Key Republican says he won’t back Trump’s pick for top DC prosecutor because of Jan. 6 ties

• May 6, 2025

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says he’s informed the White House that he won’t support Ed Martin, President Donald Trump’spick for top federal prosecutor in Washington, stalling the nomination in the Senate weeks before the temporary appointment expires.

The North Carolina Republican told reporters Tuesday that he had met with Martin and was opposing his nomination because of his defense of rioters who breached the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Martin, a leading figure in Trump’s campaign to overturn the 2020 election, spoke at a rally on the eve of the violent riot and represented defendants who were prosecuted for the attack.

“We have to be very very clear that what happened on January 6th was wrong,” Tillis said. “It was not prompted. It was not prompted or created by other people to put those people in trouble. They made a stupid decision, and they disgraced the United States by absolutely destroying the Capitol.”

The U.S. Attorney’s office in Washington is the country’s largest and prosecuted more than 1,500 riot defendants after the 2021 attack. Trump pardoned most of the rioters the day he was inaugurated, and later appointed Martin to temporarily lead the office. That appointment expires later this month. Trump has urged Republican senators to quickly confirm him to the job.

“Ed is coming up on the deadline for Voting and, if approved, HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday.

Martin could still be confirmed after his appointment expires. But Tillis’s opposition will prevent the committee from advancing the nomination, for now, and signals that Martin might not have the votes to win confirmation on the Senate floor. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley did not list Martin on this week’s agenda for votes later in the week, indicating that Republicans are aware there are not enough votes to move forward.

Martin has roiled the federal prosecutors’ office since his appointment as U.S. attorney in January, including firing or demoting veteran attorneys who prosecuted Trump supporters for storming the U.S. Capitol.

Martin has described federal prosecutors as the “president’s lawyers” and forced the chief of the office’s criminal division to resign after a dispute over a directive to scrutinize the awarding of a government contract during the Biden administration. He also demoted several senior leaders, including prosecutors who handled or oversaw politically sensitive cases involving the Jan. 6 riot and Trump allies Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon.

Tillis said he believes that anyone who broke into the building that day should be prosecuted, a disagreement he said he had with Martin.

“Whether it’s 30 days or three years is debatable, but I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on January 6th, and that’s probably where most of the friction was,” Tillis said.

Dozens of former federal prosecutors in the office have raised alarm over Martin’s scant courtroom experience and his actions since taking office. In a letter to the committee, more than 100 veterans of the office described him as “an affront to the singular pursuit of justice for which this Office has stood for more than two centuries.”

His supporters have touted his record fighting for conservative causes and his efforts to tackle violent crime since his appointment. About two dozen Republican state attorneys general said in a letter to the committee that Martin has “shown conclusively that he has what it takes to serve in that role with integrity and a fearless commitment to do what is right on behalf of the American people.”

It is unclear what will happen if Martin is not confirmed by May 20, the day his appointment expires. The Trump administration could replace him with another acting head and continue to press for his confirmation.

On Tuesday morning, White House spokesman Alex Pfeiffer said on social media that “Ed Martin is a fantastic U.S. Attorney for D.C. and will continue to implement the President’s law-and-order agenda in Washington. He is the right man for the job and we look forward to his confirmation.”

Associated Press writer Michelle Price contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Cardinals wrap up pre-conclave meetings still uncertain about who should follow Pope Francis

• May 6, 2025

By NICOLE WINFIELD

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Cardinals wrapped up their pre-conclave meetings Tuesday, trying to identify a possible new pope who could follow Pope Francis and make the 2,000-year-old Catholic Church credible and relevant today, especially to young people.

Although they come from 70 different countries, the 133 cardinal electors seem fundamentally united in insisting that the question before them isn’t so much whether the church gets its first Asian or African pontiff, or a conservative or progressive. Rather, they say the primary task facing them when the conclave opens Wednesday is to find a pope who can be both a pastor and a teacher, a bridge who can unite the church and preach peace.

“We need a superman!” said Cardinal William Seng Chye Goh, the 67-year-old archbishop of Singapore.

It is indeed a tall task, given the sexual abuse and financial scandals that have harmed the church’s reputation and the secularizing trends in many parts of the world that are turning people away from organized religion. Add to that the Holy See’s dire financial state and often dysfunctional bureaucracy, and the job of being pope in the 21st century seems almost impossible.

Francis named 108 of the 133 electors and selected cardinals in his image. But there is an element of uncertainty about the election since many of them didn’t know one another before last week, meaning they haven’t had much time to suss out who among them is best suited to lead the 1.4-billion-strong church.

The cardinals held their last day of pre-conclave meetings Tuesday morning, during which Francis’ fisherman’s ring and his official seal were destroyed in one of the final formal rites of the transition of his pontificate to the next.

The cardinals will begin trying to find the new pope Wednesday afternoon, when those “princes of the church” walk solemnly into the Sistine Chapel to the meditative chant of the “Litany of the Saints.” They’ll take their oaths of secrecy under the daunting vision of heaven and hell in Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment,” hear a meditation from a senior cardinal, and then most likely cast their first ballot.

Assuming no candidate secures the necessary two-thirds majority, or 89 votes, the cardinals will retire for the day and return on Thursday. They will have two ballots in the morning and then two in the afternoon, until a winner is found.

Asked what the priorities of the cardinal electors were, Goh told reporters this week that the No. 1 issue was that the new pope must be able to spread the Catholic faith and “make the church relevant in today’s time. How to reach out to young people, how to show a face of love, joy and hope.”

A pope for the future

But beyond that, there are some real-world geopolitical concerns to take into consideration. The Catholic Church is growing in Africa and Asia, both in numbers of baptized faithful and vocations to the priesthood and women’s religious orders. It is shrinking in traditionally Catholic bastions of Europe, with empty churches and the faithful formally leaving the church in places like Germany, many citing the abuse scandals.

“Asia is ripe for evangelization and the harvest of vocations,” said the Rev. Robert Reyes, who studied in the seminary with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Filipino prelate considered a contender to be the first Asian pope.

But should the pope necessarily reflect the new face of the Catholic Church, and inspire the faithful especially in the parts of the world where the momentum of growth is already underway? Does it even matter?

Pope Francis was the first Latin American pope, and the region still counts the majority of the world’s Catholics.

Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the retired archbishop of Mumbai, said the church needs to become more Asian, culturally and spiritually.

The “center of gravity of the world is shifting toward Asia,” he said. “The Asian church has much to give to the world.”

At 80, Gracias won’t be participating in the conclave, but India has four cardinal-electors, and overall Asia counts 23, making it the second-biggest voting bloc after Europe, which has 53 (or likely 52, given that one is not expected to participate for health reasons).

One of the big geopolitical issues facing the cardinals is China and the plight of the estimated 12 million Chinese Catholics there.

Under Francis, the Vatican in 2018 inked a controversial agreement with Beijing governing the appointment of bishops, which many conservatives decried as a sellout of the underground Chinese Catholics who had remained loyal to Rome during decades of communist persecution. The Vatican has defended the accord as the best deal it could get, but it remains to be seen if Francis’ successor will keep the policy.

The church in Africa

According to Vatican statistics, Catholics represent 3.3% of the population in Asia, but their numbers are growing, especially in terms of seminarians, as they are in Africa, where Catholics represent about 20% of the population.

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, the archbishop of Kinshasa, Congo, said he is in Rome to elect a pope for all the world’s Catholics.

“I am not here for the Congo, I am not here for Africa, I am here for the universal church. That is our concern, the universal church,” he told reporters. “When we are done, I will return to Kinshasa and I will put back on my archbishop of Kinshasa hat and the struggle continues.”

Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, the chatty French-born archbishop of Algiers, Algeria, lamented last week that there hadn’t been enough time for the cardinals to get to know one another, since many of them had never met before and hail from 70 countries in the most geographically diverse conclave in history.

“Every day, I say to myself, ‘Ah! Oh my God! There we have it!’” he said.

The role of the Holy Spirit

For the cardinals, there is also the belief that they are guided by the Holy Spirit.

There is a famous quote attributed to then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 1997, in comments to a Bavarian television station. The future Pope Benedict XVI said the Holy Spirit acted like a good educator in a conclave, allowing cardinals to freely choose a pope without dictating the precise candidate.

“Probably the only assurance he offers is that the thing cannot be totally ruined,” Ratzinger reportedly said. “There are too many contrary instances of popes the Holy Spirit would obviously not have picked.”

Associated Press correspondent Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, and Silvia Stellacci, Trisha Thomas and Giovanna Dell’Orto in Rome contributed.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

​ Orange County Register 

Rwanda says it’s talking with the US about taking in third-country deportees. Here’s why

• May 6, 2025

By CARA ANNA

Rwanda drew international attention, and some outrage, by agreeing to take in Britain’s rejected asylum-seekers in a plan that collapsed last year. Now Rwanda says it is talking with the Trump administration about a similar idea – and it might find more success.

The negotiations mark an expansion in U.S. efforts to deport people to countries other than their own. It has sent hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama but has yet to announce any major deals with governments in Africa, Asia or Europe.

Rwanda has long stood out on the continent for its recovery from the genocide that killed over 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 1994, as it has promoted itself under longtime President Paul Kagame as an oasis of stability. But human rights groups allege that the veneer of order has a painful price, with sometimes deadly crackdowns on perceived dissent.

Rwanda has argued that despite being one of Africa’s most densely populated countries, it has space to help alleviate what many countries in Europe – and the United States – consider to be a growing problem with unwanted migrants.

What’s been said so far

Rwanda’s foreign minister confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday that talks were under way with the U.S. about a potential agreement to host deported migrants, after telling state media the talks were in the “early stage.” Olivier Nduhungirehe did not give details but said it was consistent with Rwanda’s long-standing commitment to the pursuit of migration solutions.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on a potential deal, but said engagement with foreign governments is an important part of the U.S. government’s policy to deter illegal migration.

Local media reports in Rwanda have suggested the U.S. likely would fund a program to have migrants integrated into society through stipends and job assistance initiatives.

The failed Rwanda-Britain deal

The U.K. struck a deal with Rwanda in 2022 to send migrants who arrive in the U.K. as stowaways or in boats to the East African country, where their asylum claims would be processed and, if successful, they would stay.

The plan was stalled by legal challenges and criticized by human rights groups, who called it unethical to deport migrants to a country 4,000 miles (6,400 miles) away that they don’t want to live in.

The plan collapsed last year after the new Labour government took charge. The U.K.’s new home secretary called the plan the “most shocking waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen” and estimated the cost at 700 million pounds ($904 million) in public funds.

No flights to Rwanda took off under the plan, but the U.K. government said the failed plan’s costs included 290 million pounds in payments to Rwanda. Rwanda has said it was not obligated to refund the money.

Human rights concerns

Human rights advocates have long raised concerns over the deaths in Rwandan custody of some perceived government critics, as well as the alleged killings of others who sought exile in places like South Africa. Rwanda at times has responded with angry denials to reports documenting human rights abuses – including the abduction and imprisonment of a U.S. resident who was tricked onto a Kigali-bound aircraft while visiting Dubai. He was later freed after Biden administration pressure.

Rwanda is also criticized over its aggressive military actions in the region. United Nations experts have documented Rwandan support for the rebel uprising that this year seized two cities in neighboring eastern Congo, an area rich in mineral wealth. The unrest led to fears of a resurgence of regional war, and a number of Western countries cut relations or restricted aid. Rwanda has said it is defending ethnic Tutsis in Congo.

The Trump administration, which sanctioned a Rwandan government minister and cited links to the rebels, is trying to broker a peace deal. Agreeing to take in deportees from the U.S. could improve Rwanda’s standing with Washington and others.

Rwanda’s history with migrants

Rwanda in 2019 struck a deal with the U.N. refugee agency to help take in migrants removed from Libya, where many people trying to reach Europe have reported abuses in detention. The U.N. says the transit center in Rwanda has capacity for 700 evacuees. Late last year, it said over 2,400 people had been assisted in what is meant to be a temporary stay during efforts to find “long-term solutions” including resettlement elsewhere.

Before its deal with Britain collapsed, Rwanda showed off another transit center, a refurbished hostel in Kigali, that could host 100 people, with more accommodations made available as needed.

Rwanda said migrants would have their papers processed within three months. People could stay or authorities would assist those who wished to return to their home countries. Rwanda said it would bear full financial responsibilities for five years.

It is not clear whether such terms would be part of a deal with the United States.

​ Orange County Register 

6 swank spots in Orange County for the matriarch on Mother’s Day

• May 6, 2025

Mother’s Day is nearing (Sunday, May 11!), and what better way to highlight and honor her than with a splurge-worthy meal. The following six Orange County restaurants offer top-drawer fare, care of prix-fix brunches and a sophisticated afternoon tea service. Be sure to book soon as reservations, while available at publication time, may fill up posthaste.

Prix-fix dinner at Bourbon Steak (Dana Point): Sup at this Michael Mina spot inside the Waldorf Astoria, happening from 3 until 8 p.m., which will offer a three-course prix-fix menu featuring chilled shellfish (like oyster with champagne mignonette, Maine lobster, and a gulf shrimp cocktail with gin-spiked cocktail sauce), king crab spaghetti, lobster pot pie, roasted Mary’s chicken with caramelized onion jus and more. Mom can choose either a brûléed Basque cheesecake with roasted strawberries or warm spiced beignets with butterscotch custard. Cost: $197 per adult, $95 child (ages 3-12). Find it: Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort and Club, 1 Monarch Beach Resort North, Dana Point. 949-234-3900

Feasting at Fable & Spirit (Newport Beach): Executive chef David Shofner will offer a brunch and dinner featuring, among other dishes, a shakshuka with baked eggs, poblano, Moroccan-spiced tomato, crème fraiche and queso fresco served with naan and a house-smoked salmon on toasted pumpernickel topped with a citrus-infused red onion, dill crème fraiche, boiled egg and crispy capers. Crispy-edge sourdough pancakes available for those hankering for something sweet. On Sunday, brunch will be offered from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. and dinner goes from 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Find it: 3441 Via Lido, Newport Beach. 949-409-9913

ALSO READ: 7 kid-friendly Orange County breweries for Mother’s Day

Brunch at Haven Craft Kitchen (Orange): Head to Old Towne Orange for an afternoon spiked with Bloody Marys and endless mimosas. Menu highlights will include skillet cornbread and housemade donuts, chorizo hash, chicken and waffles, port belly tacos, duck confit chilaquiles and more. Find it: 190 S. Glassell St., Orange, 714-221-0680

Afternoon tea service at Knife Pleat (Costa Mesa): Pinkies up at this Michelin-starred spot by chef Tony Esnault and restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi, noted for its afternoon tea service. In addition to selected teas, guests can enjoy a tiered plate filled with composed tea sandwiches and hand-made pastries. Gild the lily, if you dare, with optional caviar and champagne pairings. Seating is limited and price per guest is $135. Sunday tea service added for May 11 especially for Mother’s Day. Find it: South Coast Plaza, 3333 S. Bristol St., 3rd floor, Costa Mesa. 714-266-3388 

Prix-Fixe brunch at the Market by the Meat Cellar (San Juan Capistrano): On Mother’s Day from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., guests can enjoy a prix-fixe afternoon featuring, among other fare, roasted bone marrow, glazed bacon with hot honey, breakfast quesadillas, biscuits and gravy, the signature steak and eggs (with cuts like Japanese A5 Wagyu and Australian tomahawk), Nutella crepes and French toast. After dining, feel free to peruse the on-site butcher counter, cheesemonger shop and culinary boutique. Find it: River Street Marketplace, 31904 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano. 949-503-1548

Prix-fixe brunch at Selanne Steak Tavern (Laguna Beach): A prix-fixe menu awaits at this Coast Highway spot. Starting with an amuse-bouche, the first course features, among other dishes, the choice of a scarlet beet “ravioli,” shaved white asparagus with duck prosciutto and a jammy egg. Second course offers a choice of scallops seared and spiced ahi or lobster bisque. The third course, billed as a “chef’s surprise course,” will be tableside creations with seasonal ingredients. A carving station with prime roasted ribeye, Black Angus tenderloin with a brioche crust, baked Atlantic salmon with dill cream or Peri Peri roasted chicken round out the entrée course. A handful of dessert options, like an almond financier with strawberry compote and pistachio mousseline, a dark chocolate and cherry tart; sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce or ice cream will be on hand. Cost is $120 per adult and $55 per child (ages 5–12). Find it: 1464 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-9881

​ Orange County Register 

Benson Boone to bring American Heart Tour to Crypto.com Arena

• May 6, 2025

Benson Boone is hitting the road this fall for his first-ever arena headlining trek.

The Grammy-nominated pop singer will bring his American Heart Tour to California with two major stops: San Diego’s Pechanga Arena on Sept. 27 and L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena on Sept. 30.

The North American tour follows the release of Boone’s forthcoming album “American Heart,” due out June 20 via Night Street Records/Warner Records. It kicks off Aug. 22 in Saint Paul and will run through major cities including New York, Toronto, and Salt Lake City.

Boone’s recent Coachella debut showcased his dynamic stage presence, featuring multiple backflips, costume changes, and a surprise appearance by Queen guitarist Brian May for a rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The performance, which included Boone donning a regal robe and a rhinestone-studded jumpsuit, was among the festival’s most talked-about moments.

The “American Heart” album comprises ten tracks, including the singles “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” and “Mystical Magical.” Boone has described the album as his most personal work to date, drawing inspiration from Americana and artists like Bruce Springsteen. The title track, “Young American Heart,” reflects on a near-fatal car accident from his youth.

Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on May 9 at Ticketmaster.com. American Express Card Members can access a presale starting May 7, with a special fan presale beginning May 8. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit bensonboone.com.

Boone’s previous hits, including the 5x Platinum single “Beautiful Things,” have solidified his status in the pop music scene. With the upcoming release of “American Heart” and a nationwide arena tour, Boone continues to captivate audiences with his theatrical performances, stage stunts, and heartfelt songwriting.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County girls athlete of the week: Teagan O’Dell, Santa Margarita

• May 6, 2025

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

The Orange County girls athlete of the week:

Name: Teagan O’Dell

School: Santa Margarita

Sport: Swimming

Year: Senior

Noteworthy: The Cal-bound O’Dell broke the 2015 Orange County record of Olympian Katie McLaughlin by winning the 200-yard freestyle at the Trinity League finals in 1 minute, 42.98 seconds. She also captured the 100 butterfly in league-record 52.17 and raced on two winning relays as the Eagles claimed a 25th consecutive league title.

Send nominees for girls athlete of the week to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on X or Instagram

​ Orange County Register 

World Surf League returns to Pipeline end-of-year event, big changes for 2026

• May 6, 2025

Hawaii’s Pipeline returns as competitive surfing’s big finale location in 2026. The mid-year cut is gone. And the one-day, winner-takes-all, WSL Final 5 championship is no longer.

The World Surf League recently announced big changes to the professional surfing tour for next year, also moving Lower Trestles to be the ninth stop on tour. So the surf spot just south of San Clemente will be making a later appearance than it is this year, when it will host competition in June. Lower Trestles was also recently announced as the site for the LA 28 Olympics.

The surf spot hosted the WSL championships for the first four seasons after the WSL Final 5 format was created in 2021, but this year, the one-day finals were moved to Fiji. And the sweeping changes just announced nix it altogether for 2026.

The finals event was a topic of contention among fans and athletes who often voiced a distaste for the one-day format, arguing a point system earned in a variety of waves throughout the year — as was the tradition since the 1970s — was the right way to determine the sport’s champions.

The 2026 season marks the 50th year of professional surfing, “a milestone that comes alongside a significant evolution of the Championship Tour calendar and competitive format,” WSL officials said in an announcement.

The iconic Pipe Masters in Hawaii will return as the closing event of the season, with longtime title sponsor Vans selling its intellectual rights for the name to the World Surf League Championship Tour, according to the announcement.  The Costa Mesa brand will still serve as the exclusive footwear and apparel partner for the contest.

The next season will start in April 2026, with 12 stops through the year, “reimagined to meet the ambitions and momentum of surfing’s next chapter,” officials said.

The mid-year cut, also a controversial system often bemoaned by surfers and fans, is being dropped for 2026.

The full field of 36 men and 24 women will compete in the first nine “regular-season” events.

After the ninth event at Lower Trestles, the field will be reduced to the top 24 men and 16 women for the two “postseason” events.

“Based on surfer and fan feedback, along with considerations of partner and permitting components, the (Championship Tour) will utilize a cumulative rankings format that combines a high-stakes finale with the depth of a full-season title race,” WSL officials said. “These changes reflect the importance of Pipe and ensure the finale delivers elite performances, meaningful consequences, and defining moments in the World Title race.”

The entire Championship Tour will return to compete at the final event for the Pipe Masters titles, the world champion titles and for requalification to the tour for the next year.

The top eight men and women heading into Pipeline will earn the competitive advantage of deeper seeding in the draw. The Pipe Masters will now award 15,000 points, 1.5 times more than a standard tour event, making it the most consequential stop.

“Pipeline has always held a special place in surfing history, and our fans have made it clear they want to see our sport’s most critical moments unfold there,” WSL CEO Ryan Crosby said, calling Pipeline an “iconic proving ground.”

“These changes represent a new era for the WSL,” he said. “By bringing the finale back to the North Shore and strategically innovating the format, we are celebrating surfing’s legacy and creating the ideal stage for the sport’s most unforgettable moments.”

The contests will also get rid of the non-elimination rounds, creating a more streamlined format.

​ Orange County Register 

What’s in Trump’s big bill? Money for migrant clampdown but tax breaks and program cuts hit ‘bumps’

• May 6, 2025

By LISA MASCARO, Associated Press Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is deep into drafting President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks, spending cuts and beefed-up funding to halt migrants, but it’s “bumpy,” one Republican chairman says, with much work ahead to meet House Speaker Mike Johnson’s goal of passing the package out of his chamber by Memorial Day.

In fact, the tax cuts portion is still a work in progress. As are the reductions in Medicaid, food stamps and other mainstay government programs. Mostly, the Republicans, who have the majority in Congress, have made progress on parts that would increase spending, adding some $350 billion to the Pentagon and Homeland Security, including money for the U.S-Mexico border wall.

“There are some bumps in the road,” Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, the Republican chairman of the powerful Ways and Means tax-writing committee, acknowledged on “Fox News Sunday.”

All told, some 11 committees in the House are compiling their bills, and about half have finished up. They are being approved at the committee level by Republicans, on party-line votes, with Democrats opposed.

But some of the most-watched committees — Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce and Agriculture — have yet to act. Johnson himself acknowledged on Monday that his Memorial Day deadline may slip, but vowed “our timetable is on pace.”

Once all the committees are done, the different pieces of legislation will be rolled together at the Budget Committee into what Trump calls “one big, beautiful bill.”

If the House can pass the package, it next would go to the Senate, which is drafting its own version, for a final product by July 4.

Democrats say they will fight what House party leader Hakeem Jeffries calls the “extreme Republican agenda.”

Here’s a look at what’s in and out, so far.

Funding for 1 million migrant deportations, 20,000 new officers and the border wall

Two of the committees handling immigration- and border security-related matters have wrapped up their legislation.

Central to the Homeland Security Committee’s bill is $46.5 billion to revive construction of Trump’s wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, with some 700 miles of “primary” wall, 900 miles of river barriers and more.

It would provide $4 billion to hire an additional 3,000 new Border Patrol agents as well as 5,000 new customs officers, and $2.1 billion for signing and retention bonuses.

All told, the Homeland Security Committee approved $69 billion in new spending.

At the same time, the Judiciary Committee, which handles interior immigration enforcement and legal proceedings, has also completed its $110 billion bill.

It would impose a $1,000 fee on migrants seeking asylum — something the nation has never done, putting it on par with few others, including Australia and Iran.

And there are more new fees proposed on various other legal paths to entry, including a $3,500 fee for those sponsoring unaccompanied children to enter the U.S., a $2,500 penalty if sponsors of unaccompanied children skip court appearances and a $1,000 fee for individuals paroled into the U.S.

Overall, the plan is to remove 1 million immigrants annually and house 100,000 people in detention centers. It calls for 10,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and investigators.

More money for the Pentagon and Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’

The House Armed Services Committee was tasked with drafting legislation with $100 billion in new spending. But they did that and more, passing a bill with $150 billion for the Defense Department and national security.

Among the highlights, it would provide $25 billion for Trump’s “Golden Dome for America,” a long-envisioned missile defense shield, $21 billion to restock the nation’s ammunition arsenal, $34 billion to expand the naval fleet with more shipbuilding and some $5 billion for border security.

It also includes $9 billion for servicemember quality of life-related issues, including housing, health care and special pay.

Overhaul of the student loan repayment plans

A wholesale revamping of the student loan program is the key to the Education and Workforce Committee’s legislation, with $330 billion in budget cuts and savings.

The proposal would replace all existing student loan repayment plans with just two: a standard option with monthly payments spread out over 10 to 25 years depending on the amount borrowed, and a “repayment assistance” plan with monthly payments based on a borrower’s income.

The new income-based plan is generally less generous than those it would replace. Minimum payments for the lowest-income borrowers would be higher, and forgiveness would be provided after 30 years of payments instead of 20 or 25. The new repayment plans would take hold in July 2026.

Among other changes, the bill would repeal Biden-era regulations that made it easier for borrowers to get loans canceled if their colleges defrauded them or closed suddenly.

Federal employee pension cuts

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform targeted federal workers’ pensions for a projected $50.9 billion in deficit savings over 10 years.

Most of the savings would come from requiring federal workers hired before 2014 to pay more into the retirement system. They would have to match the 4.4% salary rate paid by federal workers hired since 2014.

The committee also called for basing a retiree’s annuity payment on their average top five earning years instead of the top three. And the committee’s plan would eliminate a temporary, supplemental payment for newly retired federal workers who retire before they are eligible for Social Security.

Republicans argued that federal employee retirement benefits outpace those in the private sector. But critics, including Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, who voted against the committee’s package, said changing a worker’s pension during the middle of employment is wrong.

Democrats said the change would result in less take-home pay for many middle-class Americans in the federal workforce.

More drilling, mining on public lands

The House Natural Resources Committee is set to meet Tuesday to consider its bill, which largely matches Trump’s executive orders to open public lands and waters to more natural resource development.

It would allow increased leasing of public lands for drilling, mining and logging while clearing the path for more development by speeding up government approvals. Royalty rates paid by companies to extract oil, gas and coal would be cut, reversing former President Joe Biden’s attempts to curb fossil fuels to help address climate change.

Oil and gas royalty rates would drop from 16.7% on public lands and 18.75% offshore to a uniform 12.5%. Royalties for coal would drop from 12.5% to 7%.

The measure calls for four oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge over the next decade. It also seeks to boost the ailing coal industry with a mandate to make available for leasing 6,250 square miles of public lands — an area greater in size than Connecticut.

Republican supporters say the lost revenue would be offset by increased development. It’s uncertain if companies would have an appetite for leases given the industry’s precipitous decline in recent years as utilities switched to cleaner burning fuels and renewable energy.

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Collin Binkley in Washington and Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana, contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register