DAMASCUS– On Saturday, two U.S. service members and one U.S. civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. The gunman was engaged and also killed.

As a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with Department of War policy, the identities of the service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.

Updates will be provided as they become available.

<p>DAMASCUS– On Saturday, two U.S. service members and one U.S. civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. The gunman was engaged and also killed.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> addresses the ISIS attack on U.S. forces in Syria: “We mourn the loss of 3 great patriots in Syria… we pray for them, and their parents, and their loved ones… We will retaliate.” <a href="https://t.co/S3BA8zxKAt">pic.twitter.com/S3BA8zxKAt</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1999919394495906290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter. Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well. This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous… <a href="https://t.co/uK3t5dlMfL">pic.twitter.com/uK3t5dlMfL</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1999917084424249674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces. <br><br>Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you. <a href="https://t.co/P7D9NrWpAL">https://t.co/P7D9NrWpAL</a></p>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1999882265355227392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>As a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with Department of War policy, the identities of the service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.</p><p>Updates will be provided as they become available.</p>

Trump responds on Isis ambush that killed US soldiers in Syria

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans released a health care bill Friday evening they hope will help curb rising costs, though the measure doesn’t have the level of Democratic support needed to get through the Senate.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20251215/FILE_3948.pdf" target="_blank">111-page bill</a>&nbsp;will likely move to the House floor next week, where Speaker Mike Johnson will need nearly every one of his members to vote to pass the legislation, an uphill battle given the vastly different views among centrists and far-right members of the party on health care issues.&nbsp;

The Louisiana Republican said in a statement the bill offers “clear, responsible alternatives that will lower premium costs and increase access and health care options for all Americans.”

Democrats have been pressing for a three-year extension of the enhanced tax credits for people who purchase their insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.&nbsp;

So far, House and Senate Republican leadership hasn’t gotten on board with any extension of those subsidies, arguing they have led to a sharp rise in the cost of health insurance.&nbsp;

GOP lawmakers have instead pursued their own legislation, but without at least some backing from Democrats, no bill will make it through the Senate’s 60-vote procedural hurdles.&nbsp;

Senate Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-hits-stalemate-solution-spiraling-health-insurance-costs" target="_blank">tried to advance</a>&nbsp;a bill earlier this week from Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo but fell short of the votes needed.&nbsp;

Democrats were also unsuccessful trying to move their bill to extend the ACA marketplace tax credits for three years.&nbsp;

The House Republican bill, sponsored by Iowa Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks, is unlikely to break the logjam in Congress over the rising cost of health insurance and health care, potentially leaving the issue as one the parties can debate leading up to next year’s midterm elections.&nbsp;

Targeting ‘real drivers’ of cost increases

Johnson rebuked Democrats in his statement for enacting the Affordable Care Act during President Barack Obama’s first term, saying the law hasn’t made health care cost less.&nbsp;

House Republicans’ new legislation, Johnson said, will address “the real drivers of health care costs to provide affordable care, increase access and choice, and restore integrity to our nation’s health care system for all Americans.”

The bill would require Pharmacy Benefit Managers “to provide employers with detailed data on prescription drug spending, rebates, spread pricing, and formulary decisions—empowering plans and workers with the transparency they deserve,” according to a summary in Johnson’s release.&nbsp;

Starting in 2027, the legislation would appropriate funding for cost sharing reduction payments that the summary said would reduce health insurance premiums and stabilize the individual market.&nbsp;

The House Rules Committee is scheduled to prepare the bill for floor debate on Tuesday by considering whether to allow any amendments to be considered on the floor.&nbsp;

The full House will then debate the legislation later in the week before departing for the two-week holiday break.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office shortly after the bill was released, reiterated his preference that the federal government send payments directly to Americans.

“We want to give the money to the people and let the people buy their own great health care, and they’ll save a lot of money, and it’ll be great,” he said.

But Trump also appeared to signal he is going to stay out of negotiations in Congress, saying, “I leave it to them and hopefully they’re going to put great legislation on this desk right here.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765625556088.png" alt="Speaker Johnson at the the White House Congressional Christmas Ball on Friday -image from his social media page" />
                        <figcaption>Speaker Johnson at the the White House Congressional Christmas Ball on Friday -image from his social media page</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans released a health care bill Friday evening they hope will help curb rising costs, though the measure doesn’t have the level of Democratic support needed to get through the Senate.&nbsp;</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20251215/FILE_3948.pdf" target="_blank">111-page bill</a>&nbsp;will likely move to the House floor next week, where Speaker Mike Johnson will need nearly every one of his members to vote to pass the legislation, an uphill battle given the vastly different views among centrists and far-right members of the party on health care issues.&nbsp;</p><p>The Louisiana Republican said in a statement the bill offers “clear, responsible alternatives that will lower premium costs and increase access and health care options for all Americans.”</p><p>Democrats have been pressing for a three-year extension of the enhanced tax credits for people who purchase their insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.&nbsp;</p><p>So far, House and Senate Republican leadership hasn’t gotten on board with any extension of those subsidies, arguing they have led to a sharp rise in the cost of health insurance.&nbsp;</p><p>GOP lawmakers have instead pursued their own legislation, but without at least some backing from Democrats, no bill will make it through the Senate’s 60-vote procedural hurdles.&nbsp;</p><p>Senate Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-hits-stalemate-solution-spiraling-health-insurance-costs" target="_blank">tried to advance</a>&nbsp;a bill earlier this week from Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo but fell short of the votes needed.&nbsp;</p><p>Democrats were also unsuccessful trying to move their bill to extend the ACA marketplace tax credits for three years.&nbsp;</p><p>The House Republican bill, sponsored by Iowa Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks, is unlikely to break the logjam in Congress over the rising cost of health insurance and health care, potentially leaving the issue as one the parties can debate leading up to next year’s midterm elections.&nbsp;</p><h2>Targeting ‘real drivers’ of cost increases</h2><p>Johnson rebuked Democrats in his statement for enacting the Affordable Care Act during President Barack Obama’s first term, saying the law hasn’t made health care cost less.&nbsp;</p><p>House Republicans’ new legislation, Johnson said, will address “the real drivers of health care costs to provide affordable care, increase access and choice, and restore integrity to our nation’s health care system for all Americans.”</p><p>The bill would require Pharmacy Benefit Managers “to provide employers with detailed data on prescription drug spending, rebates, spread pricing, and formulary decisions—empowering plans and workers with the transparency they deserve,” according to a summary in Johnson’s release.&nbsp;</p><p>Starting in 2027, the legislation would appropriate funding for cost sharing reduction payments that the summary said would reduce health insurance premiums and stabilize the individual market.&nbsp;</p><p>The House Rules Committee is scheduled to prepare the bill for floor debate on Tuesday by considering whether to allow any amendments to be considered on the floor.&nbsp;</p><p>The full House will then debate the legislation later in the week before departing for the two-week holiday break.&nbsp;</p><h2>Trump wants direct payments</h2><p>President Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office shortly after the bill was released, reiterated his preference that the federal government send payments directly to Americans.</p><p>“We want to give the money to the people and let the people buy their own great health care, and they’ll save a lot of money, and it’ll be great,” he said.</p><p>But Trump also appeared to signal he is going to stay out of negotiations in Congress, saying, “I leave it to them and hopefully they’re going to put great legislation on this desk right here.”</p>

US House GOP preps health care bill for vote before new year

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday night that aims to preempt states from enacting rules governing artificial intelligence, a major departure from the typical federalist structure of American government that Trump said was necessary because of the issue’s high stakes.

In an early evening signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;would position the United States to win a competition with China to dominate the burgeoning AI industry. Coordinating policy among 50 different states would put the U.S. at a disadvantage, Trump said, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping did not have similar restraints.

“This will not be successful unless they have one source of approval or disapproval,” he said. “It’s got to be one source. They can’t go to 50 different sources.”

The order creates a task force to monitor state laws on AI and to challenge them in court, and directs the Commerce secretary to complete a review of state laws within three months.

David Sacks, the chair of a White House board on technology, said there were more than 1,000 pending AI bills in state legislatures.

White House staff secretary Will Scharf said during the Oval Office event that the order would “ensure that AI can operate within a single national framework in this country, as opposed to being subject to state level regulation that could potentially cripple the industry.”

“The big picture is that we’re taking steps to ensure that AI operates under a single national standard so that we can reap the benefits that will come from it.”

The order, a major assertion of presidential power over state governments and Congress, is likely to see court challenges, including from environmental groups that oppose AI expansion because of the energy resources the technology requires.

“Congress has repeatedly rejected attempts to undermine states’ and local communities’ efforts to protect themselves from the unchecked spread of AI, which is driving a wave of dangerous data center development,” Mitch Jones, the chief of policy and litigation at the advocacy group Food and Water Watch, said in a statement.&nbsp;

“We’ll be following the administration’s attempts to implement this farcical order, and we’ll fight it in Congress, in the states, in the courts, and with communities across this country.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765545474104.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
                        <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a></p><p>President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday night that aims to preempt states from enacting rules governing artificial intelligence, a major departure from the typical federalist structure of American government that Trump said was necessary because of the issue’s high stakes.</p><p>In an early evening signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy/" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;would position the United States to win a competition with China to dominate the burgeoning AI industry. Coordinating policy among 50 different states would put the U.S. at a disadvantage, Trump said, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping did not have similar restraints.</p><p>“This will not be successful unless they have one source of approval or disapproval,” he said. “It’s got to be one source. They can’t go to 50 different sources.”</p><p>The order creates a task force to monitor state laws on AI and to challenge them in court, and directs the Commerce secretary to complete a review of state laws within three months.</p><p>David Sacks, the chair of a White House board on technology, said there were more than 1,000 pending AI bills in state legislatures.</p><p>White House staff secretary Will Scharf said during the Oval Office event that the order would “ensure that AI can operate within a single national framework in this country, as opposed to being subject to state level regulation that could potentially cripple the industry.”</p><p>“The big picture is that we’re taking steps to ensure that AI operates under a single national standard so that we can reap the benefits that will come from it.”</p><p>The order, a major assertion of presidential power over state governments and Congress, is likely to see court challenges, including from environmental groups that oppose AI expansion because of the energy resources the technology requires.</p><p>“Congress has repeatedly rejected attempts to undermine states’ and local communities’ efforts to protect themselves from the unchecked spread of AI, which is driving a wave of dangerous data center development,” Mitch Jones, the chief of policy and litigation at the advocacy group Food and Water Watch, said in a statement.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’ll be following the administration’s attempts to implement this farcical order, and we’ll fight it in Congress, in the states, in the courts, and with communities across this country.”</p>

President Trump signs order intended to block states from regulating AI

By:<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/author/tdavies/">Tom Davies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/author/casey-smith/">Casey Smith</a><br><a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a>

The Republican-dominated Indiana Senate spurned months of demands from President Donald Trump as it voted 31-19 on Thursday to reject a redrawing of the state’s congressional maps.

The final outcome remained uncertain until 21 Republicans joined all 10 Democratic senators in blocking the redistricting plan. The proposal didn’t even win support from a majority of the 40 Republican senators.

With that tally, Indiana became the first Republican-led state Legislature to vote down Trump’s wish to&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/10/10/indiana-leaders-hint-at-early-redistricting-resolution-following-third-meeting-with-vp/">squeeze out more GOP-friendly congressional seats</a>&nbsp;in hopes of improving the party’s chances of keeping its slim U.S. House majority after the 2026 midterm elections.

“This is an extremely important issue that we’ve taken very seriously,” Bray told reporters after the bill’s defeat.

Bray downplayed the prospect of retribution from the White House after Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticized him and other Republican senators.

“It’s their prerogative to have opinions about what we’re doing here. So, that’s fair,” he said.

Asked whether he was concerned about possible loss of federal funding or other consequences, Bray appeared unmoved.&nbsp;

“I’ve had lots of conversations with folks in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “Indiana will continue to function.”

A bill needs 26 votes for passage or defeat. Because a constitutional majority — 25 votes or more — voted against the measure, it can’t be taken up by state lawmakers again until the 2027 session.

Trump was calling individual senators this week seeking support and took to social media Wednesday night to seethe over Bray and other Indiana Republicans who weren’t following his demands.

A crowd of about 100 protesters outside the Senate chamber echoed throughout the three-hour debate, chanting, “Fair maps now!” and “Vote no!” and “Cheaters!” and “Liars!” and “Just vote no!”

Brooke Isaac of Columbus and other protesters cheered the outcome, saying she was “very surprised and so very thankful.”

Isaac said she believed Trump was trying to use Indiana as a “pawn” to acquire power.

“I’m just really relieved that the Republicans and our government have decided to show integrity and to stand up for what the people in our state care about,” Isaac said.

Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, was among the senators voting against the new maps and said she believed the pressure and threats from Washington backfired.&nbsp;

“You have to know Hoosiers, we can’t be bullied,” Glick said. “We don’t want that. And the instant reaction is we dig in our heels and say, why?”

Indiana House Republicans pushed the proposed maps through that chamber last week by a 57-41 margin, with 12 GOP members joining Democrats in voting “no.”

Several Republican senators against the redistricting plan cited what they described as overwhelming public opposition. Others said they didn’t believe it was proper to overhaul the Republican-drawn maps approved in 2021 for such blatant political purposes, with some objecting to the overt gerrymandering of Indianapolis among four districts spanning as far away as the Ohio River.

Trump started the national redistricting fight by pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/12/04/texas-redistricting-map-us-supreme-court-2026-midterms/" target="_blank">Texas Republicans to redraw</a>&nbsp;its congressional map this summer, followed by Republican redistricting moves in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/national-republicans-gear-up-to-fight-referendum-on-missouri-congressional-map/" target="_blank">Missouri</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/31/ohio-redistricting-commission-unanimously-passes-congressional-map-further-gop-advantage/" target="_blank">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/federal-judges-in-nc-will-consider-bid-to-block-newly-gerrymandered-district/" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>. An attempt by&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/08/kansas-legislative-leadership-wobbly-on-redistricting-as-january-session-draws-near/" target="_blank">Kansas Republicans</a>&nbsp;for a special session on redistricting stalled this fall.

Democrats responded with their own redistricting in&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/california-proposition-50-takeaways/" target="_blank">California</a>&nbsp;and possible moves in&nbsp;<a href="https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/u-s-house-minority-leader-jeffries-accelerates-illinois-redistricting-push/" target="_blank">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2025/11/07/judges-cool-to-legal-challenges-as-democrats-move-to-redraw-virginias-maps/" target="_blank">Virginia</a>.

Bill sponsor called for Republicans to ‘fight’

Redistricting bill sponsor Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, used all of his 30-minute speaking time to argue in support of it after all 10 Democratic senators and three Republicans spoke in opposition.

“They want you to play by a different set of rules,” Gaskill said, referring to Democrats.

He called on his colleagues “to step up and do the right thing.”

“I want to see us on the Republican side fight as hard for our side as they do,” Gaskill said.

Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus —&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/08/testimony-begins-with-initial-senate-redistricting-vote-expected-today/" target="_blank">who has been outspoken against midcycle redistricting</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;called the bill “on its face, is unconstitutional.”

“I cannot, myself, support the bill for which there must be a legal injunction in order for it to be found constitutional,” he said.

Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, had not announced a position before Thursday’s vote but told the chamber that “overwhelming feedback” from his constituents — “regardless of political leaning, or party affiliation” — influenced his decision. He ultimately voted no on the bill.&nbsp;

“I’ve done my very best to quietly and respectfully listen to the people I represent,” Goode said, “and I’m confident that my vote reflects the will of my constituents.”

At least a dozen legislators, many Senate Republicans — including Goode — have publicly disclosed being targeted in&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/11/20/two-more-indiana-gop-senators-report-swatting-attempts-as-redistricting-pressure-rages/">swatting attempts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/briefs/senate-republican-reports-business-bomb-threat/">bomb threats</a>&nbsp;and more. The incidents have prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/08/as-indiana-senate-begins-redistricting-turn-republicans-keep-mum/">an ongoing investigation</a>&nbsp;now led by the Indiana State Police.

“Whether we realize it or not — whether we accept it or not — the forces that define these vitriolic political affairs in places outside of Indiana have gradually, and now very blatantly, infiltrated the political affairs in Indiana,” Goode said. “Misinformation, cruel social media posts, over-the-top pressure from within the Statehouse and outside. Threats of primaries. Threats of violence. Acts of violence. Friends, we’re better than this, are we not?”

Three Republicans —&nbsp;Sens. Liz Brown, Tyler Johnson and Chris Garten —&nbsp;all spoke in staunch support.

“The vote we are about to take is not just about lines on a map — it’s a vote of critical, epic proportion,” Garten said in his passionate remarks. “We’re not here to be neutral arbiters of decline. We’re here to be active agents of American greats.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765537589872.png" alt="Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, argues in support of a redistricting bill in the Senate Chamber on Dec. 11, 2025. (Photo by Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle)" />
                        <figcaption>Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, argues in support of a redistricting bill in the Senate Chamber on Dec. 11, 2025. (Photo by Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/author/tdavies/">Tom Davies</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/author/casey-smith/">Casey Smith</a><br><a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a></p><p>The Republican-dominated Indiana Senate spurned months of demands from President Donald Trump as it voted 31-19 on Thursday to reject a redrawing of the state’s congressional maps.</p><p>The final outcome remained uncertain until 21 Republicans joined all 10 Democratic senators in blocking the redistricting plan. The proposal didn’t even win support from a majority of the 40 Republican senators.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765537341533.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>With that tally, Indiana became the first Republican-led state Legislature to vote down Trump’s wish to&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/10/10/indiana-leaders-hint-at-early-redistricting-resolution-following-third-meeting-with-vp/">squeeze out more GOP-friendly congressional seats</a>&nbsp;in hopes of improving the party’s chances of keeping its slim U.S. House majority after the 2026 midterm elections.</p><p>“This is an extremely important issue that we’ve taken very seriously,” Bray told reporters after the bill’s defeat.</p><p>Bray downplayed the prospect of retribution from the White House after Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticized him and other Republican senators.</p><p>“It’s their prerogative to have opinions about what we’re doing here. So, that’s fair,” he said.</p><p>Asked whether he was concerned about possible loss of federal funding or other consequences, Bray appeared unmoved.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’ve had lots of conversations with folks in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “Indiana will continue to function.”</p><p>A bill needs 26 votes for passage or defeat. Because a constitutional majority — 25 votes or more — voted against the measure, it can’t be taken up by state lawmakers again until the 2027 session.</p><p>Trump was calling individual senators this week seeking support and took to social media Wednesday night to seethe over Bray and other Indiana Republicans who weren’t following his demands.</p><h2>Senator says ‘we can’t be bullied’</h2><p>A crowd of about 100 protesters outside the Senate chamber echoed throughout the three-hour debate, chanting, “Fair maps now!” and “Vote no!” and “Cheaters!” and “Liars!” and “Just vote no!”</p><p>Brooke Isaac of Columbus and other protesters cheered the outcome, saying she was “very surprised and so very thankful.”</p><p>Isaac said she believed Trump was trying to use Indiana as a “pawn” to acquire power.</p><p>“I’m just really relieved that the Republicans and our government have decided to show integrity and to stand up for what the people in our state care about,” Isaac said.</p><p>Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, was among the senators voting against the new maps and said she believed the pressure and threats from Washington backfired.&nbsp;</p><p>“You have to know Hoosiers, we can’t be bullied,” Glick said. “We don’t want that. And the instant reaction is we dig in our heels and say, why?”</p><p>Indiana House Republicans pushed the proposed maps through that chamber last week by a 57-41 margin, with 12 GOP members joining Democrats in voting “no.”</p><p>Several Republican senators against the redistricting plan cited what they described as overwhelming public opposition. Others said they didn’t believe it was proper to overhaul the Republican-drawn maps approved in 2021 for such blatant political purposes, with some objecting to the overt gerrymandering of Indianapolis among four districts spanning as far away as the Ohio River.</p><p>Trump started the national redistricting fight by pushing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/12/04/texas-redistricting-map-us-supreme-court-2026-midterms/" target="_blank">Texas Republicans to redraw</a>&nbsp;its congressional map this summer, followed by Republican redistricting moves in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/national-republicans-gear-up-to-fight-referendum-on-missouri-congressional-map/" target="_blank">Missouri</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/31/ohio-redistricting-commission-unanimously-passes-congressional-map-further-gop-advantage/" target="_blank">Ohio</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/federal-judges-in-nc-will-consider-bid-to-block-newly-gerrymandered-district/" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>. An attempt by&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/08/kansas-legislative-leadership-wobbly-on-redistricting-as-january-session-draws-near/" target="_blank">Kansas Republicans</a>&nbsp;for a special session on redistricting stalled this fall.</p><p>Democrats responded with their own redistricting in&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/11/california-proposition-50-takeaways/" target="_blank">California</a>&nbsp;and possible moves in&nbsp;<a href="https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/u-s-house-minority-leader-jeffries-accelerates-illinois-redistricting-push/" target="_blank">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2025/11/07/judges-cool-to-legal-challenges-as-democrats-move-to-redraw-virginias-maps/" target="_blank">Virginia</a>.</p><h2>Bill sponsor called for Republicans to ‘fight’</h2><p>Redistricting bill sponsor Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, used all of his 30-minute speaking time to argue in support of it after all 10 Democratic senators and three Republicans spoke in opposition.</p><p>“They want you to play by a different set of rules,” Gaskill said, referring to Democrats.</p><p>He called on his colleagues “to step up and do the right thing.”</p><p>“I want to see us on the Republican side fight as hard for our side as they do,” Gaskill said.</p><p>Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus —&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/08/testimony-begins-with-initial-senate-redistricting-vote-expected-today/" target="_blank">who has been outspoken against midcycle redistricting</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;called the bill “on its face, is unconstitutional.”</p><p>“I cannot, myself, support the bill for which there must be a legal injunction in order for it to be found constitutional,” he said.</p><p>Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, had not announced a position before Thursday’s vote but told the chamber that “overwhelming feedback” from his constituents — “regardless of political leaning, or party affiliation” — influenced his decision. He ultimately voted no on the bill.&nbsp;</p><p>“I’ve done my very best to quietly and respectfully listen to the people I represent,” Goode said, “and I’m confident that my vote reflects the will of my constituents.”</p><p>At least a dozen legislators, many Senate Republicans — including Goode — have publicly disclosed being targeted in&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/11/20/two-more-indiana-gop-senators-report-swatting-attempts-as-redistricting-pressure-rages/">swatting attempts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/briefs/senate-republican-reports-business-bomb-threat/">bomb threats</a>&nbsp;and more. The incidents have prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/08/as-indiana-senate-begins-redistricting-turn-republicans-keep-mum/">an ongoing investigation</a>&nbsp;now led by the Indiana State Police.</p><p>“Whether we realize it or not — whether we accept it or not — the forces that define these vitriolic political affairs in places outside of Indiana have gradually, and now very blatantly, infiltrated the political affairs in Indiana,” Goode said. “Misinformation, cruel social media posts, over-the-top pressure from within the Statehouse and outside. Threats of primaries. Threats of violence. Acts of violence. Friends, we’re better than this, are we not?”</p><p>Three Republicans —&nbsp;Sens. Liz Brown, Tyler Johnson and Chris Garten —&nbsp;all spoke in staunch support.</p><p>“The vote we are about to take is not just about lines on a map — it’s a vote of critical, epic proportion,” Garten said in his passionate remarks. “We’re not here to be neutral arbiters of decline. We’re here to be active agents of American greats.”</p>

Indiana Republicans reject Trump’s plea for gerrymandered maps

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate in long-anticipated votes failed to advance legislation Thursday that would have addressed the rising cost of health insurance, leaving lawmakers deadlocked on how to curb a surge in premiums expected next year.&nbsp;

Senators voted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00643.htm" target="_blank">51-48</a>&nbsp;on a Republican bill co-sponsored by Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo that would have provided funding through Health Savings Accounts for some ACA marketplace enrollees during 2026 and 2027.&nbsp;

They then voted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00644.htm" target="_blank">51-48&nbsp;</a>on a measure from Democrats that would have extended enhanced tax credits for people who purchase their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace for three years. A group of Senate Democrats in November&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-advances-bill-end-record-breaking-government-shutdown" target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;to end a government shutdown of historic length in exchange for a commitment by Republicans to hold a vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted for the Democrats’ bill. Paul also voted against the GOP bill.&nbsp;

Neither bill received the 60 votes needed to advance under the Senate’s legislative filibuster rule.&nbsp;

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., criticized the ACA marketplace and the subsidies for leading to large increases in the costs of health insurance.&nbsp;

“Under Democrats’ plan insurance premiums will continue to spiral, American taxpayers will find themselves on the hook for ever-increasing subsidy payments,” Thune said. “And don’t think that all those payments are going to go to vulnerable Americans.”

Thune argued Democrats’ bill was only an extension of the “status quo” of a “failed, flawed, fraud program that is increasing costs at three times the rate of inflation.&nbsp;

Thune said the Republican bill from Cassidy and Crapo would “help individuals to meet their out-of-pocket costs and for many individuals who don’t use their insurance or who barely use it, it would allow them to save for health care expenses down the road.”

Schumer calls GOP plan ‘mean and cruel’

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the three-year extension bill was the only option to avoid a spike in costs for people enrolled in ACA marketplace plans.&nbsp;

“By my last count, Republicans are now at nine different health care proposals and counting. And none of them give the American people the one thing they most want — a clean, simple extension of these health care tax credits,” Schumer said. “But our bill does extend these credits cleanly and simply and it’s time for Republicans to join us.”

Schumer referred to the Cassidy-Crapo proposals as “stingy” as well as “mean and cruel.”

“Under the Republican plan, the big idea is essentially to hand people about $80 a month and wish them good luck,” Schumer said. “And even to qualify for that check, listen to how bad this is, Americans would be forced onto bare-bones bronze plans with sky-high deductibles; $7,000 or $10,000 for an individual, tens of thousands for a couple.”

After the votes failed, Schumer outlined some of the guardrails Democrats would put in place regarding negotiations with GOP colleagues.

“They want to talk about health care in general and how to improve it — we’re always open to that, but we do not want what they want — favoring the insurance companies, favoring the drug companies, favoring the special interests and turning their back on the American people,” he said.&nbsp;

The Cassidy-Crapo bill would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;

Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that consumers can use to pay for medical expenses that are not otherwise reimbursed. They are not health insurance products.

ACA marketplace enrollees who select a bronze or catastrophic plan and make up to 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 annually if they are between the ages of 18 and 49 and $1,500 per year if they are between the ages of 50 and 64.&nbsp;

That would set a threshold of $109,550 in annual income for one person, or $225,050 for a family of four, according to the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">federal poverty guidelines</a>. The numbers are somewhat higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The funding could not go toward abortion access or gender transitions, according to the Republican bill summary.&nbsp;

Members of Congress have introduced several other health care proposals, including two bipartisan bills in the House that would extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits for at least another year with some modifications.&nbsp;

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has been reluctant to bring either bipartisan bill up for a floor vote, though he may not have the option if&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2025121012?Page=2" target="_blank">a discharge petition</a>&nbsp;filed earlier this week garners the 218 signatures needed.&nbsp;

Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick wrote in a statement the legislation represents a “solution that can actually pass—not a political messaging exercise.”

“This bill delivers the urgent help families need now, while giving Congress the runway to keep improving our healthcare system for the long term,” Fitzpatrick wrote. “Responsible governance means securing 80 percent of what families need today, rather than risking 100 percent of nothing tomorrow.”

But Johnson said Wednesday that he will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-promises-vote-reducing-health-care-premiums-few-specifics-disclosed" target="_blank">put a package of bills on the House floor</a>&nbsp;next week that he believes “​​will actually reduce premiums for 100% of Americans who are on health insurance.” Details of those bills have not been disclosed.

Thune told reporters that if “somebody is successful in getting a discharge petition and a bill out of the House, obviously we’ll take a look at it. But at the moment, you know, we’re focused on the action here in the Senate, which is the side-by-side vote we’re going to have later today.”&nbsp;

Alaska’s Murkowski said lawmakers can find a compromise on health care by next week “if we believe it is possible.”

The issue of affordability and rising health care costs is likely to be central to the November midterm elections, where Democrats hope to flip the House from red to blue and gain additional seats in the Senate.&nbsp;

The Democratic National Committee isn’t waiting to begin those campaigns,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/national-democrats-target-us-senate-gop-incumbents-health-care-votes" target="_blank">placing digital ads in the hometown newspapers</a>&nbsp;of several Republicans up for reelection next year, including Maine’s Collins and Ohio’s Jon Husted.&nbsp;

“Today’s Senate vote to extend the ACA tax credits could be the difference between life and death for many Americans,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a press release. “Over 20 million Americans will see their health care premiums skyrocket next year if Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Jon Husted, and Dan Sullivan do not stand with working families and vote to extend these lifesaving credits.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted Senate Democrats’ proposal during Thursday’s press briefing, calling it a “political show vote” meant to provide cover for Democrats, whom she blamed for creating the problem.&nbsp;

Trump and Republicans would “unveil creative ideas and solutions to the health care crisis that was created by Democrats,” she said. “Chuck Schumer is not sincerely interested in lowering health care costs for the American people. He’s putting this vote on the floor knowing that it will fail so he can have another talking point that he can throw around without any real plan or action.”

Shauneen Miranda and Jacob Fischler contributed to this report.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765480537338.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall sharing his healthcare plan on Senate floor Thursday-image CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall sharing his healthcare plan on Senate floor Thursday-image CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate in long-anticipated votes failed to advance legislation Thursday that would have addressed the rising cost of health insurance, leaving lawmakers deadlocked on how to curb a surge in premiums expected next year.&nbsp;</p><p>Senators voted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00643.htm" target="_blank">51-48</a>&nbsp;on a Republican bill co-sponsored by Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo that would have provided funding through Health Savings Accounts for some ACA marketplace enrollees during 2026 and 2027.&nbsp;</p><p>They then voted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00644.htm" target="_blank">51-48&nbsp;</a>on a measure from Democrats that would have extended enhanced tax credits for people who purchase their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace for three years. A group of Senate Democrats in November&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-advances-bill-end-record-breaking-government-shutdown" target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;to end a government shutdown of historic length in exchange for a commitment by Republicans to hold a vote on extending the enhanced subsidies.</p><p>Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted for the Democrats’ bill. Paul also voted against the GOP bill.&nbsp;</p><p>Neither bill received the 60 votes needed to advance under the Senate’s legislative filibuster rule.&nbsp;</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., criticized the ACA marketplace and the subsidies for leading to large increases in the costs of health insurance.&nbsp;</p><p>“Under Democrats’ plan insurance premiums will continue to spiral, American taxpayers will find themselves on the hook for ever-increasing subsidy payments,” Thune said. “And don’t think that all those payments are going to go to vulnerable Americans.”</p><p>Thune argued Democrats’ bill was only an extension of the “status quo” of a “failed, flawed, fraud program that is increasing costs at three times the rate of inflation.&nbsp;</p><p>Thune said the Republican bill from Cassidy and Crapo would “help individuals to meet their out-of-pocket costs and for many individuals who don’t use their insurance or who barely use it, it would allow them to save for health care expenses down the road.”</p><h2>Schumer calls GOP plan ‘mean and cruel’</h2><p>Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the three-year extension bill was the only option to avoid a spike in costs for people enrolled in ACA marketplace plans.&nbsp;</p><p>“By my last count, Republicans are now at nine different health care proposals and counting. And none of them give the American people the one thing they most want — a clean, simple extension of these health care tax credits,” Schumer said. “But our bill does extend these credits cleanly and simply and it’s time for Republicans to join us.”</p><p>Schumer referred to the Cassidy-Crapo proposals as “stingy” as well as “mean and cruel.”</p><p>“Under the Republican plan, the big idea is essentially to hand people about $80 a month and wish them good luck,” Schumer said. “And even to qualify for that check, listen to how bad this is, Americans would be forced onto bare-bones bronze plans with sky-high deductibles; $7,000 or $10,000 for an individual, tens of thousands for a couple.”</p><p>After the votes failed, Schumer outlined some of the guardrails Democrats would put in place regarding negotiations with GOP colleagues.</p><p>“They want to talk about health care in general and how to improve it — we’re always open to that, but we do not want what they want — favoring the insurance companies, favoring the drug companies, favoring the special interests and turning their back on the American people,” he said.&nbsp;</p><h2>Health Savings Accounts in GOP plan</h2><p>The Cassidy-Crapo bill would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;</p><p>Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that consumers can use to pay for medical expenses that are not otherwise reimbursed. They are not health insurance products.</p><p>ACA marketplace enrollees who select a bronze or catastrophic plan and make up to 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 annually if they are between the ages of 18 and 49 and $1,500 per year if they are between the ages of 50 and 64.&nbsp;</p><p>That would set a threshold of $109,550 in annual income for one person, or $225,050 for a family of four, according to the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">federal poverty guidelines</a>. The numbers are somewhat higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The funding could not go toward abortion access or gender transitions, according to the Republican bill summary.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765486716416.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Members of Congress have introduced several other health care proposals, including two bipartisan bills in the House that would extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits for at least another year with some modifications.&nbsp;</p><p>Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has been reluctant to bring either bipartisan bill up for a floor vote, though he may not have the option if&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2025121012?Page=2" target="_blank">a discharge petition</a>&nbsp;filed earlier this week garners the 218 signatures needed.&nbsp;</p><p>Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick wrote in a statement the legislation represents a “solution that can actually pass—not a political messaging exercise.”</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765486778315.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“This bill delivers the urgent help families need now, while giving Congress the runway to keep improving our healthcare system for the long term,” Fitzpatrick wrote. “Responsible governance means securing 80 percent of what families need today, rather than risking 100 percent of nothing tomorrow.”</p><p>But Johnson said Wednesday that he will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-promises-vote-reducing-health-care-premiums-few-specifics-disclosed" target="_blank">put a package of bills on the House floor</a>&nbsp;next week that he believes “​​will actually reduce premiums for 100% of Americans who are on health insurance.” Details of those bills have not been disclosed.</p><p>Thune told reporters that if “somebody is successful in getting a discharge petition and a bill out of the House, obviously we’ll take a look at it. But at the moment, you know, we’re focused on the action here in the Senate, which is the side-by-side vote we’re going to have later today.”&nbsp;</p><p>Alaska’s Murkowski said lawmakers can find a compromise on health care by next week “if we believe it is possible.”</p><h2>Political costs</h2><p>The issue of affordability and rising health care costs is likely to be central to the November midterm elections, where Democrats hope to flip the House from red to blue and gain additional seats in the Senate.&nbsp;</p><p>The Democratic National Committee isn’t waiting to begin those campaigns,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/national-democrats-target-us-senate-gop-incumbents-health-care-votes" target="_blank">placing digital ads in the hometown newspapers</a>&nbsp;of several Republicans up for reelection next year, including Maine’s Collins and Ohio’s Jon Husted.&nbsp;</p><p>“Today’s Senate vote to extend the ACA tax credits could be the difference between life and death for many Americans,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a press release. “Over 20 million Americans will see their health care premiums skyrocket next year if Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Jon Husted, and Dan Sullivan do not stand with working families and vote to extend these lifesaving credits.”</p><p>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted Senate Democrats’ proposal during Thursday’s press briefing, calling it a “political show vote” meant to provide cover for Democrats, whom she blamed for creating the problem.&nbsp;</p><p>Trump and Republicans would “unveil creative ideas and solutions to the health care crisis that was created by Democrats,” she said. “Chuck Schumer is not sincerely interested in lowering health care costs for the American people. He’s putting this vote on the floor knowing that it will fail so he can have another talking point that he can throw around without any real plan or action.”</p><p>Shauneen Miranda and Jacob Fischler contributed to this report.&nbsp;</p>

US Senate hits stalemate on solution to spiraling health insurance costs

Powerball® is giving players the chance to play for a jackpot estimated at $1 billion this Saturday! The jackpot carries an estimated cash value of $461.3 million, according to a media release from the Multi-State Lottery Association.

Saturday’s jackpot ranks as the seventh-largest in Powerball history. It’s also the second Powerball jackpot to reach $1 billion this year, following the $1.787 billion jackpot won on Sept. 6 in Missouri and Texas.

The Powerball jackpot rolled last night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 10, 16, 29, 33, 69 and red Powerball 22. The Power Play® multiplier was 3X.

Although the jackpot eluded players, three tickets sold in Maryland, Michigan and New Jersey matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes.

Saturday’s drawing will be the 42nd in the current jackpot run – tying the game record for most consecutive drawings in a single jackpot cycle. The Powerball jackpot was last won on Sept. 6 by two tickets in Missouri and Texas that split a $1.787 billion prize.

If a player wins Saturday’s jackpot, they will choose between an annuitized prize estimated at $1 billion or a lump sum payment estimated at $461.3 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.

Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $37 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.

The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

<p>Powerball® is giving players the chance to play for a jackpot estimated at $1 billion this Saturday! The jackpot carries an estimated cash value of $461.3 million, according to a media release from the Multi-State Lottery Association.</p><p>Saturday’s jackpot ranks as the seventh-largest in Powerball history. It’s also the second Powerball jackpot to reach $1 billion this year, following the $1.787 billion jackpot won on Sept. 6 in Missouri and Texas.</p><p>The Powerball jackpot rolled last night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 10, 16, 29, 33, 69 and red Powerball 22. The Power Play® multiplier was 3X.</p><p>Although the jackpot eluded players, three tickets sold in Maryland, Michigan and New Jersey matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes.</p><p>Saturday’s drawing will be the 42nd in the current jackpot run – tying the game record for most consecutive drawings in a single jackpot cycle. The Powerball jackpot was last won on Sept. 6 by two tickets in Missouri and Texas that split a $1.787 billion prize.</p><p>If a player wins Saturday’s jackpot, they will choose between an annuitized prize estimated at $1 billion or a lump sum payment estimated at $461.3 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.</p><p>Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $37 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.</p><p>Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.</p><p>The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.</p><p>Top Ten Powerball® Jackpots</p><ol>
                        <li>$2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA</li><li>$1.787 Billion – Sept. 6, 2025 – MO, TX</li><li>$1.765 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023 - CA</li><li>$1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN</li><li>$1.326 Billion – April 6, 2024 – OR</li><li>$1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA</li><li>$1 Billion est. – Dec 13, 2025</li><li>$842.4 Million – January 1, 2024 – MI</li><li>$768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI</li><li>$758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA</li>
                    </ol>

Powerball jackpot rises to $1 billion for Saturday drawing

2025 was the year when artificial intelligence’s full potential roared into view, and when it became clear that there will be no turning back.

For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year. 

<p>2025 was the year when artificial intelligence’s full potential roared into view, and when it became clear that there will be no turning back.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">2025 was the year when artificial intelligence’s full potential roared into view, and when it became clear that there will be no turning back.<br><br>For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the… <a href="https://t.co/mEIKRiZfLo">pic.twitter.com/mEIKRiZfLo</a></p>&mdash; TIME (@TIME) <a href="https://twitter.com/TIME/status/1999097617633189955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>For delivering the age of thinking machines, for wowing and worrying humanity, for transforming the present and transcending the possible, the Architects of AI are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year. </p>

Time magazine reveals unusual person of the year for 2025

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Coast Guard, with support from the Department of War, executed a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. For multiple… <a href="https://t.co/dNr0oAGl5x">pic.twitter.com/dNr0oAGl5x</a></p>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1998875795151024337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: “As you probably know, we just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela — a large tanker, very large.” <a href="https://t.co/I51NenxoIP">pic.twitter.com/I51NenxoIP</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998852863817064906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 Q: What happens to the oil on the tanker you seized near Venezuela?<br><br>PRESIDENT TRUMP: We keep the oil, I guess! 🤣<br><br>Q: Where does it go?<br><br>TRUMP: You&#39;re a good news man. Just get a helicopter and go follow the tanker! <br><br>He is the best 😭😭 <a href="https://t.co/Dp9duwUxT7">pic.twitter.com/Dp9duwUxT7</a></p>&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998860261915242721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Video shows US commandos storm oil tanker off Venezuela coast

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they will hold a vote on their own health care proposal later this week to counter a Democratic bill that would extend enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for three more years.

<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf">Click here to read</a> the bill

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf" target="_blank">32-page GOP bill</a>&nbsp;would not address the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits but would send payments to certain Americans through Health Savings Accounts to cover some of the cost of health care.&nbsp;

Neither measure has the 60 votes needed to advance under that chamber’s rules. That would leave the ACA marketplace subsidies to expire at the end of the year and dramatically spike the cost of health insurance for the millions of people enrolled in those plans.&nbsp;

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrats’ bill to simply extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits to offset the costs Americans pay for that insurance was unacceptable.&nbsp;

“The way that the program is structured, the money goes straight to the insurance companies,” Thune said. “And the way that we think this ought to work is you ought to come up with a way in which you can deliver the benefit to the patients and not to the insurance companies.”

Thune said the Democratic bill lacks an income cap for ACA marketplace tax credits and allows $0 premiums for health insurance plans — guaranteeing the measure will fail.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, called the GOP proposal a “nonstarter” that would lead to “junk insurance.” He said the only way to avoid a dramatic increase in health insurance costs next year is to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits.&nbsp;

“Their phony proposal is dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “The bill not only fails to extend the tax credits, it increases costs, adds tons of new abortion restrictions for women, expands junk fees and permanently funds cost-sharing reductions.”

Senate Republicans have debated for weeks whether to hold a vote on a GOP plan to show the party has something to offer toward reducing health care costs. Thune promised Democrats a vote on a health care bill of their choosing in exchange for votes to end the government shutdown.&nbsp;

Schumer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-subsidies-would-continue-3-years-under-dem-bill-be-voted-us-senate" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that Democrats would hold the vote on a three-year extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits as they exist now.&nbsp;

Several GOP senators, including Maine’s Susan Collins and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, have released plans that would include an extension of the expiring tax credits while beginning to transition away from those subsidies.&nbsp;

But Republican leaders ultimately decided to hold a vote on a proposal released earlier this week by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.&nbsp;

The Cassidy-Crapo legislation would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;

Cassidy and Crapo outlined how their proposal would work during afternoon floor speeches, where they also aired their grievances with how the Affordable Care Act has affected Americans’ health care costs.&nbsp;

Crapo rebuked Democrats for establishing the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits during the coronavirus pandemic and scheduling them to sunset at the end of this year.&nbsp;

“The pattern has become clear: Democrats respond to rising premiums by throwing taxpayer dollars at the problem,” Crapo said. “Their supposedly short-term fixes only drive premiums higher and make the problem harder to solve. Leaving us with apparently no choice other than to do the same thing again and again and again.”

The GOP plan, he said, was modeled off President Donald Trump’s request to send funding directly to Americans to spend on their health care.&nbsp;

“Families can use that money to cover costs not handled by their insurance policy without having to wait for insurance companies to approve their treatment decisions,” Crapo said. “Because families want the best value for their money, they will seek out the most appropriate treatment. Over time this will result in lower health care costs as providers compete for patients.”

Cassidy said the bill would not subsidize health insurance premiums but would help some Americans pay for doctor exams, dentist visits, glasses and prescriptions.&nbsp;

Once eligible ACA marketplace enrollees receive that funding in their Health Savings Accounts, he said, they will shop around for better prices, including on x-rays, which are often used to determine if someone has broken a bone.&nbsp;

“She’s going to say, ‘Wait a second, the x-ray is $150 here and $500 there. I’m going to where it’s cheaper, not more expensive,’” Cassidy said, giving an example. “And I can tell you when that begins to happen, the people who are more expensive begin to lower their price.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765375617920.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By Jennifer Shutt</p><p>WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they will hold a vote on their own health care proposal later this week to counter a Democratic bill that would extend enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for three more years.</p><p><a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf">Click here to read</a> the bill</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act.pdf" target="_blank">32-page GOP bill</a>&nbsp;would not address the expiring ACA marketplace tax credits but would send payments to certain Americans through Health Savings Accounts to cover some of the cost of health care.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765375587504.png" alt=" Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., answers questions from reporters after chairing a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)." />
                        <figcaption> Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., answers questions from reporters after chairing a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Neither measure has the 60 votes needed to advance under that chamber’s rules. That would leave the ACA marketplace subsidies to expire at the end of the year and dramatically spike the cost of health insurance for the millions of people enrolled in those plans.&nbsp;</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrats’ bill to simply extend the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits to offset the costs Americans pay for that insurance was unacceptable.&nbsp;</p><p>“The way that the program is structured, the money goes straight to the insurance companies,” Thune said. “And the way that we think this ought to work is you ought to come up with a way in which you can deliver the benefit to the patients and not to the insurance companies.”</p><p>Thune said the Democratic bill lacks an income cap for ACA marketplace tax credits and allows $0 premiums for health insurance plans — guaranteeing the measure will fail.</p><p>Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, called the GOP proposal a “nonstarter” that would lead to “junk insurance.” He said the only way to avoid a dramatic increase in health insurance costs next year is to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits.&nbsp;</p><p>“Their phony proposal is dead on arrival,” Schumer said. “The bill not only fails to extend the tax credits, it increases costs, adds tons of new abortion restrictions for women, expands junk fees and permanently funds cost-sharing reductions.”</p><h2>Multiple plans</h2><p>Senate Republicans have debated for weeks whether to hold a vote on a GOP plan to show the party has something to offer toward reducing health care costs. Thune promised Democrats a vote on a health care bill of their choosing in exchange for votes to end the government shutdown.&nbsp;</p><p>Schumer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/health-subsidies-would-continue-3-years-under-dem-bill-be-voted-us-senate" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that Democrats would hold the vote on a three-year extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits as they exist now.&nbsp;</p><p>Several GOP senators, including Maine’s Susan Collins and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno, have released plans that would include an extension of the expiring tax credits while beginning to transition away from those subsidies.&nbsp;</p><p>But Republican leaders ultimately decided to hold a vote on a proposal released earlier this week by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.&nbsp;</p><p>The Cassidy-Crapo legislation would have the Department of Health and Human Services deposit money into Health Savings Accounts for people enrolled in bronze or catastrophic health insurance plans purchased on the ACA marketplace in 2026 or 2027, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/health_care_freedom_for_patients_act_one-pager.pdf" target="_blank">a summary</a>&nbsp;of the bill.&nbsp;</p><p>Health Savings Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that consumers can use to pay for medical expenses that are not otherwise reimbursed. They are not health insurance products.</p><p>ACA marketplace enrollees who select a bronze or catastrophic plan and make up to 700% of the federal poverty level would receive $1,000 annually if they are between the ages of 18 and 49 and $1,500 per year if they are between the ages of 50 and 64.&nbsp;</p><p>That would set a threshold of $109,550 in annual income for one person, or $225,050 for a family of four, according to the 2025&nbsp;<a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/dd73d4f00d8a819d10b2fdb70d254f7b/detailed-guidelines-2025.pdf" target="_blank">federal poverty guidelines</a>. The numbers are somewhat higher for residents of Alaska and Hawaii.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>The funding could not go toward abortion access or gender transitions, according to the Republican bill summary.&nbsp;</p><h2>Proposal modeled on Trump comments</h2><p>Cassidy and Crapo outlined how their proposal would work during afternoon floor speeches, where they also aired their grievances with how the Affordable Care Act has affected Americans’ health care costs.&nbsp;</p><p>Crapo rebuked Democrats for establishing the enhanced ACA marketplace tax credits during the coronavirus pandemic and scheduling them to sunset at the end of this year.&nbsp;</p><p>“The pattern has become clear: Democrats respond to rising premiums by throwing taxpayer dollars at the problem,” Crapo said. “Their supposedly short-term fixes only drive premiums higher and make the problem harder to solve. Leaving us with apparently no choice other than to do the same thing again and again and again.”</p><p>The GOP plan, he said, was modeled off President Donald Trump’s request to send funding directly to Americans to spend on their health care.&nbsp;</p><p>“Families can use that money to cover costs not handled by their insurance policy without having to wait for insurance companies to approve their treatment decisions,” Crapo said. “Because families want the best value for their money, they will seek out the most appropriate treatment. Over time this will result in lower health care costs as providers compete for patients.”</p><p>Cassidy said the bill would not subsidize health insurance premiums but would help some Americans pay for doctor exams, dentist visits, glasses and prescriptions.&nbsp;</p><p>Once eligible ACA marketplace enrollees receive that funding in their Health Savings Accounts, he said, they will shop around for better prices, including on x-rays, which are often used to determine if someone has broken a bone.&nbsp;</p><p>“She’s going to say, ‘Wait a second, the x-ray is $150 here and $500 there. I’m going to where it’s cheaper, not more expensive,’” Cassidy said, giving an example. “And I can tell you when that begins to happen, the people who are more expensive begin to lower their price.”</p>

Read the bill: US Senate GOP  health care plan fails to extend premium subsidies

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765328781902.png" alt="Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
                        <figcaption>Photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump Delivers Remarks on the Economy <a href="https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo">https://t.co/tLnc8ycDNo</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998545515139461327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our nation is STRONG,<br>America is respected again,<br>and the United States is BACK. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/7gM8MlRZ9u">pic.twitter.com/7gM8MlRZ9u</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1998578042801893532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">📍 MOUNT POCONO, PENNSYLVANIA<br><br>RALLY STYLE! <a href="https://t.co/VvCJRArvB3">pic.twitter.com/VvCJRArvB3</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547587054404045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> in PA: &quot;I&#39;m thrilled to be back in this incredible Commonwealth, with so many proud, hardworking American patriots... Let me begin by wishing each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas!&quot; 🎄❤️ <a href="https://t.co/cfUwmgUmzI">pic.twitter.com/cfUwmgUmzI</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998547681736798287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Since my inauguration, we&#39;ve created nearly 60,000 new Pennsylvania jobs, including 4,000 Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs...more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians have been lifted off food stamps...we&#39;ve secured commitments for nearly $100 billion dollars of investment in… <a href="https://t.co/I19jU8XGyX">pic.twitter.com/I19jU8XGyX</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998550149875081608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re right now drilling more oil than we&#39;ve ever done — ever before... It was just reported that four states had $1.99 a gallon.&quot; 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/ltvNEbYkwo">pic.twitter.com/ltvNEbYkwo</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998551735363842073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Under Biden, real wages plummeted by $3,000 a year. Under Trump, the typical factory worker has seen their wages increase by more than $1,300... For construction workers, it’s $1,800 up... For miners, their wages went up $3,300.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/C8CDUDGhCy">pic.twitter.com/C8CDUDGhCy</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998552530130031024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr">Trump Dance in Pennsylvania! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/wPlzM36v87">pic.twitter.com/wPlzM36v87</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1998571525461639242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Highlights of President Trump's rally on the economy, affordability worries

President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. 

FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.

Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.

The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.

“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. 

The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. 

“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”

Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

In addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.

Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.

The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.

Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.

With the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.

For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.

OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.

OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.

OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.

OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.

Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input Costs

On September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.

On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.

These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.

Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory Actions

Farm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.

USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 Buys

This year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.

On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.

On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.

On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.

On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.

USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.

This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in history

President Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.

EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.

List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to Date

USDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.

Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.

El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.

Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.