Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Congress

Democrats call EPA rollback of $7B solar grants illegal, but the new law says cancel it
The Daily Signal, Approved, National

Democrats call EPA rollback of $7B solar grants illegal, but the new law says cancel it

By Thérèse Boudreaux | Daily Signal THE CENTER SQUARE—The Environmental Protection Agency has announced it will claw back $7 billion in already earmarked funds from the Solar for All community grants and then eliminate the program, a move that Democrats claim is against the law. “This money was intended for our constituents and communities to help lower energy bills,” Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., stated Friday. “Clawing these funds back isn’t just brazenly illegal—it’s a betrayal by this administration of working families who will now pay higher energy bills just so Republicans can grind their axe against clean energy.” The repeal of the program, however, directly implements orders from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, whic...
Hearing lays groundwork for GOP-led reform after 3-year immigration surge, 500K visa overstays
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, National, Top Stories

Hearing lays groundwork for GOP-led reform after 3-year immigration surge, 500K visa overstays

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice The U.S. House Judiciary Committee held a hearing June 25 on visa security and legal immigration pathways, revisiting the Trump administration’s policies and examining how current enforcement gaps could be putting national security at risk. Republican lawmakers and expert witnesses repeatedly pointed to vulnerabilities in the visa system and criticized relaxed vetting protocols. “The purpose of today’s hearing is to determine to what extent our legal immigration system has been exploited, abused, and defrauded,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., “and to recommend measures to assure that legal immigration to the United States is legitimate, honest, fully vetted, and above board.” Jessica Vaughn of the Center for Immigrati...
President Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ bill heads to his desk after marathon House-Senate push
Daily Wire, Approved, National

President Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ bill heads to his desk after marathon House-Senate push

By Leif Le Mahieu | Daily Wire "Today we are laying a key cornerstone of America's new golden age."  The House passed President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” on Thursday, overcoming significant Democratic opposition and internal Republican hesitancy to hand the president a major legislative victory.  The Republican-controlled House voted 218-214 to pass the measure shortly after Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) wrapped up an hours-long speech delaying the bill’s advancement. Trump, who imposed a July 4 deadline for its passage, is expected to sign the bill at the White House sometime on Friday.   “With one big, beautiful bill, we are going to make this country stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever before. And every American is going to benefit fr...
Garbo: The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is an all-or-nothing bet on reshaping America
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, National, Political Analysis, Top Stories

Garbo: The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is an all-or-nothing bet on reshaping America

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Political Analysis, Rocky Mountain Voice The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” introduced in the House as HR 1, represents one of the most sweeping legislative proposals in recent political history. Spanning hundreds of pages and touching nearly every corner of federal governance, it combines tax reform, healthcare restructuring, social policy shifts, and regulatory rollback into a single omnibus package. This article provides a nonpartisan, objective analysis of the bill's major provisions and potential consequences. The intent is not to promote or condemn HR 1, but to inform readers - citizens, policymakers, and professionals - about its complex and far-reaching components. CORE THEMES OF THE BILL HR 1 aims to reshape the federal government's fiscal, regula...
Ganahl: Congress must back DOGE to cut waste and energize GOP voters for 2026
Approved, Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Ganahl: Congress must back DOGE to cut waste and energize GOP voters for 2026

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Under President Donald Trump, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—led by Elon Musk—is lighting a fire under Republican voters ready to rip out Washington’s waste at the roots. Launched in February 2025 via Executive Order 14158, DOGE has identified $175 billion in savings through asset sales, contract cancellations, and fraud crackdowns, including more than 12 million supposed Social Security recipients listed as over 120 years old—zombie accounts draining taxpayer dollars.  DOGE’s mission to eliminate waste has the people behind it—73% of Americans, including 89% of Republicans, support the effort. That kind of backing makes it a political powerhouse. Yet, as of now, Congress has not voted on codifying DOGE’s p...
Tech industry outcry stalls Colorado’s AI law as Congress weighs ban on state regulations
Approved, DENVER7, National, State

Tech industry outcry stalls Colorado’s AI law as Congress weighs ban on state regulations

By Brandon Richard | Denver7 DENVER — U.S. Congress is considering banning states from regulating artificial intelligence for the next 10 years, adding uncertainty to the future of Colorado’s AI law. In 2024, Colorado became the first state to pass a comprehensive law regulating artificial intelligence. “A.I. in general is just changing so rapidly all the time,” said State Rep. Brianna Titone, one of the prime sponsors of Senate Bill 24-205. Titone said SB24-205 aims to protect consumers from AI systems they may unknowingly come across. “You’re trying to get a job, get a loan, legal decisions, getting into college,” said Titone. “If there’s an AI system making those decisions on behalf of that entity, how is that affecting you? Do you even know that this AI system is be...
Rep LaMalfa takes aim at Endangered Species Act: ‘Species of the week’ halting real conservation
Approved, DC News Now, National

Rep LaMalfa takes aim at Endangered Species Act: ‘Species of the week’ halting real conservation

By Maddie Biertempfel | DC News Now WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Recovering animals that are nearing extinction, like the black-footed ferret, was the whole point of the 1973 Endangered Species Act but some lawmakers say it needs to be reformed. “Is the program working as designed 50 years ago?'” Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) asked. “No, it’s been interpreted way beyond that, where it isn’t just the species, but they want to have every ounce of possible habitat as they determine is critical habitat.” California Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa says the law has hindered new infrastructure and doing things like controlled burns, aimed at preventing larger fires and ultimately helping habitats. “Instead, like in forestry, we end up with million-acre fires, 500,000-acre fires year afte...
Rewriting the rules: Wolves, federal reform and a lawsuit from rural Colorado
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Rewriting the rules: Wolves, federal reform and a lawsuit from rural Colorado

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Late last year, five wolves were airlifted from Oregon to Colorado under a plan voters narrowly approved—but few knew one of them came from a pack with a history of livestock attacks.  Fewer still knew the move may have violated federal law. At the center of the controversy is a growing belief that Colorado’s wolf reintroduction bypassed environmental law and public transparency.  And a federal lawsuit now threatens to unravel the entire plan. The lawsuit that could reset the rules The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, is one of the country’s cornerstone environmental laws — meant to ensure that federal actions don’t proceed without full environmental review and public input.  But when...
Congressman Gabe Evans introduces BELOS Act to support military families
Approved, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Congressman Gabe Evans introduces BELOS Act to support military families

By Tori Ganahl | Rocky Mountain Voice In a move to honor America’s fallen service members and their families, Colorado Congressman Gabe Evans has introduced the Benefits that Endure for Lifetimes of Service (BELOS) Act, a bipartisan bill that would provide free lifetime National Park passes to families of veterans who passed away due to service-related illness or injury​. The bill is named in honor of First Sergeant Marc Belo, a decorated U.S. Army soldier who dedicated 30 years of his life to serving his country.  Belo was a first responder at the Pentagon on 9/11 and deployed three times—to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. He passed away in 2024 due to cancer linked to his military service​. Rep. Evans, a fellow veteran who served alongside Belo, emphasized the signif...
House Republicans reach new plan to avoid shutdown after back-to-back defeats
Fox News, National

House Republicans reach new plan to avoid shutdown after back-to-back defeats

By Elizabeth Elkind  | Fox News House Republican negotiators have tentatively reached an agreement on averting a partial government shutdown at the end of Friday, sources told Fox News Digital. Two people familiar with discussions told Fox News Digital that the deal would include a short-term extension of this year's federal funding levels, disaster aid funding, and agricultural support for farmers – but under three separate bills. It would also involve an agreement to act on the debt limit next year as part of Republicans' planned massive conservative policy overhaul via a process called reconciliation. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX NEWS