Capitol Report Full Broadcast (Nov. 11)

Good evening. Tonight on the Capitol Report, President Trump marking Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery. We'll show you how he and his cabinet honored the men and women in uniform. On Veterans Day, we reaffirm our undying gratitude to every patriot who has answered the call of duty. In Veterans Affairs Secretary, Doug Collins joins NTD to discuss how the department has changed under his leadership. We'll look at what it means For the veterans it serves. And Chinese espionage targeting the American economy. Congressman Scott Perry joins us on the dangers of doing business with the CCP and how to hold them accountable. Republicans have chosen Jim Jordan to lead them in January. We'll hear from Congressman Ralph Norman on what that means for the party's agenda and for voters. This is Capitol Report, live from our global headquarters in our nation's capital. Here's Steve Lance. Good evening. Today marks Veterans Day, a day to honor the men and women who've served in America's armed forces. President Trump holding a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery today, and NTD's Washington correspondent Jack Bradley joins us now live from the White House. So, Jack, what is the president's message on this Veterans Day? Well, good evening, Steve, and happy Veterans Day to you and to our audience. Well, the president's really using this ceremony to highlight his administration's efforts to support the veterans, as well as thanking them for the sacrifices in giving what they've served. Take a look. On Veterans Day, we reaffirm our undying gratitude to every patriot who has answered the call of duty. This Veterans Day, the White House honoring all Americans who've served in the military. President Trump, joined by Vice President J.D. Vance and V.A. Secretary Doug Collins, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery, paying tribute to the veterans we give thanks to for our freedoms. We pay tribute to all of those who have won the The president also discussing the administration's actions in Venezuela, saying it's led to more freedom, a prosperous economy, and stopping adversaries like China and Russia from gaining a presence in the region. And China left when I called them, gotta leave. And Russia left when I called them, they were all nibbling at the edges, said you gotta leave, they left. And for Iran... America did not start a war with Iran. Iran has been waging war on America since 1979. This should have been taken care of a long time ago. Somebody fought back. All of us fought back. We fought back. The administration also highlighting progress at the Department of Veterans Affairs, pointing to more than 3 million disability claims and cutting the backlog by over 70%, along with 47 new health care facilities opened. To put on the uniform of the United States of America and say, don't send my neighbor, send me. That is the greatest monument to America. It's you all. It's the fact that you served. I'm tired in a country where I see we're giving veterans this, we're giving veterans that, and haven't we give them enough? We do not give our veterans anything. They have earned everything that they have gotten. During his remarks, the president also giving a special shout out to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. That applause comes just one day after a failed effort in the House to advance articles of impeachment against him. And he's done a fantastic job, and he loves you, and he protects you. And President Trump issuing a Veterans Day proclamation earlier at the White House, pledging to give veterans and continue their support for what they've earned in terms of health care, education, and job opportunities. Steve, back to you. And to these, Jack Bradley, live from the White House. Thank you, Jack. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu leading a bipartisan Veterans Day tribute today, a moment coming after yesterday's GOP leadership elections where Congressman Jim Jordan won House Minority Leader in the new Congress. Entity's Fiona G. reports. A moment of unity on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday as House Republicans and Democrats gather to remember and thank the nation's veterans. When our freedom and liberty were under threat, they didn't ask what it would cost them. They simply said the words from Scripture in Isaiah 6-8, Here I am, Lord, send me. Because of their courage and because of their selflessness and sacrifice, we are able to stand here in the greatest nation and enjoy the freedoms that so many around the world can only dream of. And we must never forget that. We have a sacred responsibility to... In a fitting move for the day, the House passed the Take Care of America's Veterans Act. According to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, the act expands affordability, increases VA benefits and improves health care access for disabled veterans and Gold Star families. Republicans are now preparing to push forward their agenda in this lame duck session. The House Freedom Caucus is urging Republicans to unite before descending into the minority. We should cut spending another trillion dollars over the next 10 years, given the size of our budget deficits. We do need to lock President Trump's border security policies into law, banning sanctuary cities, which, of course, are now going to be on the rise under Democrat rule in many jurisdictions. Other items on the agenda include passing federal voter ID requirements and preventing year-end omnibuses. GOP lawmakers also react to Congressman Jim Jordan taking over as House Minority Leader. Leader Jordan is a conservative, there's no question about it. He is a superb communicator, that's exactly what we need. For Democrats, debate still continues around leadership elections. On Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders said he would not support Chuck Schumer as Senate Majority Leader. But in my view, the time is now for change, and I will not be supporting Chuck. To be re-elected as the Democratic leader. Senator Chuck Schumer has not expressed any intentions of stepping aside. The upper chamber of Congress is out for the rest of this week and will return next week. Reporting from Washington, D.C., Fiona Gee, NTD News. And Veterans Day is about honoring those Americans who took the oath to protect and serve. But what is the nation doing for those same heroes when they return to civilian life? Later in our show, VA Secretary Doug Collins will tell us what that looks like. But first, NVIDIA stocks falling after the company's CEO admitting to having an affair with an alleged CCP spy. Joining me now to discuss the fallout, Pennsylvania Congressman Scott Perry. He sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman Scott Perry, thank you so much for joining us. Great to be with you, Steve. Yeah, thank you. It's great to have you, Congressman. NVIDIA, their stock falling 10% in a single day. This amid the allegations that CEO Jensen Huang targeted in a Chinese Communist Party honey trap operation. NVIDIA, Congressman, was the most valuable company on the market before the scandal sent its shares tumbling. They've recovered a little. But what does espionage like this ultimately cost Americans? Well, it's going to cost us our sovereignty and our freedom if we're not careful. I've long said that, you know, we ought to be much, much tougher on China than we currently are. They shouldn't be allowed to have their own rules for investing here. They shouldn't be able to buy property in the United States or companies in the United States. They shouldn't be able to send. Tens of thousands of Chinese students to commit espionage against citizens and companies in the United States of America. It is really problematic. And the United States, quite honestly, just we need to get serious about it. China, the Communist Party of China has called the United States of America their enemy. We don't want to have enemies, but unfortunately, you can't determine what somebody else does. And if that's how They view the United States, it's up to the United States to acknowledge that and then start doing something about it and act like, you know, the Communist Party of China is going to do the things it's doing. Congressman, earlier this year, you introduced a bill called the Divesting from Communist China's Military Act in the House of Representatives. How would this keep companies tied to or run by China's military from operating inside of the United States? Well, it would disallow them from doing it. And of course, it would sanction anybody that did business with them. So there would be no incentive on this side of the ocean to do business with With those entities. Because you would be fined, you would be sanctioned, financially penalized for those kind of things, that kind of activity. So that's the goal of that. And again, that should be a no brainer. That shouldn't be something that's really controversial. It shouldn't be something that takes a lot of to get through the halls of Congress here. But yet. That's one of the things. I mean, we can't even get a Chinese surrogacy bill through where the Chinese Communist Party comes and has pays people in America to have children and then takes them back to China with American citizenship. We can't even get that on the schedule. That's what I mean. We have got to get serious. Congressman, sometimes when we talk about China, particularly with regard to trade and supply chain, obviously COVID exposed the PPE. We don't hear much about the critical minerals that China holds. The vast majority of that are actually our military are heavily dependent on whether it's F-35s, munitions, submarines. How sort of concerning is this? And do you see this perhaps Being rectified in the near future, the ambassador, David Perdue, to China, just talking about this on Bloomberg, how China's not living up to their end of the bargain. So surprising, China not living up to their end of some bargain, some agreement that they agreed to. Nothing new there. And there ought to be penalties for their failure to comply because they just don't comply. And that's nothing new. And again, America needs to get serious. Look, we used to call them rare earth minerals around here. And I'm glad that you're calling them critical minerals. They are critical, but they're not rare. The United States of America This disallows our own country, because of environmentalists and all kinds of crazy people, we don't allow ourselves to get at what's right under our own feet. But we certainly shouldn't be dependent on China. They haven't cornered the market on critical minerals because they want them for themselves. They do want them for themselves. But as much as anything, they use this as a weapon of war. As you know, they use the terminology Of all out warfare, which includes all kinds of different things other than kinetic warfare, right? Total warfare for them means economic, diplomatic, kinetic. And things like critical minerals. Now, I think the tide is shifting under President Trump. As you know, we've made some agreements in South America and we're working across the globe to put America front and center. Africa is a place that America needs to be to be more active in things like critical minerals, because China, again, is trying to corner the market, not as much because they need them, because they don't want to have us have them and they want to leverage, use that as leverage against us. They want to hobble us in any kind of military or diplomatic conflict. America needs to wake up to that and make this a priority and defeat China at this goal. To your point, China plays by different rules. They call it unrestricted war in their own words. And every citizen, they passed a law not too long ago. They're expected to carry out the Communist Party's will, whether they're domestic or abroad. And that means in our country. Under penalty of punishment, right? If they don't do it, they get punished or their family members Indeed. So how do we help Americans understand that doing business in China means doing business with the Chinese Communist Party, who is dead set on overtaking us as the world leader? Look, I think it's leadership by example. Certainly, it's informing the American people of the perils of dealing with the Communist Party of China. But you can't go out and inform the American people of the perils of doing it while you yourself are doing it. And so The U.S. government continues to fail to hold China accountable. It allows them to operate under a different set of rules on our financial markets. And it literally just refuses to legislatively hold China accountable. Bills like mine that you talked about and other ones don't make it to the floor, don't get a vote, are never signed into law. And as long as China can continue to abuse our open and free society. Without any peril, they're going to continue to do it. Congressman, one last question. Today is Veterans Day. Happy Veterans Day to you. Thank you. As somebody who served as a general in the National Guard. Yesterday, the Marine Corps turned 251. What is your message to our veterans and the men and women in uniform? Well, look, less than 1% of America serves and secures the United States of America. All of us live free because of people that were willing to put on the uniform and give their last full measure for the idea, the ideal of America. And so to those who do it and to those who are thinking and considering doing it, thank you. God bless you. It is you who are going to save America. And we're very grateful that you'd be willing to serve in that capacity. Thank America is a worthy cause. Congressman Scott Perry, as always, we appreciate you joining. Thank you. God bless you. you Coming up on this Veterans Day, how is the VA working on the transition to civilian life for the nation's veterans? very We'll hear from Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins after the break. This land, our America, much. built on hard work, determination, and grit. Sometimes the days run long, but hope? It never runs out, even when the food does, for America's veterans, working parents, even kids. Because in every corner of every town, even yours, millions of hardworking neighbors are facing hunger, many for the very first time. In this land of plenty, affording food shouldn't require second jobs and third shifts or choosing between your groceries and bills. Today, you can help change that. Call or go online to helpfeedingamerica.org and give $19 a month, less than 63 cents a day, to help every neighbor get the food they urgently need. Because taking care of each other is what makes America strong. We're feeding America, not just a name, but an action. Working with over 250 local food banks, like the ones in your community, and demand is soaring. You go to the grocery store, you spend $100, and $100 is a new $20 bill. Even with two full-time jobs, it gets hard to make ends meet. These are tough times, but when we stand together, we become the very best of a strong America. Please call or go online to helpfeedingamerica.org. Just $19 a month can feed a family today. And your first gift can double in impact. Plus, we'll send you this free canvas bag as a reminder of the hope you're delivering. When it comes down to it, it's about taking care of your family first and the loved ones that you need to provide for. Because you're not just giving food. You're fueling resilience for people across the nation. You're feeding America. Call or go online today to help feedingamerica.org and your gift can double in impact. Some stories get told so often, nobody asks anymore if they're true. A letter signed with a symbol, a house sold as haunted, a hijacker remembered as a folk hero. We separate what's documented from what's folklore. And we remember who the story actually belongs to, the victims, the witnesses, people who refuse to look away. Watch Beyond the Evidence on NTD Plus today. Shen Yun Creations, the streaming platform from Shen Yun, featuring world-class dance, past programs, and all original music, masterclasses, behind the scenes, comedy, and more. Explore. And welcome back to the Capitol Report. I'm Steve Lance. Transitioning back to civilian life, one of the biggest challenges facing many American veterans. I had a chance to sit down with Secretary of Veteran Affairs Doug Collins, who told me about the effort to improve the VA and provide veterans with the support they need. Secretary Collins, welcome back. Well, that'll be all. And we'll be right back. What is your message, Secretary, to American veterans and families on this Veterans Day? I think the biggest thing is just thank you. I mean, you're part of an elite group. Ninety-six percent of this country, roughly, has never served in our nation's military. So four percent means that there's a special calling. There's a desire to serve this country. And it is that veteran, no matter if they served overseas or all their duty was stateside or no matter what their job was, they filled a role that protected this country. And for all that we have, whether in our recent elections, our freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, all that we have comes from the fact that they were willing to stand in the gap and leave their homes and take a commitment by raising their right hand and said, I'm going to serve this country. As an Iraq War veteran yourself, and thank you for your service, what does Veterans Day mean to you on a personal level? It's a reminder of... Sacrifice not only the members, but also the families, but also it reminds me of the coming together. It's hard to understand, and I'm sure other who've deployed understand it. When you're deployed, and especially in a situation like that, it gives you a sense of purpose. There's a camaraderie that you can't find anywhere else. So it's, I would say, bittersweet because I saw a lot of tragedy, a lot of stuff that war is the reason you want to avoid. But also, I've made some of the more memorable experiences of my life. Uh, being there with just people who had one purpose and one purpose only, and that's to do the job and stay alive. When we sat down early in your tenure, you said something, you said, what gets measured gets done. Yep. At that point, you had already cut benefits, the backlog, by 25% and were just under 200,000 claims. Today, it's below 70,000, down more than 70% since January of 2025. Did you expect it to go this far this fast? And how did you make sure that faster decisions translated into the right decisions for veterans? Well, the biggest, one of the easiest ones is our quality ratings actually went up. And so it went up from the lows under the previous administration and we're moving Kelly hired 94% approvals of these that it says when they do the quality control check. So we know that it's working. What we did was we just said, hey, let's work in a more consistent fashion with what we have going on. So it was more of let's put the time and effort. And I said this before. I want all of our folks who deal with the disability claims is to not view it as a piece of paper, view it as a veteran. It put basically a face to this. This is somebody that you may not know, but it's a veteran who's asking a legitimate question. It may get approved or it may not get approved, but I think there's an urgency. And then we also, frankly, we put time and money to it. I mean, we put overtime to it. We put people on it because it was important to make sure that we got veterans the answers they needed quickly with the right answers. And we've done that over time. You've worked to streamline the department and cut through bureaucracy. Washington has a lot of that. You were in Congress, so I'm sure you know. Better than most. What are you seeing in terms of veterans' access to care and wait times? It's getting better all the time. Again, we're the largest integrated health care system in the country. And the interesting thing is that sometimes people think of the VA as a separate kind of entity, that we have our own doctors, our own nurses. And the reality is we don't. I compete with Mayo, and I compete with all the other clinics, any of the major ones that you know, and have to compete for doctors and nurses with them. And there's a shortage in our country right now of doctors, nurses, clinicians of all sorts. In fact, we're doing better than most in the hospitals. And from the wait time perspective, again, we're the only one that measures wait times and that was put in from Congress and I was there when it happened. It was more of a reaction to the VA not doing what it was supposed to be doing than it was to say, okay, wait times equal quality. We're doing it both. We're getting people in to see, expanding out community care. We've done more for community care. Which means doctors, they can see the doctors in the community than anyone else has. We have raised it, if you raise it to the last year of the Biden administration, we're looking at 20 plus percent higher community care rate. I mean, this is an amazing kind of number. And we're spending over $50 billion in their United States-owned care in the community, which also helps civilians because we're keeping up hospitals and doctors, helping them in their, especially the rural practices as well. So it's just a matter of saying, hey, what do we need to get done? How do we need to do it? Finding the right ways. Anyways. And I think that's a good prospect to have, but it's always going to be a struggle in the healthcare industry, making sure you have the right people at the right time. Speaking of the bureaucracy, where did you find the most waste when you first came in and took office? And where might that be? Well, I think the biggest thing was not as much, you know, there was money that we moved in contracts and went to, you know, we were able to use in other places, you know, prosthetics and stuff. The biggest thing for us was a waste of effort. And sometimes that's not, you can take it out in tangible dollars to say, I have this much, this person was wasting, you know, this much time having to fill out these many paperwork. So what we looked at was what is our processes? We were a very large organization that grew very rapidly over the 10 to 15 years, but we never improved our processes. We, in fact, we added on to them. We were sort of in a, what I call a cover your backside mentality that we just, you know, everybody was yelling. So our folks just said, we're just going to make sure that we double check everything. And if it slowed it down, um, that was fine. What we said was no, let's get in and do what you're supposed I was supposed to, and I had a... Saying it, I would walk into hospitals, and I still do, and say, what are we doing that's stupid? And what I mean by that is not that we're dumb or anything, but it's what are we doing that others don't do? And finally, when they started thinking about that, the doctors started raising their hands and saying, if I was at XYZ Hospital, I wouldn't have to fill three forms out here. If I was doing this, and so it has helped us. And that's how our whole rise, our whole reorganization of our health care system, our hospitals. took place. We made it streamlined and divided into segments so that we have our hospital operations, our policy operations, our business operations, all separated so that they can actually get answers, do their work efficiently. So what we're seeing now is it's going to show up, I think, later on. And it is showing up now in better efficiency in our hospitals, better standardization across the board. Those are all good. And I'm often reminded of this, the highest qualities and stuff, we were number one. And a lot of things. And we were the second with Mayo. Gold Star families. Yes. Very special to our nation. Those soldiers who have perished, their families surviving. Last time you told me that you'd moved survivors' assistance under your direct leadership. Because Gold Star families deserve that compassion, not a clinical approach. What does that look like for those families since? Well, it's amazing because now we have, you know, with moving it under and having Linda Davis and others work with that, it's just been a, I spoke with a Gold Star family member just today, and having it there gives us more accountability, it gets answers quicker, they're not feeling lost in a system, and so I think there's immeasurable kind of just satisfaction in making sure that we're taking care of those families who are already having a struggle that is. What is the most common thing that you hear from survivors when you meet them, and what should a family that just lost a loved one do first? Well, one, there's always, especially if it's an active duty death, which a lot of these would be, there's always the DOW's part that they play in there, the original response and other things. We come in in the last part. And I think reaching out, just finding out what the benefits were, how they maybe translate over, what are you eligible for, those are the kind of things that our survivor assistance actually does. So I think for us, we're there ready to help and assist our partners at DOW in that process. Speaking of DOW, last time we spoke, you just signed an agreement with Secretary Hegseth aligning DOW and the VA, and you called the two departments fraternal twins. Yes. What is that partnership delivered to the service members as they transition to veteran status? It's moving ahead, and it's a long process. I mean, here you're talking about two of the most bureaucratic organizations in the federal government. I've been a part of both of them. Well, if you count Congress, that's a whole different bureaucracy. But, you know, with the DOW and the VA. So what it's done is we've moved mountains really in the last little bit to align our missions, getting out of the, especially the transfer out of active duty into the civilian world again, letting us start aligning outward medical exams so that we don't have to redo those medical exams when we get to the VA. We can already have that done, so we can go ahead and process the claims quicker, get them out. And also we're making progress in getting those who have already been diagnosed with, say, a traumatic brain injury, a CTE, those kind of things, getting them in a warm handoff mode where we actually meet with our VA doctors before they ever get out so that there's never an opportunity for them to be alone. We still got a lot to go. I mean, again, as I said before, DOW owns the transition process, but I get blamed for it. We're trying to figure out what's the best way we can do that. Because again, it's this fraternal twin issue. I take care of them on their way, you know, after they're out. Pete sort of takes care of them while they're in. And so it's, and their job is to fight wars and do what we're supposed to do. And they don't, it's harder for them on the end to see, you know, to spend time and resources on people going out. That's why we've, you know, helped out. And I think we're continuing to see some good progress there. That partnership also includes the Shared Electronic Health Record. Yes. After years of stalls, the VA brought the new system to 13 medical centers this year, 26 more planned for 2027. What got that project moving again? And with Congress watching the cost closely, what do you tell taxpayers about the investment? Well, the investment is really invaluable. The question is, do you want the largest integrated health care system in the country that is designed for veterans that we all say that we want the best for them? The question is, is do you want us to come from a 1990 system to a 2026 system that can actually integrate in with the community, integrate in with other doctors, integrate in with other hospitals, and frankly, integrate in within the VA itself. Our systems do not talk to each other among hospitals. So this is something, you know, look, it is expensive. It was always done. And we wasted a lot of time. But when we got here last year, we said, you know, we broke down the barriers. We said, I told VA, this is what we're going to do. standardized. We're going to take and not everybody's going to get everything that they want. I want a button here. I want a button there. No, it's going to be standardized, which is what happens at every other medical facility in the country. And we also went through the vendor and said, you're going to start producing. And so this is what happened. I have to say that that has been phenomenal in its rollout. Cleveland Hospital is one of our most complex as far as procedures and stuff that they Uh, it went online a few weeks ago and it has been nothing but perfect. It has worked out very well. So we're very pleased with where we're at. The only problem I have right now is my hospital director to call me saying, can I move up in line? They, they want it quicker because it's that important, uh, for, again, in some ways it's, it's the thing that's keeping us out of the mainstream of, uh, of healthcare right now. President Trump, um, on the campaign trail, special police and his heart for America, America's veterans. What has it been like working for the president and his vision for the VA? He made it very simple. He just told me, he said, take care of veterans. So his mind is we take care of veterans. We do what we need to do to take care of them. His leadership has provided us a lot of leeway to make new choices, new decisions, to break out of the bureaucracy that we're in. I think too many people had become accustomed to the VA getting blamed for or messing up. And I said, look, here's the new plan. And it was under the president's direction. We're wrong. We're going to admit it. But when we're right, we're going to fight. And we're going to say, hey, this is what we're doing right. This is what we need. And I don't care if you're the press or a senator or a congressman. You tell a lie about us, I'm going to tell the truth about you. And so this is sort of the way we've said we're going to work this out because it shows I'm fighting for the veterans who a lot of times feel like they wouldn't listen to. The VA of no is no longer here. The VA of let's try to get the yes is here. You're a recently retired colonel in the Air Force Reserves where you served as a chaplain. Congratulations, by the way, on the retirement. How does your faith guide what you do? Everything. It's like my glasses. It's how I see the world. Um, a, a, And again, I hear this all the time that people, and let's go back to this thing years ago. I remember a quote from former President Bill Clinton that said, well, I have my faith on Sundays, but I work in the real world the rest of the week. It's like, how do you do that? And for me, it's just a simple faith. It's what I've committed to. It's the principles of life. Do I always live up to even my own? No, but that's part of being a fallen man. But it's like my glasses. Like I said, I see my glasses. Through my glasses, I see the world. If I take those glasses off and move them like that, I see differently. So for me, my faith is my guiding lens to how I see the world. Secretary, you have served eight years in Congress. You've talked about picking up the phone to work things out directly with committee chairmen. Talk to us about, is there legislation that you would like to see from Congress right now? And where have you found the most bipartisan agreement on veterans issues? Yeah, it's been amazing because I've been out now going on four years, six years in this time. And it's amazing how much the Hill has changed and in some ways it's not changed. We've been able to, you know, the good part about it is I pick up phone and call members that I've worked with and know and we get things worked out. Um, but there's still unfortunately been into a lot of, uh, you know, the partisanship that flows into areas of where we've not seen it before. For me right now, I need, you know, there's several things that I think are the biggest things. Number one is I need the Corps of Engineers out of our building process. Um, it was put in for a good reason years ago when Aurora, Colorado facility was built, billion dollars overrun, those kinds of things we needed to bring in. Congress thought the Corps and Visionaires was the best part. It's not a good fit. The Corps does great work, but they shouldn't be overseeing projects, which costs us actually a significant percentage more than if we were doing it ourselves. So it really is to the point now where we understand the problems. We need to get them out. Number two, I need pay increases, cap increases for my doctors. Um, The ologist problem, as I call it, is anesthesia, cardiology, those kind of things. They are very, uh, High price in the market. I mean, and I compete against, like I said, everybody else. So, but I'm capped at what I can pay them to the president's salary. I can't go over. So what we really need is to come up with a plan to how we can adjust those pay scales to where we can keep and attract those people that we need. Secretary, what progress has the VA made on veteran homelessness, another major issue facing veterans since you took office? And what is your approach for veterans who are struggling to navigate that system? Well, we have plenty of help for them, and I think that's the biggest issue we have through our HUD-VASH program, through our homeless program. Last year, we put permanent housing in over 50,000 veterans. We're going to be about 50,000 in the issue. The good part about that number is it's a little bit lower, but we have a lower number of homeless populations. So it's actually we're making progress in the right direction with that. And then we're also having, you know, what we're doing with partnerships. There's been some great partnerships out there with... With nonprofits who are helping in this issue, it's something I think it works very well. You know, there's many out there. Tunnels Tower has been one. There's been others that have been helping. But also, I think what we provide is also, when we're involved with it, it gives us a chance to have wraparound services, to let them have the medical or the counseling, whatever it means, to keep them out of a situation where they lose that housing again. You've served, spent your life serving as a military chaplain, a congressman, now as secretary. When a young service member hangs up the uniform 10 years from now, what do you want their experience with the VA to look like? I want the same list. I want it to be an extension of what they want. And, again, we have a lot of our young people getting it. I mean, think about it. If you go in at 18, you're out. If you do 20, you're out at 38. You're going to have a long career ahead of you. What I want them to know is there's a place at the VA that will be there for them when they need it. There's, there'll be benefits for them if they need them. We're always, and we're just making it easier to do as they go along. They shouldn't have to work for benefits. They shouldn't have to go out and hire people to help them get benefits. They've earned those benefits. I want it to be as seamless as possible to come into an environment in which veterans are taken care of when they want it and sort of how they need to be taken care of. What's the one thing that you would tell a young service member who's about to leave their service before they leave? Um, get your, all your, uh, final outgoing physicals, talk about anything that's, that's been going on. Um, it's hard here because a lot of our folks in, when you're in service, you don't tell everybody what's hurting. You don't tell everybody what's going on because you don't want to be taken off mission. Well, when you're getting out, you gotta be, you gotta tell us. And so working with your medical out processing is something I think is very important, but also make your claim in the first year, make that claim in the first year. It's so much easier to get it done, it's so much easier, some presumptives that we can use that makes those applications go through the first year, it's incomparable even to wait until the second year. The first year is the best time to do it. This interview is going to air on Veterans Day. Where will you be and tell us about that day? We're going to be spending a lot of time with veterans, of course, but we're also going to be with the president and the vice president in Arlington, as we do in our traditional Veterans Day service. And we'll be laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown and then having a celebration there in the amphitheater of all veterans. Because I want it to be really, you know, to me, Veterans Day is a celebration day. Memorial Day is a somber day. Memorial Day is when we remember those who died in conflict for this country. Veterans Day is about what we celebrate every veteran, you know, no matter how long they serve or how little they serve or where they serve. This is about being a veteran. They raise that right hand and we want to celebrate them. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, really appreciate you sitting down with us. Glad to be with you. Coming up, so how will the incoming House Minority Leader Jim Jordan lead House Republicans in the next Congress? South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman will join us for analysis. Stay with us after the break. My 15-year-old son, Ethan, and I had a fun and relaxing morning. We returned home, and Ethan walked to his best friend's house an hour later. I heard the ambulance scream by the street, carrying my beautiful boy. Ethan was shot in the head in his best friend's house with an unsecured gun. He had zero chance of survival. The father, the gun owner, he stored his three guns and bullets in a shoebox. How do you feel? That has to be the most horrific experience that a human could ever have. David, would you give any advice? First thing you do is not keep your ammunition with your weapons and that your weapons need to be locked at all times. You see certain things get reincarnated in your children. My daughter is very much inspired by my wife's artistic pursuits. So my daughter started making necklaces. She makes what we call affirmation fashion. I tell her every day that your black is beautiful. You're black, it's beautiful. If there's anything better than being beautiful, it's being smart. If there's anything better than being smart, it's being kind. Reaffirming that every day is our method of making sure her chin never drops. My dad wasn't around and I remember riding a bike and falling off and cutting myself and me never just wanting to get back on it. People ask, how your children learn how to ride a bike? And you did. I didn't teach them, I just created an environment where they taught themselves and all I had to do was be there. I debate all day, it's what I do. But there are some things that are undebatable, like your mental health. I was in a dark place when my brother passed away in a car accident. I was depressed in ways I never imagined. Reached out and my sisters came, my pastor, therapist. They helped me get through it. I found that the more I spoke up, the healthier my mind became. When you love your mind, you can go so much further. Find mental health resources and love your mind today. When we first met Todd, he was singing a song, and I was like, wow, look at this kid with the biggest smile. Todd's a joy. Todd really is a great joy. Learn about adopting a teen at AdoptUSKids.org. And welcome back to the Capitol Report. Congressman Jim Jordan will be the House Minority Leader in the 120th Congress. Will he be able to advance the conservative platform for the remainder of President Trump's term? Joining us now to discuss, South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman. Congressman Ralph Norman, thank you so much for joining us. My pleasure, Steve. Always glad to be with you. Great to have you, Congressman. So, House Republicans just electing Jim Jordan as the minority leader. What do you make of the outcome, and how does he have what it takes to advance conservative values over the next two years? Well, I've been serving with Jim for the last nine years. He's been serving much longer, but as you know, he's the original founder of the Freedom Caucus. He's a fighter. There is no better messenger than Jim Jordan. He would do a fantastic job. And it's going to take somebody that's willing to fight with the onslaught that the socialist Democrats are going to put on the American people. I don't think people realize a lot of the people they elected are of the persuasion that government should own everything, including grocery stores, supermarkets. Gas stations, you name it. And Jim Jordan will fight against that, and he'll be very vocal for the next two years and longer. I want to get your thoughts. We saw Congressman Thomas Massey pushing articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. And Republicans banded together to defeat that for the time being. What do you make of this campaign against the secretary and his record at the Department of War? Pete Hegseth has done a super job. He has taken the woke out of the military. He's putting the fight back in it. He's led by example. He is a soldier that served, and he's done a good job. I came out on social media and defended him because... I don't think anybody else could have done the job that he's been able to do. He's a great purveyor of information on what our military is doing, and he's doing the right things. And as far as the impeachment, this is just a preview of coming attractions that the Democrats are going to probably impeach many people. That's not what the American people bargained for. How is that going to work? Reduce the price of food, the price of diesel. It's not. It's not what the American people want, but let's let them play it out and they'll have a front row seat to that. Congressman, the House Freedom Caucus just released a lame duck roadmap for Leader Thune and Speaker Johnson. What are the party's priorities and what must get done for Americans before Democrats take control of both chambers? Well, we've got two months and we ought to use the two months to codify the reconciliation package, cuts in spending, the Save America Act, the voter ID standalone, as was mentioned in our press conference previously. Now's not the time to sit back. The American people have spoken in large part because of, one, the waste and corruption They felt like the Congress wasn't doing enough to answer their needs. And they're the ones, it's we the people that control the House and control government. And I think it was a referendum on getting to work, doing the basic things that they campaigned on. And what have we got to lose? I mean, there's no better time to do it. And again, the Democrat Party is not the party of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. John Kennedy would be a Republican today. And so we've got to codify the things that we can before they try to undo, as example, the big, beautiful bill, you know, making sure our elections are secure and safe and voted on by Americans. All that, we ought to have press conferences every week, if not more often. Congressman, I'd like to get your post-mortem assessment of the sweeping losses that the Republicans faced in this midterms. Why do you think that it happened the way that it did? And all 435 House seats are up for reelection in 28. Do Congressman Jordan and Senator Thune have what it takes to lead Republicans back to the majority? I think Jim Jordan does. John Thune, we don't have anything. The House doesn't deal with that. I've been disappointed and I've been vocal. About why Senator Thune had taken a more forceful role in making sure, particularly the SAVE Act. Steve, we put up over 600 bills. They've approved less than 30 percent. That's not doing the work of the American people. And so I think that it was a wake-up call for politicians. The House could have, the Democrats could have an 80-seat majority. If it goes like it keeps going. As you know, in South Carolina, we elected a Democrat that hadn't happened in three decades as a United States Senator. But I don't think the American people, once they are in power, they're giddy right now. They think they've got everything. Let's see how they can rule. Let's see what they can deliver on other than weaponizing every branch of government, which I fear is coming. One last question for you, Congressman. Today is Veterans Day, and the Marine Corps just celebrated its 251st birthday. What is your message to the nation's veterans and to those serving in every branch of the military? Well, we owe our military a debt of gratitude. There are only two individuals in the annals of history that have been willing to die for their fellow man. That's Jesus Christ, and that's the American soldier. And so we owe them a debt of gratitude so we can keep our freedom. And America is the hope of the future, and it's the beacon. We're the country that's the beacon of light for the world. And it's because of the veterans who had the courage to serve and the courage to put their life on the line. So I salute them. South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman, thanks so much for joining. My pleasure. Thank you. DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen says there are zero changes to the Trump administration's immigration policy. Mullen says ICE has been averaging thousands of deportations each day. NTD correspondent Jason Blair has more. Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen confirms deportations haven't slowed down and the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda hasn't changed. We're still going after the worst of the worst and amnesty will never be on the table. This is following President Trump's statement on Monday after he was asked about a comment he made on 60 Minutes. You told 60 Minutes that You felt that your deportation policy may have gone too far, but then you named the architect of that policy, Stephen Miller, to be your chief of staff. Have you told him that you want changes to the deportation policy? No, we have a very strong deportation policy. There's no amnesty. We focus on the worst of the worst. We want to get the murderers out. We've got most of them out. Mullen says the department is averaging 3,600 deportations a day with 3.5 million people waiting for their court cases to be heard. And ICE has placed a detainer on a man deported twice who was accused of trying to rush a cockpit of a United Airlines flight and claiming he had a bomb. This guy may come back two or three times in the past, but... Times have changed. Once he gets deported, there's no cakewalk anymore coming across that border. I mean, in the last 18 months, not one single illegal alien has been released from the border. The DHS says Ronnie Alexander Gomez Alberto, a Honduran national, made the threat Monday night on a flight from Newark to New Orleans. The plane landed safely and he was booked in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, on state charges, including terrorizing. The FBI says federal prosecutors will decide whether he'll face federal charges. Jason Blair, NTD News. One person has been pronounced dead after a partial building collapse in Brooklyn, New York this evening. At least 10 people were also injured as firefighters continue to search the rubble. For others who have feared to be trapped, the collapse happening after 4 p.m. with the building collapsing into an open construction site, the cause of the fall remains under investigation. Coming up, thousands of veterans and their families gathering in the National Mall to honour those who have served our country. We'll hear from some of them about what Veterans Day means to them. That's next. I've devoted my life to combining cutting-edge science with ancient biblical wisdom, and I believe healing leaves tea is the Bible's best-kept health secret. In Revelation 22, the Bible reveals the tree of life with 12 different fruits, and it tells us the leaves are for the healing of the nations. So I put Scripture to the test and discovered the most potent combination of 12 fruit tree leaves. Science confirms what scripture declares. These leaves are rich in powerful nutrients that support digestion and immunity, maintain healthy inflammation, and help boost natural energy levels, which is why I created Healing Leaves Tea. No more handfuls of capsules or scoops of bitter powders, just a powerful, organic, and caffeine-free tea made from sacred plants. 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You've seen them? You've definitely seen them. Everywhere. Like, everywhere. Uh, Houston, you've got to see this. You've heard about Shen Yun. Shit. You've read about Shen Yun, but have you ever thought about just what makes Shen Yun so special? It's graceful dancing, powerful and moving stories. It's not just about color and sound, but the beauty of China before communism. Things in life just have to experience yourself. Find Shen Yun in a theater near you. And welcome back to the Capitol Report. I'm Steve Lance. And in Washington, D.C. today, thousands of veterans and their families gathering on the National Mall to honor those who've served our country. Entity Sam Wong spoke to these veterans about what this day means to them. What does Veterans Day mean to you? This is the day we take to honor the great sacrifices that were made. Thank you. A lot of it was by people that never got to see the fruit of their labor, but they did that for us. It's sacred and it should be cherished always. Acknowledging my service and acknowledging my oldest service and acknowledging that the youngsters have their time coming. I really enjoy getting together with all his brothers and sisters like we do every November, every Veterans Day we're here. I flew medevac and I flew wounded in and out. We talk about freedom isn't free, and what does that phrase mean to you? The people that have died protecting it. Look over here, look at the names on the wall, look at the names over there at the Lincoln Memorial, 4 million, the Korean War Memorial, the World War II Memorial, and the Desert Storm Memorial that they just put up. These are all for the people who died. See that anchor? That was a chief I respected greatly who's no longer here, but I am. That's what it means to me. Well, it means a lot to me. My uncle fought in the First World War in the new Zygon. My other uncle, his brother. Fort in the Second World War, he didn't come back home. He got killed while he was there. And I'm a black man, and there's one bus I salute. I don't give a damn where I'm at. His name is General George Washington. That man went above and beyond the call of duty. This United States of America would not even be here had it not been for him to do what he had to do. And he owned slaves. If you can send a message to our fallen heroes, what would it be? To our fallen heroes, you are not forgotten. How do you put that into words? Thank you. It just doesn't seem like enough. The VA has permanently housed nearly 49,000 homeless veterans this year. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says major MAHA reforms are moving forward under President Trump. At the MAHA event in Washington, Kennedy credited former Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for helping advance reforms. We got those things done because we had support in the White House. And Susie was the author of that support. I'm very grateful to her for her leadership. There were things that we didn't get done, and that was very frustrating to me, and they are very, very important things. Kennedy says he wants to shift the focus toward preventing chronic disease and addressing what he sees as the root causes of poor health. Among the changes already made, Kennedy pointed to updated dietary guidelines, a new food pyramid, and efforts to remove mercury from dental fillings on Native American reservations. The administration says it is now working on additional changes targeting food quality and children's health. We have in final review a definition of ultra-processed foods, which I know all of you have heard about, to strengthen research and guide healthier food policies. And we're advancing school lunch rule that puts the dietary guidelines into practice and brings healthier meals to children. Kennedy says political opposition, including from Republican senators, previously slowed his efforts. But with new White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller in place, he believes things could change. The Senate no longer has any leverage over me. And, you know, and that's a big deal. And then we have Steve Miller in, who's a friend of our movement. And I don't think anything is going to get in our way now. Kennedy says the administration is just getting started with two years left to deliver on its MAHA promises. Christina Corona, NTD News. The VA has permanently housed nearly 49,000 homeless veterans this fiscal year. It's the second highest total on record, averaging more than 4,000 placements per month. Secretary Doug Collins says the effort is getting veterans off the streets and back on the path to self-sufficiency. Since January, the department has awarded more than $2 billion in grants to organizations fighting veteran homelessness. It's also helped more than 164,000 veterans avoid foreclosure. The VA is also moving ahead with the new Housing and Support Center for Homeless Veterans in Los Angeles, marking a clear push to ensure those who served have a place to call home. And that is all we have for you tonight on the Capitol Report. From the nation's Capitol, I'm Steve Lance. Have a great evening. See you back here tomorrow.