. With hundreds of MyPillow products, there's something for everyone on your Christmas list. Bathrobes, duvets, quilts, down comforters and so much more. So go to mypillow.com or call the number on your screen. Use your promo code to save on all MyPillow products. For example, flannel sheets for as low as $59.98. For our six-piece towel sets, just $29.98. But that's not all. I'm extending our 60-day money-back guarantee until March 1st of 2025. Plus, all orders over $75 or more ship absolutely free. And welcome back to the Capitol Report on Entity Television. French President Emmanuel Macron now needs to appoint a new government. The Prime Minister and his cabinet members are forced to resign after a no-confidence vote in Parliament today. The first successful one since 1962. This ouster marks the shortest-lived government in France's modern history. Entity International correspondent David Vivez reports from Paris. France's Parliament today voted on a no-confidence motion against the government. According to the French Constitution, President Emmanuel Macron will need to appoint a new Prime Minister and form a new government. This is a situation not seen in 62 years in the country. And it marks the first time in history the National Rally has joined the leftist coalition in a no-confidence vote against the government. For many members of Parliament, this is a historic day. The Prime Minister has over-dramatized, hoping to extend his mandate. I think that, as the President of the National Assembly said, we must also respect our institutions. Alternative ways exist. It's not written in the Constitution for nothing. The program of the left-wing coalition I support should be the basis for discussion. As there is no majority in Parliament, we'll have to make concessions so that the different political groups move towards each other. Prime Minister Michel Barnier, a member of Macron's group in Parliament, warned that France could face significant instability. The government, which began its mandate in September after snap elections in June, has become the shortest-serving administration in French history. There won't be a shutdown or any chaos. French President Emmanuel Macron said it. And even if I'm not from his groups, I agree with him. The no-confidence vote follows tensions over the 2025 budget. With no compromise reached in Parliament, the Prime Minister invoked a constitutional article to bypass the legislative body. According to National Rally member Philippe Ballard, the sharp rise in planned taxes made the no-confidence vote unavoidable. The budget was 40 billion in sub-commentary taxes, so it's unacceptable. And since the budget will be abandoned, retirement pensions won't be decreased, electricity taxes won't go up, and some medicines will continue to be reimbursed. That's why we voted to dismiss the government. The French Parliament must vote on the 2025 budget law, a particularly challenging one as France's public deficit is skyrocketing. French President Emmanuel Macron urgently needed to find a solution to reassure the French, but also the financial market and the EU institutions. Here in Parliament, some members of political groups in casual conversation expressed concerns about a political crisis that could potentially escalate into a financial one. David Vives, NTD News, Paris. The Biden administration welcoming the reversal of martial law in South Korea. President Biden's national security advisor urging the Trump administration to strengthen the defense industry, that to counter adversaries like China. NTD's White House correspondent Iris Tao has more. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. welcomes South Korean President Yoon's decision to withdraw his martial law decree, stressing that South Korea is one of the U.S.'s closest allies. We're obviously watching the developments very closely. This is one of our closest partners and allies around the world. We welcome President Yoon's statement. Withdrawing the martial law order, any political disagreements need to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law. South Korean President Yoon Seok-yong is now facing impeachment proceedings for declaring martial law on Tuesday, citing anti-state forces, before being forced to lift it amid pushback by lawmakers. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan at an event on Wednesday says the U.S. will speak out to South Korea to safeguard democracy. Sullivan added that the Biden administration first learned of Yoon's declaration of martial law via live television, repeating that the U.S. was not given a heads-up by its close ally. Meanwhile, at the event about fortifying the U.S. defense industrial base, Sullivan also urged the incoming Trump administration to ramp up domestic defense industry. In a warning, he says the U.S. could quickly run out of munition if a war with China breaks out, saying, quote, any war with a country like the PRC is going to involve the exhaustion of munition stockpiles very quickly. Sullivan also stressed the need to counter cooperation among U.S. adversaries, including China, North Korea and Russia. Reporting by Iris Tao, NTD News. The White House today warning that a China-backed hacking campaign has impacted dozens of countries around the world. Officials saying eight U.S. telecom firms were caught in the attack. A campaign titled Salt Typhoon is reportedly compromising telecom infrastructure worldwide. On the receiving end of this breach are companies like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Prior to the election, reports suggesting the hacking group also targeted calls and text messages from President-elect Trump and his then running mate, J.D. Vance. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner called it the, quote, worst telecom hack in our nation's history. And House lawmakers holding a hearing today called the Crucial Communism Teaching Act. The bill would add a national high school curriculum to teach the dangers of communism. One proponent of the bill says 25 percent of Gen Z students hold a favorable view of the communist ideology. NTD correspondent Jason Blair joins us live right now in Washington. Jason, tell us, what's the latest on this sort of unique bill? Yeah, the Crucial Communism Teaching Act is pretty close to a final version in the House. Yesterday it was in the Committee of Rules where they added some amendments to it. And then earlier today, this afternoon, it was up again for some debate and actually before some voting later on. But I do have some clips from those talks earlier today. Have a look. Mr. Speaker, a report recently found that nearly half of Gen Z students are unaware that the Chinese Communist Party is responsible for more deaths than Nazi Germany. A quarter of Gen Z students hold a favorable opinion of communism and nearly 20 percent think that communism is a better system of government than capitalism. Now, I guess the Republicans want us to spend time debating whether high school students should be taught that communism is bad. The last time I checked, most schools already do that. And another thing Representative McGovern said is he wanted to see specifically fascism added into the text of the bill as well. But an overview on the bill, the bill aims to make a federal civic high school curriculum that would be for all public high schools in the country, that would have students, quote, learn that communism has led to the deaths of over 100 million victims worldwide, understand that the dangers of communism and similar political ideologies, and understand that one and a half billion people still suffer under communism. In fairness, I did grow up in the good congressman from Massachusetts home state, and I must say I was never taught about the horrors of communism. Maybe things have changed, hopefully they have. With that said, what is next with the bill? Well, as I said, it is close to a final version, and it is probably going to be voted on on this Friday in the House for a final vote. They did vote on a resolution to the bill actually just a couple hours ago that did pass, so then it should be going through some more process for the final vote. And after that, if it does go to the Senate, if it gets accepted in the Senate, they'll vote on it there. And what I've noticed so far is it's been almost a party line vote, the Republicans favoring it, Democrats opposing it. So if it does go to the Senate and follows that trend, it might not make it all the way to the president's desk. However, if the bill gets reintroduced next year or another version of it with the new Congress and Senate coming in, we could see a different outcome with it. Thank you for keeping an eye on it. We'll be checking in with you throughout the week. And Shen Yun, the world-class performing arts company based in New York State, says it's now under attack by the Chinese Communist regime yet again right here on U.S. soil. The arts group says what's happening to it should serve as a warning to all Americans. For full transparency, NTD is a media sponsor of Shen Yun. New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has a warning for all Americans. It says the Chinese Communist Party wants to control American businesses and news media, and that if Americans can't recognize this, they'll be unable to stop it. Shen Yun is an elite dance company that has been targeted by the Chinese regime for almost 20 years. Shen Yun says the lawsuit just filed against it by a former dancer is part of the Chinese regime's long-standing campaign. The arts group added that a series of negative media reports that it called one-sided and deeply flawed came out just before and after the lawsuit and helped bolster the attack by giving the suit greater prominence. This is all the same points. This is all the same tactic. It's now just being delivered here right in the United States on U.S. soil. In a press release, Shen Yun said that the woman behind the suit now works with a Chinese government entity. In her filing, the woman denies working for the regime, but Shen Yun says her narrative parrots the Chinese Communist Party's campaign to cancel Shen Yun. Last month, a Chinese communist agent was sentenced to prison in New York for trying to bribe an IRS official. The agent's goal was to get Shen Yun's non-profit status revoked. Another man was recently convicted for collecting intelligence on Falun Gong practitioners here in the United States. Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline practiced by many of Shen Yun's performers. We are in the midst of a very determined, unprecedented anti-Falun Gong campaign right here in America on U.S. soil. Since the 1940s, the CCP has systematically destroyed traditional Chinese culture so that it can indoctrinate its people with communism. Because Falun Gong and Shen Yun are rooted in traditional Chinese culture, the CCP sees them as a threat. So the regime has tried to block and cancel Shen Yun since its founding in 2006. The regime has threatened theaters, pressured elected officials, made bomb threats, and even slashed the tires of Shen Yun buses. But Shen Yun says despite two decades of threats and attacks, including in the media and via lawfare, it remains steadfast in its mission to showcase the beauty, majesty, and spirituality of China's 5,000-year-old civilization. You can watch a full exclusive interview with Levi Braude of the Falun Dafa Information Center and Shen Yun's Vice President Ying Chen on Friday, 9 p.m. Eastern on NTD. That will be with Tiffany Meyer. You don't want to miss that interview. Coming up, President-elect Trump is looking to have the criminal case in Georgia tossed out. That's as he announces more administration picks, including Dr. Peter Navarro as top trade advisor. And New York Republican Congresswoman Nicole Malia Takis, member of the Coronavirus Subcommittee, will join us to break down their final report. How did the CCP influence global institutions and what were they trying to cover up? That and more when we return. Rated the best hearing aids of 2023 by Forbes, the Audion Atom 2 series offers superior sound quality and functionality for a fraction of the price. For just $189 a pair, the Atom 2 features four different hearing modes for all types of hearing loss. It packs crystal clear sound, a nearly invisible design, and is even rechargeable. I actually like them better than my old $5,000 hearing aids. They're so comfortable, I forget I'm wearing them. And the sound is amazing. The Atom Pro 2 is our smallest hearing aid yet, featuring advanced background noise cancellation and is the world's first hearing aid with built-in UV cleaning that kills 99% of bacteria. I could not believe how my hearing and life changed without seeing a doctor or having a hearing test. Join over 500,000 happy customers today and get the hearing you deserve. Call 1-800-455-5922 or go to audionhearing.com to get your pair of Audion hearing aids starting at just $189. Kids love it. Parents trust it. Obviously. Obviously. Explore GJW Plus Kids Series and Gone Deal campus courses led by This is spectacular. Children will learn values like respect, responsibility, and knowledge in language, science, and more. Wow. All while having fun. Perfect. Subscribe today at GJW Plus Kids, where learning meets fun. Say goodbye to harsh, bitter coffee and hello to a delicious, smooth brew. With specialty quality beans expertly roasted in-house, you'll taste the difference with every sip. Fermented with a blend of 50 enzymes, Day's Coffee delivers a rich brew like no other. Made with the highest grade specialty beans available, you're sure to taste the difference. Elevate your morning with Day's Enzyme Fermented Coffee. And welcome back to the Capitol Report. I'm Steve Lance, President-elect Donald Trump announcing several more picks for his administration today. Entity's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley joins us live from outside of Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach. Jack, great to have you back with us. President-elect Trump making quite a few picks this morning, but who are some of the more notable nominees? Good evening, Steve. Well, we have Peter Navarro to serve as Trump's top trade advisor. He served as Trump's top trade advisor under Trump's first term as well. Now, what he said on X was that he really believes in Navarro and what he can do. Navarro served a four-month prison sentence that ended in July. He was convicted for refusing to appear before the January 6th House Select Committee investigating the Capitol breach. Now, we also have Paul Atkins nominated for chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins formerly served as the SEC Commissioner, and he's expected to take a crypto-friendly stance and push for fewer regulations under Trump. Now, we also have Jared Isaacman to head NASA. Isaacman was a billionaire, and he's a CEO and astronaut. He's flown to space twice, and if confirmed by the Senate, he'll oversee NASA's $25 billion budget. Isaacman accepted the nomination this morning on X. He posted, quote, Americans will walk on the moon and Mars, and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth. And just in, former Senator Kelly Loeffler from Georgia is set to head the small business administration, if confirmed by the Senate, and also former Congressman Billy Long from Missouri to head the IRS. Fascinating stuff. A lot of movement today. Just when you thought everything was sort of filling in, there's more picks to be had. Lawyers, Jack, for Trump are moving to throw out the criminal case against him in Georgia. This comes a day after his lawyers sought to dismiss the business records case in New York. What are Trump's lawyers saying today? Well, they're citing the impending inauguration. His lawyers say that because he's going to be president, he should have presidential immunity. And they said in the filing, quote, a sitting president is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal. His lawyers also argue a jurisdictional issue to have local leaders prosecute a sitting president just doesn't sit right. This comes right after Trump's attorneys moved to dismiss the New York criminal case, and that case was postponed indefinitely. Trump's attorneys connect that case with what President Biden said in the pardoning of his son Hunter when he said that his son is being selectively and unfairly prosecuted. Trump's attorneys say that that same standard should apply to Trump. Now, Jack, Vivek Ramaswamy speaking today about he and Elon Musk will run the new commission there called the Department of Government Efficiency. Right. So DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, Vivek Ramaswamy was talking about what it's like to work with Elon Musk. And also the real purpose of this administration of this new agency is to identify the problems in government. And one of which Ramaswamy claims is that many of the elected leaders that are being elected are not making the decisions that they're being elected to make. It's being done by bureaucrats in office. Take a look. If you can't hold your elected leaders accountable, the people who are making a lot of those decisions weren't elected in the first place. You then have the economic consequences of that. You then have the spending and deficit and national debt consequences of that that are really downstream of this loss of self-government. Now, there's a lot to look ahead for on the DOGE, but looking ahead further in the week on Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump is going to be sitting down for his first interview since winning the election with Meet the Press. So we're looking forward to that, Steve. And today's Jack Bradley. Thank you for the update. And Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler has withdrawn from the race for ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. The decision comes after Rep. Jamie Raskin launched his bid to unseat Nadler as the panel's top Democrat. Election results for the last unresolved House seat were certified yesterday with Democrats flipping that seat out in California. Republican Congressman John Duarte conceded to his Democratic challenger Adam Gray in California's 13th congressional district. Gray won that district by just 187 votes. Overall, Republicans will hold a tight majority with 220 seats to the Democrats' 215. The Republican majority will be even tighter in the early part of next year before Trump's cabinet picks are replaced. Congress is expected to vote on its national defense authorization act, otherwise known as the NDAA, for fiscal year 2025 before December 20th. This year's NDAA is expected to include legislation to counter the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party worldwide. Our Washington correspondent, Luis Martinez, has more on the story. That's right. The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025 is the bill that sets the spending priorities for the national defense programs of the Department of Defense and the nuclear weapons programs within the Department of Energy. Now the House of Representatives passed its version of the NDAA back in June with only Republican support and the Senate Armed Services Committee also passed its version with broad bipartisan support back in June. Our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee completed their work on the NDAA back in June and they did it with bipartisan support. They handed the legislation off to the Town of Craig leader with months to spare. The number one highlight of the product is what the chairman mentioned is the focus on quality of life for our service members and their families and certainly one of the biggest issues was pay for junior enlisted. We upped that pay by 19.5 percent. It is expected that later this week congressional leaders will unveil their agreement for the NDAA for fiscal year 2025 and it's also expected that a slew of nearly 70 bills that have already passed on the House floor and that are meant to counter the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party worldwide will be attached to the NDAA for fiscal year 2025. This cannot continue. You can't continue to do business with the Communist Chinese Party and not knowing, not realizing that there's concentration camps in China where they forcibly harvest, they take, they cut out the organs of the people that they're incarcerating. Yes, we want to say something. This is unacceptable. You must stop it. You must be held accountable for these atrocities. That was Republican Congressman Scott Perry from Pennsylvania discussing the Falun Gong Protection Act, a bill that is expected to be attached to this year's National Defense Authorization Act alongside the Biosecure Act and other bills designed to counter China in the realms of AI, military capabilities, and critical infrastructure. In July of this year, the Bipartisan Commission on the National Defense Strategy published its final report. The commission finds that in many ways, China is outpacing the United States and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific through two decades of focused military investment. The National Defense Authorization Act of fiscal year 2025 will authorize the spending of nearly $1 trillion in government spending. Reporting from Washington, DC, Luis Eduardo Martinez, NTD News. In the House Select Committee on the, excuse me, the House Select Subcommittee on the coronavirus has released its final report on the CCP virus. Earlier, I spoke with New York Republican Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, who is a member of that committee. Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, thank you so much for taking a moment. Great to be with you. Congresswoman, you sit on the House Select Subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic. There was a major report that was just released. Talk to us about some of your biggest takeaways from that report. Well, I think some of the biggest takeaways is that after our committee examined the origins, right, we feel even more strongly today than we did back then that this did come from the communist Chinese lab, the Wuhan lab. And it seemed that all the forensics, all the intelligence, all the information that we've been able to review, affirms that. And so we would like for two things, one, for the intelligence community to continue its investigation. And number two, for the Biden administration to release all the classified information, as is required by law now, because Congress did pass legislation last year requiring that they disclose all the classified documents relating to the origins of COVID. I think that would give us even more clarity and more information. So that way, the American people can know exactly what happened here. The real question is, how do they expect us to prevent another pandemic if we don't get to the bottom of the origins? Speaking of the origins, talk to us about the fact that, you know, based on flight records and data that we saw, the Chinese Communist Party knew that the virus was spreading throughout China, all the while shutting down flights within China, but allowing them to come out into the United States and other countries. Should they be held accountable for this? Well, this is why President Trump was right when he did shut down those flights, and he got a lot of criticism. And the Democrats really politicized it. But in hindsight, we see that he made the right decision and he was protecting the United States and Americans and trying to prevent this virus from spreading even further. The other thing is the World Health Organization. They worked with Chinese officials to basically cover it up. They did not require them to really participate in any type of investigation. And they were in many ways helping them to prevent the world from knowing what really happened here. And so we do have issues with the World Health Organization, and those reforms need to be made. And we need to hold the organization accountable. And we have to make sure that they're not shutting out allies, like Taiwan, for example. Taiwan, and we feel very strongly about that. I think you're going to see a lot of that discussion happening in the next Congress. You raise a serious question as to the influence that the Chinese Communist Party has on some of these global institutions. Absolutely. I mean, their footprint is all over. And if you look at like the United Nations, for example, whether it's the Human Rights Council is a perfect example. The fact that you have a Communist Party that oppresses its own people, and then what they've been doing to the Uyghurs sitting on a Human Rights Council is very disturbing. And they've bullied, I think, a lot, many of the smaller countries, a lot of the countries that they've made investments in to vote with them against United States interests. So that's something that I feel the Trump administration was really trying to tackle. And unfortunately, this current administration had set us back by rejoining these councils without any type of reforms. I think one of the other big takeaways from the report was the money, federal dollars, American tax dollars that went to the Wuhan lab via organizations like EcoHealth. EcoHealth Alliance, because of the work we did on this committee, can no longer receive another penny in federal money. But we need to really scrutinize every dollar that's going overseas for science to make sure that there are biosafety standards, that there is information sharing, there are reporting requirements that are being met. If you don't meet these reporting requirements, then you should not be eligible for any type of dollars. And we really need to scrutinize experiments and funding of these experiments overseas. We should be doing a lot of this stuff here in the United States, and we should be making sure it's done humanely, it's done safely, that we're inhumanely exploiting animals and wasting taxpayer money on unnecessary experiments. That's, I think, a big thing that will be on the radar next year as well, as we bring in this DOJ committee that's looking to eliminate government waste. Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, thank you so much. Coming up, a new study projects 260 million Americans may be overweight or obese within the next 25 years. We'll talk to a doctor specializing in obesity medicine about possible solutions when we return. Get store-wide savings at Mathis Home with Black Friday deals all month long. We have all the latest styles with hundreds of sofas starting at just $3.99. Dining sets and bedrooms at the lowest prices ever, and we're the only place with top name recliners starting at just $1.95. It's all in stock, so you get it faster with our free delivery. So, for the latest in fashion for your home at the best value, shop Black Friday deals at California's furniture superstore, Mathis Home. For decades, I've taught you everything I know. How to safely build a fire, and how to control the flames. But I can only teach wildfire prevention. Only you can prevent wildfires. What if kids in America didn't have to go to bed hungry tonight? What if our moms, dads, and grandparents could put healthy food on the table every day to help us grow strong? What if all of our friends and neighbors had fresh food too, and there was no hunger at all in America? And what if there was a way today for you to help? Call now or go online to helpfeedingamerica.org and give $19 a month, just 63 cents a day. So many of us don't have enough food to eat, but your monthly gift means families across the and in your community can fill plates with food. Kids can get healthy meals year-round, even when school's out, and our neighbors can have fresh food. Food that moms, dads, entire families need to thrive. But right now, more people are facing hunger. Feeding America works from coast to coast with partner food banks, food pantries, and meal programs. It takes all of us to make that happen. Will you help too? Please call the number on your screen or go online to helpfeedingamerica.org and give just $19 a month, and we'll send you this free canvas grocery bag. It's our way of saying thank you for helping to end hunger for our neighbors. Because no kid, no mom or dad, nobody should go hungry in America. Nobody. So what if today was the day you could help nourish futures for our friends, our families, for all of us? Ending hunger is possible. What if we end it together? Call or give online today at helpfeedingamerica.org and your gift can be doubled. Thank you. And welcome back to the Capitol Report. I'm Steve Lance. Nearly a quarter billion Americans are projected to be overweight or obese by the year of 2050. How do we address this epidemic? Joining me to discuss is Dr. Scott Cahan, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness. Dr. Scott Cahan, thank you so much for joining. Thank you for having me. It's great to have you on. Dr. Obesity reportedly reaching an unprecedented crisis point. Studies showing more than a quarter billion of Americans projected to be overweight or obese in 25 years. How did we ultimately get here? This has been a process starting more than a century ago, really revving up about a half century ago in the 1970s and 1980s. And it's a result of a number of things. For one, the way that our societies have changed over the decades, where on the one hand there's lots of food available, that hasn't always been the case. And the food tends to more and more be highly processed and engineered for us to want to eat it more, more sugar and salt and fat and such, which is hard for the human brain to say no to frequently. The food is more available. I mean, you know, it used to be you had to go to a grocery store to get food. Now you can get food at a grocery store, you can get it at a gas station, you can get it, you know, pretty much everywhere. So there's just no shortage of opportunities to get foods, typically less healthy processed foods. Physical activity is much more difficult in many people's lives nowadays. For one, a hundred years ago, for example, many of us, many of them a hundred years ago, worked jobs where we're exercising all day long, every day as necessary based on what we're doing in our jobs. Now, most of us sit in front of a computer or the like, and it's nice, you know, there's a lot of progress that have led to that. But a side effect of that is that we're not moving nearly as much. And even if you go to the gym every day for an hour, that's still much less activity than historically humans have gotten. And so you take all of these things together, and the rates of obesity have at first slowly climbed, starting in the 70s and 80s, really more quickly have climbed up, and then over the last couple of decades have continued to grow. Really, really fascinating points that you make there. So I guess, you know, the million dollar question is, what is the solution? Or maybe, I guess, to simplify it even further, what are some of the practical solutions? So I would say there is no solution per se. This is a chronic, multifactorial problem. There's a lot of intersecting things that are contributing to this. Our society, our food availability, our physical activity, things we've talked about, our genetics, etc. And so there is not going to be a silver bullet solution or cure to this. Now, that's okay. There's many other chronic diseases that we've had to deal with, that we've done pretty well with, that also don't have magic bullet solutions. Instead, we want to be thinking about this, putting together a bunch of ways of approaching it that hopefully, in aggregate, can be really helpful. On the one hand, to the extent that we can make our communities a little healthier, that will likely help. A little bit easier availability of healthful foods, a little bit, frankly, more difficult to get unhealthy foods. Some policies that minimize the easy availability of processed foods, and that perhaps make healthy, fresh produce, things like that a little cheaper, a little more available, that may help. If as feasible to adjust our built environment, the cities that we live in, the areas that we live in, so that they're a little more walkable, so that it's safe to be outside, exercising, playing sports, walking around, etc. Those things likely will help to an extent. But in addition to that, for people who are already affected by obesity, particularly people that have really significant obesity, it's unlikely that any even quite significant changes in our society or even in their day-to-day behaviors is going to make that much a dent in that situation. And that's where treatments come along. And that can include medications in some cases, it can include bariatric surgery in some cases, it can include professional counseling and such. And having access to those things for appropriate patients is important for those group of patients that are already seeing an effect. There's a lot of talk right now about various drugs that do help with weight loss, but I think a key point that you made is that it is being distributed or prescribed to the appropriate person. It seems to be very widespread right now. What are some of the pros and cons of treating obesity with these weight loss drugs? And tell us about some of the potential long-term safety and side effects. We have a number of good medications that have been very well studied, approved by the FDA, and for appropriate patients can be very helpful to help them get their weight down, to improve their quality of life, their mobility, and their risks of a range of health conditions that are often linked to obesity, like diabetes, like heart disease, like sleep apnea, and many, many others. All of these are behavior-related conditions. What we eat, how much we move, how much we exercise influences our blood pressure and our blood sugar and our weight level and so forth. So first and foremost, we should be working on building healthy lives and healthy habits, learning to eat healthy, learning to exercise well, having support to be able to work on doing those things. But when that's not sufficient, then we consider escalating treatment to including medications. So if you have very high blood pressure and you've tried a low sodium diet and you've tried going to the gym and working with a trainer and all that and working with your doctor to get it under control, but six months, 12 months, 18 months, and you're just banging your head against the wall and not getting anywhere, at that point, if it's high enough where it's impacting your health or your health risks down the line, your doctor is going to consider prescribing a medication for the blood pressure. And that's the way that we should be thinking about obesity medications as well. Dr. Skakahan, really important discussion and we greatly appreciate your insights. Thank you. Thank you. Report. I'm Steve Lance. Have a nice evening. See you back here tomorrow.